In the morning, we were good to go into the Swift Rapids Lock. The locktenders here, as at Lovesick, arrive via boat for their shift. This is our largest drop by a conventional lock on the Trent-Severn, at 47 feet and 1½ million gallons of water. After the drop, the lockmaster looks pretty small up there!
The family of campers had packed up, ridden down with us, and exited the lock as we waited our turn.
We were about to do something truly amazing; to pilot our boat over a road on a land rail! The Big Chute lift appears over the rise as we approach, while traffic on the road has been halted. Able to carry 110 tons and vessels up to 100’ in length, the marine rail has a complex system of straps that can carry multiple boats per trip.
Because of our size, we would get a solo ride. The Parks Canada staff directs us via loudspeaker.
Jerry steers Monarch right in the middle.
Parks staff gets the slings just right to support the boat fore and aft.
The rail car, Monarch included, rises up and out of the water. This is our only “lock” where there is no water to float the boat!
We can look down on the cars and trucks.
And then down we go, much steeper than our ascent.
Monarch’s stern sticks out significantly over the end of the rail car, but she rides just fine.
The Parks Canada staff really knows what they are doing, and bid us farewell.
As we settle in the water on the other side of the rise, we note the steepness of the grade on the downhill side. The rail car is kept level by the simple yet ingenious use of two different rail tracks for the fore and aft wheels.
Back underway, the shore is beautiful but very close!
We see more interesting boathouses.
This is our last lock, at Port Severn, the end or our Trent-Severn passage. Dating from 1850, the small town is the oldest community on the Severn River and was once dominated by the lumber industry. Today, it is the gateway to tourism in the Muskoka region, and features a few restaurants and two general stores.
Here and at many other locks, the spillways are adjusted by an antique-looking contraption that lowers 12” x 12” x 16’ timbers into slots to control the water flow to the lower side.
To celebrate our completion of the Trent-Severn Waterway, we had a nice dinner out that night. The next morning, Jerry spiffs up Monarch for the last lock.
We share the lock with a local boat, whose owner advises us about…..
…you guessed it, the upcoming tight channels and shallow water! Big surprise. This channel marks the way into the Georgian Bay.
Near this (outhouse? bus stop?) cute building, Monarch found a rock with her prop in Potato Island Channel, part of the small boat channel reported to have 5-6 feet of depth – which should be plenty for us – but not true. Just a little ding.
Once we found deeper water, we see lots of boats.
We also see many more cottages than we are used to around Stag Island. Some are modest…
…..and some aren’t. They all seem to have electricity, though they are on islands that appear to be far from civilization. They also have jet skis, fishing boats, ski boats, trawlers, motorboats, etc, and lots of them!
A nice spot to anchor for the night is just off Bone Island. We found a small cove with privacy. A lake bath was in order, with the air temperature at 88 degrees and the water at 75!
Refreshed, the captain relaxes. Tomorrow we begin to work our way toward Tobermory.
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