The Big Chute Marine Railway—One of the unique locks on the Trent Severn Waterway —

Last leg of the Grandkids Cruise on the Trent Severn Waterway. Shortly after we pulled the boat out of the water and left Orillia, we arrived at the Big Chute Marine Railway, in Coldwater, Ontario. Had we stayed with our initial PLAN A, we would have started our trip in Severn, Ontario. The Big Chute would have been the first lock on our trip with that plan. However, in the summer of 2022, this lock was closed on and off all summer. The day before we would have arrived in Severn, we heard it was closed. So, with the help of our friend, Mark, we came up with PLAN B.

We continued to drive south to the end of our originally planned destination and worked our way from Peterborough, northwest, to Orillia. One way or the other, we wanted the kids to at least see the Big Chute in operation. We figured our chances would be better if we waited to see it at the end of our trip. We were right in that thinking, but we did not have time left on our trip to continue by boat, from Orillia to Severn. After we pulled the boat out, in Orillia, we soon arrived in Coldwater. The rain stopped and the sun broke out of the clouds. Within a few minutes, the operations for the day began with a few boats being carried over the railway.

The red line on the map (below) shows the portion of the TSW we traveled to this year with the grandkids.

Big Chute—Constructed: 1917; 1923; 1978
“In 1914, contracts were awarded to build locks to connect the Severn River to Georgian Bay, with one lock being #44. Wartime shortages stalled the start of construction, but they built the first marine railway in 1917 and then replaced it in 1923. The current marine railway opened to the public in 1978 and has helped to halt the spread of sea lamprey to inland lakes.” —Parks Canada

Big Chute Marine Railway is a patent slip at Lock 44. It works on an inclined plane to carry boats in individual cradles over land and a change of height of about 60 feet.

A few takeaways from doing this trip, with grandkids
To have a more enjoyable experience, try to get to your destination on the first day, or at the very least, the first part of the next day. We found ourselves in the truck with the kids for two and a half days, five days total. Too much! As I noted a few posts ago, kids need to burn off all their excess energy. On the trip back to Michigan, we fired up the iPad, where I had loaded a bunch of kid’s movies the day before. The kids were tired, and the movies helped them relax. Next time we will plan better on that, but we are all happy we did the trip. It was very successful and will be something we will all remember.

Before we left home, we got written permission from the parents to let us take the kids out of the country to Canada. They did not have passports, so we took copies of their birth certificates with us. Jim filed those documents along with our paperwork and passports in a binder, kept in the truck.

We asked the parents to pack one bag each with enough clothes to wear for two weeks. They wore most for two days. We did not want to find or use laundry facilities while on the trip. Jim and I followed suit.

One of the first things we did when we got settled in Peterborough was to sit down with the kids and talk about safety on and around boats. We wanted to make sure they knew who was in charge — the captain of the boat, always. We discussed when they would wear lifejackets and what to do, and not do while underway and going through locks. During this talk, Jim also shared an overview of the history and why the Trent Severn Waterway was created.

Take lots of games, drawing materials, and activity starters. We did not allow any tablets, except for the one we always carry to watch movies while anchored out.

Before the trip, ask the kids and their parents what their current food preferences are. Then, come up with a provisioning plan that works for everyone. We took a case of flavored soda water, ones which the kids love, but we limited it to one each, per day. We discussed this ahead of time, so they knew this was part of conserving resources while cruising.

The kids learned what it’s like to go through USA/CANADIAN Customs.

First through customs and soon after, we cross the Mackinac Bridge.

Closer to home and the end of a successful trip with the grandkids.

Grandkids Cruise-Big Chute

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The Stretch from Fenelon Falls to Orillia Was the Last Leg of Our Boat Trip.

Grandkids Cruise-Orillia. We will pull the boat out here to drive to the Big Chute to see the boats being carried over land. If we had gone with PLAN A, the Big Chute would have been our first lock, instead of our last.

On this day we had fun taking the Kirkfield Lift Lock (below). This lock is similar to the one in Peterborough.

Look what we spotted today (above).

We immediately stocked up on Butter Tarts, while exploring downtown and the big park by the marina. We also managed a visit with friends, Mark and Jodi on our last night on the boat, in the water.

Another Ranger Tug at the marina.

We talked about these butter tarts the whole trip. The kids were pretty excited to finally get some. We’ve had a lot of butter tarts when in Canada, but the ones in Orillia are by far the best! We never miss a trip to Wilkie’s Bakery to buy at least a dozen tarts.

Another Ranger Tug at the marina (above).

Another beautiful park is right by the marina. Canadians know how to create spaces for family recreation.

Our friends, Mark and Jodi, were instrumental in helping us position our truck and trailer, at the beginning of our trip.

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Something for Everyone! Fenelon Falls, Ontario —

Grandkids Cruise-Fenelon Falls. We have another fun stop today. Fenelon Falls has it all. The lock is right downtown and there is a magnificent park available within a short walking distance of the lock where we usually try to dock. We remembered from the last time we were here that there is a museum next to the park and they have lots of activities for kids.

Grabbing a spot on the lock wall in Fenelon Falls means a chance to have water and electricity access. Sometimes Wi-Fi access is available at the park. Today we were lucky. We got the last spot on the wall, near the park. We had access to not only water and electricity but also a picnic table.

Heading to see the lock well and the rapids. The view from both is very striking.

Maryboro Lodge Museum is a volunteer-managed community museum, offering programs for all ages, hosting special events, Teas, summer school, community events, concerts in the park, open mics, daily activities, play space, and a family program each Saturday in July, and August. They also maintain a local history archive. They had some amazing activities around the museum for kids to pass away the time.

This activity was our favorite. Kids can crank the water pump to create a working lock system.

As the day ended, we liked to just sit in the boat’s cockpit and review how our day went and to plan the next.

