Thousand Islands, St. Lawrence & Ottawa Rivers and the Rideua Canal 2024

 August 17 2024

Phippsburg, Maine.

Final Preparations

We are getting excited about our upcoming Taku adventure.  On Tuesday we leave for Clayton, NY - our departure point for the St. Lawrence RIver, Ottawa River and Rideau Canal.  Clayton is on the St. Lawrence RIver where it flows out of Lake Ontario [see the interactive map below].  Getting there means first towing Taku 530 miles!  

In Clayton Liz and I plan to launch Taku, joining friends on two other boats: "Salty Paws"  and "Vega".  Together our three craft plan to complete a 485 mile loop returning to Clayton September 8th.

The first phase of our river trip will be a run of about 170 miles down the St. Lawrence River.   In 5 days we will transit 5 locks along the St. Lawrence Seaway, cross into Canada and end at the confluence of the Ottawa River in Montreal [yellow line below].    In the second phase, we will run 80 miles upstream on the Ottawa River, climbing through two more locks, and arriving at Canada's capitol three days later [orange line].   There we will spend two nights enjoying Ottawa (and fulfilling Liz's requirement for a real shower).   In the last phase we spend a week traversing the Rideau Canal over to Kingston, Ontario - transiting another 49 locks, reentering the St. Lawrence River and then crossing back to Clayton, NY, the end our 485 mile loop [purple line].   

The 'expedition' as Liz calls it will last 24 days, 19 of which we plan to be on the water.

Taku in the driveway for a few last minute projects.

Update as of Friday August 23, 2024

Day 1 [August 21st]

Arrived in Clayton with lingering rain from a big system stretching across all of New England.  forecasters claiming it would improve - but not to be. Loaded gear off the truck onto the boat in the rain.  Launched in the rain.   Ran over the Clayton Municipal Marina in the rain.    Quickly put up the mooring cover to make things more comfortable as we got organized but of course things were already wet.   And instead of exploring Clayton we just sat tight.  

Otto and Anna (Vega) had been there to meet us - and provided much appreciated assistance.  Otto has family history in and around Clayton and his connections pointed us to the Clayton Municipal Marina and got us parking at the local hockey rink.   Sweet!   Bill and Molly (Salty Paws) arrived shortly after and Otto helped them as well.   Thanks Otto!

The rain did pause around 4:30 pm so I did get a quck walk to the River Rat Cheese store (incredible NY State chedar) and RAKS (Ropes, Anchors &Knots) the local equivalent of Reny's 5& Dime.  A very freindly and cute town.  Otto hosted all of us for a memorable dinner at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel.

Day 2 [August 22: Clayton to Cedar Island]

Thursday dawned to clearing skies and a bit more promise to begin our cruise.    Took care of a few last minute details (Jon retrieved his sunglasses from the truck) and then were off by 7:30 - Salty Paws in the lead.  Our goal was to be at Dark Island and the Singer Castle before any of the morning tour boats arrive - and thereby hoping our three boats could grab dock space.   Passed our first bulk carrier as we left Clayton, did a 'drive by' of Boldt Castle and also of "Dream Boat" - the 295 ft. mega yacht owned by Arthur Blank of Home Depot fame.   

Arrived at Dark Island in time to grab the best dock space and be first in line for the 10:00 am tour.   Built by Fredrick Bourne 1902-4 Bourne made his fortune as the third CEO of Singer Sewing Co.   I guess in the early 1900's it was more in vouge to build a castle than a mega yacht.   Back then perhaps we would be binge watching "Secret Passages of the Castle Servants" as oppposed to "Below Decks - Mediterranean.

After a short cruise over to Cedar Island - part of the Thousand Islands State Park, where we wer able to secure 3 slips for the night.  Bill and Molly hosted a lovely steak dinner in the gazebo!

Day 3 [August 23: Cedar Island to Prescott]

Liesurely morning in the sunshine.   Breakfast on the aft deck.   Off by 10:00 am heading for Prescott, Ontario.  Checked in with Canadian Customs by phone and, all good!   Sandra Lawn "Jewel of the St Lawrence" Marina.   Cozy and nice spot.   Hot showers.   Looking forward to dinner ashore.

Day 3 PS:  Fun dinner at Renegadz Restaurant.   Got talking about how life in Canada was so similar but so different from the US.   For instance, across the street from the restaurant was and H&R Block - Canadian's have to do their taxes too, eh?   But I submitted to the table that a big difference was sports.   To Americans either football or baseball is the number 1 sport, whereas Canadians the number 1 sport is hockey.  Several people at the table could not believe that to be the case - so I asked the waitress who also dragged her boss into the discussion.   Of course they passionately demonstrated that hockey is the one and only sport in Canada worth getting emotional about....

Day 4   [August 24 Prescott to Croil Island] 

Up at 5:45 and departed at 6:30 sharp. 

 The first order of the day was getting to the Iroquois Lock 10 miles down river and getting into the queue for the first downstream passage through the lock.   

For those of you unfamiliar with how locks operate let me explain:   Locks are employed on stretches of rivers where the rate of fall of the river surface is too great for ships to ascend - like at rapids or waterfalls.   Engineers build dams at strategic locations to hold back the water creating a pool that reduces the slope above the dam to a managable level.   Next to the dam they build a lock - basically a concrete channel connecting upstream to downstream with a set of gates- one at the upstream end and another at the downstream end - forming a big swiming pool in between.   Engineers close the downstream gates and fill the pool using water from the upstream side.   A ship can then enter from the upstream side.   The upstream gates are closed and water is released lowering the pool until it matches the downstream side - and then the downstream gates are open.  Voila!  The ship has been lowered and steams away.   Meanwhile, the ship waiting to proceed upstream enters the lock, the gates are closed and water from upstream fills the lock lifting the ship up!

We arrived at the lock in time to be first in the queue and only had to wait an hour for our turn.   Breakfast!   Of course after months of anticipating how we would rig our fenders so Taku would not scrape against the concrete walls and how Liz and I would handle the lines dropped down from above to keep us in place as the water turbulently exits the lock - it turned out to be anticlimatic.   Water levels above and below the lock today were only 6 pinches different so the lock keepers open both the upstream and downstream gates at the same time and let us motor straight through!  Passage through the lock was quick and uneventful (but the preparation was good practice for upcoming locks).

