Considering that our 2013 summer holiday plans came from a sort of last resort type of approach, I thought that this would end up turning out to be basically a shrug when asked how it was. Far from it! This turned turned out being a great decision, as we not only got to revisit ares we hadn't seen in a number of years, but it actually ended up being like a first time experience in many ways.
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| 'Boogaboo IV' tied up at the bottom of Rosedale Lock for a couple of nights. |
In the past, and with only one exception, we had stayed exclusively at marinas for all of our overnight stops. This year, we got a season's mooring pass which allowed us to spend limitless days/nights at the locks along the way. Sure, we had been by and driven through all the locks all the way to Trenton (Mile '0' of the TSW) but now that we were stopping and spending a day or two at each lock, it was like the a whole new world.
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| Setting up the BBQ grille on a picnic table beside the boat. |
Lock # 35 at Rosedale is a perfect example. When approaching from the east and simply focusing on getting the boat through the lock, one has little time to actually survey the surrounding grounds. Couple that with thew fact that this lock has the second lowest 'lift' (just a little over three feet) the boat is down (or up) and through in no time at all. Stop for awhile and discover that Rosedale has probably one of the biggest park areas of any of the locks!
When we were siting at the back of the boat on the first morning here, I noticed something in the distance that looked like a very large snake poking it's head up out of the water amongst some Lilly pads, so we walked over for a closer inspection.
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| Scouting the Lilly pads for a large snake or turtle. |
We stared into the water, waiting for movement from what I thought for sure was the head of either a large snake or turtle, but it just seemed to float motionless. I suspected that whatever it was, it was waiting for something tasty to float or fly by, within striking range. Of course, at the point I was pretty much on my own, as Anchor Girl was too scared to get too close to it.
After studying this close up, zoomed in photo, I surmised that it was nothing more than an oddly rolled up leaf from the Lilly plants, arranged to look like an animal's head. Tell me I'm seeing that and we weren't going crazy ;-)
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| Snake, turtle of oddly shaped leaf?? |
As I mentioned, the grounds are quite expansive, larger than any other lock we've stayed at in the past. Our second evening there brought an opportunity to wander around in the (windy) sunshine and capture some nice shots with the boats in the background.
This is at the top side of the lock. Always a popular spot for overnight boaters, one has to time their arrival just right - or be lucky - to grab a spot on the tie up walls.
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| A full house of boats tied up along the top side of the Rosedale Lock. |
Looking back eastward, towards the lock and lower tie up / blue line walls;
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| Rosedale Lock along the Trent Severn Waterway. |
Not quite a sunset, but an interesting shot of the sun's rays shooting out around this quickly passing cloud, right above the lock chamber;
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| Another windy day, with quickly passing clouds at Lock #35 |
Here's a nice pic of 'Boogaboo' and our home for two days. As I mentioned, this is a very popular lock for overnight boats, and we had to squeeze into the corner between the lower entrance of the lock and the blue line. We just fit too, as the lockmaster didn't want us withing the blue line area or having the bow stick out beyond the entrance to the lock. It took a bit of creative tying of the boat, but we got it, with a whole three or four inches to spare ;-)
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| 'Boogaboo IV' snugly tied up at the bottom of the Rosedale Lock. |
They say that parting is such sweet sorrow, but our next destination would be even more fun, as we leave Rosedale for a short hop across Cameron Lake and the village of Fenelon Falls.
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| Pulling away from Lock #35 at Rosedale, Ontario. |
Up next, a wonderful time - and spectacular sunsets - in Fenelon Falls!
:-)