The Rideau Canal
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THE RIDEAU CANAL Region guide A complete guide to boating vacations along a Canadian UNESCO World Heritage Site 36 OUR FIRST 20 NORTH AMERICAN 60 REGION The Rideau Canal is our first destination outside of Europe, and we don’t think we could have chosen a ABOUT THIS GUIDE better place for it. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal lets you travel along a series of These pages are intended to help you to spectacular canals, rivers and lakes between the visualize what a boating vacation in this region vibrant cities of Ottawa and Kingston. As you make might look like and help you decide whether it’s your way along the waterway you’ll find charming the right destination for you. If you are already 23 on board, it can be used day-by-day to ensure small towns, unforgettable natural wonders and, the best bit of all, a warm Canadian welcome! you make the most of everything there is to ABOUT THE REGION THE RIDEAU CANAL see and do. From page 12-61, each place or attraction is presented in the same order it is Our first North American Region Whether you’re an experienced captain or have never 3 42 Newboro located on the canal, from Ottawa in the North been boating before, you’ll find this region easy to 4 Never been boating before? Chaffey’s Lockstation to Kingston in the South, so if you’re traveling in 44 navigate. There are friendly and helpful lock keepers the opposite direction… just read it backwards! 5 When to go 46 Davis Lock on hand and many fellow boaters around with whom This Guide is not intended to replace the to exchange advice, ask for help or to simply pass 6 Planning your time 47 Jones Falls waterways guide, also provided on board the time of day. and which should always be consulted when 8 History of the Rideau Canal 50 Ken W. Watson’s tips to the Rideau navigating along the canal. Get ready to fall in love with Canada! 10 Culture of the Rideau Canal 54 Seeley’s Bay (Le Boat Base) 56 Lower Brewers Lockstation THE RIDEAU CANAL 56 Kingston Mills 12 Ottawa 57 Kingston 18 Manotick & Long Island 19 Burritts Rapids 62-63 Away from the Canal 19 Nicholsons Locks BOATING ON THE RIDEAU 20 Autumn in Canada 64-65 Our Horizon fleet 22 Merrickville 66 Lock and Mooring supplement 23 Smiths Falls (Le Boat Base) 67 Locks 28 Wandering Ontario's Highlands 68 Going through a lock on the Rideau 30 The Tay Canal 69 Fuel, water & waste 31 Perth OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION 34 Rideau Ferry 69 Feedback 36 Indigenous cultures of the Rideau 40 Portland 41 Westport 3 NEW TO WHEN TO GO BOATING VACATIONS? NEW TO OFF PEAK PEAK OFF PEAK BOATING 25 °C / 77 °F VACATIONS? 20 °C / 68 °F 15 °C / 59 °F Well we’ve got good news, a boating vacation is simple… SEPTEMBER OCTOBER MAY JUNE JULY Choose which of our state-of-the-art Horizon AUGUST boats best suits your party size (see page 64-65 for more details); pick it up from either our base in Smiths Falls or Seeley's Bay and return it, by the agreed date and time. What you do in between is entirely up to you - you’re free to stop when you want, for as long as you want! Explore new places, see amazing sights and create lasting memories. Our Horizon boats have all the necessary features to ensure you are completely self-sufficient throughout your vacation. You can travel from one exciting place to the next without the need WHEN to unpack and repack each time. The kitchens on our boats come fully-equipped if you would like to prepare your own meals, the beds come with linen, TO GO and the bathrooms have showers, hot water, towels and toilets. The hot and sunny month of July is peak season for this region and the canals can get busy. You may have to wait your turn at locks, and public moorings in some Now all you need is the waterway, which allows villages can be slightly more difficult to find. It is also important to note that for a two you to see the sights from a completely unique week period starting on the second to last Sunday of July there is a public holiday in perspective. It slows you down, allows you to the neighbouring province of Quebec. During this period the Rideau Canal will be at appreciate your surroundings, drink in the scenery. its busiest and you’ll have to give yourself plenty of time when going through locks It provides you with an ever-changing view, delivers and finding moorings. On the plus side however, you’ll encounter famous Canadian nature and wildlife to your door and entices you to friendliness with plenty of boaters to