200 miles in a 16-footer
Zoran Glozinic and his sailing buddy put their friendship to the test on a seven-day Canadian river voyage from Montreal to Kingston
A Canadian river voyage from Montreal to Kingston... in a daysailer
My friend Ante and I were born in Croatia and both immigrated to Canada over 30 years ago. We met for the first time here in Montreal and shared a passion for small boats. We did many day-sails together, either on his boat or mine, but one day we
decided to go further afield. I don't remember whose ideas it was to sail 200 miles in a 16ft daysailer, but once the plan was hatched, we began our preparation in earnest.
We both owned Falcon 16 centreboard dinghies, but as mine was in the midst of an extensive rebuild, we decided to take Ante’s boat, Little Falcon.
We spent late spring and early summer preparing the boat and sorting out our gear. When the charts for Ottawa River and Rideau Canal arrived, we spent hours poring over them and planning our trip, making notes about good anchorages and marinas, other points of interest and places where we could get fuel. We checked distances to ensure we could complete the cruise in seven days, and made a few Plan
B options. Then there were the logistics of launching the boat in Montreal and having someone drive down to Kingston with a boat trailer to collect us at the end.
Because our planned itinerary would have us going up the Ottawa River – against prevailing westerlies – then through the Rideau Waterway, we knew we’d be relying on the trusty old 4hp Johnson outboard. The main tank held six gallons of fuel, and we planned to bring four gallons more in two portable jerry cans. We would replenish our fuel supply along the way as often as possible to minimise the chance of running out. A generous supply of 2-stroke engine oil, spare sparkplugs and fuel filters, along with a small box of tools, completed our engineroom inventory.
Then, before the trip, we serviced the outboard and installed a brand new in-line fuel filter and sparkplug.
In late June we had our vacations approved for the first week of August. Now we just had to hope for some decent weather during the week of our trip!
Departure day
We packed everything and towed Little Falcon to the town of Oka, a small village on the northern bank of the Ottawa River, north-west of Montreal, Quebec. The boat was launched without problems and we said goodbye to Ante’s wife, who went back home with car and trailer. I had an unexpected opportunity to test my boathook handling skills when a gust of wind sent Ante’s hat flying over the river! The operation was successful and the dripping wet hat reunited with its happy owner.
We motored across the river to the opposite shore and tied to a buoy in a small cove, which offered some protection from the wind. It took about an hour to stow everything, leaving the cockpit free with only necessary equipment to hand.
As soon as we motored out from the protection of the cove we were met with a strong westerly wind. We were constantly drenched by spray and the occasional bow wave. We had our raincoats on in no time. The only things missing were wipers on my glasses!
Early evening found us entering Carillon lock. The original lock was built about the same time as Rideau Canal, but in the 1960s, when the Carillon hydroelectric dam was constructed, a new lock was built. It’s an impressive feat of engineering and looking up at a 66ft high lock from a small open boat is not something you often experience.
About six miles from Carillon lock we turned into sheltered Martha Bay on the
left bank where a small, fully serviced marina is located. We topped up our fuel tank and, while still in the marina, enjoyed a nice dinner prepared by my wife. Home fried chicken never tasted so good!
By the time we left Martha Bay the wind had abated and it was dark. We tried to find some lit buoys on the river, which were marked on the chart, but we couldn’t see any. Later we learned that the Canadian Hydrographic Service had turned off the Ottawa River lights a few seasons previously – obviously there wasn’t much navigation here at night.
We continued motoring upriver, guessing our distance from both shores and trying to find buoys in darkness. Soon the moon was out and that made everything easier, though we did have to slow down a few times and use our searchlight to find a buoy. We didn’t have GPS or any other electronic navigation device on board – just paper charts.
At 4am we to stopped for a rest. We were about three miles upriver from the town of Montebello, Quebec. We anchored in a small bay at the first of a group of islands, and were soon asleep on either side of the centreboard housing.
Day two
We woke up rested to a beautiful calm morning. I tried my luck at fishing, but without success.
Maybe the reason was the bait. When I opened my box I realised all the earthworms were dead! I’d got them a few days before our trip and kept them in a freezer – at the suggestion of a friend who knows ‘everything’ about fishing!
Ante made bacon and eggs for breakfast, washed down with a strong pot of coffee. When we tried to weigh anchor, it appeared that we’d tied the boat to a sunken submarine! We tried motoring around the bay, pulling from different directions but nothing worked. The anchor was without a trip line and in the end we had to cut the anchor rode. On top of our provision list – for when we got to Ottawa – I wrote in big letters: BUY NEW ANCHOR AND TRIP LINE! It’s not just submarines you need to worry about in the Ottawa River. In the past, the river played a major role in the timber trade, and large rafts of logs were floated downriver. Many of those logs found a resting place on the river bottom and some are really committed to keeping your anchor company. Lesson learned: always rig your anchor with a trip line while on the river and carry a spare anchor as well.
