Week 13,Aug 31-Sept 1

Arrived on the south side of Ottawa, still in the Rideau Canal system. The canal opens up into a large pool that, at one time, was a large swamp. It's called Dow's Lake. Stayed here three days. This is a marina with party bars and restaurants. Kind of loud at night. Dow's Lake is surrounded by city parks. The city has probably a hundred of miles of bike trails that include a trail that runs along both sides of the canal.

Leaving Dow's Lake and heading north into the heart of the city.

The canal throughout the city is concrete lined seawall.

The canal winds through the city.

Tour boats travel up and down.

From Dow's Lake on the south side of the city to the end of the Rideau Canal at the Ottawa River is about 4-5 miles. At one point, it opens up into this wide stretch.

Had one bridge that I had to call to have it opened.

At this point, there is only about one mile to the end of the canal where there are eight flight locks to take you down to the Ottawa River.

There aren't very many marinas in Ottawa - at Dow's Lake, here on this wall to the right and the last place is down the flight locks, directly across the river at Hull Marina in Gatineau, Quebec. There might be a total of twenty transient slips. We stayed one night behind this last boat and there is no power available here. From this location, we were about three blocks from Parliament and the heart of the city.

Parked on the wall with Parliament tower in the background.

Here is a war memorial with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

These cars are traveling over the last bridge over the Rideau Canal. The flight locks down to the Ottawa River are down and to the left of this old hotel.

Parliament Hill, Center Block (built in 1859)

This is the East Block, located on the east side of Parliament Hill. There is also a West Block that is very similar to the East Block.

This is the Parliament Hill Library located on the back side of Center Block. We were not allowed to take pictures in here, but it was absolutely beautiful.

View inside Center Block, which houses House of Commons and Senate where most of the debate takes place. It is very hard to take pictures inside the building.

This is a picture of the Senate.

A view from the back side of Parliament Hill across the Ottawa River. Hull Marina is just on the other side of this bridge. Gatineau, Quebec is in the background.

Beautiful church

A view from Gatineau back to Parliament Hill.

Cliffs of Parliament Hill from one of the many bike trails.

Supreme Court Building

Kayaking course

The rest of these pictures are of us locking down the eight Ottawa Flight Locks which took about an hour and a half.

Leaving the Rideau Canal system heading directly across the Ottawa River for our stay at the Hull Marina.

Week 11 & 12, Aug 18-31

Our travels through the Rideau Canal, between Kingston and Ottawa. Was built from 1826-1832. It is about 80 years older than the Trent-Severn Canal system we traveled earlier this summer. The Rideau was built for military purposes that would allow for the movement of troops and supplies from eastern Canada to western Canada, bypassing the St. Lawrence River. Tensions were still high following the war of 1812 with the USA.

This bridge just opened letting us enter the Canal system at Kingston.

This is the first flight lock at Kingston Mills. It is a flight of three locks, a turning basin, and a fourth lock.

This is the second set of locks with a single lane swinging bridge.

A single lane swing bridge, typical of all the swing bridges on the system.

We spent our first night on the Rideau at this hotel, the Hotel Kenney, located at the bottom of the Jones Falls flight locks. We were tied up at the dock in front of the boat in the picture.

Looking down the three flight locks toward the hotel.

We spent the second night at Len's Cove in Portland.

Arriving at Smiths Falls, the largest town between Kingston and Ottawa on the Rideau Canal. There are locks at either end of town with a large pool in the middle. We spent 4 days docked at this pool.

From the first lock to the pool there is a concrete-lined canal with RVers on one side.

This is the Railroad Museum.

Stayed in the pool at Smiths Falls, at Victoria Park.

Met Wayne and Sue at Smiths Falls. They were originally from Ottawa but make their home in Sarasota, Florida. This is their first boat that they purchased this spring to spend their summers close to their families. When leaving Smiths Falls, Wayne helped push off the wall and ended up tippy toed between the boat and the wall. He fell in but saved his hearing aids.

Smiths Falls was the home of Hershey's Chocolate, Canada. They closed about a year ago and while we were there, they had an auction of all their equipment.

Located directly behind the boat, this wading pool was a hit with the kids at Victoria Park. It was emptied each night and filled in the morning.

This is the old abandoned flight lock at Smiths Falls. It was a flight of three locks that was replaced with a single lock.

Smiths Falls.

This is our third stop, at Merrickville. This is a beautiful little community with absolutely beautiful old brick homes.

Ruins of Smiths Falls industries.

Downtown Merrickville

This house was dated 1826.

Waiting to lock through leaving Merrickville.

The next overnight stay was at Burritts Falls. Took pictures of these wooden boats that traveled through here. This is a Chris Craft, 1940 vintage.

This boat was custom-built about 1934.

This is a 65' custom-built boat from 1926. It has been in a family from Sorel, Quebec all these years and was traveling through here with the owner, his captain and crew. Sorel is near Montreal and is the entrance to the canal system that will take us to Lake Champlain.

Arriving in Ottawa.