chat too – and the popularity of the Rideau with amazing towns and villages. More importantly, it the Quebecois means conversation will be in both English and French. There is also an allows you to create your own vacation - be that a abundance of events and festivals held during July as well. restful break or an active adventure. June, August and September is slightly milder and a bit quieter. Now… who’s on board? May and October are the perfect time to escape the masses, and traveling in October has the added benefit of being able to witness Canada transformed by autumn NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED colors. A season characterized by a canopy of reds and yellows, which are unparalleled anywhere and one of the best on earth (See page 20-21). Our boats are easy to handle with no license required under Canadian law. Before setting off on your vacation, you will be taught how to safely drive your boat, moor and how to travel through locks, ensuring you are happy and confident controlling your cruiser. 4 5 PLANNING YOUR TIME PLANNING YOUR TIME Rideau Canal Appro time Number of locks Montreal Ottawa Ottawa hr min 5 Mano hr min 3 PLANNING Burrit apids 1hr min 12 Rideau Canal Appro time Number 1hr 1min 1of locks Ottawa ocks hr2hr min 1min 53 Merrickville Manotick & Mano hrhr min min hr min 35 5 YOUR TIME Long Island Burrit Smiths apids Falls 1hr min 12 2hr 2 1hr2hr 1min 12 Beveridges ocksLocks To help you plan your time, use this helpful 2hr1min 1min 30 Merrickville erry chart to calculate the approximate number 2hr min hr 2min 0 1 Portland hr min hr min 5 5 Smiths Falls of hours it’ll take you to travel between the Le Boat Base Navigable river Canal 2hr2hr min 2hr 21 2 BeveridgesWestport Locks villages, towns and cities along the waterway. 1min1hr 1min 00 Newboro Be sure to allow plenty of time to stop, relax erry 1hr min 2hr min hr 2min 01 1 Chaffey’s LockstationPortland hr 1min 3 and/or see the sights though. An average of 1hr min 1 Da ock 2hr min 1 three hours cruising per day is quite a relaxed Burritts Rapids Westport 1hr1hr 1min 2min 01 alls itinerary. Anything more than five and you’ll Nicholsons Locks Newboro hr min 4 Perth Ta y C a Smiths Falls 1hr min 1 feel quite rushed. n a Merrickville Chaffey’s LockstationSeele ay hr 1min 3 l 1hr2hr min min 12 Beveridges Locks Low ewer ockstation 11hr 2min 11 Da ock 2hr min 1 Rideau Ferry LOWER 1hr 2min 1 Kingst alls RIDEAU hrhr min min 44 L AKE SeeleKingston ay 2hr min 2 UPPER BIG Low ewer ockstation 11hr 2min 11 RIDEAU ONTARIO 2hr min 1 RIDEAU Kingst L AKE L AKE hr min 4 Kingston Newboro Portland Westport Chaffey’s Lockstation Tay Canal Number Appro time of locks Jones Falls Bev ocks Davis Lock Maximum speed 2hr 2hr 2 2 Perth 10 allowed on waterways Seeley’s Bay Tay Canal Number in km/h Times are an approximation only based on an average speed ofAppro 8km/h time and 30 minutes toof passlocks Bev ocks through a lock chamber. Your speed (the boats are limited2hr to 10km/h), the2hr flow of the river2 and 2 Lower Brewers Pass oncoming boats Perth Lockstation on the right hand side, the time it takes to go through locks will all affect your progress. larger boats have Kingston priority Mills Kingston Toronto SEE MORE… cruise with a night in one of the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario’s two 1940s wooden cabooses in Add Bike and Kayak rental to your booking Smiths Falls (see page 26). Exploring by pedal power is much quicker than by foot. For example, if you want to visit Manotick, then you Rent-a-Car can moor at the Long Island lockstation and cycle the If you are planning a Le Boat cruise as part of a wider 4kms (2.5 miles) into town. Whilst, our Kayaks let you Canadian tour, why not explore with a road trip! There explore the waterways in true Canadian style! is car rental available in Smiths Falls, which in our opin- ion is the ideal location from which to explore the Ot- Book a hotel tawa Valley or Lanark County (see page 28-29) before If you would like to visit Kingston or Ottawa, but don’t dropping your car off in either Ottawa or Kingston. have time to get there and back, how about spending a night or two in a city hotel before your flight home? Or, for a unique experience, you can even cap off your 6 7 RIDEAU CANAL RIDEAU CANAL HISTORY OF THE RIDEAU CANAL THE RIDEAU WATERWAY The history of the Rideau as a navigable waterway long predates the arrival of European settlers – with the waterway long being a means of THE BUILDING OF THE CANAL navigation for the indigenous communities of Ontario.