baytripperblog

August 2nd we left Livesick Lock with a houseboat – noproblems they knew how to drive it!?. We had hoped to stop at the Bobcageon lock Wall to see the renowned Bigley shoe store but oh my it was crowded. This is a holiday week for the locals so mostly smaller boats. Not a spot for us. We crossed sturgeon lake, long and narrow. We saw looper boats Vitamin Sea, United 771, and Mo Whiskey on some of the walls. After 5 locks and 47 miles, Bruce and I picked an Anchorage on Balsam Lake. I was scrubbing electric cables all day while we cruised, so now Bruce joined in with our soft scrub, and green scotch brite pads. Sticky hard to remove gunk had covered them completely. Where does that stuff come from? We are at 84 koi0 feet above sea level, we’ve come through 89 locks since we started and this is our 20th Anchorage. August 3rd Bruce had us up early and anchor pulled up by 0700. We needed to cross through the skinny Trent Canal. Bruce called out a security warning before entering because it’s hard for 2 boats to pass one another. The canal is cut through the Canadian Geographical Shield. (ROCK). Very unforgiving to the sides of your boat. At the Kirkfield Lock #36, we were again raised in a lift lock (bathtub) 59 feet. This was a very fast ride and exhilarating. A few boaters in the locks said the weather was good and we should cross the big Lake Simco today. I quick got on the phone and got a reservation at Orillia Marina. Six locks today, Lake Simco and Lake Couchiching. Another long day, 36 miles. Some smaller boat was in our dlip and Bruce had to ask them to clear our slip. It looks like party alley here for the locals. We met up with fellow loopers for dinner. Whiskey Business (Jerry,Deb), Steal Away (Jim,Bev), Carolina Dream(Archie,Charlene). Other boats here are Saltaire, Idyll Time lll, At Last, Here’s to Us, and California Lady. We mellowed out most of Sunday. Washed some of the boat. Monday we ate breakfast downtown and provisioned at the Metro grocery store. We were able to use their cart to bring the groceries back to the boat.