Sights of the Trent Severn Waterway

Winding through cottage country, lakes, rivers, man-made freaky narrow canals and unique villages, the Trent Severn Waterway is not only a National Historic Landmark, but above & beyond the 100+ year old engineering feat, it’s just a really fun place to cruise.

We’re finding that different segments of The Great Loop turn us into totally different cruising styles – the Trent Severn must be similar to living on a canal boat and cruising the European canals (which I’ve always wanted to do, so this is a sample).

We saw varying styles of transportation along the waterway …

And varying styles of “cottages” …

Along the way, we often tied up overnight at “gray walls” along the Locks.  Locks have two distinct types of walls – blue walls, which is where you tie up when you’re waiting to go through the Lock. If you want to spend the night, you tie up to the gray wall. We bought a “mooring pass” in advance, otherwise you just pay as you go. If you tie up below the lock, most lock staff will walk down and catch your lines.  So what’s it like staying at a lock?  Very pleasant – most are parklike settings, all have rest rooms (or wash rooms as they call them in Canada), some even have showers or electricity!

If you’re on the blue wall, the Lockmaster knows you want to go through.  The Locks have no real form of communication with boaters – no VHFs. Most of the communication is done from Lockmaster to Lockmaster – each Lockmaster will ask us as we go through – how far are you going today?  Then they’ll call the next Lockmaster and let him know he has however many boats heading his/her way.

The waterway winds its way through rivers, villages, cottages, rocks and more.  Finding our way along….

By the time you get to Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls, tourist season is in full swing, including the rental houseboats which have a reputation among Lockmasters. Collectively known as “Wall Bangers”, the houseboats typically are operated by a family or group of friends with no prior boating experience.  Add to that the fact that pontoon boats are notoriously difficult to control even if you DO have boating experience.  We watched the Lock Staff at Lovesick Lock (yes, that’s it’s real name), pull a houseboat that ran INTO the closed lock gate, get pulled back to the blue line.  After that excitement, the lock gate opened, and the houseboat promptly ran into the OPEN gate.  Wall bangers…

More sights along the waterway….

That’s all from this week’s edition of “Sights Along the Waterway”.  Stay tuned, next week’s post hopefully will feature the Kirkfield Lift Lock – different than the Peterborough Lift Lock but same concept – and also the famous (infamous?) roller coaster for boats, The Big Chute!

Please leave a comment and share other tidbits about the Trent Severn Waterway!  Cheers!  Jan