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Bobcaygeon Is A Popular Town on the Trent Severn Waterway —

Grandkids Cruise-Bobcaygeon. One of our favorite places on the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW) is the charming town of Bobcaygeon. A popular stop for Loopers, Bobcaygeon has many things boaters are looking for while cruising the TSW. We looked forward to visiting this town with the kids.

The last time we were in Bobcaygeon was when we cruised from Orillia, Ontario, on the TSW to Montreal, on the Rideau Canal.

After we went through the lock wall, we secured a spot on the park side of the lock.

I tried to do some girly stuff with Hadley during our trip, so the morning after we arrived, we took a few moments to attend to our nails.

We gave the kids specific daily chores. Silas’s task was to clean the floor, and Hadley’s was getting the garbage ready to take out.

We had a few meals on this picnic table during our 3-day stay in Bobcaygeon. It’s incredible how, when boating, things become very simplistic. Without the multiple distractions of everyday life, the ones we find on land. When boating, we have to focus on following a lifestyle and routine that concentrates on the immediate tasks at hand to get through our cruise on the TSW canal system.

After A While, the Routine Becomes Very Obvious.
Getting up in the morning, we rearrange the boat back to daytime configurations. We must put all the bedding away and reposition the table so meals and activities can begin. Personal hygiene and clothes management can be a struggle, but we usually sorted that out before or just after breakfast. Provisioning, preparations, and clean-up for meals, for four, alone take up much of my day. Thankfully, Jim would keep the kids off the boat and busy on shore while I prepared meals in the cabin.

Exercise and Activity…
I would also count exercise right up there with the other big daily regimens. Jim and I need a walk every day to keep us mobile. The kids need to run around and work off excess energy several times a day. Can’t imagine them being cooped up on a boat all day without somewhere to run around. This is one reason we chose the TSW for our grandkid’s trip. We knew firsthand that almost all the locks have park areas at or nearby the locks.

Thanks to the local grocery store, cupcakes were a special treat, especially for Hadley, she got to pick them out during our walk through town.

One thing we like about Bobcaygeon is the musical events they host in the park regularly. On one of our nights there, they had a special musical event for kids.

Good thing we brought some games. They were a good night-time activity, to wind down and end the day, for all of us.

Grandkids Cruise-Bobcaygeon

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Grandkids Cruise-Buckhorn, On the Trent Severn Waterway —
After leaving Peterborough, we made our way along the waterway to Buckhorn, stopping at Stoney Lake to anchor for one night. On the first two days of cruising the Trent Severn Waterway, we traversed 12 locks. That’s a lot!!!

Safety First!
Jim and I discussed how best to manage the kids while locking through. For safety reasons, we decided they had to sit still, inside or on the “Queen Seat,” while Jim and I handled the mechanics of catching lock wall ropes and securing the boat in the lock. While launching the boat, we had a minor incident where Silas, always wanting to step in to help, impeded us from securing the boat safely. I was afraid he was going to end up in the water. It was a big safety concern for us. So, we had rules about when and where to wear life jackets, and where to sit while underway (always inside). Lots of windows on the Ranger Tug for a full view around the boat. We talked to the kids often about how to keep safe when boating, while explaining why we take precautions.

While safety was a top concern during this trip, we also wanted the kids to get a good idea of what the boating lifestyle entailed. So, we either talked through the life-onboard aspects of boating, or we showed and involved them in the everyday chores. Basically, when boating for long periods, we have to do all the things to maintain our health and welfare, as we would do at home. We have to provision, prepare, cook, eat, clean up, bathe, manage our clothing, and do chores.

Silas was very interested in following our movement on the chart book for the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW).

As you can see, the kids didn’t waste any time drawing and writing in their journals.

Hadley immediately wrote (above) about the time we went through a lock and the crew on the small boat in front of us lost their hold on the lock wall rope. While trying to recapture the rope, with the vessel free floating in the well, the woman passenger on the boat slipped and fell into the water, without a lifejacket. This was quite a dramatic scene, not only for the kids but also for ourselves. In all our travels, we had never seen an accident like that. All turned out well. There were only two boats in the lock, and with help from her captain, the woman was safely back on their boat. A little shaken, but happy to be out of the water.

Silas wrote about our PLAN B (below). We made a PLAN B because the Big Chute was closed. Instead of starting at the beginning, The Big Chute, we started at our previously planned end of the trip, Peterborough. It all worked out, and the kids loved the idea of having and instituting a PLAN B. He also included a nice drawing of the canoe he bought at the Canoe Museum in Peterborough.

The kids sit in the “Queen’s Seat” (above) while locking through. Since I usually man the back of the boat when going through locks, after we got situated, I would let Silas grab a line to help. Otherwise, they had to stay inside the cabin or sit on the Queen Seat.

Canada has a great Xplorers program for kids on the Trent Severn Waterway. At the first lock we went through we picked upEvery lock we went through, Silas and Hadley picked up a new colored tag to add to their collection.

They mostly sat together in the cabin while traveling, and although they love to tussle and argue and would never admit it themselves, we have good reason to believe that they love each other very much.

We brought a few of their favorite games, plus a few new ones to try.

But mostly they loved to be outside if they could. While anchored out, they always played on our inflatable floor (to our dinghy) in the surrounding water. Kids need to spend their pent-up energy throughout the day. When anchored, it was playing on the inflatable and swimming. When tied up to a lock wall, they got to run around on the grassy park near the lock, do somersaults, tag, and hide-and-go-seek. So, we developed a rhythm for our planned stops. There are many lakes in-between locks. So, before a planned stop at a lock wall, we would anchor one night so the kids could swim.

Our first over-night anchorage was at Stoney Lake.

Some nights, we would turn up the music up and Hadley and I would dance on the back deck.

