Clayton New York

Crossing Over the Saint Lawrence River to Visit Clayton, New York

Clayton, New York is Home to the Antique Boat Museum Clayton, New York, and the Thousand Islands area, on the Saint Lawerence River between New York State and Ontario Canada, are places we’ve always wanted to visit. We knew we'd have to cross the border again to dock on the U.S. side of the river. We would have to cross back again to Canada to resume our trip to Montreal. The border crossing felt seamless as we used the new mobile app from the Department of Homeland Security, called CBP Roam, to check into Clayton. One highlight of visiting this small town…

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Trenton

Gateway to the Trent-Severn Waterway – Trenton, Ontario

Last Day on the Trent-Severn Waterway for the Crew of Kismet! Frankford was a fun stop and we're glad we spent the night there, but now that the Trent-Severn Waterway is behind us, we are antsy to move on – time to explore places we've not been before. It seems most of our cruises include revisiting a few past favorites along with exploring new territory. This 2018 end-of-summer cruise is no different. We redid the TSW north to south this time, backward from when we did our first Great Loop trip in 2006. Looking back, starting with the Ranger Tugs and…

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Frankford Lock

Peaceful, Friendly Stop in Frankford, Ontario – Trent Severn Waterway

We Looked Forward to our Stops in Campbellford and Frankford – Cruising to Campbellford today, followed by Frankford, Ontario tomorrow. At this point on our Trent Severn journey, we were only three travel days, 18 locks, and 50 miles away from Trenton, Ontario, and the end of this amazing Canadian waterway. We departed Hastings for a leisurely 19-mile cruise to Campbellford for a quick overnight stay. After negotiating several locks we arrived at the roomy dock wall at Old Mill Park where we knew, from our earlier visit, we’d have electricity and be able to fill up our water tanks…

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Peterborough Lift Lock

Riding the Bucket at Peterborough Lift Lock – Ontario, Canada

Powered by Gravity – Lock 21 Features the Unique Peterborough Lift Lock! The day started off like most other days on this journey, however, on this day we were excited to be locking through the Peterborough Lift Lock. Built in the early 1900s, the Peterborough Lift Lock is quite a treat for boaters transiting the Trent Severn Waterway. Peterborough lift lock is on the Otonabee River section of the waterway. It is a Canadian National Historic Site, fashioned after smaller lift locks in Europe. Considered to be a marvel of modern engineering, because gravity powers it, the Peterborough Lift Lock is the…

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Lakefield

Lakefield Lock Wall Was a Dreamy Stop – Trent Severn Waterway – Ontario, Canada

Lakefield Lock 26 was one of the most picturesque stops on the Trent Severn Waterway The historic little town of Lakefield resides in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. After transiting five locks, Lakefield was our planned stop for the day. The approach to the lock was a long, narrow, twisty, rock and tree-lined canal. We were the only boat there when we arrived, later joined by a young couple on a speedboat who camped, in a tent on land, by their boat. We tied up on the lock wall before the lock (the upside of the lock). Although, at first…

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Bobcaygeon

We May Never Leave Bobcaygeon – Trent Severn Waterway – Ontario, Canada

Stopping in Bobcaygeon was a Highlight of our Trent Severn Waterway Cruise! – Jim and I have been talking about Bobcaygeon for some time now, especially when we made plans to cruise the Trent Severn Waterway again. We missed stopping in Bobcaygeon last time, on our first "Loop" trip in 2006. So, for us, it was always the place on the Trent Severn that we regretted not stopping at. In 2006, after we locked through to the upper side, there weren’t any spots available, either below or above. So we pushed on through. It was mid-June, and the height of…

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Fenelon Falls

Locking Up and Down to Fenelon Falls – Trent Severn Waterway – Ontario, Canada

It was a cloudy, windy day on our cruise to Fenelon Falls – The overcast day was unfortunate since we were to transit Kirkfield Lift Lock 36 on that day before we docked at Fenelon Falls. Located in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, the hydraulic lift lock would be the highlight of our day on the water. I wanted to get a few good photos of the trip. We remember it as being a very scenic ride up in the “tub” when we came through the Trent Severn during our Great Loop trip in 2006. The channel leading to the lock is…

