TSW - Fenelon Falls to Port of Orillia (Locks 32-41)

Day 84/85 ... July 13/14, 2017 ... 15.2 miles & 2 Locks in 4 hours

Bobcaygeon, ON to Lock Wall 34, Fenelon Falls, ON

another dreary morning

lots of Canadian flags everywhere; lots of Canadian pride
especially this, their  150th year celebration

It's cold this am ... 58 degrees, raining and it is the middle of July. I have on flannel lined jeans, a t-shirt with flannel long shirt over it.

sometimes you feel like you are driving in someone's back yard

there is a back up at this lock ... so ...
narrow, rock cliff area with lots of current while trying to hold the boat until a lock wall space opens up for us

A short run today to another popular lock close into town. It rained overnight and then again this am, mostly stopping by the time we could fit into the first lock, which was right by the marina where we stayed the last two nights. A call over to the lock let us know how long to wait before heading over. As close as we were, we still couldn't see the lock. He had several boats going up, need to lock down a big house boat and then several small cruisers up before taking us. Once we saw the big houseboat come out, we could go over the the "blue line" to wait our turn. The cruisers went into the lock as the house boat came out ... allowing us to take their spot on the blue line. The blue line is painted on a lock wall and those at the blue line signal to the lock guys you are ready to go.

We crossed Sturgeon Lake and entered into a narrow passage lined with homes and boathouses, then to the lock. We skipped lock 33 as it is a side trip and not on the direct path of our planned route. They were backed up, so we waited in the Canal area for maybe 25-30 mins. As the boats on the lock wall, blue line and not blue line, were called by overhead speaker into the lock, we were able to take their place on the lock wall. Firestorm was able to squeeze into the lock before us. They were the last out of their group in the lock and we would be the first out of the lock group behind them. They found a spot for themselves and us ... and with power!! Double score!!

Garden area overlooking the falls

the story of the bell at the park

neat momument

Another cute town ... some pics before it started raining again.

Tomorrow Cally and I will go wandering and see what there is to see here.

This town out does themselves with attractive landscaping along the town and lock walls

town is right beside the lock; just the other side of the street

our view out to the bridge we will go thru when we leave
important to go thru the LEFT span!!

cottages and house boats on the opposite shore

sunset overlooking Rosedale River

Day 86 ... Saturday, July 15, 2017 ... 25.8 miles & 5 Locks in 5.5 hours

Fenelon Falls to Top of Lock Wall 40

We planned on a run across Balsm Lake with only 4 locks to move us closer to Orillia. 

lots of narrow passages today

some right beside someones backyard

Hole in the Wall bridge ... do we fit??

easily ... it is 28' high at the center

At lock 35, the first one today, we were at the highest point a boat can go on her own bottom at 841' above sea level. After #35, we will go down in the locks until we get to the Georgian Bay... including the OTHER Lift Lock #36, only now we will go down ... so peering over the edge of the pan is so cool.

Kirkfield Lift Lock; only we are going down
inside the pan before they lift the '"tailgate" to hold the water in

the view out overlooking the canal we are being lowered to
Corkscrew on the wall

The lock wall at 39 didn't have room for both boats, so we moved on (a whole 1/2 mile) to the top of lock wall 40 for the night. 

What you do not see are the ROCKS on each side of the canal
the water is so clear, you can see how close they are

entering a narrow passage ... too rocky and too narrow for 2 boats of our size to pass

the sign tells you to call out on the VHF to see if anyone is in the passage and to alert others we are entering
PLEASE stay out until we exit

Firestorm

see the rock edges???

This is a very rural setting, no town; not even a public road for access. We joined lunch makings with Firestorm for burgers, hot dogs, etc by the boats in our little private park. this was so nice, we all grilled out together for dinner, too.

just chilling at our private park dock

we are actually facing the wrong way so we can run our generator
this is facing the last lock we went thru today

Day 87 ... Sunday, July 16, 2017 ... 20.4 miles, 2 Locks in 3:10 hours

Lock Wall 40 to Port of Orillia

We planned on a leisurely start, but with afternoon thunder storms predicted, both Captains and crew readied ourselves for locking through first when they open at 9am. This meant turning Lab Partners around in the tight lock wall/canal area to face the lock gates.

more narrow passages

then Lake Simcoe!!

the sky finally brightened for a while

We locked down 2 locks and then crossed Lake Simcoe, the largest Lake on the TSW. Thanks to Firestorm we have new running shots of Lab Partners. Guess we should have pulled the fenders on board. Oh, well. In normal cruising we never run with fenders down, but with all the locks and so many so close together everyone leaves all the fenders down (both sides). Not pretty, but effective!

Firestorm heading into Orillia

Just as we were leaving Lake Simcoe, it down poured on us going thru a narrow passage then cleared as we approached the marina. 

Once settled in and the shore power connected for AC, the sky let loose again and it really rained hard for a while.

Port of Orillia looks like they are trying to be Port Trent Marina (the really nice one) ... but they are really lacking in execution and in helpful personal. First off they having FOLDING CLEATS. WTF?? As we pulled into our slip all the cleats were down. NO marina staff out to help us (FIRST time no one helped). Luckily, Marshall from Let's Go saw us and came over to raise our cleats so I didn't have to jump off the boat with a line and secure us. Firestorm came in right before us and had no one to raise their cleats. Luckily, there isn't current in here (nice break water walls at the entry) and no wind when we arrived.

Enormous park

long water front park

Lab Partners secure before the down pour

boat ramp, pavillions, beach, play ground, walking paths, biking paths and more

pavilion for use by the public

even though it rained substantially twice yesterday ... the plants are being watered again

The park setting, which is mostly for locals, is MUCH larger than most we've seen along the way and quite impressive. The marina boaters facility, though very new, pales in comparison; it is nice, but a poorly executed version of Trent Port Marina, IMHO.

However, town is near by and ice cream VERY CLOSE!!