Gordon Yacht Harbour in Bobcaygeon, ON to Wall below Kirkfield Lock in Kirkfield, ON
Day #387: Mike and I were up at 5:00 A.M. to have coffee, grapefruit and cookies. John and Gina on "Alysana" were planning on trying to get to past the Kirkfield Lift Lock as that would put them in a position to make Port Orillia on Friday where they were staying with friends. Mike and I talked about traveling with John and Gina to help breakup the large group of boats and the two were getting ready to get to Georgian Bay. Mike and I prepared for departure. When the four of us got up in the morning both walls near the lock in Bobcaygeon were full. Slowly a few boats started to leave so at 8:00 A.M. "Alysana" headed toward the lock taking the available spot on the wall and "Parrot Bay" rafted. At 8:30 A.M. when a space opened up a bit closer to the lock "Parrot Bay" tied to the wall and "Alysana" rafted. The four of us were hearing that all but one looper boat that were parked on the wall were going to be leaving. At 9:00 A.M. multiple small boats entered the lock along with "Honey Badger" and "Apre's Sail". No one else was moving so "Alysana" headed into the lock. "Parrot Bay" headed to the blue line to tie up when they heard over the loud speaker "blue and white boat at the blue line you can enter the lock" Mike headed "Parrot Bay" into the lock (Whew!!!!) secure in the lock at 9:20 A.M. At 9:30 A.M. "Parrot Bay" was clear of TSW Lock 32 (Bobcaygeon) (#93 lock for the trip). At 11:45 A.M. there was a line up at the next lock multiple small boats, "Apre's Sail, "Honey Badger", "Alysana" and "Parrot Bay" who rafted to "Alysana" When the lock opened "Parrot Bay" was the only boat that couldn't fit into the lock so Mike pulled up to the blue line to wait until the next lock cycle. At 12:35 P.M. "Parrot Bay" was clear on TSW Lock 34 (Fenelon Falls) (#94 lock for the trip). As Mike and I started to cross the small lake John radioed Mike tell him that "Alysana was going to wait for "Parrot Bay" in Balsam Lake. At 1:15 P.M. both boats cleared TSW Lock 35 (Rosedale) (#95 lock for the trip). At 3:00 P.M. "Alysana", "Parrot Bay" and "Honey Badger" all entered the Trent canal. The Trent canal is very narrow and shallow so boats can only transit in one direction at a time. The captain's do an announcement over the radio to let other boats know that they are transiting the canal. As the three boats got to Mitchell Lake a boat coming from the other direction asked if they could transit the canal. Mike thinking that Mitchell Lake should have been large enough for the three boats to hold station until the other boat came through allowed the boat to transit the canal first. Turns out that Mitchell Lake is extremely shallow, basically a bog. The wind was blowing so holding station in the bog was very difficult. All of a sudden John radioed to Mike announcing "Mike I'm stuck". Mike stated okay we will pulled you out. Gina and I were on the bows of the boat and a towing line was exchanged. "Parrot Bay" was able to pull "Alysana" off the bottom without also grounding "Parrot Bay" (Halleluiah!!). The three boats head off to the second lift lock of the Trent-Severn Waterway the Kirkfield Lock (same as the Peterborough Lift Lock). "Honey Badger", "Alysana" and "Parrot Bay" were lowered (the boats from this point on in the Trent-Severn started being lowered) (#96 lock for the trip). "Tiki Queen" was already on the wall below the lock so the other boats joined soon after "Cat-n-Dogs" joined the party. "Parrot Bay" traveled 32.4 miles today (4,822.4 miles total for the trip). Mike and I headed over to "Alysana" to celebrate the very busy day. Gina called the next lock to get advice as there are two bridges that needed to open on Friday between us and the next lock. She was told that the boats should not leave the wall until after 8:30 A.M. At 7:00 P.M. Leland/Karen ("Tiki Queen"), Kurt/Deborah ("Honey Badger"), John/Gina ("Alysana") and Mike/myself ("Parrot Bay") sat at one of the picnic tables near the wall where the boats were tied to have a late docktails. At 9:00 P.M. it was time to head in for the night. The wall did not have power so it was just like anchoring for Mike and I except "Parrot Bay" was tied to the wall. The plan for Friday was to get to Port Orillia for the weekend.
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Pre-sunrise at Bobcaygeon. 
Beautiful sunrise.
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| Loon with a very large fish. |
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The same loon after having breakfast.
After the first move on the wall "Alysana" rafted to "Parrot Bay" very busy waiting for the lock to open. 
WOW!!!!!  Cute place to stop to get ice cream on the way to Fenelon Falls. 
"Honey Badger" and "Alysana" entering the first narrow canal of the day.
Someone decorated. There is even a stop light up top. 
"Alysana" heading to the blue line in Fenelon Falls.  What a cool staircase. 
The town of Fenelon Falls on top of the hills. Need to lock up to the town.  Fenelon Falls (yup it is part of the dam: who knew).  TSW Lock 34 (Fenelon Falls) 
Hurry up and dump that lock. Our friends are waiting for us to catch up.  Lock 34 inside the lock. 
Patty working.  TSW Lock 35 (Rosedale). 
Here we go very narrow canal one boat at a time. 
Don't go to close to the shore lots of sharp limestone. 
Going slow through the canal; small "run-about", "Alysana" and "Honey Badger". 
Look at the limestone!!!  "Alysana" leading the way after Mitchell Lake. 
"Honey Badger" not much room on the sides.  "Alysana" heading into the Kirkfield Lift Lock.
"Parrot Bay's" view once in the Kirkfield Lift Lock.  "Tike Queen" on the wall below the Kirkfield Lock. 
The ride is all done "Parrot Bay" waiting for the gate to lower. 
NEBO trip Bobcaygeon, ON to Kirkfield Lift Lock. 
John and Mike after "Mike I'm stuck" and "Parrot Bay" able to pull "Alysana" off of the rocks in Mitchell Lake. 
"Parrot Bay's" stern view for the night. 
Beautiful view of the Kirkfield Lift Bridge. 
Small boat entering the Kirkfield Lift Lock.
 The small boat being lifted the chambers even at this time. 
Mike and Patty on "Alysana" for happy hour after a long day.
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