Southwest to Smiths Falls and Westport

Day 13, Wednesday, June 27

Hope this helps to explain our journey

We found out that the coffee shop in Merrickville opened at 6:00am and so we were there shortly after with our computers and connected to their WiFi. Lily had her first cafe au lait while I loaded up some pictures for the blog and John helped out some of his computer customers. It was a good way to start the day and get caught up on all this internet and email business.
The winds were still blowing as we left just after 9 and they didn't really hit us until we got out on the channel. We were on wide shallow water in a very narrow channel and the the wind was even whipping up some whitecaps as John felt it catch the boat. I believe it was at the Kilmarnock lock that the wind turned the bow toward the wall. Fortunately we weren't in very far and John put it in reverse, backed out and turned a 360. The next approach he was prepared and had learned a trick or two and we glided right in. That was enough adventure for us for the day

Tenacious plants cling to the lock wall.
They get watered every time a boat locks up!

We arrived at Smiths Falls at about 12:30 and we love it when the wind pushes us against the dock. We are staying at a place called Victoria Park, run by the Chamber of Commerce, which has dockage and power for boaters and hook-ups for RVs. We walked to the grocery to get a few things, Skyped Lily's parents and suddenly we were in crisis mode - Lily's camera had the "black screen of death" as John says in the computer world. We tried everything, even going on line for suggestions, but nothing worked, so Lily and John got out the bikes and rode to Walmart. Yes, even in Canada they have Walmarts to fill all of your emergency needs, such as cameras and distilled water for batteries.

Lily and John with bikes at Victoria Park

 The park has a vintage T-1 Avenger plane on display. It was a WWII trainer. During his pilot days John actually got to ride in one and it was especially meaningful because it was part of a memorial to Canadian pilots.

Serenity and Endurance tucked in for the evening

The wind died down and we had a beautiful sunny end of the day.

Nature watch, for those who are interested: red squirrel, black squirrels, one loon, and a bald eagle sitting on it's tall aerie.

Captain’s log, Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Depart Merrickville 9:15am
Arrived Smith Falls 12:35 pm
3hrs 20min total time, 2.9 hrs engine time
WX Clear, strong NW winds 20-25 kts)

 Day 14, Thursday, June 28

Today was just about perfect! We woke to blue skies, calm waters and just 3 locks ahead of us until our next stop. Before we left, John and I walked up to the old docks that used to be the final steps into Smiths Falls. The were replaced about 35 years ago by one deeper hydraulic lock which didn't have to close the roadway above.

Old locks in Smith's falls now decorated with flower pots

Smooth water in the narrow canal as we follow "Paddy Wagon"

A pair of loons swim nearby as we pass a red channel marker

We started to see loons quite frequently as we got close to the Lower Rideau Lake. Lily had to catch the shot qiuckly because they dive and disappear.



You can just see the man in the middle
who is turning the key 

 The last lock of the day was the Narrows which featured a unique turning bridge. The lock keeper walked to the bridge, inserted a large Y shaped "key" into the mechanism in the floor and held one arm of the Y as he walked around, opening the bridge. We learned this from a couple sitting in the shade in lawn chairs. They have a cottage nearby and enjoy coming to the lock on a warm day where there is always a breeze. They read and watch the boats lock through. Again, everyone is friendly and willing to visit and share information.

We arrived in the lovely town of Westport where we will stay until Sunday.

Captain’s log, Thursday, June 28, 2012

Depart Smiths Falls 8:35 am
Arrived Westport 1:05pm
4 hrs 45 min total time, 4.4 hrs engine time
WX "Georgous", light & variable winds, clear skies

First days cruising the Rideau

Day 11, Monday, June 25, 2012

Lily snaps a shot of our reflection in the window of the conference center

Monday morning and we were getting ready to leave Ottawa, but the first bridge wouldn’t open until after 9am so Micki and Steve invited us out to breakfast at a little place near the food market. They had such a wonderful array of pastries and muffins that it was difficult to choose, but we managed. On the way back we picked up a few items including some delicious looking beets, cheese and bread. We love sampling the local fare.

