6/10/14 Burritts Rapids to Ottawa

What rain?  We had another beautiful day on the Rideau without a hint of the predicted rain.  We stopped to take on water and get a pump-out at Hurst Marina (mile 23) before heading through the section called the Reach.  It is called the Reach because there are no services available for miles.   At mile 14.5 there were three locks (16, 15,14), mile 9.3 was the Black Rapids lock,  and mile 5.2 was the swing bridge and Locks 12 and 11.  A mile later we went through locks 10 and 9.  We knew at mile 1.6 there was lift bridge (the Pretoria Ave. Lift Bridge) which closes for boat traffic during rush hour (3:30-5:20).  It was after 3:00, so we went as fast as allowable on the canal and reached the bridge at 3:24.  After calling the bridge tender, we waited, and waited, and waited.  No response until 3:29 when we heard the bell signal that the bridge was opening.  We made it through at 3:31. 

Last year when we arrived in Ottawa after coming up the stair-step locks, we found the walls of the canal filled with boats and we finally found spots a few blocks away from downtown.  This time, since full tourist season had not started, we found we were one of only 3 boats.  That meant we were as close to downtown as possible and we have power. 

 

 

location, location, location-National Arts Centre
 

view from our boat - two boats pictured are canal tourist boats.
 

Our plan is to stay in Ottawa for almost a week.  Next Monday, my friend Becky and her significant other, Frank will be visiting us from Montreal.  Can't wait!
Last night we ate at Play.  We saw the sign and the menu looked good, so we went up to the second floor for dinner.  Prices seemed reasonable.  I ordered scallops and Ron ordered sausage.  When the food arrived, we realized that this was a tappas meal.  I had three small scallops and Ron had a half length of sausage.  So we ate bread which was delivered with the meal. Then we ate some more bread.  We shared a dessert.  So the bargain meal was really not a bargain.

Last evening while sitting on the top deck, a bicyclist named Doug stopped by and spent at least an hour visiting with us.  He works for an international health care company and has two teen-aged daughters.  Although he said he would love to do a trip like ours, his wife does not like boating.  He shared something with us that we didn't know about the canal.  In the winter, the canal freezes and hundreds of people ice skate on it.  Food vendors set up along side of the canal and serve hot chocolate, moose-tracks and other snacks.  It reminded me of my youth, skating on the Pekin Park Lagoon and getting hot chocolate inside the Pavilion.

Rain is predicted for the next two days.  We'll see if that really happens.