The remainder of the day was spent gently cruising another 35 miles down the St Lawrence River passing the Crysler Farm battle site on the Canadian shore.   This is where in 1813 a superior American force, who were thinking of capturing Montreal, were rather soundly defeated by a smaller British force.   If you want to study American history you need to look at the border between what is now New York and Ontario/Quebec.   Before 1776 it was the British (to the south) against the French (and Indians) to the north.   The British kicked the French out as a result of the French and Indain War.   Then during the revolution, and again in the war of 1812 it was the British (to the north) against the Americans.   Many forts along this boundary were used alternatively by opposing sides!    Thankfully relations between our two countries are now quite amicable (with the exception of hockey rivalries!

(Boarded by pirates!)

We are spending the night anchored among the Croil Islands off the town of Long Sault, Ontario.   Each boat will dine by themselves, but after we are invited to Salty Paws for desert and cocktails.     

Day 5 [August 25th: Croil Island to Salaberry de Valleyfield

Up at 6:30 am for 7:30 departure.  A few weeds on Vega's and Salty Paws anchors!    Past the Long Sault dam and back into the main shipping channel in preparation for the Ameican locks: Eisenhower and Snell - back to back locks about 2 miles apart.   Noticed a salt mine opertion and an aluminum smelter on the American shoreline.  Aluminum smelters require an enormous amout of electricity - which the dams created to control the locks also provide.   

We arrived at the Eisenhower lock at the appointed 9am and just after we got tied up -were told by the operators we had the 'green light' to enter the Eisenhower lock.   This time we were in for the real deal.   After securing our boat to the floating bollard, we were lowered about 50 feet in about 5 minutes.   

   As we exited the lock we were given a friendly reminder to keep to starboard of the channel as there was a cruise ship (the French Cruise liner "La Bellot) that had just been lifted up the Snell lock and we would pass in the chanel.

Snell lock was a piece of cake for us as now Liz and I have transited over 20 locks!   The remainder of the day was spent moving down the St Lawrence River another almost 30 miles to Salaberry de Valleyfield - the "Boating Capitol of Quebec".   We had reservations at the Marina de Valleyfield - a busy, busy harbor on a late summer afternoon.   French Canadians love their boating.   Hundreds of sail and power boats - many lingering out on the water till almost dark.   We fueled up and topped off our water tanks.   Otto and Anna found a lovely restaurant "Dez"   Great tempoura shrimp tacos.  Wonderful animated waitress.   We have decided that French Canadian bars really like to 'spice' up their cocktails.   A bit to fufu for me, but they seem to get very excited about green colored - or otherwise infused drinks.  When in doubt just pull the Stoli bottle out of the freezer for me.

Day 6 [August 26th: Valleyfield to St Anne de Belleveu - Last Day on the St Lawrence]

Slept in this morning (alarm at 7:00 am, on the water at 8).   Today we transit the last of the St Lawrence Seaway locks which we share with the big 'Lakers' and other ocean going ships.  The logistics of running through the two Beauharnois lock are a bit complicated by the two drawbridges we needed to pass under to enter the locks, one about 10 miles out, the other about 5 miles from the first lock.   Both are significan highways and as a result, they only open once in the morning.  So you have to appear at the first bridge before 9 am and be waiting because it opens, then closes, and if you miss it is a long wait.   

"Suction Cups" used to keep the big ships from moving around while being lowered

The second bridge opens at 9:45 and then the lock opens at 11.   These two locks are back to back and both drop about 45 feet.   The whole lock evolution from green light to exiting downstream takes about 40 minutes.

Once clear of Beauharnois we had an easy run of 25 miles to St Anne de Bellveue, a quaint settlement at the western end of Montreal Island.

Pointe de Moulin

(Mill Point)

One of the interesting observations from this journey down the St Lawrence is the contrast betwen the US side of the river and the Canadian.   Almost without exception, the Canadian side has more villages, more houses, more commerce and more industry than the US side.   Both sides have considerable recreational/seasonal residences - especially in the Thousand Islands, and both sides have commercial and industrial sites.   But by far the Canadian side has greater population and greater economic activity.   You only have to recognize that the 401, Canada's main east/west highway, runs along the river from Kingston to Quebec City - and is often within sight of the river.   As well the main east/west Canadian rail lines run along the river.  An Dorval in Montreal is a major international airport.   On the us, there is Rte 11, a rural NY state highway runs along the river some 15 to 20 miles inland, there are not major rail lines, and the closest international airport in Plattsburg.   Watertown is the next largest city in Northen NY (ever heard of it?)

Since the earliest days of the New France colony, commerce has flowed from all parts of central and western Canada to the Montreal and Quebec Cities - where goods were loaded int ocean going ships to return to Europe - and today, to the world.   Along the Canadian side: grain elevators; chemical plants (Dupont Chemical as well as ethanol plants); aluminum smelters, manufacturing plants, etc.  There is some North/south commerce coming up Rte 81 and 87 from New York to Canada - but nothing like the flow of goods east west through Canada.

Day 7 [August 27th: St Anne to Carillion - "Noisy Party"]

Well, not the best night sleep!   As we were starting dinnner a cigarette boat came up the canal and tied along side two other boats.   The three made quite a scene getting tied up.   The men useless, the woman ( in a thong) running around trying to get them organized - she being the only one who knew what to do.    They all then went into a restaurant.    Later, after we all climbed into bed, they cam back to their boats and cranked up the stereo.   As they were only 50 ft across the canal from us our boat resonated with every beat - and it woke us up.   1 am and clearly they were only just getting started.   I thought about asking them to quiet down but deecided there was a chance they were drug dealers and if so, they might have a gun.   I thought about calling 911 but figured that might take hours for the police to respond.   It finally occured to me to start the motor and move down the canal about 100 yards and simply get away from them.   So even though we had planned the latest start of the trip, we probably got the worst night of sleep.

At 9:30 am we were in the queue at the "blue line" for entry into the lock and by 10 am we were on our way up the Ottawa River.   Farily uneventful trip other than two 35 ft power boats passing us closely at high speed with wreckless abandon and throwing mountainous wakes.   Not so bad for us but for the guy in the skiff with a fish on the line it was undoubtedly irritating.

Made it to Carrillion lock by 1:30 pm and tied up along the wall for the night.   Walked up to a local hot dog stand for lunch.   Otherwise not much here in Carrillion.   A hot afternoon but we are relaxing. 

