June 24-July 1, 2010
Leaving Ottawa we immediately came upon the Pretoria Bridge, a vertical bridge that is cranked up by 4 cables at the base of the towers at each end of the bridge. We thought that was pretty special until we came upon Lock 11 Hogs Back Lock where besides the lock personnel personally cranking the gears to open and fill the locks, the lock master personally inserts the removable turn crank and walks it around donkey-style to open the bridge for us and he's happy about it! Hard to believe but Canada Parks do all to preserve their history and canal system as it operated 165 years ago.
We had had our fill after 8 more locks so we decided to call it a night at Burritts Rapids Lock 17, a serene, pristine weedy place to dock for the night. This is a particularly popular lock to because it has electricity available for boaters and it's beautiful. Buddy is in dog heaven because it's quiet and he can feel grass not cement under his paws. A coed group of teenage canoers camped next to us-it's so good to see them finding a healthy release of their energy.Three more swing bridges (still can't get used to the human energy used to get us through!) .
The next day we attacked 12 more locks so we were ready to settle in for the night. at Smith Falls. Smith Falls has a town campground for boats and RV's and as soon as we heard they had hot showers, we decided to stay. Because of Saturday's heavy rain, we stayed two nights which gave us time to take care of some domestic chores. Pete had time to figure out how to run the TV. We've been without TV for over 3 weeks and haven't missed it! While here we visited the Rideau Canal Museum, giving us more to wonder how this 125 mile canal system with 46 locks was created in just 5 years!
From Smith Falls Lock 29 to the Narrows Lock 35 the ride was outstanding. We started in Lower Rideau Lake with its 5'-6' shallow water with 2' outside the channel. The buoys are set up to keep you in the channel but it looks more like a boater's driver's ed course. At Newboro Lock we are transported into the Upper Rideau Lake with its hundreds of small islands and sparsely populated shores. We stopped to eat our lunch at Col. By Island at the park dock and went for a hike around the island but were chased back to the boat by our buddies, the deer flies. (I think they're the national bird!)
Directional Signs!
We spent the night at the Narrows Lock #35 where we met more teenage canoers having a great time in the rain. And then we met "Noah's Ark" a 47' Nova Scotia. We were amazed by its size in the Rideau Canals as you don't see ocean worthy vessels in these waters. They followed us to Chaffey's Lock #37 where the lock people expected them via the lock grapevine ("Hey, there's a 47 footer coming!) and watched them lock thru-an incredible sight. Anyway, Chaffey's Lock is on of the prettiest walls we've stayed at.(We remembered staying here with the Edwards some years ago.)
Chaffey Falls
Leaving Lock 49, the last lock on the Rideau Canal Waterway, brought us to Cataraqui River and into Lake Ontario and Kingston Harbor. We were lucky to overnight at a slip with no power in Consolidation Basin where slips are at a premium because it's Canada Day (their 4th of July). The Canadians are all gathering here for celebrations and fireworks. Pete showed off his docking skills and was rewarded with applause by our fellow boaters for his superior skills!
Kingston, OntarioHaving no power made Pete turn on the boat's generator where we discovered, it isn't working. So after some phone calls, we motored to Alexandria Bay, NY in Thousand Islands - good old USA -where a solution is being worked on. Hopefully, we'll be up and running soon.
Miscellaneous Photos
That's Narrow!
Jones Falls Hike
Ferry Boat in Narrows
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