We enjoyed sunshine all day, but almost no wind. Later on we turned toward the right bank and entered the mouth of the South Nation River so we could replenish our fuel at the small marina. Near the city of Rockland, we had a short stop at the Parc du Moulin (Windmill Park). We enjoyed cold beers on a beautiful terrace with a fantastic view and, feeling refreshed, continued our trip.
Shortly after 6pm we arrived in Ottawa city. We passed under MacdonaldCartier Bridge and stopped on the right bank for fuel. Continuing under Alexandra Bridge we arrived at the entrance to Rideau Canal and tied at the stone pier below the locks. The last locking was at 6pm and we clearly missed it. We motored across the river to Hull city shore and checked in at Portage Champlain Yacht Club. At only CA$20 per night (£12) for a dock and use of facilities it was a great deal.
After calling home to report our progress, we showered and had some cold drinks at the clubhouse. We installed our ‘kitchen’ (a pressure-cooker) next to the boat and Ante made us a nice dinner. We erected the boom tent and spent a pleasant evening chatting in the cockpit while we drank our first bottle of wine on the trip. Tired, that night we slept aboard like babies!
Day three
The morning started with rain, but the sky soon cleared. We locked through the flight of the first eight locks at the entrance to the Rideau Canal and then tied our Falcon to
‘We approached each bridge using paddles and leaving the outboard running in neutral in case we needed a quick retreat!’ ‘When we tried to weigh anchor it appeared we’d tied the boat to a sunken submarine’
the pier next to Rideau Canal Eastern Pathway. We walked to the city and bought a new anchor and rope, an Ontario fishing permit and some food. After a coffee-stop, Ante shopped for some fresh meat, bread and vegetables while I stowed the items we’d already purchased. I prepared the new anchor – now with a trip line and small float at the end of it. When Ante returned, he had some interesting ‘findings’ with him – including good Croatian red wine from the nearby liquor store. Although the wine cellar on Little Falcon was already well stocked, he couldn’t resist! With everything stowed, we slipped the lines and sailed down through the suburbs, admiring the mansions on the shores of Rideau River.
By the end of the day we reached Burritt’s Rapid lock, which had closed for the day. There were already two other boats at the lock entrance planning to spend the night – a big Tanzer 28 from Ottawa and a young couple with their canoe.
We made supper and enjoyed the Croatian wine. As there were so many mosquitoes buzzing around, I decided to sleep in my old two-man mountaineering tent. Ante slept on board under the boom tent – he told me in the morning that no mosquito bothered him!
Day four
We were up before 6am. I packed away my camping compound while Ante prepared breakfast. We had a nice chat with the Tanzer owners – they live aboard during the summer, most of the time at anchor near the island of Victoria in Ottawa. At 8am we entered the lock and continued our journey. The day was hot and humid. We stopped a few times to swim and cool down. At noon we tied to a nice big tree overhanging the river and tried fishing. This time we ended up with about 5lb of fish!
Bridges were fun! We had to pass under some where the overhead clearance was only 22ft, but we managed them all without lowering the mast. Sometimes it looked like we wouldn’t make it, but we always did. We approached each bridge slowly using paddles for propulsion and leaving the outboard running in neutral in case we needed a quick retreat!
By the end of the day we reached the small town of Merrickville. Founded in 1794 by William Merrick, a Loyalist settler originally from Springfield, Massachusetts, the town became a hub of industrial activity and, after the Rideau Canal was completed, the improved transportation system resulted in a surge of commercial activity. Its charming streets are lined with heritage architecture, artists’ studios, specialty boutiques and restaurants. There’s also a thriving artisan community.
We managed to pass through all three locks before they closed and found a space to moor on the upper side. We showered in a facility in the adjacent docks then set out a picnic table to enjoy an excellent fish stew with a bottle of French red wine. We cleaned up, prepared the ‘bedroom’ for Ante under the boom tent and I erected my small tent on a nearby lawn, before walking to the village pub for some local red ale. We slept well that night, despite a party going on nearby.
Day five
Well rested, we were again up before 6am. Our milk was off, so we went to the village for coffee and waited for the local bakery to open. Loaded with fresh bread and pastries, we packed up and left the dock, just as it started raining.
