Bobcaygeon to Orillia

Friday Aug. 29

Today was a long day, we started just outside the Bobcaygeon lock at approx. 0715 this morning with a fairly heavy fog ahead of us. We made it through the fog and carried on our way trying to make it to Orillia. We went through the Fenelon Falls Lock, then the Rosedale Lock and then the fun starts we enter into Balsam Lake. There is a narrow channel (pics to follow) entering into Balsam Lake and the water levels are not deep. When we look over the side we are looking at the bottom 6ft and less. Bruce said he hit the bottom a few times but we were more fortunate as I didn't feel the bottom once. Once through Balsam Lake we then entered the Trent Canal and you don't know narrow until you go in here. This Canal takes you to the Kirkfield Lift Lock which is one amazing piece of equipment. Once we were through the lock we continued down the narrow channel where we encountered a couple of boats going the other way. I went over as far as I could without hitting the rocks just below the water but the other boat was not as fortunate. As he was passing us Mimi could hear him scrapping along the rocks.

We then went through another five locks before we got into Lake Simcoe and finally got into Port Orillia Marina at 7pm where we are touching bottom in the shallow water. To finish off a long but good day we went out to dinner with Bruce and Marg as today is our last day with them because they going to start heading back home tomorrow. So a word of thanks goes out to Bruce and Marg for the great company and conversations.