In the September/October issue of Ocean Navigator we described our route from the Erie Canal. For this leg, we continue our 2024 cruise departing scenic Bobcaygeon, lock 32 en route to Fenelon Falls, lock 34, nearly halfway through the beautiful 240-mile (386 km) long Trent-Severn Waterway. More details on the Trent-Severn Waterway are at https://parks.canada.ca with much better photos than we can provide.
For those who want to lay anchor or who arrive too late to get into the lock, there are many anchorages along the waterway clearly marked on the charts. Lots of boaters spend several weeks in this area, taking advantage of the many quiet anchorages and scenic towns.
The route to Fenelon Falls is clearly marked by well-maintained aids to navigation (ATON). Some areas that are quite wide require closer attention to stay on the route. One point in particular is red nun buoy C396 just before km marker 238 on Sturgeon Lake. The route to Fenelon Falls requires a turn to starboard – counter-intuitive because the course turns north. I confess to missing the turn and was approaching Lindsay before Jane pointed out the error of my ways. From then on, we plotted a route before every departure.
Advertised as “the jewel of the Kawarthas,” Fenelon Falls is noted for its antique shops and great restaurants. Entry to the lock is an intimidating high-walled canyon, so any winds blowing through can make for exciting docking. We spent a quiet night on the upstream lock wall.
Next is the Kirkfield Lift Lock 36, one of the engineering marvels along the waterway and the highest point on the entire Trent-Severn. Two chambers are alternately filled and drained: the weight of the filled chamber lifting the drained chamber with an elevation change of 49 feet. Water level within the chamber varies only a foot, so there is no turbulence to disturb your transit.
The waterway descends at this lock, so take careful note that the ATONs are reversed: red to port and green to starboard.
We stopped for the night at Portage Lock 39 on the lower wall, enjoying a quiet evening.
The next day was a short run to Gamebridge Lock 41, where we spent the night only to be able to get an early morning start for the crossing of Lake Simcoe. This is the only section of the waterway where the weather can make travel unpleasant. Our good luck held and Lake Simcoe was a millpond during our transit.
Bordering Lake Simcoe, the city of Orillia offers a large marina with excellent amenities, nearby groceries and restaurants and a narrow-gauge train running around the adjoining city park. We enjoyed our visit there on our previous transit, so elected to continue to Couchiching Lock 42. It is quite busy, especially on weekends with a maximum of one night permitted and sometimes enforced. Highlights include great ice cream and a small restaurant.
The route continues through Sparrow Lake, which has some shallow spots in the area of ATON green S231.
Swift Rapids Lock #43 is in the middle of nowhere because there are no roads. Lock personnel commute via boat and the facility provides clean restrooms, but no other services. We tied to the wall on the lower side and enjoyed another quiet night.
Our next night was spent on the park dock just before Big Chute, Lock 44, which is not a lock, but a marine railway. The present railway was completed in 1978 and it is the only railway of its kind in North America still in use. Sea lamprey that had been decimating fishing in the Great Lakes provided a compelling case for keeping the railway instead of building a conventional lock. The average elevation change is 60 feet. The cradle can carry boats up to 100 feet long and 24 feet beam. The pedestrian path along the railway provides for great photo opportunities. Late arrivals finding the park docks full may tie to the “blue line” dock, but must move before the railway opens in the morning. It’s worth an extra day here just to watch the boats making the railway journey.
The following day brought us to Port Severn Marina, just upstream of Lock 45. It is a full-service marina including pump-out, which is priced on a volumetric basis. We rinsed our 30-gallon holding tank and were charged for 60 gallons.
Nearby restaurants and a grocery store plus the entertainment provided by vessels struggling with the strong currents around the narrow Lock 45 make this an interesting stop.
With the Trent-Severn Waterway now behind us, we enter Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay, carefully plotting a route to Midland, Ontario. Because the area is rocky, close attention to ATONs is strongly recommended. When approaching Midland your landmark will be the large grain elevator with a huge mural painted on it. Midland Municipal marina is unique because your slip mate may well be a cruise ship. The marina has washers and driers, among other amenities. Ask about the shop that sells chocolate-dipped butter tarts.
