July 21, 2014
One side of
the river is Quebec and the other Ontario, one side French speaking the other
English speaking. So the lock tenders in the Carillon lock on the north side of
the river spoke French, we must ask for English. They are all bilingual and
move from one language to the other mostly effortlessly a real trick. The
grocery store clerks spoke English first although again they could switch to
French will no trouble a very special experience.
Today was a
great cruise, wide river lakes, little current, slightly overcast 80 degrees,
calm winds and waters just fantastic. The Carillon Lock is the largest in
Canada at 66 feet, quite a lift. A very unique lock with a lower door that
raises in one piece vertically rather than two swinging doors. There is a
similar door on the Erie Canal at lock 19, but no others we have encountered. They
have a floating dock inside the lock so again the bigger boats are against the
dock and the smaller boats raft off. The first two rows held 6 larger boats and
the last two 4 smaller boats again the lock was packed and some boats had to
wait for the next locking.
So 37 miles and one
66 foot lock and we arrived in Hawkesbury. We walked to town to find some
groceries and were fortunate to find a farmer stand on the way to the grocery store.
Fresh raspberries, cherries, delicious carrots a real treat, then off to the
regular grocery for the rest of our needs. A little time this afternoon to
relax, read and enjoy the weather, then dinner and to bed soon. I do not miss
the TV!
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| Very Calm this morning |
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Vertical lock door fully closed
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| Boats rafted and door closing |
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| Our lock attendant doing paperwork on her handheld device |
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| Fully raised 66 feet |
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Ecluse is Lock in French
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| Hawkesbury City wall |
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