GL: Trent Severn weeds

[bilbir at voyager.net]

<style type="text/css">
->
</style>

The Trent canal, after the Kirkfield  lift lock
is so weed choked that three boats (out of 6), including ours, had  severe
problems.  Merely backing up did not always release the weeds and one
 boat was belching black smoke and we simply lost the ability to move
either  forward or backward with our port engine.  The weeds, once
you sat for a while,  seemed to release and you could get rid of them
through the forward/reverse  cycle.
 
If you are using older Trent Severn  charts, as
we are (4 years old), you will find a number of buoys no longer  present
due to cost cutting by the Canadian Coast Guard.  We never ran into
real  problems as a result of this new program since the buoys removed
were not  critical, but it is disconcerting not to find buoys on your
chart.  I know about  using up to date charts, but cost does factor
into these decisions and the  important buoys are still
there.
 
We paid $24.50 for a pump out at 
Rosedale: the  highest
amount we have ever paid for such service.  Fuel there was $1.10 per 
liter Canadian.
 
Bill and Birute 
Fleck
MV B & B
Port of Orillia for Canada 
Day