Geology

To me any journey is an exploration of topography, geography and geology.   This trip is no exception.   We started our trip at the head of the St. Lawrence River.  The St. Lawrence is born a big river as it forms where Lake Ontario - and hence all the Great Lakes - make their final flow to the sea (BTW I highly recommend "Paddle to the Sea" - a children's story about a young Native American boy living in NIpising north west of Lake Superior who carves a minature canoe and launches it in the stream near his home and wishes it "Paddles to the Sea" - it is a great story to read to young adventurers).  So the St Lawrence starts out as a big river - a very big river with 280,000 CFS even in summer time.   Because the water flows from the top of Lake Ontario - a very deep lake - the water is clear and free of sediment.   Makes for great swiming!

The valley the river enters is young - well the rocks are old - but the valley shape is predominantly influenced by the Laurentide Icesheet from the last glaciation.   This icesheet was centered over Hudson Bay and radiated out over norther North Americal extending as far east as Sable Island; Cape Cod, Long Island, and the New York/Pennsylvania border.  This icesheet was over a mile thick and all but covered the Adirondaks of New York, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and White Mountains of New Hampshire.  But because those mountains are nearly a mile high, the glacer did not so much flow over as rather it enveloped those mountains and the main ice flow had to make a choice to flow east or west along the St Lawrence valley.    In Clayton, along the waterfront there is a lovely river walk with quartzite rocks that you can walk over.   Those rocks show the striations that the glacier carved into them indicating a glacier movement to the south west toward Lake Ontario.     

The St Lawrence valley is broad and flat and the river simply occupies flows along the lowest point of the valley.   Near Lake Ontario the valley is so flat and wide that the river has multiple paths to choose - and it does flow around the "Thousand Islands".   This is a summer vacation paradaise!

As we move further downstream to Butternut Bay, the river channel becomes more defined into one channel marking the end of the Thousand Islands.   But islands reappear at Crysler Farm all the way to just below Beauharnois locks.   These islands are actually chunks of a terminal moraine formed at the end of the last glaciation as the ice sheet retreated - the moraines built up duiring a temporary pause in the retreat.    These islands are what the St Lawrence Seaway Authority used to buttress the many dams built to hold back water for the locks.

Approaching Montreal, and the end of the first St. Lawrence River phase of our trip, the character of the valley begins to change again.   As we round the last bend below Beauharnois locks in the distance we can see the "mount" of Mont Real.   The first distinct mount we have seen on the trip.   

The Ottawa River that we are now following is not nearly so big as the St. Lawrence but it is none the less a large river - but it is a coffee color due to all the sediment from the many streams that flow into it.   And the valley is much different with numerous 'mounts'  that the river winds through. 

Bedrock geology.   The Adirondacks to the south are formed of anorthosite - a hard igneoous rock.   The Laurentian Sheild to the north is made up of precambrian igneous rocks and high grade metamorpic rocks.    The surprise is that along the St. Lawrence valley you find sedimentary rocks like limestone and sandstones.

Day 8  [August 28th: Carillion to Montebello Quebec]

Woke up early and joined Bill and Tory (their Portuguese Water dog) for a morning walk.   Walked up on top of the dam and on top of the lock.   This is a big hydro dam that generates many megawats.   I estimate 15 individual turbine generators.  And the lock is the largest lift of any lock in Canada - 75 ft - and features a unique downstream gate that is suspended on cables and is raised vertically -  unlike all the other locks we have been through which feature gates that swing open like double barn doors.   This one looks like a guillotene. 

  

Wandering along the earthen dam above the lock we realized how lucky we were to have spent the night down below the dam in the protection of the canal walls.   If we had passed through the lock the afternoon before, there is a place we could have tied up for the night - but that spot is unprotected and at the southern end of perhaps 5 to 10 miles of open water.   During the night we had experienced a big thunder and lightning storm with gusts and heavy rain.   Would have been very uncomfortable.   As it was we were snug along the canal below the dam.

As we continued our walk we found a lovely park featuring a monument to a French Canadian Dollard and his 23 men who were killed in a battle with the Iroquois - in 1660!  What a wild wilderness this area must have been in 1660.

We moved into the lock at 9:30 sharp - under the guillotene.   Being a 75 foot lift, when the gate closed we had the eerie feeling like we trapped in a garbage compactor of a Battle Star - like our heros in the first Star Wars movie.  

Subsequently we had a good run of a few hours up to Montebello, PQ where we pulled into the Municipal marina.   We were pleasantly surprised by the facilities and the service.  The reviews on Active Captian and Google were so so at best but our alternative, at the Fairmont Chateau Montebello Yacht Club, would have charged over $200/night/boat.   But a pleasant and helpful attendant came down to help us land and we found that the docks were brand new, high tech, aluminium structures with solid plastic decking - all with potable water and shore power provided right at each slip! 

We had heard we needed to see the Chateau Montebello being the "largest log cabin in the world" so we wandered off to town the grab lunch and then tour the Chateau.   Lunch was at Bistro Montebello - incredible salads and pizza (4 Fromage) and local beer.   We had planned to cook out dinner later, but we ate so well at the bistro that dinner became crackers and cheese.   

The Chateau was an interesting structure that reminded some of us of the lodge at Yosemite and others of the lodge at Yellowstone.   Pretty cool, made of logs, and pretty big.   There were photos on the wall of various international summits that have been held there - one with George W Bush, and another with Regan.   

Passed the remainder of the afternoon and evening relaxing on our boats.

The Ottawa River is far bigger than what I was expecting - over a mile wide in many stretches - with gently undulating banks and pleasant looking villages here and there.   We have only seen a handful of boats on the river with us.   Most below Carillion dam.   We also passed a vintage trawler going only 5 or 6 knowts flying a Great Loop flag.   From what we have been told the river used to be home to multiple large saw mills that are now long gone.   The lumber jacks would fell the trees dozens if not hundreds of miles up river, then float the logs down the mills to be be processed into lumber.  In my day at Protection Mutual I visited a number of lumber mills in Quebec and Ontario - but in those days the logs and lumber were transported by truck. 

Day 9 [August 29th:  Montebello to Ottawa Ontario  -Last day on Ottawa River Bill runs low on gas]

Up by 8 am to a simple breakfast and getting ready to move upriver again.   Underway by 9 am.

