Leaving Jones Falls, we headed through The Quarters , a few tight turns and twists in the channel that connects Whitefish Lake to Sandy Lake and then up 9 feet to Davis Lock #38.
Through the channel, we headed into Opinicon Lake. We strayed out of the channel to explore this beautiful forested lake as our travel day was short.
After our side trip, we negotiated narrow Murthy’s Bay and the channel leading to Lock#37, Chaffey’s Lock. Pulling up to the lock wall below the lock, we tied up taking the last spot. The docks are filled to capacity. The lock is named for the Chaffey’s brothers who ran a gristmill, saw mill and carding mill in this town.
We settled in and walked the lock area and visited the Chaffey’s Lock Art Museum. The proprietor Rick and Bill got to talking and he offered to give us a tour of the building which used to house a grist mill. The Chaffey’s brothers rented out this mill to a local town person. A small dam directed water to a channel where two steel horizontal turbines transferred the energy from the water through a set of gears and pulleys to the second story where the grain was milled into flour. The basement area of the mill still has water flowing through it today. Much of the existing structure is original, There are two outer walls which together are quite thick, the outer wall supporting the roof and the inner wall supporting the floors. Along with huge wooden beams. Currently the building first floor is a local artist gallery and the second floor is where Rick and his wife Celine live. Rick has taken much time and care and restoring the building.
We also took a tour of the Lockmaster’s Home and Museum which explained the history of Chaffey’s and its lock. Was interesting to note how the waterway supported the local economy of logging, farming and milling- flour, lumber milling and wool carding. The advent of the steam boats brought fishermen to the area to take advantage of the excellent fishing and then cottages and hotels sprang up to cater to the fishermen. There are still several of these inns, cottages and hotels that survive today.
We ate lunch in part of the old Opinicon Hotel. Of course we had to try there homemade ice cream. It was delicious!
After lunch, we did a short walking tour of the old inn/hotels/ cottages in Chaffey’s- Simmons Lodge, Dorothy’s Lodge and Canalman’s house.
Returning to the boat I frantically typed all the entries I could as we “borrowed” an internet connection and then spent a lovely evening sharing drinks and travel stories, good books and movies, etc. with Rick and Celine.