Marine VHF Radios; Why You Need A Free MMSI Number

Life jackets? Got 'em! Marine charts?  All on board! Ice? Check! Okay, maybe that last one shouldn’t have been on the list of ‘must have before leaving the dock’,but sadly, many boaters we come across would place that at #1 on their list.

Safety First

 
Safety while out on the water should be of paramount concern for all boaters so why not take advantage of the tools that are available right at our fingertips? The correct use of your VHF radio can help keep you in contact with surrounding boaters, stay aware of weather updates, and even receive safety updates from the Coast Guard. Apart from those benefits, did you also know that there is a built in device that can potentially save your life?

Fixed mount VHF Radio

Pretty much every VHF marine radio built in the past number of years comes equipped with Digital Selective Calling (DSC) capability. Some of the features that one can employ include direct calling an individual station (ie; a specific boat), locating their exact position or even transmitting your own. Best part is that this can all be done with a simple push of a button. But before one can do any of that, the radio will require an individual Maritime Marine Service Identity (MMSI) number. Connecting the radio to a GPS can add an even greater level of safety, but more on that further down.

Understanding MMSI

To be most effective, your radio should be unique in the sea of radio traffic that is out there today and that’s where an MMSI number comes into play. Think of it as a phone number for your radio. This number is physically entered into the radio, making it uniquely identifiable from every other one. Keep in mind that if one has more than one VHF radio aboard, each of those individual radios should use the same MMSI number. The reasoning for this is that the number is associated with a specific vessel, not to the radio itself.
Information that is included in a new registration would include the vessel name, owner’s name & contact info along with gross tonnage/ length of the boat. In an emergency situation, this information can be used to identify a given vessel and contact the registered owner or their family. If one is involved in a perilous event such as fire, man overboard or taking on water, being able to send that information with one button would free up those on board to focus on the emergency at hand. This can be done without having to speak directly with outsiders. That is possible by activating the ‘panic button’ on every DSC equipped radio. NOTE: Never push that button outside of an emergency, as it will immediately broadcast an emergency signal to all those in radio range. There is no test function for that feature, so do not let anyone play with it!

Obtaining Your Number

Getting your own MMSI number is a free and easy procedure. In Canada, applications for  recreational boaters, with a non-licensed VHF radio, are available through the Industry Canada web site. American boaters who remain in U.S. waters can obtain their numbers through a number of outlets, including Boat US, Sea Tow and the U.S. Power Squadron.

Advanced Features

Interconnecting a Global Positioning System (GPS) interface allows one even more capabilities, as well as adding another layer of safety. Today, many manufacturers offer VHF radio models that have a built in GPS. If yours doesn’t have this feature, you can connect your own GPS unit (chartplotter, for example) to the radio. Just check the specs on each respective piece of equipment to see which wires plumb together.
Some hand held units, such as our Standard Horizon model, are MMSI capable. The newest *Standard Horizon HX890 model can be found on Amazon.

Hand-held, MMSI  capable VHF radio

With both units working together, users can send their position to other similarly equipped vessels, and even ask for a ‘position request’ from a buddy out on the water. More importantly, if one were to ever find themselves having to broadcast a mayday call, the exact position of the vessel would not only be sent to relevant authorities, but to other boats in radio range would automatically get that same position info which would pop right up on their GPS plotter! Imagine the beneficial impact upon a rescue operation; resources could be immediately dispatched to the scene, as well as rebroadcast via the Coast Guard, all without the confusion that may result in a panicky situation.

Charplotter displaying MMSI location information.

Things To Remember

There are a few things to keep in mind when setting up your radio(s). Most manufacturers only allow the end user one or two attempts when entering the 9 digit MMSI code. If you mess up, the radio will have to be returned to the manufacturer to have the codes wiped clear before attempting to enter it again. Same is true if you sell your boat/radio. When selling, it would be a good idea to have your MMSI number removed from any equipment before the new owner takes possession. Remember, the number is specific to YOUR vessel and should not be passed on to new owners. Of course, you could just transfer the radio from your old boat to the new one. . .
For American boaters who plan on transiting beyond U.S. waters (Canada/Mexico/Bahamas, etc.), MMSI numbers must be registered directly with the United States Federal Communication Commission (FCC). As well, a Ship’s Station License may be required for navigators other than pleasure boaters.
Keep in mind that, even if connected to a GPS (which gets its signal via a satellite network), all communications are handled through the radio frequencies of the VHF. Some folks get confused on this point and assume that a ‘position send’ and ‘position request’ are transmitted through space. All attempted communications must happen within radio range.

