July 29, 2011 - Jones Falls to Portland, Ontario

Around 8:00 am we pull up to the wall at Jones Falls after a very pleasant night at the dock by the Hotel Kenny. The hotel chef is apparently very well known and he did an excellent job with the meal last night. Because of the price of liquor here in Canada the Rob Roys continue to come looking like they are ready to go back for a refill.

The Hotel Kenny celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2002 making it 134 years old this year. The interior is typical of hotels of the twenties vintages with a few deer heads thrown in. It was once visited by President Taft who at 350 lbs brought his own bed. A lounge chair was placed by the river's edge so he could fish.

Kenny Hotel

We were fortunate to get into the first group going north around 8:30 am, along with two small powerboats headed for Westport for ice cream (Six hours of locks and rain for ice cream,... nah, don't think so).

The rains started and the day turned ugly but it was still some of the prettiest scenery we've ever seen on our cruises. In one lock they crammed six boats in (100' x 26' lock) and in spite of the rain was like a party.

In talking to one of the boats, they suggested a place in Portland, Ontario for an overnight, Len's Cove Marina. We had hoped to go to Westport, Ontario overnight but the marina was backed up and full with five boats waiting. This is some kind of a holiday for all construction workers for two weeks and those with boats have all converged on the Rideau Canal.

Len's Cove        

We decided to head in the rain to Len's Cove Marina and after a pump out from a mobile septic tank on wheels described from one Len's Cove reseident as vintage 1940, (with a stink to match), we settled down in a slip and spent some time removing "lock grime" from "Blue Belle." Tonight's dinner will be in "The Galley" a restaurant close to the marina. We launched the dinghy for a short row to the restaurant and had a nice and unexpectedly good meal on the roof top patio. There was one other restaurant in town, "Fast Freddies"  but is closed.

The locks are getting old, mainly because you lose so much time going through them. We got lucky today with the first set of four but you can wait for an hour or more as they bring boats from the opposite direction, and then an hour plus for yourselves. Last two days we travelled about 25 miles each day. Only good thing is that between the locks you are going "trawler" speed (10 km/hr, or 6.2 mph), which is very economical. We filled up at Alexandria Bay, NY, at the eastern most part of the Thousand islands we went to, and I am hoping to get out of Canada without refue
ling because, as an example, the price of diesel where we are tonight is $1.50 per liter which I believe translates to $5.90 per gallon!  If you want to do the math, cruising speed burns about 1.6 miles per gallon. In the States it was between $3.90 and as high as $4.499, not great but a lot better than this.

Tomorrow is a real question mark because of the Quebec holiday and where to get into a marina or lock wall. It is supposed to be nice tomorrow and Monday. so we may take the day to anchor out of one of the islands in the Big Rideau Lake, the largest in our route, and swim in this crystal clear lake water.

Not sure the video below will work for most but this will give an idea of what it takes to manually operate these locks.

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

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July 30, 2011 - Portland, Ont to Noble Bay, Ont

"Crew" reporting in again.  The "captain" (i.e., occasional photographer) has relegated this to me, largely because we have been without WiFi for two days and it takes two of us to remember where the heck we've been.  Where we are going is largely unknown as well.  As I write this, it is actually Aug. 1st.  There is something to  be said for writing this on the fly, as it happens, totally spontaneously.  When you wait, as we have had to do, the reporting is somewhat colored by all the events that follow.

By the 30th, we have concluded that the National Holiday weekend combined with the two week Canadian construction holiday is driving us nuts.  More than one friendly Canadian has referred to the masses we encounter as the Canadian Naval fleet.  Anyone who has a boat is out on it.  We are irrationally resentful that they are taking all this time off while WE are plying their beautiful waterways.  Anyway, while ambling through the quaint main street of Portland, we meet one of our "lockmates" at Newboro who gives us a wealth of information about the area and points of interest between Portland and Ottawa.  We are craving a day without locks and are looking simply for a quiet anchorage.  He suggests Nobel Bay behind Fox Island which will take us half way between Portland and the next lock, the Narrows lock.  Off we go, and we find Paradise.  We are in the midst of dead stillness and magnificent beauty.  We anchor in water almost 20 feet deep and can see well down beyond our feet when we go for a swim.  It is the best day of the trip.  I must dismiss the fact that the photographer beat me at cards tonight putting him one game ahead of me in the cruise championship.  There are lots of days ahead.

Nobles Bay anchorage in the morning

Fox Island Boathouse

Baby Lighthouse leaving the anchorage

Back into thin water

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle02?authuser=0&feat=directlink
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July 31, 2011 - Noble Bay on the Rideau to Merrickville, Ont., also on the Rideau

Crew here again.

