August 11, Day 59 - Kirkfield Lock to Portage Lock

Gerry was the early riser this morning. Caught up on a few emails and iced down the leg. Linda finally got up and made breakfast and we got ready to head out. We decided we’d wait for someone to come through the Kirkfield Lift Lock and then travel behind them. That way there would be more than one boat in the lock. We actually knew someone was on the other side of the lock because they came to the boat last night to ask for the washroom combination. It was a couple from Bobcaygeon (we had seen them when we locked through that lock). They and some friends were on their way to spend a day on Simcoe Lake and then they were going to Orillia on Wednesday.

We followed them through 3 locks and decided to stop at Portage for the day, even though it was only noon. It is a lovely, quiet, rural setting – basically farmland and very different from what we have been traveling through the past few days. You can walk along a trail from one lock to another. However, Gerry decided it would be better to ride the bikes along the trail, so he took them off the boat (using the mast and boom – much easier than manhandling them). Linda had walked up to the next lock (Thorah) to see what it looked liked (as far as mooring for the night) but they are pretty much identical so we decided we were fine where we were.

We took a little bike ride along the trail, down the highway and then back on the trail that connects the locks of Talbot, Portage, Thorah and Gamebridge. After the bike ride Linda spent the afternoon relaxing and reading the guidebooks for the Georgian Bay/Northern Channel. Gerry did a little chart work for the same area.

We grilled steaks for dinner and ate at the picnic table on the lawn. Then we took an evening ride on the bikes. We passed the other 3 locks. There was one boat on the wall at each lock and we were the only boat at our lock. According to the lockmasters, the traffic in the canal is way down this year. Don’t know if it’s the bad weather or the economy or a combination of both. With all of our locking (and we are currently at 107) we’ve only had to wait a few times before we locked through and many times we have been the only boat.

After Gerry worked at his Georgian Bay routes and Linda worked on the blog, it was off to bed. It had been a delightful day.

Morning departure from Kirkfield

We had to take a narrow, shallow channel through Canal Lake

This was the depth sounder ..... the skipper gets very nervous with readings like this (even though he was pretty sure it was just grass)

Approaching Hole in the Wall Bridge

... and going through the hole. If you look closely at the top, you'll see it was constructed in 1905

A golf course along the canal. Haven't seen many of these on this trip.

Cute landscaping at the canal's edge

A clever way of saying .... "This is a no wake zone"

Couldn't help but notice the big for sale sign at this house. Probably goes for a BIG price too

Bolsover Lock

The grounds at Talbot Lock

Talbot Lock sign

We saw a dock and a satellite dish .... but where's the house.

In case you can't tell, we're now in farm country

and this is where those farm animals probably live

Driftwood planter at Portage Lock

A pretty cool boat that went by us at Portage Lock

Gerry and the bikes

Gerry and the food (notice a bigger smile for the food)

Monk's Vineyard on the wall at dusk (Portage Lock)