Hit the 0900 lock as it opened this morning for a good day of cruising. Only one more lock until Ottawa. The other 3 boats in our group took off at 30 mph, as we plodded along at our sedate 8 mph. They ended up having to wait one hour at the Carrillion Lock, so we arrived just one hour after they left.
We were directed right in, and our friends in a Mainship 39, "Corkscrew" (they owned a vineyard), and a Canadian boat.
Once we were in the Lock, a Quebec police officer (marine squad) came down to do a boat inspection. Of course, our boat had all the required safety gear, and paper. I should hope so after teaching boating safety for 30 years. Alas, the other Canadian boat did not fare so well, having no flares, out of date fire extinguishers, and no boating safety card. An expensive lesson!
Because of the inspections, we were delayed an hour; O well, que sera, sera.
We made 38 miles today, and fueled up, as there is a diesel shortage in Ontario. Ouch, back to the land of $1.39 litre diesel.
Tomorow we shall hope to make Ottawa, 60 miles away, to visit our friends Luc & Diane Boucher.

Cruising is not without its perils. As many of you know we have had a number of close calls the past two years, with 1 grounding, numerous bottom touches, 3 or 4 days when we were really not happy being in waves. We have been extremely fortunate though, as this picture shows you. A fellow looper, leaving Annapolis for Cape May, and following a prescribed route, strayed a wee bit off course. There is a submerged concrete dock from WWII that juts quite a ways into the route. It is not indicated clearly on many charts, and he hit the submerged pier at 14 mph, tearing off his bow, and sinking the 50 foot Hatteras motor yacht. Life can go bad real fast, so we always have to be aware around us, and of our charts. Good luck plays a huge part also!