 Cruise The Trent-Severn With Your Own Boat! By Christine Painter There is so much to see and so many places to stay!
You will be amazed at the ease with which you can travel the incredible and scenic Trent Severn Waterway in a small trailer boat.
With your own boat, you can see this glorious area from the ideal perspective of the water. Here is a cruise that is easy, accessible and one that you can do in 48 hours…or three weeks! Camp grounds, hotels and Bed & Breakfasts are available all the way.
Start in Trenton and cruise up 12 locks to the picturesque village of Campbellford where you will find restaurants and accommodations. Then, you cruise back in as little as a day each way. It is the perfect introduction to both small boat family cruising and also to the historic Trent Severn.
Highway 401 carries travelers from Windsor to Quebec city on smooth roads where pulling a boat on a trailer is easy and safe. The Trent Severn Waterway begins at Lock 1 in Trenton, just 120 minutes east of Toronto, in the Bay of Quinte, near the Murray Canal and Prince Edward County.
Quinte West is an internationally recognized cruising destination and the old Port Trent is regarded as the gateway to the famed Trent-Severn Waterway; the series of lakes, canals and navigational locks that connects Lake Ontario directly to Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay.
The Trent River feeds into Lake Ontario at the Bay of Quinte and is home to the first navigation lock of the canal system. Trenton, on the Bay of Quinte, is home to Lock 1 and the beginning to one of the most beautiful and relaxing voyages you will ever make.
Start Here - Boat Ramp and Public Moorage In Trenton
Within Trenton there are four boat launch facilities along the Trent River. On the East side there is the Trenton Greenbelt Conservation Area as well as the Dufferin Avenue site on the Bay of Quinte. On the West side, launches are located in Centennial Park and the Kiwanis Park & Trail.
Long term parking facilities are available. To make arrangements contact the Quinte West Tourist Information Centre, open year-round. Call 1-800-930-3255 or visit www.quintewesttourism.ca.
Marinas in Trenton
There are two marinas located in Trenton; the Robert Patrick Marina and the Fraser Park Marina. Fraser Park Marina is located in the centre of downtown and visitors are welcome to dock for a few hours. On your way to the Tourist Information Centre, stroll along the riverfront through the Farmer’s Market, or borrow a bicycle and ride along the shoreline Jack Lange Memorial trail. All within minutes of the marina, visitors will find local services such as restaurants, hardware and marine supply stores, pharmacy, post office, laundry facilities, retail shops and liquor/beer outlets.
Fraser Park Marina has a complete fuel dock, with both gasoline and diesel, as well as pumpout facilities.
Robert Patrick Marina is situated within Centennial Park on the north-east entrance to the waterway and moorage grants front row access to the many festivities held throughout the park from May to September.
Wildlife thrives along the riverside and there is almost 3,700 acres held in trust by the Lower Trent Conservation Authority accessible to boaters. Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking are but a few of the outdoor recreational opportunities.
After you trailer your boat to Trenton, get oriented and take some time to enjoy this community before you start your trailer boat cruising adventure.
For example, you could stay at the Montrose Inn (www.montroseinn.ca); a magnificent mansion with stately gates, manicured grounds and inviting verandahs overlooking the beautiful Bay of Quinte . Another special place is Retreat-on-Trent Inn, also overlooking the Trent River as it joins the Bay of Quinte. It is within walking distance from downtown Trenton and the marinas.
Take time to visit the National Air Force Museum of Canada at CFB Trenton, (www.airforcemuseum.ca).
For marine parts and supplies, within eyesight of Fraser Park Marina, Watercraft Marine Supply and Saylor Hardware are long established locally owned shops serving the boating and outdoor recreation crowd.
KEY CRUISING INFORMATION
For general information, just go to www.pc.gc.ca/trent, the web site for the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada, operated by Parks Canada.
Lock Passes – Boaters will need to purchase a Lock Pass from one of the Lock Masters at Locks on the system. Refer to the above web site for details.
