Overnight at Upper Level Lock 6 Frankford
44°11’53.8584″N, 77°35’28.3632″W
What3Words: ///plasmas.triangular.communities

We left Trent Port Marina at 10:15 and headed to Lock 1. It was pretty neat to be starting the journey again knowing that thousands of boaters from all over North America plan for years to be taking this journey as the best part of the entire loop is right here in Ontario.

Passing Under “Gateway” Bridge to Trent-Severn Waterway

For those who are not familiar with the term “the loop” it refers to a circular journey on several of the major waterways in North America. It involves the following waterways:

• Intra Coastal Waterway (ICW) along the US eastern Atlantic Coast from Florida to New York City
• up the Hudson River and Erie Canal system to Lake Ontario
• across Lake Ontario to Trenton on the Bay of Quinte
• up the Trent-Severn Waterway to Georgian Bay
• across Georgian Bay to the North Channel and over to Lake Michigan
• down Lake Michigan to Chicago
• into the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico
• across the Gulf of Mexico to Florida

Boaters taking the entire circular journey or “Loopers” as they are often called, can start anywhere on this route and end up back where they began. Many people plan on taking over a year to complete the loop – with their route planned so that they can be in warmer regions during the winter months. Most agree that the summer’s journey through Canadian waters is the most popular and the best boating of the entire loop. I certainly would not argue with that.

I have been fortunate enough to complete a major portion of the loop – albeit in segments over several years. I travelled a good portion of Georgian Bay, the North Channel and upper Lake Michigan on Ananda and around the North Channel with my friend Chris aboard his boat TwoCan. In 2017 I travelled the ICW from Jacksonville, FL to Goderich on Lake Huron aboard Santosha. And now Catherine and I have completed the “reverse” journey of the entire Trent-Severn Waterway aboard Belisama. People have asked if it is our ambition to travel the entire loop as a single journey. We really have no interest in doing that. The very best part of the loop right here in Ontario.  That’s more than enough boating to keep us satisfied.

We have started our way back to Buckhorn but are in no particular hurry. On our trip from Trenton to Frankford we passed through 6 locks, and we were the only boat in each of the locks.

Waiting on the blue line to enter Trenton Lock 1

Parks Canada staff are now operating the locks on the fall schedule – starting operations weekdays at 10:00 am and 3:30 pm is the last lock operation for the day. In the locations where the locks are close together staff will often put you through one lock and then drive to the next lock to put you through that one also.

Trent-Severn Waterway signpost at Lock 1 – Port Severn is 384 kilometers that-a-way!

With hardly any other boaters around it’s a great opportunity to have some extended conversations with lock staff.

Approaching Highway 401 bridge over the waterway – we don’t miss that rat race!

They have some great stories to tell and have lots of local information that they gladly share. I have teased a few of them saying that we just saw your twin brother (or sister) at the last lock!

Approaching Glen Miller Dam and Lock 3

There were no other boats moored at Lock 6 in Frankford when we arrived. We had the place to ourselves and were able to tie up at the prime spot beside a massive willow tree.

Belisama moored beside massive willow tree at Frankford Lock 6

It was a beautiful day and a great start for our journey to Buckhorn. We plan to stay here for at least 2 nights and possibly 3 – depending upon the weather. Later in afternoon 2 other boats arrived for overnight stays but there’s lots of room for everyone.

A private air show as Canadian Air Force Jets do multiple area flyover exercises from nearby CFB Trenton

We also had lots of time to relax. We talked to Aunt Betty, Uncle Bud and Aunt Midge back in London and filled them in on our travels and caught up with them on what they had been up to along with the “news” from home in London.

Cheers!