Wednesday, May 30

Big Chute Marine Railway - Breathtaking 57-foot vertical drop

This morning we crossed Lake Simcoe - 20 miles long and 16 miles wide - the largest lake on the Trent-Severn Waterway.  With a short chop it was an easy crossing and a taste of what will lie ahead for us once we leave this Waterway.
The final leg of the Trent-Severn Waterway is the Severn River.  The red & gray granite walls and out crops of the Canadian Shield become more prominent along this stretch.  It was interesting to see how people used these natural formations in their landscaping and the remote sections of this river were especially beautiful.
To many the biggest thrill of all on the Trent- Severn Waterway is the Big Chute marine railway.  At the Big Chute, water rushes down a long granite chute between the Upper Severn River and Glouster Pool.  Next to this, the Big Chute Railway lifts your vessel across land and down the chute on twin tracks.
Originally it was designed because there was a lack of concrete to build locks in this location and the railway was cheaper.

Severn River

This open-air carriage operates like a huge, partially submerged travel hoist.  You do not need ropes or lines and must remove all fenders from dangling over the side of the boat.  Driving onto the carriage and into the sling, the boat is soon floating over land - the seven-minute trip is fascinating!