Not only are you now in Canadian Shield but you will have to consider your evenings tie up in advance now that you are entering a popular cruising Area. In many cases the lock walls from here to Fenelon Falls will be full by mid afternoon. Once you complete the Youngs Point lock you will have 14 miles ahead to Burleigh Falls the next lock.

Lock 27 Youngs Point is a well developed area and extremely popular. Historically it was the summer of 1825 when Francis Young arrived from Ireland. The family did a lot to promote the area and its tourist development, for the waterway user Patric Young set the stage by developing steam boats for use on the lakes.

For the Trent Severn only the highway 28 bridge crosses the waterway close downstream of the lock. Although it has a 22 foot clearance the clearance is only available for a 50 foot section. There are also cables crossing near the bridge one overhead at 33 feet and a submerged cable just out of the west lock gate.

Youngs Point offers a rare opportunity to do a bt of shopping lock side. The lock side Trading company is steps away from the lock if there is space to tie-up. The store itself is one of the better stocked tourist venues with a wide variety of products many quite unique, The ice cream parlor is always a hit for the bored teenager or pre teen of your crew as there is always a lot of activity and visibility.

Across the bridge on the south side are yet more dining options. Perhaps 3 blocks from the old bridge is Granny's Country Kitchen which lives up to its name with solid basic restaurant fare and a good breakfast year round. The staff are friendly and service prompt.

There is a lot of very " Kawartha style cottage stuff" in the immediate vicinity. The historic Youngs Point Bridge make it easy for passing boaters to cross to the south side bypassing the bust highway 28 bridge. On the south side discriminating cruisers can take a real break from fast food to visit the charming Old Bridge Inn (705) 652 8507 tucked away on the old road steps from the original bridge.

The Old Bridge Inn was one of our original favorites when we moved to the area in 98, and offers a wide menu that puts outstanding food on the table with a country touch. Operating as a Bed and Breakfast you can choose to dine inside on the patio in casual attire.

Clear Lake

If you are headed deeper intro the prime cruising country offered by the Kawartha Lakes the first marina upstream of Lock 27 is Islandview Resort (705) 652 8498 which is just after you exit the lock on the north side marked by the Shell sign. The waterway side patio offers a hint that although they offer overnight docking with a reservation their primary business comes from the day trade much of which is destined for the licensed The Old Mill at Islandview. There are posted docks available for short stay visitors stopping for a meal their specialty is ribs seafood and stir fries.

Your course upstream from lock 27 will carry you to the north of a group of islands where Youngs Point Marina (705) 652 8563 appears dead ahead. Youngs Point Marina is hard to miss standing out against the treed background, they keep roughly 15 transient slips available and welcome the house boater as well as the more serious cruising vessels with a full 6 foor draft dock side.

They can haul power vessels up to 35 feet and also offer repairs on the hard or underwater making is desirable if you don't wish to get wet or pay for a haul out. Facilities are adequate with 15 amp power water washrooms, ramp and phones.

North of the lock closer to the highway is the Youngs Point General Store which is the postoffice and offers camping supplies, fishing supplies, groceries, pizza and more home baked goodies.

Clear Lake

As you make the turn from Youngs Point channel to Clear Lake do not stray to far east toward the small community of South Beach as there is a shoal extending offshore immediately east of the small marina having depths of 4 or 5 feet.

The Youngs Point Light C167 is found on the west shore of Clear Lake a half mile up stream from Youngs Point Lock 27 situated on top of a 20 foot high white mast. Your course north will cary you around the point, rounding up between C167 and C166 (mile 105.2) taking up a heading close to 37 ° north.

Clear Lake was artificially created with the construction of the waterway and stretches from closely above lock 27 to where Stony Lake meets the Trent Severn at Hells Gate a distance of roughly 5 miles.

The lake has a much more regular shoreline than many other in this area and is well marked. As usual there are one or two spots which require attention to your navigation during this rest before Hells Gate. The majority of the lake has depth between 26 and 30 feet until you reach the norther section (by our definition mile 107.8) where there are a couple of nasty surprises for the boater.

CAUTION The Spoiler is a 2 foot depth (at datum) rock roughly 700 feet to the south of the marked course east of Sandy Point (roughly mile 108) the C167.1 marker buoy is a couple of hundred feet further towards the shore.

CAUTION At mile 108.5 is Hannas Rock has only 2 feet of water marked by C169 which lies east of the rocks marking the west edge of the channel.

If you plan to make landfall at Kawartha Park dont try to cut across. Go close to the mid channel GRG bifurcation buoy before turning west to the marina. You can not miss the marina sign sitting atop the rock itself

Kawartha Park is a Department of Fisheries and Oceans harbour, and has a public dock with a length of 72 feet and depth from 7 to 17 feet. This dock is immediately south of the Kawartha Park Marina facility and docks is discouraged for overnight use.

Kawartha Park Marina(705) 654 3549 can bee seen from the waterway channel and is modern with a drive in covered maintenance slip for smaller craft. THe gas dock depth is 10 feet and there is usually a place for transient boats if you call in advance. Facilities include 30 amp power, repairs, washrooms, a limited marine store and picnic area.

Hells Gate

This are is covered by two charts of the 2023 group, have them out folded correctly and ready.

CAUTION Hells Gate is a treacherous section where the waterway channel turns from Clear Lake around Fairy Lake Island into the tip of Stony Lake and on to Burleigh Falls. This are is very narrow and there is no soft bottom so remain within the well marked channel at reduced speed.

I hesitate to provide any internet map as you should have the official chart to boat here. On our first moment 2002 we anticipate grabbing a plane from our local airport and filling in ariel photographs of this area with a double polarizing filter (so you can see what we are talking about). But in reality it is drive her between the markers avoiding the rocks not far off the channel.

For those not spotting markers this is an beautiful area. with isolated cottages and small islets. The meeting of the Stony Lake and main channel is marked by a RGR bifurcation Buoy (CS) off a tiny island having a cottage with a green roof.

STONY LAKE BUOYAGE The main Trent Severn Waterway channel turns west to Burleigh Falls continuing the current port and starboard buoy pattern. If you choose to turn east to Stony Lake it is important to remember that the buoy scheme will change as you are returning to Stony Lake Ports leaving red right (starboard) and green left (port).