Day 335: Monday, August 5, 2013

Port to Port: Verulam Park Anchorage to Kirkfield Lock (No. 36)

Underway: 7:17 am      Motor Off: 3:00 pm      Miles Traveled: 25      Stayed At: Lock Wall

Mile 144 to Mile 169: After a quiet and restful night, we left early enough to get to the Fenelon Falls Lock well before it opened so I could get gas and ice before locking through. We didn’t make it early enough so we decided to stop at the upper wall after locking through. Surprisingly, there was plenty of room for both of us. We took a  couple-hour break to get gas, use the internet, make a few phone calls and find groceries before continuing on.

The waterway was a lot quieter today than the last couple of days. Most of the boats we saw were going back home. We steadily made it through several narrow canals and wide scenic bays before reaching our destination for the night – the Kirkfield Lock. This is another lift lock but this time we went down instead of up. We were at the highest point of the Trent Severn – 840 feet above sea level – as we passed through Balsam Lake. We will finally be going downhill into Lake Ontario for the next 100+ miles – we go down 264 feet. It’s about time.

After taking apart, cleaning and reassembling the grill (it was loose and needed adjusting), we cooked spaghetti  for dinner and ate at a real table for a change. As I am writing this, the puffy clouds that were around all day have mostly cleared out, the sun is shining brightly and all it right with our world.