Kingston, ON

Today was a day in port visiting Kingston, our first task was to do some provisioning at a grocery store about 6 blocks away. On the return to the marina we stopped at the farmers market for some fresh produce and a rain shower. We were able to stand in one of the vendor tents as a fairly strong storm cloud passed over, but again once the rain stopped the sun appeared and the rest of the day has been partly cloudy. Each area of our trip has had significant weather patterns.

This afternoon we rode the Kingston Trolley that has nine hop on hop off stops each at a different museum or interesting place in town. We boarded the trolley at a restored train station near the marina, it took us across the Cataraqui River to the Royal Military College and Fort Henry. The trolley then returned to our side of the river for stops at the Steam Museum, Queens College, the shopping district and more.

The War of 1812 caused the creation of much of the armaments around Kingston and the construction of the Rideau Canal we just traversed. These armaments were built to provide protection of Kingston against American aggression.

Cloud formations early this morning

A theatrical group that leads a walking tour

A Martello Tower in the Marina

Two Mortello Towers across the river and a car ferry

The steam museum, city water supply pump

Davis Lock to Kingston

Going through a dozen locks in one day makes for a long, hard-working day.  Add in a few bridges, tying up to docks to wait for things and the 6 mph speed limit.  Well, we are glad to be in Kingston where we pulled in at 7 pm.   The weather was very cooperative.  It was drizzling when we got to a Jones Locks, but we had to wait almost two hours to get through.  So we tied the boat to the dock and went inside to read a book.  It rained hard and steady for most of the two hours.  Then, just before it was time to get going the sun came out and its been a beautiful day ever since.

Jones Falls Locks is a series of 4 locks going downward.  It connects a section of river that cuts through a deep ravine, with an adjoining lake.  All the scenery was magnificent, and with the fresh rain in the air it was just awesome.  

The young people that work the locks have been a lot of fun as well.  They work really hard opening and closing all these huge lock doors, hand-turn the bridges and pull all our boats into line.   At the end of the day one girl went out to take down the Canadian flag from the lock station.  I could hear her sort of humming “Oh Canada” in bits and pieces.  Her friend kind of joined in – they were just killing time with the moment.  Then a young man came over and sat down on the lock next to them and in the most beautiful tenor voice began to sing for them.  It wasn’t “Oh Canada” but it was such a surprise.  A multi-talented lockkeeper/tenor – I’m sure he didn’t realize the boaters nearby were listening to him.

We ran with 3 Canadian families today.  Very nice folks and we all stayed at Davis last night and started out together this morning.  We led most of the way, but later they all passed by us (smaller, faster boats).  When we finally caught up to them at another lock, the Lockmaster said “everyone wait, we have to let the big guy in first”. That would be us.  So once again we were in front – and we all came into the same marina in Kingston anyway.

Kingston looks like a nice town, the marina is large and run by the city.  We are right by a park and there should be some shops and restaurants up the hill where we can go exploring tomorrow.

 

Tour boat too long for the lock, just fold up the bow

Winner for the most colorful lawn chair display

80 ft wide passage between lakes

Quiet, peaceful and calm

Great north wood shot

More north woods

Discussions in the rain

A civilian helper at a lock

Three step locks at Kingston

Railroad trestle above the lock

With a train as we lock through

Smiths Falls to Davis Lock

July 29, 2014

Sitting out the rain in Smiths Falls was a good choice.  We got caught up on a few things, and today was excellent weather – cool and little overcast, but no rain.

The scenery from Smiths Falls to here was exceptional.  Narrow channels between towering pines and then opening up to small lakes, set with rocky islands.  Many of the islands hold a single cottage and the shores had cottages, but we are a long way from a city and everything feels very peaceful.

Davis Lock is a rural spot but very pretty and well kept.  They had a spot on the blue line where we could tie up overnight, and the lockkeeper called ahead and said that the next lock had no room left.  So we threw out a line, and this is home for a night.  We even have an electrical hook up, which isn’t that common along the lock walls. There is a classic wooden boat parked here, and 4 or 5 other boats who will stay overnight.  There aren’t many marinas – the boating season is too short to make a living and these lock walls seem to take their place.

Miscellaneous things we’ve noticed:  Loons and wood ducks live in these waters; the other boaters are talking about seeing a vixen and a couple of small foxes;   

Along the roads and parks we noticed 95% of the cars seem to be black/gray/white.  It takes a lot of waiting to see a red car or a blue truck. 

Grocery stores in Canada (we’ve been in 6 or 8 now) have no selection of cheese.  You have cheddar and mozzarella.  That’s it.  Okay so maybe we were used to the selection in Wisconsin – or all over the US.  But I do miss good cheese.  Fresh produce is plentiful, and expensive.  Gas and diesel fuel are extremely expensive.  Tomorrow we will have to stop and pay approximately $6 per gallon for diesel.

