I spoke too soon. The next video will actually be transiting the huge Peterborough Lift Lock. The rainy day maintenance video will follow the week after.
Keep them coming. I haven't been up the Trent-Severn for many many years. We are enjoying your trip. I hope you can do a special episode when you get to Port Severn and the cool lock at Big Chute!
Listen my friend....when I first started watching you, there were some mistakes that were shocking and yes entertaining. My 11 year old son was watching them with me. I've since watched your channel without him and he walked in today and said (and I don't mean to be rude) "is that dummy crashing his boat again"? And I explained to him that you were one who did not hide his mistakes and have really improved his boating skills. It was a learning moment for both myself and my 11 yo son. You are indeed keeping it real, and I applaud you for that! My son will learn a valuable lesson because of your videos and for that, I thank you sir. Safe travels my friend.
You're doing great. Little by little you're revealing more of yourself which I just learned your 70 years old , which I would have never guessed because you seem younger. My body is 64 going on 100, but my mind is still 25. LOL
Mike, it was great to meet you today at Port Severn, your final lock before entering Georgian Bay. I hope the eddies and current weren’t too bad at the bottom of the lock. Keep up the good work and safe travels.
I like how you analyzed your experiences vs what you've read/watched. As someone else said this is a big part of why I watch channels like yours ... to learn. From my own [life] experience I think the reason you seem like an old pro vs other lockers is that you [appear to] take an experience (ie tying up in a lock) and think it through until you actually _understand_ it, while most people [seem to] just file the raw information away for reference as is. This allows you make adjustments for variations to the situation (tying up) while others only have that singular specific example to refer back to which may or may not match a new situation.
I really like the information about the various marinas that you visited. Could you share the price per foot they charge also? Your videos have really helped convince me that I too could do this Loop alone.
Thank you for a great trip on the Loop! I really enjoy watching and your explanation of what you have encountered! I just have a small bass boat, love fishing and at 64, admire you doing this trip by yourself.
I have to admit that first lock you encountered I was lol a bit😅 You had her mid tied and she really can't go anywhere. Love your honesty, keep up the great content. Far winds and following seas 👍
@@MV_Checkmate no matter what anybody says at least your out there doing it.👍 The only way I have ever learned anything is the school of hard knocks.LOL
I need to go get some Canadian bills. So far the dock hands have no problem with the American money as the ones I have talked to say they visit the US quite frequently.
At least you did not wait around till you could not do your trip like I did, I retired and bought me a touring bike and going to travel this beautiful country, got the bike on a Monday got used to it and packed my stuff up on a Thursday evening going to leave out Friday instead Friday morning I was in a Life flight helicopter heading to Lexington for quadruple bypass surgery, never have got back to where I feel like I could take and make that kind of trip, so I've got a brand new bike it's about 8 years old with less than 3,000 mi on it in my basement,, may God bless you and please enjoy yourself you deserve it,
Glad you are feeling comfortable with the locks! I have never done them but, like you, In have watched and read about possible problems. The more different things you can include in your videos the better for me. I have not done the loop and at 83, probably won't . Experience usually makes us better at whatever we are trying to do so keep at it and I look forward to the rest of your journey until you cross your wake.
Great videos, I live on Lake Simcoe. Do a shopping vid in the towns you are docking in. Get yourself some poutine or ice cream, walk around a bit. Make for interesting vid also. Keep up the great job and enjoy Canada 🇨🇦 cheers
Another wonderful video! Thank you for your time in putting these together. We’ve seen other boaters go through the Peterborough Lift Lock. Looking forward to your take on it! Fair winds and following seas!
I always thought I wanted to do the loop, but travelling with you is much better. I don't have to pay for fuel or make up my bunk each morning! Safe travels!
I’m really enjoying your journey. I plan to do the loop in a year or two. I will also be solo much of the way. I can’t tell you how many “experts” have told me I can’t do it alone. Ha…. I’m also a huge fisherman and plan to fish as much as possible. You are about to enter bass fishing nirvana. Some of the best smallmouth fishing in the world is in the thousand island, Georgian bay and Great Lakes. I’m jealous… Happy trails….Tom
It can be done solo. Don't listen to those that it can't. You would be surprised at the number of solo boaters and loopers. Some boats make it easier than others. So research the vessels you are interested in to see what features make it easier for soloing.
Yes...I don't need to hear anyone else's choice in music. Save that for the sandbar. I've really been interested in your solo effort more because of that than the actual travel. At the onset of your Loop, I thought, "this could get real interesting in a hurry", but you've gone with the flow and made it all work. Quite an accomplishment. Maybe I'll be able to catch you sometime as you pass through the Straits of Mackinac area. Cruiser "Last Resort" Mackinaw City Municipal.
Amazing to come across your videos today. I live near Lake Simcoe. If there's anything you need while in the area, please let us know, be happy to help you! Hope you enjoy your visit to Canada. Happy Canada Day!
Enjoyed the video. I will be heading up the Trent Severn in Aug. You should show some of the scenery a bit more especially after you cross Simcoe as you enter the Canadian Shield area which is very nice.
I would definitely use horizontal bags for locking, but vertical for most docking. Basicly if you're against a wall, horizontal bags, if you're against a shelf (ie dock), vertical bags. YMMV
Great information about the prices to go up the Trent Severn waterway. You are doing a wonderful job and I like to have bannana at room temp. I know I am a few weeks behind, went on vacation in Florida and didn't watch any videos. Stay Safe.
