JULY 7-10 HASTINGS TO PETERBOROUGH TO YOUNGS POINT

After an overnight stop at Hastings to top off water and pump out, we headed to Peterborough where we plan to spend two nights.  With a population of 74,000, Peterborough is one of the biggest cites on the Trent-Severn Waterway.  We opted to stay at Lock 20 and not in the downtown marina. 

Lock 20 is located at a quiet residential area adjacent to a tree lined park with a walking trail around the lake.  Perfect for his majesty!  Prior to departure, we purchased a seasonal mooring pass for Canada Parks which allows us to moor at the Lock walls overnight. 

His majesty enjoying an early morning walk.  We do not need an alarm clock with him around-it's up and at it by 5:45.  With so much daylight, the early morning is the best time to take a long walk.  Gerbeaud is 12 years old and we were somewhat concerned about how he would handle being on the boat for so long.  So far, he is doing better than we expected.  He is quite adept at jumping off the boat on his own-even when he has not been given the okay!

Downtown Peterborough is just a short dinghy ride away.  This large fountain in the middle of the lake is active in the early evening.  The weather so far has been spectacular-we have had only two or three days of overcast weather with intermittent rain.  It has, however, been very hot.  Most days it has been in the high 80s with a few days hitting 90 plus.

Peterborough lift lock.  This lock is unique.  It was completed in 1904 and is the highest of its kind in the world.  It operates with two pans and weighs 1,300 tons when filled.  The two pans balance each other.  When one pan goes down, the other goes up.  Transiting boats drive into the down pan.  As boats displace their own weight, it does not matter how many boats enter each pan.

Boats in the down pan waiting to be lifted.  Each boat ties up to horizontal fixed lines and the pan lifts 65 feet.  The experience is similar to being lifted in an elevator (a water elevator!) and is  totally different to all the other locks.

This is us at the top of the Peterborough Lock-65 feet up!

Many Canadians travel the Waterway in house boats.  They have very shallow drafts. This is an example of one.

After our exhilarating lift at Peterborough, we traveled on to Young's Point at Lock 27.  Another quiet and peaceful lock.  Despite its rural location, it had an excellent restaurant at the top of the lock where we enjoyed a gourmet fish dinner.

The dam at Lock 27.