Day 52, 7.18.18, Entering the Rideau Canal

Wednesday, and we say good bye to our couchsurfing host in Kingston. A delightful cold front has come through with a stiff north wind and cool temps. Back on board we take down the mast and rig for canalling. We're heading up the Rideau Canal toward Ottawa, and about four km from Kingston encounter our first lock. Actually a series of four locks together, and we share them with five other power boats. It's rather crowded in here, but everyone works together and we develop some camaraderie. While the Erie was built for commerce, this canal was built hurriedly for the military. The British wanted to keep the Americans from taking control of the Great Lakes, and this was the best route to bring heavy supplies up the St Lawrence Seaway to Montreal, up the Ottawa River to the head of navigation, and the Rideau completed the trip. 

Lowering the mast. This takes about 20 minutes.

Kristen at the helm, Rideau Canal

As the great doors close behind us, I capture another MacGregor 26 tied to the shore. 

Unlike the Erie which was a dug ditch, this route makes use of existing lakes and rivers, which makes it a very pleasant meandering route past cliffs and marshes, and the waterway is not uniform width. All this makes it more aesthetically interesting and pleasant.

The locks on the Rideau are all hand operated. Each lock has a staff of four or more, two on each side. Using a winch, they open and close the doors, and the gates are operated by hand cranks. Even the draw bridges are hand operated with hand-cranked winches. On the Erie, we called the lockmaster (a one-man operation) on the marine radio. Here, we tie up to the 'blue line'. Above and below each lock is a wall or dock, with part of it painted blue. If you want to tie up for the night or for lunch, don't tie on the blue line. If you want to enter the lock, tie up to the blue. Pretty simple.

Our solid state refrigerator has died again. These peltier devices seem to have a short life expectancy. That's why Kristen bought a pack of them. She spends the afternoon replacing it.

We find a nice anchorage on Cranberry Lake near a rocky island. Steak on the bar-b, salad and pilaf. After dinner Kristen rows us to shore and we climb a high rocky bluff overlooking the lake.

Saying goodbye to Kingston!  Another Martello Tower can be seen on the waterfront.

We saw at least 6 of these sailing vessels, each packed with kids.  Summer program likely.

Approaching the first series of locks on the Rideau Canal!  Notice the large Quartzite cliffs!

Parks Canada directs the traffic into the locks.  It's CROWDED!!!

All of the canals on the Rideau are hand operated!

Rocky outcroppings like this one appear all along the heavily forested canal route.

After dinner we rowed to shore and climbed this quartzite cliff with a stellar view over Cranberry Lake.