We're home! Last blog til next trip

Guess where we went for breakfast?  It's pretty handy to the Campbellford Marina, and it is one of the busiest ones I know of - the drive-thru is usually right out onto the street.  We also discovered where the best butter tarts in the world are made!  I got a couple while we were filling up with gas - just down the street about 2 doors.  They have been making them for 2 years - who knew?  Shoulda bought a dozen!

We only had to go through 6 locks again today, but when we got to the second one, we discovered they had a break-down.  The problem was with letting the water out of the lock.  They finally found a way to do it, let one boat down, and we went into the lock.

This cylinder was the problem part.

I think this is a pretty cool way to use an old row boat.  The sign on the back says "Done Rowin".

We went into the lock, the doors went shut, and then they discovered they also had a problem putting water INTO the lock!  Altogether, we lost a little more than 2 hours there.

We arrived back at Harris's about 3 pm, cleaned and cleaned out the boat, and headed for home.  It's kind of sad in a way, though I am looking forward to my bed, and very excited to have Jeff and Kerry coming tomorrow for a nice long stay.

Campbellford Aug 20/12

I believe this is a young osprey, seen during our trip this morning from Frankford to Campbellford.

These ugly cormorants, sitting in a dead tree, are horrid birds.  They kill whole islands full of trees with their droppings and strip the lakes of the small fish.  They are native to N. Carolina I believe, but are now here by the 1000's.

This is one of the times I wished I had a better camera.  It is rare to get a picture of a kingfisher, and this was just too far away for a good one.

We saw quite a few swans today, including this family group of Mom, Pop, and 2 youngsters.

Mom and the kids.

Just approaching the double locks at Campbellford.

The Ranney Suspension Bridge from the water.  I think Bella would have liked to see it this way better.

The very high double locks at Campbellford.

The reason this large replica of the toonie is in Campbellford is that a local artist, Brent Townsend is the one who submitted the image of the polar bear which was chosen for the toonie.  It's in the park beside the wall where we stay with the boat when we're here.

Stapley's garage is a place we always have to check out when we are here - there are usually a few old cars around in various stages of repair.  This one is on the roof of the garage......

.....and this one is in the yard.  Notice the sign?

The hated loosestrife!  But I still think it is beautiful.

Well tomorrow we do the last 6 locks which will take us to Rice Lake and home.  Sad in a way, but joyous in that Wed. we get Jeff and Kerry for a nice long visit.  Can't wait to see them!

Up the Trent Severn Aug 19/12

We stayed last night at the Fraser Park Marina in Trenton.  We are very happy with our boat, always considered it quite adequate for us 2 old geisers, but take a look at us with two 65 foot boats nearby.  We're second from the right.  But guess what - they need help everywhere they go, and we don't - we're very self-sufficient.

After going to the Presbyterian Church this morning, we headed up the Trent Severn Waterway.  We are doing the 18 locks to Rice Lake in 3 days - 6 locks per day.  Wow!  Are we getting lazy or what!?!  We've been known to do all 18 locks in one day.  Not any more! Oh, and there's power at lock 6 and at the marina in Campbellford.  :-)            Not fast enough with the camera today for the turtles and the osprey with the fish in his talons.  I'll try to do better tomorrow. 

Trenton Aug 18/12

Ah, so THAT'S how the rope got untied!

Beautiful sunset on our last night in the 1000 Islands.

A heron came to say goodbye just as we were about to cast off.      We left early in the hope that we would beat the wind.  By the time we had filled up with gas in Kingston and started for Trenton, it was only 8:15 a.m.  We were in luck - the wind was out of the NW, not coming in off Lake Ontario as we went past the 2 gaps to the Bay of Quinte.  We had smooth sailing for the 3 hours it took us to get from Kingston to Trenton - never even had to slow down for anything.

A LaFarge boat filling up or unloading at the LaFarge plant.

The Glenorra ferry loading.

I'm not sure why this big Coast Guard boat was just outside of Picton.