The goal today is Ottawa.  More specifically we need to get to the Rideau Canal and move up the first set of locks as we can only tie up along the wall above the locks.   That will leave us able to tie up the boats along the canal walls - something not available below the locks.  There are several logistical challenges:  1) The first set of locks is a flight of 8 locks.   It takes about 15 minutes per lock so that translates to 2 hours.   The locks close at 6 pm, so that means being at the blue line ready to enter the locks by 2 pm.   We have 40 miles that separate us from that goal.   2) Salty Paws is low on fuel.  Yesterday afternoon the fuel dock at Lefairve (2 miles downstream) - that Bill was planning on - was closed.   He did have 5 gal. gerry can of gas in resereve but the fuel economy is always in doubt, espcially when we need to move something like 15 knots to reach our destination in time.

After a lovely run of 2 hrs Bill anounces on the VHF that his engine is sputtering.   15 minutes later his is stopped.   We are just a few miles below another marina with fuel so he adds one of the 5 gal. and proceeds at a much slower, fuel economy, pace.

Unfortunately 1/2 mile from the fuel dock it sputtered again and died.   Bill dropped anchor (fortunately not deep water) and between Vega and Taku we ran the empty fuel contaner to shore, filled it and returned back to Satly Paws.    We all elected to top off our fuel and pump out while we had the opportunity.

That left us just 5 miles from the entrance to the Rideau canal, but also cost some time. 

Approaching Ottawa

Rideau River Falls

Parliament

Taku ran up first and tied up to the Blue Line (which indicates to lock operators a boat requesting transit thru the locks) and communicated that our two companion boats were right behind us.   We entered the locks at 2:45.

The Rideau Canal starts with not one, not two, but eight locks in a single flight.  You go directly from one to the next to the next.   Taku in first on the starboard wall, Salt Paws staggered to port followed by Vega again on starboard.   The gates close behind you.  They open the valves flooding the lock and then 15 minutes latetr, after being lifted to the next level, they open the gates in front of you and begin the process all over.   The intersting part is that you do this in the middle of a beautiful Parks Canada park, in the middle of their Capitol city, with the Chateau Laurier hotel to the left and Pariliment building to the right - all while being filmed by hundreds of tourists!

As seems to be a custom for all canals, boats tie up along the wall for the night above (and sometimes below) the locks.   We have been able to tie up for two nights (with shore power) - right in down town Ottawa!

Day 9 PS:  We all went our separate ways the first night in Ottawa.  Liz and I had reservations for two night at the Chateau Laurier; Otto and Anna one night and Bill and Molly stayed on Salty Paws.   As we headed to the Hotel, we met a couple, Ted and Kim, from Harwich on thier Helmsman 38 "Twilight".   

Liz and I had dinner at Masakali Indian Restaurant in Byward - a section of Ottawa.   It was not premeditated, I just searched Google for restaurants in walking distance and the first ones to come up were all hamburger joints - and I knew we needed a bit classier meal, so I hit the filter by cusine button and was looking at the list, you know: Italian, French, Chinese - and then it hit me - what self respecting Canadian city doesn't have great Indian food?   Viola!

 Bumped into Ted and Kim as we were walking to the Byward section of Ottawa for dinner.

Day 10 [August 30th: Ottawa - Chateau Laurier]

Molly had the great idea to have a walking tour on Friday morning.   We met at 10:30 in the lobby of the Chateau Laurier and Philip gave us an delightful tour.   The War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; 

Sparks Street a lovely walking shopping avenue ( and the story of how Mr. Sparks worked for one of the most wealthy guys but may have been under appreicated, how that man was killed in a horse and carridge accident and then Sparks married the widow and became one of the most influential people in Ottawa);  various banks chronicaling First the British, then Canadian financial markets as the switched back and forth from Montreal to Ottawa and thence to Toronto; the Parliement Newspaper and CBC offices where politicians make their pronouncements; to the Canadian Supreme Court and then to Parliment itself. 

Our Tour Guide - Philip

  A very informative tour.   It is important to note that Ottawa was not the original capitol of Canada - if I recall it was first Montreal, then after the American revolution, Kingston.  But in the War of 1812 the American's had the audacity to attempt to take Montreal - which at a minimum would have disrupted all of Canada's exports down the St Lawrence River.   As a result, the British government (with support of the Duke of Wellington) decided to build the Rideau Canal - which was further out of reach of the American's and would have allowed Canada's trade to remain intact even if the American's somehow interrupted the St. Lawrence route.   So in 1827, after a survey to confirm the possible route, the British army occupied two plots of land along the Ottawa river, on either side of the Rideau River and the future canal route and construction of the 200 km canal was started.   That land occupied by the British became the site for the center of Canadian government.  BTW the location of Canada's capitol was moved around and ended up in Ottawa after the capitol building in Montreal was set on fire several times by French separatists.   So apparently Ottawa is 'safe ground' 

In the afternoon Liz and I met Ted and Kim again and had a tour of their boat.   Very nice couple  and a very nice boat.   We hope to cross paths with them again sometime.  They were waiting to head down the Ottawa River to Montreal, and thence through the Richeleiu Canal to Lake Champlain - but the Richeleiu Canal is temporarily closed - some farmer excercised some unauthorize excavation to the canal wall and the Parks Canada inspector found it.   

Bill, Molly, Otto Anna, Liz and I had a great dinner at Mamma Teresa's Italian.   I am not sure when on this trip we are going to start having fun!

Kim & Ted getting the tour of Taku

(standing in one place)

Day 11  [August 31st - Ottawa to Buritts Rapids]

Overcast with on and off showers all day.   Departed at 8:30 to make sure at the first swing bridge by 9 am.   Hartwells Locks (9, 10); Hogs Back Locks (11, 12); Black Rapids Locks (13); and Long Island Locks (14, 15, 16).  

All those locks in the first 14 miles, followed by slack water boating for another 24 miles.   Tied up for the night below Burritts Rapids lock.  Long day and a beautiful (but slow) run through Ottawa and suburbs - but we had been told the best part of the Rideau was Merrickville and above.  Each boat dinner on thier own.   Not much to do at this lock. 

