Started out at a chilly fifty-eight degrees this morning amidst rain showers at Killbear. Though it continued to rain all day, we would run into the most interesting bit of engineering of the trip. Stay tuned…
First railway of the day was at Parry Sound. A very cool harbor, it offers a lighthouse, shops, marinas, and a high railway trestle. Hearing a diesel horn in the distance I waited, sheltering the camera in my raincoat, for a train to complete the scene. The train sounded closer and closer, then faded into the distance. Later learned that there is a lower trestle and another route out of town.
Mondays are quiet in Parry Sound, the tour boat crew takes the day off with only ducklings visiting the community dock.
Seaplanes waited for passengers at the Parry Sound Airport
Georgian Bay Airways offers sightseeing trips and transportation to remote islands. And they have a great logo!
Leaving the peaceful town of Parry Sound, Beth spotted “Big Chute Marine Railway” on the GPS. No need to even ask if we should investigate a combination of boats and a railway.
Did you know there is a navigable route from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron that bypasses Lake Erie? The Trent-Severn Waterway traverses 386 kilometers (240 miles) through Ontario connecting Port Severn in Georgian Bay to the Bay of Quinte in Lake Ontario.
A combination of canals, rivers, lakes and locks connect the two Great Lakes. Here at Big Chute, there is a little impediment to boating as rapids and waterfalls drop fifty-eight feet between two lakes.
If your vessel is less than 100 feet long, 24 feet wide, with a draft no deeper than 6 feet, it can traverse this barrier on the Big Chute Marine Railway.
The specially-designed railway carriage is lowered into the water on a submerged track. Boats are then floated onto the deck of the car and cradled by slings.
The carriage is slowly raised out of the water, and the boat “settles” into the slings for support.
The carriage is hoisted up the slope by wire ropes attached to electric motors.
Red and white arms protect the railway as it crosses the road, just like any other railroad crossing.
Red and white arms protect the railway as it crosses the road, just like any other railroad crossing.
It stays almost level due to a unique double track, which allows the front legs of the carriage to follow one set of tracks while the back legs follow another.
Down the hill they go.
And the tracks go right into the water at the base of the hill.
We were fascinated and couldn’t walk away. Here comes another boat heading uphill this time.
You can see the two sets of tracks as the carriage passed us.
And the two boats are set gently into the water at the top of the hill.
Parks Canada has a short video showing the lock operation here: Video Link
We now have a new item for our bucket list. Renting or borrowing a boat on which to traverse the Trent-Severn waterway looks to be a great adventure!
note: Signage mentioned that the electricity to power the railway is entirely supplied by the hydroelectric dam that runs beside the railway.
All manner of vessels traverse the waterway. A couple of large canoes filled with youthful crews emerged from the mist and headed towards hot food at the nearby diner.
Back on the main lake, we drove through lots of neat small towns along the Lake Huron Coast. It is always more interesting to get off the major highways.
Rant warning – We turned off the coastal route in Collingwood to buy Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) at Walmart. Four people came close to hitting us in the parking lot, the store was a mess, and they were out of DEF. It is not worth whatever we save dealing with Walmart; I’m going elsewhere for supplies in the future. – end rant.
Craigleith is a delightful small town at the base of the Blue Mountains. It is easy to see the popularity of the beautiful lakefront homes with access to skiing almost in their backyards.
Tonight we are in Owen Sound in an inexpensive city park campground. Unfortunately it is still raining as it is a neat park in an interesting town. There are bike paths, waterfalls, salmon ladders, a yarn shop, and a combination railroad/marine museum. See tomorrow’s post for an exploration of that community.