We should have known how today was going to go when just as we woke up the dead battery alarm went off. Scott started the gen on the auxillary batteries and we were good to go……….or so we thought. After a quick shower at the back of the boat and a general clean up we headed off into Sturgeon Lake.
We were about half way across when the starboard engine quit and would not start. We knew that the marina that we were getting diesel from was not far so we puttered on one engine to their marina. Of course our cell service was non existent and our internet flaky and the marina was not monitoring its VHF radio. I proceeded to wave down a fellow mariner who was washing his boat and he got on the radio. Scott let him know we were down an engine and we were coming in. He got some help at the dock and we were in pretty easily. We were thankful that we made it there and asked for diesel. The owner said that they have never had diesel and that the next place would be about 10 miles further down our route. Scott was now down in the engine room in 30 degree heat beside two engines giving off more heat. He was drenched by the time he fixed the problem which was air in the fuel rails. It is supposed to self prime itself and Scott did the filters correctly but was a bit short on adding diesel to the filter. Note to self that diesel engines are picky when it comes to filling the oil filters.
Off we go again to find that diesel at the next stop. The fella at Birch Point Marina was kind enough to sell us his stock of about 40 l to get us down to the next stop. We pull up to the diesel pump only to find out that the pump is down and that the only place after them is Orillia. We don’t have enough fuel to get to Orillia. Please remember that we have this trip planned very thoroughly and that fuel stops have been planned out but we didn’t plan for wrong written information and pumps that stopped working. After discussing our options we came to the conclusion that the best plan of action was to make it to Kirkfield lift lock, call my mom right now and have her buy 6 – 20 L containers and drive to meet us. Then Scott can run to the gas station with her car, fill up the 6 containers and do that 3 times. So that is what happened. We sat down to have dinner at about 8:00 or so and sent mom on her merry way back home, us happy with half full tanks of gas to get us to Orillia. Thanks again Mom! We owe you a dinner at least!
I must add that the highlight of the day was a swim in Balsam Lake. Beautiful open lake with clear blue waters and warm. Balsam Lake feeds the entire Trent Severn Waterway going in both directions. It is also the highest point navigatable by sea in the world.
We stayed on top of the lock only because there was road access and it would be easier to lug over those Geri cans. It is very industrial there. The buoys are stored there and work barges are there too. No park like setting but we did have a picnic table.
Tomorrow we lock through the Kirkfield lift lock going down instead of up like at the Peterborough lift lock!
