We arrived in Peterborough on a Wednesday afternoon and spent time exploring the city. We found a bakery and a terrific visitor's center with free postcards featuring the Peterborough Lift Lock. We returned to the boat to cook and then joined Tinn for dinner on their boat. By evening, there were lots of loopers in the marina.

The next day, we set out on a walk towards the Peterborough Lift Lock. We stopped at the Farmer's Market and found a butter tart and a bottle of wine from a winery in Niagara on the Lake. We continued on to the Peterborough Lift Lock, stopping in a bakery to buy cookies for the people working at the lock. We arrived at the lock and presented our cookies and introduced ourselves as loopers who would enter the lock the next day. We met Ed, and he invited us into the control tower of the lift lock, just a short walk across the lock wall bridge. As we entered the room walled with glass panels overlooking the 65 foot hydraulic lift lock, Ed invited me to sit on a stool in front of the control panels. He told Tony that he wanted to set me up for a perfect photo opportunity. He then positioned the handheld intercom microphone. Tony got a few pics and then we noticed that some boats had entered the lift and were waiting to go up. Ed told me that he was going to give me a line to say over the intercom and I was to repeat after him. I couldn't believe what he was telling me! He gave me each line and I repeated them into the microphone and it was projected over the intercom to the boaters along with the visitors who'd come to watch the lift in action that day. I said something like this, "Good afternoon visitors, and welcome to the Peterborough Lift Lock, one of Canada's national historic sights. We will be conducting a transfer momentarily. Thank you." Then Ed proceeded to tell us what buttons and levers to push and switch to operate the lock. He explained the mechanics behind how the lock works. It was an amazing experience!

We returned to the marina via a gelato stop, a stop at Millennium Park, a stop at the grocery store and Dollarama. Then it was back tot he boat for a quick load of laundry before heading out to dinner with Huibert and Lisbeth to celebrate our time together and friendship before they would leave the next day for a visit home. We went to The Keg, a well known Canadian steakhouse chain. It did not disappoint! Karen had lobster tail and Tony had a steak. Dessert was Kawartha ice cream across the street! Then it was back to the marina for the Thursday night concert in the park next door. We watched from the back on the grass for a while, away from the crowd and then walked to the Tinn to listen for a while more and then say good night.