Lock 1

The day you begin your journey is always exciting. You’re cutting a slice of history right across Ontario… through farmland and hardwood forests, past limestone and cedar to the rugged granite and windswept white pines of Georgian Bay.  To get an early start, spend the night up river from the CN railway bridge.  That way you can rise with the sun, ready for the first lift at lock one.

First Timers Get Nervous Here but it's Easier than They Think

For obvious reasons, this is the “Greenhorn Lock” where many boaters get their first locking experience. As with every lock from here to Georgian Bay, the staff are trained and ready to give you a helping hand whenever you need it. The first thing you have to do is pull up to the blue line and wait for the lockmaster’s instructions.

If it’s your first time, tell the staff. They’ll be glad to help. It won’t be long before you get the hang of it. With 18 locks from here to Rice Lake, boaters soon become quite adept.

Looking Downstream, Toward Quinte Bay

Looking Upstream, Lock 2 is in the Distance