Overnight at Harris Boat Works – Gore Landing, Rice Lake
44°7’21.4140″N, 78°14’26.4192″W
What3Words: ///cigar.homemakers.decibel

It started raining lightly shortly after we left Lock 19 around 8:30 am. The air was cooler so we bundled up and Catherine fixed hot tea and coffee in our travel mugs.

Morning tea and coffee to chase the cold away

Most of the over 30 km to Rice Lake and Harris Boat Works was on the Otonabee River. Our progress was slow while observing the 10kmh speed limit.

Travelling down the Otonabee

There were lots of cottages along the riverbanks but most were noticeably much smaller that what we saw north of Peterborough. The cottages were modest and well kept – they would fit right in with our taste and budget. There were plenty of houses along the shoreline in spots as well. It looked like there are many permanent residences, not seasonal cottages.

Perfect gingerbread house on the Otonabee – even noted in the Ports Cruising Guidebook

Several sections of the Otonabee River were uninhabited and quite wild. We enjoyed watching for wildlife over the water and along the shoreline – Osprey, Herons, Egrets and Mute Swans.

Can you spot the Osprey?

We finally got out on Rice Lake and could see several km across the lake where Harris Boat Works is located. There weren’t any other boats on the water and it was a good distance to each shoreline. This was an opportunity for me to open up the engines and give them a workout.

Finally on Rice Lake headed to Harris Boat Works near Gores Landing

I slowly ran them both up to 2,000 rpm and kept a close eye on the gauges in case there was a problem. The engines ran fine and hummed along like they are loving a chance to sprint for awhile.

As we approached our destination the sky was clouding over and the wind began to pick up. It started to rain lightly as we approached the dock.

Squall approaching Harris Boat Works – where’s the dock?

The wind was pretty strong so the marina sent out a staff member to give us a hand tying up. We were glad he was there to help us! The wind was doing its best to keep us off the dock – we probably would not have been able to tie up without his help. This was most definitely our most challenging docking exercise so far on this trip.

Just as we got our lines secured a squall blew in hard and it began to pour rain. Talk about lucky timing! The squall lasted about 15 minutes and then calmed down, but the rain and the wind continued the rest of the day and into the night. Sure glad we were secure! And that we had hydro so we could heat up some soup for lunch!

Harris Boat Works Marina is small but very well kept. It’s focus is on serving local boaters with mostly small craft for fishing and daily rides. The owner is the grandson of the original founder. The business has been in the family for 3 generations and still going strong.

Area perspective – from Peterborough to Harris Boat Works and next on to Lock 18 in Hastings – click anywhere on the map to enlarge

I talked to one of the mechanics, He told me he started working there when he was 18 and he’s 52 now and never had any desire to go anywhere else. Life is good on the water. I’m envious of the life he has had and his current situation. Something to be said about having deep roots in one spot. Here’s a link to their website: Harris Boat Works

The temperature dropped so it’s hot tea, hot soup and toast for dinner – just right.

I had a chance to do some draft writing for the blog in-between squalls when the boat stopped rocking. Tomorrow, we head up Rice Lake and hope to make it to Campbellford about 35 km away. We will stay there for a few days to catch up on our rest, blog some more and Catherine wants to go to a quilting store there to see if she can get a special “walking foot” for her sewing machine to help her with sewing the Sunbrella window coverings.

Cheers!

Overnight at Peterborough Lock 19 “Scott’s Mills” – Lower Side
44°17’17.3400″N, 78°18’31.4496″W
What3Words: ///consequence.embracing.discussed

We got up early had a light breakfast and worked some more on the blog. Around 10:00 am we walked over to the Canoe Museum Café for specialty coffee and some bakery treats. We lingered there for almost 2 hours while some local showers passed through and then headed back to the boat.

Modified Google Map Showing Area Perspective

I called ahead to the Lockmaster at Lock 19 “Scott’s Mills” to confirm that it was OK for us to stay overnight on the lower side. He said no problem and he was ready for us anytime Shortly after 12:00 noon we moved Belisama about 2 km from Lock 20 to Lock 19. The wind was blowing stiffly, and it was tricky leaving the mooring wall. We waited for boat lock traffic to clear and then got away from the wall without too much difficulty.

Lots of historical photos for Lock 19 on office wall – click anywhere on the photo to enlarge to get a better look.

It was a very slow day at the lock so the staff had time to chat about their work there and the history of this particular lock.

We wanted to stay overnight on the lower side of Lock 19 so we could get an early start in the morning before the locks open at 9:00 am. We will travel about 30 km down the Otonabee River to Harris Boat Works, a small marina on Rice Lake at Gores Landing. We will stay for the night. The trip down the Otonabee will take approximately 3 hours.

Catherine burning the midnight oil (actually 8:30pm oil) to help keep up with the blog

Cheers!