In one of the following locks we were tied up alongside a nice trawler, an Albin 33. Two men were on board, looking down at us – literally! One of them disappeared and came back with two large cans of almost frozen beer. Oh my, it tasted so good on this hot and humid rainy day. I reached into our ‘cellar’ and took out a bottle of Croatian wine, which they happily accepted, giving us another two cold beers. Life is great!
After exiting the lock, they quickly disappeared from view – we were small and slow in comparison. While I tended the tiller, Ante made us a late breakfast of fresh bread with French paté and cheese. The still-cold beer was great to wash it down.
We stopped briefly for milk at Rideau Ferry public dock, and also topped up earthworms for bait. The weather was slowly deteriorating and the wind was up. We were very low on fuel so we raised sails and turned off the Johnson. We were sailing – for the first time since leaving Montreal. The wind held and we made great progress through Big Rideau Lake.
After locking through the Narrows lock, we stopped at the Upper Rideau Lake side and tried fishing with the fresh worms. Luck was on our side – we were successful and looked forward to another great dinner.
At Newboro locks, Ante prepared the fish for dinner, and by the time I slowly brought the boat into dock, another fish stew was simmering in our pressure cooker.
There were already six or seven boats tied to the docks in front of the lock.
Dinner was delicious – it always is when Ante cooks! The red wine was the perfect temperature thanks to the cool evening and we slept tight while rain thrummed over the canvas roof of our tents.
Day six
The Newboro lock is at the highest elevation of the Rideau Waterway. From here we would be going down. This was also our first lock from Ottawa not manually operated – the gates being opened and closed using hydraulic pistons. It was raining hard so we stayed under the covered terrace of the lock house all morning, reading and writing.
About noon the rain stopped so we packed up and locked through. Immediately afterwards we turned into a small marina where we filled our fuel tank and jerry cans. All day we passed stunning scenery, with many small islands, and clear, turquoise water. The evening found us in front of Upper Brewers Lock. Ante called his wife to remind her to drive to Kingston the next day, where she’d pick up us and the boat.
Our supper that night was beans with tinned sardines and a can of soup. Inevitably a bottle of wine went with that. It seemed that most of the mosquitoes had decided to bed-in for the evening so I tried some night fishing from the end of our dock. Unfortunately for me the result was a free late dinner for the local fish and nothing on the hook for us. I could already hear Ante’s snoring from the boat so I packed up my fishing gear and went into my tent for the last night’s sleep of our cruise.
Day seven
I overslept. When Ante woke me after 8am the coffee was waiting and the pancakes almost cold. Despite being late, we were the first and only boat through the lock. For some time we passed submerged trees, all kind of plant debris and wooden posts sticking out everywhere. We couldn’t figure out why, but this section of the canal was well marked so there was no danger of hitting something or running aground.
The last set of four locks we had to go through was at Kingston Mills, about seven miles ahead of the town of Kingston, our final destination. These locks, it turned out, were the most disagreeable experience of the whole trip. When we arrived, there were a dozen motorboats waiting, mostly bigger than us. The lockmaster managed to push all of us into the first of four locks and this is how we continued locking through the rest of the locks.
The transit took more than two hours, in company of boats filled with mostly angry and impolite people. What a contrast to our encounter with the owners of Albin a few days earlier!
After Kingston Mills locks, we stopped for some time and tried to relax with fresh coffee and food from Ante’s kitchen. All of the boats we shared the locks with were already gone. We called our wives again – my wife was happy to hear that I was coming back tonight as planned.
We passed under our last bridge – the Highway 401 – and entered the St Lawrence River. After three more miles, we turned right and entered the Kingston Marina in Anglin Bay. We tied the boat to the dock, which was next to a small boat launch ramp, and had a fresh batch of coffee and French butter cookies while waiting for Ante’s wife to arrive.
Once the cookies were gone, we started unloading everything. When Ante’s wife arrived, we pulled the boat out of the water, opened the bilge drain and lowered the mast. Everything was tied down properly for the long haul back to Montreal. Before hitting the highway, we stopped for lunch in a restaurant on Kingston waterfront.
The food was good, the view excellent and two of us were feeling great, having arrived in good shape and with Little Falcon in one piece!
Ante and I are still good friends many years after this trip. Covering more than 200 miles together in a 16ft open sailing dinghy certainly tells you something about friendship. Both our Falcons are no longer with us, but I still agree with the saying ‘the smaller the boat, the more pleasure we can get’. We’re currently planning another trip: the Trent-Severn waterway in the UK in my 20ft British bilge-keel yacht.
‘We were very low on fuel so turned off the Johnson. We were sailing – for the first time since leaving Montreal’