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Be-Strong-Carry-On!: We had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed
Were just seasons out of time...

GC4DHG7 ▼

A cache by SF9 - World Tour Guides Message this owner

Hidden : 4/18/2013

Difficulty:

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Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

This cache has been placed at the Washago Stop National Heritage Site. It was at this location that the final breakthrough was made that joined the completed sections of the Trent-Severn System.

On June 23rd, 1920, the last dynamite blast blew out the final rock face and removed the last remaining natural barrier to navigation through the Trent-Severn system. During the previous year the mile long stretch of canal linking the Severn River to Lake Couchiching had been slowly dug. Work crews of men, newly returned from fighting in the First World War, had been employed at a rate of 35-cents per hour, minus $1 per day for Room and Board. The bewildered recruits worked in teams of approximately 50 men to dig the trench through black-fly infested swamps to cut brush, haul rock and dig with shovels. The work was incredibly difficult and the camps were spartan and isolated. At least one worker was reported to have gone insane from the work conditions. Concrete was mixed on shore, hauled up ramps in wheel barrows and dumped to build the retaining wall structures that formed the walls of the canal. Excavation and shoring up had proceeded from both ends. On the evening of June 22nd, 1920 the final sticks of dynamite were buried in the rock. The next morning, while only groups of workmen stood by to watch, the dynamite was set off and the final blockade of rock was released. Workmen's shovels cleared the rubble and within minutes the first trickle of water flowed through. Within an hour, the water had found it's level and a dredging barge was brought in from the Lake Couchiching end. Two weeks later, the canal was opened for boat traffic and two small motorboats passed thorugh from Lake Couchiching and up through the Couchiching Lock (42).

On July 6, 1920, the Trent-Severn Waterway was officially opened to boat traffic from end to end.

The Trent River system runs northwards from the Bay of Quinte, up through the Trent River Valley. Rice Lake, with its distinctive tear-drop islands (drumlins), marks the start of the Kawartha Lakes portion of the system. The northwesterly route of the waterway begins East of Lake Simcoe, though Lake Couchiching, and continues westward down the Severn River to Georgian Bay. The Trent and Severn drainage systems are linked at Kirkfield. Here, the canal was carved through the solid limestone of the Carden Plain to give access to lakes Simcoe and Couchiching. The Waterway connects two of the Great Lakes, with an eastern terminus at Trenton, at Lake Ontario and a western terminus at Port Severn on Georgian Bay of Lake Huron.

Successive groups of Native people have travelled the natural network of inland waterways formed by the rivers and lakes of the Trent and Severn systems since at least 9000 B.C. Later, after the arrival of European explorers, some time around the 17 th century, the waters of what is now the Trent-Severn Waterway were a significant transportation route for fur traders. In the mid-19th century, these river systems were used by lumber barons to easily transport newly felled trees to sawmills closer to market.

Construction of the controlled Trent-Severn Waterway system began in 1833 in the Kawartha Lakes region with the Lock at Bobcaygeon marking its beginning. It took over 87 years to complete the waterway from end to end. The construction and building of the system was affected by changing political climates and by World War One. Growth was exceptionally slow between 1875 and 1900 as the Provincial and Federal Government disagreed over which of them would control the development of the waterway system. Travel was blocked beyond Balsam Lake until the opening of the Kirkfield Lift Lock in 1907.

When the canal was finally completed, it failed to have the anticipated major impact on the economy of the regions it was built to serve. By the time it was completed its design had been made obsolete by larger boats: it had been designed for boats too small to be commercially viable and the expansion of the railways meant that transport of goods was more practical by land than by water. The Trent-Severn Waterway became completely obsolete for commercial purposes when the present day Welland Canal was completed in 1932. The Welland Canal could handle ships large enough to sail across the ocean without reloading. The original estimate to build the canal in 1833 was $3-million. By the time of completion, 87 years later in 1920, the total cost had exceeded $23-million dollars. A staggering amount, in those days.

The Trent-Severn Waterway is 386 kilometres (240 mi) in total length, being comprised of roughly 32 kilometres (20 mi) of man-made channels, 45 locks, including 36 conventional locks, two sets of flight locks, hydraulic lift locks at Peterborough and Kirkfield. A marine railway at Big Chute transports boats between the upper and lower sections of the Severn River. The Trent-Severn System also includes 39 swing bridges and 160 dams and control structures that manage the water levels for flood control and navigation. There are also 18 hydroelectric generating facilities along the route. The watres of The Trent-Severn system reach their highest point of 256.3 metres (840 ft 11 in) at Balsam Lake. This is the single the highest point to which a vessel can be navigated anywhere from sea level in the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence River drainage basin.

The Trent-Severn Waterway system remains in use today purely for tourism and recreational pursuits. The entire length of the waterway is a designated National Heritage Site and is controlled under the Parks Canada umbrella.

Specific resources along the canal are of sufficient importance to be designated separately, notably the Peterborough Lift Lock National Historic Site of Canada, acknowledged because it was, and remains, an engineering achievement of international renown. The Peterborough Lift Lock was the highest hydraulic lift lock ever built and was once reputed to be the largest concrete structure in the world.
Most of the original concrete, steel and stone structures of the original lock still remain.

For further reading, see:
Parks Canada - Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site
A Respectable Ditch by James T. Angus
Canada's Historic Places
The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge (a history-based novel for middle-school readers based around this location)

Please note that this cache has been placed at a Parks Canada Managed National Historic Site with SPECIFIC PERMISSION.
Parks Canada requires that all caches placed on their properties receive their approval and meet set guidelines.
As per Parks Canada requirements, please do not leave any trading swag within this cache (small trackable coins are okay). Please ensure that the cache is returned well-hidden and that there is minimal disruption to the natural environment.
For further information: Parks Canada Geocaching Guidelines

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Pebbx Abbx

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)