July 10-13, 2019
We got an early start on leaving Kirkfield Lift Lock, hoping to get through some more tight stretches without encountering oncoming traffic again. Fortunately, a very quiet morning, and no more encounters on the way to Lake Simcoe.
Finally, through the straight and narrow sections and out onto Lake Simcoe. A pretty big lake (19 miles long by 16 miles wide), we’d heard that on a windy day it could get pretty rough, but we had a beautiful sunny low-wind day for our crossing. At the north end of the lake, we passed through the ‘Narrows’ into Lake Couchiching, to the very protected municipal harbor, right near the heart of downtown, lots of park space and a public beach down the way, with a historic well preserved turn of the century bandstand, park benches, and and the best playground we have ever seen.
Many nice old houses in town – we had picked up a pamphlet at the marina took a walking tour to view many of them.
We ate the first night at a side walk table, checking out the scene.
The next day we took a big shopping trip on bikes out to the Canadian Tire (sort of a cross between a Lowe’s and a Target). Bought our own floaty seats like our friends introduced to us to, for hanging out in the water behind the boad, and some floating rope so we could stern tie the boat to rocks once we got out into the Georgian Bay, which is apparently a common practice.
When we got back, we discovered that five Canadian boats from the dock at Peterborough had come in, and docked right opposite us ! It was their annual two-week vacation for them together. A couple more Looper boats also rolled in, including our friends on Justified.
We had dinner on Justified with some other folks, with Chantale’s lemon bars for dessert, and then spent the evening playing the house dice game (variation of Farkle) and drinking Bushwackers.
We went to the Farmers Market the next morning, near their Opera House (!) of all places. Great market !! Ben’s strategy is to walk all the way through and around in order to scope out the wares, but if Chantale sees something she wants to get it right then. Shocking, I know.
Anyway. Ben’s procedure is followed and then a discussion of needed items ensues. Maple sugar candy in leaf form. Check
Peach and blueberry pie, and one butter tart with currants. Check
Tomatoes. Check
Hard dry sausages of varying styles from the Italian lady. Check
And the best snap peas ever-like candy-check!
We then hit the huge Mariposa Market bakery for breakfast and a few more goodies (an eclair that was out of this world), as we would be leaving the next day.