We pulled up the 120 feet of chain we let out last night as we anchored in 20 feet of water. The windlass worked hard this morning to get all that chain and the anchor back on board. We are used to anchoring in 6 feet of water back in Florida.
We woke to a chilly 56 degrees and a bright sunny day. It will warm up to 79 degrees today.
Traveling through the east end of Big Rideau Lake, we finally got a picture of the elusive loons we hear calling at night.
Big Rideau has many boat houses and docks along the shores. The summer cottages are there but are hidden in the trees. As the lake continues to narrow we come to the Rideau Ferry Bridge- which I’m sure you guessed used to be a ferry crossing.
Once through the bridge you leave Big Rideau Lake and enter Lower Rideau Lake. Lower Rideau is a much smaller lake about 2 miles long and 3/4 mile wide and is quite shallow, only 9-18 feet deep!!
As we approach the east end of Lower Rideau, it narrows to a winding channel lined with grasses. As the lake ends, we are again back in the Rideau River. The river now is quite narrow with many turns. We look back as we hear the rumble of boat engines to find four Cigarette type boats lined up behind us. Our troop of five boats approach the next lock Smith Falls #31.
We all tied up barely fitting on the blue line, even rafting up to each other. The lock master came down to discuss how to fit us all in, which she did!! We were two rows of three boats as another cruiser joined us in waiting on the lock. We tied up to the starboard side of the lock as we headed the pack. One cigarette boat tied to the port side and another rafted to him in the lock. This was repeated with a row of three boats behind us. We locked through successfully and went under the swing bridge to enter the town of Smith Falls and tied up to the city dock next to a very nice park.
Once tied up at the town dock, we headed out to do errands and ate lunch at The Lockmasters Pub. Was a neat old building. Smith Falls was a railroad hub for goods going from Toronto to Ottawa so after lunch we walked to the train museum. Bill was thrilled to be able to hear stories of how conductors and engineers worked the trains from people who actually had those jobs on the railroad. Retired railroad workers all pitched in to create this museum and are on the grounds for visitors to talk with and get their questions answered. Walked through a dining car, a caboose, and an engine, as well as the old railroad station, which was set up as it would have been in 1912.
They also had a snowplow engine, hand operated maintenance cars and a Cadillac refitted to run on the rails for the President of the Pacific Canadian Railroad.
On our way back to the boat we walked around town and through the area of the three old locks of Smith Falls which are now combined into one lock which they use today.
May not be much internet as we continue, so posts may be sporadic til we get back in the states.