Day 12  [September 1st - Burritts Rapids to Merrickville: Salty Paws Takes on a Passenger]

Burritts Rapids (17); Upper & Lower Nicholsons Locks (18, 19), Clowes Lock (20), then Merrickville Locks (21, 22 & 23).    Seven locks in only 6 1/2 miles but a pretty long half day.   In Lower Nicholsons lock, while Salty Paws was tied  to the wall with Molly holding the stern line, she was startled by an object that flew past her into their cockpit - EEEK!   It's a (reputed) mink!   Of course we were mid lift and no time to really deal with.  Molly retreated the the cabin, shut the bulkhead door and Bill manuvered the boat out of the lock.   Of course Upper Nicolsons was right there - by the time we got out of that lock there was no sign of the beast.   At the Merrickville Locks the lock (above which we planned to spend the night) the lock keeperes loaned us a fishing net and at the dock Bill proceeded to unload all the in hopes of eliminating all the possible 'mink' hiding spots.   Bill flushed it out from under the lazarette and chased it around for a while to discover the thing (btw it was a mink - a baby mink) was small enough to slip right trhough the net!   Otto and I jumped aboard and managed to get it up onto the side deck and it slipped into the water and sway away, glad to put us in his/her rear view mirror.

Tied up for the afternoon and night.   Lunch at the Goose and Grid Iron (along with a beer) followed by icecream at the Downtown Ice cream shop - both of which had been recommended to Liz while chatting with the woman on the boat in front of us in the locks today! 

  A walk around town to visit the "Ruins" - an old mill that has fallen down and the rail road crossing. A small town, but alot to offer. 

Day 13 [September 2nd -  Merricksville to Perth: An Off Day]

A chilly night down to low 50's in the morning and a pretty NW breeze had filled in over night.   Heavy dew on deck.   Taku's cuddy and main cabbins are dry so we were snug.  We had rigged the Mooring Cover as well so the cockpit was dry as well. Departure schedule for 9 am and we had just wrapped up breakfast and were starting to stow everything for departure when the Comodore (Bill) and Otto assembled on the dock alongside Taku for the 8:45 final briefing.   A couple minutes later Otto asked for help pushing off - and I was startled because we were still at least 10 minutes before planned departure.   I helped get him off and couldn't help but feel I was going to be last - and didn't want to get behind.   I went to stow the mooring cover in a waterproof duffel we have lashed to the cabin top - I stepped off the dock on to the side deck so I could reach better and I don't know if my foot slipped on the dew or I didn't anticipate how much the boat would move as I transfered my weight but suddenly I was loosing my balance.  I grabbed for the hand rail, my hand skidded off it and down I went.   Fortuanately - I guess my years of skiing (and knowing how to fall) paid off because I landed on the side of my back on the dock - without so much as a bruise.  A bit stunned for sure, but luckily uninjured.

We still got underway on time and made off for Kilmarnock Lock (No 24) about 8 miles upriver - a flat stretch of water.   The character of the river starts to change here with gently rolling farm land interspersed with marshes.

After that stretch we ascend 4 locks in short succession - Edmunds (25); Old Slys (26 & 27) Smithis Falls (29a & 31) and finallly Poonamaile Lock (32) - rising 57 ft in just 10 miles. 

Kilmarnock Lock

The wind continued out of the NW - gusty and squirely.   Even though we were heading upriver - and into locks emptied of water which meant the lock wall provided some protection from the wind, as we entered Old Slys (I think) trying for a Starboard landing - a gust caught us sideways and before we could do anything about it I kissed the Port rear quarter into the oppposite wall.   No real damage - some sandpaper and paint should erase the evidence.  But ouch!

And to add insult to injury I managed to get confused by "red right returning" when the channel split in two - taking the wrong side of a green channel marker (without touching bottom).   Fairly soon after I let Liz take the helm - and grabbed a couple of Advil!  - An off day for me!

In the end still a good day's cruise - we ended up in Perth about 2 pm deciding to see the town a bit and then find a restaurant for our evening dinner.   

Perth is a small divergence from the Rideau Canal - a short two lock dead end off the canal connecting lower Rideau Lake with the city of Perth.   Perthians rightly realized that not being on the canal would leave them in a commercial backwater and petitioned provincial authorities for a connection to the Rideau.   Two locks and an 4 mile canal connecting to the Tay River brought Rideau Canal traffic the 8 miles to Perth.  Perth represents the highest point on our journey.   

We found a Mexican restaurant and had a pleasant dinner (with obligatory Margheritta's).  Perth was another great Canadian experience, the Perth Municipal landing providing decent slips with shore powere; bathrooms with showers and hot water and a lovely town of 6,500. 

One final antecdote from Perth:   After dinner we walked a number of blocks throught town back to the boats in the growing dusk.   As I walked down the slip I noticed a car pull up and as I stepped onto Taku I heard someone behind me saying "hello! hello".  At first I did not think anyone could be talking to me - It was dark, I was 30 ft down the slip, I had my back to the parking lot.   But I turned around and there was this guy standing on the dock where I just had been!    "Excuse me - I was just walkng by, and I was  just wondering, well I just moved here recently, and I was thinking about getting a boat and wondered what is involved with keeping a boat here, you know tied up and all?"   Right away I am thinking this is strange.   He lives here, its a Monday night at 8 pm and he wants to ask me - a guy who has never been to Perth before - how to go about getting a slip.   As it transpired it became increasing clear that a) he was not just walking by (when he left he got into the car that had pulled in minutes ago) and b) he was inebrieated.    Harmless.  But also flatulent.

Day 14 [September 3rd - Perth to Colonel By Island Park]

A chilly night - down to 45 or 46 F.   Liz and I were snug and warm in our sleeping bags but it was chilly getting out of our bunks at 7:15.   No heat on the boat other than the heat from the propane stove as we make coffee - and the rising sun.    By 8 we got a visit from the town employee responsible for collecting our dock fee - at first we thought it might be a visit from another sketchy character (he was not wearing any town merchandise) but all was good.   

Otto enjoying the morning sun

As we paid we noticed a historical sign indicating that the area of Perth along the waterfront was the site of the last duel in Canada in 1833.  One guy, a John WIlson, accused his friend, Robert Lyon saying he "put his arms about (a woman) in a position which no womano of spirit would permit".    Even though at 20 paces both gentelman missed the other and were willing to reconcile, their seconds encouraged them to take a second shot.  Wilson was shot through the lung and died, Lyon was untouched.  

Off at 9 am and back down the Perth Canal and onto Greater Rideau Lake by about 11:30. 

  Arrived at our desination, Colonel By Island National Park, by 1:30 and tied up at a comfortable dock.   We had a walk and our first swim in days.    Not a bad place, but the only facilities other than the dock were the restrooms - admitedly with hot water - but no visitors center, just a dilapidated wreck of a house from the 30's.  