Goodbye Ottawa with Endurance following us

Kayaks for rent at Dow's Lake Marina

Our first stop was at a marina to take on water and top of the diesel. Lily snapped this great photo of their rental kayaks.

Going through the first lock of the day we noticed a family of ducks going up with us. We have seen lots of ducks so far, but are still looking for those elusive loons.

Getting our ducks in a row - almost

The day turned a little nasty with a light mist falling. We had planned to stay at lock 13 where we would have access to power, but the spaces were all taken. So we moved on to a run of three locks, 14, 5 ,6 and by this time it was very windy and rainy so we parked there for the night, buttoned up, dried off, enjoyed our cheese with some hot tomato soup and played a game or two of cards. The beautiful red sunset promised a better day in the morning.

Captain’s log, Monday, June 25, 2012
Depart Ottawa @ 10:50am
Stop Dow’s Lake Marina, fuel, 20 gal/side, pump out, water
Long delay due to diesel pump had to be fixed + waiting for Endurance to be serviced after us.
Arrived Long Island Locks 4:00pm 14.5 nautical miles south on the Rideau
WX – cool Northwest wind, strong 20-25 knots, rain began last hour, tied up on lower wall for night.

Day 12, Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The wind kept all night and into the morning, but the sun was shining and the air cool so it was a great day to go through the three locks cascading above us. We have the routine down pat and we could easily do it with just the two of us, but it certainly is nice to have an extra pair of hands when John is at the helm. I can easily catch the drop cable at the mid cleat and Lily loops around the cable at the stern. This holds the boat very steadily, even with some turbulence in the lock.

Lily at the stern

Kathy in the middle

So far we have completed 16 of the Rideau Canal locks and we stopped for the night in the small town of Merrickville. This is a charming old town with just a few blocks, but it is full of antique and gift shops, galleries, several restaurants, a coffee shop a candy & ice cream place to just mention a few. Where did we zero in on? The little stand with hand cut French fries and hotdogs. Lily and I had the poutine which was fries with cheese curds on top smothered with gravy. Heart attack in a carton - but it sure tasted good.

British influence in Ontario

Another great sunset

Captain’s log, Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Depart 8:30 am locking through 3 Long Island locks
Arrived Merrickville 3:30 pm
7 hrs 40 min total time, 5.6 hrs engine time
WX NW breeze ( strong, 15-20 kts) clear to partly cloudy

Two days, three nights in Ottawa

Days  9 & 10, Saturday & Sunday, June 23-24

It was so nice to have a couple of days that we didn’t plan to travel and we needed it. To celebrate we started off with a good breakfast of blueberry pancakes and veggie sausages (Lily’s dad calls them soysages) with Lily doing most of the cooking. It is great to have someone on board who likes to be in charge of the galley!

We spent the weekend exploring the neighborhood, ending up at the ByWard Market area which was a bit overwhelming with rows and rows of stands of fresh produce and flowers. After a first stroll through we picked out a few things to buy and knew we would be back again

A small peek at a large market

We got to try out the collapsible bikes that we had gotten for the trip. There is a long bike path following the canal south that winds through the green lawns of Ottawa University. There are lots of bridges to cross to the other side which is also lined with a bike path. We got a few stares as we all pedaled by, because the bikes look a little strange with smaller than normal tires. We may have looked like three clowns from the circus. All I needed was a red bulb for my nose to go with my floppy white sun hat.

The huge Rideau Mall is well within walking distance and Lily was in heaven there. She fit right in with the crowd in her cropped shorts and she had fun trying on a few clothes. We stayed close by, one of us keeping her in sight at all times. John waited patiently and usually found a place to sit where he could check his email.

One of the barbeque stands downtown

John couldn’t resist temptation of the festival barbeque  in town, so he picked up some ribs for his dinner. He said that it was well worth the wait and the crowd.  He said they certainly hit the spot.

