Days 320 and 321 - Catan — Captain Father John

Miles cruised 11, locks transited 7, total lift 141 feet, fuel purchased $0, slip fee $72, daily high temperature 81°f

Saturday brought more free music. As part of the Peterborough summer music series “The Spoons” entertained at the band shell next to the marina. The Spoons had a few hits in Canada in the 1980’s. I did not recognize a single tune but the music was not unpleasant. All the songs just sounded the same to me.

Three other loopers arrived at the Peterborough Marina this afternoon. One was the English couple from New Castle that we met in Hastings and another is a gold looper from Florida working on their platinum burgee with a second loop. The third boat Catan, are brand new Loopers Eric and Alison Hermansen from Ganaoque, Canada. They have been on the Loop for six days.

Catan passing us at Lakefield.

There is a fountain in the Peterborough harbor that shoots water 100′ in the air. At night it is illuminated and glows red and purple. I was wondering if the lights kept time to music being played by the band but the light pulsing appeared to be random.

Just a quick history of Peterborough. Peterborough was founded by the loyalist Peter Robinson in 1825. At the request of the King he relocated 2,000 Irish immigrants to Peterborough to relieve the poverty in Ireland. The Irish started farming and brought their families over to Canada and during the potato famine all their relatives came over. As of this point in time half the population of Peterborough is still Irish.

On Sunday we cast off at 8:30 am and took advantage of our free Looper pump out (a $16 value). We transited 7 locks including the “Big Pan” hydraulic lift. The total lift from the 7 locks was 141 feet. The experience in the Big Pan is very different from other locks. After driving the boat into the pan the crew tied off and the back gate closed by lifting from flat on the bottom. Then the two pans, side by side change position. The upper pan goes down and the lower pan goes up 65 feet.

We had Catan as a travel buddy in all 7 locks. Catan is Oceanus 42. Between the two of us we filled up each lock. Apparently Catan is a board game similar to Monopoly but according to Captain Eric, Catan requires a much higher level of strategy.

Catan is a multiplayer board game designed by Klaus Teuber and first published in 1995 in Germany. Players assume the roles of settlers, each attempting to build and develop holdings while trading and acquiring resources. Players are rewarded points as their settlements grow; the first to reach a set number of points, typically 10, is the winner.

This section of the Trent Severn Waterway is quite narrow and shallow. It is not unlike cruising a 45 foot motor yacht in a drainage ditch.

Our port of call for two nights is Lakefield, Ontario.

We had a special treat on Sunday night. Locals Melanie and John Allen joined us for docktails and dinner. They are natives of Lakefield, Ontario and friends on Andy’s college friend Elsie and Jim Rivard that have a house in Ft Meyers. Melanie and John owned a house on the golf course next to Elsie and Jim. Small world.

Bonus photo – you can charter a houseboat with a water slide. Fun!

Carl (Chef) Wooden – quote of the day.

“The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.”

John Rousmanier

John Rousmaniere is an American writer, sailor and author of 30 historical. technical, and instructional books on sailing, yachting history, New York history, business history, and clubs. An authority on seamanship and boating safety, he has conducted tests of equipment and sailing skills, and led or participated in fact-finding inquiries into boating accidents. He has been presented with several awards for his writing and his contributions to boating safety and seamanship.
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