CHAFFEYS LOCK to JONES FALLS & LOWER BREWERS

On Wednesday morning we departed CHAFFEYS LOCK for JONES FALLS. The journey took about three and a half hours, passing through only one lock. It's still sunny and warm...yeah! We passed Lake Opinicon (with a beautiful old hotel that's up for auction), Sand Lake and The Quarters (a very narrow section of the waterway). At JONES FALLS we decided to stay above the four locks on the finger docks. (Thanks to a fellow Looper's Tips :)

The village of JONES FALLS has a lovely old hotel with a nice restaurant, a dam and the four locks. It's very remote here, looking and feeling like the village has missed the last 50 plus years ... Except they do have wifi in the hotel ! 

On Thursday morning we cleated to the JONES FALLS Lock "Blue Line" by 9 in the morning, hopefully to make it in the first group of boats to clear the four locks. It was really cold ( 50 ?) and windy (10-15 knots)...Burrrrrrr! They lift boats first at this lock (opposite direction of us) but we were the first boat to go down the four locks starting about 10:30 am and clearing the fourth  lock at 12 noon.  The wind did cause a bit of worry in the first lock ... 

Looper Tip: With wind at a lock, secure your "spring line" (mid ship) first, then stern and bow lines. With two travelers on board, once the stern and bow lines are secure on the lock wall release the spring line.

With our jackets on all day we cleared a total of seven locks, two swing bridges and two lakes (Cranberry and Dog). We docked at the mooring wall in LOWER BREWERS by 2:45 in the afternoon. LOWER BREWERS is the town of Washburn. The town is remote with an art gallery and apple orchard that has apple goodies for sale in their family run shop. 

It's been a few days of wonderful solitude in the woods of Ontario, Canada ... Tomorrow we are heading to Kingston, where we reserved a slip in the city marina for the end of summer holiday weekend!

Wednesday:  CHAFFEY to JONES FALLS - Red Line 

Thursday: JONES FALLS to LOWERS BRRWERS - Green Line 

Wednesday ... Quarters and Lakes.

JONES FALLS...Lilly Pads by Thistle  XO

Lake Swim at upper JONES FALLS :)

The JONES FALL Dam was built in 1827 with the stones placed vertically (rather than typically horizontal ) to force the water pressure to push the stones together.

The 1877 Kenney Hotel  and gardens.

Inside the Kenney Hotel.

Dinner Date at the Kenney Hotel.

Sunset JONES FALLS.

Thursday ....Seven locks and two swing bridges.

LOWER BREWERS.

Thistle @ LOWER BREWERS.

LOWER BREWERS mooring wall.

Art Gallery.

Walburns Apple Farm... Fresh Apple Pie :)

We found many "EH CORNS" ... Canadian for Acorns ( Hope we get a little chuckle :) 

PERTH to WESTPORT & CHAFFEYS LOCK

On Monday morning we departed PERTH on a six hour trip to WESTPORT. It was sunny and warm the entire day! Before we pushed off the dock Greg rode his bike to pick a few more crab apples..Yum :) We traveled most of the day on Big Rideau Lake, passing through Narrows Lock to Upper Rideau Lake. Both of the Lakes are clear and beautiful, with evergreen trees and homes with unique custom boat houses. 

Passing the Narrows Lock is significant on the Rideau Canal. This is the highest point on the Rideau Waterway, 407.5 feet above datum (mean sea level). All Locks past this point lower boats in the locks, this is slightly more difficult process, controlling lock lines and fenders (No worries....we did ok).

WESTPORT is a nice town with some shops, a grocery store and a restaurant. The Marina was $50 for the night including hydro, water and wifi. The showers were in the town visitors center and cost a "Toonie" (Canadian two dollar coin). 

On Tuesday, another warm sunny day, we departed WESTPORT and had no idea where  or what Lock Wall we would dock on for the night, we decided to just see what looked best!  We saw CHAFFEYS LOCK and knew this was it :) It should have only been about an hour trip from WESTPORT to CHAFFEYS LOCK, but it took us two and a half hours...With a little fender drama!  (See pictures below).

CHAFFEYS LOCK was a beautiful park setting, including a stream with rapids running under the old historic Geroge Chaffeys Mill House. The Mill House is being restored and we were fortunate to meet the gentleman in charge of the restoration project. He kindly invited us in the mill home for a tour and shared its history. Interestingly the Chaffeys Family has a California connection, the younger brother William developed Ontario, California after George developed Ontario, Canada. (Chaffey College?)

Looper Tip: There are nice marinas on the Rideau, but in our opinion on the Canal the free Lock Walls (With the purchased annual mooring pass) are the place to stay :)...absolutely beautiful park settings and many stops have hydro for a minimal cost ($9.80 per night).

Monday, PERTH to WESTPORT - Red Line

Tuesday, WESTPORT to CHAFFEYS LOCK - Green Line

Leaving PERTH our friendly neighbors on the Tay Canal waving goodby! We met them on Sunday evening and they shared some history about their home. It's named "Stonesthrow" and was built in 1842 with stone from the propery. The builders were probably stone masons from the Rideau Canal project.

Fresh Crab Apple Parfaits for breakfast (granola, oatmeal, nuts, yogurt, crab apples, honey and cinnamon). 

Rideau Lake.

Boat Houses on the Lake.

Narrows Lock.

Downtown WESTPORT, Ontario...old stone buildings and they are famous for their recycled plastic Adirondack chairs (Remember: WESTPORT, NY is where Adirondack were invented).

We completed the ALS challenge in WESTPORT....with Chilly Rideau Lake water!

