Fri, Aug 11 Gananoque to Dark Island - Singer Island

Fri, Aug 11 Gananoque to Dark Island - Singer Island 
We completed our morning chores - shower, garbage, water, and bikes - left Gananoque and headed NE to Dark Island to visit Singer Island.  We pulled to the long pier and were assisted by US dock hands.  Singer Island was the home of the Frederick Bourne family, president of the Singer Sewing Machine Co.  He lived in the castle and many of the furnishings were original.  The cool thing about this castle was its hidden passageways.  These were for the servants to move between rooms and do their duties without being seen in the main living quarters.  They were also for the family to more around secretly.  The castle is privately owned and is continually being renovated and preserved.  Our next task was to find an anchorage for the night.  With the wind out of the SW, we tucked between 2 islands for the best protection.  This was a very friendly place as the locals motored or rowed out to say hello and share info about the area.  Very nice.  The night showed a lightning storm and rain but we held fast and were safe.

My favorite room in Singer Castle.. the 650 bottle terra cotta wine cellar

One of the many secret passages thru the castle. The
Bourne's didn't like servants roaming thru the
castle so by using the passage ways the servants did not
interrupt the guests or family

Our tour guide of the castle, Arthur, a local college student majoring in
political science and art,

Singer Castle from the water as we approach the dock

From the upstairs dining room looking down at a lovely boat

Just like the staircase at home... really?

Another secret passage

The passages were a little narrow

This was a portrait that opened up in the dining room
so guests could be observed to tell if they needed more
wine, more food, or dishes cleared.

Greek's Folly and Short Vacation at the dock








 

Thurs, Aug 10 Anchorage to Gananoque Marina

Thurs, Aug 10  Anchorage to Gananoque Marina 
 Leaving the anchorage, we took the back way around to see more of the islands.  The short ride took us into the dock at the marina.  We settled in, bikes down and we are off.  In town, Tom finds a barber and both he and John get a haircut while Pam and Colletta shop around town.  After a stop for ice cream, we also stop at the farmers market for sweet corn.  Our new adventure for tonight is to see a local theater production of Leading Ladies. This comedy show was well performed in a nice local theater and we laughed and enjoyed the evening.  
( I guess we forgot the camera today as I have no photos to show you)

Mon, Tues, Wed Aug 7,8,9 Kingston to 1000 Islands (Beau Rivage, Mulcaster Is )

Mon, Tues, Wed  Aug 7,8,9  Kingston to 1000 Islands  (Beau Rivage, Mulcaster Is )   Today is a civic holiday in Canada - which makes for a long weekend for the locals.  It is cool, in the 60s, overcast, and still alot of boaters on  the water.  It seems that Canadians boat and enjoy summer activities regardless of the air temperature, weather conditions, and water conditions.  We are heading to the 1000 Islands National Park.  This is an area with many islands, actually over 1800 islands,  some with private homes, some with Canadian national parks, and many with boating accommodations.  This means that there are free docks on the islands, mooring balls available, camping facilities and many boaters.  At these docks, it is first come first serve, so most docks are full, with boats shoulder rafted at the piers, by the time we arrive.  We saw one pier with 5 boats rafted together.  We found a comfortable anchorage and by the end of the evening 23 other boats also found this anchorage.  There is plenty of room for everyone.  We dropped the dingy and went for an afternoon ride exploring in-between the islands, looking at the private homes and cottages.  Some islands are just a large rock big enough for one house and a pier, and people are enjoying it all.  

On Tuesday we decided to explore more of the 1000 islands and pick a new one to anchor near.  We cruised around slowly and checked out many islands and saw many boaters anchored near islands, enjoying and relaxing in the area.  The homes are beautiful and interesting on these islands, some large mansions and some comfortable homes and some tiny little cottages on tiny little islands.  We decided to anchor near Mulcaster Island and explore in the dinghy.  We traveled between islands and saw other cruisers enjoying the water and summer-like weather.  On Wednesday we decided we were comfortable so we just stayed in the same location but ventured farther away on the dinghies.  We found 3 marinas near Ivy Lea and enjoyed the day.  It is relaxing being on the hook - just doing as much or as little as we would like.  

