Tuesday, August 5, 2008

My Town Monday: Fenelon Falls, Ontario

I'm in Canada, in southern Ontario, to be exact. We're having a GREAT time! And I wanted to share it with you.

Sorry this post is late. I'm literally in a little government building at the side of a highway where there is one computer with internet access for the public.

So, this week, my My Town Monday is about FENELON FALLS, Ontario. A few quick facts from Wikipedia: Fenelon Falls, "the Jewel of the Kawarthas", was incorporated in 1874. It's a village, primarily a tourist town, in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Construction began on the lock in 1885. Today the population is about 1800.



This past weekend, we spend some times at a cottage in Fenelon Falls, visiting my aunt and uncle, my cousin and various other fun people. The falls are only on display on weekends. During the week, the water is diverted through a power station where it generates electricity for the town.

My very fun cousin offered to play guide and boat us through from Sturgeon Lake to Cameron Lake.


My very fun cousin and I have had lots of adventures together, so I wasn't the least bit surprised when we were stopped by the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police). They generally check for such things as lifejackets, a whistle, a bailing can a floating flashlight. And, of course, no alcohol on board. Officers Cara and Carly could tell immediately that we were upright and outstanding citizens (at least with our children present!). We all had a nice chat and the officers gave us colouring books and plastic whistles.

My very fun cousin and I are looking forward to hours of colouring (I'm better at staying in the lines) and whistle-blowing (he's a more boisterous and noisy type).


Fenelon Falls is Lock #34 on the Trent-Severn Waterway.

We are entering the locks. In front of us is where the doors will close. Then water will flow in from Lake Cameron.


Here I am holding onto a cable so that we don't float all over the place in our "water elevator." See how responsible I am. If you look closely, you'll notice the doors to Lake Sturgeon closing behind me.


Here are some friendly people waiting to chat with us when we float up to their level.

If you drive your boat further in this direction, you'll reach Chicago. From there, you can wend your way along more inland waterways and get to the Mississippi River. Now, that would be exciting!


If you keep travelling in this direction, you can make it to Florida. And that would be exciting too!

We climbed up off the boat and indulged in some ice cream.

And the butterscotch was just as good as I remembered.

For more My Town Monday posts, please visit Travis Erwin's blog.

13 comments:

  1. Wow! Very cool! We have those locks here, but I've never been in one. I've watched the boats go in, raise up and go out the other side and would LOVE to do that! And you are in a town with only 1800 people? Pretty amazing!

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  2. Very cool, I've been through some locks on the Mississippi. Hope you continue to have a great time.

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  3. sounds like you and your very fun cousin had a great time

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  4. Your own personal boat guide had to add to the fun.

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  5. I saw the amazing locks on the Niagara river but didn't go through them. That old timey car outside the ice cream place makes it look like you've gone back in time.

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  6. What an amazing way to travel, and then there's that butterscotch ice cream waiting for you at the end of the line.

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  7. good stuff... i grew up in welland, myself, but never took that waterway in the kawarthas, though have driven through, many times

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  8. So happy you are having a great vacation!

    OK...I think it is so cool that I have also had icecream at that little shop and sailed those waterways. My nephew's mother has a wonderful cottage there...love it!

    Safe travels! Enjoy my fair and wonderful country!

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  9. too fun, looks like you are having a great time!!

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  10. Barrie, this is so cool!! I want to visit this place now - and I want your very fun cousin to be my guide! What a great My Town Monday! Thanks for sharing.

    ~Debbie

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  11. Barrie, just like the OPP to come nosing around: and the colouring books! I noticed they used their "first names" to be your "friend".

    I've watched ships in the St. Lawrence seaway go through locks but never been on a boat while it happened. That's really cool.

    Also, I've been through Fenelon Falls en route to Ottawa from Toronto several times. Nice place.

    Looking forward to your next post.

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Comments are always welcome!