July 1, 2017

Happy Canada Day! It's Canada's 150th Birthday and it was a beautiful sunny day (at least to start the day off at 6:30 AM) then in keeping with the pattern this year we had a downpour in the afternoon, right after Jim set up the deck chairs on the bow!

Susan & Alex join the Bailey's and Celebrate Canada Day 

Our travels took us through two locks (Couchiching and Swift Rapid) and it was quite an experience for us 'newbies'. The first one Alex and I observed, the 2nd one, we were put to work!  

Penny working the Couchiching Lock

Alex has been put to work holding the line
in Swift Rapids Lock

Susan looks up, way up in Swift Rapids

Captain Jim had to work the lines in Couchiching

On our way to swift rapids, as the name implies there were rapids, we had a few tense moments with other boats (you would think that a small boat who sees a 44 footer coming at them would move over, but we think they started celebrating the 150th early and were a bit slow moving over), rocks (a lot of them) and very narrow canals, but our Captain handled it all like a pro. 

Swift Rapids Lock, where we just came from
dropping 65 feet

Where we are going, the picture
doesn't show the extent of the rapids, take
my word for it!

The narrow channels and the foam from
the Rapids

What beautiful scenery today! When we were in Colorado with the Bailey's I remember them telling us "this is God's Country", well I think he spread it around as it is glorious country here as well.   

We saw a lot of wild life today and I haven't read anywhere else that bloggers have shared what they saw, so let me tell you...Loons, Sea Gulls, Turtles, Cormorants, Herons, Canada geese (by the 1000's), Swans, White Moose (okay made of fiberglass on someones front lawn, under the Canadian Flag) and a Grizzly Bear with a fish (the owners had a sign asking you not to feed the bear, alright he was made of wood)!  

Well, Alex and I have had a fabulous day and a half on the Colorado Cat with the Bailey's. There is never a dull moment and always lots of fun and laughs (and the wine flows).  We are trying to convince them that it doesn't rain everyday in Ontario as a rule.  We have had more rain this year than in my lifetime (almost combined!).  Our lakes and rivers are all swollen and in many cases flooding has become a real problem.

One somewhat 'sad' moment in our travel down the waterway was the tragic error by a boat captain who dropped his stabilizer at the wrong place and time and the boat SANK.  As we passed by it we could feel the Colorado Cat shudder as did all of us!

It sunk, the side view

As we passed by....

Tonight we docked in River Emporium (good luck finding it on any map).  Jim decided he should check the engines and boat for seaweed, so off he went, over board in 18C water (cold).  Good news is, things looked pretty good, even Jim.

Jim and Alex go exploring the river

Jim entering the water to check out the seaweed

Jim's in the water, was a view!

Success, he's back!

Tomorrow we should be able to bid goodbye to the Trent Severn with the Bailey's (I think they have enjoyed their adventure through the waterways, but I'm pretty sure once is enough). We are off to Big Chute Lock and then to Port Severn (the exit) of the waterway and two more locks.