Here’s a video I produced a few years ago to help show a little bit more regarding MMSI;

 

Bottom Line Benefits

With life saving potential over and above all the gee-whiz factors, I cannot imagine why any boater would not pursue setting up their own MMSI registration. In my mind, this has got to be one of the best pieces of safety equipment one could have on their boat. Best of all, it’s completely free.

* Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

:-)

End of Season Haulout, Remembering Friends

  The end of our boating season always seems to come too quickly and this year was no different, made poignant with the loss of old friends.

 As most of you know, it was a bit of a whirlwind for us when we searched for, purchased and ultimately brought our new-to-us Sea Ray 370 Sundancer back at the beginning of this year. Given all the literal running around - sometimes between two countries - plus all the upgrades I worked on throughout May and June and it's no wonder time flew by so quickly.

 All that aside, it was an adventure and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to do it, but it's still hard to put the boat away for the winter. But as the old saying goes "There's always next year". Hopefully so.

 Irrespective of my ever growing list of small(ish) projects I am looking at for the Spring, we're going to make sure to spend as much time aboard in 2023. Having very recently lost a couple of good friends from our earlier boating days, it once again brings home how incredibly precious our days on the water are. Going forward, I'll do my best to dedicate new memories to our old friends who sadly will only be with us in spirit.

 Don't worry, I'll be sure to hoist a drink in their honour. Making the most of our time. . .

 As for myself, it was been a long three months of pondering my next moves on various social media platforms. This past summer brought an incredible number of folks who were eager to approach us during our extended cruise as they "Just wanted say Hi". There's no problem with that and I've always appreciated the positive feedback and well wishes, but this year it became was somewhat overwhelming at times, with sometimes three, four, five or more (!!) folks approaching us at a marina or at a lock on any given day. Again, I always appreciate hearing how much the videos and boating tips are enjoyed, and I am grateful that so many continue to be inspired by my ramblings.

 Keeping in mind that if you see us out on the water, we are there on OUR days off. Despite the perception that some have that we are on the boat 24/7, non stop, I actually do have a job and work full time, making OUR time aboard and relaxing very precious. Hopefully in the future we can look forward to just a simple smile and wave when out on OUR cruising days. . .?

 With that in mind, I've decided to stay off of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the foreseeable future with my efforts mostly concentrated to YouTube. This Blog will be more of filling in the blanks kind of affair, so to speak. Each time I review the video clips I captured, I get to thinking that I wish I had included more boring details ;-) With lots on my mind when it comes to boating, this Blog should help me to share more fun, projects as well as other insights from our boating life. 

 That all said, let's get to the latest - and long awaited - video, taken during our end-of-season haul out;

:-)

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Boat Safety Grab Handles - Easy Install

 One of the features we were looking for when up-sizing to our 1998 Sea Ray 370 Sundancer was the higher radar arch so that I could stand up comfortably at the helm. This model ticked that box nicely and I'm very happy with how it feels, but that extra height presented an issue that we hadn't considered - safely climbing onto the side decks when underway.

 As this first photo shows, there were a couple of factory installed grab rails on both port and starboard sides of the boat. The one mounted to the side glass adds security when walking alongside, and the larger one on the radar arch is very handy. However, as we travel through many locks each season - we did that 100 times in the 2022 boating season - we felt that climbing in and out of the boat when it is moving would be made much more comfortable by adding another grab rail to the inside of the radar arch. 

Factory installed grab rail on radar arch.

 A somewhat of an easy fix, as we ordered a pair of 16" stainless steel grab rails (*paid link) off of Amazon. They came with studs already installed, as well as nuts for fastening.

New 16" grab rail.

 First step to install was to mark where I wanted them mounted. The two important considerations here were having it placed where it would be most comfortable to reach, as well as access to the inside of the arch so that I could put the nuts on the studs.

Using tape to mark the mounting holes.