The days were complete with music from the concerts taking place just across the canal. We couldn’t see any of it, but the band was good and the woman who was singing on Saturday kept the songs coming. Unfortunately it started raining on Sunday afternoon and the Jazz concert attendees must have gotten very wet. The June sky didn’t darken until late and Lily was listening while taking lots of pictures of the city lights.

Evening lights

Two days to Ottawa

Day 7, Thursday

There must have been a hatch of insects in St. Anne, because mayflies and their friends had been swirling all around the area, especially under the maple trees. When we got up in the morning, the back deck and gunnels were littered with DEAD BUGS (for Iris & Ethan – you know what to do) .
Since the St. Anne lock opened up at 9am, we didn’t have to rush to get ready and John had the engines turning  and the lines  loosened when the gates swung open right on time for the two foot rise. There was a floating dock to tie up to and two young men who may have been students from a marine academy looked sharp in their green shorts and white shirts when they tied us up expertly. They weren’t looking forward to the very hot day ahead. All of the Canada Park Service employees we have encountered have been polite, friendly and helpful.

View along the Ottawa River

As we motored out onto the Ottawa River it broadened out and reminded me a great deal of Lake Champlain with some open fields, wooded hills ,homes and an occasional silo or steeple reaching up.  After 3 hours of easy cruising, the Carillion Lock, which bypasses a big dam on the river, came into view.

Steve & Micki wait at the Carrilion lock

Endurance tied up in the lock

Now this was a huge lock, with a lift of 67’ which takes about 35 minutes. We had to wait at the wall when we arrived to let an eastbound boat through. At about 1:30 we emerged out the other side back onto the river. It was a hot and sticky day with temps near 90 so it felt good to keep moving and make our own breeze. A long day on the water, we pushed on to Montebello.

For those of you who have been to Montebello, you know how beautiful it is. The world famous log chateau, built in 1930, is supposed to be the only of its kind in the world and is a popular resort. Lily was only interested in one thing, and that was the pool. The three of us walked up the underground tunnel to the original indoor pool which certainly looked like a relic from the past. Even that building was constructed of logs, very old and dark, with wonderful details that make it a showplace.

Chateau Montebello

This trip is almost all about the locks, so it is wonderful to come across a place like this along the way!

Captain’s log, June 21, 2012

Depart Ste. Anne de Bellevue 0900
Arrive 1740 at Montebello    8 hrs, 40 min
47.7 nautical miles
Arrive Carillion at 11:20 am delay 1 hour
WX clear, hot, west winds

 Day 8 Friday

It was difficult to leave beautiful Montebello. John and I took a walk on the grounds in the early morning and they were lovely. A complete recreational resort, they had stables for horses, a golf course and many other activities.
We were back on the Ottawa River by 10am and cruised along against a moderate west wind. Just as the skyline of some tall buildings came into view in the distance John noticed a small pontoon boat off to the left with a woman waving frantically. Micki, on Endurance in the lead, said later that she happily waved back. Then the woman pointed to a figure in the water about 100 feet away. Micki waved again and indicated that they saw him and wouldn’t hit him. Luckily John heard her say, “He can’t swim, and our motor is dead!!” We all realized the situation at the same time. Steve had just purchased a rescue kit before the trip, thinking he would never use it. They circled and picked the man up who was clinging to two life jackets. We were preparing to toss the stranded pontoon boat a line in case it needed a tow but Steve was able to get the man back to the pontoon boat, now with his life jacket ON, and finally he got his engine started and they were able to motor away.

Endurance gets the award for rescue at sea! We later found out that there was a woman holding a baby plus two other children on board. Only the toddler was wearing a life jacket. Apparently the baby had dropped a bottle overboard and when the father tried to retrieve it, he fell overboard. The strong wind quickly pushed the boat away from him and they threw the life jackets to him, but, well you know the rest. 