We leave early Sunday morning in order to get a good position to lock through at Poonamalie.  In Canada, there is a "blue line" wall where boats are tied up and wait.  The lock master is the all-powerful who will decide where you will go in the lock and when.  As we proceed to Poonamalie, we are struck by the idyllic setting of the Big Rideau Lake which we are leaving.  We are almost becoming immune to all the natural untouched beauty around us.  Luck is on our side and we are the only north-bound boaters at the Poonamalie blue line.  (This is eerily starting to sound like a train station on the Boston MTA.) 

The lockmaster brings through the southbound boats and we are on our way, destination Merrickville, Ont.  There is "touchable" history in every town we stop at and Merrickville promises much of that.  We traverse both wide and narrow waterways.  In the very narrow waterways, you can almost reach out and pull limbs from the trees on either side.  Tarzan wouldn't even need to swing.  There are "whistle point" places where you are expected to blow a horn or a whistle to let oncoming vessels that you are just around the bend.  When you occasionally do come bow to bow without another boat out of the clear blue, it is a "holy s---" moment.  The boats come to a sudden slow and back off like cats and dogs on their haunches not quite ready for the big battle, and then each proceeds ever so slowly. 

Park at Merrickville

Biggest Canoe I've ever seen

Party on in Merrickville

Along the Merrickville wall

Merrickville, Ont

Postcard like photo going back to the marina

The good news/bad news at Merrickville when we arrive is that there will be an hour wait at the blue line as the lockmaster completes the 3-lock cycle with southbound boats.  The good news is there is a street fair right by the blue line wall with vendors of all sorts.... leather crafters, woodworkers, rug hookers (could that be the right term? ) and pottery people (cripes!  are they potters?).  It is something straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting.  There is a band playing quasi-Irish music, children are dancing and except for the ungodly heat again, it is a very nice break in our day.

We crawl back into town once we take a slip at an old boatyard and again the heat is winning.  There are lots of craft stores and shops in town.  The most popular spot is the ice cream place.  Crawl back to the boat, shower, then head back for dinner.  At the recommendation of the boatyard, we go to the Main Street Family Restaurant.  The food was just okay, but that was alright.  We sat out in the restaurant's backyard where a trio of guys about our age played guitars and sang.  They were consistently off-key Willie Nelsons, but were very likable and we enjoyed listening to them.

When we get back to the boat we conclude that we are only about half way through the roughly 100 locks this trip entails.  It is far, far more than we anticipated.   It seems no matter how long we travel each day, we are stuck in the Rideau Canal.  Maybe it is the Willie Nelson guys that remind me of the group Bert likes so much, the Kingston Trio, who sang "Charlie on the MTA."  To paraphrase, "But did he ever return, no he never returned, and his fate is still unlearned.  He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston (replace with "the waters of the Rideau.")  He's the man who never returned."

No cards tonight.  Someone doesn't want to chance losing his very temporary lead.  Tomorrow we will head to Ottawa.

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

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August 1, 2011 - Merrickville, Ont, to Dow Lake, Ottawa, Ont

We left Merrickville marina early to catch the first opening of the lock. We expect it to be  a very long day through "ditch-like" conditions, but we are partly wrong.  It is a very long day but the ride is very nice with water wide enough or better throughout the entire time.  The closer we get to Ottawa, the more spectacular the waterfront homes.  We are in "pass the Grey Poupon" territory. Almost mega-mansions.  We press for 9 hours (including a short tie-up for lunch)  and log an astounding 42 miles.  Seriously, that's pretty good, especially since we covered eight locks. 

At Burrit Rapids, Margie reads in the guide book that you can bribe the lockmaster (with chocolate covered almonds) to force the lock to shoot up a small geyser.  After almost 60 locks, we are eager to see something diferent.  She tries brownies since we have no almonds.  He admits that to accomplish what's known as the "Burrits Burp," you must be southbound (or going upstream.)  He's nice enough that we give him the brownies anyway.  Again, all the staff at the locks are friendly and go out of their way to help.

Lunch stop on the way to Ottawa

Our constant frustration throughout the day is how discourteous the local boaters are.  They throw huge wakes at other boats and rock all the docks along the way.  At times, it seems we are the only ones obeying the speed limits.  However, in the realm of "no good deed will go unpunished,"  we are the ones who get a beep from a police boat cautioning us to slow down.  At best, we are one knot over the limit.  Could it be the stars and stripes flying off our stern?