Anchoring Between Towns
Anchoring out for the night also gave us an opportunity to take fresh-water baths without using our reserves. Water capacity was a genuine concern, especially with four people on board. On our Ranger Tugs R25, the water tank is only 38 gallons. When installing our composting toilet, Jim created another 14 gallons by turning the, never used, black water tank into a spare fresh water tank. It was his first project on the R25. On long trips, we also carry four 5-gallon containers to see us through to the next water hose.

We brought lots of drawing paper and pencils, kids love to draw!

Silas liked to help Papa retrieve the anchor. Sometimes Hadley would help too.

Buckhorn was a fun stop for the kids. Lots of room to run around, right by the boat. The boat traffic coming through the lock was fun to watch. We positioned Kismet to go into the lock when we leave Buckhorn.

I tried my hand at pancakes with shapes for breakfast.

After getting settled along the lock wall, we all headed into town.

Lots of smiles when we can find ice cream nearby.

After ice cream, the kids met up with some other kids on this big rock. They certainly spent some of that excess energy while we were in town.

Most locks on the TSW have picnic areas close to where people tie up their boats on either side of the lock. We really liked this spot in Buckhorn. Since the town was close by, we opted to pick up pizza for dinner.

Hadley sometimes liked to play by herself in the v-berth.

Grandkids Cruise-Buckhorn

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Grandkid’s Cruise To Peterborough—First Leg of a 12-day Adventure

The idea for the “Grandkid’s Cruise” came almost a year before we actually set out on the road trip to Ontario, Canada with the boat in tow. We wanted the cruise to be educational by visiting somewhere, by boat, which had some historical content and some boating features. The Trent Severn Waterway (TSW) immediately came to mind. The kids would learn about how early commerce transportation came to be in Canada and the historical significance of traveling a waterway with a lock system in place.

PROVISIONING AND PLANNING
Our oldest grandson, Silas, has always been interested in how mechanical things work. We knew this trip would pique his interest—all the different types of locks we would encounter. Our granddaughter, Hadley, at six years old, was a little young to know exactly what she’d be experiencing. However, she does love to go on an adventure and was a good sport at finding ways to amuse herself. Jim and I planned by making sure we had activities for them. We took games, drawing paper and pencils, snacks, and food they love. We had to plan a little differently for this cruise than our normal provisioning and packing procedure.

We also had to address the sleeping arrangements. Last summer, we took many overnight trips with the kids, and we came up with a workable sleeping solution to accommodate all four of us on the boat. Silas would sleep on the table, which turns into a bed when we lower the table and add a middle cushion. For the trip, we had to remove some of the stuff we usually store in the “cave” so that Hadley could fit at one end of it. We made a cushion out of foam to make it a little more comfortable.

Other than that, the trip was easy to plan.

Here we are at the start of our two-and-a-half-day road trip to Peterborough.

From Traverse City, it is about an hour’s drive to the Mackinac Bridge. The kids had never been across it.

Soon we were on the International Bridge, between Sault Ste. Marie, USA, and Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. Once over the bridge, we had the pleasure of going through customs. This is the first time the kids have been out of the United States. Also, their first time going through customs. We had an overview of the customs process with Silas and Hadley, emphasizing the importance and the seriousness of crossing into another country.

Jim thoroughly prepared for the trip with copies of the kids’ birth certificates and authorization letters from the parents. It always helps to have your information organized when going through customs.

We spent our first night boaterhoming, just southwest of Sudbury, Ontario. We found a great campground by a small lake. There was enough time before dark for the kids to run around and explore while I warmed up the goulash.

Jim and Hadley share breakfast in the cockpit of the boat before we take off on the second day on the road.

SLIGHT CHANGE OF PLANS!
We wanted to launch the boat in Severn, Ontario, at the northern end of the TSW, near Georgian Bay. That way we would start with the Big Chute Marine Railway, one of the most interesting locks on the TSW. However, the Big Chute closed down several times that summer, and as we got close, we found out it would be closed when we got there. What to do?

PLAN–B – Grandkid’s Cruise to Peterborough
With the kids involved in the discussion, we all came up with a PLAN–B. We still wanted to ride the Big Chute, so we decided to drive to the end of where we were to originally go (Peterborough) and go NW instead of SE. After picking up our friend, Mark (below-another Ranger Tug owner), in Orillia, we drove to Peterborough and launched the boat. Mark then drove our truck and trailer to Orillia, which would be closer to our departure point. Two-and-a-half days after we left home, we were finally on the water.

The blue line represents the Trent Severn Waterway route. The red line represents the portion we cruised with the kids this year. With Plan B, we drove to Peterborough and cruised northwest to Orillia and by car to the Big Chute. Our original plan would have had us starting in Orillia and cruising southeast to Peterborough.

Things We Wanted the Kids to Learn During the Trip
We were hoping for them to learn all aspects of adventure cruising, not only navigation and reading charts, but safety, and general life onboard, such as cleaning, maintenance, and individual chores. We are lucky! Our grandkids always like to take part in activities, especially ones that involve water. On the flip side, we try to get their needs met with lots of special treats like ice cream and cupcakes.

The boat is all clean, and we are ready to roll!

Meal planning was a lot different from what we would plan for ourselves. I cooked a couple of meals in advance. Goulash, a one-pot dish for the first night, with leftovers for lunch the next day. I also made two batches of meatballs that I froze ahead of the trip. It would be easy to add to some pre-made sauce during the trip and cook a batch of noodles (their favorite). Other than that, we had some frozen hamburger patties, chicken, and hot dogs on hand. We brought two big boxes of Cheerios and some milk. We told the kids that they could each have one soda a day (a flavored club soda they like).

While I organized the boat so we could take off the next day with everything in order, Jim took the kids to the Canadian Canoe Museum. It is in Peterborough, within easy walking distance from the boat.

During our first night in the water, we presented the kids with a special gift, one that they could work on during the trip. They each received a journal, pencils, and stick glue. We wanted them to have a self-made memento of their trip.

