Bobcaygeon to Georgian Bay

We have finally rejoined the modern world! Hopefully we will be able to reconstruct our travels from Hasting to Saint Ignace. We have often been in such remote areas that it was impossible to get wifi connections and we kept very limited notes. John has spent a great deal of time today putting our pictures in the computer and they should help jog our memories.

First off, most of you heard the news about the tragic death of John’s nephew, Jim LeRoy. We have so appreciated your kind words of concern and consolation. Thank you for your prayers, emails and telephone calls. Please continue to especially pray for his wife, Joan, and his son , Tommy.

Yesterday, we received more sad family news. Virginia White’s sister died unexpectedly while she and Marco were visiting her. 0ur hearts and prayers are with them as they journey through this difficult time.

After leaving Bobcaygeon, we went t Lock 35 and spent the night at Rosedale and then headed out from Balsam Lake to Lake Simcoe. At Balsam Lake you are more than 840 feet above sea level and at the highest point in the Trent-Severn Waterway. It is the point where you begin to lock down for the remainder of your trip on the Trent-Severn Waterway. We found it much easier because all you had to do is hand the lock people the line. They were all so helpful and cheerful that it made locking a happy experience.

0n the west side of Balsam Lake the Trent-Severn Waterway enters one of those narrow rock cuts. To top it all off, the trip through Mitchell Lake is full of stumps and very shallow. We found that if we stayed in the middle of the channel, we didn’t have any trouble!!!

At Lock 36 we were at the Kirkfield Lift Lock. This is more thrilling than the trip up the Peterborough Lock. The lift structure is not enclosed and you get the feeling of “hanging out there”. You actually proceed out into a pan suspended nearly five stories in the air!! Actually it is absolutely fascinating. We both wished that our fathers, who are interested in technology, could have been there t experience it with us. They would have loved it!

0rillia was the next overnight stop before we headed into the Severn River. The Severn is banked with low lying farm land that gives way to breath taking granite rock formations. It is heavily forested and isolated. Quite beautiful!

0ur next big adventure was Lock 44 – The Big Chute! If you don’t see it , it would be one of those things to which you would probably say, “no way!” It is truly amazing! You pilot your boat over land to a body of water below the pool at Big Chute. It is a railway lift that can carry 110 tons and vessels up to 100 feet in length. With its complex system of straps and rams it can carry a combination of boats up and down on each trip. !

This is probably enough for this printing. Next time we will begin with our adventures on Georgian Bay – probably the highlight of the trip so far.