Friday, July 13, 2012

On Tuesday, we moved along the Trent-Severn Waterway with our ultimate destination being The Big Chute.  We arrived there around 2:30 and we were the only boat wanting to go through.  John had originally wanted to watch a few boats go through before we actually took the plunge.  However, the lock master called us on his loudspeaker and said, "Come on, Captain. Give the tourists a thrill."  So, we proceeded onto the "railroad car".  It was the easiest lock of all.  All John had to do was drive the boat onto the spot the lock master told him.  That was it.  Straps tightened around the boat and very shortly after that we began moving.  It was like being on an amusement ride, only in slow motion.  What a thrill.  When we reached the highest point, there was a couple standing on the observation tower about equal in height with us. The woman called me by name.  I had no idea who she was.  Later, as we were docking on the low side of the dam, they were there to catch our lines.  They visited with us on the back of our boat and we came to find out that they read our blog and knew we were in the area and watched for us (among others whose blogs they read).  They seemed really nice.

Thursday morning early we left the Big Chute and headed to the final lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway.  We didn't have as far to go as we thought, and so we had to wait an hour for the lock at Port Severn.  After that we were in the Georgian Bay.  It is as beautiful as everyone told us it would be.  However, so far it is stressful because of all of the rock.  You HAVE to stay in the channel and there were times we had to stop and figure out exactly where the channel went.  We arrived in Parry Sound Thursday around 4:00.  We opted to stay at least 2 nights because we needed to grocery shop. (I don't think the fact that it is Friday the 13th had anything to do with that decision, but who knows?) The Sobey's Grocery sent a shuttle to the pier to pick me up to go to the store.  That was really nice.

Tonight there is a concert here at the pier.  Everything is wonderful!  Hope all is well with all of you! Also, I have many pictures and a movie to upload, but we don't have Internet service.  I am at the library and I can't get to my pictures.  As soon as I can blog from my computer, I will put them on.

The water here is 12 feet deep and sooo clear. 

Can you make out the narrow channel?

 

The next few pictures were taken from our boat while in the "railroad car" in the Big Chute.

Two of the Indian stone people. They are called inukshuk.

The old "railroad car" and track which they no longer use.