LAST LOCKAGE - IMPORTANT
1. At most locks, boaters must arrive at or before the last lockage time.
2. At locks 11/12, 16/17, 20, and 21, boaters must arrive at least 15 minutes before the last lockage time.
3. At swing bridges, the last bridge swing will be 20 minutes after the last lockage time.
NOTE: Station opening and closing times, as well as first and last lockage, are not guaranteed and may be affected by water management duties, maintenance activities or other types of navigation interruptions.
General Preparations
The waters of the Trent are mainly sheltered and safe for small boat cruising but always keep the Canadian Hydrographic Services marine charts handy for navigation and to avoid the shallows. There is a convenient small size package of charts with all details of our cruise from Trenton to Campbellford covered on Chart 2021 which comes in 4 sheets.
If you need a course in reading charts – call the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons – www.cps-ecp.ca
Also, having a VHF radio is a smart safety move. Coast Guard monitors Channel 16 and you use VHF 68 to talk to any of the marinas or to arrange for slips.
The Cruise
Most people feel the TRENT-SEVERN WATERWAY really begins as you pass under the bridge in Trenton, heading north to Lock 1. With a power boat, in only a few minutes you leave Trenton behind, passing under the bridges and past the old bridge pilings in the river. Watch for the effect of the current in the water and remember that you are traveling upstream so keep the red markers and day beacons on your right, or the starboard side as you head to the Kirkfield lift lock up river.
You pass under the railway trestle as you approach Lock 1 and you will see the first of the large hydro dams on the Trent River system.
At Lock 1 you can buy your Lock Pass from the lock office. You can find information about Lock Passes on the Parks Canada web site. This is also a perfect time to talk to the lock master if you have never used a lock before. It's not difficult, but they can give you advice and tips to make the process safe and enjoyable.
You should also know that Parks Canada looks after all of the lock facilities and the areas surrounding the locks are typically attractively landscaped and also provide such services as public washrooms.
From Lock 1 in Trenton to Lock 6 Frankford is approximately 6 miles. And as you leave the Frankford lock, your boat will have been lifted up a total of 117 feet since Lake Ontario.
Lock 2 is called Sydney and comes up quickly. Lock 3 is called Glen Miller and in less than a mile, you will have entered a much quieter and more tranquil part of the canal. From the Glen Miller Lock, it's a short cruise up the river to Lock 4 at Batawa, a historic town that was home to the Bata Shoe organization.
Lock 4 also comes up quickly. Like many of the locks on the system, Lock 4 is right beside the hydro dam so use caution handling your boat in the currents caused by the outflow from the dam.
From Batawa, it's a straight run up the TRENT-SEVERN WATERWAY to Lock 5 Trent. At mile 6.5, Lock 5 Trent is one of the prettiest locks in the waterway system with beautiful gardens and an historic lock master's house built in 1936. It is now used to house the public washrooms and offices.
Next is a short 1 mile cruise to the village of Frankford and Lock 6. Tie up at the lock and it's a short walk to the shops and services of the town.
Beyond Frankfurt is a speed controlled zone and although the river seems wide at this point, stay near the center of the channel to avoid the shallows
On your chart at mile 13, the speed drops again to 10 kph and you slow down approaching Lock 7, Glen Ross. The Glen Ross Lock is hidden down a narrow channel so you may have some difficulty finding it. But it's sheltered, scenic and a nice stop for lunch in the wonderful gardens.
At this point, you are about halfway through your day of cruising and sightseeing. You can turn around and return to Trenton or continue on your way up river. You can reach Campbellford in a comfortable day of cruising. See www.visitcampbellford.ca. Campbellford has two hotels on the water where you can dock your boat, several historic buildings, a range of services for boaters and restaurants ranging from burgers to fine dining. Many cruising boaters choose to stay in this historic and picturesque 1800s village. It makes a perfect overnight location, so you can return the next day to your vehicle and trailer in Trenton.
Of course, some boaters take weeks to enjoy this trip too! It’s up to you.
Safe cruising!
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Trent-Severn, ON 