July 2022
7/2-3/22
Chambly QC (Entered Chambly Canal)
Several things to love about Chambly! Voted, by Kent and I, as Best Brewery/Restaurant on The Great Loop is Bedondaine & Bedons Ronds Brewpub! French bakery, winery, and festivals on the beautiful Chambly Canal which uses only hand cranked locks (built in 1843). It is a series of 9 locks, built to bypass rapids. You have to run all 9 locks in succession! It was a major commercial route for the US and Canada. These Fort Chambly National Historical Site (built in 1711) sits on the Richelieu River.
7/4/22 St. Ours QC
End point of the Champlain Valley located at the confluence of the Richelieu River and St. Lawrence River. If you turn right, you go past Quebec City to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and New Brunswick, turn left and head to Montreal!
7/6-10/22 Montreal QC
We stayed in a marina at the base of Mont-Royal! We had a bit of a challenge getting into the marina as the St. Lawrence was carrying a 6 knot current, pushing us along, much ferry traffic and as we entered the very skinny entrance a large tour boat was coming out! Great access to the many venues during their summer music fest, fine restaurants, breweries, and a huge amusement park. We saw a fabulous fireworks show from the top of Daydream and found out later there was a national fireworks competition going on! Beautiful lights, lit bridge, clock tower, and interesting lift bridges! We met a friend of Kent’s for beers and were invited to their lovely home for a cookout by the pool! We took a long bike ride along the canal and had a wonderful lunch at a side-walk café!
7/12/22 Carillon Lock into Lake of Two Mountains
What a lovely
evening we had staying below this enormous lock! It is a National Historic Site
of Canada, being built in 1830 on the Ottawa River! 62 foot lift with
impressive guillotine gate that is opened by a counterweight of 200 tons! The
massive hydro-power plant is also very impressive! Complete with a double rainbow,
beautiful clouded sky and reflective water! Kent serenaded us by singing “Carry
on My Wayward Son”?????
7/13/22
Montebello QC
Entered Ontario at Pointe-Fortune where the Ottawa River becomes the border between Quebec and Ontario!
7/14-16/22 Ottawa
Ontario
Loved this fun
town which sits at the start of the Rideau Canal! (total of 10 locks - Ottawa to Kingston) Stayed at a small
marina/restaurant on the Ottawa River where we prepared for our flight of 8
locks, that takes would take us up into the town of Ottawa the next morning. We
understood to get there early as many cruisers use the locks and with it being
8 in succession you want to get an early start. We arrived at the base about
6:00 am to find about 5 boats already there. We also learned first come does
not mean first serve as the lockmaster wants to get as many boats through each
lock as possible. So we waited for 3 other sets of boats to start as their
length and width worked best. After arriving up top the lock wall was quite
crowded as the vacationing Canadians were out in force. We also learned they
take their summer boating VERY Serious, as they should with only about 3 months
of boating weather available! We met several fun locals, staying on their
yachts, that we ended up seeing again several times as we made our way through
the canal. We enjoyed exploring the restaurants, bars, parks, outdoor market,
music, biking and learning more about the canals! A favorite stop on a bike
ride was the Tavern on the Falls! Wow! Impressive, Massive falls!
Happy Birthday Arya!
7/17/22 Long
Island Lock ON
This is a rare
hand-turned bobtail swing bridge! There are 3 locks in flight with a total lift
of 25 feet!
7/20/22 Smiths Falls ON
7/21/22
Poonamalie Lock ON
7/22-24/22
Westport ON
From Smith
Falls to Westport we traveled through the Lower Rideau Lake, Big Rideau Lake
and Upper Rideau Lake. This was the start of many lakes that traversed around
islands, many privately owned with small cabins on them! We passed through skinny wooded passages,
around small waterfalls and through locks where we often stayed. We paid a one-time
parks fee which includes over-nights at the locks, some with amenities others
without, and passage through the locks! Great Deal!
7/27/22
Chaffeys Lock ON
7/28/22 Upper Brewers Lock ON (Entered Colonel By Lake)
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7/29-30/22 Kingston ON (Left the Rideau Canal and Entered the North Channel of Lake Ontario) |
Happy Birthday
Bradley!
Going through
Kingston was quite a shock as we had not been in tidal water for several
months. After a rather exciting ride, barely making it under the bridge, we
entered the North Channel! Beautiful old homes, a farmers’ market, amazing
local food and lovely gardens! We watched a sailing competition using small
portable sail boats at the Yacht Club!
7/31/22
Pickton ON
Back in a
channel and more protected we enjoyed some smooth water. We crossed through Lake on the Mountain passed Point Anne into Trenton, the end of the North Channel!
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