Ottawa Marks an End to the Lazy Canal Portion of Our Cruise

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.