Story of Our Summer Cruise 2013

July 10 - Staying in Echo Bay

Four weeks have passed and I have just added the July 10-16 page to our blog - time has flown so far and needs to slow down a bit!

On our previous long trips such as to New Zealand and the North Channel, it seems that even though we are retired and our schedules are flexible, it takes about two weeks to adapt to new surroundings and routines. With the Nordic Tug Rendezvous midway through the trip, we are just getting into our stride with the routine of boat life: coffee in bed and checking the weather forecast, deciding on the plan for the day with Dean and Charlotte based on the weather, getting the boat ready for departure, checking boat systems, etc.

Today our plan to head to Bone Island was put on hold as the weather looked decidedly "iffy." The land-based forecast for Parry was for increasing winds to 30 mph with gusts to 50. The marine forecast did not appear to be as severe but wave heights offshore were projected to reach 6'. We don't mind wind, but the waves are another matter. Echo Bay is so well protected it could take a hurricane and it is a fine anchorage to spend another day relaxing.

The sun has just set after some beautiful light off the trees, boats, and rocks and the wind has dropped significantly - maybe it bodes well for tomorrow.

July 11 - Echo Bay to Bone Island

Today's Route

The winds had eased by this morning and we set off on a four-hour trip to a very sheltered anchorage, Bone Island recommended by Randy. The route was a mix of island-protected and unprotected water and it was clear that we would not have wanted to be out in the open yesterday as swells were still rolling in. The scenery was "stunning" and as described by Randy, particularly Indian Harbor which is on our "to do" list on the way back.

Two of the Many Cottages We Passed Today

Navigation today was quite complex with over 120 buoys and daymarks to keep track of in about four of travel. We soon developed our routine of me identifying the upcoming buoy on the chartplotter, Judy confirming the buoy on the paper chart, both of us locating the buoy visually, confirming the buoy number when we passed it and Judy checking it off on the chart. if you do this 120 times, it does get to be a busy day on the water requiring much concentration. A four-hour run leaves you somewhat tired and so it was when we finally arrived at our Bone Island anchorage where there were already a number of boats anchored.

We decided on one location and attempted to anchor, tied to shore, but could not get the anchor to hold. Judy moved the boat to a new location with similar results. on pulling the anchor which seemed to strain the windlass more than normal, we found the reason - we had snagged a log or "deadhead" as they are known in boating terminology. The deadhead was about 10 feet long with a diameter of 10", firmly wedged in the flukes of the anchor. With some major effort and anchor up, anchor down, I managed to loosen the deadhead on the flukes and move the log past its balance point and it slowly slid off the anchor back into the depths. I should have tied a line to the deadhead and a float of some kind so other boaters could avoid it but we were close to shore and by this time we just wanted to get the boat safely anchored.

We had noticed a number of assorted bottles floating near the shore when we came in, a sure sign of deadheads tagged by boaters. Later, talking with other boaters who frequent the anchorage, deadheads are a common occurrence here. We should send an update to the Great Lakes Cruising Club guide to note the presence of deadheads in this anchorage.

Like the New Anchor!

Today would have been a perfect day to go swimming as the water was a balmy 75 deg. F but the sight of the turtle below cruising slowly past our boat as we ate lunch was not conducive to swimming. Judy was convinced it was a Snapping Turtle and capable of taking your arm off! Later, in Port Severn, I found out that there are seven types of turtle native to Georgian Bay but could not figure out which one we had seen. Better safe than sorry!

The Monster Snapping Turtle of Bone Island (Ju Did Not Go Swimming Today - Scaredy Cat!)

 

East and West Anchorages - Bone Island (the Hockey Stick)

 

July 12 - Bone Island to Port Severn and Our First Lock

Today's Route - Only 8 Miles But Tortuous

Tortuous was definitely the word of the day with around 100 buoys and other Aids to Navigation in only eight miles. To compound this, we transited several channels and the in one we were "returning" (reds on the right), in another we were "leaving" (greens on the right) and then "returning" again. Throw into the mix a number of very tight spots and we were ready to get to Port Severn, although the anticipation (or dread) was building in Judy as she would be taking the boat through the lock.

The last stretch under the Highway 400 bridge is described as tight and with a lot of current as the dam and lock is just ahead. Tight was being generous as they had narrowed the channel due to low water levels to about 2' wider than STB. This made the turns even sharper than normal.

Fortunately, the current ahead was not as severe as we expected and we soon identified the "blue line" dock to which you have to moor and wait your turn in the lock. Carrie Rose was not quite as fortunate as they decided to stay out and battle the current for a few minutes before following us into the lock. It probably seemed like an eternity as they moved towards the rocks one moment and then back to the current from the dam spillway. Late Spring with the high water runoff could be challenging in this area as could other boats waiting in the same area.

