25 years and Still Afloat. (Part One: An Introduction to the Trent-Severn Waterway by Canoe.)

The 19th was a gorgeous October day and it was also our wedding anniversary.

25 years, to be exact.

As a way to mark the occasion, my husband and I decided to take the whole month of October off from our regular jobs and enjoy a "stay-cation" at home.

We live in what you could call “cottage country”.

We happen to be located directly on the Trent-Severn Waterway, just before Lock #7.

This is a "swing bridge". When a boat needs to pass through, traffic stops at both ends of the bridge and it pivots approximately 90 degrees. This allows space for the vessel to access the other side and continue on their way.

This is a photo of the surface of the swing bridge from the road.

This Waterway is a system of 45 locks that is 386 kilometers or 240 miles long.

Of the 45 locks, there is 1 marine railway lift lock that transports boats from a lower elevation to a higher elevation, of the system, at  a place called "Big Chute".

There is also 2 flight locks and 2 hydraulic lift locks. (One of which is in Peterborough and the other one is located in Kirkfield.

This is a picture of the hydraulic lift lock in Peterborough. 

The remaining 36 locks are conventional locks and there are 39 swing bridges and 160 dams that complete the system.

The construction of the Waterway was started in 1833 but it was stopped and started several times and was a very political, on-going project for almost a century. This was likely due to the cost of construction and because the railway system became a more efficient way to transport goods.

The construction of the Waterway, in its entirety wasn’t finished until 1920, but when it was complete, it ultimately connected Lake Ontario to Lake Huron, (which are two of Canada’s five Great Lakes).

Today, this Waterway system is used for recreational purposes and it’s open for navigation from the middle of May until the middle of October. There is a cost to use the service of the locks. To access a single lock in both directions, the cost is calculated based on the length of the vessel at $0.90 per foot or you can purchase a seasonal pass at $8.80 per foot. All fees are charged in Canadian dollars. This makes the system at great value for boaters from the USA who want to travel the entire "Great Loop" and circumnavigate the waters of eastern North America. "Loopers" as they are called, typically start in the waters of Illinois, travel north to the Great Lakes in the Spring and make their way back south to Florida by November. The whole loop is 7,500 miles.

The system is also used to manage the water levels of over 7,000 square miles of rivers and streams that feed into it and directly impact the central Ontario, region.

We started from our backyard.

 

This is our dock. Next week we will pull it out of the water for the winter. The water will freeze and the ice is incredibly destructive when it's on the move during a winter thaw or during the Spring when the ice starts to permanently melt with the change of the season.

This is one end of Lock #7.

I am standing on top of the lock, looking in the direction that we just paddled from (east).

Now, I'm looking in the other direction. This will give you a sense for how much water each lock can hold.

 

We paddled in a westerly direction and had 1 portage. This means that we had to lift our canoe out of the water, over the road and back in the water again, on the other side. Our canoe is made of "kevlar". I am very thankful that it only weighs 40 lbs.

This is where we stopped to portage with our canoe. You can see the Lock Master's little brick house. Nobody lives there full-time anymore. You can also see a giant willow tree that is getting ready to lose its leaves for the winter. You can see, that I am wearing winter gear and my life-jacket. It was cool and windy on the water.

This is a "bat" house. It provides shelter for bats who eat a lot of bugs in the summer months.

We made it to the other side of the road and I took a little break from carrying my end of the canoe up the embankment and to the area we "put back in" at. You can see the iron train bridge in the background. In its day, it swung across the river too. 

We have paddled close to the bones of the old train swing bridge. Notice the huge gear at the bottom.

On the other side of the canal is where the old train bridge once connected.

We paddled on and discovered a small flock of Mute swans.

They are really majestic birds. They let us come fairly close with our canoe. (In the late Spring, they would attack you if they had signets among them.)  We were given a beautiful gift today.

We paddled on.

We came to a "duck blind".

On our way back, we saw the cutest little "tiny house" cottage.

It appeared to be about 10 feet by 12 feet with a sleeping loft.

Then, after we portaged back over the road again and put back in on the other side, we saw part of a Turkey Vulture flock that I have named "Patience". As you can see, they are really good at waiting and I happen to think they are very courteous of one another. They choose not to "dump" on their friends or family...literally.

When we returned home, we calculated the distance of our return paddling trip to be 7 km or approximately 2.5 miles. It was windy so, this in addition to our portaging efforts, gave our arms a really good work-out.

25 years ago today, I can tell you that it snowed. This day was like a cool summer day with the sun shining brightly. Paddling in the fresh air and getting a chance to appreciate nature with the person I love was a fantastic way to celebrate.

October 19, 2016. Dedicate to my husband, Dan Ryan. 

(As a side note, I am happy to report that we are a normal couple. I particularly appreciated Dan's patience when I forgot how to steer our canoe at my end. Or, when I inadvertently became distracted by nature and let us drift a little too far into the faster current. Lol, there were a few voice raising moments, shared between the two of us, but I am happy to report that, even in rough waters, love prevailed.)  

I welcome you to follow me and join me on my journey and I am happy to answer any of your comments.

~RebeccaRyan