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Talbot Lock

Locking Through – Trent Severn Waterway – Ontario, Canada

Trent Severn Waterway – Canada’s Renowned Inland Passageway – Jim and I cruised the Trent Severn Waterway once before, it was on our first Great Loop trip, in 2005/06. That time we did the whole waterway, this time we will only do the stretch from Lake Simcoe, south to Trenton. No Big Chute for us this time. It will be interesting to do this waterway from north to south. Last time, we were traveling home to complete our “Loop” in Charlevoix, Michigan, so we went from Trenton to Severn, ending up in Georgian Bay. Our end-of-summer trip plans start with the Trent Severn Waterway…

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Pot Luck

2018 Great Lakes Area Rendezvous – Day One – Potluck Dinner on the Dock

DAY ONE – 2018 Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats Great Lakes Area Rendezvous – We all came for this! A gathering of TugNuts and Tugettes. We love our boats, and there's nothing like a rendezvous to bring this happy group of boaters together to have a good time. We started the festivities before the actual event began, with the BBQ dinner at Lefroy Harbour Resorts, on Thursday night. On Friday more boats arrived at Port of Orillia, by Happy Hour Ranger Tugs littered the docks, every shape, size, and color, and one Cutwater Boat. Several people came but didn't bring their…

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Orillia

Kismet Arriving for the Rendezvous in Orillia – Ontario’s “Sunshine City”

Orillia, Ontario – Location of the 2018 Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats Great Lakes Area Rendezvous – Our friend, Mark Renshaw is the one who suggested Orillia as the location for this year's rendezvous. Mark is a Ranger Tug owner, and he's from Orillia. Jim was looking for a location on the Trent-Severn Waterway because it is one of our favorite canal systems. Boaters could cruise the beautiful Trent-Severn after the event. Fifty-five percent of attendees were Canadian, 45% Americans It was a surprise to us how many local Ranger Tug owners signed up for the rendezvous. Due to Lefroy Harbor selling…

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Orillia, Canada – 2018 Great Lakes Area Ranger Tugs/Cutwater Boats Rendezvous

2018 Great Lakes Area Ranger Tugs & Cutwater Boats Summer Rendezvous Port of Orillia – Ontario, Canada on the Trent Severn Waterway Dates:  August 17, 18 & 19th Registration for this Rendezvous is Now Underway. Registration has been extended to May 31, 2018 • LINK TO REGISTRATION FORM • Since 2014, the Great Lakes Area Rendezvous has moved to different areas on, or near, the Great Lakes. This way, we can explore different ports of call. Last year's event was held on Round Lake in Charlevoix, Michigan. This year's rendezvous will be held in Orillia, Ontario, on the beautiful Trent Severn…

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change, Jim and Lisa Favors Kismet

“Change is the Only Constant in Life” – Heraclitus

Change is Good! The phrase, "Change is the only constant in life,” was written by a Greek philosopher named Heraclitus of Ephesos (around 500 BC). I’m sure when he wrote these now famous words he was not thinking about the cruising travel plans of Kismet (a Turkish word that stands for "fate" or "meant to be"). Lisa and I have made a complete overhaul of our 2015/2016 fall and winter cruising plans, it must be "kismet." Our original plans, of cruising the Rideau Canal this fall, then heading to Florida for the winter, have changed dramatically. We’ve decided to trailer Kismet west, across the country…

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Anchorage at Fox Island, North Channel, Canada

Fox Island – North Channel, Canada

Fox Island Provided a Beautiful Rocky Hiking Trail Lined with Berries When we left South Benjamin Island we headed for Fox Island, located only about four miles from South Benjamin. We had anchored here once before with our Silverton and remembered how beautiful it was. The landscape is rocky all around the anchorage's perimeter, offering good hiking and photo opportunities. When we anchored here previously, we were the only boat on the hook in the channel, this time there were several boats already at anchor. Our boat has a very shallow draft, about 2.5 feet, so we can usually get…

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Two Ranger Tugs

And Then There Were Two… Kismet and Illusions

Two Ranger Tugs on the Rocks – North Channel, Canada Coffee tasted extra good high up on the granite rocks this morning. Jim and I discussed how long we should stay in this spot at South Benjamin Island before we headed to the Ranger Tugs Rendezvous in Little Current – we both agreed, it might be one of those long three-day stays. We only have five days before we need to be in Little Current for the rendezvous and sometimes it's just not as relaxing to move every day or two to cram several spots in. We figured it doesn't get much better than this…

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Ranger Tug Kismet, South Benjamin Island, Canada

