Good-Bye Orillia

July 27, 2002 - Good-Bye Orillia

We left Orillia at 8:20 am for Midland Ontario and the Doral Marina. Today we will go through the last of the locks, including the famous Railway Lock. It is a sunny, but hazy day and the fog made it hard to see the markers again. I think I'll see red and green markers in my dreams the rest of my life. We arrived at the Railroad Swing Bridge just as a train was going very slowly across, and, as advertised, the bridge was very slow to open. We had heard that they were having trouble with it, and that it might not open at all. I guess we were lucky. Gosh, we will be happy to be done with these crazy locks. We will have gone through 140 locks by the end of today, which have been interesting, but challenging at times, and way too many. While we were waiting for the bridge to open, 8 small boats passed us and could get under the bridge, so I wonder how many will be ahead of us lined up to lock through??? Too Many, I fear. I though the foggy morning would keep some people off the water, but not on their holiday, I guess. Well, we are packed in like sardines in the lock, but we are OK. Now only 1 more lock before the Railway Lock, where we drive onto a rail car and they lift us up and over a road. Can't wait to see this. I'm sure Bill will get some pictures, so check his picture section to see what it looks like.

At 1:30 we got through lock 43 at Swift Rapids, which dropped us 43 feet. Now we are headed for the Big Chute, 10 miles away. Here we come. Because it is a busy Saturday, we were worried that we might have a very long wait, but when we arrived, we pulled right onto the Blue Line to wait our turn, and in an hour we were onto the Railway Car and up and over the road and on the other side. It was a very exciting and thrilling, but a bit scary event. They can take a number of boats a one time. When it was our turn, there were already two small boats on the car when they motioned for Rendezvous to come forward and enter. It was much like going into a regular lock except it's a railway car that is submerged and as the railway car moves, the water drains off and the boats are cradled snuggly by stout slings and it lifts the car with the boats up and over a road. Very weird. Check pictures.

After we were out of the Big Chute the markers changed sides and we were headed to Midland. While we were trying to look ahead to see where to go we went on the wrong side of a mark and almost got into trouble as it was very shallow. A Go Fast boat came by right at that moment and waved their arms indicating to stop and get to the correct side of the mark - a scary moment. We almost blew it. It must mean that it's time to be home. Then onto the narrowest spot of the trip where, luckily, a big boat coming towards us saw us in time and stopped to let us pass them. Thank You, Thank You!!!!

When we arrived at Midland , we got diesel and by the time we were docked, we were so tired we ate leftovers and went straight to bed. It had been a very long day, with a lot to deal with. I wouldn't recommend anyone travel these waters much on a summer weekend.