WESTPORT Marina.

WESTPORT sunset.

First Mate (Reenie) did not secure the fenders first thing after leaving the Westport Marina dock...and realized about an hour later that we lost one fender..somewhere?  We back-tracked  and spotted it on the lake shore..Greg swam about 500 meters to retrieve the fender :) Lesson Learned by Reenie ! Oooops ...Thanks GB XO

Beautiful CHAFFEYS LOCK.

Downtown CHAFFEYS LOCK... One general store and a town hall.

Nice bike ride on the Cataraqui Trail an old Railroad track.

Relaxing after the bike ride...planning the next day with Captain Greg and The Skipper Bob Guide.

Enjoying a Steam Whistle on Thistle after a long bike ride.

Chafferys Mill House tour, the stream with rapids runs under the house.

SMITH FALLS to PERTH

On Friday morning we departed a cloudy SMITH FALLS on a five hour journey, crossing three locks and two bridges. After about two hours we diverted off the Rideau Canal to proceed up the Tay River Canal for another three hours. The Tay River Canal is notorious for being very narrow and shallow. 

So, "Mates"...at the end of the Tay River we arrived in PERTH, Ontario. It's not Tasmania or Western Austraila although, you should be very proud of your sister city..."Fair Dinkum" :)

The town of Perth was established in 1816 and will celebrate its 200 birthday in two years! Many of the original town immigrants were stonemasons from Scotland. Their skilled stone work can still be seen in the downtown heritage buildings.  

Perth was the site of the last fatal duel in Canada. A Law student was shot and killed in 1833 after fighting over a woman with a former friend. It's also home to Canada's oldest pioneer burial ground at the appropriately named "Last Duel Park". 

We planned on staying here for two nights but extended our stay to three :) We enjoyed the "Dreamy" like River to get here and the town is very nice, with it's beautiful heritage buildings, restaurants, boutiques, antique shops, farmers market, museums, music, parks and theaters.

We especially enjoyed going to the local theater on Friday night.

Departing tomorrow morning...on our way to Kingston (It will take a few days :)... Not sure where our port stop will be tomorrow night - Stay posted ! 

Looper Tip: Our side trip to Perth has been a highlight of the Rideau Canal. It's shallow water, but very well maked.

SMITH FALLS to PERTH

Locks, Bridges and Navigation Buoys. 

Friendly neighbors welcomed us along the "Dreamy" Tay River Canal.

The "Last Duel Park".. Campground, Boat Dock and Burial Ground?

Heritage downtown Perth.

Stone buildings.

Perth...restaurants and a pedestrian friendly cross walk ( very appreciated.. Thanks).

The Perth Brewery.

Unique items at the Perth Farmenr Market: Creps, Pickled Eggs and Mushrooms. 

More unique items....at the Farmers Market (FYI: Caterpillar Soup is a book).

It's truly surreal - Stewart Park.

What's Interesting ...around Perth: Big Ben Statue ( most winning horse of all time in Canada), Curling Club and Crab Apples (They make your lips pucker ... A new friend taught us how to pick them off the tree and eat.)

Fall Colors.

Ok...not sure how to explain but very funny??? Bed races for charity down the Main Street on Sunday. (The Backside girls were NOT the fastest but for sure the best costumes). Afterwards a band to entertain the crowd. 

Yeah - We can make tea ( and dinner) again ... Greg got new propane in Perth :) 

Perth theater.

"The Ideal Husband" XO

BURRITTS RAPIDS to MERRICKVILLE & SMITH FALLS

The last two days we continued up the beautiful Rideau Canal. On Wednesday, we traveled from BURRITTS RAPIDS to MERRICKSVILLE in three hours under sunny and warm conditions. We cleared seven locks and three swing bridges by ourselves. On Thursday we traveled from MERRICKSVILLE to SMITH FALLS in 4 hours under dark clouds and a pending rain storm. We traveled with two other boats our size, clearing seven locks and 2 swing bridges.

The Rideau Canal took thousands of workers six years to build, with the construction being supervised by British Lieutenant-Colonial John By of the Royal Engineers. The route he followed for building the canal follows what was used from the beginning of recorded history by the Indians. 

All we can say is...Thanks...For the vision, dedication and sacrifice of those constructing the Rideau Canal. It is gorgeous to travel on and it is enjoyable in any weather condition!

The "Big Picture" of where we are. The Rideau Canal is the yellow line.

Wednesday: BURRITTS RAPIDS to MERRICKVILLE - Red Line.

Thursday: MERRICKVILLE to SMITH FALLS - Green Line.

Thistle on the "Blue Line" at 9 am, ready for a day of crossing locks and passing bridges :)

The Rideau Canal Locks are still hand cranked to this day...all sizes of boats pass through the locks...(even canoes :)

At the Lock House with Captain Greg.

Downtown MERRICKVILLE, a local art and crafts colony.

MERRICKVILLE Blockhouse.

Thistle on the mooring wall in MERRICKVILLE, we had a view of the Old Mill Ruins.

Thursday all the Locks were full with these three boats.

Flowers at each Lock.

Locking essentials: Gloves, Knife (in case your line gets stuck), Pole, Line, and Good Humor!

We arrived in Smith Falls just befor the rain.

Thistle is on the canal across the street from the Kilt and Castle Restaurant, and we are able to use their wifi, after buying a beer to get their password. Thanks! ( We are able to write this blog.)

Smith Falls.

Smith Falls Centennial Park and Thistle on the mooring wall in the Park.

Good Night Smith Falls...:)