  Once I had that figured out, it was time to once gain drill holes in my boat ;-) Note the speaker has been removed to access the hollow part of the radar arch.

Just start drilling!

 

 When drilling into the boat's gelcoat, it's always a good idea to countersink the hole to avoid surface cracks. This is especially true when installing wood screws into the fibreglass.

Countersink the holes in the gelcoat.

 

  Tada! Looks good. The most difficult part of this job was reaching the underside through the radar arch. Ours is only about 2-3" wide on the inside and working in a contorted way was a bit of a struggle.

Looking good!

  Testing out the systems ;-) As this project was done prior to our summer cruise, we had lots of time to test it while underway and I'm happy to say that it worked out perfectly.

Safety first. . .

 An extra benefit of this location was that we could coil up the aft dock line while it wasn't in use. Perfect! 

Dock line storage.

 As this kit came as a pair, I had intended to install the second grab rail on the starboard side of the radar arch. However, the hollow part of the arch on that side is considerably tighter, with virtually no access to where the uppermost stud/nut would be located, so I didn't install that one yet. 

 My current workaround idea might be to epoxy that top one in place, only using the lower stud with the provided nut. I'm thinking that the lower one would take most of the stress anyway, so the epoxy on the top stud should work fine . . .? I'll let you know how that works out when the time comes.

* Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Emergency Engine Hatch Opening - Sea Ray Sundancer

  A number of years ago, a friend/fellow boater had to do some quick repairs in his boat's engine room that required him to be down there with the engine hatch closed. His First Mate stayed above decks, waiting for him to call her to have the hatch opened again. While waiting, she asked herself what would have happened if the electrically operated hatch lift failed while hubby was down there?

 Fortunately for them, there was no issue when it came time to operate the lift, with a simple push of a button at the helm once again magically lifting the hatch. All good.

 Of course, that conversation led to the realization that a back-up plan would be prudent. In case the electrical system failed, or if there wasn't enough power in the batteries to allow the system to function, some sort of manual operation would have to suffice. Happily, most (if not all) boat manufacturers have figured out a workaround for just such a scenario.

 When we originally got our 1998 Sea Ray 330 Sundancer, I investigated to see how I - or potentially one of my rescuers - would perform this function in case of a loss of power.

 On that model, there was a screw out inspection plate (*paid link) on the engine hatch that simply unscrewed if needed. That allows one to both look into the engine room, and more importantly, reach below to access a manual release.

Open-able plate to access the engine room.

 Here's a closer look at the plate, removed for access.

 So, how does one open the hatch? Pictured below is a look at the ram that operates the power lift. The green arrow is pointing at a removable clevis pin (*paid link). By reaching through the removable plate, that pin can be easily pulled out of the ram. Once that has been removed, the entire hatch can be lifted up (on its hinges).

Removable Clevis Pin 

 The only word of caution I'd mention is that the hatch on this boat was quite heavy, so an extra pair of hands might come in handy when lifting. Of course, be very careful if you have to perform this function, as dropping that thing on hands or feet would definitely result in injuries - and that's the last thing any of us wants when enjoying time on the boat...

 * Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Holding Tank Vent Filter

  This being the first year of owning our new-to-us 370 Sundancer, I had spent the majority of my 'Repairs and Upgrades' time working on the pressing matters that I wanted to complete before our summer cruise, but hadn't even thought about the holding tank vent filter. For the first little while, we didn't notice any smells coming from the tank, but about halfway through our 5 week cruise, the telltale smell was starting to be apparent. Luckily for us - and surrounding boaters - this only occurred a few times, but I was eager to replace the vent filter as soon as we got back to our home port marina.

 Looking online to compare prices and options, I discovered a listing on Amazon for a replacement filter (*paid link), but was concerned about the low price more than anything! Having purchased the OEM units for our previous boats, I was a little skeptical as to how well an inexpensive unit might perform, but figured that with Amazon's great return policy, I'd give it a try. 

Comparing unit size before installation.

 The original 'SeaLand' (now part of the Dometic company) brand was what most Sea Rays - as well as many other boat manufacturers - of this vintage came factory equipped with and they have been widely available through aftermarket vendors and marinas. A decent product, but considering that these things are not much more than a plastic tube with charcoal filter, I was hoping that another manufacturer might have been able offer a more reasonably priced solution.