Within a few minutes of tying up on the dock, we were called into the lock by the Lock master, Campbell, who greeted us warmly as friends of Randy.

Carrie Rose Sharing the Lock With Us

The "Admiral" on Land at Last

A Bit About the Trent-Severn Canal

The Trent-Severn Canal was designed to take existing waterways that stretched from Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay and make them into a contiguous navigable waterway by damming rivers, cutting links between rivers and lakes, and adding a lock system for boats to rise and fall from the summit. The Canal was originally built by the British beginning in the mid 1800s to provide a secure route for boat traffic from the Canadian waters of Lake Ontario to Lake Huron since existing trade routes were vulnerable to attack by America. Its design and construction was a major civil engineering feat. By the time it was completed, the need for it had declined as railways and roads had been built and relations with America were no longer a cause for concern.

The system which covers 240 miles or lakes, rivers and canals from Trenton to Port Severn has 44 locks including the Mechanical Railway. It raises a boat almost 600 feet from Trenton to to its summit at Balsam Lake about 2/3 of the way along its length. From Balsam Lake to Port Severn, a boat falls about 260 feet.

The locks provide a way for a boat to gradually rise across the system to the summit and then fall to reach the water level at the end without negotiating fall and rapids. They really act as a set of "stairs" for boats.

The majority of the locks are of the conventional type where a boat enters a lock chamber that has doors at each end. If the boat is to rise to water at a higher level, the doors are closed and water is let into the lock chamber from the higher level until the boat is at the level of the higher water. The doors are opened and the boat proceeds out of the lock. If the boat is downbound, i.e., going to a lower level, the doors are closed and water allowed to flow out of the lock chamber to the downstream side. When the boat is at the lower level, the doors are opened and it can move on its journey. In a conventional lock, the water is allowed to enter or escape from the lock chamber through various types of valves or openings in the lock gates. In a few cases, locks are put in series as the lift or fall is too great to be accomplished with one lock. The greatest lift height is 68 feet and the shortest height is only 3.5 feet.

 

Two of the locks at Peterborough are hydraulic lift locks and will be explained when we reach them on our trip.

 

 

July 13 Port Severn to the Big Chute Mechanical Railway(Lock 45 to 44)

You will notice that the lock numbers will be running down from 45 - 1. The PORTS Guide for the Trent-Severn, the bible for the route, is written for the user heading from Trent to Port Severn, not vice versa as we are doing. The charts we use in the form of a set of long fold-out pages are likewise.

This makes it very confusing as we start off at the back of the Guide and read the last paragraph first, then read the second-to-last paragraph, etc. Sometimes, even within a paragraph, we have to make the mental jump that we will experience what's being described in the second sentence before that being talked about in the first sentence. It would be like reading a novel,l sentence by sentence, starting from the back if that makes it any simpler to understand. We all agree someone should write a version of the Guide for the people going our way. On the way back it will be much easier!

Today woke to a clear blue sky and 70+ temperatures with forecast highs in the mid 80s. Only a short run today but you can see it was not a straight line by any means as we snaked our way through an number of buoys and a couple of very narrow spots. The water levels are down from the spring highs so current was not an issue for us today, only losing a fraction of a knot in the "worst" part. Our route is now definitely "cottage country" with some pretty big "cottages along the way. Below are just a couple of many we could have photographed.

The ultimate destination for today was the Big Chute Mechanical Railway to give its full name. It is a unique machine akin to a lift for boats. The lift can accommodate as many as 9 small boats but often takes a mix of small and large vessels until full. As we were "upbound" to the highest level in the canal system, we drove the boat into a cradle-like structure that traveled about 600' up a fairly steep set of railway tracks pulled by a cable system. At the top, we crossed a road and then the tracks dipped back in to the water where we floated off to moor at the floating docks for the rest of the day. In a matter of seven minutes, we had risen 58' to the new water level.

On our trip, the Big Chute just carried us and Carrie Rose, probably because there were no other boats waiting. Later in the day, there were as many as 12 boats waiting in the "blue" line to go "down" and we enjoyed sitting on our upper deck speculating about how many boats would go on each trip and waiting to see what the Chute would be bringing up into our view.

The lock workers do an excellent job of organizing each load, slotting PWCs in to empty gaps, and the whole operation goes like clockwork. For us, as 'virgins" the staff were very helpful and all the nightmares and stress Judy had undergone were really wasted.

STB Waiting to Begin the Ride Up

 

The Big Chute replaced an older version of the Chute that could not accommodate the volume and size of modern vessels and the old system and control house is preserved at an adjacent site. At the bottom, the old hydroelectric plant is also maintained as a historic site.

