Southern Style: Young's Point, Lovesick Lake

Sunday morning July 8th we left Peterborough Marina heading farther along the Trent-Severn Waterway. There were quite a number of boats leaving that morning so we waited until around 10:30-11:00 AM to head out, giving the others some time to get ahead of us. When we got to the lift lock, our friend Rob Liss was on shore to take some pictures of Southern Style in this one of a kind lock. When he forwards them to us I will post several.

Here is my picture as we approached the lock

Tried in and going up

We were in with a tour boat and they had us squeezed in there

View from the cockpit of Southern Style as we rode up

After exiting the lift lock we continued on heading toward the next locks.

You see just about anything along the waterway

Southern Style waiting for a lock

We continued through 7 locks and got to the bottom of the Young's Point lock around 3:30 PM. Rob had told us that the top of this lock was a nice overnight stop with an ice cream stand, general store, and a B & B that served dinner to the public. Being a pretty summer weekend however, it was full with local boats when we got there. After talking with the lock attendants, they told us to wait at the bottom of the lock and they would let us through as the last boat at 6:30 PM. We could then overnight on the "blue line" at the top of the lock. This is an area of the lock wall above and below each lock painted blue. Boats pull up to this area when they want to go through the lock. As the last boat of the night, we would not be in any ones way on the blue line and we would be gone in the morning before the lock opened at 9:00 AM Monday.

It worked out just fine. I had some ice cream to hold me over while waiting for the last lock through. We tied up at 6:30 PM and walked to the Old Bridge Inn for a lovely dinner. I tried the local fish, pickerel, a popular fish here which I had never had. It was a mild, white fish and very tasty. Rob's recommendation to stop at Young's Point was spot on.

Hand crank used to close lock doors

Hand crank used to open and close water gates in the lock

Young's Point

Historic Footbridge

This bridge was built in the 1880s just as wrought iron was replaced by steel for construction. It is unique in that this bridge uses both iron and steel. It also has pinned trusses which disappeared in the 1890s with the invention of the field rivetter.

Monday morning July 9th we had a short 10 miles and two locks to our next destination. On the way we crossed the corner of Stoney Lake. You can guess how it got its name. They say there are more islands in Stoney Lake than in the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River. They may well be right. Some of the narrow channel areas with rocks on each side just under the water was making Captain Keith a bit jittery. The area is beautiful as we were really getting into the granite region of Canada.

The Canadians could utilize some larger channel markers.

There are many cottages on the islands throughout Stoney Lake

Passing Burleigh Falls

Our stop for the day was the top of Lovesick Lock in Lower Buckhorn Lake another recommendation from Rob. This is one of the prettiest locks on the Trent-Severn Waterway. Because it was close, we arrived around 10:30 AM and immediately got both the kayak and dinghy down. I took off in the kayak with Pengi while Keith did some fishing.

Pengi kayaking with me

Some of the views of the lake from the kayak

Pengi liked this island and claimed it for himself

Lovesick Lake which is just on the low side of the lock was named for an Indian boy who fell in love with a red-headed Irish girl who did not return his affections. It certainly is a beautiful spot. We had a great day exploring the water and finished with steak on the grill for dinner.

One of several of Captain Keith's catches for the day

This was about a 3 pound small mouth bass