UPDATED POST: March 28th -> Peterborough & the Kawarthas’ newest travel experience, Under Water Dining at Lock 21—which takes visitors on a hands-on, historical dining experience through, inside and under the world’s highest hydraulic lift lock—is now sold out. Tickets for this new experience went on sale at 10 a.m. yesterday, and sold out in less than 12 hours. “We expected tickets to sell quickly, but we were overwhelmed by how quickly they sold out—the response has been incredible,” says Tracie Bertrand, Director of Tourism & Communications for Peterborough Economic Development. ----------------------- UPDATED POST: March 27th -> Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism has announced it is launching Under Water Dining at Lock 21 (see our recap of our dress rehearsal last summer below), which will take visitors on a hands-on, historical dining experience through, inside and under the world’s highest hydraulic lift lock. They are expecting tickets to sell out quickly. Tickets are now on sale for four dates in 2017. Seating for each experience is limited to 16 people, and tickets are $265 CDN per person (+ HST). To learn more about Under Water Dining at Lock 21 or to purchase tickets, click here.

------------------ ORIGINAL POST We were among a select group of 12 people invited to a beta test of a unique experential tourism experiment on Thursday (June 16th): Under Water Dining @ Lock 21.

We started in a Voyageur canoe—dressed in Voyageur gear, of course!—and made our way up to the top of the Lift Lock with great tour guides from the Canoe Museum.

We then learned from the amazing Trent Severn team about the functionality and technology behind the Lift Lock, an engineering marvel that is the highest hydraulic lock in the world with a rise of 65 feet (19.8 metres).

Then we had a quick yummy food & drink break in front of the Locks...

After that, we had an amazing tour inside the bowels of the historic Lift Lock, which opened in 1904.

Manager of Canal Operations Chad Buchner

Then the highlight of many highlights: eating delectable food literally right under the Lock prepared by world class local chefs. The 6-course meal included Fennel & Buttermilk Flan, Trout, McLean's Asparagus and much more...

Like, seriously, we ate right under here...

Learning about our unique dining setting courtesy of @ParksCanada pic.twitter.com/KSpM0EzjrQ — Tres Hombres (@TresHombresFood) June 16, 2016

Have you ever eaten a spectacular local 6 course tasting under a liftlock tub?! pic.twitter.com/5EXQsWIUS2 — Tres Hombres (@TresHombresFood) June 16, 2016

Only in #ptbo. These guys, this food and the tallest liftlock! pic.twitter.com/DNOQpXY0z6 — Tres Hombres (@TresHombresFood) June 16, 2016

McLean's Asparagus, smoked duck and a @Viamede egg -- served under the world's tallest lock #UnderwaterDiningLock21 pic.twitter.com/3cBG7Z1OBp — ON Culinary Tourism (@OntarioCulinary) June 16, 2016

Hand-cut tartare with lovage & parsley served under working locks! Such a unique experience #underwaterdininglock21 pic.twitter.com/IU5Lc0x33I — ON Culinary Tourism (@OntarioCulinary) June 16, 2016

We then retired to another room right next to the tunnel where cars go through—we could hear the honking right next to us through the wall—to have dessert and hear ghost stories from Ed The Lockmaster...

Ed The Entertainer Lockmaster telling ghost stories

Thanks to Peterborough & The Kawarthas Tourism, the Trent Severn Waterway crew and the Canadian Canoe Museum for putting on this awesome dress rehearsal event that we hope to see marketed to the public sometime soon. It will be a hit locally and to tourists across Canada and beyond.