The Trent -Severn Waterway

On July 9th Old Rosie took a break at a dock in the Fraser Park Marina in Trenton.  We covered 240 miles through 42 locks and a marine railway, connected by numerous rivers, lakes and channels, travelling from Port Severn on Georgian Bay, 576 ft. (176.2 m) above sea level, to the summit at Balsam Lake, with a high water point at 840 ft. (246.3 m), then downstream to Trenton, which is 243 ft. (74.4 m) above sea level. It was a very enjoyable trip, and what makes it all the more amazing is that the construction of the system began over 100 years ago.

But let's go back to June 25th, leaving the misty shores of Owen Sound and the captain is ready!

  After a detour to Wiarton, we arrived in Port Severn for our first locking experience on Monday, June 27th.

...and became proud owners of a Trent-Severn One-way Transit Pass.

Next stop, Big Chute, where Old Rosie travelled up, overland and above a road, and was set down in the body of water 57 ft. above.
The carriage of the Big Chute, coming down the rails... 

We motored into the carriage.

Up we go

Looking back down to where we started

 The mechanism and the control centre

Easing us down into the Severn River, and exiting the Big Chute.

You never know what’s going to be around the bend

We beeped, but no response, except from a lady walking over the bridge who called out, “I don’t know where he is!”  Finally the bridge swung open.

Another fun bridge, a railway bridge with 13 ft. clearance- we had to put the antennae down to squeeze under

There were fewer places to anchor out than we had expected along the way because of the shallow nature of the canals, channels, rivers and lakes. Since Parks Canada manages the T-S Waterway, at each lock there is a section of wall above and below where you can tie up for the night (for a fee, of course).
Some locks are in isolated locations like the locks at Couchiching.

 Some are some in towns like Bobcaygeon. We were on the gray line, where you could dock overnight.  The blue line (just ahead of us) is for boats waiting to go through.

On Canada Day we were docked at the port of Orillia, and Old Rosie was looking patriotic.

Locking for Dummies- Upbound

 Get your lines sorted, grab the cable and loop your line around it,

 and wait for the water to fill in and lift you up.

One of the few times we shared a lock...it was a good way to make new friends.

Kirkfield Lift Lock- 49ft.  Ben is standing just to the right of the red and green lights. We're going up in that?

Not much room to meet another boat here!

Rosedale Lock and now we are downbound, so you motor in at the top and the lockmaster loops your lines to the cable.

and the loops slide down the cable,

they open the gates and out we go.

More surprises along the way...

From the bottom of the Burleigh Falls lock, looking up at where we started...

We didn't expect such a narrow canal leading to the lock at Lakefield.

We docked there overnight and were eager to go for a spin on our "new ride".

Peterborough Lift Lock was completed in 1904 and is still the tallest lift lock in the world.

"I'm sittin' on top of the world..."

Locks 15, 16 and 17 were at Healy Falls. The total drop of 76 ft., you motor from one lock right into the next.

One of our last docks of the trip was at the lock called Percy Reach...we had a whole park to ourselves.

The zebra mussels were "spitting" at us as we were lowered down in the locks.

The first mate was wishing she had her umbrella.

The Murray Wetlands are one of Ontario's largest- very impressive, swans, osprey, turtles...

Our last lock, at Trenton.... by now we are really good at it!

The Trent-Severn Waterway...here's to the dreamers, planners and builders so many years ago!

Cheers!