Friday, July 10, 2015
We have enjoyed the town of Orillia, and the marina at Port Orillia has been perfect for a two night stay. We are provisioned and ready for our guests.
Our adult kids arrived today about 3 pm from Minneapolis via Toronto. After hopping aboard, Dream Chaser slipped from her dockage, and we headed west toward Swift Rapids. The kids were starved when they arrived, so a lunch of roasted chicken and salads was consumed while cruising the waterway. We have 34 miles to the Big Chute Marine Railway, one of our highlights for the weekend. With such a late start today, we will arrive at that destination tomorrow. We were excited to have more crew along to assist with fenders, locking through, docking, etc.
After leaving Orillia, we passed through some of the most beautiful areas of the Trent-Severn Waterway.
Couchiching, Lock 42, is one of the busiest locks on the waterway, but the attendants were great and with extra crew, locking through was a breeze.
We came to a point where the river wound through narrow cuts between high cliffs with rugged red and gray granite walls and pine forests.
We arrived at the top of the lock at Swift Rapids just after 7 pm, but it was closed. So, we will lock through tomorrow morning.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
It's a perfect morning with sunshine and clear skies. We were ready for the 9 am lock opening, and locking through was quick with no wait. Swift Rapids, Lock 43, is a 47 ft conventional lift that takes only 6 minutes to fill.
Breakfast (pancakes with maple syrup, bacon, and eggs) were enjoyed from the upper helm while we cruised toward The Big Chute.
The Severn Falls area is a dreamland of vacation cottages, granite islands, clean water, and lush woods. The river twists and winds with buoys aiding in navigation through the narrows. The waterway is extremely busy with boats, kayaks, canoes, wave runners, and all kinds of water toys.
The excitement has been building regarding The Great Chute. As we turned a corner to our portside, there it was! After a brief tie up at the blue line by the cement wall and with no other boats in line, it was Dream Chaser’s turn to load. We were surprised and happy there was no wait. In the summer, it is not unusual for 30-40 boats to be lined up waiting.
The Big Chute, Lock 44, is a “railway” lock with a lift that works on an inclined plane to carry boats in a cradle over a change of height of 57 ft.(lift or drop) into Gloucester Pool. It is the only Marine Railway of its kind in north America that is still in use. The second largest is in Poland.
The original, smaller marine railway opened in 1917. Originally the lift could only carry boats up to 35 ft long, but as of 1977, it now can carry boats up to 100 ft long and beams of 24 ft.
The huge, four wheeled contraption has a carriage where the boat is hung in slings. (All boat fenders are removed) The slings are placed according to where the lock master feels is appropriate on the boat. The keel rests on the platform. The slings are there to merely keep the boat from tilting side to side. The carriage is driven by cables and runs along rails that are offset to keep it level through out the run across the hill and down the steep incline into the water. People say that it looks like a slow motion roller coaster. It is a 7 minute ride that travels 600 ft.
We sat on the front of Dream Chaser or in the upper helm to get a good view.
clanked as it moved.
After exiting the lift, the current from the power plant was very strong, but Dream Chaser motored through, and we secured her to the dock below the lift. The Big Chute is an interesting area to explore besides watching the lift operate (which is fascinating). There is a display board that describes how the lock operates, a 20 minute film on the Trent-Severn Waterway, and an interpretive trail by the hydro plant. This system of locking has prevented the Sea Lamprey to enter Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe.
Steve found a couple ( tourists) taking pictures of the locking process and found that they had pictures of Dream Chaser. Fred and Karen were wonderful and emailed pictures of Dream Chaser being lifted over The Big Chute.
Following Big Chute, Little Chute is the narrow passage with very strong currents winding SW between high rock cliffs. At Gloucester Pool, the river widens into a large lake, cottages become bigger and more elaborate, and cottage boats are now yachts. Every water toy can be found here. We continue to follow the Severn River motoring through rocky, narrow winding channels toward Port Severn in Georgian Bay (part of Lake Huron).
Our final lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway, Lock 45, is hand operated and is the smallest lock on the system at 84 ft. in length and a lift of 14 ft. When we arrived, the blue line was full of docked boats waiting to be locked through. So, we floated until we had our turn on the wall to wait for the second group of boats to lock through. We secured Dream Chaser and hopped out to check out the lock, the information center, and to stretch.
Port Severn is the northern gateway in and out of the Trent Severn Waterway and where the Severn River flows into Georgian Bay. The town began as a lumber center and developed into a transportation hub. Today, it’s a tourist destination and boasts of the finest muskie fishing in Canada.
Just beyond a swing bridge operated in conjunction with the lock.
After clearing Lock 45, Dream Chaser, followed a series of tight little channels to a final bridge and the open waters of Georgian Bay.
We have completed the Trent-Severn Waterway and explored its rich heritage! A lot has changed since 1615, when Champlain traveled the waters. Along the way on the Trent-Severn Waterway, we passed through 36 conventional locks, 2 flight locks, 2 hydraulic lift locks, and a marine railway. We have traveled a canal rich in history and beauty that, a century ago, boomed with floating logs, grain barges, and graceful steamers. The beauty has been remarkable with lush farmland, rich marshes, rocky gorges, and tumbling waterfalls. What an experience!
At 6:30 pm, Dream Chaser slipped from her dockage on the island, and we took a leisure cruise to a marina in Tay, ON. Along the way, we dined on BBQ brats, zucchini spaghetti with vodka sauce, and mixed veggies. We, also, finished off the rest of the birthday cake!
Dream Chaser slipped into her port at Wye Heritage Marina, the largest fresh water marina in Canada. It was a restful overnight at the Wye Marina in Tay. Quiet and no waves!
Sunday, July 12, 2015
With the smell of fried bacon floating through the boat, our guests climbed out of their beds and gathered in the salon. With their plates filled with pancakes, bacon & eggs, fried potatoes, and strawberries, they climb to the upper helm to enjoy the view. The marina is very peaceful this morning, and it is a gorgeous day!
About 9 am, we borrowed the rental car and drove into Midland about 15 minutes away to explore and pick up provisions.
In 1639, Jesuit missionaries arrived from France to spread the faith to the natives in the area. We drove by the Martyr’s Shrine, built in 1926 as a memorial to six martyred Jesuit priests.
Midland is know as “the town of murals”. Andy, one of the older employees at the marina told us the story regarding the murals. Midland, was founded in 1871 and flourished on lumber and grain trade. When the industry died, the town was dying also. About that time, a logging town in British Columbia was also going broke, and their solution was to hire an artist to paint murals in their town. Soon, bus loads of tourists starting coming to see the art work. So, Midland hired this same artist, Fred Lenz, who painted murals on the brick grain silos overlooking the main harbor. They mounted a projector, shot the picture on the wall, and then painted from the projected picture. Mr. Lenz painted most of the murals, and after he died, his son took over. The town has over 30 detailed paintings. Like they say…”paint it and they will come”.
We've had a great three days with our adult kids and wish they could stay longer, but they need to return to jobs and responsibilities at home. So it's hugs goodbye and wishes for safe travel.
Dream Chaser is prepped, and we are off to Georgian Bay and more adventures!
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