Orillia to Big Chute and on to Port Severn

The first photo shows Ithaka and Southern Comfort leading us into a very narrow passage which is typical in this area.
The photo above shows Southern Comfort in the deepest lock in the Trent Severn.

This is where Carlie spends most of the travel time. The next photo shows the railcar at the Big Chute Railway coming out of the water at the top of the railway with two run abouts and a 50 foot Ocean Alexander hanging out the back. The larger inboard boats hang out this way to keep the props off the floor. The last photo shows the Big Chute where the Severn River used to flow down the gorge now by passed by the railway.


Orillia was a real treat. We arrived Thursday afternoon and got settled at the Port of Orillia marina, Chip went fishing and Chip caught two very nice small mouth bass. Shelly caught nothing. This was the first time Chip beat Shelly. Chip cleaned the fish for a future fish fry. Afterward most of us went in for a quick swim and felt very refreshed. Friday was a day of relaxation and wandering around town. Of course Muriel and the ladies found a very nice bakery, great food and many free samples. Friday evening we all shared Ceasar drinks, a Canadian Bloody Mary made by Chip, our official Canadian by birth, on Ithaka, aeh!!! This is a Canadian Bloody Mary, with a touch of celery salt and clamato juice instead of tomato juice, it is quite refreshing. On Saturday morning we started with a trip to the local farmer's market. Muriel bought many veggies. At noon the Scottish Festival started with a parade right past the Port of Orillia and ending in the park adjacent to the marina. There were 25 drum and bagpipe bands from all around Ontario in the parade along with the Shriners on their little cars. After the parade we walked over to the park and got hot dogs for lunch and watched the bands perform in mass and some highland dancing. By evening we were glad to get back to the boats and rest a little. The marina filled with looper boats on Saturday so we decided to leave so that the waterway was not too conjested with loopers.



We left Orillia Sunday morning in fairly heavy rain which let up shortly after we got away and visibility improved to a reasonable amount. (We do not have this area on our GPS so we either follow the other boats or we navigate by following the paper charts.) Traveling through more unbelievable scenery we arrived at the deepest lock on the Trent Severn, a 47 foot lift in one lock. This was impressive. Shortly we arrived at the Big Chute Railway. This is called lock 44, however, it is not a lock. It is a railway which runs down into the water on one side of the hill and the boats drive onto the car, which is huge, it can hold two run about boats and a 5o foot trawler at the same time, or several run abouts. We tied up to the public dock and watched and took pictures on Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening Shelly hooked the largest fish yet. It was a northern pike about two feet long. It got off as she attemped to lift it onto the boat. Fortunately several people saw it to verify her fish story.



On Monday morning at 8:00 am we all moved over to the blue line to be ready to transit the railway when it opened at 8:30. Ithaka was first to load, next went Blue Max. Just as Blue Max got to the rail car a squal hit with lightning and high winds making it very difficult for Bill to manuver onto the car. He got side ways to the entrance of the car just as lightning hit the system and knocked out all the power so the crew on the car were unable to assist with the lift straps. Bill managed to back away without mishap and return to the blue line to tie back up. This all happened about 8:45. We waited until about 4:00pm before power was restored so that the rest of us could transit the lift. All was not bad, we enjoyed the day after the storm passed wandering about the area and taking more pictures. The site includes a display of the original power generation turbines and generator.



The scenery beyond the chute was beautiful in the afternoon sun. We passed through one very narrow channel between shear granite walls where the current can reach 5 knots. It was not quite that swift for our transit but we certainly picked up speed through the channel. We are at Driftwood Cove marina in Port Severn today. This is a beautiful, Muriel complains that I use that adjative too frequently but what else can I say, setting right at the beginning to Gerogain Bay.



This morning I accompanied Blue Max to another marina where he had an appointment to haul out to replace a thru-hull fitting. After he was hauled they discovered they did not have the correct valve so they took off to locate a valve in another town. Ithaka also went over to the same marina to get his oil changed. The mechanic did not understand Ithaka's oil changer system and had a valve set wrong so when he thought he was pumping oil back into the engine he was in fact pumping it into the generator set. This over filled the gen set and forced the oil above the pistons which locked the engine. They say they may have to pull the gen set and it will be a week before they get it back. "If you want it done right do it yourself."



We just received our chart card for our GPS and it is great to see navigational aids again. Ithaka has made arrangements to get their gen set straightned out on the way and 'Blue Max is back in the water so we will all leave tomorrow morning for Pentanguishene.