The Lift Lock...

Here's a map of the Trent-Severn...


Today, we left Rosedale, heading for Lake Simco. We didn't have an exact destination, just hoped to make it near the lake for a run across in the morning. Lake Simco is large and can get stirred up when the weather comes up.

Our route took us across the prettiest views, yet, on this trip.

Sunrise at Rosedale...
One again, we cruised across beautiful lakes, around islands, and through some narrow cuts. The cruising guide describes the Trent Canal (the cut) as "the part all cruisers dread." It is narrow, shallow, and there are rocks just under the water on either side...
We did have to pass traffic several times in this narrow cut... it was more fascinating than "dread." In fact, this whole waterway has been beautiful. The cut runs for miles, then there is an opening that looks like a lake, but is also shallow and full of snags and underwater hazards.

And then the most amazing part of the Trent Canal: the lift lock...
Above is the view from the bottom. We entered it from the top. You go into what looks like a double lock, and at the front of the lock you are looking out at the ground below you... 5 STORIES below you!
This lock is like a giant see-saw; add more water to the upper lock, it gets heavier and lowers; and the bottom lock raises. There is no real movement of the water within the lock, just the sensation of being on a ferris wheel. It is beautiful and functional... VERY impressive.

Out of the lift lock, we entered the area with 5 Historic Locks. These are run by hand - the lockmaster turns a crank by walking a wheel in circles...
That closes the lock door, and then water is manually released from the other end. Not as dramatic as the lift lock, but every bit as fascinating.

More lakes, more cut canal, and we came upon this unique oval bridge...

This aerial view from our chartplotter will give you an idea of what the cut portion looks like...

It opens up into Lake Simco... a LARGE lake. We decided against stopped for the night on the walls in the above photo. Instead, we opted for a marina a few miles up the lake. We pulled into the town of Lagoon City. A km in from the lake, and you come to the marina... complete with wifi (that's why I'm able to post this), hot tubs, and cable TV. We haven't had decent TV reception for weeks, and now we have over 100 channels... and would be happy with one or two. And the price is right here: $1 per foot.

I'm happy to report that the hot tubs are wonderful, the showers are clean, and the wifi is strong. Two thumbs up for this stop.