 What I was able to find was this filter (*paid link) offered through Amazon at a very attractive price, so decided to give it a try. Although I'm not familiar with the manufacturer - yachtZmarine - the unit was delivered quickly and swapping it out was simple and straightforward. The old unit was removed by merely unscrewing the two ends from the filter lines, unsnapping it from the plastic mounting brackets and putting the new one in by reversing the process. No more than a few minutes of work and it was all done!

New filter installed in just a few minutes.

  How has it performed? I installed this at the end of August and we've had no more smell after six weeks of regular use. Most manufacturers will recommend replacing these filters annually, but I have found that, in our case, we usually get at least 2 seasons before having to change them. Bear in mind that our boating season generally lasts from beginning of May to middle of October, so keep that in mind for your own situation. That said, we use the facilities on the boat exclusively, never going to the public marina washroom, so our onboard toilet system gets a good workout every year ;-)

* Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Trent Severn Waterway Seasonal Closing for 2022

  Sadly, this coming October 10th will mark the final day of the 2022 navigation season on the lovely Trent Severn Waterway. It certainly was a challenging year for the system, with closures to to high spring waters, ongoing staffing issues at the Big Chute and finally the breakdown of the Kirkfield Lift Lock. 

 The navigation season - the time when boats are able to pass through the locks and use the facilities (washrooms, etc.) - runs from the end of May through to October each year. For a full listing of dates and hours, take a look at the Parks Canada site, here. That site will be updated sometime over the off season, usually by late winter, to give specific dates for the upcoming 2023 season.

 Hopefully, many if those issues can be rectified before the 2023 season rolls around. As we always say in the boating world - there's always next year 😀 

Kirkfield Lift Lock Resumes 'Restricted' Operations

Lock #36 - the Kirkfield Lift Lock - of the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW) holds a unique distinction as being the 2nd highest lock of its type in the world, only surpassed by the Peterborough Lift Lock (Lock #21 of the TSW).

 Unfortunately, this lock suffered an unexpected and serious mechanical failure back on September 2/22 and had been out of service since that time. Although there's no details as to what the failure might have been, there is a short video taken by an on-land visitor during the event. The clip is less than 30 seconds in duration, but one can clearly see water rushing over the sides of the north chamber while the cruise boat 'Kawartha Voyageur' was being lifted up. 

 Here's the video from the incident;

 

 

Clearly, there was water entering that chamber when it wasn't supposed to be!

 When one passes through this lock (as well as the Peterborough Lift Lock), the chambers are made water tight by way of gates that open or close at the top and bottom sides of both chambers, so that excess water doesn't enter, nor escape from the chambers during transit. When the lift or lowering has been completed, the appropriate gate is opened to allow for the boats to exit or enter the chambers. A pretty straightforward practice that we've experienced many times over the past 15 years, all without incident. Seemed to be a very safe and well though out approach on the engineering side, but on this day something went very wrong.

Here's a video from our own up-bound passage (filmed July/22) through the lock that should illustrate how the system works. Note the gate dropping down toward the end of the video. That allows us (the boat) to exit the chamber - and relieving that watertight seal;

Now this is purely speculation on my part, but I'd hazard a guess that perhaps some debris got stuck in the upper gate which allowed the water to go through. Either that, or there was a loss of control for the mechanism that holds/locks that gate in place.
Luckily, the lock staff were able to lower the chamber so that the Kawartha Voyageur could be safely brought down and allow the passengers to exit the boat. Fortunately there were no injuries or damage to the boat immediately reported.

Here's an overhead view of the lock I took when visiting back in 2018;

Now that the Parks Canada crews have been able to do some preliminary repairs, it has been announced that 'modified lockages' will resume on September 26th. Parks Canada announced the following:
" . . .the Lift Lock has been approved to offer limited, single-chamber lockages to vessels returning to their home ports that cannot be trailered. These modified lockages will be conducted beginning on Monday, September 26, 2022, and delays experienced by boaters will vary depending on the position of the Lift Lock chambers when the boater arrives. Boaters (and pets) will be asked to disembark their vessels while the transfer is underway. Still, access to washroom facilities and shelter (in the case of inclement weather) will be made available. Vessels going up will experience a lockage time of approximately six (6) hours, while downbound vessels will experience a lockage time of approximately 30 minutes. . ."
The full article can be found HERE.