Arrived in Trenton in time for lunch at Tomasso's - m-m-m, I love their food!  And it was a beautiful day to sit on the patio - not too warm, not too cool.

Came across this lovely fellow, wondered if it was a brown recluse, but I googled it, and I think he is a grass spider.

Sorry, nothing too exciting today.  Just stocking up with enough food to get us home, walking around the downtown, relaxing, etc.  Tomorrow after church we will be starting up the Trent Severn.

Cedar Island Aug. 17/12

Left Grenadier this morning in the pouring rain and good-sized waves.  Moved to Cedar Island, near Kingston.  It was a rough trip, to say the least!      When we got here and settled, we took a walk, and this lovely doe stood nicely and posed for some pictures.

This redoubt, built in 1846 is on the island and was a part of the defence of the canal system.

This duck thought he'd have a few bites of my plant!

I have to hustle as the battery on the computer is down so I'm using boat battery.  Generators are not allowed on this island.

uninspired - Aug. 16/12

We have had a very quiet, uninspiring day today, so not much to report.  When we went for a walk, we discovered that we can see Boult Castle in the very far distance.  Erin and Megan, do you remember how much you enjoyed being there?  Not a great picture, but the best I could do at this distance.

For part of the day we shared the dock with a couple on another boat - some nice people from Ottawa, but after they left, we had the whole dock to ourselves.  It has been a beautiful day, but very windy - I even had to put on a sweater!  I love it!  We're still rockin and rollin, should be a nice cool night, and rocked to sleep.  It's also very dark and quiet here.  Nice!

Not even a spectacular sunset!  Oh well.        Tomorrow we start our journey west and north - just as far as Cedar Island tomorrow - across from Old Fort Henry.

Grenadier West Aug. 15/12

Left Constance Island this morning in search of something different.  Cruised slowly to allow the battery to charge.  This is a nice little island with a lovely little house - 'twould suit me just fine.

And then there was this.  Who could possibly need something this big?  Notice the spires to the left - that's all part of the same house!

This is St. Lawrence, high on a rock cliff.  A plaque near the water says who it is, and that he was a 3rd century martyr after whom the river is named.

We arrived at one of our favorite islands - the west end of Grenadier, and there was a good sized space on a big sturdy dock.    We went for a walk around the island, and this tiny island and cottage are just to the west of it.

Our walk-about turned out to be a short one, since most of the island is blocked off to allow for restoration of the vegetation.  This is one of the original gazebos - I think there are only 4 left.  Unfortunately the informational sign is missing.

I believe this is the summer home of the family who invented the Zippo lighter.  Lots of toys here!  It's also part of Grenadier, which is a very long island.  Parks Canada owns several parts of the island, the west end being our favorite.

This mink kept us entertained for part of the day.

He went out into the water to drag a big dead fish to shore, which he then labored to drag up over the rocks and up the hill to wherever it was that he wanted it.

I think the fish is probably bigger than he is!

The lake boats go up the main shipping channel, which is quite a few miles from where we are.  It's on the south shore in American waters at this point.  We could see this boat going by Alexandria Bay.  It would be very near Boult Castle, though we can't see it from here.

Constance Island Aug. 14/12

I can never figure out how a tree this size can grow out of a pile of rocks like this!                 Since it was supposed to rain and t-storm all day today, we decided to stay put.  Guess what, it didn't!  But we had a restful day.

Paul checking things out in the motor compartment.

We walked around the island again today, and swam a few times.          I persevere through trails like this........

.......to get to trails like this.

There are a lot of trees like this on the island, but I have yet to see or hear a woodpecker.

Guess there was a fire on Hill Island this evening - 3 firetrucks went over the bridge.

This boat reminded me of the "Spook" boat, the big launch they used to have on Spook Island, Rice Lake, where I worked as a teenager.  It never had a canvas top on it though. 

Two kids on the boat in front of us.  They do some stuff like this, but mostly they read!  If you can imagine with boys about 10 years old!