July 21 - Peterborough

July 21

We’ve spent the weekend in Peterborough as planned.  It’s the largest city we’ll visit along the Trent -Severn waterway so plenty of things to do.  Took in 2 farmers markets Saturday morning.  I remembered this town having a fabulous market with a ton of vendors so was surprised to learn there were now 2 markets.  Apparently some vendors had a big falling out with the original one and started another.  Each about a mile in different directions from the marina.  So off to the original first which was still decent but had been downsized.   Got some green beans, mushrooms, carrots, and cherries.   Then headed to the new market with a few other loopers.  There were more vendors than I was expecting and again a nice selection.  Picked up baby potatoes, snap peas, and some baked goods including a very delicious shortbread cookie.  That market was near one of the downtown brew pubs so we all decided that on a hot 90 degree day and having done all that walking we deserved to try a flight of their craft brew. A bit underwhelmed, but it may have been we were hoping for something frosty cold and these were not.   Finished the day with dinner on board and listening to a band playing at the pavilion in the park next to the marina.  They have a summer concert series with live bands every Wed and Sat night.

Sunday we got up early and launched the kayaks!   Paddled over to Lock 20 with Russ and Jax  and they put us in after loading 4 bigger looper boats. 

The kayaking crew at lock 20

Squeezing into the back of lock 20 while the doors close

Waiting to enter the lift lock

We must be having fun!

We then paddled up to the Peterborough Lift Lock and rode that up with them.   After parking the kayaks we got treated to a tour of the control station and even got a chance to operate a few of the controls and move the next load of boats up.  

Boats loading in down below

Hitting the control button to start the lift

It worked!  Boats now at the top.

Then back down the lift lock, back through lock 20 and back to the marina.   A lot of paddling in 3 hours.   With our upper body workout complete it was now time to walk the mile over and mile back to the Canadian Canoe Museum.  It’s a rather impressive collection containing everything from very old dugout canoes to bark canoes, to Eskimo kayaks representing many of the First Nation tribes.   Historically it continues to bigger canoes used by the fur traders and the Hudson Bay Company.    Then transitions into   the wooden canoes used recreationally during the gilded age including a variety of racing canoes.  There’s a display showcasing several regional canoe manufacturing companies from that era including the Peterborough Canoe Company.    On the return trip we stopped at the Peterborough Art Gallery just to see what they had since it was on the way. Not a very large display with mostly more modern artwork.    Thankfully the heat wave we’ve had the last week is finally breaking so all this activity was bearable but still a long full day of activity.  Off the docks tomorrow AM to continue our travels.

The Peterborough Fountain showing off it's colors