Canoeing from Kingston To Ottawa 1968

This is a log of a trip written when I was 12 so you will have to bear with me. I had discovered some old photos of a canoe trip my mother had gone on when she was in her twenties (somewhere back in the 1800s). At the time we had two visitors staying with us; Anne Tulloch from Trinidad and Brent MacNeil from British Columbia. The three of us talked my mother into a repeat trip. We bought some equipment and christened our canoes the Red Baron II and the Snoopy I. Here is our crew list.

The plan was to canoe from Kingston, Ontario Canada to Ottawa via the Rideau Canal. 12:15 noon we set off from the jetty at H.M.C.S. Cataraqui in Kingston. At 1:05 we arrived at the Rideau Marina (we had very good start as the wind was with us). We got out and stretched our legs, took Dex for a walk, had something to eat and picked up some free boat literature. Left there at 2:00 and arrived in Kingston Mills at 2:50 just as they were closing the lock gates. We just managed to squeeze in with 16 or 17 other boats. All the way through we always wound up hanging on to Ruth and Ron Davidson’s green canoe. They were from 615 Mill Street, Williamsville Buffalo. At one point Dex ended up balancing his two front feet on Snoopy I with his back feet on our boat. We almost tipped. I overheard Mr. Davidson tell someone his boat was "shipshape". The reply was, "Did you say what I thought you said?" Mr. Davidson allowed how he might have lisped.


THE LOCKMASTER OPENS THE GATES	LOCKMASTER SWINGING THE BRIDGE

By 4:10 we were through the locks and had some sandwiches. We left and arrived at Josh’s Marina fifteen minutes later. All of us including Dex had a hamburger then we used their dirty washrooms. We had to supply our own toilet paper. When we left there the wind was so strong we nearly hit what was then known as the politically incorrect "Nigger Head Rock". We had a rough time as a boat nearly swamped us. We went through a small channnel and had "clear sailing" as I put my mother’s coat through my paddle and used it as a sail for a good fifteen minutes. We went through another channel and at 8:17 came to Washburn’s Locks. The lockmaster wouldn’t let us through so we camped beside the locks. My mother, Anne and I slept in one double sleeping bag. Brent and Dex had their own. I got squished in the middle of the night so I joined Dex. I only got an hours sleep as he kicked me all night and as it was cold I had to try and keep him covered.


LET ME KNOW WHERE THIS IS VIA E-MAIL	DEX & I BREAKING CAMP

Got up and packed our things. We paddled through the locks then went swimming and diving off the locks. The lockmaster told us we could eat on the dock which we did. I had a coffee and shared half my pancake with a fish. The lockmaster returned to tell us we had been there all morning and should leave. We set off with the wind against us. Reached Brewer’s Mills at 1:30. Inside the locks a large cabin cruiser got turned around and stuck. We had to manoeuvre around it. Bill Morris of the Napanee Beaver took our picture for his paper. We swam for 45 minutes then saw our neighbours, the Rickey’s. They agreed to phone my father to let him know we would be at Jones Falls at 8:00 tonight. Somewhere along our route we took a shortcut through a pipe and surprised a boat when it saw us twice in two different locations. Near Morton, Anne and Brent bought some ice cream. We arrived at Jones Falls at 8:04. We were too late to get through. My father, Wendy and Bimbo (our other dog) met us there. Wendy was crying so we promised to take her for a day in two days time. They stayed for an hour and left. We slept there that night.

When we awoke it was raining and we went through the locks. The second lock was the biggest in the whole Rideau System. A man from the boat, "Julie Lee" helped us pull the canoes from the water and cover them over. We went to the souvenir shop and wrote some letters. We were invited to the "Suzie B." cabin cruiser for breakfast by Mr. Budman. Later we got some supplies while Dex tried almost had a fight with a dog named Stranger, Ranger or Reindeer. We packed our canoes and set off. Until today we had all kept nice and dry. Brent was feeding fish and took that opportunity to fall in, then my mother dropped her coat in the water. We set off and reached Chicken Island where we rested then set out again and arrived at Davis Locks for 4:00. There were floating flowers and a willow tree in the middle of the bay. We stayed there for an hour. Just off Goose Island we spied a huge eagles nest and three eagles. Anne and I took pictures. We pulled in at Chaffey’s Locks were I swam alone. We ate in a restaurant, bought souvenirs and left. From there we went through a channel into Indian Lake and then into Clear Lake just as it got dark. We got lost and had to be guided in the right direction. Our canoe went on the wrong side of the beacon and we were almost grounded at 9:45. We asked a landowner if we could sleep on his island. He directed us to Belle Island across from him. After going completely around the island, we found the dock. We tied up and followed a path to the camping grounds and a cottage. There was no one there so we put our sleeping bags on a platform. Dex slept in his own sleeping bag. A raccoon came over for a sip of coffee and Dex ran him over to the other side of Belle Island. We decided to keep watch in case he returned (back when I was a boy, raccoons were well known for killing unsuspecting campers and stealing their canoes). Anne and my mother took the first watch. Brent and I were supposed to take the second one but we went to sleep instead. A squirrel dropped by to sniff Dex’s nose. He was too tired to care.


