Welcome to the North Channel

This is the lighthouse that greeted us as we came into Killarney Channel from Georgian Bay. Killarney Channel is generally considered the Eastern end of the North Channel.

The recently reopened Sportsman's Inn at Killarney

Herbert's Fish & Chips is the best meal deal in town, although I wouldn't exactly call $13.00 for a box of fried fish and greasy fries, er, excuse me "chips", and some packaged condiments a "deal". The fish is fresh & tasty and the lines are always long.

The water is really so clear that you can see the bottom. This shot is right beside our boat in the slip at Sportsman's; the water is at least 12 ft deep and you can see the grass and timbers littering the bottom of the harbor.

The town of Killarney, Ont. has been here since the early 1800's but they didn't have a road until 1962!

Our anchorage in Covered Portage Cove, I have observed that some locals say Portage the same way we do in St. Louis (por-tij) and some use the French pronunciation (por-tazh).

The entrance to the anchorage at "Covered Portage Cove", not the easiest anchorage we have ever entered. These rocks are a lot less forgiving than Chesapeake Bay mud! We didn't make the climb to the top of the rocks and take pictures.

More of those blasted rocks that lie in wait, hoping to ruin a nice day.

Beautiful Bay Fine (Fin)

Bay Fine (pronounced Fin) in the North Channel of Lake Huron which our cruising guide tells us is the only fjord in North America. The white you see in the photos is not snow (although I have generally been wearing a fleece jacket or vest several days a week), but the white quartz stone from which the mountains are formed. Geologically the area is part of the Precambrian Canadian Shield, please don't ask me to explain that little factoid because geology makes my eyes glaze over. I'm sure you can Google it and find a great explanation by someone who knows what they are talking about.

These pictures were shot early, well, early for me, on a clear morning from our anchorage in the area at the end of the bay known as the "pool". Once in the pool a boat must reverse course and follow the same nine mile course back out of Bay Fine to the North Channel

The rocks you see in the center of this shot are just a few of the millions of rocks that lie in wait for boats. For every one that you can see there are thousands lurking just below the surface.

Playing in the dinghy near our anchorage in
the"Pool". You may notice the jeans and
long sleeves.
Larry has on short sleeves and his shorts but
if you look closely you will see the windbreaker
tied at his waist.
These shots are of a snapping turtle that was swimming near our boat. The water is about 12' deep and so clear that you can see the weeds
growing on the bottom. It took forever to get
the weeds cleaned off of our anchor chain when we were ready to leave.

Now it's Time for Miss Lauren Grace's Ride

Here is the view from Miss Lauren Grace as we ride the "Big Chute" down 57' to the Severn River. We are looking astern and we have just come up out of the water you see in this shot. Note the truck that was waiting while we crossed the road

This is what it looks like from our bow (the pointy end). The water is at the bottom of a BIG hill. Notice the slings that are supporting the boat in front of us. Those are our friends from Iowa, Pat & Dan.

After having waited for so many bridges to open for us it is sort of fun to see the cars (er, trucks) waiting while we cross. At the far right in the picture the tan colored steel frame is part of the carriage on the railway

These are friends from "Cruising Buff" way down below us on the observation area taking pictures of us in the railway carriage.

How it Works

Some of you have asked for more details about the marine railway, I will send some more info in the next update but here is the succinct explanation; be sure to enjoy it I'm not often succinct.

Note the explanation about why the carriage or "car" stays relatively level, when you see the slope on one side of the railway you will know why this is important.

Did You Ever See A Boat Cross The Road

The Big Chute Marine Railway is the last exciting lock on the TSW. Technically it is not a lock but a railway that moves boats overland to the body of water on the other side. There were two of them when the system was completed but the other one has been replaced with a lock. The Big Chute (lock #44 in the system) was a scary concept until we went to look at it and then, like many other things in boating and in life, once I understood how it works it was not such a big deal. In fact it was fun.

This is the point at which the boats actually do cross the road, you can see the guard gate that stops the traffic.

Now down the BIG hill on the other side

Here they are entering the railway "car" which calls for careful piloting, aka good boat driving skills.

This shot shows the support posts and the slings that rise out of the bottom of the car to support the boats for the ride across.

Kirkfield Lift Lock

On our way down and about to meet the other chamber

This is our floor!

They call this the hole-in-the-wall bridge!

Kirkfield Lift Lock, View from the chamber as we went into it. That water you see waayyy down there is where we are going

Packing the last boat into the Kirkfield Lift Lock. He got 6 boats and a dinghy in there!

View going down.

Approaching Kirkfield Lift Lock, our first descent of the TSW. Looks like we are driving off of a cliff!

Standing at the top of the lock looking down.

Miss Lauren Grace waiting at Kirkfield, notice all of our fenders are out for the locks.

Kirkfield Lockmaster explaining the delay to our friends Dan & Pat. Notice everyone has jackets on.

Trent Canal West of Balsam Lake

This makes the Dismal Swamp Canal look wide!

Self Explanatory!

And here is why. Not only is it narrow there are rocks like this underwater on both sides; wouldn't want to meet anyone in here.