We are in the Georgian Bay!

How do you follow up on something as unusual and exciting as the Big Chute?  Well....Holy Cow we are now in the Georgian Bay!  After traversing the Big Chute (lock 44)  we traveled a ways to the smallest of the locks on the Trent-Severn Waterway, this one is Lock 45 in Port Severn and its the last lock on this canal system.  Once we dropped down the 12' we exit the lock to the Georgian Bay.  This lock being the smallest in length 84' means if you want to travel the entire TSW you must be under 84', an easy task for us.  I must warn, after exiting this lock the cruising guides tell you about the current and the narrow winding channel here,  I will just say it is an understatement,  with all the traffic bogged up at this lock and little room for boaters to tread water waiting to go up,it can be a bit intimidating if larger boats are coming in as you need to head out as there is only room for one boat at a time, and as I said it is a Narrow 25' with a strong current and curvy.
We are now in Midland and will remain here for 2 nights as we are waiting the end of a long Canadian weekend.

This is our first peek at the Georgian Bay

And this is our home for the next 2 nights.

WOW the Big Chute Marine Railway- July 31st

This is yet another milestone of our journey, we have read about the Big Chute in blogs and seen many photos however, to see it in person is an another thing entirely.  We docked at the Big Chute Marina to take in the working aspects of it and to take many photos including Blue Skies on the Chute.  We met up with Larry and Christine at the Rendezvous in Norfolk back in May but barely exchanged a hello until we once again met up with them in Orillia Ontario.  It is fun and interesting to share stories with fellow loopers along the way.

What is the Big Chute you say?  It is not a lock though it is counted as lock 44 in this one you and your boat are transported out of the water on a giant railway carriage over a road and down the side of a rocky hilltop back into the water below. The total drop is 60' and it is the only marine railway cart still in use in the world. Well thats one way to get from the high lake to the lower lake!  It is a site to behold and even more exciting to experience the ride in person.

Here we are at the blue line with Blue Skies we took a walk to check it out.  So we took photos of Blue Skies on the Chute.

 Blue Skies is entering the Railway car.  They are then lifted on straps and the car starts moving up the hill.

 Then over the road to the other side then down the hill and out to the lower lake.

We decided to stay the night and do the Chute in the morning.  This is how the chute rests at night,  just off to the side of the road.  What a site!

Our turn, in we go.  Since we are lifted out of the water Jim asked the lock master if he would take a look at our props to see how they looked.  No harm in asking ay?  He said the bottom looked good and the prop had a small piece of rope on it.  Hmmm Jim had thought there may be something going on below water.

This is at the bottom exiting.

We are heading down the otherside

At the top ........starting down the hill

This is what it looks like on the otherside, we just exited it.