Peterborough

Yesterday, I ran 34 nautical miles and one more lock to reach Peterborough. I've now done over 400 nautical miles total since I left Kingston, NY. I had to cross Rice Lake (named for the wild rice that grows around it). Rice Lake was one of those spots the guide books warn can be treacherous, but I didn't find it so. Just the darn continuous headwind that made motoring a slow slog through the chop.
The weather was forecast to be lousy today, so I planned on resting here for the day. We got the wild weather last night about 11:00 PM. The wind howled, the boat bounced and rocked at the dock, the lightning flashed, the thunder boomed and the power went out. I was glad to be at the dock. This morning dawned cloudy but now it's starting to clear. I'm thinking of finishing up my chores and heading up to the "lift lock."
The Peterborough Lift Lock is the highest of it's type in the world. It lifts the boat 65 feet. It works completely differently than all the other locks. There are two chambers instead of one, and they are linked by hydraulic pistons. As one chamber falls, it lifts the other, like a balance scale. I'll post pictures at my next opportunity.
Another day or so of travel and I'll be half way to Port Severn, the end of the Waterway. After that, it's Georgian Bay and the North Channel in Lake Huron.
So far, the nicest part of the trip has been the people I've met. The last couple of nights, Chuck and Barb from Maine have stayed at the same spot as I did, and we got to be fast friends. Last night I met Bryant, who lives in Peterborough. He's another amateur boat builder and has been following my expoits on this blog. He stopped by the waterfront last night and shared some local knowledge with me, Chuck and Barb over margaritas on board Walküre.