Every day we moved, we went over the charts with the kids and tried to include them in the process

We were all very excited to leave Peterborough after a two-night stay.

Heading over to the Peterborough Lock almost immediately after leaving the dock.

The last time we took the bucket ride at the Peterborough Lift Lock was in 2018 when we cruised from Orillia, Ontario to Montreal, Quebec, in Canada.

More information about the Peterborough Lift Lock.

One of our safety measures was that the kids had to wear their lifejackets when outside of the cabin of the boat while we were cruising.

Grandkid’s Cruise to Peterborough

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Silas was born in Portland, Oregon (his family now lives in our hometown of Traverse City. In fact, all our sons have returned to our hometown over the last few years. Since we became Ranger Tug owners in 2011, we were fortunate to travel to the Pacific Northwest many times by either driving out to buy a new tug (we’ve had three) or returning by towing our tugs westward several times. We always made sure we were available during the birth of both grandkids in Portland by staying at a marina on the Columbia River. By doing that, we could include Silas on several overnight trips and one week-long trip to South Sound (Puget Sound), when he was four years old. Hadley just recently began her boating with us. Both took their very first cruise in Portland within days of their birth. Our most recent grandson, Declan, has been with us on West Bay, in Traverse City, a few times this summer. His parents are also boaters and he is getting plenty of time on the water this summer.

As I write this, we are planning a trip, with the two oldest grandkids, in August 2022 to Canada’s historic Trent Severn Waterway.
Silas and Hadley are both old enough now to appreciate an adventure and follow instructions needed when four people occupy a limited space. We hope the trip will give them an appreciation of the cruising lifestyle and the thrill of adventure while learning the ins and outs of boating. We will frame their trip to be educational. The Trent Severn Waterway will be an interesting trip through canals, lakes, and rivers with plenty of locks. It should hold their attention as they explore the locks and learn how they work. We’ll be mostly camping before or after some locks, other times anchoring in a lake, with only a few nights in marinas.

Kids (above), on the boat in our driveway, several weeks before leaving on our trip.

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Ranger Tugs’ live webinar series, As the Prop Turns, is featuring special guest hosts, Jim and Lisa Favors. In this episode, Jim and Lisa will detail their top 5 cruising destinations in the U.S. and Canada.

Stay tuned for the second in a two-part series (later this year) in which the Favors will talk about how and why they trailer their boat all over the country.

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When we got to Turnbull Island, we were ready to relax –

We left DeTour the morning after we launched the boat without a planned anchorage or any real route in mind for the next three weeks. Sometimes it is just nice to wing it. Jim decided the Turnbull Islands would be our first anchorage in the North Channel. We would revisit our favorite spots all the way to Portage Covered Cove, but we also like to scout out anchorages we’ve only heard about from other cruisers exploring Canada’s pristine cruising grounds.

Good weather and calm water greeted us as we made our way east toward the North Channel’s northeast shore. We still needed to check in with customs and decided Blind River was a good place to take care of that important task. Arriving at about 3:00 pm, we made a quick check-in, I never even got off the boat. Jim and I were ready to anchor somewhere and relax for the rest of the day, so off we went to Turnbull Island, located not very far from Blind River.

Often, at the start of a new cruise, we find the first night on the boat is a time to let down a little from all the activities of planning, packing, cleaning, provisioning, towing, and launching the boat. We also need to make sure all systems are good to go. All the flurry of preparation, in the weeks and days leading up to taking off on the water, can take a toll on us “seasoned” cruisers.

Checking in at Blind River.

Turnbull Island is U-shaped providing protection from all sides.

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Crossing The Mackinaw Bridge to Get to Detour –

One of our favorite places to cruise in the Great Lakes area is Canada’s North Channel. We have traveled there by both cruising and trailering. When we had bigger boats, we would cruise from Charlevoix, off Lake Michigan, to the northern shores of the North Channel to begin our chosen route. We’d cruised all the way to Killarney most times. Since 2012, we have been trailering our Ranger Tugs, both the 27 and the 29 to either Spanish, Ontario, or Little Current to launch and explore.

This year we put in at Detour, Michigan, a first for us. Detour is at the easternmost tip of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was less than a four-hour drive north to DeTour, MI from Traverse City, crossing the Mackinaw Bridge on the way. We had plenty of time to launch the boat, get settled at the marina, and walk downtown to Dinghy’s restaurant. Pretty sleepy town. We didn’t see anyone in town while walking to the restaurant, where we were the only guests for dinner.

We found DeTour to be a tiny village with only about 400 residents, however, DeTour’s marina facilities are very boater friendly. It was easy to launch the boat and store the trailer right there on a grassy lot near the road; the launch is a short walking distance from the marina. The whole process could not have been easier.

One thing we loved about DeTour’s Public Boat Launch is the easy access to trailer storage. You can see the marina from the trailer lot (below). We were also surprised to see a friend’s trailer parked in the lot. We were hoping we’d catch up with them during our trip through the channel.

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From Orillia to Hawkesbury – Time to Go Home! –

As our trip through Canada’s historic waterways came to a close, the weather chilled up a bit from the hot, humid days we had most of the trip, a signal it was time to go home. We had a full week exploring Montreal, Québec, one of the most interesting cities we’ve cruised to date. Touring Montreal took us back in time, they don’t build over historic sites; they repair and preserve, honoring their ancestor’s vision.

As our last few days, at the Yacht Club Montreal, approached, our thoughts turned to the logistics of getting home. One of the most enjoyable aspects of our cruising lifestyle is first, planning a future trip, getting ready to leave home making sure we have everything needed for six weeks, or so, of traveling. The anticipation of seeing new territory and meeting people and all the unknown encounters during one of our trips is exhilarating.

