August 2023 -- I was invited to Ontario to speak at two goat hoof health clinics. In between the two clinics I had some time to play tourist. Fortunately, there were things in the area worth exploring, mostly the canal and lock system on the Trent-Severn Waterway.
According to Wikipedia, "The Trent–Severn Waterway is a 386-kilometre-long (240 mi) canal route connecting Lake Ontario at Trenton to Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, at Port Severn. Its scenic, meandering route has been called 'one of the finest interconnected systems of navigation in the world.'" The system is still in service and is used mostly for tourism and recreational boats.
Trent-Severn Waterway
The Peterborough Lift Lock is a boat lift located on the Trent Canal in the city of Peterborough, and is Lock 21 on the Trent-Severn Waterway. For many years, the lock's dual lifts were the highest hydraulic boat lifts in the world, raising boats 65 feet. Now the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland (which I've also seen) is higher and more modern. The Peterborough lock opened in 1904 versus 2002 for the Falkirk Wheel.
Peterborough Lift Lock
Along Little Lake
Lock 20 is located at the Northeast Corner of Little Lake. It's a way from busy roads, so it's a quite spot. I met three nice young men at the lock. They let me turn the wheel and open the lock for a boat to go through.
Lake side
Lock keeper
Going through the lock
The Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge is the only one of its kind in Ontario. It is 300 feet across and 30 feet above the gorge. It was built by engineers of the Canadian forces as a training project. You can see right through it as you walk across the bridge.
Ranney Suspension Bridge
Ranney Falls span the entire width of the Trent River, about 80 meters (almost 200 feet). The plunge is bigger than it looks, about 4 meters (13 feet). Water in the river is directed towards the hydroelectric plant.
Ranney Falls
Me at Ranney Falls
200 feet across
A giant $2 Canadian coin is located along the Trent River in Campbellford. Erected in 2001, the coin is 27 feet high and 15 feet in diameter. In reality, the Canadian $2 coin (called the "Toonie") was introduced in 1996. There is a polar bear on one side of the coin.
Toonie
Mural of the Trent River
Healey Falls are a wide falls on the Trent River. They are over a hundred meters (328 feet) in length. A dam runs across the top of the falls. You could walk all the way across the dam. That was neat. The majority of the water flow is sent for hydroelectric power. When I saw the falls, there wasn't much water flow. They weren't very impressive. That's the thing about water falls. They need water!
Trent River Dam
Thundering water
Healey Falls
Not much water
Quiet waters
Healey Falls Locks are the second flight locks on the Waterway. They are located 7 miles upstream from the town of Campbellford.
Going through the lock
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