Poonamalie Lock 32 – First Set of Rapids on the Rideau River

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.