August 3, 2011 - Ottawa, Ont. To Gatineau, Quebec

Hooray! Last of the locks on the Rideau Canal and they go out with a bang - Eight locks that descend to the Ottawa River. Our plan is to get to the Ottawa tie-up wall and do more sight-seeing and then get ourselves up to the blue line wall, the "waiting room" for those who want to lock through. We stroll around and watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier.

In looking down from the bridge over the locks, we see Randy and Lisa whom we met at Merrickville, waiting on the blue line. Our sight-seeing is cut short when we learn the lock master will do a triple stretch of downstream locks, then an upstream. If we don't get in one of the triples, we will have to wait till evening after the triple and the upstream are completed. On to the blue we go.

One of our lock mates has a big 42 foot Sea Ray with an equally big black Lab on board. Tookie is completely focused on a bunch (gaggle? flock?) of ducks who happen to be locking down the eight steps with us. I'm not sure if that was their plan, but the ducks are the first to get the heck out of Dodge when the last set of lock doors open after our two hour descent. Tookie, we are told, goes duck hunting with his owner when not cruising and apparently has trouble putting his job out of his mind.

Tookie checking out the ducks in the lock

On reaching Gatineau, we are now in Quebec Province and we are staying at the casino marina on Lac du Leamy. That must be French for "lucky day" since there is no charge for the overnight stay and the crew spends $40 at the slots and returns with $110. The captain. Not so lucky.

Gatineau Casino

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle02?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Click on any of the photos above to enlarge them.