Lock 45 — Lock 45 – Port Severn

🚨 BUOY CONVENTION CHANGES AS YOU ENTER THE TSW CHANNEL — REDS TO PORT HEADING UPSTREAM. Southbound vessels arriving from Georgian Bay must adjust their buoy reading immediately upon entering the Port Severn channel. In Georgian Bay you have been keeping reds to starboard. Once you enter the TSW navigation channel heading upstream toward Lock 45, the convention changes: REDS TO PORT. This reversal applies for the entire TSW from Lock 45 back to Lock 36 Kirkfield, where the convention reverses again.

🚨 Strong turbulence on approach to lock from below — apply power as needed to maintain control. The dam adjacent to Lock 45 generates current and turbulence in the channel approaching the lock from below. Maintain positive steerage on approach. Do not let the current set you off the approach centreline.

⚠ Make a Securité call on VHF 16 before entering the narrow channel. Transmit vessel name, position (Port Severn), and intention to transit inbound before entering the narrow buoyed channel from Georgian Bay. Large sightseeing vessels operate here multiple times daily.

⚠ Downstream traffic (outbound from Lock 45) has right-of-way. Vessels exiting Lock 45 and heading to Georgian Bay have right-of-way in the narrow channel. If traffic is departing the lock, hold clear until the channel is free before committing to the inbound passage.

⚠ Channel depth varies with Georgian Bay water levels — approximately ± 1 ft. Sustained winds alter actual depth. Do not rely solely on charted depths near the 6 ft draft limit.

• BELOW LOCK: Blue line staging. Confirm wall with lock staff.
• Mooring below. Max mooring: 2 nights. No shore power. Potable water, washrooms on-site.
• After ascending Lock 45, buoy convention heading upstream: REDS TO PORT (TSW downstream convention since Kirkfield applies in reverse for southbound).
• Multiple marinas in Port Severn: Starport Severn, Rawley Resort, Driftwood Cove — fuel, pump-out, repairs.

🚨 BUOY SYSTEM CHANGES IMMEDIATELY AFTER EXITING THIS LOCK — REDS TO STARBOARD. This is a critical and immediate reversal from the navigation convention you have followed since Lock 36 Kirkfield. Since Kirkfield you have been keeping red markers to PORT. The moment you pass through Lock 45 gates and enter the Georgian Bay channel, the buoy convention reverses: REDS TO STARBOARD. This change takes effect in the same narrow channel where you will be managing turbulence, shallow water, and closely spaced buoys — all simultaneously. Review your CHS charts before entering the lock so you are not reorienting your buoy reading while steering in a confined channel.

🚨 Narrow channel with closely spaced buoys — maintain constant speed and precise steering. The navigation channel from Lock 45 through Little Lake to Georgian Bay carries more than 10 buoys in rapid succession. The channel is narrow throughout and leaves little margin. Maintain a constant controlled speed and hold precise steering on the channel centreline from the moment you exit the lock gates. Do not slow excessively — in shallow conditions, reduced speed creates a genuine risk of losing steerage. Hold steerage-way throughout the entire marked channel passage.

🚨 Strong turbulence below lock from dam — apply power as needed to maintain control. The dam adjacent to Lock 45 creates significant turbulence immediately below the lock exit. Do not idle through this zone. Apply enough throttle to establish positive steerage as soon as you clear the lock gates. The turbulence combined with the narrow channel requires immediate control — not hesitation.

⚠ Make a Securité call on VHF 16 before entering the narrow channel. Transmit your vessel name, position (Lock 45 Port Severn), and intention to transit outbound before entering the narrow buoyed channel. Large sightseeing and commercial vessels operate in this waterway multiple times daily. Do not assume the channel is clear.

⚠ Downstream traffic has right-of-way — watch for large vessels. Vessels approaching Lock 45 from Georgian Bay (heading upstream) have right-of-way. A large sightseeing vessel transits this area several times daily during season. Hold your position at the staging area above the lock if large traffic is inbound until the channel is confirmed clear.

⚠ Channel depth varies with Georgian Bay water levels — approximately ± 1 ft depending on wind. Sustained winds pushing water into or out of Georgian Bay alter the actual depth in this shallow channel by approximately one foot in either direction. Do not rely solely on charted depths. Proceed with caution if you are near the draft limit of 6 ft (1.8 m) and conditions are uncertain.

⚠ Hwy 400 bridge — 30 ft (9.1 m) clearance. Restricted channel width under bridge. Confirm air draft before approaching. Current runs approximately 2 knots between the lock and the highway bridge — stronger during spring freshet or after sustained rain.

• ABOVE LOCK: Blue line staging. Confirm wall with lock staff. Hand-operated lock — staff will operate gates manually.
• Mooring above: overnight to 2 nights. Potable water, washrooms, camping on-site. No shore power.
• Multiple marinas in Port Severn area: Starport Severn, Rawley Resort, Severn Marina, Driftwood Cove — fuel (gas and diesel), pump-out, repairs.
• This is the last lock of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Georgian Bay and the North Channel lie ahead.