Very glad to see you got the lock situation figured out. The marina at the opening has to be one of the finest marinas I've ever seen. As far as future updates go it would be nice to get the specs of your boat, what year is it, engine type and manufacturer... and all that jazz.
Mayflies is what everyone calls them. Just watched some Canadians starting the loop and she said what the real name was. They've only got 4 videos out so far. RIMO is the name of their channel I believe
Just keep an eye out for broken pvc covering. I’ve had mine catch on a section of cable that was missing an inch of the pvc covering while on the Rideau Canal.
I like bananas like that. It is the top selling item at Walmart by the way. I favor watermelons also. I harvested a bunch of them growing up in Missouri in the bootheel.
I'm enjoying your Great Loop series and learning a lot. Although not my first choice, I may end up doing the Loop single-handed someday, so I'm wondering if a twin engine express cruiser 30 to 35 ft. LOA might be easier to manage? A flybridge seems like a liability due to being more vulnerable to wind, rocking, and going up and down stairs for handling lines. In your experience, what would be the smallest capable--in terms of cruising range and seaworthiness--boat for the loop? I won't add comfort to the equation because that is a relative term; after all, I've heard of men cruising the Loop on a WaveRunner. I look foward to your next installment! God bless you in your travels!
Definitely a twin engine for multiple reasons. And I agree, the flybridge can be a hindrance in single handing a boat. I have seen many Xpress cruisers doing the loop. Looks like an easy boat to handle. For single handing I would have preferred the minimal cabin space however resale value is better on a boat that can accommodate a couple.
I didn't know you had to pay!! Is that going down the Mississippi also!! How much all together did all the locks cost?? Did you have to pass into Canada? I'm going to have to do it as cheap as possible! Sorry for all the questions! Im enjoying watching you!! When are you going to be in Michigan
I enjoy your videos. I've been following since day one of your Great Loop trip. It's your "welcome to the internet" moment catching trolls, congrats you've arrived at the internet. I think you've come a long way since the departure wind issues and the first lock where you hurt your back. Experience is the best teacher. If you don't mind my asking, what was your reasoning about using your bow thruster as an emergency tool only? I think if I've got a tool, use it. Did you mean you wanted to be good enough with the engines, not to require using it? I think the more wind and current you are in, the more you'll be able to anticipate what you need to do. Hope you continue to have good weather and safe travels.
Yes, probably a poor choice of words. It is exactly as you stated. I want to be good as possible with the engines and not rely on the thrusters is probably what I should’ve said. Thanks for watching. Cheers
I like what you’re doing, but as you say, if you can make it more interesting with going around, lightning storms, cruising during the day during a rainstorm, boat repairs. I’m so glad you’re having fun. I’ve been up and down the canals Hudson river in lakes for 45 years. Just thinking what would be interesting to me.
About your migraines when you drink. Not sure if you have always been that way but I used to drink in college and then started suffering a similar thing. It started with two beers and I felt like i was hung over, then latter, even one beer would make me feel awful. Turns out I hared a large brain tumor the size of an apricot. I think the alcohol dilated the blood vessels in my brain and there just was not enough room for everything. There is medication for what I have and now 20 years latter and with treatment I can have a beer with my dinner again.
I actually have had a continual migraine for about 35 years now. It just gets worse at times. Been to soooo many doctors and hospitals to try and resolve, but only solution we have come up with is taking 240mg of Propranolol-ER daily and having a Rizatriptan Benzoate pill handy if needed.
Nice video but I would encourage you to fly your Canadian courtesy flag forward of the American flag displayed at your transom. Traditionally it was flown at the starboard mast spreader. If you have two masts it’s supposed to be flown at the forward mast spreader. I suspect you could find a place to display the Canadian flag that would be more in accordance with flag etiquette and “rules” than its irrelevant t location near the American flag. I enjoy your videos. Please keep them coming.
Can you explain the fees associated with the Trent Severn locks, is it a per foot cost for locking and overnighting can I just buy locking fees and no overnighting fees can I just overnight on the waterways. Are there any amenities to camping on the wall?
@@MV_Checkmate perfect, only asked to make sure your fishing experience in Ontario wasn’t ruined by an over site. Safe travels and we love your videos!!!
When single handed, do not leave your boat. A Hank of line in a loop to throw over a cleat or bollard is the method of securing your boat. Do not leave your boat. A sudden gust and the boat is moving away leaving you to attempt to pull it back. When you were younger, you might win that battle. Now?
I haven’t operated a boat that small since the 1980s in high school, but even when younger, I didn’t leave the boat when single handed. My 48’ Egg would drag you away in a breeze.
@@hterrebrood I understand what you’re saying and I do agree, but maybe I need to do a video that shows my reasoning why I jumped off the boat in that situation. Sometimes you just have to do what you got to do even if it’s not right.
I love your videos, keep up the good work. Don't be sorry for being a quick learner and actually using your noggin/common sense because its so lacking these days.😄
Yep, I take it very seriously as well. Got my Sportsman card and paid for the full years non-resident fishing license. $58. Well worth the price. The money goes to a good cause.
Your belt issue makes me wonder about the bearings in the tensioner. And, have all the bananas you want. I have seen otherwise rational people take this superstition seriously.
We all watch these videos to learn stuff, mainly through the experiences of others who are good enough to spend the time producing them for us. It is not only about pretty pictures, So if part of it is listening to an opinion, sharing part of their learning that will ultimately help make others worry less and enjoy it more…. Bring it on!
