Peterborough Lift Lock (Trent-Severn Waterway) Paddle & Visit to The Canadian Canoe Museum

Outing Type → 

Great for experts and beginners alike.

Feel free to come to just the canoe museum, paddle, or both. (please let me know which)

Start the day off with a tour of the Canadian Canoe Museum (https://www.canoemuseum.ca) @ 10:30.

Paddle in the afternoon - Go up and down two regular locks, and one Lift Lock. Tour the visitor's center and learn about the entire Trent-Severn waterway and the history and mechanics of the lift lock

“The Peterborough Lift Lock is a boat lift located on the Trent Canal in the city of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, and is Lock 21 on the Trent-Severn Waterway. The dual lifts are the highest hydraulic boat lifts in the world, with a lift of 19.8 m (65 ft). This was a considerable accomplishment at the time when conventional locks usually only had a 2 m (7 ft) rise. The lock has two identical ship caissons (like bathtubs) in which vessels ascend and descend. Both caissons are enclosed at each end by pivoting gates, and there are pivoting gates at the upper and lower reaches of the canal at the junctions with the caissons. The gates on the caissons fit into slots on the gates on the reaches, so that they open in unison. No external power is needed: the lift lock functions by gravity alone using the counterweight principle. One caisson always ascends and the other always descends during each locking cycle.”

Join in on the Big Chute paddle (http://www.wildernesscanoe.ca/calendar/2014-08-16) and paddle all three lock types - lift lock, railway lock & standard lock

The Basics
Event Location

Peterborough

Date(s) & Time
Event Duration
4.5 hours
Difficulty Rating
Beginner
Participant Info
Who's Invited
Everyone
Itinerary
Itinerary description

Map: http://tinyurl.com/LiftLockCanoe

10:30 - 12:00: Canadian Canoe Museum Tour

12:45–4:30: Paddle
-Canoe through Lock #20 Ashburnham lock (12 feet) and up Lock #21 Peterborough Lift Lock (65 feet). Canoe along canal for a while, and then go back down the Lift Lock

-Break & Tour Lift Lock Visitor Center (base of Lift Lock)

-Canoe around Little Lake and up & down lock #19 Scott Mills Lock (8 foot drop)

Please read http://www.whitewaterontario.ca/rivers/index.php/Lock_19 for those into white water canoeing.

Required Items to Bring

Cost: $1.60 per foot multi-lock one day pass (i.e. $25.60 for a 16 foot canoe). Pay in cash or credit card at the first lock

Cost is $7.25 (tax inc) for the Canadian Canoe Museum. All WCA members get a free one time, one year membership. Email Christina Skuce christina.skuce@canoemuseum.ca BEFORE this event to get your membership set up.

Standard canoe gear

Recommended Items to Bring

NOTE: You can rent a canoe in Peterborough.
It is possible to portage from the store to the water, and paddle over to the meeting point.

Wild Rock Outfitters
169 Charlotte Street
Peterborough, Ontario
K9J 2T7

t 705-745-9133
http://www.wildrock.net/

How to Get There
Event Directions

Canadian Canoe Musuem: 10 Monaghan Road Peterborough, Ontario K9J 5K4.
Paddle: Beavermead Park (Peterborough) boat ramp (44.296414, -78.301822)

Other
Notes

Did you know that you can camp overnight at any lock on the Trent-Severn? Most have running water with showers. You just have to "show up by boat"? I often park my car at the lock, paddle around and then camp. Some locks are near roads and are loud at night - the people who work in the locks will help you find a nice one for sleeping over. I have done this on long weekend and other times I just wanted an easy place to camp