Lily, A Dog's Life Aboard Moondance: Peterborough was Pretty Spectacular!!!

Peterborough, Ontario Peterborough Marina July 22-24. 2016

We got off around 8:15 this morning with Leap of Faith, Lone Star and us heading to Peterborough and at least a 2 day stay there. We know we want to hear the open air concert tomorrow night for sure! It’s another windy day, particularly as we cross Rice Lake, but it seems to be into our bow so no real issues except with mileage. On the lake it’s suppose to have really good fishing and judging by the number of fishing boats of all sizes, it must be true. Even on this big lake we had to carefully watch the channel due to an underwater railroad trestle bridge that once crossed the lake bringing tourists here in the 1860’s.

As we crossed the 18 mile long Rice Lake we saw the town of Hiawatha, a First Nation Reservation before we had to turn towards Otonabee River to get back on the Trent Severn Canal. Mom and dad were discussing how much this lake area reminds them of Manitoulin Island where they use to go in the summers when Bek and Mike were younger. …Much higher areas of elevation with lots of farms, homes and cottages.

Our overcast windy day has turned into another beautiful sun drenched one…praying it doesn’t get to the 90’s as predicted…I don’t like that high heat!!!

After having a short wait to get through the Peterborough’s shallower lock, we entered the Little Lake only to wait for our slips to be ready. When we tried to anchor, our anchor didn’t catch, then the anchor didn’t return correctly…the chain was twisted. Mike had to come down and manually pull it up and get it reset. All the time the wind was blowing us around like a top…thankfully, Little Lake is quite large! Finally, they found a temporary slip for us and we blew in there like a big kite! Only Mike’s excellent seamanship and the dock hands helped us from crashing into the dock…more heavy winds!!!

After about two hours they freed up the slip they wanted us in and we were able to move…another nightmare experience! It turned out Mike had to thread our boat between a big cruise ship and two other big trawlers to get us into our slip. The young dock hands knew what they were doing and were lined up on the two docked boats ready to push us off, if the wind blew us down on them.

Mike showed them what he was made of and eased us through them…(Laura, our looper friend and I were ready to push us off if need be, but we weren’t needed.) Mike got us around the corner, backed up and then swung it around in a 180 degree turn to put us in…all with heavy currents and winds!!!

For the next hour all who had witnessed this feat of seamanship were telling him what a great job he did! All the other big boats have both stern and bow thrusters making that kind of turn and pull in a piece of cake. Fortunately after we got docked, we were able to bring Lone Star in next to us with far less drama. We were all ready for a drink!

Dock tails started immediately on our two boats and then preceded to the end of the dock with other loopers. Knot Sew Easy and Chasin 80 were here as well, so it was fun catching up with them too! Lone Star told us that when they brought their anchor up, it brought up a large 4-5’ board and some kind of mangled fishing trap…Not what you hope to find! Our three boats were so tired that we all ate in…today we have to decide if we want to stay here another day or move on and if so where…

When we leave here, we have at least 6 locks back to back including the highest one to get through, so we aren’t going to be feeling like moving very far after that!

We met Don, one of the Harbor Hosts! What a sweetie! His wife, Freya makes all the preserves she gives out in our looper goody bags. The two of them prepare around 150 each year. Incredible! So much information we haven’t even been able to go through it all yet and I can’t wait to try those preserves!

After a good breakfast, we are going out this morning to get boat, people and dog supplies since everything is so close. Once again from where we are docked, the town looks like such a pretty place. Don told us to expect around 10,000 people to pile into this park to see the concert and fireworks tonight. We plan to enjoy it from our flybridge.

Mom and dad left me to go get supplies, while they were out, Bev and Gary Nelson, one of mom’s “ Draggin Dragon” dragon boat buddies showed up. Kevin sent me a text and we caught up with them when we were returning back with our supplies…

Bev came aboard the boat because Gary with his new hip couldn’t. She helped us put stuff away and then, she and Gary took us for a drive around town and out into the countryside where Gary grew up…outside of (Petersboro, one of the abbreviations) in the township of Keene. They have a wonderful old museum site there in Lang Historic Village with various antique structures including an old flour mill.

Gary hadn’t been there since he was a little boy coming with his mom to get flour…charming!

Except for the log cabin, the 1840’s mill reminded me of England…made out of local stone and mortar and still standing; despite a fire…it was immediately rebuilt and put back in service with the latest 1890’s technology, which is still working today.

M & D ended up having a sit down on top of this picturesque hill on Gary’s brother’s farm. The 1840’s farm house had been added on to over the years…so awesome! It reminded mom of going to her mother’s Ohio farm relations when she was a little girl.

Bev and Gary got M & D back to the marina before traffic got too bad around there with all the concert goers coming in…

I got fed before they caught up with other loopers for dock tails and dinner at the King’s Arms Grill and Bar. Mom brought me back some delicious leftovers