When plotting your course to Killbear Marina, don’t let the many rocks and shoals discourage you from this scenic journey. The ATONs are plentiful and well-maintained. Settled weather will provide for an easy passage. We plotted 114 waypoints on our AquaMaps nav program and never had cause for worry.
Killbear Marina is thoroughly protected, has a well-stocked marine store, a grocery store and restaurant. Check out the bear-proof garbage cans.
The passage westward soon takes you to Canoe Channel, the tightest squeeze of the cruising season. A suspected charting error in Navionics and AquaMaps showed our track over land, instead of in mid-stream of the narrow and shallow channel. Signs at the approach to Canoe Channel advise making a Securite’ call on VHF 16 to announce your presence prior to entering because there is room sufficient for only one vessel.
Many anchorages are marked on the charts should you wish to enjoy solitude. The route follows, among other interesting names, Hang Dog Channel. Protected waters will be enjoyed until red nun A400, when your vessel will be exposed to wind and seas from the south and west. At green AX1 a choice of protected waters or more open waters is offered to Byng Inlet. We have cruised both with no peril. Opening into Magnetawan River, Byng Inlet is well protected and Wright’s Marina offers fuel, ship’s stores, propane, pump-out and clean toilets and showers.
Further up Magnetawan River is St. Amant’s Waterfront Inn & Marina with an adjoining grocery store and liquor outlet. Gasoline, diesel, propane and pump-out are available.
Fair weather will ease your open-water passage to Killarney, should you wish to bypass the inland passage with its numerous anchorages. Call ahead because the popular Killarney Mountain Lodge Marina and its excellent restaurant are often fully booked. The nearby Sportsman Inn Marina is owned by Mountain Lodge and usually has room with docks on both sides of the channel. A grocery store with limited inventory, a fish-and-chips shop and a great bakery are between the two marinas. A great hike around George Island will let you work off the extra calories.
We now depart Georgian Bay and enter the North Channel. Protected and isolated anchorages provide weeks of cruising. Little Current on Manitoulin Island has several marinas. We stayed at Downtown Docks, right in the heart of town. Be mindful of the current when entering or departing. Roy Eaton hosts the informative Cruisers’ Net each morning on VHF 14. A Friday afternoon cruisers’ happy hour is hosted by the Anchor Inn. A large supermarket is about a 20-minute walk from the marina and there are several restaurants nearby.
Continuing west along North Channel is a small marina at the bottom of Mudge Bay at Kagawong. The artisans’ store at the marina offers unique gift items. A hike along the creek to Bridal Veil Falls will be rewarded by a stop at the ice cream shop at the end of the trail.
Gore Bay Marina is well protected with gasoline, diesel, pump-out, laundry, a ship’s store and free Wi-Fi. A grocery and hardware store, post office, LCBO and pharmacy are within a half-mile of the marina. Purvis Fish and Chips adjoining the marina is excellent. Buoy’s Eatery near the north end of the marina offers excellent food and has a no-tipping policy. Hike out to the lighthouse or along the cliffs on the far side of the bay.
Meldrum Bay Marina is the last stop on Manitoulin Island. We made reservations there but because we had a once-in-a-lifetime weather window we made a last-minute decision to continue on to Drummond Island, some 72 statute miles westward from Gore Bay. We cleared into the U.S.A. by telephone at Drummond Island Yacht Haven. The facility is protected and has gasoline, diesel, laundry, ship’s stores, repairs and rental cars. We shared a tour to the Fossil Ledges (coral reef fossils) with another cruising couple and stayed a few extra days to explore the island. Jay Stressman of Discover Drummond Island Adventure Tours provided informative commentary on the island’s fauna and flora.
Drummond Island has several boat storage sheds should an owner care to winter his/her vessel there. For us, it was too early in the season to consider storage. In our next weather window, we continued our cruise, heading west to St. Ignez, Mich. 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.