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