Rideau Canal Trip Summary - August 2005

Our first summer international overnight kayak trip was truly an enjoyable experience. Five paddlers spent two full days and nights touring a small section of the historic Rideau Canal in Ontario, Canada. The Rideau Canal is made up of a series of lakes, waterways, and locks and runs all the way from Kingston on Lake Ontario to Ottawa. We paddled the section between Newboro Lock and Seeleys Bay.

The group met Friday evening at Newboro Lock which is located in Newboro, Ontario. It is approximately 3 hour from Syracuse. After setting up our tents on the lawn near the lock, we spent the evening reminiscing about our wonderful club trip to Stillwater last weekend. Wow! It sounded like that Saturday night at Stillwater was an exciting night. We all agreed that the Stillwater trip is a great trip and that it has become a club tradition that should be continued.

After breakfast on Saturday morning, we shuttled the cars to Seeleys Bay before launching on the first leg of our paddle. The shuttle took about 45 minutes. When we finally hit the water, the sky was overcast and we paddled into a substantial wind. We worked our way down the first lake and into a narrow channel which separated larger bodies of water. This provided us with a short break from the wind. Along our route, we saw many small but well maintained camps that were quite scenic. Most of the camps along the Rideau are set back a little from the water, so there is more of a feeling of wilderness. It's not like paddling along Skaneateles Lake where all the camps (or should I say estates) are right next to each other and can be seen from across the lake.

We continued on until lunch and our first portage at Chaffey's Lock. Each time we stopped along our route, we attracted the attention of boaters and other visitors to the canal. They were especially fascinated by our wheels and how we used them. It was really enjoyable passing time with our Canadian neighbors. They were all extremely friendly.

While at the lock, we watched as other boats pass through the lock. Most of the locks along the Rideau are hand operated. We also saw the operation of a unique one-lane swing bridge that allowed vehicles to pass over the canal between the passages of boats. There was also a small museum at the lock which provided some history of the area. Our first portage went without a hitch. The portages along the trip were necessary because the fee to pass through each lock was determined by the length of your boat, and the per foot rate for kayaks was the same as the per foot rate for power boats. This portage was about 300 yards and along paved roadway.

We continued on against more wind until we reached our Saturday destination which was Davis Lock. Davis Lock is the most remote lock along the canal. After setting up our tents on the lawn right next to the lock, we had some free time. Three of our paddlers went back on the water for more exploration and the other two enjoyed some quiet time at the lock. In an interesting conversation with one of the boaters who was docked at the lock overnight, we learned that his boat (approximately 38 in length) got about one mile per gallon of gas. This certainly demonstrated one of the advantages of kayak ownership. When we rejoined for dinner, one of our members (whose name begins with the letter I), was able to scrounge some nice barbecued ribs from some of the power boaters. If she had been a little earlier, we could have had steak.

Saturday evening provided time for more conversation and an exciting dice game which we learned at Stillwater. I'm not sure the official name of the game, so I will simply call it the "Game of Threes". Finally, it was off to bed for a welcomed rest after a full day of adventure.

On Sunday morning, some of our members slept in a little, and then we had a pleasant morning of breakfast followed by packing for the continuation of our journey. It looked like it was going to be a better weather day as the sun was shinning and the sky was clearing. As we started our paddle, there was little wind. But that changed quickly and it was back into the wind.

Our next stop was Jones Falls Lock. This is actually a series of 4 locks together. The portage around this lock was a steep downhill run, but it was again made easy using our wheels. While at this lock, we visited an operating blacksmith shop and

enjoyed some interesting conversation with the blacksmith. There was also a small swimming area between two of the locks where one of our members (the group leader) took a refreshing swim. At the bottom of the carry, there was a small hotel/lodge with a dining room. However, they would not serve drinks without the purchase of a meal (Bummer!). While some of our members went across the road to an ice cream shop, two of our members (who's names shall remain anonymous (Hint: I. L. and D. M.) managed to find a small waterfront bar down the waterway and spent some time refreshing themselves. We finally discover their location about an hour later. After all were refreshed, we continued on our way.

Along the way, we paddled into a side channel where there were some impressive rock cliffs. We found a nice swimming spot and had a refreshing dip. It was getting late and time to continue on the last leg of our journey. The sky became very dark as we paddled into some extremely strong wind and heavy waves. A brief but driving rain added to the excitement. There must have been a front passing through. Finally, we arrived at the take-out at Seeleys Bay. We were tired and sad to see the trip end. It was great fun. After a trip back to Newboro Lock to pick up the vehicle we left there, we loaded the boats and gear and headed to a local restaurant for dinner before the long drive home. It was memorable trip with some great friends. We surely must do it again.