Barefoot'n on the Loop: September 2013 Update!

Loopin' on Barefoot'n Continues!

Sorry to all our family and friends for not having updated our blog in a while. The First Mate has been lazy and having way too much fun. We have laid some tracks (or waves) since we have last updated on our adventures. OK, here we go!......

Carillon Lock (Guillotine Lock...you'll see why)

Squeezed in nice and cozy

Now on to Ottawa!

To get to the city, you first have to go through a series of 8 locks that they call the Flight of Eight. Doesn't seem so bad, right? But it was 100 degrees when we went through.

We did it! whew!

Then on to the city.

Isn't this beautiful? This was a special stop. We tied up to the city wall downtown in Ottawa and from there we could walk to all the attractions.

The Parliament building was gorgeous. The architecture was breathtaking. And it was FREE! You just get a ticket that gives you your tour time and away you go. At night, there is a light show on the lawn of the Parliament. Took Heidi to that!

Senate Room in the Parliament

Also, we were able to see the Changing of the Guards on the front lawn. I felt so sorry for these folks as it was really HOT! But they seem to handle it well.

Tomb of Unknown Soldier-Changing of
the Guards

Tomb of Unknown Soldier

After Ottawa, we were on our way through Canada's beautiful countryside via the canal systems.

Had a few mins while
waiting to lock thru

Heidi taking a break from locking
Here fishy-fishy....

Goin up!

Anchored in tranquility

R&R

We anchored several times in Canada. You can literally pick a quiet, pretty spot and be the only one around. Totally quiet.

OK, this is what I woke up to the next morning. A big ball of fishing line and weeds. It took a knife to get this off.

Some places were extremely narrow, with rocks and trees. Had to really keep a sharp eye out for other boaters and oh yea, the rocks.

The Kwartha has the right of way!

Then on to Kingston.

The marina in Kingston

Cool house!

OK, so now the locking gets really interesting...

Welcome to the Trent Severn!

It seemed like the locks would go on forever, in fact we went through over a 130 locks! But there were a few that were really outstanding and a bit exciting. We had seen pictures of these locks, but until you are entering one of them, you just can't appreciate them!

Pretty intimidating

Peterborough Lift Lock

View from the top of the lift lock

Peterborough Lift Lock was really neat. Some call it the bath tub lock, because you motor your boat into a chamber filled with water, just like a tub. Then they fill the other chamber with enough water to raise your chamber and lower the other. Most of the locks in Canada were built in the late 1800's or early 1900's and they operate pretty much the same as they did then. They are well run, very clean and efficient.

Lift lock was built at the turn of the century and operates the same as it did then. This is inside the lock looking at a couple of old doors.

Captain Randy & Heidi atop the lift lock. Notice the teenie boats below!

And then there was the Big Chute Lock. This was super interesting, as they basically use a railroad car with straps to lift your boat out of the water and then carry it across a road and down a large hill to the water on the other side. Oh, and did I mention that you have to stay on your boat the entire time??

And some bridges were pretty cool too. Here is a picture of the Hole in the Wall Bridge. It wasn't just the height of the bridge, but the width too! But we made it through just fine.