Tornado damaged tree on Colonel By Island

 Liz and I made corned beef hash and easy over eggs for dinner and then we played cards on Salty Paws.   Torey, Bill and Molly's Portuguese Water dog - was so excited to see us all that she got a little case of the zoomies - upseting at least 4 glasses of wine.  Liz and I had to change.....ha ha!

We keep learning more about the building of this Canal system.   As mentioned before, the British built it really as a defense against potential American attack.  The creation of the Rideau Canal would offer an alternative route for Canadian commerce in the event the Amerians were able to block some part of the St Lawrence River.   We have read and heard much about the trials of building the canal, including unexpected outcropings of hard bed rock at many of the lock sites and widespread malaria along the Rideau Lakes section.   But we also have read about the cost overruns (can you say "Big Dig"?).  The man assigned to build the canal, Colonel By (I may have given him an inadvertent promotion in earlier chapters), was from the British Army Engineers and was retired in England after having served in India for years.  Called up and assigned the task he first reviewed all the surveys and proposals that various officals and politicians had drawn up.   He saw that the canal was feasible and knew his duty to the crown, but he also recognized that the estimated cost and budget allowed were woefully insufficient.   He mad his opinion know to his commanders but then dutifly took his wife off to North America for 7 years.   As the Canal was nearing completion there was a shift in power in Parliement back in London - and an outcry about the previous party's financial excess.   By was recalled to England and was censured.   He died a few years later never having been given credit for having accomplished such an incredible acheivement.

As an aside one of the first things we noticed while traversing the Rideau (pronounced Ree - dough) was that there was no tow path.   Anyone who has seen the Erie Canal, or similar canals in France or Britian (or heard the song "16 Miles Along the Erie Canal) knows that mules were employed to pull the barges up river.   And for that to work there has to be a level path immediately adjacent to the navigable channel.  After asking some knowledgeable people at the Merrickville historical society we discovered that By again showed his worth by recommending the locks be expanded slightly as he foresaw that steam powered vessels would replace mule or sail on the canal by the time it was finished. 

Day 15 [September 4th - Colonel By Island to Morton Bay on Whitefish Lake]

Off a bit before 9 am.   Heading for Whitefish Lake.   Colonel By Island is on Big Rideau Lake - or lower Rideau Lake.  The "Narrows"  Lock (#36) separates Big Rideau from Upper Rideau Lake.  Before the canal was built the Narrows was a shoal that connected the North side of the lake to the South side about halfway along its 30 mile length.   The original settlers used it a a convienient ford to cross from one side to the other on horseback or in wagons.   When Colonel By and his crews built the canal it became necessary to raise the water level of the upper end of the lake so they built a dam at the narrows and a lock for boats to pass through - hence separating into two what originally was one lake.  

The Narrows

 At the upper reaches of Upper Rideau Lake they dug a half mile canal and built a lock that lowers boats into Newboro Lake - on the upper reaches of Cataraqui River (see note below).   When you pass through Newboro Lock (# 36) you are heading down for the first time since Ottawa - and importantly for navigating - "Red on Right Returning" changes to "Red on Left Leaving".    Pretty easy to make a mistake in those first few miles!

Sign Warning that Chanel Markers are Reversed 

Note:  Did not get a chance to finish Day 13 entry and found I was mistaken as I discovered an interesting detail.   Yes, at Newboro Lock we started descending - and we needed to heed "Red on Left Leaving" - but no, we were not in the Cataraqui River basin yet.   In fact Newboro Lake, Opiniocon Lake, Sand Lake and Whitefish Lake drained via the White Fish River down to the St Lawrence at Gananoque.    The Canal builders built a dam at Morton Bay on Whitefish Lake raising the level of the lake so that it raised the water level from Whitefish Lake and back flowing Little Cranberry Lake so that when the build the lock at Upper Brewers - on what originally was the upper end of Little Cranberry Lake, then you descended into the Cataraqui River.   So the canal connected the Rideau River basin to the Cataraqui River basin by robbing the upper portion of the Whitefish River basin.   Pretty ingeneous.

So as we left the Rideau Lakes we were joined by a 42 Nordic Tug "Theodore"  owned by a nice couple Richard and Francie from Falmouth, MA.   We had seen them earlier in Merrickville where they had stopped their eastbound journey on the Rideau Canal.   They had come from the Hudson River in NY, went up the Erie Canal to the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario to Kingston, ON.  They had planned to finish the RIdeau, descend the Ottawa River, join the St Lawrence down to Tracy/Sorel PQ, thence heading down the Richeleiu River and Chambly Canal to Lake Champlain and back to the Hudson.   When they heard all the commotion about the closing of the Chambly Canal they decided to reverse course!   We went though many locks with them: Newboro (# 36); Chaffey's (37); Davis (38); and Jones Falls (39, 40, 41 & 42).   It is pretty easy to get to know other cruisers on a trip like this, in marinas, at the docks provided at Parks, while hanging onto ropes while being locked through.   They ending up joining us a Morton Bay that night and through all the subsquent locks the following day.   Very nice people having the time of their lives.

I was a bit stressed about fuel this day so we stopped at Sand Lake Marina to fill up - a nice little marina and the  woman who helped us was very conversant!

We had planned to spend the night in Whitefish Bay but on the advice of numerous people we chatted with in the locks we ended up in Morton Bay.   Both were reneouned for being surrounded by granite cliffs but Mortons was cut off from the main lake by a narrow channel - a bit like the Basin in Phippsburg - and once you pass through that 200 yd. channel it opens up into a longitudinal body of water surrounded on all sides by steep land - and one wall of almost sheer granite cliff.   

Geology:  So from Colonel By Island we really passed into a different geologic terrain.   No more gently farm land or marshes, instead sharp rock outcrops, larger hills - even cliffs - indicating our transition to the Candian Shield.     The Canadian or Laurentian Shield, is a large area of exposed Precabrian igneous and high grade metamorphich rocks - forming the ancient core of the North American continent - 2.5 to 4.5 billion years old.    We know of repeated glaciations approximately every 120,000 years over the last couple of million years.  In North America those glaciations eminated from Baffin Island and Hudson Bay spreading out down to Cape Cod, Long Island and across the mid west along a line following the Souther New York border.   Those glaciations did their best to erode - scrape away - the rock they rode over.   In Southern New York you find the Finger Lakes.   The rocks forming the hills around the Finger Lakes are shales and other soft sedimentary rocks.   The glaciers - at thier thinnest and southerm most extent didn't get a chance to erode all that soft shale away.   But on the Canadian Shield - the glaciations had plenty of time to erode any soft rocks - erasing that part of our geologic history, leaving only the hard, resistant rock of the Canadian Shield.

