A few boats went over the Big Chute Marine Railway and we were all excited to watch. The first one, Knot So Fast, we played leapfrog with since Kingston. We watched them go up and over, but not all the way down.
I worked out and finished in time to get off the boat and walk over to watch the other two boats from Swift Rapids load up, over, and down into the water with Roo. It was a long way down, but it was cool to see what to expect before we went. Although, it may have worried Roo more. She spotted a solo strawberry on a plant next to the walkway along the railway.
When Ben's meeting was done, we fired up the engines, pulled the lines and fenders, and honked to let the train car know that we were on our way over, since they had just brought someone up from the other side. I called the kids and told them to get all of their things and put them on the boat.
Ben backed the Cartermaran off the dock and drove it right onto the partially submerged train car. The train car is a steel carriage with wooden planks, like a dock, on the part where the boats sit. It is 24 feet wide and the Cartermaran is 18 feet and 8 inches wide, so we had to push the boat off so the steel wouldn't cut our boat. The Parks Canada employees were up on a platform on the train car, next to us, and used boat hooks and pushed with their arms to help us get positioned how they wanted us. Ben was focused on telling them where to put the lift straps, but it turns out they don't even use lift straps with catamarans!
Once we were all set, the train car started moving up the track and out of the water. The car goes up a small hill, crosses a road, and then goes down a large hill. There is about 600 feet of track and the elevation decrease is about 27 feet. Ben and I both told the kids to put their hands up once we were going downhill and only Moose did. The girls were a little concerned that we'd signed them up for a rollercoaster ride without their permission.
During our time on the train, we found out that the new Big Chute Marine Railway was built in 1976. The old one was used since 1917 and was decommissioned in 2003. The lockmaster also said he'd never work at any other lock station because this one makes him think and keeps him on his toes all day, every day. I mentioned that we were lucky to be the only boat on at the time, and he said he thinks it'll be an all-around slow season. (In our Looping book, it says to allow 4 hours of cruising time, just for the Big Chute! It took us less than 10 minutes.)
At the end of the ride, we could tell we were in the water again because the bow started lifting up and we were, once again, floating. What a remarkable experience to be on a boat train!
Big Chute Marine Railway reactions:
Ben- I thought it was cool, unique, easy. The only elevator that our boat's ever been on.
Lisa- It was bumpier than I expected. It was mind-boggling that our boat just sat on the platform and didn't need straps.
Bear- I thought it was going to be a big drop and I was scared. Then I realized, oh, it's not gonna be bad at all.
Moose- I wish it were a rollercoaster.
Roo- Scary. It looked like a big drop.
We weren't sure if we'd stay at the final lock at Port Severn tonight or find a place to anchor in Georgian Bay, so we stopped at the top of the lock to chat with the Parks Canada people and see if they had maps or suggestions.
As I was getting the fenders and lines ready for lock 45 at Port Severn, there were many boaters on land cheering us on, welcoming us, and saying hello. Canada is so friendly!!
Something that I love about boating is the friendliness and helpfulness of so many boaters, especially when we pull into a new place. At this lock, Frank and a lock attendant were there to help me tie up and make sure the Cartermaran didn't get scratched up by the cement wall. Frank had been there several nights and was excited to tell us about must-see spots in Georgian Bay. He was coming from there and was headed the way we came from.
Our Thin Red Line flag (in pic below, on the left hand side) gets a lot of questions, because the people of Canada haven't seen one like it and they want to know where it is from and what it means.
One of the lock attendants asked where in America we are from and I told her Colorado. She told us her dad is a Toronto Firefighter and played a game with the New York Firefighters, so she wondered if Ben was part of the game. Ben went back to the boat and got a challenge coin for her to give to her dad. Firefighter brother/sisterhood is another feel-good, great community to be a part of.
Ben and I had virtual docktails with other AGLCA families with kids. It was nice to chat with others doing the same thing as us, although they all are on the loop year-round, which makes their loop a little different than our loop.
1 lock today. Trip total: 113 locks.
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