On the Rocks – South Benjamin Island

Rocking On the Rocks We left Eagle Island early so we would have the best chance to secure a place on the rocks at South Benjamin Island. We anticipated a lot of boating activity in the North Channel this weekend due to the Canadian Civic Holiday falling on Monday. We wanted to get in early in the day to snag a good spot. Kismet On the Rocks! We had previously anchored in a small cove near the southwest entrance to the channel. Although that spot was free when we arrived, we soon spotted another location further in where we had seen boats tied…

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Ranger Tug Kismet, Sailboat, Eagle Island, Canada

First Anchorage – Eagle Island

After launching the boat in Spanish, we decided to anchor at Eagle Island. There we spent most of the late afternoon and early evening organizing and storing stuff on the boat. Since Jim organized the rendezvous, we have boxes and boxes of ditty bag items, printed agendas and books to stow on board. We finally found a home for everything and were able to relax on the back deck to enjoy the last remnants of the sun setting behind the island. Eagle Island, which is 2.25 miles in length, has a large open bay, but we found it to have good protection…

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Ranger Tugs Ready to Launch, North Channel

Oh Canada!

Oh Canada O Canada! Where pines and maples grow, Great prairies spread and Lordly rivers flow! How dear to us thy broad domain, From East to Western sea! The land of hope for all who toil, The true North is strong and free! God keep our land, glorious and free. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee! more lyrics We arrived in Spanish, Ontario this afternoon to launch Kismet and begin our trek to Little Current for the 2014 Ranger Tugs/Cutwater North Channel Rendezvous. After a slow start to our summer cruising…

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Santana Docked at Pender Harbour, Canada

Pender Harbour – Calm Before the Storm

Pender Harbour – As nice as Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls were, it felt good to be back in civilization with hot showers – We timed our departure from Chatterbox Falls to catch the first slack tide at Malibu Rapids; once back into Jervis Inlet we enjoyed a leisurely cruise, retracing the 40-mile route as we headed for our end-of-day destination, Pender Harbour. A lot of the Canadian boaters we met during our Desolation Sound cruise this summer recommended a stay at Pender Harbour, a natural harbor just off the Strait of Georgia. The harbor has a number of marinas and…

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Rock Formations, Hardy island, Canada

Positioning Ourselves at Hardy Island for the Run Up to Chatterbox Falls

The Anchorage at Hardy Island is Located at the Base of Jervis Inlet We were somewhat protected by Texada Island as we cruised 21 miles southeast from Powell River to Hardy Island. The anchorage at Hardy Island is located at the base of Jervis Inlet. We are positioning ourselves for the cruise up to Princess Louisa Inlet, Malibu Rapids, and finally Chatterbox Falls. Entering Blind Bay we found calm waters ideal for anchoring in a narrow, well-protected, cove within Hardy Island Marine Park. As we were scouting for a spot to drop our hook we came across a small black bear…

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Kismet Cruising to Powell River, Canada

Wet and Bumpy Ride to Powell River

Conditions on the way to Powell River were not scary, just very bumpy and unpleasant. We had strong, guess you could almost say instinctual, reservations about leaving Lund, for Powell River, the next day. It was rainy and quite windy, so we waited a bit to see how the rain and wind conditions would develop. Our intent was to cruise to Hardy Island to anchor out for the night. From the protection of the marina in Lund, we noticed several boats heading south. So we decided to give it a try ourselves, thinking we could always turn back if it…

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Fishing Boats, Lund, Canada

Leaving Desolation Sound for the Village of Lund, British Columbia

 Headed to Lund – Entering the Sunshine Coast... After two glorious weeks of picture-perfect boating weather and sensory overload during our exploration of Canada’s Desolation Sound, the time had come to start working our way south/southeast. We had a calm but overcast day to exit Desolation sound from our anchorage in Roscoe Bay. Up next, was Jervis and Princess Louisa Inlets and the much talked about Chatterbox Falls, but first we had to explore a few of the little fishing villages along British Columbia's "Sunshine Coast." Our first stop was Lund (below), a busy, picturesque, seaside village, 120km north of Vancouver,…

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Kayaks, Rosco Bay, Desolation Sound

Seeking Crystal Clear Water of Black Lake

As Our Cruise in Desolation winds close to the end, Black Lake Was a Real Treat! One of the activities we came to enjoy while cruising Desolation Sound was hiking to the many inland freshwater lakes. Black Lake was one such lake located not far from our anchorage in Roscoe Cove. After a short dinghy ride, it was easily accessed by hiking a fairly short woodsy remnant of a logging trail. The trail continued along the lake for a while before heading up a big hill. Lush vegetation and huge ferns surrounded us as we explored the trail further up the hill…

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