I’m sure you get the excitement of taking off on a trip, but I have to tell you, as our heads and minds say goodbye to another excellent cruise, the longing for home builds until we can’t stand it any longer. This is the cruising lifestyle! We feel like we have one foot at home and one foot on the boat, wherever she is. We are always looking forward to a cruise –conversely, once we reach the end of a cruise, we look forward to getting home. It makes for a very rewarding way of life and would certainly be a cure for boredom.

The Logistics of Trailering Our Boat Home

Months before our trip to Montreal, Jim mapped out the logistics of trailering the boat out of the country to Canada. Permits are the biggest issue when trailering our boat, Kismet. We already had a year-long permit for Michigan and we would need one for Ontario, Canada. At first glance, we expected to have to get one for Québec, but after consulting the maps and charts, we came up with a great plan to avoid getting the Québec permit. If we backtracked with the boat to Hawkesbury, Ontario, about 70 miles (on land) from Montreal, we could avoid the extra permit. It worked like a dream. Upon arriving at Hawkesbury, we tied up the boat at a free dock while we rented a car to retrieve our truck and trailer from storage at  Lefroy Harbour, in Orillia, Ontario.

Stopping at Marina d’Oka to empty and fill tanks.

The little marina in Hawkesbury turned out to be one of the more challenging launches to date. Easy to see why! The weather was nasty and the launch was filled with debris. There was nowhere to stand to guide the boat onto the trailer. We had no other options on the horizon, so we made it work.

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Montreal – The End of Our Trent Severn Waterway, Rideau Canal Cruise –

Named after Mount Royal, the centrally located hill with three distinctive peaks, Montreal was originally called Ville-Marie, or “The City of Mary,” The city is in the southwest quadrant of Quebec on the Island of Montreal. Many of the buildings, in Old Montreal, dating back to the 17th century, and some, back to the late 16th century.

The final approach to the Montreal Yacht Club was a little dicey with a strong cross-current tossing us around like a little toy boat. I am thinking this resulted from the city being on an island at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence River and Ottawa River. Jim and I were both happy the marina we chose is just a few blocks from Old Montreal. We spent great parts of almost every day walking up the hill to explore another section of the city. Our favorite is Old Montreal.

Upon arrival at the marina, we had a huge surprise

We were already quite impressed with the location of the marina, but when we checked into the marina office, they offered us a deal we could not refuse. Our original plan was to spend about three days in Montreal. However because we arrived after the height of the boating season (after September 2nd), we learned of a special deal. The harbormaster said, “Stay a whole week and you will get a great deal… $20.00 a night for a seven-day reservation.” No hesitation on our part! This amazing deal was a good omen. It gave us more time to explore the city in a more relaxed manner.

Old Montreal greeted us just two blocks up from the marina.

We took a double-decker bus to get a better idea of the scope of Montreal’s overall charm and architecture.

The tour ended on Mount Royal before returning us to the city.

No major city would be complete without a “Chinatown” (above). Here is the entrance to Montreal’s Chinatown.

The balls decorating Montreal’s Gay Section of town is an art installation by landscape architect Claude Cormier. We spent an evening walking there to have dinner.

Many of the old, cobblestoned streets were closed due to renovation. It was interesting to see the materials used in the ancient roads in Old Montreal, following decades-old cobblestone construction. They won’t have to replace these streets any time soon.

We spent one-morning researching bakeries and came up with Bar A Beurre.
Best almond croissants ever!

On one of our first walks in Old Montreal, we came upon Chateau Ramezay and its beautiful Governor’s Garden.

We heard about Schwartz’s from a friend who said he never goes to Montreal without making a lunch stop at this deli. We spent the late morning taking busses and walking to get to the restaurant, only to find the line to get in extended around the block. It went fairly quickly considering the number of people waiting. it was a yummy treat and we were hungry.

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Hard to Believe, in All Our Boating Experiences, We Had Never Cruised On the Saint Lawrence River – 

That was about to change after we left the quaint Quebec town of Saint-Ann-de-Bellevue. On our last day cruising to Montreal, we would encounter two huge international shipping locks on the Saint Lawrence River, Cote Sainte Catherine, and Saint-Lambert. These are the first of two locks on the eastern end of the impressive Saint Lawrence Seaway. Over 50 nations, use the Seaway ports in the United States and Canada.

Although this last leg of our cruise to Montreal was short in miles, we had to be prepared to experience delays and work with a whole new set of procedures, while locking through these mammoth locks. On the Saint Lawrence Seaway, cargo ships, freighters, and cruise ships have priority over recreational boaters. We were lucky that shipping and recreational traffic were both light that day. We followed a smaller cruise ship most of the way through both locks. The captain of the cruise ship had a say in if we would lock through with his ship or not. A courtesy call we suppose.

SAINT LAWRENCE SEAWAY LOCK FACTS

Each Seaway lock holds 21 million gallons of water,
equivalent to roughly 30 Olympic- sized swimming pools.

The locks use the law of gravity to fill and empty.
To raise a ship, they open the upstream lock valves and the water flows in.
To lower a vessel, they open the downstream valves and the water flows out.

Each lock in the system is 766 feet long, 80 ft. wide, and 30 ft. deep over the sill.

A lock fills with approximately 24 million gallons of water in just 7 to 10 minutes.

Transiting a lock takes about 45 minutes.

We tied alongside this boater through both locks. The captain helped us with translating instructions from the lock masters, as they operated mostly in French.

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Saint-Ann-de-Bellevue Sits at the Confluence of Two Impressive Rivers, Saint Lawrence and Ottawa –

The last stop, before our arrival in Montreal, is the second oldest community on the Island of Montreal, Saint-Ann-de-Bellevue. Founded in the early 1700s, this small town has all the charm you would expect and hope to encounter just short of Montreal. No gimmicky tourist traps here, only quaint shops, pubs, and restaurants. The town has a very European feel with a French flair. A good place to relax before we hit the big metropolis of Montreal.

