6/28 to Severn Falls

Hydrophilic at Severn Falls Marina

With the head repaired, we got back on the route to the end of the Trent Severn Waterway.  To be honest, I will be a little sad when we finish this portion.  From Marina Del Rey, we headed back onto Lake Simcoe.

It was a chilly day.  It never got out the 60's.  In the afternoon, the wind picked up some; that made the ride a little chillier. 

We headed back into the Trent Canal to join the Severn River.  This is really the last leg to Port Severn, the end of the Trent Severn.  We just missed an opening of this railroad bridge.  The area is narrow with no place to circle.  We were the first of two boats waiting for this passenger train to go on its way.  It was quite long for a passenger train.

We traveled through McDonald's Cut.  This is another very narrow section.  When these narrow sections exist, it is because the rock was cut by hand in 1905.  There was no machinery to assist in this work in the wilderness.

Entrance to McDonald's Cut

Rock was hand cut in 1905

There are many little islands that have just one home on them.  The homes and the islands are stunning.  However, if you live there, you have to haul in everything. 

At the marina tonight, we saw some folks put a refrigerator on their boat to take to their island home.  I was sorry I had missed the picture but about two hours later, the fellow came back with his old one to send away for disposal.

One of the locks we did today was Lock 43 Swift River.  This lock is unique because you lock down 47 feet!!!   The two lock mistresses were very efficient getting us on the cables and we locked down fast.  We were down and on our way in no time flat.  A seaplane was circling overhead to get views of the lock.

For the night, we docked at the municipal dock at Severn Falls.  This town has under 75 residents in the winter.  The Emporium runs the docks for the town.  The Emporium is run by a lovely young couple with two little girls under 2.  They have a limited grocery and a well stocked ice cream parlor.

Severn Falls Dock and Emporium

The views off the back of the boat are stunning too.  In the picture below you can see one of the red buoys.  Notice how thin the buoys are in Canada.  The green ones are the same size and just as skinny and have a flat top.  I love seeing the evergreen trees too.

Tomorrow, we will do one of the famous "locks" of the Trent Severn, the Big Chute.  Big Chute is very unusual.  At the Big Chute, we will drive our boat into pool of water and be loaded on a rail car.  The boat is put in straps and lifted up in the rail car.  The rail car then goes over land and then back into the water.  It can carry up to 110 tons.  I am ready to give it a try.

Lat 44 degrees 52.41 North

Long 79 degrees 36.10 West