The entrance to Morton Bay was a bit tricky.   Remembering that we are now in the world of Red Left Leaving - entering a side bay should have meant were were back to Red RIght Returning.   But when combined with the fact that the original outlet of Whitefish Lake may explain the fact that the first marker - a red - had a deeper channel to port.   But it doesn't explain why the second marker - a green had a deeper channel also to port.   Near as we can figure the Green had drifted because the depth to port was 20 ft.

Dropped the hook in 15 ft and had a delightful swim.   We were visited by Bill and Torey heading for thier walk - and by RIchard offering us ice (his icemaker over produces).   A pair of Loons swam around us - we think an adult and it's offspring - as well as a school of fish (blue gills?) that figured out that we might drop the some left over lettuce.   Each boat had dinner on their own.   

Delightful evening.  Repeated calls of the loons as darkness descended. 

Day 16 [September 5th - Whitefish Lake to Kingston, Ont]

As per agreement the night before, the Men went for a bushwack up the cliff above the boats.   Bill picked us up at 7 am and finding a convient landing site we started up.   There was a marked trail on AllTrails, but we elected to strike our own path.   Bit of fun skirting the base of a line of small cliffs until we found a way up.   Incredible views from the top of this granitic cliff.   We took the marked path back down.   

A breakfast of yogurt and fruit, then pulled up anchor and off again.   First Upper Brewers (#43 &  44) Then Lower Brewers (45).   Once again Theodore accompanying us.   Alot of small winding channels at 10 mph.   Eventually the last of our lock sets:   Kingston Mills (locks 46, then 47, 48 & 49).   We lucky with all the upper locks - arriving to find them ready - or nearly ready to receive us but at Kingston Mills we missed a boat going down by about 5 minutes.   So we had to wait about and hour as that one boat went down the 4 locks, and two kayaker's came back up.  Yes they will let kayaker's paddle in and lock through!   

The Brewers Lock represent our final locks on this trip.   Five locks on the St. Lawrence Seaway, two on the Ottawa River and forty nine locks on the Rideau Canal.   Fifty six in total.   Liz has not only become proficient with 'locking through', she has become comfortable - and able to adapt to changing conditions.  She has truely graduated! 

Below Kingston Mills the river is wide, but the channel is only about 25 yards wide and 6 ft deep.  But we were able to open it up and cover ground!   

As we approached Kingston, Otton elected to stop at a marina just to pump out - as from here we will be able to dock with shore facilities available - so Taku elected to follow.   Kingston Marina is a funky backwater type marina - nothing fancy - but in a basin with several marine businesses.   MetalCraft Marine (that make high end aluminum boats for police and security) and Tom Rowe Boat Works (a one man shop that will do pretty much anything - and who knew exactly what a Tolman Skff is).   Cool spot.   We met the owneres of both shops - my only regret is that we were so busy talking to them that I failed to take an pictures!

A short cruise from there to Confederation Marina right in downtown Kingston where we have reservations for two nights.    Showers and then off to dinner - Pizza and Gelato.

Day 17 [September 6th - Kingston, Ont]

Spent an uncomfortable night tied up in the Confederation Marina.   A nice marina - right in downtown Kingston - but an rising southeast wind right off Lake Ontario woke me up around midnight.   I doubled up the lines and shifted all the fenders to let Taku ride more comfortably.   The wind died down by morning but it was not the most restful night.

 Liz, Molly, Anna, Otto and I off to the Pan Chancho Bakery for breakfast - waiting at the door a 7:55 for them to open.   A creative breakfast featuring eggs, chutney, bacon and either fresh pastry of bread.  The girls headed off for their adventure and the guys for ours.   We took in the Great Lakes Museum - a small but nice collection of paitings or posters depicting various Canadian Great Lakes ships through time as well as some marine hardware.   The facility is located next to a dry dock and currently in dry dock is the Keewatin - the last surviving Edwardian age passenger ship in the world.   Our museum tour included a tour of the Keewatin.  

Built in Glasgow, Scotland in 1907 for the Canadian Pacific Railway, she was brought accross the ocean to Quebec - where she was cut in half in order for the  two halves to fit through the Welland Canal - which at the time could not handle her 336 lenght.   The ship was reassembled in Buffalo NY and began service in 1908. She spent her career ferrying passengers from Owen Sound on Lake Huron to Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay) on Lake Superior - a route of 2 1/2 days including a traverse of the Soo Locks.   Back then Candian rail lines did not extend around the north of the Great Lakes so the rail road connected the eastern rail system in Quebec and Ontario with the western rail system in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Colombia.   She stopped service in 1965 upon the completion of the TransCanada Highway.

The guys then wandered back through downtown to the Kingston Marina where Otto and I had gotten pump outs the day before.   We wanted to see MetalCraft again - and show it to Bill.   The Contracts Manager of MetalCraft had told us a bit about thier story: Currently they hold a contract for over 100 High Speed Patrol Craft for the US Navy from 27 to 40 ft.  They also make patrol craft for a variety of other government agencies around the world - including the Virgin Islands   We saw three completed boats in the water several more on the hard plus 7 or 8 completed hulls awaiting fitting out.

 They are also into Autonomous craft:

This tour of MarineCraft yard rejuvenated our boat builing aspirations.   If anyone knows of a TIG welder for sale let me know.

Dinner - our last together on the trip - was at Chez Piggy.   Great food, great service, great friends.

At dinner that Friday night we of coursed discussed memories from the last 17 days together: Our favorite day; crazy events; lasting memories.   But we also discussed the coming days.   

Our plan originally called for one more night at Grenedier Island - about 35 miles down the St Lawrence RIver - before completing our adventure back in Clayton, NY two nights from now.   But the incredible strech of good weather was coming to a close - and had signs of becoming challenging.   Even walking to dinner that F

Windy App forecast a low pressure area was forming right over Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence River valley -(in other words right over us) that night.

Over the next couple of days WIndy was forecasting some wild winds - both on Saturday afternoon and especially on Sunday.   We decided to skip Gernadier Island head straight to Clayton - cutting out the last day of the trip.   

