Day 268 – 6/28/24

Starting location: Golden Anchor Marina, Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada

Weather: 48 am, 78 pm, mostly sunny

Ending location: Tied to wall in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Statute miles: 61

General summary: We both slept poorly after events of the prior day, so were pretty groggy in the morning and cranky all day. Cocoa seemed tired, too, but her symptoms seemed to be improving otherwise. Still no water in the bilge. The marina where we stayed didn’t do exterior repairs but could haul us out if we needed. We got some advice from a boat inspector we had used previously and there is a paste that hardens, that can even be applied under water, which can be used for a temporary patch, that most likely will last until we get home for professional repair. A friendly neighbor boat offered some of his, and we gladly accepted.

The winds were gone and the water was flat. Much better conditions. Headed upriver toward Ottawa. Passed beautiful Rideau Falls, where the Rideau River empties into the Ottawa River.

Just after this is the entrance to the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO world heritage site. It is an engineering marvel, built in 1832, that connects Ottawa with Kingston via canals, rivers, and lakes. The first lock is actually a series of 8 which cascade up a hill. We tied off on the blue line and awaited the end of lunch hour to lock through with two other boats. Very well organized by the lock staff. Took about 90 minutes to get to the top. We got the last spot on the grey line in downtown Ottawa to tie up for the night. There was power, so got to charge up everything in preparation for the next few days. Two friendly Canadian fellows, on the boat behind us, invited us over for beverages. We swapped stories and got a lot of tips for future stops. I neglected to get a photo, but we did exchange boat cards.