Georgian Bay

It was an exciting finish on Monday (July 14) to our time on the Trent-Severn Waterway--and I use the term "exciting" advisedly. We arrived early at Lock 45 to ensure our placement in the first lockage down of the day. Lock 45 is the smallest of the TSW locks because it was originally designed only for local boat traffic, not for larger commercial boats. We were amazed that the lock master was able to fit us and three other boats into the lock at the same time. The lock master referred to the feat as being akin to playing "Lock Tetris" and we'd have to agree (do an internet search for the game "Tetris" if you're not familiar with it). But that was just the beginning. Immediately upon leaving the lock we were faced with (1) a swift current from the spillway immediately adjacent to the lock and (2) an extremely narrow, curving channel with underwater rocks just outside the channel markers. It was "boat slalom" with high stakes.

On-line photo of lower Lock 45: lock to the left, spillway to the right.

Boats following us in the post-Lock 45 slalom course

The exit from the TSW successfully accomplished, we caught our breath and had beautiful weather for our 60-mile cruise through the "small boat channel" on the north side of Georgian Bay to the town of Parry Sound. The Georgian Bay is a large bay on the north end of Lake Huron. About 80% of the size of Lake Ontario, it is sometimes referred to as the "sixth Great Lake." The defining feature of the waterway--at least as far as we could see--was rocks. Islands and rocks. Rocky islands. Cottages on rocky islands. Well, you get the point.

"Blarney Castle" c. 1900

Rocky islands and houses on same

Can you spell "i-s-o-l-a-t-i-o-n"?

In the parts of the small boat channel that were inland of the main body of Georgian Bay the landscape was hillier--but still rocky. The remoteness of the area also means that seaplanes are a not-uncommon sight in parts of the waterway, so not only do we have to watch out for rocks and other boats, we also need to be sure that we are not encroaching on a seaplane's "runway" at an inopportune time.

A lovely waterside perch

Sharing the water with airplanes

As we've been cruising through Canada the Minnesotan in me keeps seeing similarities to the landscape and weather I lived with most of my life. I also keep imagining what it's going to look like here in November, December, January, etc. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Since Monday evening we have been at the Big Sound Marina in Parry Sound, Ontario. Yesterday (July 15) wind and rain moved through the area, so it was a weather day for us. It's not raining today, but it is another weather day because the wind is still up a bit. We are considering "going outside" for the next leg of our journey, that is, cruising in the main part of Georgian Bay and not the more protected small boat channel; therefore, we are hoping that tomorrow's forecast of diminished winds holds true.

CARIB II on the dock (3rd from left) in Parry Sound

Like much of the central part of North America, we are experiencing a cold snap here. But 61 degrees for a high temp? In July? The cloud formations last night looked like they could drop snow at any minute.

Evening clouds over Parry Sound (the water, not the town)

When held in port because of weather, it's good to have things to do to pass the time and stave off "let's get going-itis". For us, that included: reading, Lon doing audit reviews for work, a bicycle ride to the grocery store, dinner with fellow loopers John and Kathy Scott (from M/V Serenity), and a visit to "Bobby Orr's Hockey Hall of Fame." For the non-hockey buffs, Bobby Orr is an NHL Hall-of-Famer who was born in Parry Sound and played for the Boston Bruins during their Stanley Cup championship seasons in the 1970's.