Day 18 [September 7th - Kingston, Ont to Clayton NY - Back in the US]

Another windy and uncomfortable night in Kingston with fairly steady rain, but woke up Saturday to relative calm.   We had decided to make a start by 9 AM - anticipating a short trip to Clayton before the weather turned again.    Down the St Lawrence River again - though the Canadian side of the Thousand Island - in on and off rain but relative light winds.    Decided the wearther was good enough to take in Boldt Castle - a castle on Heart Island build by George Boldt - Proprieter of the Waldorf - Astoria in NY and the Bellevue Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia - and self made millionaire from the late 1800's - early 1900's.   He started construciton of Boldt Castle in 1900 as a gift for his wife - certainly one of the most ostentatious displays of wealth of the time.   Almost completed, but unfortunetely his wife died in 1904 and Boldt ceased construction - and never returned to the island.   The castle sat abandonded until in 1977 when the Thousand Island Bridge Authority bought the castle for $1 with an agreement that all revenues from the castle would go to restoration.   It is not yet fully restored, but is open to the public.   

 

We landed at Boldt Castle to walk around - and to clear US Customs.   Because it is in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, sitting between the US and Canada, and because there is an almost endless stream of both US and Candian tourists - the Customs and Border Patrol man a customs clearing station manned by three officers during operating hours.   It made clearing customs easy!

But the afternoon was slipping away and we still had to get about 10 miles up river - Bill was still doing his best to show Liz and I all the sights he could including a run through the "Narrows" between Wellesley Island and Murray Isle.   Pretty neat little waterway but by the time we got back in the main river channel the wind was really picking up out of the west south west.   In other words right into our teeth as we ran the remaining couple miles up river into the current to Clayton.   And also in the main shipping channel.   As we made our last dash from the north bank to Clayton on the south bank - we also had to dodge a large bulk ship heading down river.   Taking spray over the bow - windsheild wippers running full tilt - quite exciting.   Glad to get tied up again at the Clayton Municipal Marina!

Our trip on the water covered 395 nautical miles (454 stature miles), 4 rivers, 56 locks, two Countries, two Provinces and one State.   We had great weather with some highs in the mid 80's and overnight lows in the mid 40's.   Our boats held up well - and the crews held up even better!  

Final cocktails with Bill, Molly, Otto, Anna, Liz, Jon and of course Torey.   We sat outside around the gas flame and had "Old Fashion's". 

Dramatic evening skys as we ended the day - and more wind in the forecast.

Day 19 [September 8th - Clayton, NY - Pulling the boats]

Up at 6:30 with strong wind still blowing out of the West North West - 3 - 4 foot waves in the river right in front of the marina.   Otto and I off to check out the boat launch - concerned because our planned ramp faces west - and is not terribly protected from this kind of wind.   Our first view of our primary ramp was concerning  - 2 foot waves right on the ramp - so we quickly scouted other possible boat ramps nearby.   One, French Creek boat ramp, looked good but involved crossing under a bridge with 12 ft 8 in. clearance - but if we could get there was well out of the worst wind.    Taku could clear the bridge (assuming the actual clearance was 12'8") and we thought Vega could as well - but not Salty Paws with her inflatable crane/davit.   We scouted one other ramp - but it was only adequate for something like a 12 ft skiff.   WIth the forecast for 30 to 40 knot gusts by 11 AM we needed to move.    Salty Paws was still moving gear around and tieing things down, so Taku went first - which would get the first boat out of the water and prove whether or not we could get Vega under the bridge.   So Otto and LIz went off in Otto's truck to pick up my truck and tailer and tow it to the boat ramp, while I brought Taku around.   Only about 1000 yards of open water in the main river channel but very confused sea and taking spray over the bow on every wave.  

But heading to the French Creek got me out of the wind. Otto and Liz got the trailer in the water and guided me it.   A bit squirely coming under the bridge (not only clearance to watch but less than 5 ft of water under the bridge).   But soon Taku was out of the water.   We drove Taku back to the Recreational center then began the process of moving Salty Paws.   Otto, Jon and Molly went to get Bill's truck and trailer while Salty Paws went arround the point.   When we got the the ramp -  the exposed ramp - there were three guys trying to pull a 32 ft. cruiser.   I went down to see how they were doing and assess how long they might be - to keep Bill informed as he was trying to hold Salty Paws in the channel.    Turns out they had never pulled a boat before.    Hmmm.   How is this going to impact our plans???   Three guys who have never pulled a boat before trying to pull a 15 - 20,000 pound boat in rough and windy conditions.   What could go wrong?  However after about 15 minutes, they figured it out and eventually cleared the ramp.    Hope they tied the boat down properly!

Salty Paws had already decided not to try to tie up and wait as it was too rough.   Instead the plan was to have her trailer in the water at the ramp,   come in throw Otto and I some lnes - switch places with Molly (Bill wanted to be at the bow and in the water cranking the winch and wanted Molly in position to nudge Salty Paws forward with the engine).   It took Bill three attempts to get Salty Paws along the float and toss Otton and I lines.   Molly switched places (not sure she was too excited about doing that, but she did), and gently eased the boat up onto the trailer while Otto and I kept her lined up as best we could.   The waves made her stern rise and fall and the wind wanted to grab Salty Paws and send her askew but once Bill go the winch strap clipped into the bow he was able to slowly pull her up onto the trailer and into position.    Second boat pulled!

Vega last.   Jon, Bill, Anna and LIz off in Otto's truck with trailer.  Otto bringing Vega around.   Of course, the wind increased it's howl while he was moving!   But once under the bridge - getting Vega out of the water was almost a piece of cake.   

That is Teamwork!

We all assembled at the Recreational Center to get our boats - and ourselves ready for the drive home.   I was looking forward to the drive as being the relaxing part of the day!

Good bye's are never fun, especially after such a long and intense trip, especially after 19 days with such good people.   Liz and I knew Bill and Molly well before this trip.   We had met Otto before (he drove to Maine last January pulling a trailer loaded with a tractor - all to help Bill and Molly clear the beach and plant new beach grass after their house was flooded) but we had not spent much time with him - or met his lovely wife Anna.  That has all changed and now we feel like close friends.   Not only are all six of us adventurous souls, but we all seem to appreciate how lucky we are to be in position to take on this kind of trip.   We know how lucky we are to be healthy enough to actually follow our dreams.