The people are very nice, helpful, friendly…. Can’t say enough about the great hospitality. 

Tonight we will stay in this very quiet and comfortable place, have a steak on the grill and read a good book.

 

Reunion on the Blue Line at Davis Lock

Restored older wooden boat, wow!!!

Cottages on small islands, REMOTE living

Rock Formations similar to those in Door County

oops!

Across the lock entrance from our Blue Line position

Smiths Falls – Rain Day

Cold and rainy this morning and forecast for rain the entire day. So we took a nap, went to Walmart and the Auto Parts Store, did some cruise planning, the laundry and some recreational reading.

Merrickville to Smith Falls

So far, Merrickville gets the award for “neat little towns along the Rideau”.  We are at Smith Falls today and it is larger and has several restaurants, a grocery store, Wal-Mart within walking distance.  Merrickville was not so practical just quaint and charming.

We are in The Pond between the two locks at Smith Falls.  The area is called Victoria Park marina and campground.  There are floating docks, electricity, showers etc.  Since it is a hybrid of city dock and marina, they charge only half price if you have a Canada Season Mooring Pass.   And they have wi-fi.  We had no idea how much we depend on wi-fi.  Not only to post the blog, but to look up weather, send and receive e-mail and answer all the miscellaneous questions we think up while floating along.

There is a band playing in the park on this Sunday evening and we walked up to Rob Roy’s for dinner.  They had a traditional shepherds pie on the menu and it was good. 

All day today the rain clouds threatened, but we were done boating and safely docked here before the rain came.  It was a one-hour shower and now we are back to intermittent clouds.  There was thunder and lightning with the rain last night.  Perhaps the rain has finished now and we can proceed with sunshine.

Hand operated Locks and Bridges

No really hand operated, push a little harder Ralph!

War memorial to Canadian Flyers, Reunion between the trees

A view out Rob Roy's window

Manotick, ON to Merrickville

July 26, 2014

We are continuing our journey on the Rideau Canal system, today we traveled 23 miles and 8 locks to a little town. Merrickville is a 1 hour town a best, a main street with a few boutiques (Shoppes)(Shops), two restaurants, a grocery store (not to be confused with a supermarket), a gas station/convenience store and a three tiered lock. But they have a free town wall that is packed tonight with 13 boats, we are rafted off to another Marine Trader Trawler on the wall. The Canadians do not speak very good English and our French is non-existent, but at the bottom of the 3 lock lift we through hand jesters agreed we would raft off if only one spot was available, no electric or Wi-Fi tonight.

All of these locks are hand operated, including the swing bridges. After on long horn blast, the operator closes the traffic gates by hand swinging them into place. Then inserts a crank into a hole in the deck and walks around the crank handle to swing the bridge 90 degrees.

The people that operate these locks are incredible, very accommodating, and worked to make a space on the wall for us and the other trawler. Every person in the all the lock crews have been very friendly and cordial, interested in where we came from and where we are going. One young lady today after Carol told her our story, Racine down the rivers to the gulf around the tip of Florida, up the east coast, to the Hudson River, through Lake Champlain, to the St. Lawrence, Richelieu, and Ottawa Rivers and now through the Rideau System, said “I am so bad at geography but I ask anyway.” Carol showed her our burgee with the route and I think she understood.

Cool today, changed to jeans, and overcast predicted showers but not yet maybe tomorrow or later tonight.

 

Fixer upper?

Nice presentation

Neighbors both with Sea Planes

Hand operated swing bridge

Swing Bridge Operator

Restaurant, nice exterior

Ottawa to Hurst Marina

A nice quiet travel day today, it was even pretty leaving Ottawa.  All along the route the canal is lined with large homes and beautiful landscaping.  When you only get three months of nice weather, I guess you fill it with flowers.  The locks we went through today were similar to the others on the Rideau.  Upon pulling into the lock you take your line and pass it behind a long cable that is attached at both the top and bottom of the lock wall.  There is a cable every 10 feet or so and you wrap your line around one at the bow and one at the stern.  The lock keepers are very helpful and pass along your ETA to the next lock so they are ready for you.  One of the lockmasters was practically a stand-up comic, with his line of patter and advice on where to go for coffee, music or doughnuts.   

Then we learned about cross locking, in a three chamber lock the boat in the upper lock lowers to the middle lock as the lowest lock raises to the middle lock. The upper boat moves to the middle lock and the middle lock boat moves to the upper lock to be raised.

