On the move at 08.30 before breakfast only to have to wait one mile later for 20 minutes for the next swing bridge to open at 9.AM. The temperature had dropped overnight to the low teens with a 12 knot wind, it was cool! We continued along the narrow canal but once again encountered a mass of weeds which slowed us down to 2/3 knots with the steering stiff and the engine labouring. Something had to be done and when we came to the next lock after 6 miles of painfully slow progress we put the boat on the lock wall and our intrepid captain once again donned bathers and face mask and dove into the murky water. 5 minutes of exhausting work later the keel and rudder and prop were cleared of masses of weeds and we were ready to proceed at our normal pace after Carl had a hot shower. But first the transit of lock 36 (only 35 more to go!) the Kirkland Lift Lock. This is another unique system which carries the boat up in a large open container of water with a counterbalancing container moving down carrying traffic if any moving the other way - a very efficient system using little energy and done very quickly compared to conventional locks - with a dramatic view (see photos) as you are raised 50 feet.

Prior to entering this lock we had been warned by passing boat traffic of shallow spots ahead in the channel. After going through the lock we judged we were clear of this as the channel widened into Mitchell Lake, the engine and steering were back to normal without the weeds and we cracked on at 6.5 knots. It was now late morning and Peter was in the galley preparing a brunch of scrambled eggs and cold pizza when without warning we hit a sand bank in the middle of the channel and forward progress ceased abruptly. Peter, however, kept going and fell heavily into the end of the table with a very painful whack on his port side ribs. The boat was OK, the brunch was preserved and Peter survived but the forward anchor had been jerked into the water and the mast moved ahead slightly. A passing police boat told us about the anchor but otherwise kept going. After re-securing the anchor Carl was able to back off the sand and steer round the obstruction without further incident. Sundry oaths and imprecations were expressed forcibly during this period. 

We continued down the canal and entered Balsam Lake, the high point of our transit - from now on we were going down hill so to speak - and on into Talbot River and through gorgeous and varied country to the conventional Rosedale lock 35, a small drop of 4 feet, the crew by this stage locking in and out with something approaching aplomb. The voyage continued through lock 34 at beautiful Fennelon Falls and on to Bobcaygeon, our night stop because it was now 5PM and the Bobcaygeon lock 33 (the first lock of the T-S system built in 1833) was already closed for the night. The boys were ready for a drink! We moored on the lock wall, entered the first drinking establishment we came to and after a refreshing pause went on to do some necessary shopping before moving on to a nice little sports bar where steaks, hamburgers and grog were consumed with gusto. Peter moving somewhat slowly and painfully after his knock and has become less useful as a crew member - more like a passenger really. And so to bed on the boat. We were at mile 138 and had done 38 miles. Our objective going forward is to do at least 40 miles a day to arrive at Trenton hopefully by Friday night/Saturday morning.