QUINTE CRUISE - DAY FIVE (last day)

Woke to another grey day as we sailed from Hastings into Rice Lake. This is a favourite of anglers and we drove into the teeth of a strong wind. First time the Kawartha Voyageur was felt to pitch a bit! By the time we turned to starboard and entered the Otonabee River, the sky was lightening and soon the sun made an appearance.

This stretch was most attractive with banks of trees, wetlands, and some very nice houses as we approached Peterborough. But here we saw many waterfowl including loons and two chicks, herons, squadrons of Canada geese, and ospreys, as well as turtles everywhere. Again the tranquillity of the area was pleasing all the way into the last lock that led us to dock in Peterborough where we disembarked.

I was sorry to leave the excellent staff and passengers on the ship before we could do the final cruise of the three up to Big Chute at Georgian Bay. But needs must as I'm speaking in Picton on Prince Edward County on Sunday at the invitation of the Naval Marine Archive for the submarine centenary this year. We were picked up by Enterprise rent-a-car and drove to Picton by 4:45pm.

My favourite cruise of the two? The Rideau Canal and the lower part of the Trent-Severn Waterway are so different, I cannot choose between them. However, we had much better weather on the Rideau and the history fascinated me and that tends to make me lean that way.

Would I recommend them? Totally, it's an unusual adventure with some of the best customer service I've ever experienced. But don't expect the same luxury that you'd get in one of the long river boats on the rivers of Europe. This can't be compared with those.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2014. All rights reserved

QUINTE CRUISE – DAY FOUR

The KV at Campbellford at breakfast time

Today's shore excursion was after breakfast. Almost everyone went. There is a chocolate factory in Campbellford – need I say more?

We sailed at 1050 hours under a low bridge heading for Hastings. Weather remains warm and humid, overcast with the threat of showers. Another day that was poor for photography, at least until we tied up. Wouldn't you know it?

The twenty-five miles to our next overnight stop used to be the roughest stretch of water on the Trent-Severn Waterway, falling 220 feet over three waterfalls and nine miles of rapids. Today we sailed on a placid river, wide in spots and narrow in others. There is plenty to see here now.


Water tumbles down the layer rock formations at Crowe Bay beside the lock. Healey Falls has a dam to visit if the captain stops for half an hour and the lock station that lifts vessels fifty-four feet.

This is another lock whose sides and gates tower above the ship, and it's intimidating to stand on the lower deck until the water rises and one can see over the sides to the lock station. Then it's plain sailing for fourteen miles without a lock.

The captain's head is up through the hatch

The waterway is very high at the moment and the heavy rain of the past day meant that the two low bridges caused hearts to stop as we slowed down and edged our way through the highest spans. The clearance on one was four inches and the next was seven. I was on the bridge for the first and as the wheelhouse was lowered above me, I had to sit on the floor. The captain, head through the hatch, had to bend his knees to prevent being knocked out on the concrete. It was a tense moment. I was by now lying on the floor behind him taking photos and saying some hasty prayers!





The clouds began to lift about 4pm and the evening alongside in the small town of Hastings was sunny at last. I went ashore to find the pharmacy, missed it, and was out the other side of town in five minutes.

The mate, John, waits to assist with
the lines in Hastings

Our final dinner on board was excellent roast turkey with all the trimmings and English trifle. As all the passenger but four are Ontarians, this evening brings the results of today's provincial election and many will be staying up to watch the live stream. I'm going to try to finish a mystery I borrowed from the ship's library.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2014. All rights reserved

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.

IMAGES: 

© Photos by Pharos 2014

All rights reserved

QUINTE CRUISE - DAY TWO

Glenora on Prince Edward County

Today was a "sea" day — a long cruise with no stops from Kingston to Trenton.

We sailed west along the shore of Lake Ontario though broad channels past Glenora and Belleville. Peaceful cruise, time to relax.

The sun shone and passengers conversed, did jigsaw puzzles, and played cards and board games. I caught up with my photos and wrote. We had no stops to get off the ship to stretch our legs. The evening activity took care of that.






I had been wanting to see a laker since we arrived onto the lake and had been
unlucky in the Seaway. But I saw one today, heading east — only one. Also saw three small rocky islands totally destroyed by hundreds of cormorants. Their acidic droppings kill all the flora and then they move on and do it to the next island.

We docked in the heart of Trenton at 1630 by city hall and a pleasant park. A mayoral representative met us and Trenton Tourism handed us goody bags with maps and guides. Many took the opportunity for a walk down the main street.

But I decided to save my energy for the visit to the National RCAF Museum at CFB Trenton. After dinner we piled into a school bus driven by a retired RCMP detective and set out. The museum is in the process of expanding and reorganizing, but it impressed me nonetheless. Outside is the air park full of static displays and inside the new building is the restored Halifax bomber that was salvaged from Norway in 700 feet of water. this is impressive! There are also display cases full of artifacts telling the RCAF story from 1914 to the present.

Billy Bishop's stone is top right

But what most moved me were the "stones." Surrounding the planes in the air park are thousands of white bricks, each with the name of an RCAF member. The ones for those who are still alive, await their birth and death dates. Others show that they were young men who died in WW2 on active service. The most impressive is the small group of Canadian VCs, including Billy Bishop.

Link to Ontario Waterway Cruises is www.ontariowaterwaycruises.com.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2014. All rights reserved