It was off the dock early for our 38 NM run to Port Severn and the end of the Trent Severn. we had a small flotilla running north through Lake Couchiching and into the Trent Canal between all the tight channels where we had to wait for the CNR Railroad Swing Bridge that was opening on the hour so we arrived at 0845 hours and the bridge opened on time for the 0900 opening. we made it to Lock 42 where Tom on Beachside made a decision to wait on the southside of the lock due to an oil leak that was serviced in Orillia. We moved forward and would wait for Beachside further down the Trent.
We proceeded through the lock joined by Coconuts, Brand New Day and several small Canadian boats. This part of the Trent was filled with tight channels and small lakes. We travelled through Sparrow Lake followed by Sparrow Lake Chute where we met oncoming traffic and had to signal boaters on blind channel cuts to coordinate passage. On one occasion at the Mcdonalds Cut an eastbound trawler stopped for us to pass but of course one of the smaller speed boats did not use his radio and decided it was proper to run through the opening causing a very dangerous situation for us and the following vessels. This was a day for having your head on a swivel.
As much as we were looking forward to get out of the lock system this was one of those places we would not forget with all the ravines and small lakes and rocky edges. After passing through Lock 43 it was time to prepare for Lock 44 Big Chute Marine Railway This passage was one of the locks I couldn’t wait for.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Chute_Marine_Railway
We arrived at the lock and took our turn in line at the upper wall blue line. The lock is controlled by a lockmaster that directs approaching boaters via loud speaker and arranges boats and personal watercraft for passage by size allowing as many boaters as possible to pass through. The Chute is a dry boat lift that is on a railway system that traverses a road then down a steep hill his depositing the vessels on the lower end. I was summoned into the lift and upon approach a smaller boat in the lift fell sideways in its cradle and I had to immediately abort my entry with a hard starboard breeze and a current pushing me to port. After resetting I was allowed entry where the attendants guided me onto a strap that supported Sea No Evil midships with it’s bow on the deck of the lift. The stern of my boat extended 15 feet off the back of the lift. We travelled over the road then down the hill into the lower lake. The attendant took my cell phone and took pictures of my props and hull. The trip itself took only about 5 minutes but was worth every second. We were contacted by Beachside that they had temporarily fixed their boat and would catch up to us so we waited at the chute to take pictures and watch other boats go over the hill.
After rejoining Beachside we moved on towards Port Severn. The weather continued getting worse with heavy winds and a strong thunderstorm. We made it into Starport Marina just before sunset and the wicked thunderstorm that engulfed the bay. After settling in we walked down to The Grill and had dinner before I joined Tom for an Uber ride to the Toronto Airport to pick up a rental car. Tom was still having
issues with Beachside and needed the car to run to Detroit in the morning to pick up a part.
It was truly a crazy day on the Loop but well worth the adventure. It was off to bed to rest for the final lock on the Trent Severn system.