We pulled into Hurst Marina after only a 23-mile day so that Dennis could change the oil.  I had ideas of going to a grocery, but alas, no such store exists within 5 miles. At least they have nice showers here, and the docks are wide and sturdy.  It is a practical, functional, clean marina – but does not resemble a resort in any way.

Too bad the rest of the loop does not have the courtesy cars we found at marinas in the mid-western rivers.

A Kayak Cross Locking, with us. The lock is FULL of water

 

Sharp, clean, crisp!

Hurst Full Service Marina

Ottawa Sightseeing

July 24, 2014

What a day!  There is so much to see and do in Ottawa, and it is all in the central area.  First thing this morning we headed over to watch the changing of the guard in front of Parliament.  A bagpipe and drum band led off, and then a full marching military band came down the main street and entered the Parliament grounds.  There were large groups of soldiers (regiments? platoons?  Sorry, I don’t speak military).   They were in full ceremonial regalia and the event lasted exactly 30 minutes.   We were completely impressed.

Then we headed down the hill to catch a water taxi across the Ottawa River to the Canadian Museum of Civilization.  Depicting 1,000 years of Canadian history, this is the most visited museum in Canada.  We stayed almost 6 hours and learned more than we could have learned in any class.  The building itself was designed by an architect with a First Nations heritage and it represents the glaciation of Canada.  See the photos to understand the round top glacier, and the flattened off mountain-tops.  The grounds were so beautiful – it would have been worth seeing, even if the museum were empty.  One floor was a complete history of Canada.  Another floor had an exhibit about the Canadian culture adapting to snow - and Bombardier company was mentioned repeatedly as being instrumental in modernizing the way people move in snow.  The original owner of Bombardier lost a two-year old son because they couldn’t get him to a hospital during a snowstorm – and he was motivated to create the first snowmobile type of vehicles.  

Another exhibit showed the sinking of the ship “Empress of Ireland” in 1914 in the St. Lawrence Seaway.  The ship was cut almost in half by a moving coal carrier in a fog bank, and it sank in less than 15 minutes and over 1000 people died. It never became as famous as the Titanic because the advent of WWI took over the news right after.   Finally, there was a large exhibit of First Nations totem poles and Inuit sculpture.

We came back to the boat for a leisurely supper and a passing gentleman, named Dan, stopped to visit about boats.  We asked him where to buy milk and then we all walked together to the ByMarket neighborhood.  We found milk in a drugstore, and then decided on stopping for a beer.  He took us to a pub near his house and we were greeted like royalty.  The owner/hostess was a woman named Franze and she was bold and crazy and proceeded to buy us all drinks and finally sat down to party with us.  I think wherever Franze is, a party follows.  We had to sample the new ice cream dessert on the menu, and we had to have another drink…. And we just had a most fun and memorable evening to close out our stay in Ottawa.

Bagpipe marching band

Military band marching right up the street, all traffic stopped

Changing of the Guard Ceremony

The bands return down the street so close you could touch them

The Canadian Museum of Civilization

One of the first Bombardier Snowmobiles

Zen Garden at the Museum

First Nation People

Ottawa Staircase Locks

 July 23, 2014

The Staircase of 8 locks at Ottawa is a unique experience.  We were the first boat into the lock at 9 am, and there were 4 other boats that went through with us.  Following the same pattern for each lock, we were first in and first out.  On every lock, as our boat rose to the level visible from the adjoining walkways, we had a chance to visit with tourists.  We met a woman from Nova Scotia whose mother was from Racine, a grandfather and granddaughter from Alberta, a couple from China and some gold loopers – along with many others.

The locks are a UNESCO Heritage site of the United Nations.   The waterway climbs 80 feet from the Ottawa River to the Rideau.  Right beside the locks is Parliament Hill, encircled by a paved road used by walkers, runners, bikers and the occasional car.  The river side of the hill is a wild natural park, and the side next to the locks holds a visitors center and museum of the locks.  These locks and the Rideau Canal were built in the early 1800’s by a British Officer and engineer, Major By and 3000+ laborers.  The entire distance of the Rideau Canal was completed in 4 years and at the cost of many lives to malaria, as they hacked a route through the Canadian wilderness and river marshes.

Everything went very smoothly and as we came through the last lock at about 12 noon, we found a spot to tie up Reunion along a wall in the very center of Ottawa.  From here we walked over for a tour of the Parliament building and learn some Canadian History.  Then we headed for the ByMarket district and found a 12 square block area of restaurants, shopping and open-air farmers markets.  This bustling neighborhood is the center of a lively nightlife and tourist area.  And it’s all within easy roaming distance on foot from the dock walls.

8 step locks at Ottawa

Using every inch of vertical lift

Boats rafting together in the lock

The Library of Parliament

Senate Chamber, Red chairs for Royalty

Parliament East

Ottawa River from Parliament Hill