We stopped here twice. It was our last stop before we hit the Saint Lawrence River and Montreal. We stopped again the day we left Montreal, to start our return trip home. On our trip east, toward Montreal, we stayed on the wall across from Saint Ann De Bellevue. On the way back, we tied up on the town-side wall. Saint-Ann-de-Bellevue is one of those places you’d want to slow down, enjoy the ambiance, and, as we did, extend our stay by one day.

The locks were getting a little bigger. We had to tie up to another boat while positioning ourselves for the sixty-five-foot Carillon Lock, it had an interesting lift gate that reminded me of a guillotine.

Since we were here on the weekend, we got to visit the local farmer’s market where the local produce and homemade goodies caught my eye. No worries about negotiating in French, nearly everyone speaks English. At the end of our trips, we are usually out of fresh produce and trying not to stock anymore, so my goal was to get only a green pepper for dinner. I only needed that one thing. but he talked me into these beautiful parsnips. He went on and on about the flavor; I had no choice, a real salesman he was! Those were some of the best radishes we’ve ever had.

On our return trip from Montreal, we locked through at Saint-Ann-de-Bellevue Canal for the last time.

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Ottawa to Baie Des Atocas for a One-Night Anchor – 

Leaving Ottawa and the Rideau Canal behind us, we continued on the last leg of our trip via the Ottawa River – a major tributary of the St. Lawrence River. Once we left the flight of eight locks in Ottawa, Kismet and crew emerged into the wide expanse of the Ottawa River. Our cruise started in the province of Ontario and proceeded on to the province of Québec. Jim broke the distance, of our last few days of cruising from Ottawa to Montreal, almost in thirds by first choosing a well-protected anchorage in Baie Des Atocas for a short, one-night stay.

As we pulled away from Ottawa, I was already missing the historic aspects of the Rideau Canal. The narrow canal with mossy lock walls and remote tie-ups at night was a humbling experience. However, we were both looking forward to the locks on the impressive St Lawrence River and arriving in the metropolis of Montreal to sightsee.

We were feeling the effects of entering Quebec territory, steeped in French influence. More people are speaking French around us. Knowing no French, Jim and I tried to communicate with locals, by incorporating a few French greetings. Nothing worse than assuming the burden to communicate is one-sided. Sure, this is a two-language province and most locals know English and French, however, we think when traveling to foreign ports, one should attempt to show a willingness to appreciate others’ abilities, make an effort and learn something new at the same time.

Baie Des Atocas provided a scenic anchorage for our one-night stay. Calm, glassy water reflected the clouds all afternoon and into the evening. The next day we headed to Saint Ann De Bellevue followed by the St Lawrence River and finally, Montreal.

Amazing sunset while anchored in Baie des Atocas, just off the Ottawa River.

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Ottawa Named After an Algonquin Odawa Meaning “To Trade” – 

Cruising through the historic Rideau Canal, and its winding waterway, took us through rural park-like settings for most of the seven-day trip. Never so true than our last day on the canal itself. The approach to Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, was like driving on the Natchez Trace Parkway, in the USA, only we did it here by boat.

The city sits on the south bank of the Ottawa River. When we leave here, our trip will continue on the Ottawa River until we reach the St. Lawrence River leading us to Montréal. Soon, we’ll be leaving Ontario for the Québec province. Arriving in this historic Canadian city means an end will come to our lazy canal cruise.

Neither Jim nor I have ever been to Ottawa, We were in for a treat!

At this point in our Canadian cruising adventure, we have cooked all our meals onboard. Not only do we need to restock our pantry, but a meal or two out would be a welcome treat for the chef. The weather so far has been blisteringly hot, but upon our arrival in Ottawa, the late September weather seemed to take a turn toward rain and cooler temps. Back to wearing our warmer gear, even jackets, and warm socks.

We snagged a spot on the wall close to the city’s center – Parliament Hill and its many historic buildings and museums. No amenities at the wall on the canal side of the locks. Fortunately, we had pumped out our holding tank, and filled it up with water, at a small marina on our way in. So, we were all set to concentrate on exploring Ottawa.

Time for a pump-out before we reach Ottawa, so we stopped at this little marina just short of Ottawa.

A beautiful approach to Ottawa, Ontario.

Take a look at this amazing lock from above.

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Dinner and Games Tonight at the Lost Village of Long Island – 

Uneventful cruise today on the Rideau Canal. We are getting closer to Ottawa, but have two more stops before we get there. We are getting accustomed to the daily drill of locking through multiple locks. Lock, cruise, lock, cruise, lock, cruise, and lock again, then tie up to a lock wall or dock, explore if possible, make dinner and relax while enjoying our new surroundings. At the end of this day, after transiting four locks, we arrived just before the Long Island Lock-14-15-16 and the lost village of Long Island.

Once surrounded by a thriving village in the mid-19th century, Long Island Lock, just southwest of Ottawa, now sits in the middle of grassy fields. Villagers abandoned the once-growing town when a stone flour mill opened in a nearby town. Today, we found a dock, rather than a wall to tie up to. It was more of a lake setting than the canal.

A group of kayakers going through locks today slowed us up a little. The lockmasters like to get each group from one lock to another, altogether, before they close the doors. Consequently, we had to wait at each lock for the kayakers to catch up. After a long stretch of water, they all turned to shore to rest, and we continued on at a little faster pace.

Dinner on that night was a soupy mirepoix of veggies, beans, and leftover chicken. A staple for meals on Kismet lately. Getting low on produce and protein, but we’ll stock up again in Ottawa.

Every night it’s a different setting, on that night we enjoyed a more open environment with glassy water surrounding us. Small fishing boats quietly moved around us. All is good for the crew of Kismet as we wait for the heat of the day to subside a little before we make dinner and get ready for a game of Sequence or Dominos.

