July 3, 2017 – Kirkfield Lift Lock to Orillia

We were at the top of the lock (Kirkfield Lift Lock #36) for the first lockage through. Such a cool view!

 

Narrow passageway with a small waterfall.

 

Our beloved “memory stick” (or stupid stick) finally broke. We had taken a piece of drift wood and painted the edges red and green so as to remind ourselves of which side the buoys should be. Red right returning works great on the St. Lawrence, but in the innards of canal systems, the colors change frequently, sometimes 2 to 3 times within a mile! Fortunately Bob had a tongue depressor in his medical kit so we were able to make a new one.

 

Coming up on one of the architectural icons of the waterway – a semicircular arch bridge called the “Hole in the Wall” built in 1905.

 

Looks like we are threading the needle.

Looking back I am once again amazed that we can make it under these bridges. Our “air draft” is 19 feet. This bridge’s clearance is 21 feet.

Random phone booth (for Jan Hinman).

 

We followed “Loan Survivor” for 6 locks (in a 10 mile span). So happy that the on-coming tour boat (Kawartha) passed us in the lock area where we could “pull over.” Again, many of the passages in the canal system are too narrow for two boats to pass.

 

The bow of the tour boat folds up to fit into the lock. For going under bridges the pilot house roof, bimini top and radar arch fold down. What I love about this picture is that the boat’s bow provides a nice back drop for the iconic hand crank for controlling the valving system in the lock (some are over 100 years old) and the flower box of geraniums on top of the lock door.

 

The boat takes up the entire lock without an inch to spare!

 

After an easy crossing of Lake Simcoe (where we finally had some lateral space!) we took a slip in the town of Orillia.

And isn’t it ironic – a day of lovely sunshine and we were assigned a slip under a shed! Where was this when it was raining so hard?!