Tues July 18: Trenton to lower Glen Ross Lock wall

We started the day by dropping our American poop off at the pump-out station for the Canadians to deal with!  Then it was up the Trent-Severn Canal - we've been waiting for a couple of years to get here, and were pretty excited.  Especially  since there weren't many other boats around..

These cute Canadian peoples were operating the first lock, and were very patient as we carried on about our excitement.

This wall running across the front of the lock is called the 'sill'.  The pool of water has to lift us high enough so that we don't hit the sill with the bottom of the boat as we exit.  Looking from the sill to the water line I always feel a little nervous that we aren't going to be high enough.... I mean ---we've got a BOTTOM on us, so we do.

A close-up of the invasive zebra/quagga mussels the Great Lakes, and now other waterways, struggle with.  We are listening to a fascinating book my cousin Peggy recommended, 'The Death and Life of the Great Lakes', that talks about what a disaster such species have been for US waterways. It would be interesting anyway, but is especially so since it deals with so much of an area we saw last year, and will see more of this year. Plus the invasives that come into the US via ballast in the ships coming up the St Lawrence Seaway have now spread as far as Lake Mead, or further-clogging up water treatment plants, decimating native fish populations and even causing liver infections.  OK-possibly not a CHEERful book, but worth reading…

We tied up to a shaded peaceful spot just below Lock 7, Glen Ross, and I made Rick go for a walk with me.  At the hottest possible time of the day.  See what nice places I find for us to walk?! There wasn't much to Glen Ross, but there was a tiny store selling Kawartha ice cream, which is apparently great ice cream.  EVERY. SINGLE. LOCK HAND at EVERY. SINGLE. LOCK. told us we had to try it.  Who are we to argue?!

 

As the sunset we had a lovely, almost cool breeze, and a nice chat with Jim/Cindy on board 'Second Chance'.  I fell in love with the boat, an American Tug, and decided that is what we will buy for doing the West Coast/Alaska - which is in the future.  I think my co-captain is up for this plan, but I'd better ask him!

Rick made a friend for life - Peanut.

She LURVS him....

Sweet Dreams!