Day 99...Smiths Falls to Merrickville, Ontario

FRIDAY, JULY 6, 2012

     We got up at our usual 6:30 a.m. and moved to the blue line to wait for the 8:30 a.m. opening.  To kill time we walked to eat breakfast at the Roosteraunt.  When we find a good place, we stick with it.

     We were in and out of the Smiths Falls Combined Lock (Lock 29A, down 26 feet) in 15 minutes. This is the tallest lock on the Rideau Canal because it took the place of the three historic locks that I showed you yesterday that have flower tubs in them now. 

     After the next three locks, Old Slys Locks (Locks 26 & 27, down 16 feet) and Edmonds (Lock 25, down 9 feet), the canal is grassy with cattails along the banks.  We are now seeing more and more farms along the water.

     The channel to the next lock was well marked.  All of the buoys led us to a narrow cut with Kilmarnock Swing Bridge and Lock (Lock 24, down 9 feet) at the end.  The vehicular swing bridge was moved by the lock girls in this case simply pushing on the bridge to move it out of the way.

     Next we came to Merrickville, our destination for the night.  We stopped at the top of the lock and watched the huge vehicular bridge swing out of the way.  

     The lockmaster’s name was Griff.  He was very nice, friendly and welcoming.  I know I’m saying those three words a lot, but everyone we’ve come in contact with has been very nice, friendly and welcoming.  

     We traveled through all three Merrickville Locks (Lock 23, down 6 feet, Lock 22, down 10 feet & Lock 21, down 8 feet).  

     We were going to stop at Aylings Marina for the night, but we decided to just get fuel and a pumpout there. We spent the night at the gray line at the foot of the locks and saved money that I can spend on ice cream.

     We had to put our baby fender out for a little protection.  That way we would have three fenders on each side and I wouldn’t have to keep switching the big blue one from side to side.

     There was an enormous green frog in the bushes right by the boat.  Gary said he had to weigh at least 2 pounds.  There were some bushes nearby too that had tons of red berries.

     We walked to town and took some pictures.  Everyone we talked to said to go to the Purple Cow for ice cream.  Well, it’s called the Downtowne Ice Cream & Candy Shoppe now, but it’s still purple. They make their own ice cream in some strange flavors.  I tried the chocolate, caramel and sea salt one but decided to stick to my old standby chocolate.

     It was a nice town, but it was too hot to enjoy walking around.  

     Did I tell you our air conditioning is broken?  It quit the first time we tried to use it.  Gary is going to replace it when we get home, but for now we’ll just have to try to stay cool as possible.

     We traveled 15 miles in 2 hours and 55 minutes today.  Our total mileage is 1812 so far.