Campbellford to Hastings, Canada

Day 16

NM today: 16

NM total: 467

Locks today: 6

Locks total: 46

Travel Time: 5 hours

MODIFIED to include pictures and updated text when WiFi became available.

No Internet at Hastings so I'm sitting in a parking lot using free WiFi from Subway sandwich shop.

We went through 6 locks again today as we traveled 16 more miles of the Trent - Severn Waterway.  

Before starting out for the day, we had a few errands to run.

First we wanted to visit the pedestrian suspension bridge over the raging water.  We rode our bikes back to the previous lock to get there.  I'd guess about a mile or two from the boat.  

View from suspension bridge

Then we rode back to town via the chocolate factory in town.   Clark went into the factory outlet store to look around while I stayed outside to watch the bikes.  Neither of us eat chocolate so he didn't buy anything.   He came back with the report that it smelled divine in the store.

Chocolate Factory Outlet Store

We then went further into town in search of the post office so that we could mail an urgent letter back to the U.S.  Next we hit Dooher's Bakery which is the most happening place in the whole town.  Apparently folks come from miles around to buy their goodies.  

Here Clark watched the bikes while I shopped.   I bought tea biscuits for me and oatmeal cookies and raspberry pie for Clark.

By this time it was around 10:30 by the time we got back  op the boat.   Other than one boat that was staying an extra night, all the others were gone.

We still had some tasks to take care of before leaving, so it turned out to be 12:15 before we pulled in our lines and were on our way.

On the way to Hastings we entered "cottage country"as all along the spite on both sides there was one cottage after another.  Some were decorated in interesting ways.   One place had a fixed dock painted as an image of the Canadian flag.  Another had a dock that was painted to look exactly like a lock with a boat leaving.   At that same cottage there was a sign that said "Bite My Bass ".

Boat house 

We passed numerous islands on this stretch with some interesting names including Dark Island, Haunted Island, Slaughter Island, Spook Island, Steam Island, West Sugar Island, Cow Island, Long Island, Sunken Island, and Grasshopper Island (to name a few).  One island of interest was called "Clarks Island" which was quite close to "Mud Lake".  Clearly Canadians have a sense of humor and pride in their country and what it has to offer.

Part of today's trip took us through a double lock where a 2nd one starts immediately after the first completes.  We were raised up to the bottom of the blue doors, they opened, we moved into the 2nd half of the double lock, and we were raised up the rest of the way to exit.

Lock 16/17 Double Lock

After tying up in Hastings we walked the town to see what we could find.   Due to our late start, the stores were mostly closed.  We did discover the free WiFi at Subway obviously.  We found a dollar store that charged more than a dollar for items in the store - like $8.99  (I'm not sure how it rates as a dollar store), 3 or 4 convenience stores within a 2 block radius, the beer store, and the LCBO - liquor control board of Ontario liquor store.  Since we don't drink alcohol, we did not check the last 2 out on the inside.  

Since we are on a tight budget and we had food in the fridge, we went back to the boat for a home-cooked dinner.

Mediterranean Tilapia over Sauteed Spinach with Yukon Gold Potatoes

Besides the free WiFi at Subway, we found a great ice cream place, so after dinner we walked back to make use of the WiFi and get ourselves a delicious treat after a hard day.  Clark couldn't decide between the rainbow sherbet and the cookies and cream ice cream, so he had both.  We then headed back to the boat to relax.