Golden's Voyages

The Little Loop:  Through the Rideau Lakes and Canal

We didn't keep a trip diary for this two week jaunt, but have pictures instead.  We left Lake Champlain in late August 2000, went south through the Champlain Canal, turned west and headed out the Erie Canal, then north up the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario.  Across Ontario to the Thousand Islands, then to Kingston, Ontario, where we started the Rideau.  The Rideau Canal and Lakes were gorgeous and scenic, and we had them all to ourselves due to season being so late.  Ottawa was amazing with its architecture and the long series of step locks down to the Ottawa River.  From Ottawa, we headed down the Ottawa River with a stop at Montebello.  On through the Lake of the Two Mountains and into the St. Lawrence River which led to Montreal.  From Montreal, down the St. Lawrence to Sorel, turned south into the Richelieu River and the Chambly Canal, which dumped us back into Lake Champlain. We did the trip in 18 days, two nine-day stretches with a 5-day lay-over in Smith Falls, ONT, during which time we left the boat to fly home and work a week.  The 18 days proved a leisurely pace that let us indulge in a lot of sightseeing and made easy work of the 100 locks through which we passed.

Check these two websites for more information on the Rideau Canal:

• Parks Canada - Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada
• Rideau Canal Waterway informational website

Oswego Golden in the Oswego Canal, with the city behind her.	Oswego Harbor Lighthouse Leaving Oswego Harbor for Lake Ontario.  Burgees:  Lake Champlain YC and MTOA.	Crossing Lake Ontario On a beautiful calm day.	1,000 Islands Lighthouse Classic Beauty
Heart Island We spent an afternoon exploring this never-completed folly.	1,000 Island House The cutest thing we've seen.	Start of the Rideau Glen and Mike waiting for the first lock in the Rideau System.	Rideau Canal This is a hand-cranked swing bridge opening for our passage.
Rideau Canal Gorgeous beauty and a feeling of stepping back in time.	Hand-Cranked Locks Mike trying his hand at opening the locks.	Flying Home Heading home to work; golden retriever Benjamin squeezing Marie, Mike up front on left piloting.	Serenade Getting a ukulele serenade in the Rideau Canal system.
Golden in Ottawa Golden, tied up along the Ottawa wall above the step locks.	Ottawa We spent the night in the underpass - a strange place for a boat.	Ottawa Step Locks Golden on her way down the step locks.	Golden in the Step Locks Locking down.
Chateau Montebello On the Ottawa River, billed as the largest log structure in the world.	In Carillon Lock Golden descending 66' in the Carillon Lock on the Ottawa River.	Leaving the Carillon Lock Golden exiting under the overhead door.