Hopefully the full repairs can be completed before the start of the 2023 navigation season. Will be nice to visit this spot again next year;

Goodbye to Summer '22 🥺

Hard to believe that this gorgeous summer is coming to an end already. But just like every year, it comes too quickly.

 The good news is that we still have a couple more weekends before the dreaded haulout happens, so we hope for decent weather to close out this season.

Boating To Florida?

 A question came to me the other day about whether we have ever considered taking our current boat - or any boat for that matter - south to Florida for the winters. Given the fact that live aboard our boat for the summer months, it seemed logical to this person that we just fired up the engines when it got cold and pointed it south towards the palm trees and sandy beaches. . . Here is my reply.


Yes, we currently call 'Boogaboo IV' home from May to October and love the lifestyle. It's a bit of effort to make happen, as I still work full time in my own contracting business and have to commute daily to and from the boat. The good part of that is I get to travel mostly through country roads, so it's quite scenic. As for taking her to Florida, we have discussed that possibility, but not any time soon. Again, I have a business to run for now and being away toooooooo long, or having to commute back and forth to Ontario throughout the process is not something I would entertain at this point.

That said, we are unsure as to which way the fickle winds of fate may send us as we travel through this plane of existence. Ultimately, we would love to be able to step off the boat at the end of the season and head south for the ensuing six months until the boating season resumes the following spring and that is something I am working towards. To that end, I have just released my first, feature length travel video 'Cruising The Trent Severn Waterway'.

 One other option we toyed with was to buy a second boat to keep in Florida, but the overall costs currently make that prohibitive, but something we may revisit down the road. Despite the life of Riley that many folks may perceive from my endless postings, we are like most of the rest of the working world; car payments, a mortgage and all the rest that comes with every day living. The one major difference is that we have made a solid decision to live more on our own terms and take advantage of the good days as much as we can. With my MS diagnosis a few years ago, we learned quickly that good health is precious and not to be taken for granted. We have worked contentiously to reverse my condition and a huge part of that has been stress reduction and, like I said, living life on our terms - even if it does mean maxing out the old credit card once in awhile ;-)

 Laughing at ones' self is also paramount to a healthy life, so thanks you for recognizing that. I stopped taking myself too seriously awhile back and that helps to lighten the load, so to speak. As for the lovely deck hands you mentioned you've spotted some of in my videos, I'm not sure on their availability, apart from my own Anchor Girl. She's got her hands full with taking care of me and the MAJOR reason I am working at making our lives more fun. And that, is the funnest part for me . . .

:-)

Mooring Ball in Ontario's Massasauga Provincial Park

 I was recently asked by a viewer of the following video as to how one pays for the use of a mooring ball in the Massasauga Provincial Park.

When tied up to a mooring ball in this area (the Massasauga Provincial Park), payment is made to the Ontario Provincial Park's guys who come by in a small boat to collect the fees, as well as take away your garbage for you.

 Sometimes, such as in this instance, nobody showed up when we were there, so we didn't have to pay. Not that that's an issue, because it's very reasonable, but sometimes they don't have enough time in the day to drop by every boat at every location. They will also collect a $10/night fee if your boat is tied to shore anywhere in the park. And that goes for all the boats who may be tied to shore together.

What I mean is that we have been there with four boats tied together (us and three friends) with a line running back to shore for stability. When the Park's guys came by, we all had to pay the $10/night. Again, we are good with that, because they will take the garbage away and best of all, tell you where the nicest anchorages are :-)
 
Have a look at this video I did from a trip there back in 2009. You'll see what I mean about the boats all tied to shore;

:-)

Red Right Return - Navigation Buoys, Day Markers and More

 I'm often asked some interesting questions through my YouTube videos and, more often than not, I take a simple query and reply with half of a book. So, rather than simply leaving those interactions on YouTube, I figured I could share it with you all, here on the Blog. . .

 Here was today's question; ". . for a subscriber/boating newbie here; I noticed in your lake travels, there are these red and green buoys, to which you always pass between them .. why is this and what is their purpose?"

