DAY 16 - ARRIVED IN OTTAWA - CAPITAL OF CANADA

PLEASE NOTE:  THIS IS YESTERDAY’S BLOG – SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 (FELL ASLEEP AT A VERY LATE 10:00 LAST NIGHT)

Marina at Chateau Montebello to Ottawa

Woke up to a sunny 44 degrees with fog. Thank you again, Bryan (Isle of View), for the U.S. sweatshirt - a necessary item in my couture this morning. The fog on the water quickly rose and the water was like glass.

From Aft looking at Ted on Bridge

'Like glass' - far cry from yesterday

I also woke up to the thought of what Ted said last night. “8 locks ….”  But it was a beautiful day and I went with the thought that tonight we could be in Ottawa – and that I could do a wash. Yes, although I’ve never been to Ottawa, that was my first thought. Strange mind, mine. Ted was in the engine room this morning when I heard “Oh #%$&”. My heart sank. That is never something you want to hear.  I KNEW a boat breakdown was pending as Ted does not usually swear, much less loudly. Well, turns out he got oil on his ‘good’ t-shirt. PHEW! The next thing I knew he had applied Dawn and the oil was gone. He was seriously upset about that t-shirt! We had a talk about different swear inflections he could use so that I would know the difference between a dead boat and a spotted favored t-shirt.

THE t-shirt

 Approaching Ottawa on the Ottawa River was beautiful, the architecture amazing, both old and new. Pictured below is the Fairmont Chateau Laurier as we approach the bottom of the locks. Friends Scott and Robin (Bella Luna) recently were married there. Scott, you are sooooo lucky!  Thank you for all the recommendations for the Rideau and Ottawa!

Fairmount Chateau Laurier

The entrance to the city center where we are staying is at the top of the 8 locks. We arrived a little after noon and had an hour at the waiting dock. While waiting the Captain of a large tour boat approached us and asked if we were from Bonnie Castle. He is Kurt from Rockport Ontario (across from A-Bay) and bought that huge pictured tour boat 12 years ago. He, at one time, worked at Houck’s Marina. And he is the cousin of Ron T. who owns Uncle Sam’s Boat Tours in Alexandria Bay. Another small world story and so glad he introduced himself!

Captain Kurt

Kurt's Tour Boat on the left. Awesome!

At the waiting dock and ready to go

One other boat went through with us but thankfully didn’t have to tie on to us. Unfortunately, I did not change out of my long jeans, long-sleeve shirt and the sun beat down on us through the locks which took about 3 hours.

Canadian locks are amazing. The uniformed ‘lockhands’ manually open and close the gates with large hand cranks. They watch out for you too. 

All gates on the Rideau are hand-cranked

But I have NEVER been watched by so many people. The locks were 8 in a row going up. You go out of one and directly into another. Each lock has 10-30 on-lookers and that does not count the people who follow you from lock to lock. To accommodate their curiosity, I proceeded to immediately mess up my lines in the first 2 locks. I was nervous.  Ted pilots while I stay on the bow,  I catch a cable that hangs down the lock, tie my line around it and hold it while going through the lock. I have done this many times before but it has been a few years and I am always nervous at the beginning – until I ‘get it’. Ted’s procedure is to pilot me to a cable, then leave the bridge to go to the stern where he has to catch a cable,  tie a line around it, tie it off, then go below and turn off the engines. After somewhat of a reversal of that procedure, you go into the next lock and start over.

Me on the bow holding my line and looking nonchalant?

In one lock, there is a pub where people can dine and watch the locks

Finally at the 8th Lock

We are staying at the top of the last lock on the city wall – right in Ottawa in front of the Westin. It was not easy docking however. Long story short … there was a boat in the spot where we were told to go. He was a ‘squatter’ and wouldn’t move – we paid for that spot. He was stubborn. My husband is stubborner (yes, I’m sure that is a word, at least in this case).  Husband won. But it took about 2 hours to be resolved  - and without fisticuffs..

Where we are staying in Ottawa. Thanks for the picture, Tammy

Tammy, who proudly lives in Ottawa, was anxious to show us her city and also give us recommendations. She took us to “The Market” where we had dinner at The Aulde Dubliner and Pour House. She also took us to the Parliament Hill light show which told the story of Canada. Beautiful. Thank you and thank you for the pictures, Tammy.

Ted and Tammy

The Aulde Dubliner and Pour House

Had to try a Beaver Tail. Uh-oh ... loved 'em

 

Parliament Hill Light Show