We have been so impressed with Ontario area- as they hire college students to work the marinas and locks up until they complete their 3rd year in college then they must find work somewhere else. So many of them have told us there are virtually no jobs available for them in their small towns and provinces. Our marina had a set of twin boys who drive from 3 providences over to come to Trenton. We absolutely loved the whole experience in Trenton.
We celebrated Canada Day with on and off rain- starting with a pancake breakfast at 7:30 in the park. We stayed around and watched a parade that consisted of a bagpipe band, a majorette twirler group and some old cars. We clapped for each group and the Canadians just looked at us like we had two heads! They are not very demonstrative people- and I guess our "Yankee Doodle" enthusiasm was foreign to them. It was profoundly noticeable when they sang their Canadian National Anthem like a hymn rather than the opportunity for an "O"riole recognition halfway through!
Another highlight of our day was a professional fishing tournament that was filmed for CFA television network. It was so cool to watch each of the teams having their fish weighed. We really wish our brother-in-law Dale had been there with us! He could have been our interpreter! It was really incredible!
We enjoyed a vintage car show and wonderful fireworks as well. After the finale- again there was a little applause so I decided to show our American spirit and thanks for the fireworks and blew our boat horn. The crowd seemed to enjoy that and then others joined in in clapping and showing their gratitude.
We left Trenton on Thursday morning and traveled 6 locks and 7.30 miles in 6 hours. Did I mention that the locks are opened and closed by hand? Totally loved every second- and the best part was having Robbie and Jo Ann to help me with the lines and turning the engines on and off. We developed a really good rhythm and routines! After Trenton we came to Campbellford we were are celebrating the Yankee Doodle birthday celebration. We attended a Chrome Festival this morning- more motorcycles and vintage cars and hot-rods than I have ever seen in one place.
Last night I was very excited to see our friends Principal Bob and Sharon on Sno Daz pulling into the wall right in front of us. We had planned on grilling out so in typical boater fashion we invited them and the boat they met that day and we through a pot-luck cookout. Our new friends Ann and Jeff just purchased their boat and he retired June 28th. So their learning curve is pretty steep but they are excited to be on the Loop. Ann told us she had read about the famous Docktails and potlucks and was thrilled to be invited to her first official one. Tonight we are going to a local establishment to experience (well Robbie and Dave) the local religious beer that is brewed at the local Church Key Brewery - in an actual old church. The last locktender said it is terrible and tastes like mushroom soup. But the boys said they are going to give it a shot any ways!
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| My favorite full moon and Canadian flag blowing in the wind right before the fireworks. It stays later much later up here and really wasn't dark until 10:00. |
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| No matter if you have ever met them before or not, boaters always help other boats tie on and off walls and marinas. If you look closely you will see Keira a Nova Scotian Duck Retriever that I fell in love with at our marina in Trenton. This is our group of 5 boats waiting to go into Lock 1 in Trenton. The locks up here can only handle 2 boats at a time so we were in the 2nd flight of boats. |
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| Jo Ann and I relaxing and planning for our next day at our stop in Frankford. The weather has been incredible. Usually 75 during the day and 55 at night! |
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| This was the bridge welcoming us into the Trent Severn Canal. It lights up at night! |
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| Just like on the Erie- most of the locks have dams right beside the lock. Many also have hydroelectric plants as well. |
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| Some of the snakes that joined us in the lock. Dave had a pole fending off one of them that the locktender told us wanted to climb on our swim platform and sun and dry out on the way up in the lock! YUCK! |
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| Dave's first attempt at fishing in the lock was a disaster! His reel virtually imploded with the first cast! Got a new one at Canadian Tire this morning! |
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| Our friend Pearl a 37' tug coming in behind us in one of the locks. They said good-bye after Lock 6 and went further up the system. |
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| Jo Ann and her pole fending the boat off the wall. INVALUABLE! She also turns the engines off and on after the Captain gives the command. He calls her "Scotty" from Star Trek and she calls him "Ciptin" Too much fun! |
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| Robbie giving it a shot using my beautiful purple rod that I picked at Wal Mart. None of us were successful! |
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| A little out of order but this is Keira my retriever dog I fell in love with using her time to practice retrieving right in the canal waiting for the lock to open. |
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| A Canadian couple that traveled through the locks with us yesterday. The boys were quite impressed as she wore a skin-tight dress to grab the lines and then changed into a bikini. NO I am not a hater- just used the picture because of the sunset! |
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| Sorry another of Keira going up to their bridge |
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| Large beaver dam right after one of the locks. No beaver sightings- at least of the animal kind...... |
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| This was the large lock we had ever been through. It is a two-part lock where when the lock wall door opens you immediately go into another lock. We went up over 100'! Notice the Captain doesn't have to wear gloves he just came down to grace us with his presence :-) |
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| One of the beautiful farms we passed just past the rice fields in the marsh |
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| This is the first part of that two-part lock we went through |
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| Pearl! |
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| Principal Bob and Dave keeping our wonderful chef Robbie cooking our burgers! |
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| Haven't been doing much reading because the locks are very close together but this was going through a lake. Notice the sweatshirt- usually change up to 4 or 5 times per day as the weather changes frequently! |
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| Robbie and Jo Ann went to the famous Dooher's Bakery for their incredible stuffed donuts and the famous butter tarts! We have been on a mission since we entered Canada and they were successful this morning! |
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| Jo Ann enjoying the scenery! |
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| FRYEDAZE going into the double lift lock |
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| Robbie and Jo Ann in front of Lock 11. Can you tell we were totally impressed with this lock? |
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| Pot luck and docktails! Sharon, Ann, Jeffrey and Principal Bob! Thanks for reading! |
