Lovesick Island, ON, CN
We had heard great things about the quiet solitude at Lovesick Lock 30. Unfortunately,m it was cloudy over night and we couldn’t see the stars which are not affected by nearby town or city lights. It is the only lock in the Trent Severn system on an island and thus the only lock where the operators have to come by boat every day. There was a time when the lock keeper and his family lived on the island for the season with no electricity, indoor plumbing or telephone. The house is gone but the lore is there.
Lore has it that Lovesick was named so because of a young Native Indian who was smitten by an Irish immigrant lass but rejected. He paddled to the island where he stayed until discovered by his Indian friends who convinced him to come back to their home. Lovesick it was and is.
A previous lock keeper discovered a small area where the water pools as it flows down the falls on one side of the island and built a small “hillbilly hot tub.” It’s not hot, but it was refreshing as it seems a safe place to sit above the falls with clear lake water lazily passing through. All this under the big Danger signs associated with the falls and dam.
A Raccoon invasion
Previous reviews of the lock had warned about racoons while other reviews said the raccoon threat was overblown. For us, all was grand and we were in good spirits until we had raccoon invasion over night when one clawed up the galley screen at a lock wall where we were staying and actually got one of the snaps undone - thankfully it didn’t get in to the cabin and eat Charlotte or get in bed with Ann - a raccoon did steal our boat neighbors screen entirely and got in to their trash ON THE BOAT - never a dull moment!
We truly enjoyed our stop at Lock 30 but, when we come back, we probably won't stay there again!
