Little Current

Little Current has grown since we were here last.  Spider Marina was full and we had to sit in the bay for over an hour waiting for our slip assignment.  Two overworked young men had to run everything.  Many Michigan boats here.  The man and his wife on the boat behind us are from Boca Raton.  They have been looping for 8 years.

Killarney

The Mountain Lodge was full so we had to stay at the Sportsmen Inn.  One party owns both now and there have been quite a few updates since we were here last.  However,  they are definitely short staffed at the marina.  We stayed here two nights.  Had Herbert’s fish and chips the first night and then dinner at the Mountain Lodge the second night.  Miss the old red bus but fish was still good.  We had to wait almost two hours to get out this morning because they had 2 big boats blocking us in .

Killbear Marina, Parry Sound

We had a very rough ride in here today.  Canadian weather forecast was totally wrong.  Waves were 2 to 3 times the size predicted and winds came in from the north instead of the forecasted south.  The views here were pretty but I am tired of the rustic facilities .  Have been promoting our beautiful Duncan Bay to other Loopers.  We hope to make it to Killarney today but it will be a long run. Everything depends on the weather!

Rawley Resort And Marina, Port Severn

There is not much in Port Severn.  We did buy local strawberries, goat cheese and wild blueberries at the small market across the street.  Had dinner at the busy grill restaurant next to the resort.  View was lovely but ribs were disappointing.  They could take a lesson from Bar None or Gus’s.  We were waiting to lock through 45 st the 9AM opening.  Last lock of the Trent Severn.  Yeah!

The Big Chute

We left Orillia with sunny skies but soon we’re locking through in rain.  Fortunately, by the time we reached Lock 44, The Big Chute, the skies had cleared.  This famous marine railway puts your boat in a sling and then moves you through.  The ride lasts 7 minutes.   This is a major tourist attraction in this area.  There can be as many as 30 – 40 boats waiting to get through but we were lucky to get right in today.  I think the rainy weather may have have been a factor.fi

Port of Orillia

Orillia is a beautiful waterfront community with new facilities at the city marina. They have a beach, walking trails, a museum , and restaurants along with new, modern bathrooms and showers. This would be a nice place to spend some time but we are anxious to get to the Georgian Bay.

Bolsover

There are limited places to stay in this area.  We docked at the only marina which was called Sunset Cove. The guy behind was from Colorado and was doing the Loop for the third time(platinum).  He is taking his boat to Cheboygan to store for the season. 

Kirkfield Hydraulic Lift Lock

The Kirkfield Lock is the summit of the waterway.  From here on, we are locking down to the Georgian Bay. Of the 9 locks of this type ever built,  Kirkfield is the second highest , with Peterborough holding first place.  The other 7 are in England, France and Belgium.  Although this lock is impressive, we were surprised that most of the locks on the Trent Severn are operated manually.

Trent Canal

Paul says this area is know as the treacherous Trent Canal and I could see why.  Although we were well within the markers, we hit rocks early in the day.  The canal is narrow and shallow and there is little room to maneuver when you face a boat coming from the opposite direction.

Bobcaygeon

Paul had a problem with a tooth so we had to find a port with a dentist. He was fortunate that he was able to get an AM appointment.  This was a nice little town with cute shops and restaurants but we ate onboard since Paul was eating soup.