Pulling up to the bottom of the locks in Ottawa

Moving on with our day we passed the small marina just east of Ottawa where we had made reservations, not knowing what we would find at the locks on a Friday afternoon. Bon chance! There was space on the blue line at the bottom of the locks. We quickly pulled in and tied up and Micki cancelled the backup. Since it was already 3pm and we knew it could take up to 3 hours to lock up the 8 gates we were thinking we would be there for the night. One of the lock guys appeared and told us we would be going up and getting in the locks by 4pm!

Entering the first lock with Lily on the bow          photo by S. Paddock

We were so glad, again, that Lily was with us because there was a bit of a wind and we went in first. John handled the boat with his usual skill and Lily stayed cool and calm as she reached for the cables with the hook - she has longer arms and legs than her grandmother. Need I say that we all had our life jackets on... Thank goodness the day was cooler because it was non-stop fun as we counted the locks going up. When we reached number seven we thought we were done, but no, one more to go. What a feeling of elation to reach the top, found room on the wall and be in the center of the city! Yippee! We made it and plan to be here for a couple of days.

We tied up on the lock wall just past these boats.

There is a jazz fest going on and we can hear the beat of the music from the boat. There is also a big barbeque in town and we have lots of things to check out.

Captain’s log, June 22, 2012

Depart Montebello 9:40am
Arrive 6:25pm Ottawa, top of the Locks on Rideau Canal   8 hrs, 45 min
47.7 nautical miles
Great trip, clear, westerly winds

To Montreal and Saint Anne

Day 5, Tuesday

We left Sorel in good time and started up the St. Lawrence toward Montreal. There was little to no traffic and most of the barges we saw were at anchor. John used his AIS (Automatic Identification System), an add-on to the radar, which transmits and receives the ship’s name and information. We did encountered a barge being pushed by a tug and a tanker going in the opposite direction and there was plenty of room for us in the broad channel.

Tanker moving off to the east

The skyline of Montreal came into view, the possibility of rain never materialized and before we knew it we were pulling into the marina at Longueil, Le Port de plaisance Real-Bouvier.

Familiar view of Montreal and Biodome

Captain’s log, June 19

Departed Sorel 8am
Arrived Longeueil  1:25
39 nautical miles, 5 hours, 30 min travel time
Ran at 23-2600 turns to maintain 7-8 knots against current
WX – good, some wind, some overcast
Took on 69 Gallons diesel

Day 6, Wednesday

We pulled out of Longueil at 7:15, hoping to catch the St. Lambert lock as early as possible, but were prepared to wait there for several hours if necessary.  Luck was with us as another boat had already arrived, called in and the bridge went up and the green light came on as we were nearing it. The lock was huge, as one would expect, to handle the large tankers. We were requested to pull up alongside the first boat and tie up with them. No problem there.

We think we can fit under this one!

The two guys on board from Virginia and were traveling on a 32’ fishing or crabbing boat named Condor. They were old hands at this since one of them had worked on tankers at one time and had passed this way twice already. As we pulled out of the lock we waved Condor ahead to take the lead. Lily got some driving experience as we were cruising along at 6 knots in the canal.



Endurance enters Lock Ste. Catherine with Micki on the bow

Fortune smiled upon us again as we approached Lock Sainte Catherine. A tanker had just come through so the gates were open and we had a green light to enter. This time the lock master had us tie up 3 abreast at the front of the lock so Condor handled the lock line and we were sandwiched between them while Endurance tied up to us on the outside. The great timing put us back on the “Canal de la Rive Sud” on our way to Lake Saint Louis before 10am.

Lily takes the wheel

What a picturesque sight as the lake came into view. The water was clear and smooth with a touch of green vegetation along the shoreline and to the north off in the distance, the shore was spotted with homes. The zigzag channel was well marked and with Endurance in the lead she took us through to the Ottawa River and the lock at Ste.  Anne de Bellevue.

We tied up along the port wall where there was eventually some shade and spent the afternoon and evening, walking over to the little town to get some ice cream. It was a hot afternoon and we enjoyed a cool breeze and shade under some strategically planted maple trees. Lily tried out one of the collapsible bikes and later called home – all and all a very pleasant day.

