Day 17 - Jeff

Woke up early today, must be that final day excitement to finish the trip, we have a quick breakfast and pack up camp for the last time, sigh, funny how after more than two weeks it really does feel like home. Pretty sure we will get used to cold drinks, soft bed and hot showers very soon after getting home.

Another beautiful day out today and the first day we had to paddle into the wind, sucks but not terrible, just means if you stop paddling you stop moving unlike the extra glide you get normally. We are both a little tired and that probably adds to what seems like a long day even though we only did 22.5 which on any other day would have been a breeze.

Ok, this may sound overly dramatic but swans are damn scary. We come across our last lake and in the distance you can see a family of swans just swimming by, very pretty.

We get close to take pictures but far enough away as to not disturb them, I'm reaching for my camera and father swan who is about 50ft away takes off in full flight right at me across the water. Head forward, beak open, squawking and six foot wing span, drop camera in the water as I reach for paddle to protect myself or at least get away. Good thing camera attached ot it would have been gone. We see another swan later and this time we avoid the beast. Took Julie half hour to stop laughing, no sympathy there.

We pass under the 401 at 1:30 and officially complete the Trent Waterway at 1:43 after going through Lock 1 in Trenton, to the sights, smells and sounds of city life, arrgggghhh, coming to an end, if I could swing time off we would paddle through and up Rideau to Ottawa, next time!

Our finish line (and pick up spot) is the highway 2 bridge just at the mouth of the Bay of Quinte, how could we come this far and not stop and get a picture under the "Gateway to the Trent Severn Waterway" sign.

Few more paddle strokes and landed on the shore and start waiting for our ride, they got stuck in traffic so are running late, jeesh. My Brother and nephew Noah arrived moments later, home time baby.

Love my brother but 140-150 all way home with kayaks on top? Really? After doing 6km/hr for 17 days with a max speed of 12km (once) 140 feels fast, especially when he takes turns at 120, waiting for kayaks to launch off the side.

Arrived back up north in Georgian Bay to drop off my brother at 730, funny how it took us 15 days of paddling to cover the same distance by truck in 3 hours. Stuck around long enough to have beer and wine and that hot tub looked sooo good but wanted to get back to city. Dropped in to say hi to my Mother otherwise I'm in big trouble and know she is excited to hear about the trip.

Off by 9:15 and back to city, have now officially driven longer than what we paddled today. Back to Julies by 11:00, hot shower and shave and watching 'True Beauty'.

Off in the morning to return kayaks while Julie goes to work, blah.

Soooo relaxed.