Rideau Canal, a World Heritage Site

Our trip between Ottawa and Kingston, Ontario was by way of the Rideau Canal. This Historic waterway was built between 1826 and 1832, traversing 126 miles through rugged terrain. Our route began on the Ottawa River at 134 feet above sea level, the first thirty two locks, raised us 274 feet to 408 feet above sea level at the Upper Rideau Lakes, then we descended 165 feet in 13 locks to Kingston at 243 feet above sea level. The story of how this canal was conceived and built and the hardships endured is compelling. Linking lakes and rivers with miles of canals cut into the rocks, it is an engineering marvel. At the Jones Falls Locks, the set of 4 locks bypassed a mile long series of rapids with a 60 foot drop in elevation. A crescent shaped dam was constructed at this site, 350 feet long and 60 feet high. It is considered one of the most impressive engineering feats on the canal. The lockmasters continue the tradition of operating the locks by hand. The most impressive were the flight of eight locks which lead from the Ottawa River to the heart of downtown Ottawa. There were several other areas with “step locks” along the way. At these locks there were invariably onlookers. On two sets of step locks we offered families with small children a ride on the boat, they loved the experience and we enjoyed sharing it with them. The terrain changed dramatically meandering through marshland and rural farmland, past granite cliffs and the dramatic Canadian Shield, heavily forested and stunningly beautiful. We were sorry to see this portion of our trip come to an end but we have much more to see and do. We will spend a couple of days in Kingston then on to the 1000 Islands.