Another Short Day, But Better

Days on cruise:  100 !!!

Distance traveled today:  5.7 miles

Travel time:  57 minutes

Locks today:  1

Total Trip Odometer:  2,241 statute miles

After what felt like a tough day yesterday dealing with the fuel filter problem on the gen set, and the equally unpleasant task of cleaning up the spilled fuel in the bilge, we took it easy today.

We got up late, lazed around, and finally left at 11 am. We arrived at the next lock almost an hour later and called it a day. This is Canada Day weekend, the equivalent of 4th of July in the U.S., and every place further on was reported to be full by noon, so it didn’t make sense to go further.

We’re traveling through what’s called “cottage country”, an area where many Ontarians have their summer homes, always referred to as cottages regardless of how big or small. In this case, the seaplane parked out front makes use of the term “cottage” seem amusing.

While some are quite modest, others are a bit fancier, though none begin to approach the ostentatiousness of south Florida.  A very pleasant place, with waterways lined with limestone or marsh or vast lawn, and lots of tiny islands, some inhabited by a single cottage, others uninhabited.

We’re told we’ll regret going slowly through the first 100 miles of the Trent Severn, as the next 140 miles will be much prettier.  Hard to imagine.

Once tied up at the lock wall, we went exploring Youngs Point.  There isn’t much here, although the Lockside Trading Company is famous as an ice cream shop, and full of  “charming” cottage-life tchotchkes.

A nearby marina had lots of interesting yard art. Below, a sort of “Tin Man” made of terra cotta flower pots.

 

The sign described the above mosquito as the Canadian Air Force:  ya’ gotta give ‘em credit for a sense of humor!

All the “cottagers” were out in force, stopping here at Youngs Point for ice cream and keeping the lock staff busy. There are many rental houseboats in this area, and it’s quite interesting to watch non-boaters learn the ropes of boat handling.  It hasn’t been that long since we got started that we’ve forgotten those days.

Late in the day Ron (the guy from Montreal with whom we spent yesterday morning locking through) appeared, tied up a few spots away, and joined us for a couple hours and a beer on the sundeck. He’s solo boating at the moment, on a MacGregor motor-sailor, and planning to buy a different boat in the next year or two to begin his Great Loop. French is his first language, though he’s fluent in English as well.  Nice guy, and we won’t be surprised to see him again as he’s headed for the same territory to spend the summer.