Overnight at Peterborough Lock 20 “Ashburnham” – Lower Side
44°17’55.6620″N, 78°18’16.4520″W
What3Words: ///voicemail.stipulate.hometowns

We were up early in the morning, and Catherine walked 10 minutes to the YMCA for a swim. She reported that she hasn’t forgotten how to swim – and the Peterborough YMCA is a beautiful facility. She appreciated being able to use the membership she bought in Midland long long ago (in July).

We were ready to leave the marina at 11:00am. We turned in our bathroom pass key and recovered our $100 deposit. We also had our wastewater holding tank pumped out before we left. The marina staff here have been very helpful and friendly.

It was only a short 20-minute hop across Little Lake over to the lower side of lock 20 where we stayed overnight beside the Canadian Canoe Museum. It was overcast and cooler but pleasant.

We spent the afternoon and early evening trying to catch up on the blog and some onboard chores like folding four loads of laundry and tidying up. In the afternoon we met a group of 16-18 year old canoeists in three canoes starting out on their trip to Curve Lake First Nation over the next four days organized through the local Rotary International Club.

Canoe group on the blue line at Lock 20

Along with their camping gear and food, they carried a small tree in a pot to plant as a gesture of friendship – very inspiring group.

The canoe group enters Lock 20 – their adventure begins!

Our mooring spot has a very nice view of Little Lake and the Centennial Fountain that is a few hundred meters offshore (in the lake). The fountain was lit up at night with changing colours. Very nice touch.

Illuminated fountain on Peterborough’s Little Lake

Cheers!

Overnight at Peterborough Marina – Slip B18
44°17’47.7060″N, 78°19’6.2256″W
What3Words: ///viewed.fines.devour

We got up early in the morning and had a leisurely breakfast. The sunrise was spectacular – although I expect that smoke from forest fires in the area had an effect on the deep red colour of the sky. Thankfully the fires are relatively small and under control – at least that’s what we were able to find out through searches on the internet.

A dramatic sunrise over Peterborough Lift Lock – red sky in morning…

The sailor’s old expression is something like “red sky at night, sailor’s delight, red sky in morning, sailor take warning”. Should we be concerned about taking the ride down in the lift lock?

Parks Canada Lock staff came by our boat and asked us if we were ready to go down. We were told that the Kawartha Voyageur would be coming up first and then we could take the next ride down. We were the only boat on the upper level that was going down so that would make navigating into the tank a bit less stressful.

Kawartha Voyageur exits lift lock – our turn is next!

We moved slowly into the tank and tied up on our port side. Once we were inside the tank the view forward was pretty amazing – but still we were essentially staring into open space in front of us with a 65-foot drop to the water below. It was a bit unsettling to think about despite reassurances from the staff.

The descent down was very steady, quiet and smooth and only took a few minutes. Now, that wasn’t so bad after all. One of the Lock staff “Doug” rode down with us – he was standing on the steel structure beside the tank and within easy reach of us. He helped to calm us down by telling us that he had spent the winter before ploughing snow in Yoho National Park, so we chatted with him about his experiences. That was a pretty neat coincidence!

The spot where Doug metaphorically held Catherine’s hand on the way down. Thanks Doug, you’re a champ!

We exited the lift lock to a beautiful canal reminiscent of the tree lined canals we have travelled on in France. Near the end of the canal, we came to a swing bridge in front of Lock 20 – the last lock before Little Lake in front of Peterborough’s downtown area. Lock 20 is also beside Parks Canada’s area operations base and the Canadian Canoe Museum.

Lift lock canal on the way to Lock 20 – reminiscent of the tree lined canals in France

We had a reservation at the Peterborough Marina downtown for the night. On the way to the marina we encountered a local tourist boat that gives people the experience of going up and down the lift lock. Looks like a fun job to be driving that boat.

Peterborough Lift Lock Cruises – It has its ups and downs!

We arrived there at 10:30 and were tied up on our assigned dock space by 11:00 am. We had made plans to meet friends Sue and Peter who live in Peterborough late in the afternoon. They had just got married the week before, so we were looking forward to catching up with them and hearing all about the wedding.

We walked downtown to find the Home Hardware for a replacement pin for the railing passage gate which went plink plunk plonk into the water at the top of the lift lock. I found a suitable replacement that would keep the gate secure for the balance of the season. On the way back to the marina we stopped at a Mr. Sub for lunch and then at the downtown No Frills store to pick up some groceries.

Laundry was free with the marina stay so Catherine did four loads – however, only one washer and dryer! The marina bathroom key pass card required a $100 deposit. Catherine retained control over the pass card so there was no chance of me misplacing this one!

Sue and Peter arrived late afternoon for snacks and cocktails – we toasted their nuptials and have a really nice visit. By coincidence this was “Rib Fest” weekend in Peterborough at the park beside the marina. The whole marina smelled like BBQ ribs backed by various country music live bands that were featured on the entertainment stage. We took a pass on sampling the ribs and the music was plenty loud – even at our dock slip. The live entertainment continued long into the night – but it was country and western music night and we did not bring our Stetsons or plaid shirts, so we went to bed early.

