QUINTE CRUISE - DAY THREE

Today we enter the Trent-Severn Waterway at Trenton. The weather is awful — very dark, pouring rain, and thunderstorms. Photography is nearly impossible. I could not get a shot of a huge Painted Turtle under a tree; rain splatters the windows and ruins any hope of an image; and I'm drenched in two minutes if I venture out.

 

Instead I interview the captain on the bridge for an hour. Marc Ackert is a part-owner with his brother John, taking over from their parents who had the vision for this enterprise. Ontario Waterway Cruises are still the only cruise company on the Rideau and Trent-Severn. They have operated since 1981 with increasingly bigger ships. Marc is downloading the company's photos for me, along with images from Parks Canada that he has permission to use for promotion.



Today afternoon snack is very popular — it may be the grey, wet day or it may be the offer of build-your-own ice cream sundaes. The ice cream is from Kawartha Dairies and the vanilla is yellow not white! Anyway most people indulge and some have seconds.





Afterwards we navigate a huge staircase of three locks, the last before our stop for the night alongside the fire hall.
We enter into the first and it was vast. The gates shut behind us and it fills fast with a maelstrom of water pouring in and rocking our stable boat. Once it is half full, the gates begin to open in front of us into the second lock. Up we go again and can see a swing bridge over the top with vehicles rushing across to get through. This bridge is electric, not hand cranked like many on the Rideau Canal, and it opens quickly. Soon we are through and turning to starboard down a straight stretch into the town.

We arrive at our mooring in the heart of Cambellford, the home of a chocolate factory and the best bakery in the region.

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© Photos by Pharos 2014

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