Another overnight in Campbellford
44°18’26.2260″N, 77°48’0.5832″W
What3Words: ///crickets.luxurious.lagoon

Catherine writes:

We were up early for coffee and to make our way to “Your #1 Sewing Centre” and to “Dooher’s Bakery” which opened at 9:00 am. Everyone we had met coming through the nearby locks and at the tourist information centre told us we had to go to Dooher’s which is famous for doughnuts and other fabulous baking.

I wanted to go to the sewing store first to see if I could buy a “walking foot” for the sewing machine. The store had a very small front but opened into a huge area with beautiful cotton fabric for quilting and every sewing supply a person could need.

Your #1 Sewing Centre Campbellford – photo copied from their website

I could have spent all day browsing their inventory, but Wally was waiting for me so I planned to come back tomorrow.

Your #1 Sewing Centre Interior – photo copied from their website

Our aunt Betty, a wonderful quilter, would have loved it! Happily, they had the attachment I needed so I bought that and then met Wally at the bakery.

My dad used to say he’d “died and gone to heaven” when he tasted something wonderful. This was pretty much how we felt going into the old-time bakery. The shelves stacked with doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pies, tarts, bread. Very friendly staff helped with decision making.

Wally with a load of goodies from Dooher’s

We had to practice some restraint as bread doesn’t usually keep that well on a boat. We came out of there with cardboard boxes and paper bags full of goodies.

The real deal doughnut – with real whipped cream

Today was granddaughter Zoe’s 20^th birthday. Wow, how did that happen? We called her in Kamloops, sang Happy Birthday to her and had a nice chat.

The weather started to degrade, and it began raining in the early afternoon.  The rain wasn’t too hard but steady and continued into the night.

Mitred corners front and back

I got the sewing machine out and with the help of the internet figured out how to install the walking foot. Further adjustments were needed for the machine tension. Then I had to decipher how to make a mitred corner, which is a way to remove bulk at corners to keep them flat. YouTube videos saved the day! There were a few less than successful attempts but I finally figured out the attachment, the tension and how to sew the mitred corners.

I’m not sure how much more sewing I will be able to get done this year on the boat. It’s best if I can do the cutting and sewing onboard and fit the coverings as I go but that might not be possible. It will be a good winter project. I’ll take photos and measurements of the windows before we go home. Good thing I bought extra fabric!

The rain continued sporadically through the day. Our patience was rewarded with a beautiful rainbow early that evening.

Rainbow over downtown Campbellford

Bye for now!

Overnight at Campbellford Mooring Wall at Municipal Park
44°18’26.2260″N, 77°48’0.5832″W
What3Words: ///crickets.luxurious.lagoon

Catherine writes:

After listening to the wind howling and waves slapping against the hull for most of the night, we awoke to a peaceful sunrise and remarkably calm water.

Sunrise at Harris Boat Works – what a difference a day makes!

We had a long haul (for us) of almost 50 km to get to Campbellford Lock 13. We left at 8:00 am heading northeast towards Hastings which would be Lock 18.

Belisama leaving Harris Boat Works

It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day with very flat water. Boat traffic had dropped off significantly since leaving Peterborough. There were hardly any rental houseboats on the water anymore and very few large cruisers. Rice Lake is renowned for its fishing so there were a few sports fishers out trying their luck.

Rice Lake heading to Hastings – what a difference a day makes!

Wally was able to take advantage of the wide-open spaces to run the engines at high rpms.
He was pleased at their performance.

Remnants of old factories as we approach Hastings

We arrived at Hastings Lock 18 around noon, waited for the swinging bridge to open, went through the lock and tied up on the low side for a quick lunch. Alongside the lock was a new condominium development fronted along the canal wall by an unusual use for old canoes – very creative and pretty with fall flowers.

Repurposed canoes at Lock 18 Hastings lower level

The next Locks were at Healey Falls – step Locks 17 and 16 which were monsters and dropped 54 feet, then shortly after into Lock 15 which dropped a further 22 feet.

Entering Lock 17 Healey Falls

Look waaay up.

At the bottom of Lock 16

Crowe Bay Lock 14 was next at a mere 26 feet.

On the blue line at Crowe Bay Lock 14

Then it was straight through to Campbellford where we would be staying at the town mooring wall operated by the Chamber of Commerce. Wally had made a reservation for two nights with Karen at the office who had said “look for the sign.” As we came under the bridge into town, we saw a small houseboat tied at the wall and fastened to the railing behind them was a sign “Welcome Belisama.” It was such a lovely personal touch that we have never seen anywhere before!

A special welcome for Belisama!

Karen came out to greet us and give us tourist information about the town (pop 7,800). The mooring wall was beside Old Mill Park which features a bandstand and a giant twoonie coin on a pedestal standing 27 feet tall. The twoonie was designed by a local artist Brent Townsend. The coin has turned out to be a big tourist draw, kind of like the Big Nickel in Sudbury!

We settled in for a quiet night on the boat, tired after all the fresh air and sunshine today.

Bye for now!