Campellford to Hastings, ON

We left Campbellford at 8:15 AM and arrived at lucky Lock 13 before it opened. The temperature was in the upper 50s and only warmed up another 10 degrees during the day.We rolled the dice on the weather, since showers and thunderstorms were possible later in the morning and afternoon, but we thought we could make the 20 miles to Hastings, ON, before the weather turned. We were wrong. Delays at two of the five locks and rain that began earlier than expected resulted in a sprinkling at Lock 14 and a thorough soaking on Seymour Lake. The Lockmaster in Hastings was waiting for us when we pulled up, but another downpour was imminent, and the mooring wall above the lock was exposed to wind and waves, so we opted to stay below the lock for the night. We’re out of the chop, with a gentle rocking motion from the nearby dam discharge that put us both to sleep this afternoon. After our nap, we walked around the town of 1,200, a boating and fishing hub built on both sides of the Trent River, with the lock right in the middle of town. Map Link: Hastings, ON. Our first stop was Pisces Pete, a 12-foot metal walleye sculpture created by a local artist, followed by a thorough canvassing of Hastings’ parks and small shopping district, before enjoying an excellent dinner at McGillicafey’s Pub and Eatery.

Bonus question: Where did maraschino cherries originate? (Answer at end of post)

Photo Journal:

TFLOD (Tiny, fake lighthouse of the day)

Hastings’ sesquicentennial is this year

Dragonfly doormat for sale

Bonus Question Answer: Maraschino cherries were first made about 200 years ago from the marasca cherry, a dark, sour variety grown along the Dalmatian Coast (now part of Croatia) and the maraschino liqueur used to preserve them.