Day 43 Monday July 19 To Severn Falls Govmt Dock

Today we are leaving Orilla on Lake Couchiching after a night of on and off rain and lightning shows. Looks like we might have some showers on the way, however, at this point the rain feels good. Talked with John and Fran about some upcoming hazards  and took off around 9AM.
The water color has changed to a clear green, almost citron color and we can see the rocky bottom very clearly at 10'.
In the upcoming landscape there's an island with sparse trees and a lot of activity. They almost look like the trees you would see in a Halloween scene. As we get closer, it turns out to be sort of what I would call "bird island".
The rocks begin to show as we get closer to Georgian Bay and I wish the sun was shining so that the colors show up in the photo's.
We knew when we left that our timing would be off a little for the hourly opening of the railroad bridge, and we were first in line of many trawlers as we waited for a little less than a half hour.
Our next challenge will be the Lock #42 Couchiching where we now have about 10 boats ready to go through. They put 8 of us through together after a long wait and it was a sight to be seen. Mas Bueno with Hal and Cheryl aboard stay with us most of this day. They are one of 5 boats from Tennessee doing The Great Loop, yet the boats and owners did not all know each other prior to leaving months ago.
We still have a swing bridge and Lock #43 Swift Rapids to go before reaching the Government Dock.
 The Riverside Restaurant which has new owners this past year have really fixed it up and has a very nice menu. It's simple, with a touch of gourmet. They are booked for the night, so I ordered some side dishes of salad and brushetta while Captain Ron gets his favorite spaghetti dinner started on board.
After dinner, we walk to the office where we have ice cream and play a ring toss game with the owners and a family that also came in for ice cream.

Day 42 Sunday July 18 Morning ride to Orillia

Since it's Sunday, we make a short trip to Orrilia on Lake Couchiching. Short travelling (or in some cases, no travelling) on the weekends when so many extra boats are out is the appropriate choice. It's a perfect weather day with  partly cloudy skies, low humidity, and temps in the low 70's. We see several very nice homes and  large summer "cottages" on the other side of the many marshes.Today is a busy boat day as it seems everyone is out to enjoy the nice weather.
Ron and I take off to town to stock up on some fresh food items and make it an early summer Sunday meal day.

How relaxed we both are. There are many trawlers here that are Great Lopper's making their way to a rendezvous in Georgian Bay later near the end of the month.
I know I am going to wish we had stayed on an extra day here.

Day 40-41 Fr & Sa July 16-17 Lagoon City

We began the day hooking up with Emery El heading to the first lock of the day #37 @ Bollsover. We could see what I can only describe as steam rising from the other side of the dam. It's really the spray from the fast falling waters.

 

As we proceed through the locks today, Ron is complimented on his boat handling skills at most every lock we go through. I guess the lock masters see a range of boating skills during their 40 hour weeks. We've seen enough bad boating to last a lifetime during this trip. Mostly skippers not knowing the rules of the road.

Anyway, he feels really good.

As we are going through lock #39, I finally get a photo of the very fast moving little blue bugs that look like dragon flies. I'm not sure you can see it in the green weeds, but it's there if you look real hard. This is one of the first photo's I've bothered to crop.

Then, as the water level begins to change, I see a crawfish just below the waterline. It's trying very hard to get to the lock doors (I think), and a minute later, another one.   

I believe they are an invasive species up here.

The locks open and close slower today, as most of them are manually done. There has been no set pattern, but some lifts are hydraulic, and some are cranked open by the "mules" (lock masters).

The sights today include driving along the highway, and a few horse farms. Very pretty today with the sun helping.

Mouth watering chicken parm with penne pasta for dinner at the marina restaurant with a nice pinot noir for the entire group.

Friday night and Saturday we swam. It felt sooo good to get out my flippers and exercise board. Not to mention, just cool off.

Ron finally got to clean the outside of the boat Saturday.He spent several hours on it since it's been so long, and I did the same on the inside after an extra swim  and some laundry that morning.

Ron put on the grill master skills for dinner of pork chops.

We seem to have gotten into a routine that is comfortable for us both.

Day 39 Thursday July 15 A Day of Photo's

Fenelon Falls Lock #34

 

lockmaster at #34



amazing root systems



 

no room for navigational error

locals cooling off

looks like someone's home

looking for frogs on the lilypads

beautiful shoreline

low water

so peaceful

home to the racoons

wetlands

Kirland Liftlock #36

Kirkland Lift Lock #36

Kirkland Lift Lock #36

awesome    bridge
Hole In The Wall Bridge 1905





The day took us through marshlands filled with deadheads and shallow narrow "one way" channels with scary looking ledges. Very beautiful day.

The funniest thing of the day was when a little boy was casting from shore with a large hook and rubber frog as the fishing lure. I was the "catch" as the hook made it all the way to the boat and caught my finger!

new definition of lakefront living

looks too narrow

familiar sight

Emery El

leased houseboat on vacation









lift lock a long way up



Day 38 Wed July 14 Ouch! That hurt.

We are departing Buckhorn . Have only one lock today which will be near our destination of Bobcaygeon.

As we depart, I look at the electronics and see 80% humidity, however, there is a cool breeze from the rain we had yesterday and last night . The scenery has changed to mostly small lakes with cottages, resorts, and some  even deserted cottages.

Emery El warns of some low water issues where he hit ground. He also mentions clearing a bridge before the narrow (after Buckhorn Lake), by only 9".

 As we proceed on course, we go safely past the shallow spot....however, the water is up due to the rain and we do not clear the 22' bridge. We've been clearing 21' bridges from the very beginning of the trip. I  had climbed up the mast to check as we neared the bridge, and by the time I figured out we were going to hit, even with our very low speed, Ron could not stop. It took our masthead anchor light off. Ron backs up and moves over to port a few yards and we try again. With the light gone, what more could happen? We discovered later that others have hit, with much more damage.  Come to find out,The Canadian Bridge Tenders had added a structural support beam of some sort in the middle. They the painted all of the structure to blend in. That's why we could get under when we moved over and had an extra 4" !! I will now be climbing up the mast at every bridge marked 22' or less.

We arrive at Gordan's Yacht Harbour around time for lunch and we do the smart thing and eat before heading out to the grocery store. Jodi, from the Yacht Harbour tells us that Foodland will deliver our groceries if we get their during their scheduled daily deliveries of noon and 3PM.

Nice bike ride over and we stop at The Lock we'll be going through in the morning, do our shopping, head to LCBO and back to the boat just in time for food delivery. We stock up on the heavy stuff like water and Pop, as well as large stuff that's hard to bike ride with like paper towel and toilet paper. Great convenience.

Cooked out again with fresh produce and meat.