Dragonfly Boating: Hastings to Peterborough, ON

Yesterday we went 38 miles and through two locks, the first one right in Hastings. The Trent River ends at Rice Lake—at 20 miles by three miles at its widest, it’s the second-largest lake on the Trent-Severn Waterway. The lake was choppy and windy, and we were relieved to start up the Otonabee River, even with the 0.5-1.0 mph current against us. We’re still traveling upstream and gaining elevation at each lock, which will continue for several more days. We arrived at Peterborough, ON, around 4:00 PM, gassed up, then ungracefully put Dragonfly into the slip, with a challenging wind and current pushing us around (the two dock hands helping us in got a nice tip). We ate on board, then took a walk around part of the city of 83,000, the largest community on the Trent-Severn. Fun fact: Peterborough was the first town in Canada to use electric streetlights. Map Link: Peterborough, ON

The first thing you notice as you enter Little Lake heading towards Peterborough is the Centennial Fountain, which shoots water 250 feet into the air, and was built for Canada’s 100-year anniversary in 1967.

Bonus Question: In the photo below, there is one common tern among the herring gulls resting on this navaid. Can you find it? (Answer at end of post).