Day 53- Kingston, ON (Lock 49) to Davis, ON (Lock 38)

We have started the trek up the Rideau Canal towards Ottawa. The stats above the map show that we were underway 4 hours today. The interesting part is the next item which says the duration was 6 hours 12 minutes. That translates into a total of 2 hours and 12 minutes were spent waiting in locks while the water was moved into or out of a lock. We went through 11 locks today and have 37 more before arriving in Ottawa.

Not really a sunrise, but a beautiful sky.

Royal Military College Arch

Nice little thing for the kids to play on?

This causeway bascule bridge is causing problems.  The story we heard was that, during some maintenance activity somebody did something not quite right and the bridge fell and buckled.  It cannot be repaired and will be demolished.  After that, a temporary bridge will be installed until a replacement draw bridge can be built.  The problem is, this bridge is in Kingston, at the south end of the Rideau Canal.  There is another portion of the causeway with a fixed bridge with a clearance of 15 feet, which we  went through. 

The problem is there a marina just upstream of this bridge, with several good sized yachts, sailboats and tour boats.  They cannot get out and won't get out until the demolition is done.  It also means that any yachts doing the "triangle loop" that can't get under 15", can't do the trip.  The triangle loop goes up Lake Champlain, to the St Lawrence River and Montreal, then up the Ottawa River and down the Rideau.

Oops!

The 14 foot escape route.  We actually saw about 15 feet, but the lake level can vary.
If you want to be sure to block the traffic, just park a car sideways.

The final bridge as we left Kingston.

We were strongly encouraged, by more than one,
to take the Rideau Canal as a side trip. 

I also have a friend in Ottawa, so, why not?

This is the first lock, #49, counting down to Ottawa. The blue line on the dock is where you wait to indicate to them that you want to go through the lock. No calls or radio required. 

The gates are open and ready for us to enter.

The majority of the locks in the Rideau are man-powered!  The tenders open and shut the gates with chains and winches and crank open and shut the sluice gates.  
A lot of "girl power" was also evident.

Here you can see the water entering, raising us up to the next level.

These winches are used to open the gates. The long white arm is part of the gate.

The round, black wheels are used to open the sluice gates to flood the lock.

Some of the sluice gates where not in the main, movable gate, 

but on the side walls.

This is a view of a "flight" of gates. This one had 3 levels, but only 4 gates. We literally went from one chamber to the next, 3 times. The water ran over the gates to fill the next one.

We must have really scared these folks!  The canal was built to provide a transportation network safe from the invading Americans after the War of 1812 and during the "Oregon Crisis" of the 1830s and 40s.  For the geographically challenged, Oregon is nowhere near Ontario.  Rather, it was the border dispute over the area now known as Oregon, Washington and Idaho.  The Brits claimed ownership down to the Columbia River and the US claimed it as far north as the Alaskan panhandle.  James Polk's campaign promise of "54:40 (latitude) or Fight" prompted all the anxiety.  I guess somebody believes campaign promises.

For more fun reading, Google the "Pigs Wars" and read some interesting stuff that happened out in the San Juan Islands.

Here we, and another boat, are ready to exit the lock and 

advance to the next lock that you can see in the distance.

The canal is used by many of the local folks.

We have entered into swan territory.

This wasn't called Swan Lake, but we thought it should have been.

Amazing to see them fly. I gave the top one a 10 for perfect form!

Here you can see a white gate to the lock, that just opened, and the wheels of a swing bridge that had to open before we could exit.

The open bridge, as we pass through.

Agriculture is big part of Ontario's economy. Ontario grows over 90% of Canada's soybeans, nearly all the tobacco grown in Canada, and has nearly half of Canada's corn farms. In relation to the rest of Canada, Ontario is also strong in vegetable production, mushrooms, broilers, turkeys, pigs and sheep.

Didn't expect to see lily pads, but, we did.

It was a cloudy day so the flowers weren't fully open.

The lock chambers have some growth on the walls. 

This one had flowers blooming.

This lock had glamping options.

Each lock has restrooms and at times a small gift shop.

The southern part of the canal is primarily good sized lakes and rivers. 

Getting from one to another, however can get purty skinny!

The swans have babies too.

The lakes have many campgrounds and homes around them.

This was another double flight lock. 

With all the rain it has been extremely green and beautiful.

This one needed a little boy's finger, or a 

painting of a little boy doing his business.

This lock filled to the very top.

All of the lock tenders are incredibly friendly, love their jobs, impart local knowledge and are quick to assist with a line.
This one even waved for me. I did have to wave and indicate that I wanted him to wave for the camera. He was a good sport.

The first day on the Rideau Canal has been beautiful.

We are looking forward to seeing the rest of it.

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