In late May, we returned to ESS-KAY Yards on the Erie canal where we had stored Bessie, our 2004 Nordic Tug 32 for the winter. A week on the hard was ample time to have the anti-fouling paint renewed, some fiberglass dings and scratches repaired and a good start on having Bessie detailed, which she sorely needed. Detailing usually includes only the hull above the waterline, but we chose to have the entire vessel detailed. Jason Ash, a thorough master detailer, insisted I remove the four solar panels on the pilot house roof so he could detail that normally out-of-sight area as well. This was a bonus, as we discovered three of the panel mounts had failed.
We installed Starlink while afloat, and the detailing continued. Our navigation equipment is an iPad running either Navionics or Aqua Maps Master. Last year, Navionics seemed best in Canada, but Aqua Maps has improved their features for Canada for 2024.
A heavy rainstorm revealed a leak in the roof, which kept us occupied for several days drying out the roof and effecting repairs – oh, the joys of boating! We thought our repairs last year would be permanent, but the sealant had failed. We dug out the old Life Caulk and replaced it with Life Seal.
All systems go with full propane and diesel tanks, we were underway at last, headed west on the Erie Canal to the Oswego Canal. We transited Brewerton Lock on the Erie Canal and Phoenix Lock on the Oswego Canal and stopped for the night at Minetto town dock. It’s a good stop with toilets ashore, a convenience store and ethanol-free gasoline (for the generator) nearby. Next stop was Oswego Marina, a full-service marina and the jumping off point for Lake Ontario. Good restaurants are within easy walking distance. Top off your fuel tanks before departing U.S. waters as Canada is very proud of their fuel. The weather forecast for the next day was very favorable with the day after even better. (Note: Here we share some hard-earned wisdom: when you get a good weather window, take it – the next day might not be so good – and it wasn’t!)
Many vessels cross Lake Ontario to Sackett’s Harbor, N.Y. or clear into Canada at Kingston, especially if going on to the Thousand Islands. We opted for the 52-statute-mile passage from Oswego to Prinyer’s Cove Marina, Ontario and our crossing was as nearly perfect as we could have hoped for with very light winds aft or on the aft quarter. Prinyer’s Cove Marina is an official port of entry, so we cleared into Canada by telephone, received our clearance number and dutifully posted it on a side window. It’s a very small marina, practically in the middle of nowhere.
The next day, we set out for Picton, a short run up the Bay of Quinte, cruising in totally protected waters. Picton is a picturesque town, well worth a visit. Picton Harbour Inn has a limited number of slips with power and water, toilets and showers and garbage disposal. Slicker’s ice cream, produced locally, is quite a treat. The breakfast at Picton Harbour Inn alone is reason enough to visit. We had eggs benedict with peameal bacon. We are now in the land of butter tarts, peameal bacon, poutine and Kawartha Dairy ice cream, so let the feasting begin!
Next day took us to Trent Port Marina, one of the finest facilities we have ever visited. Luxury toilet and shower facilities, laundry, fuel, pump-out and a Metro supermarket a block away. Many restaurants are within easy walking distance. Two nights at Trent Port Marina was a welcome stopover.
After a provisioning visit to Metro and a pump-out stop, we entered the Trent-Severn Waterway, 240 miles of scenic cruising with 45 numbered locks along the way. There are now only 43 locks, as two have been combined.
Now a word about the locks: we preferentially tie to the lock walls, as we have purchased the Parcs Canada locking and mooring season permit. We state either upper or lower lock wall for several reasons: some locks permit both, some only one, and we decide which based on availability, scenic beauty, traffic noise or protection from wind and wave. Make your own choice.
Six locks later, we tied up for the night above Lock #6 at Frankford. Shore power is CAD10.70 for 24 hours. We spent a second night here because the weather was quite squally. Next stop was Campbellford City Docks another six locks further. Contact them at the Chamber of Commerce office. They offer three nights for the price of two, fully refundable. Nice town with clean toilet and shower facilities.
We were really looking forward to our return to Hastings only four locks away. The Captain’s Table Restaurant serves the best fish and chips we have ever consumed! Choose the halibut and request an upcharge for your chips to be poutine! Be advised the approach to Lock #18 at Hastings is quite a challenge due to the cross currents from the adjacent dam. Once through the lock and bridge, we tied to the upper wall of the lock. Two nights at Hastings due to very strong winds gave us ample time to visit the Captain’s Table restaurant, plus a good hardware, grocery and beer store. Somersby’s Pear Cider is our favorite cooler, which is sometimes in short supply.
Rice Lake, very shallow and nasty in a strong wind, was a mill pond when we crossed. The water is very clear, which encourages weed growth. The weeds, particularly thick this year, can foul your propellor and thruster and they also cause false depth readings. Reverse your engine occasionally to clear the weeds – it works most of the time.
We transited Lock #19 at Scott’s Mills without stopping and tied to the Lower Lock Wall #20 at Ashburnham.
One of the highpoints on the Trent-Severn is the hydraulic lift Lock #21 at Peterborough. It consists of two huge water-filled concrete reservoirs supported by hydraulic rams. One reservoir ascends while the other descends. The “trip” is about two minutes. Since no water enters or leaves the reservoirs, there are no currents or turbulence as in the traditional locks.
Six locks total for the day brought us to Lakefield, where we tied to Upper Lock Wall #26. Lakefield is another great stop with park-like settings, toilets, showers and shore power at CAD10.75 per day, plus a supermarket, hardware, NAPA parts store, LCBO and Canoe and Paddle Restaurant. Try their hamburger special, barbecue with whiskey/maple glaze.
The adjoining bakery has ice cream and the best almondine we have ever tasted! Another rainy, squally day provided good reason to stay a second day at Lakefield and make another visit to the bakery and supermarket.
Lock #27 at Young’s Point and Burleigh Falls at Lock #28 brought us to Lovesick Lock #30 (Lock #29 was combined with Lock #28). Lovesick is totally isolated, requiring the lock tenders to travel by boat from Burleigh Falls. It’s a beautiful park, with upper and lower lock walls available for tie-up. There are toilets, but no water, showers, power or garbage disposal.
The first of July is Canada Day, a national holiday, and everyone with anything that floats is out on the water! Concerned that we might have a problem finding a spot for the night, we called ahead to Gordon’s Marina in Bobcaygeon, a very popular stop. Gordon’s has slips for small boats, but will allow tie-up to their fuel dock after 1500. Depth along the fuel dock is 7.5 feet. Very clean showers, toilets and laundry, plus shore power, water and pump-out are available. There’s ethanol-free mid-range gasoline only – no diesel.
We transited Lock #31 at Buckhorn and refueled at Buckhorn Marina at CAD1.87/liter, the cheapest diesel (we were assured) on the entire waterway. Pump out was CAD40.00. Bobcaygeon was, as we expected, totally crowded, as a fireworks display was scheduled for 10 p.m. Angel, the manager at Gordon’s, was waiting for us promptly at 3 p.m. Among many other good things, Bobcaygeon is the home of Kawartha Dairy ice cream. Their factory is a 10-minute walk from Gordon’s and the line at the serving windows was very long.
We now are tied to the upper lock wall at Bobcaygeon, Lock #32. Fenellon Falls, Lock #33, awaits us tomorrow. We are nearly halfway through. n
Harry Hungate and his wife, Jane Lothrop, are spending their third season cruising the fresh waters of the Great Lakes regions of the U.S. and Canada aboard their 2004 Nordic Tug 32 Bessie.