There are cottages of all sizes on all sizes of islands

Our anchorage at Beau Rivage Island

This house had 6 boats at its docks of various sizes

Scenery from our anchorage

Another day, another clump of weeds on the anchor. Colletta is refining
her technique on removing these and we have cut our
harvesting time down before we can get under way.
The water is very clear up here so it is there is also allot
of vegetation on the bottom wee have to deal with. You have
to make sure when you anchor you are really set in the bottom
and not just hooked on the weeds. We power the boat back to make
sure the anchor is really set. It is better to make sure the anchor
is really set now as opposed to having it drag during a storm in the
middle of the night.

Another island cottage

Two chairs..kind of our logo

When your customer lives on an island and buys a new tractor
the local John Deere dealer has to have a delivery vehicle
besides a truck

The scenery is absolutely beautiful and peaceful. We listen to
loons calling at night

One of the many tourist ferry boats that ply the waters around
the 1000 Island area

Sat, Sun Aug 5-6 Anchorage to Kingston ON

Sat, Sun  Aug 5-6  Anchorage to Kingston ON  

Our plan was to pull up anchor early and travel to make the 0900 opening at Lock 43.  The bottom surface of this anchorage was mud and weeds, and we pulled it all up.  It took over 45 minutes to pull the anchor up, using the boat hook to pull seaweed off the chain and anchor, disentangle a 4 ft. log which had the chain wrapped around it, and to dislodge a second log in the claws of the anchor.  We took turns driving, pulling off weeds and together dislodged the logs.  We were very relieved when we were finished - free at last.  The journey today involved the last 7 locks on the Rideau Canal, many boats traveling on this long holiday weekend and attentively steering thru narrow, well marked, shallow channels.  On the chart plotter, the area was all green to signify grasslands; no blue for water.  On the chart plotter it looked as if we were cutting someone's lawn.  The 30 mph wind blew all day which was an added challenge entering and leaving the locks as well as in the open water on the small lakes.  After the last lock, we raced - as fast as a trawler can race - to catch a lift bridge.  The bridge tender was very considerate of the wind and water conditions and opened the bridge quickly for us.  We entered the marina basin in Kingston, headed to our assigned slip and with the strong winds we had 5 dock-hands on the pier ready to "catch us."  We were very happy to be secured to a pier.  It was cold on the aft deck, so we headed into downtown Kingston, which was right off the marina pier.  We walked up Princess Street just as the shops were closing for the day.  We ate dinner at a Pub, then back to the boat.  We were exhausted.  Tom was in bed by 2030 and lights were out before 2200.  

The next morning, we got the bikes off and rode to church.  Kingston was hosting a triathlon, beginning and ending at the waterfront so roads were closed and a lot of people were mulling around.  We did our sightseeing by bike- the Penitentiary museum, the Bellevue House and a car ferry ride (on bikes) to Wolfe Island.  The rain fell on and off all day forcing us to seek coverage and move between the raindrops.  The winds finally calmed and the evening on the back deck was comfortable.  Pam and John brought over a birthday cake (3-2-1 cake) and ended Colletta's birthday with singing and chocolate - Perfect!!

The ball of weeds and a log underneath. What a
way to start your morning

The slow process of removing the "salad" as we
called it.

This is what the  chart plotter looked like when crossing By Lake.
It looked like  we were cutting across someone's lawn. Very narrow channel
with stubs and dead heads outside the channel

The Kingston Mills Locks. The final locks on the Rideau canal,
A very windy day. Luckily we were going down in these locks
which makes for an easier ride in the ;lock.

By the harbor in Kingston. Colletta is the "I" because it is her
birthday

Riding the free ferry to Wolfe Island between rain drops.

Downtown Kingston and the marina

Riding back on the ferry

In search of the famous Canadian butter tart. There are many
variations and we are trying them all

 

Thurs, Fri Aug 3-4 Chaffey Lock 37 to Morton Bay Anchorage

Thurs, Fri  Aug 3-4  Chaffey Lock 37 to Morton Bay Anchorage  

We got moving slowly today because we were comfortable mooring to the wall and watching the boats come and go.  That turned out to be a mistake.  As we were readying to leave the wall, the lock hands said that the traffic at Jones Fall, (4 locks in a row) was heavy and there was a 3 hour wait.  We decided to leave and drive slowly in an attempt to not get there too soon, but also to get in line for the lock down.  We drove slowly, 4-5 mph, arrived 1 1/2 hours later and still found a line of boats on the blue line and a 1 1/2 hour wait.  We shoulder moored off Short Vacation and waited patiently.  Eventually, the lock master double downed, meaning he had 2 groups lock down, one right after another.  We were in the second group and only had one other boat with us in the lock.  The locks were filled within inches of the top in order to lock us down safely and 75 minutes later we were eventually on our way.  We headed to Morton Bay to anchor for the night, only 45 minutes travel time.  As soon as we were anchored, Tom had our dingy down and we were swimming off the swim platform - the water was 78 degrees, the sun was shining and we felt like it was summer time!!!  John and Pam rode their dingy over, we went for a short cruise and then back in the water; A refreshing end of the day.  