 The long and short of the Red & Green markers is to indicate where safe water is. As one cannot 'see' how deep a given area of a lake, river or canal might be, the buoys (floating) or day beacons (land based) indicate the edge of a safe way for navigation. Used in conjunction with marine charts (paper or digital), mariners can safely pass through an area where the water is shallower than what is otherwise encountered in a given area.

 That said, different boats need different depths to pass through a waterway without risking running aground and that's where the charts come in. The captain of even the smallest boat must be aware of how much draft their vessel draws - how deep in the water it sits - as well as other factors that might determine what a safe depth might be for navigating.

 For example, our current boat 'Boogaboo IV' draws approximately 40" of water, with an average load. Load refers to all the weight on the boat, including the boat itself, plus other considerations such as fuel, water, passengers, gear, food and yes, even beer ;-) As well, that draft (the depth of the boat in the water, not the beer on tap) will be greatly affected by sea conditions. If we were travelling though rough water, our boat could begin to pitch up and down, making the average depth of water we were travelling through vary considerably, depending if we were on the crest or bottom of each wave. So, if we were travelling through water with only 4 feet of depth and it was wavy, we could bounce up and down enough to touch bottom. And that's not a good thing! Also, if a passing boat were to throw off a large wake (it happens all the time), we could (and do) get bounced around.

 For all of the above reasons, it is imperative one knows where they are and can relate to their proximity to danger, as well as changing sea conditions. And that's where those red and green markers come in.

 So, why red and green, you ask? I'll tell you. In North America, as well as other parts of the world, we follow the Red-Right-Return system of telling us which is the safe side of a given marker. In MOST cases, heading upstream (against the current), the red marker is kept to the starboard, or right, side of the boat. When heading in the opposite direction, the opposite is true and one would then keep the green markers on their starboard side.

 Confused? Don't worry, it gets better. When going through areas such as Georgian Bay, that all goes out the window. Throw in other 'Aids To Navigation' such as yellow Cardinal Buoys, black (or red) and white Fairway Markers, Red/Green/Red OR Green/Red/Green Bifurcation Markers and (sometimes) land based Range Markers and you will soon realize that there's lots to learn about boating for the serious cruiser!

 Unfortunately, many boaters are blissfully unaware of what many of these things mean - or the meaning behind them

 I should really start a video series on how to learn these things and how they are put in to practice to help folks out. There is also something called 'The Rules Of The Road', which plainly lays out who has the right-of-way when on the water. Sadly and frustratingly, there are many, many boaters who don't have a clue what that means, or how to employ the rules to maintain safety. Here is a quick video I posted last summer after I got ticked off by someone who was in the aforementioned column of not knowing;

 I hope my long winded overview on this helps you better understand what goes on. If not, at least it may inspire to you learn a bit more. . . And now you also know why I put this off until I had a bit more free time ;-)

Spring Boat Canvas Cleaning

We took advantage of a sunny and dry day yesterday to remove and thoroughly clean the canvas over our cockpit area. Late last season, we noticed that mold was starting to grow on the underside, but the year ended up being rainy most weekends so we were unable to tackle the cleaning job at that time.

Mold on underside of boat canvas.

It took us three hours to remove, scrub, dry and waterproof all of the cockpit canvas. A mild solution of bleach and Tide laundry soap does the trick on the Sunbrella canvas material.

Washing canvas.

'Boogaboo' looked partially naked with it's top off. Last summer we were able to perform the same task on the flybridge canvas and it has been mould free ever since.

Cockpit canvas removed.

 I took a bunch video during this project and hope to have something posted to my YouTube Channel in the near future, so keep an eye out for that.

 Our plan is to do each section on rotating years - flybridge again next summer, and so forth. Hopefully that will keep the disgusting mould at bay - but not on any of the bays we visit ;-)

:-)

Summer 2013 Boat Cruise - Young's Point, Clear Lake and More!

Wow, I really gotta start doing these Blog posts sooner to the actual events ;-) It's hard to believe that this set of holiday pics are from last summer and we are going to be re-launched for the 2014 season in less than two weeks!! Oh well, it's always fun to look back on memorable times, and this is no less.

