Trent-Severn Waterway ... Frankford & Campbellford (Locks 1-12)

Days 69-74 ... June 28 - July 3, 2017 ... 00 miles... Trent Port Marina, Trenton, ON

Port Trent Marina ... the nicest marina we have been to EVER

Beautiful setting, lush landscape, polite, smiling, helpful staff

With more rainy days ahead, Canada Day and Rip's birthday coming up; we decided to stay at Trent Port Marina (TPM)for one week on their pay for 5 days, stay for 7 deal.

guard gates for boater access only ... another rainy day
seems to be the theme this spring/summer

there were a few nice days ... Docktails with other Loopers

TPM is definitely the nicest marina we have been to in all our travels. From the happy, helpful staff to the elegant facility and lush landscaped grounds ... what wasn't to like.

We enjoyed the time relaxing, reading, eating ice cream and tasting our first Butter Tarts. oh, and watching the weed eating machines ...

Machine eats weeds, throws onto conveyor belt, piles in hopper at rear
when the hopper is full, he goes to shore and sumps
this one is for the wide open areas

this weed eater does the weeds in small spaces like the slips

Captains meeting with Mike from Firestorm

July 1st was Canada Day with a zoo of activities in town and across the river at a near by park ... we stayed on the boat and each read a book. It was also Rip's birthday ... so dinner out was in order. He picked a nice Italian Restaurant within walking distance. Mike and Laurie from Firestorm joined us for dinner. The food was great and company terrific. Afterwards, fireworks right off the marina ... we had great seats from the fly bridge! Cally did well, not too upset by the noise. Rip held her ears and head at one point. She laid on her bed some of the time and a few times she tried to escape. I think she wanted to go inside into the master berth and lay on her bed ... it is her comfort spot, her den, her safe place.

For 2+ days we watched the fireworks barge being loaded

Fireworks right off the marina

we had almost front row seats from the flybridge

Nice of Canada to celebrate with Rip

Day 75 ... July 4, 2017 ... 7.4 miles in 4 hours 50 mins

TPM, Trenton to the top of Lock 6, Frankford, ON

After 7 days, it was time to move again. Everyone was ready to get going. Nice weather finally, too! We needed a pump out and top off the fuel tanks. Unfortunately there was a line and the process was slow; taking an hour to accomplish it all. Firestorm had an issue with one engine and was waiting for the mechanic to return to the boat this am to re-install cleaned Racor filters. Our wait at the fuel dock actually took longer than their mechanic, they waited for us and we began up the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW).

Entrance to start the Trent-Severn Waterway
Now, remember, Rip's middle name is SEVERN

Sometimes boats are rafted to us while locking
we go into the lock, get secured then they come alongside
and throw us lines to secure them to our boat
we all float up together

Me on the bow ready to grab lock wall lines and Firestorm going inside a lock

Only approximately 7 miles, but six locks took 3 hours. I wasn't looking forward to that many locks and so many in such a short run, but I was pleasantly surprised. The TSW locks are very consistent. Much smaller/shorter than the Erie Canal locks, but they are all set up the same with the same cables with the same spacing ... so you know what to expect.

canal between locks and open areas

more open area

Firestorm in the lock, strong current coming off the dam
me on the bow waiting for entry and grabbing lines ... again

scenery changes constantly, but almost always pretty

We stopped at the top/high side of lock 6 in Frankford. We were basically on an island with Canal/lock on on side and the swift river on the other side. There was a lot of space for Cally to play. Unfortunately, I didn't see the potential swim area for her until 8:30pm... too late to swim her and get her dried off.

Mike and Laurie came up to the flybridge to hang before dinner time. The temperature was perfect, slight breeze and sunny skies. Rip commented, "this is what I was what I was envisioning". It was indeed a great night in a great setting.

Chilling out on the flybridge with Mike & Laurie/Firestorm after 6 locks in 5 hours

Quite a nice setting by a park at sunset
small boats to the right pitched tents to stay the night

Day 76 /77 ... July 5 & 6, 2017 ... 22.4 miles in 5 hours and 22.4 miles

Frank ford, ON to Lock 12, Campbellford, ON

looking back from the top of Lock 11/12 ... a double lock some 48' rise

Firestorm going into the double lock
you go in and rise 24'; when the doors open you go straight into another lock and do another 24'

Campbellford lock wall was another nice setting

walked over to the falls; view from the swinging bridge

swinging bridge over the falls that the double lock takes us around

6 More locks today, though spaced out with one after 5 miles, then 1 after 12 miles, then 1 mile or so - boom, boom, boom.

Locks 7, 8, & 9 were well spaced apart. Then, a only a mile to lock 10 and only a mile to Lock 11 and 12. Lock 11 and 12 are a double lock or Flight Lock. We went into lock 11 were raised 25', then when the doors opened we were not looking above ground ... instead we entered the bottom of lock 12 and were raised another 25'. THEN, we were back on the waterway, but pulled off to the side to tie up to the lock wall for the night.

Laurie/Firestorm had cooked pulled pork for us all in the crockpot while they ran today. We added coleslaw and baked beans to round off a meal

The next day we stayed put at the lock wall. Laurie, Mike and I rode bikes into town, about a mile away. We hit the famous Dooher's Bakery, now in the hands of the 4th generation, and the chocolate factory outlet. Nice ride into town with bike/walking trail on each side of the narrow waterway. Rip relaxed with Cally and read more. After lunch on the boat, Cally got to swim!! There is a small boat ramp just at the end of our lock wall.