July 27 - July 31 Orillia -The Big Chute - Midland - WE ARE DONE WITH LOCKS IN CANADA!

We spent Sunday and Monday in Orillia.  It was hot!  Captain Don did some boat maintenance; we washed the boat and did laundry.  Sunday night we walked over to an outdoor park to hear the Orillia Big Band - they were awesome!  Monday, we went to the beach and swam!

Tuesday our destination was the Big Chute, but we continued to Midland in the Southern Georgian Bay (part of Lake Huron) completing our adventure on the Trent Severn Waterway.

And what an adventure that day was!

We went from 4-foot depths to 200-foot depths and picked up an errant anchor line off the bottom. SO, it is spinning, wrapped around the propellor, we think?

The thrill of the day was the Big Chute Lock 44. It is the only marine railroad of its kind in North America. They rolled the railroad car into the water, and then we drove the boat over the car into slings.  As we entered the lift, the lock master let me know he didn't like our kind of boat!  Reason being, no keel and too many propellors.  Didn't make me feel very positive about what might happen.

Gladly, the lock master knew exactly what he was doing, and we made it up and over without any problems.  I promised him if we ever did this again, we would have a different boat!  He thanked me!!

A 40-mile day took 11 hours due to locks, drawbridges and 6-mile per hour no wake zones!  But scenery and the adventure of locks and railroad swing bridges made it all worth it. We ended the day going to the Dockside Bar drinking beer and listening to some good blues!  Don had Poutine!

On Monday, we walked the town and had great pizza with fellow loopers, Ralph & Collette!  Today (July 31) we are motoring to the North Channel of the Georgian Bay!

More stories to come.....

Canadian flag lit every night at Orillia Marina

Orillia Big Band

Who knew Gordon Lightfoot was born in Orillia

Orillia Opera House (used to be City Hall)

The line up for the Railroad Swing Bridge to open

Luckily the bridge was open
Yikes!


Cady Girl hanging out....

On the rail

Our fellow looper photographer - Ted!
Ralph & Collette
Downtown Midland




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