When it pulled away from the launch, it was really moving and didn’t make a sound.  It was like a Prius on the water.  The owner said he travels up and down the Rideau and he knew all the places where he could recharge his batteries overnight for free.  How does no fuel cost sound?  We talked to another couple who spend months on their boat traveling the ocean, Inter coastal Waterway, St. Lawrence River, Great Lakes, Canadian and American Canals, and the Mississippi River.  Next year we will set up a kayak trip to retrace their route.  Anybody for several month on the water?  Later that evening, the rest of the crew arrived, and after some pleasant conversation, it was time to hit the sack.

Saturday morning arrived with mist on the water.  The sun gave us a hint of the beautiful day ahead.  We soon discovered that another camper couple must have someone watching over them.  During the early morning, a very large tree fell down just missing their tent.  They will certainly have a story to tell.  After breakfast, we packed our gear and completed the shuttle of vehicles to the take-out point in Seeleys Bay.  The shuttle took about one hour after which we were ready to hit the water.  With relatively little wind, the paddling was relaxed and easy.  After a scenic paddle, our first stop was Chaffey’s Lock.  Lunch by the locks was followed by the necessary ice cream stop which provided us with a renewal of energy. This was also our first carry which was made easy with the use of our wheels.   Back on the water, we headed for Davis Lock which was to be our campsite for Saturday night.  This lock is the most remote lock on the canal.  Our grassy campsite was right next to the lock.  This gave us the opportunity to enjoy watching a variety of boats pass through the locks.  Because the day was warm, most of us opted for a refreshing swim. near the locks.  Showers are not available at the lock, so this served as our shower.  Bathrooms, however, were provided.  We met another couple with extensive travel plans, and enjoyed talking to them.  Next, we struggled with a new card game called “Mad Gab” with men against women.  Some members excelled at the game while others kept asking “When is dinner?”.  It was a nice group activity.   With dinner over, we settled down to some serious relaxing.  Some enjoyed reading, some enjoyed the quiet solitude, some enjoyed more conversation,  and some enjoyed a little snooze.  As the evening dwindled, it was again time for bed.

Nighttime was interesting as an evening rain played music on our tents.  In some cases, that music found its way into the tents.  Another member experienced the attack of some mysterious night creature on her tent.  Mother Nature is always ready to bring adventure to the camping experience.

Sunday morning arrived after a night of rain and we were looking forward to another day of paddling.  After breakfast, we packed up our wet gear and headed off to Jones Falls Lock.  This lock is a step lock consisting of three separate locks with a carry that was mostly down hill.  At the bottom of the lock near the next launch site was a hotel and a small store/restaurant with a nice covered porch.  Guess what?  It was time for more ice cream while we relaxed on the porch and talked to the same couple that we met at Davis Lock.  Once it started to rain, we decided to continue our trip.  After our last launch of the trip, we headed for Seeleys Bay into a strong wind.  This was the most difficult part of the trip, but after a while, the wind began to subside.  As we coasted into the landing at Seeleys Bay, we knew our adventure was over and we were already looking forward to next year.  After retrieving our shuttle car at Newboro Lock, we loaded our kayaks and gear and headed for a local restaurant for a pleasant meal before the drive home.  This trip was a wonderful opportunity to share a great experience with some very special people.