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Merrickville is One of the Oldest Settlements Along the Rideau Canal – 

The French-Canadian influence of the area was becoming more and more clear as we reached Merrickville, Ontario. We tied up to a lock wall; only one block from the downtown area. The village is dripping with heritage architecture, cute little boutique stores, and pubs. Townspeople were friendly, showing us hospitality at every encounter, and welcoming us as guests to their beautiful country. There is a thriving community of artists in the area and it was reflected in the shops downtown.

Don’t speak French? No problem! We found that every local we came in contact with went out of their way to first determine what language we spoke by greeting us in either French or English. Depending on how we responded, they switched to accommodate our language skills or lack of them.

We transited three locks on this day, Old Says, Edmonds, and Kilmarnock still with the group of boats we left Smiths Falls with, Dug’s Tug and Lavalo. We find it fun traveling through the locks as a group, even if we hardly knew each other. By the time we headed out on our separate routes, we missed the presence of the other boats.

Built to defend the Rideau Canal from American aggression, the Merrickville blockhouse (above) is the largest of its kind on the Rideau Canal. Restored by Parks Canada, the blockhouse is now a museum.

A beautiful morning followed a spectacular sunset the night before. We had to backtrack around a little island to queue up to lock through and be on our way. One more stop before Ottawa!

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Smiths Falls is the Mid-Way Mark, Between Kingston and Ottawa, On the Rideau Canal –

Smiths Falls is the halfway mark between Kingston and Ottawa, Ontario. This industrial town, otherwise known as the Heart of the Rideau Canal, held interest to both Lisa and me. Up to this point in our Rideau Canal cruise, we have been tied up to lock walls that are more rural in nature, the peace and quiet that afforded us was welcome. However, considering Smiths Falls is the largest community we’ve visited in the Rideau Corridor up to this point, we were eager to get off the boat and do some exploring.

Smiths Falls hosts three lock stations called “Combined Locks.” They make up the biggest single lock lift on the Rideau Canal system – 26 feet. The locks here are automated locks, meaning that instead of park staff manually turning the doors, they only have to push a button to electronically operate the hydraulic valves to open and close the gates and sluices.

There was lots of room for us at the dock wall at Victoria Park, a short distance from the center of town.

Ranger Tugs everywhere! (Above)

Look who we found in front of us on the wall, Dug the Tug, a Ranger Tug R21.

Goulash for dinner tonight.

One thing we learned early on, during our Great Loop travels, was to always take advantage of any small-town factory tours. Having a goal, of something to see, while in an unknown environment can make all the difference in our cruising lifestyle. Sometimes these tours can be hard to find since 9/11 many factories discontinued their tours with fears of terrorist activities. Jim researched the town ahead of time and found a Hershey’s Canada Inc. chocolate factory not too far from the downtown area where we planned to dock. Even more, a reason to get started early. The plan was to only spend one night in Smiths Falls, so we had to get the boat tied up and secure before we set out.

We were in for a surprise!

We took off walking to One Hersey Drive; it was a little longer of a jaunt than we had expected. Upon our arrival, we found out that Hersey’s was no longer manufacturing chocolate at this location. Apparently, Jim had consulted an old guide when he did his research. We approached the building and much to our surprise; we found a new company now headquartered in Smiths Falls, called Tweed.

Tweed is a Canadian Agricultural business that grows and cultivates marijuana for medical and recreational users. Our walking adventure just got a little more interesting. As we entered the lobby, we found the converted factory space to resemble a high-tech Apple Store; we were happy to learn that yes; they gave plant tours.

Although they are still working on the factory building and product environment, the tour began with an educational video of the history and medicinal benefits of the plant. This was followed by a tour of the temperature and light-controlled cultivation rooms from a glass-partitioned second-floor hallway. We could view all the different stages of the plant-growing process. I have to say it was not what we expected when we left the boat, however it was a very pleasant surprise tour of something we had never experienced in our normal everyday life. Not to mention we became a little more educated on the medicinal benefits of marijuana. We left the building thinking lots of changes are coming to Smiths Falls stimulated by the introduction of this single business.

Pretty slick educational tour provided by Tweed.

Smelling station (above). Interesting set-up, but we didn’t quite get the drift of all the aromas.

The next morning all three boats docked on the wall at the park had left to go through the lock.

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Poonamalie Lock Was a Fun Stop – 

It was another picture-perfect day on the Rideau Canal, it made for an easy day cruising to our destination. I remember how hot it was on the day we arrived at Poonamalie Lock. It felt like the humid air sucked the life out of us by the time we got settled on the lock wall before the lock itself. We were thankful that the Poonamalie Lock is one of the few with power available to boaters on the wall. So we hooked up right away so we could cool down, clean up, and think about what to cook for dinner. This lock also has potable water at the lock station, too far away to fill our tanks easily.

British soldiers named the lock during the construction of the canal. The cedars surrounding the lock reminded them of their time spent at a post in Poonamallee, India. The Poonamalie Lock, with a name that has anglicized and morphed from the location in India over the years, is part of an artificial channel that avoids a winding part of the main river. Poonamalie lock is also the first set of rapids on the Rideau River.

To keep the boat cooled down, we opted to grill something for dinner. Jim also saw this as an opportunity to clean the grill. It was one of the prettiest, most relaxing lock stops on our Rideau trip. Only one canoe camper shared the location with us for the night.

First things first, Jim (above) pulled out the last box of Vernors Ginger Ale (a soda brand that originated in Michigan).

Looking at the lock you can see the concrete walls that replaced the old timber weir in 1904, after a major ice storm.

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Newboro Lock Was a Fun Stop!

A picture-perfect day on the water for the crew of Kismet. Before we arrived at Newboro, we went through Davis and Chaffey Locks. We locked through to the upper side of the lock and tied up under the cover of some shade trees. The Newboro Lock features a Blockhouse–one of four, constructed by Colonel John By, on the Rideau Canal. They built blockhouses to defend the channels and locks on the Rideau; they housed a garrison of about ten men. Newboro is one of the few communities that arose because of the construction of the canal.