  This voyage takes us back to Young's Point and a nice evening with the owner of Islandview Resort. Despite the fact we were heading back towards home, there was still lots of fun and memories to be made :-)


Waiting to go up through the lock at Young's Point;

Up-bound through Young;s Point Lock - Lock #27 of the Trent Severn Waterway.

 Across from the lock stands this old bridge, built in 1884-1885 and is the only known surviving bridge that employed both wrought iron and steel in it's construction. It's also one of the oldest bridges along the Trent Severn Waterway. Once used for road traffic, it was long ago replaced by the Regional Road 28 bridge, a little to the west highway.

Young's Point bridge.

Our host for our stay, one Mr. Kieth. Um, as a side note, he has a good connection with a guy that does a great job of fashioning drinking glasses out of empty beer bottles. How we got all those empty beer bottles between the two of us is another story ;-)

Hey Kieth, have you seen my empties? ;-)

Another great spot to tie up for a night or two.

The docks at Islandview Resort and Marina.

Leaving Young's Point and heading northbound across Lake on a clear, sunny day;

A clear day on Clear Lake.

 Lots of pretty scenery as we approach Hell's Gate that separates Clear & Stony Lakes;

Hell's Gate on Stony Lake.

Anchor Girl still trying to get that perfect shot of St. Peter's Church - an incident that got us into trouble the first time passing through here, years before! Watch the upcoming video for all the details;

Perry The Penguin sure enjoyed his time travelling through here. Warm & sunny is right up his ally!

Perry The Penguin having fun on his first boating vacation.

St. Peter's Church - on the rock.

St. Peter's Church on Stony Lake.

VIDEO: Our cruise from Young's Point and through the very picturesque Hell's Gate on Stony Lake;


The aptly named Stony Lake offers similar cruising grounds to that of Georgian Bay, albeit only for a short distance of just a few miles.

At the far western end of Stony Lake is the bottom side of Burleigh Falls Lock (Lock #28), and our stop for the next two nights

Approaching Burleigh Falls Lock.

Next time, we are at Burleigh Falls Lock for a very stormy night!

:-)

Writing a Book, One Brick at a Time

For those of you who have been following this Blog or my YouTube channel for the past few years, you will have already seen the posts from our grand adventure when we purchased 'Boogaboo IV', back in 2010. Well, after retelling many highlights of that experience over the ensuing years, I have been inspired to put it all together in the form of a book. Yup, you heard right - I'm writing a book.

(Actually, I'm in the midst of writing two books, but the other one has a much deeper, personal resonance to it which I'll delve into more in a future post.)

Referring to that event as a grand adventure isn't mere hype. It was truly a milestones that would mark a turning point in our lives - not only in terms of our boating travels, but in our whole outlook on life and what we CAN do as a couple - and survive it intact!!

In Michigan with our soon-to-be 'Boogaboo IV'.

  Survival was the key to the whole story. And the whole story is a whole lot more than can be properly conveyed through mere Blog posts, hence the book. Survival, as you will learn, has many connotations and will be used in the context of this story to relate to not only surviving a voyage of nearly 700 miles, but also that of mental, emotional and yes, marriage survival! Perhaps 'ordeal' might have been a more descriptive term ;-)

Applying the name on the transom before leaving Michigan, making it 'Ours' :-)

 So, what the heck do bricks have to do with it all, you surely must be asking yourself? Read on . . .

 As I am going on about my day, especially when I am involved in physical labour (which is most work days, in my contracting businesses) I feel that my mind is somehow released and that more far reaching thoughts and inspirations come to me, most especially when I am working alone. Take this weekend, for example. As part of our preparations to move onto the boat full time, we had to make some changes to the house and I was basically pushing a paint brush and roller for hours at a time. Put on some good music & it gives me time to think.

 And think, I do. Lots of it! As I continually point out to my lovely Anchor Girl, I could fill five more lifetimes with all the thoughts, aspirations and inspirations that come to me. But that's OK, because I firmly know that when this current plain of existence ends, I (we) will continue on with a much higher propose, so ultimately, I got lots of time :-)

 But I digress. Back to the bricks!

 I find it amazing how thoughts seem to come to me out of the blue, then only to be reinforced, or revisited a short time later by that same 'spark' being presented to me in another context. Almost like it's trying to show me something. . .

