GLORY DAYS ON THE GREAT LOOP: PICTON, ONT. TO TRENTON, ONT. HAPPY 4TH er 1ST of July

DAY 29 SUN. JULY2, 2011
CLEAR, WARM, BREEZY L60 H85

DEP. TRENTON 09:07Arr. FRANKFORT12:30
D. 7.4SM./590.2

At last we begin our journey up the Trent-Severn WW.I can’t help wonder what it will be like.We’ve read about it in the guides, studied the charts, think we know what to expect (the unexpected), but there is a big difference between reading and experiencing.There’s no tipping your toes in here.The first 7 miles include locks 1 thru 6.The first thing that you realize is how small these locks are.You want me to put this big boat where????Are you sure it will fit????Once you get closer the perspective changes and after some moments of fear find out …… it does indeed fit.We go in first, followed by our travelling companions Maureen and Peter aboard Dudden Pilot, a 36’ MONK.We both cozy up to the wall on the starboard side, and surprise, cables (hung vertically and anchored at top and bottom).These are the prized method of “hanging on.”You simply loop a line around the cable and tie it tight to your breast cleat and you’re good to go.As the boat rises (or falls) the line slides up (or down) the cable.So, after 6 of these we call it a day, as planned, and tie up above lock #6 on the east wall.There’s a small park there with a couple of huge weeping willow trees overhanging the canal which provide shade from the hot midday sun.Lunch is next, followed by siesta time (those Mexicans have it right) then a walk to the beach.The “beach” turns out to be a small pile of sand dumped along the edge of the adjacent river, the bottom of which is a shale or some kind of flat stone that reaches depths of up to 3’ in some places (off shore about 100 yds).Did I mention the current runs about 6mph here.Just as well because the water is too cold anyway

DUDDEN PILOT IN CHANNEL

BEAUTIFUL SCENERY!

A NARROW CHANNEL ENTRANCE

TRENTON
Day 28 Fri. JULY 1, 2001
CLEAR, COOL, SUNNY L61H76
DEP. PICTON 08:00 ARR. TRENTON 1:20
D 37.7SM/582.8
Today (Fri) is CANADA DAY! It's like our 4th of July, only more subdued. I don't know all that much about Canada history, but I do know they didn't have to fight a revolution to gain their independence from England the way we did. In any case, we watched 15 mins. of fireworks last night among a paltry showing of patriotic Canadiens. Had this been Falmouth, the shores and bridges would have been SRO.
The cruise from Picton was nothing but beautiful. I keep being impressed by the quantity and quality of boating areas around here. The marinas aren't as first class, nor are they as expensive, but the anchorages are not only beautiful, they are plentiful. Our trip today was through the Bay of Quinte, a body of water separated from Lake Ont. by several Islands, between 1/2 and 3m wide and about 60m long. The channel is well marked and pretty easy to follow and the shore is mostly forest with areas of summer houses and farms. All quite scenic.
Trenton is the gateway town to the TRENT-SEVERN WW(TSWW), busy, but not very scenic, unless we are missing something. We did see a fishing tournament here. First prize went to 2 fisherman who weighed in 27.7lbs. of bass and won $4,000. This is obviously big bass country as powerful hi speed bass boats keep racing through here doing at least 30-40mph. Even the aluminum ones leave a wake big enough to rock us hard. We are bow in to a wall, and the waves hit us from astern, then hit the wall and hit us from fwd. It doesn't bother me until the stores start falling from the cabinets. We are here for Fri. and Sat. and leave on Sun to start our way up the TSWW.

SAT. DAY29 TRENTON
SUNNY, WARM, HUMID L60 H80
We get to sleep late today, 7:30. Big breakfast, wash the boat, grocery shop, write blog, go to Sat. pm Mass, dinner with 4 other boating couples. Did I mention the Happy Hour last night. Met a couple of more Loopers, 1 a Gold Looper,(Don Miller and Theresa Barrett on Great Escape). That's someone who has completed the Loop and in this case going around again. We try to get as much info as we can from them as to what to expect. Unfortunately, we forget what they tell us in the am, something about french boaters being inconsiderate, and stay in the channel. So much for this blog. I'm going to add some pics and then hit the showers. I'm told internet access is scarce over the next 240 miles, so don't expect too much along the way.