We’d heard there was a small town and a good restaurant within walking distance of the lock, so we planned to walk there for dinner. That also meant I would not have to cook onboard that night. Everyone we talked with was friendly and welcomed us to their town.

When we arrive at a lock wall to tie up for the night, we like to explore the surroundings. If there is a town nearby, we’ll trek up to it to look, shop, and stop in a pub to have a beer. Usually, we have the wall all to ourselves with, at most, only one or two other boats or campers nearby. On that night we were the only boat tied up, having the whole place to ourselves.

One of the locks we went through today had a row of old lawn chairs lined up. It must have been a slow morning because we imagine, on a busy day, these would be filled with tourists or locals who walked down to the lock to watch the boats lock through. Pretty entertaining stuff apparently.

A picture perfect setting for Kismet to spend the night.

We had a fantastic dinner at this charming restaurant, just a few blocks from the lock.

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Jones Falls is a Good Example of a Flight of Locks –

After leaving the anchorage at Morton Bay, we headed for the locks at Jones Fall. Boats were already locking through, east to west. So we tied up to the blue line on the long dock below to wait for them to finish locking down. Since Jones Falls is a series of locks near each other, called a “flight of locks,” we were there awhile watching the process.

Jones Falls is a Good Example of a “Staircase” Lock

The first three chambers, Locks 42-41 and 40 of Jones Falls, formed a “staircase” and the fourth, lock 39, was a short distance away, on the other side of the basin. This grouping of locks includes a staircase (of three locks) with the fourth lock separated from the others. Whenever you have locks near each other, they become a “flight.” We will reach the summit of the Rideau Canal, just like we did at the Kirkfield Lift Lock on the Trent Severn Waterway when we reach Ottawa. We will then lock down instead of up, all the way to Montreal.

The surrounding area is a beautiful shady parklike spot; we enjoyed a pleasant morning watching those boats go through the locking process in each chamber of the staircase. We think this was the first time we ever got off the boat to watch other boats go through a flight lock.

We did not stop here for the night, but it would have been a great spot to stay. Since it was still early in the day we continued on to Newboro Lock 36 to spend the night tied to the wall.

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The Rideau Heritage Route, a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Ontario and Quebec, Canada – Kingston Mills –

We began our ascent of the Rideau Canal at the Cataraqui River system, cruising through the Cataraqui Marsh before we arrived at Kingston Mills, 4.35 miles from Kingston, our first of 24 lock stations on the canal.

For about two weeks, we followed the canal and navigated through historic, charming villages, were witness to a few local events, and met friendly Canadians. They operate the old locks, of the Rideau Canal, today as they did when the locks first opened in 1832. A 19th-century engineering feat. The first section of the canal runs from Kingston to Ottawa, Ontario. This section includes not only the historic canal and locks but a few beautiful lakes and rivers. Before becoming a major artery for commerce, the Rideau served as a secure supply route between Kingston and Montreal. Today, as other modes of transportation became available over the years, the canal serves the recreational boating community. The locks are filled with small pleasure boats, kayaks, canoes, and some small ferry boats.

As we entered the first lock, Kingston Mills, we could see the wear and tear the wall has endured over the years. We noticed the bright green moss and grass shoots, embedded in the old blocks, peeking out to find warmth from the sun. We will transit through three locks today, Kingston Mills, Lower Brewers, and Upper Brewers, before we reach our destination of Morton Bay for one night at anchor.

Lower Brewers Lock – 45 (above-below)

Upper Brewers Lock – 43-44 (above-below)

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After making a loop through the Thousand Islands, on the Saint Lawrence River, we returned to the canal system in Ontario. The first stop was Kingston, the southern starting point of the historic Rideau Canal

The French established Kingston, Ontario in 1673 as a trading post, Fort Cataraqui. In the 1780s the British took possession of the Fort and officially named the city, Kingston. For a short three-year period, in 1841, Kingston was the capital of Canada. In 1844 they moved it to Ottawa, at the northern end of the Rideau River.

As we walked around town, we noticed a more European feel to the architecture, reflecting its days as the nation’s capital and early military presence. Kingston’s nickname is “Limestone City,” because of the local limestone used on the buildings. We enjoyed two days and nights in Kingston, walking a lot and provisioning for the next leg of the trip. Lisa and I had a great Italian dinner and got to stretch our legs out. As luck would have it, we ran into some boating friends from our Looping days who were also staying in the marina.

We may have stayed in Kingston longer, but the Rideau was calling us.

What a surprise it was to bump into our Looper friends, Craig and Barb, on Blue Heron (above and below). They had just finished cruising the Rideau. They shared some helpful information with us about where to go etc. while on our cruise.

We had a fantastic meal at Casa, we were tired and hungry from walking around Kingston all day.

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The Thousand Islands, an archipelago of 1,864 islands, lies between the US and Canadian borders. We were looking forward to cruising around the islands to get a feel for the history of the area. We saw many islands with unique houses sitting on rocks–some small cottages, but many were masonry castles. The Thousand Islands area is known for its recreational boating and historic houses. The wealthy built summer homes with big boat houses filled with classic wood boats. Lots of visual interest for the captain and crew as we maneuvered Kismet around the archipelago.

Familiar With Thousand Island Dressing?

It originated in this summer resort area. One tale of the source of the dressing is of fishermen from the area mixing common ingredients for their shore dinners. George Bolt got a taste and took the idea to one of his hotels, the Waldorf-Astoria, and the rest is history.

When we’d had enough of cruising, we settled on an anchorage in the Navy Islands on the Canadian side of the waterway. It was a lovely evening with lots of boating activity surrounding us. We relaxed on the back deck until dark – savoring the moment. We are finally boating in the Thousand Islands.

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