Approaching Ottawa

Dow Lake Pavilion

We arrive around 5:00 pm at Dow's Lake which is in Ottawa, but on the outskirts of the city by about 4 miles. It is a man-made lake that the British created while building the canal.  It had been a marsh that provided fertile grounds for mosquitos and malaria which ultimately killed hundreds of men who were building the Rideau Canal, The marsh was flooded and  the lake is now about 5-6 feet deep and has beautiful grounds around it.  We are struck by the number of bicyclists we see in Canada.  There are literally hundreds of miles of scenic bike paths everywhere and they are well used.
Tomorrow we put our tourist hats on and tackle the big city.

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

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August 2, 2011 - Dow Lake, Ottawa, Ont

We had a beautiful day to spend in Ottawa.  Again, we were about 4 miles from the city proper so we bought a bus pass that allowed us unlimited travel all day.  The bus system is rather sophisticated.  You can call a number as you wait and enter the bus station.  It will tell you how long a wait you will have.

Parliment Building

Parliment Clock Tower

Gargoile

Incredible Cathederals

Ottawawa's 8 steps to the Ottawa River 

The city of Ottawa is breathtaking, truly like an old European city.  Parliament which is at the end of the Rideau (which we came to find out means "curtain" in French) is an enormous complex of Gothic architecture structures.  We decided to take a double-decker bus tour to cram in most of the sights.  The tour guide stressed that when designing the government buildings, it was most important that they not resemble Washington DC. We also learned that the War Museum was specifically designed to be ugly since war is ugly.  At a very narrow end of the building there is one window that looks off into the distance squarely at the Tower of Peace within the city.

We got off the tour bus to do a bit of walking around the Byward Market.  I suspect the "By" comes from Colonel By who was the architect of the Rideau Canal which joined all the waterways from Kingston to Ottawa.  And it was all accomplished in 5 years.  And
all of it still endures and functions!  Where was the Colonel during the Big Dig?

Anyway, the Byward Market was filled with street vendors largely selling produce,
all of it fresh and ripe.  There were also cheese stores and bakeries and the
scents alone would cause you to gain weight.

Byward Market

Obama was here...

Conveniently, the tour bus stopped at our marina at Dow's Lake so we jumped off rather than return to the city and take a city bus back.  We were within walking distance to what is known as Little Italy so we had dinner there.  Little Italy is easily as big and restaurant-populated as the North End in  Boston.  Dinner did not disappoint.  .
Speaking of disappointing, the Captain lost last night's round of 7 Roads to Hell, putting the standings at a tie.
Tomorrow we will come to the eight step locks of Ottawa.  We will hope to do a little more sight-seeing in Ottawa and then head to Gatineau which is technically in Quebec Province, not Ontario, and is within sight of Ottawa, just up the Ottawa River.  There is a casino there and the marina is free to those who gamble.  So, guess what we will do.
Gatineau (pronounced Gat-in-no) has been a source of amusement for the Captain.  He has been loudly singing "Gattin to know you, gattin to know all about you."  Honestly, it was hilarious the first few times.  Now, he is driving me freakin' crazy.  And it's not just the singing.

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

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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

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August 4, 2011 - Gatineau, Que Province to Montebello, Que Provice

The eastbound trip on the Ottawa River reminds us of the Hudson River at its most beautiful points, although there is a greater presence of farmlands along the shores. The name Montebello is understandable as we are soon seeing mountains in the distance.

Today we have a short run and arrive at Chateau du Montebello around noon, and, as promised by our Ottawa flight lock mate (Tookie's master) it is a beautiful reort in the midst of a bucolic setting. The property boasts of having the largest log cabin in the world and I don't know who could dispute it. in the reception area of the lobby, a center stone fireplace soars three stories high. It is magnificent.

World's larget "log cabin"

We take the suggested "just a 20 minute walk" (it is always 40 or more) into town through a wooded path. On each side of the path, signs warn of the herbs du puce....poison ivy. So, let's walk single file. The captain has had a rash of unknown origins on his arms and legs for two weeks. Herbs du puce will not help.

We pick up some provisions in town, grab lunch and trek back in time to go for a swim. It is yet another scorcher of a day and the pool is mobbed. After dinner on board, we start plotting our trip to Montreal. This will be our greatest challenge as we will enter the St. Lawrence Seaway and the channels and waterways are complex and confusing, not to mention congested.

As it has been for the last week or so, the dominant language spoken is French. However, most people are bilingual and are very willing to help you, quickly going over to English when they see the expression of cluelessness on our faces. I have to say, thanks to Miss Ferraro who worked tirelessly to pound some language skills into our heads in college, some of it is actually coming back to me. If I could control the speed of the conversation, I'm sure I could actually dredge up the word I need. I practice on the Captain and he finds it most annoying. He is, in my new-found lingual world, "le nincompoop".....or is it "nincompoop-eh?"

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.