Newlyweds Sue and Peter visit us aboard Belisama

Cheers!

Overnight at Peterborough Lift Lock 21
44°18’30.1068″N, 78°18’2.6172″W
What3Words: ///prolonging.diesel.estimating

Today was a really big day with lots of milestones for our trip and exciting things to remember.

We were up early and had a relaxing breakfast including extra coffee for me and tea for Catherine. Lock operations begin each day at 9:00am so we had lots of time to reflect upon what has happened over the past several weeks and what lies ahead. We were both surprised when we looked closely at the calendar and realized that we had actually only been travelling for about two weeks! It feels like we’ve been on the water for two months! Talk about getting great value for our money – this proves again that buying a boat is a really sound investment. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

We walked down to the lock to watch the Kawartha Voyageur enter the lock and begin the “locking down” process to the river 16 feet below. I took a video of the process and have posted it on YouTube. Here is a link to the video: Kawartha Voyageur Locking Down. It’s a bit long but interesting to see how quickly the boat descends 16 feet to the river below.

It is interesting to note that the Kawartha Voyager raises its bow when it enters each lock. This must be done otherwise the ship is too big for the lock doors to close. After the locking procedure is completed the bow is lowered back into the water and away they go.

If you want to learn more about the Kawartha Voyageur and its cruises on the Trent-Severn and Rideau Waterways then click on this link: Canadian River Boat Cruises | Ontario Waterway Cruises

We followed the Voyageur shortly afterwards and headed towards Peterborough accompanied by two couples aboard a LeBoat charter boat. One couple was from Montreal and the other couple was from Australia. We travelled as a small group from Lakefield to Peterborough Lift Lock and had nice chats with them each time we passed through a lock.

Belisama exiting Lakefield Lock 21

We were also joined at the next lock by a group of six women who were kayaking to Peterborough.

It would take them about four hours of travelling – a great place to kayak, very calm water wide expanse as long as there was not too much boat traffic. Our boats arrived at each lock about 5-10 minutes before the kayakers caught up. We were all happy to wait for them. It was amazing how fast they were able to go.

Today turned out to be full of pleasant surprises. One stretch of the river passes very close to Highway 32 on the way to Lakefield. I noticed a few OPP cars going by with flashing lights (but no sirens) accompanied by several OPP officers on motorcycles. At first I thought it was some kind of special police escort or a training exercise. But then there were more police vehicles and motorcycles. Perhaps it was a tribute parade for OPP officers who had been injured or killed while in the line of duty. This line went on and on and then there were even more motorcycles ridden by civilians. There must have been well over 100 motorcycles plus a dozen or more support vehicles. Here is a link to a YouTube video showing just a small portion of the “parade”. Canada 911 Ride Near Lakefield Ontario

After we got settled on our overnight mooring spot we started doing some research online about all of the motorcycles we had seen earlier in the morning. It turns out it was a group ride organized by the Canada 911 Foundation.  The foundation hosts Canada’s only 3 day fully police-escorted motorcycle ride, an annual event that raises funds for a variety of important causes. Here is a link to the foundation’s website. This looks like a very worthwhile foundation to support. Canada 911 Ride Foundation

We knew we were getting close to Peterborough when we passed through the campus of Trent University. There were university buildings on each side of the river. Very impressive.

Passing by Trent University campus

We arrived at the upper level of the Lift Lock around 12:30 noon. We wanted to stay overnight at top side of lift lock 21 – with a 65 foot drop off straight ahead of us into the abyss – so we made sure we were tied up very securely on the lock wall. The lock staff said we were welcome to tie up there for an overnight stay and that it was perfectly safe. We were especially happy to remain overnight at this location because the visitor’s bathrooms were right beside our boat.

Belisama moored for the night at the top of Peterborough Lift Lock

After a brief rest we walked along the canal to the recently opened Canadian Canoe Museum and toured it. This is a wonderful facility with hundreds of exhibits. It is really well done and something that you could visit several times and still have lots to see and learn. Here is a link to their website: Home – The Canadian Canoe Museum.

The foyer and cafe at the Canadian Canoe Museum

This museum is incredibly well done. Lots of very informative exhibits.

Exhibit at the Canadian Canoe Museum

The museum also has a huge warehouse where dozens of donated canoes are stored. Visitors can also arrange for a guided tour inside the warehouse.

Canoe Museum Warehouse

Some of the exhibits are even interactive.

Learning how to portage

We returned to the boat later in the afternoon and I BBQd chicken for dinner. There were lots of tourists walking around exploring the upper and lower levels of the lift lock. I’m sure if I had enough chicken I could have made a few bucks selling chicken on a bun!

Tomorrow we will very slowly and carefully navigate Belisama into the tank and take the 65 foot ride down to the canal below. One of us is really excited about this and looking forward to it – the other person is feeling somewhat the opposite.

The lower side of Peterborough Lift Lock – tomorrow we take the ride down!

That’s a challenge for future Wally and Catherine to face.

Cheers!