The next day was a leisurely one.  About noon we took a 5 mile dinghy ride to the small town of Seeley Bay.  Not much there, but a hardware store, grocery, pub and of course an ice cream store.  The black raspberry thunder and the bear claw ice cream was another great discovery.  The dingy did not cooperate on the way back so we idled all the way home to the boat.  The remainder of the day involved reading, swimming, a few raindrops and a cat nap; the perfect way to enjoy an anchorage.

Even busy lock tenders have to take a break between cranking
open and closing locks.

When we arrive at Jones Falls Lock. A number of boats await
us. There is enough room for one of us so Short Vacation pulls
up the the Blue Line lock waiting wall and ties up first.

We then come along side and shoulder up to them (we call it rafting
in the States) and wait. It will be about 1 hour wait and then the
lock tenders decide who fits with who for going into the lock.

We were to big to go in with Short Vacation so they locked in
ahead of us with bunches of smaller boats. We ended up going in
about 20 minutes after they exited this lock because this lock leads into
a turning basin then a flight of 3 more locks. They use the water from
our lock to fill the lock below us. You can actually see the water
level go down and then come back up.

Going down the flight of 3 locks, Short Vacation is
down below the locks waiting for us.

Entering Morton's Bay thru a narrow rock filled opening that

thankfully is well marked

Really narrow entrance

 

The bay opened up and we proceeded further up to Flood's Island

 It was a secluded cove with a couple of houses and cottages
on it

I was swimming off the back of the boat when I noticed this head

coming my way so I swam over and introduced myself. His name

was Ron and he had built his house on the cove. Nice guy with good

conversation. Thanked him for letting use his cove and he said no

problem. I think I noticed a twinkle in his eye as he swam away

he turned back and said we never even mentioned Donald by name. Referring to our

President. I think he knew about something else we would find out about

soon enough.

 

I think this was Ron's Surprise. The bottoms here

are mud with a heavy covering of plants. This what

comes up when you pull your anchor up in the morning.

Mud covered by a heavy plant covering. How to

get this off?

You have a good farm girl on board as crew who

knows how to pitch hay, of course. Really you have

to work on the clump of weeds with a boat hook and

slowly pull it off. Took us 45 minutes before the anchor

was clear.

We weren't the only one with this plant issue.

John on Short Vacation also had plenty of salad

to deal with

 

 

 

Wed, Aug 2 - Westport to Chaffey Lock 37

Wed, Aug 2 - Westport to Chaffey Lock 37  
 After a quick trip to the Bakery for butter tarts and after we savored but devoured them. We left Westport and go thru the Newboro lock.  This is the top of the canal system, 407 ft.  We now switch the red and green markers and are being lowered in the locks.  We come out on Newboro Lake and find we are "On Golden Pond."  The loons greet us with calls between mates, numerous coves, island and anchorages can be seen each direction we look, and the locals and cruisers are all enjoying the water.  It is very scenic.  The entrances of the locks are very narrow and twisty which reminds us of the Dismal Swamp, but the water is now clean and very clear.  We can see fish swimming and the rocks on the bottom in the canals.  We are close to a waterfall again and the lock hands once again move planks to control the speed of the water.  We moor to the wall at the bottom of Chaffey lock and go to the famous Opinicon Resort

 

restaurant.  It was been renovated, remodeled, expanded and is booked for dinner every night so reservations are a must.  We did not plan in advance, so we decide to eat a late lunch in their pub which was casual but very good food. We enjoyed watching boats come and go thru the lock - the max was 9 at a time. 

On the Chaffey Lock Wall. We had power so it gave the generator
a rest and was quieter

 

The dam spillway next to the lock. Still quite a bit of water
going thru. I took a swim up from here off a dock and it was
really nice because as far as you could dive off the dock
the current would bring you right back. You just had to make
sure you didn't miss the dock or down the spillway you would
go.

Beautiful scenery along the way

Two great boats along with Sea Wench in front of us

Words cant describe how beautiful this part of the trip is.

Loon