The day is topped of with a fabulous sunset!

Captain’s log, June 20, 2012

Depart Le Port de Plaisance at 7:15am
Arrive Saint Anne 12:35pm   5 hours, 20 min
31.76 nautical miles
No delays going thru locks!!
Nice trip WX clear, south winds, No probs en route

To Handfield and Sorel

Day 3, Sunday

In the middle of the night we were awakened by the sounds of flags flapping and water slapping against the hull. A strong south wind had come up and John battened down the hatches.  After consulting the weather forecast we could see that the strong south wind of 20+ knots would prevail for the next few days.  We pushed off at 8:15 to be in line for lock 9, the first Chambly lock, but were told that the bridge blocking the entry wouldn’t be open for a while. The captains of our respective vessels cooled their heels, or keels, in the channel  coping with the strong winds and the current.  

Finally we got the word and proceeded on, sharing the lock with a Canadian boat. It was a relief to get into the relative calm of the lock. Lily quickly picked up her task of line catcher and she expertly tossed it back up when the water had gone down, the gates were opened and we were underway into the canal.  There, we were hardly affected by the wind and we enjoyed the trip through the town and the pastoral setting. The old tow path is now used for walking and biking and, since it was a weekend, many people passed us along the way.

Tow path along Chambly Canal

Serenity locking through

Most of the locks are hand cranked to open and close the gates

 The last few locks come in a flurry of steps down into the Chambly Basin and the view from the top is quite a sight to see. By this time it was midday and the sun was getting hot to be out on the bow, so we were all happy to lock through the last gate, back into the waters of the Richelieu. 

Looking out over the Chambly Basin

We had been warned about the boat traffic on a sunny Sunday, but I think you have to see it to believe it. We traveled along with the current carrying us and the wind at our back, and so were dozens of other boats and jet skis, most going at breakneck speed compared to our easy going trawlers. The speeders passed us on the left and right, going in all directions! Most were crammed full of passengers and the name of the game seemed to be trying to make as many wakes as possible.

We reached our destination of Auberge Handfield Marina which is a nice resort with an inn, outdoor pool, spa and restaurant. In honor of Father’s Day our son had made reservations for dinner, for us and it was a lovely meal after our waitress helped us decipher the French menu. Maybe we will pick up some French along the way – can you say “salade verte et vinaigrette maison?” John said, “Filet Mignon, please.” I think those are his favorite French words.

The day had been intense but after a relaxing dinner Lily suggested a dip in the Jacuzzi and it was a perfect way to melt away any tensions and guarantee a good night’s sleep.

Captain's log - June 17
Depart St. Jean 8:15am
Arrive Handfield 4:45
23.8 Nautical Miles, Average 6.1 knots, 8 hours, 30 min.
High South winds - had to hold for locks and bridge until 9am. Started locking through, initially had weeds wrapped around prop, reversed to clear. Held for 1.5 hours at lock 8 because one boat had overnighted in canal.

 Day 4, Monday

Off for a walk on Monday morning       photo by S. Paddock

Making a little change in plans we relaxed in the morning, took a walk past quaint homes, an impressive church and several lovely flower gardens. The wind helped push us off as we again headed north,this time to Sorel where we would finally be on the St. Lawrence River. What a difference day makes! We only encountered a handful of pleasure boats and a couple of small cable ferries.

Endurance leads the way into the last lock

Within two hours we approached the last northbound lock which bypasses a dam and small waterfall. This lock has a floating dock to tie up to and we all got out and stretched our legs as the water level dropped 8 1/2 feet.

We knew we were nearing Sorel when huge tankers came into view. As we reached the St. Lawrence we saw more tankers and the ferries that go across.

The water is very low which is slowing down the tankers and nearing the Sorel Marina we saw a small speed boat which had run aground on a sandbar, apparently the driver had ignored the channel markers. We later found out that rescuers had been busy the entire day before ,pulling grounded boats off the sand!

