Cruising the Trent Severn Waterway in Ontario, Canada

How a lock works

July 7  Sunday

     We started the Trent Severn Waterway this morning!  This waterway was completed in 1920, after ninety years of building it, to connect the lakes and rivers and to generate hydroelectric power.  We start at 243 feet above sea level and lock up to 840 feet at Balsam Lake.  Then we will begin a series of locks to decline to 576 feet above sea level at Port Severn.  Then we will enter the beautiful Georgian Bay and North Channel.  That is the plan!  There are 44 locks!  Each lock is beautifully landscaped with blooming tress and flowers.  I think they compete with each other, to generate many compliments!  These locks are at least 75 years old, and for the most part are still manually operated.  The locks still have wooden doors and the lock masters hand operates the valves that allow the water to fill the lock chamber or to drain it.  Then they push a crank handle, walking around in a circle to open or close the gates.  It is amazing to watch and be a part of it.

     Locking through a lock takes time and patience.  Today we went through 7 locks, many were just a few miles apart.  We started at 8:30 and did not arrive to our anchoring spot until 3:30!  This was a total of only about 22 miles!  When the boat enters the lock at a very slow speed, I am at the bow and will grab the steel line (coated with rubber) and wrap a line around it.  Karl then cuts the engines and runs down and catches the cable on the stern and wraps a line around it.  Then we wait for other boats to go through the same process.  Usually the locks can only hold 2 to 4 boats at a time.  Sometimes we were the only boat to go through!  It gets kind of quiet, dark and cool, because we are about 25 feet down, surrounded by concrete walls.  The sounds of the water trickling down the walls are soothing.  Karl and I communicate with our headsets (aka "marriage savers!")   We float up and all of the sudden we pop up to the surface!  I kind of think it is like a gopher popping out of his hole! There is sunshine all around us!  Then we talk to the young people who are operating the locks.  They are very knowledgeable and friendly.  They call ahead to the next lock to let them know we are coming.

Lock Master pushing the crank to open the lock. 

     We watched the USA Women Soccer team win the World Cup on TV.  We spent the night anchored out at Blue Hole, where Karl tried his hand at fishing in these Canadian waters!  No luck, but we enjoyed a peaceful, quiet evening.  The stars were bright and beautiful.

Pretty homes along the waterway