 Case in point (and finally getting to the darned bricks!); As part of my free thinking moments yesterday, I was reflecting on one of the 14,286.419 pieces of seemingly useless information floating around my head, that being a fact I recalled that Winston Churchill (former Prime Minister of England & 20th Century icon) would spend a great deal of time working at his estate, Chartwell, doing - you guessed it - bricklaying!

 From many accounts, Sir Winston derived a similar mental escape through building walls, fences and other brick structures that seemed to clear the way for inspirations to flow freely. His bricks, my paint brush. Or drywall trowel, or whatever the tool du jour happens to be. Perhaps it was through this release that Mr. Churchill found the abundant inspiration to write more than 50 volumes in his time.

 Do I have 50 books in me? Dunno. Two years ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of me writing ONE book, let alone two! But here I am, knee deep into it and finding that writing and me seem to have a long suppressed destiny.  I hope that you will look forward to reading about our boating adventure - and more. I will promise you that I'm going to do my best to keep you entertained, and more importantly - inspired!

 Quickly getting back to the connections between these thoughts that seem to come out of nowhere. Yesterday I was thinking and jotting my notes to share with you about our Mr. Churchill and his bricklaying release. Today, I was looking at a web site (boating related, no less) published by someone we know but haven't haven't talked to in too many years and what pops up? A photo of a boat with the name 'Chartwell', along with a caricature of Winston Churchill on the transom, produced by this very person!

 Was this a coincidence? No sir. Just one more sign that our new path, book, rekindled relationships and so much more yet to be discovered destinies are meant all to be. And I'm grateful for that & the forces that are moving us along this path :-)

:-)

Summer Boat Cruise 2013 - Glorious Stay at Lakefield Lock

For the 2013 boating vacation voyage, this would be the farthest 'away' we were to go, Lakefield Lock - Lock #26 of the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW). I was hoping to travel to Peterborough, but with the shorter hours of operation and the fact that our usual time off work was cut back back by almost a third this year, so we decided this was it.

 Not that I am sad that we didn't get any farther, on the contrary, despite have ventured to all of the areas we saw on prior trips, this was like seeing much of it for the first time. That was as a result of our ability to stay at a number of the locks for days at a time. Having the built in generator on the boat sure gives us so much more freedom to go where we wish, while maintaining most of the comforts we would enjoy tied to our dock at home.

Like most of the other locks, this one provides a peaceful and secure setting to tie up for a night or two. As you can see in this shot, I turned Boogaboo to have the bow facing 'back home', right at the end of the wall. This allowed us easy egress when we decided to leave, as well as a good view downstream to all the comings and goings while the lock was operating.

Tie up wall at the Lakefield Lock.

Video: A really nice clip of our short run over to the Lock. Another peaceful, sunny day on the water - complete with a notable docking manoeuvre at the end ;-)


Our view from the back of the boat, looking towards the lock;

Pretty view.

Sunshine, and lots of green;

Lock #26 of the Trent Severn Waterway, at Lakefield, Ontario.

The lock chamber, looking downstream, of course. There are rumours (reported to us more than once) that this lock has the BIGGEST spiders of any along the TSW. Anchor Girl was thrilled to hear that the first time we passed through here ;-)

Be wary of the Spiders . . ..

Video: One of the few dinghy rides we took on this trip saw us heading back into the village to grab more food (natch) and BEER :-)


After the big workout from our dinghy ride, it was getting to be cocktail time. A favourite spot for us to enjoy a cool drink is sitting on our folding lounge chairs, propped on the swim platform, feet up on the floating dingy;

Watching the world go by . . .

Evening of the second day and the joint had filled up. It was nice to wander and talk to the other boaters, discussing the TSW issues;

A full house.

Our spot on the wall. Nice;

Looking forward to going back here.

Cool shot across the port side deck, complete with funky lens flare;

Shine a little sunshine on me :-)

Video: Before heading off, we walked over to the local grocery store for MORE food & I took this clip of the local walking trail, which passed right beside our mooring;


The ending shot form the video was taken overlooking the control dam, just ahead of the lock. I was able to also snap a neat still photo of the big Chris Craft riding by;

A view of top and bottom.

The next segment sees us heading back to Young's Point and some time with our host to catch up and swap stories.

:-)