 

July 14 - Big Chute to Swift Falls (Lock 43)

A leisurely day since we did not leave until 11:30 am as we were planning lunch at the Waubic Inn at Flat Rock Rapids about halfway into our 18 mile day en route to Swift Falls. The Waubic Inn is only reachable by boat and is noted in the area for its great food. Unfortunately (in my opinion), we missed the "Full English Breakfast" and were too early for the Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding. Still we all enjoyed our meal and some of the local beer before spending another hour on the water.

A perfect day with the exception of the local boaters who do not slow down for anything and create huge wakes.

After Port Severn which is a comparatively small lock, Swift Rapids is like a canyon, with the top 47' above you. It is the second highest in the system.

 

We had hoped to moor at the top of the Lock but there was no room so we ended up mooring on the opposite wall by the generating station which was not too obtrusive. In hindsight this was quite fortunate as the other side had many trees. Trees mean lots of insects later in the evening and the boats on that side donated their fair share of blood in a couple of hours around sunset. We also had the advantage of facing the little breeze there was and the sun setting in the gorge below.

The only drawback to an otherwise perfect day was the failure of our impeller on the generator just when we needed it most after we moored up with temperatures in the high 90s. (The impeller pumps water through the motor on the generator and without it we cannot run any air conditioning). The engine room, where the generator is located, normally runs about 135 deg. F and the engine continues to radiate heat for up to 12 hours when shut down. I was forced to spend almost two sweaty hours toiling in the engine room to replace the impeller and removing all the pieces of the old one from a hard-to-reach heat exchanger - a task that must be done to ensure the exchanger does not get clogged.

 

July 15 - Swift Falls to Orillia (going through Lock 42)

Hot, Hot Hot! Still in the middle of the heat wave with temperatures in the 90s today and the barometer reading at its highest since we left home. A relatively long run today with quite varied scenery - narrow tree-lined river landscapes to a nice lake cruise down to Orillia. Our route today just took us through one Lock , #42 at Couchiching which was uneventful. The event of our day occurred just after we left Swift Rapids when I checked our battery voltage and found that we were not getting any charge from our alternator. Ju was driving the boat and did not realize that the voltage on the panel should be 13.5V or so.

To keep the battery voltage up, we ran the generator for the rest of the trip and basked in the air conditioned comfort of the pilot house. It would be too easy to get used to that in the temperatures we are experiencing.

Safely docked at the new Port of Orillia marina, we all set out to explore the sights of Orillia and partake of some fine coffee at the Mariposa Market. We also drooled over their cakes, buns, scones, etc. While Dean and Charlotte ate out, we dined in while we waited for the engine room to cool down enough to investigate our charging problem.

The Port of Orillia, as the transient-only marina is known, has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation and is one of the best facilities we have ever stayed in. They are suffering like many others with low occupancy and when we arrived only seventeen boats occupied the 120 slips.

 

Ignore the following if you have no interest in technical matters.

After running more checks, it was clear that the alternator was not charging so I pulled the alternator and had a conversation with Randy in the North Channel. We both agreed that it needed to be bench tested and fortunately there was an alternator/starter motor shop in Orillia. Early next morning, I loaded it into our cart and dragged it couple of miles over to the shop where it checked out fine. The shop owner was very helpful - and talkative and ran me back to the marina. I was glad of that as it was 90 deg. F by this time. He thought the problem was that the alternator was getting the needed excitation voltage. Checking the circuit back to the battery isolator, I found no excitation voltage to the alternator cable.

One conductor going into the isloator labeled "isolator excitor" was only getting 6.7V instead of 12+V. Tracing the circuit back, I pulled the DC panel and there was 12+V at the Instrument breaker. I noticed there was a fuse blockfastened to the back of the DC breaker box and the "Instrument" circuit fed into it. One of the circuits on the other side of the fuse block was for isolator excitation and it was only receiving 6.7V. The problem was a defective fuse that had not blown but almost certainly had a bad solder joint that had weakened over time to create a high resistance. As usual, when really needing a specific item, I did not have a fast blow fuse of the correct size - I do have a large selection of fuses.Replacing the fuse (another four mile walk later) solved the problem and we now had a charging alternator.

By this time it was very hot so I went for a swim at a nice beach adjacent to the Marina/park.

The water although 85 deg. F was very refreshing!

Since we had missed out on eating out with Dean and Charlotte the night before, we went out to Cosmo's, an Italian restaurant on the main street. We would highly recommend their food which was excellent and reasonably priced.

After a great meal we strolled around Orillia and checked out a few stores including the world-famous Wilkies Bakery, home of the best "sticky buns" (like a Chelsea bun) and butter tarts. Yes Randy we did partake!

 

Orillia has a lot of art on display of various types and has just had a "Letters of Orillia" Exhibtion - below are a couple of the highly decorated letters and some other work near the marina.