Well it’s time to bid the Rideau Adieu. Time to say goodbye to the Loons and Eagles and the land of Summer Cottages on tiny islands. A final word on the locks. The folks working the locks were amazingly helpful, whether calling ahead to see if docks were free or grabbing lines at the exact correct moment. It is a very different experience than the Erie Canal where you largely stay in towns. These spots operated by the Canadian Park system are often quite isolated with only the beauty of nature.
The end of July is prime vacation season for the Canadians and we were in the thick of things on occasion. Fortunately we were also able to find a dock, even if it was the last one available, like at Smith Falls.
The weather has been fabulous. Crisp clear days with nearly no humidity. Of course that changed on the day we needed to go through 12 locks. It decided to rain hard most of the day. The rain, fog and steamed up windows made finding the next ATON challenging. I also discovered my wipers were not helpful. We made it back to Kingston and are waiting on a good weather window to cross Ontario. One of the Great Lakes that needs to be respected by mariners. Next stop USA!
WanderlustandWhimSea 