The water level also affected us because we had to walk up a long ramp from the dock to the shore and it was quite a hike up those long and quite steep ramps! 


Captain's Log June 18
Depart Handfield 9:55am
Arrive Sorel 1:30pm
25 Nautical miles, Average 7.6 knots, 3 hrs 23 min
Clear, warm, S wind 15-20
Took on 20 Gal. diesel

We are off, and on to Canada

Day 1, June 15

Friday morning dawned clear and bright with cool temps promising a warm and sunny day. A perfect way to start our trip! We departed our home port of Champlain Marina at about 10am and headed west out through Malletts Bay to the cut.

Serenity on the move

John unfurls the Looper burgee

Malletts bay is separated from the rest of Lake Champlain by an old railroad bed that used to connect Colchester to South Hero. It is now a recreational path for walkers and bikers, but was badly damaged in the flooding in spring and summer of 2011. When the railroad was no longer used, the "cut" was put in to allow boats passage through.

Lily taking pictures at the cut in the causeway

The water was like glass in the bay but we felt a little north wind on the broad lake. It was just under 3 hours to reach the NY state park at Deep Bay where there are rows of moorings to tie up the boat.

Micki and Steve pick up their mooring

Micki and Steve on Endurance pulled in at 3:30 and caught the mooring right next to us. John and Lily took the dinghy over, caught one of their lines and we were able to pull our sterns together for a proper greeting and another brief look at the charts. 

Captain's Log:
Departed Champlain Marina 9:50am
Arrived Deep Bay 12:40pm   17.3 nautical miles
Average speed 6.4 knots
Wx - clear, wind N @ 5 or less

Day 2, June 16

We pulled out of Deep Bay just after 7am for points north. We crossed under the Rouses Point bridge and then pulled into Canadian customs where we passed with flying colors, literally, as we hung the Canadian maple leaf from the yard arm. The agents were not interested in seeing the notarized papers that we had assembled, they just warned Lily to not let her grandparents assign her to dishwashing duty!

Rouses Point bridge connecting Vermont and New York

Fort Montgomery

Fort Montgomery at Island Point was often referred to as Fort Blunder because the United States built it shortly after the war of 1812, thinking it was in the US, but it was actually in Canada. The elaborate project was abandoned after it's correct location was discovered!


Micki and Steve tying up in St. Jean, Quebec

We enjoyed the cruise up the Richelieu River and before we knew it, we had reached our destination at the St. Jean Marina.

Lily doing her ballet warmups on the upper deck

Captain's Log:
Depart Deep Bay 7:15am
Arrive St. Jean   12:40pm  37.6 nautical miles
Average speed 8.3 knots
Wx - clear, wind S @ 5 to 10

Crew arrives and ready to go

One of the exciting things about this trip is that our granddaughter Lily is accompanying us. She just turned 14 and we invited her because she had never been out of the US and was up for some travel. She is an enthusiastic and avid photographer so we hope to have lots of pictures to post.
Lily arrived after a long day, getting up at 2am to make an early flight, being delayed for two hours in Chicago and finally landing in Burlington nearly 12 hours later at 2 pm. We trust that the rest of her visit will be much less stressful.

Lily in North Carolina            photo by R. Kennedy

Finally unwinding on the boat

After a visit to Barnes & Noble, Lily samples some maple yogurt

We have filled the water water tanks with water, and the fuel tanks with diesel (not vice versa as occasionally has been known to happen), updated the electronics and are stocked with provisions. So after months of planning, weeks of poring over charts and hours of cleaning and polishing we are anxious to be on our way.

We have had a request for a map of our travel plans so we have one here from the internet in which the waterways are shown in blue. At the bottom right you will find Lake Champlain, our starting point. Follow us as we make our way up through the Richelieu River, through the Chambly Canal to the St. Lawrence River at Sorel where we will make a sharp left turn toward Montreal and parts west.