Tuesday August 8
(updated on Aug 9 with additional pictures)
We are at anchor on our so beloved Big Rideau Lake. This is pretty much our final destination for this summer. Our plan is to hop from anchor spot to anchor spot in this general area.
A few of you have asked more specific information on our route and locations since we left the USA from Oswego, NY. So here it is. Skip this section if you are not interested in the coordinates and exact route. Otherwise, you can use this information and Google Earth it to take a look.
RECAP
We left the USA from Oswego, NY on Tuesday August 2.
Crossed Lake Ontario that day and headed towards Kingston, Ontario, Canada. This was a 6-hour crossing, 4 of which we definitely not pleasure boating... Kingston is to Ontario (Canada) what Oriental is to North Carolina: it is the sailing capital of Ontario. This is where the sailing events were held during the 1976 Montreal Olympics. We just passed the city and entered to Rideau Canal (Google Rideau Canal for facts) just North of the Kingston bascule bridge.
We headed straight for the first set of locks on the Rideau Canal that afternoon: the Kingston Mills locks (Lat 44o17.5N Long 76o26.5W). Cleared Canadian customs there and took the 4 locks that same day…
Thru Colonel By Lake to River Styx to Washburn locks (Lat 44o23.4N Long 76o19.5W). Stayed overnight at the bottom of these locks. This made for a very long day albeit successful day, in that we had arrived in Canada, our goal since we left June 25.
Next day Wednesday on to Brewer Mills locks thru Cranberry Lake (Lat 44o27N Long 76o18W)
To and thru Whitefish Lake (Lat 44o31N Long 76o14W)
To Jones Falls Locks (Lat 44o32.8N Long 76o14.2W) thru the 4 locks there
To and thru Sand Lake (Lat 44o34N Long 76o16W)
To Davis Lock (Lat 44o33.8N Long 76o17.6W)
To Chaffeys Locks (Lat 44o34.5N Long 76o19.5W)
To and thru Indian Lake to Clear Lake to Newboro Lake at anchor spot called Stouts Lower Bay (Lat 44o36.8N Long 76o20W)
After something like 14 locks in 2 days plus Lake Ontario crossing, we reconnected with our Canadian friends Dale and Wendy later that afternoon and rafted with them. We had arrived!
We rested all day on Thursday on Newboro Lake, recuperating from 2 heavy cruising days. Michael fished for a short time off the swim platform while Dale was doing the same off his boat; we all went swimming multiple times, and of course all had the proper liquid food. The guys brushed the boats and compared cleaning techniques and products...
On Friday, we headed for Portland, Ontario on the Big Rideau Lake to tie up at a municipal dock and meet Michael’s daughter and family that afternoon. They have been with us since and left this morning (Tuesday 8/9). There was a lot of horsing around with the grand-kids and the grown-ups too. Pacemaker problems anyone??...Michael has an easy fix:
We stayed on the hook all along in various anchoring spots on Big Rideau Lake.
Unfortunately, our main generator continues to be a challenge. The latest is that we did do some damage when we had an overheat situation due to a broken water pump in NYC. Michael is evaluating how it will be remedied, where, and by whom. I do not anticipate having a main generator for the rest of the season... Fortunately, we do not need AC as the temperatures are in the 60s at nights, which makes for great sleeping. We take showers in the lake (no power to the water heater), which is very clear with water temperature is in the mid-70s. We'll see how all this works out comes September and early Fall here...
The beauty of our surroundings continues to amaze us every day.
We are surrounded by many families of spectacular loons, and have spotted muskrats, blue herons, a couple of ospreys with their little ones in the nest. We had our first lake-caught bass yesterday.
To more chilled wine! (and it is chilling)
Annick & Michael cruising aboard Sirocco
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