We had a nice calm day for cruising. We were annoyed by some people on another boat, so we were happy that we were able to sneak ahead of them into a lock. If we didn't make that move to get ahead, we would have traveled with them all day. We went through a lot of narrow channel & slow zones today. We went through 2 locks, numbers 42 & 43, and traveled 32 miles. Stopped for the night at Big Chute Lock 44. Even though it is not technically a lock, it's a railway, it is referred to as Lock 44. The Big Chute is a boat lift that works on an inclined plane to carry boats in a cradle over a change of height of 57 feet, and is the only marine railway of its kind in North America that is still in use. The original railway was completed in 1917. The carriage was replaced in 1923, and again in 1978. The current carriage can carry boats up to 100 feet long with a beam of 24 feet. This system of locking is still in use today to prevent Sea Lamprey, which had been devastating the fishing industry in the Great Lakes and had been found in Gloucester Pool, at the bottom of the railway, from entering Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe.
It was fun to watch other boats get loaded up, carried across the road, and put back in the water on the other side. Tomorrow will be our turn on the Big Chute. We'll then go through Lock 45, our last lock on the Trent Severn, and head into Georgian Bay. We plan to head for Midland, Ontario.
There's always plenty of rocks
Railroad swing bridge
Beaver lodge
Packed in tight at the lock
Narrow channel with cliffs on both sides
Ahh! Open space & deep water
View from top of the lock door
The carriage rides on rails & is pulled by cables
Pretty steep on the way down
Little Chute, no longer in use
It was sunny & 84 degrees, so we launched the dinghy to cool off
Our swimming spot
Hooper cooling off
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