Well, it worked really well planning my Red Deer River trip. And also paddling in and around Toronto and Mississauga, for both Bernie and me on our trips there. I'm always an adventurous paddler in my planning and my imagination. So why not do some long-distance planning for a kayaking trip on the Rideau Canal?
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| This image is from a website all about the Rideau Canal! |
Apparently I'm not the only one who has looked at the canal where it runs through Ottawa and thought about paddling there. The one time I visited, my friend Dom showed me her yacht club on the river and said that the canal was good for skating in winter. Since the canal was originally built for small and moderate-sized boats, I reasoned that there had to be people still using it for canoeing and kayaking. Sure enough, there are. Many people, it would seem, like to paddle here for fishing and to see the old locks. Maybe I'll do a Rideau Canal paddling expedition the next time I go to Ontario. There are plenty of day trips to do along parts of the canal, but what really appeals to me is the idea of kayaking and camping for several days along this route.
Check out the website Friends of the Rideau for lots of info on the history of the area and the Rideau Canal. This volunteer organisation has won awards for their service promoting and conserving the canal; and their website is terrific. That's where I got these two images for this post. And if, like me, you're thinking about paddling there, be sure to download some paddling guides that the Friends of the Rideau have made available. These guides and maps are available as "donationware" -- that means you can download 'em for free. It's good manners to send a donation via PayPal or a cheque or money order as thanks.
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