ANNE STEADIES THE CANOE	ANNE & BRENT GIVE A COLOURFUL DISPLAY

When we woke up we decided to take it easy by staying in bed for a further half hour. My mother and Anne took that opportunity to sleep since they had stayed up all night. Dex and I went exploring hoping to find the racoon’s home. We found the skin of a dead one and carved our names in a birch bark tree…Dex being illiterate, I did his work for him. We followed a path which led to a two rocks with an opening and a branch covered roof. Perhaps that was the racoon’s home. We returned via a different route. Back at camp I dropped the film out of my camera which is probably responsible for the multitude of colours in my prints. I tried to get a close-up of a couple of squirrels then led my mother and Brent to see the den I had found. We left Anne to pack up the camp. I was the first back and spotted a large black water snake with a fish in it’s mouth. Earlier when we were swimming, my mother had insisted that something bit her. Perhaps she was right. I had my own Marineland show. I held pieces of bread above the water and fish would jump for them. We re-christened Belle Island to Wortulmac Island (Workman, Tulloch and MacNeil). We paddled into Newboro and tried unsuccessfully to find an open store. We only saw five people there so we named it "Twilightzoneville" or "Sleepy Hollow". My mother yelled a question to me from the outhouse window. I was replying when the lockmaster spotted me and told me to get out of there or he’d call the police. My illustrious career as a pervert came to an abrupt end (or did it…nya, ha, ha!). He also made my mother shut the outhouse window. We left there and journeyed on to the Narrows Locks but were too late to get through as usual. My father, Wendy and Neko (Anne’s cat which is Japanese for Cat) met us there. Neko stayed, but Wendy decided to return home with our father.

Got up at 5:00 a.m. It was freezing. Dex was shivering with bloodshot eyes. We might have to take him to see the veterinarian later. We went for a swim after going through the locks. We met the best lockmaster yet. Had breakfast. I spilled my coffee on Dex. Maybe that will warm him up. We cleaned up our camp and left. By the way, from our calculations, it takes approximately 340 paddle strokes to make a mile. An hour later we stopped for a swim. Later on we did it again. Brent and I did the swimming while my mother and Anne prepared sandwiches. At Rideau Ferry, Brent discovered he had lost his \\$20. Meanwhile I found 7 boxes of matches. The snack bar owner allowed Dex and Neko to come inside. She had to make the hamburgers one at a time. Dex had three and the rest of us had two each. The dock lights were left on so we camped there for the night. Neko turned up missing at midnight and the search was on. We found her in the canoe.

In the morning we discovered that we had camped on private property, left the canoes on the public boat launching pad and one of the neighbours was spying on us. We went for a walk. Trivia – Dex threw up. We headed over to the snack bar where a female german shepherd grabbed Dex's leash in her mouth and began leading him around. Dex had a pained look on his face but it did attract a small crowd. I took several pictures. This was the only one that turned out. The half that Dex was in was unfortunately destroyed.

We entered the snack bar to the sounds of the owner muttering under her breath, "oh no…not again!" I had a coke and coffee for breakfast. Our combined finances are now down to \\$2.00. We are looking more thoroughly for Brent's money. No luck. After walking and then sneezing on my logbook, Dex was sick again. We made a cover for him inside the canoe. We set out paddling again and beat a cruiser through one channel. At Punamalee, the lockmaster asked if we wanted to go through the locks. My mother told him yes and we waited while he let several boats go ahead of us. My mother asked what was going on. He said, "you said you did not want to go through." Apparently there was a communication problem. A big argument ensued. In the end he let us through mumbling under his breath "I don't let people through that don't want to be let through." We went for another swim. Brent fell out of a tree on Anne's back. Anne was not amused. We pushed on through a swampy area and saw an otter. Unfortunately Dex saw him too and nearly flipped our boat when he jumped overboard.

One of the tricks we learned on the canal was to blow a large plastic red horn just before we were in sight of the locks. The lockmasters would usually have the gates open for us by the time we arrived. They always looked puzzled to see only two canoes instead of a large cabin cruiser.


WENDY FISHES, DAVE RELAXES	DEX, DAVE, WENDY, DENISE

Wendy and my father met us at Smiths Falls. Wendy stayed with us and my father drove on to Edmonds Locks with food to encourage us. It worked. We passed two harbour crafts in our hurry. After the meal we went swimming again. A man asked Wendy if she could really swim. Wendy replied "yes". He rolled his eyes and said, "Oh lordy me." When she jumped in, he repeated it three more times. We went swimming later that night. My mother asked me to put the covers on the canoes as I could bend better. I began bending. Brent showed up saying "oh my back" and asked for a match. A song was made up on the spot:

My mother was ready to hit us with a club but luckily there was not one handy. Being too tired to make camp we spent the night in our van camper with my father.

Anne made us some of her special pancakes for breakfast…even Dex couldn't eat them. Wendy almost caught a bass with her Mickey Mouse fishing pole. We loaded the canoes…well, actually my mother and Anne loaded the canoes. Brent and I just sang our song until they left us in frustration. Mr. E.T. Hodge, the lockmaster helped us out and was very friendly. On the way to Kilmarnock, the wind was very swift and against us. It was our hardest paddling so far and nearly blew us into shore. At Kilmarnock we discovered this was the smallest drop in all the locks…two feet. My father met us there and then left. We had another eight mile fight against the wind until arriving at Merrickville. Had dinner at a greasy spoon known as Viv's Lunch. They were nice and let both the cat, dog…and even Wendy in. We went window shopping at Howard's Hardware Store. We ordered some flags but we never heard from them again. Slept beside the locks.

WENDY IN HER PITH HELMET WATCHES

A CRAFTSMAN AT WORK

WENDY LAUGHING OR CRYING

WE COULD NEVER TELL

Woke up and ate at the greasy spoon. Dex and Neko had fried ham. Wendy discovered fish in one of the two-holes of the outhouse so she ran back to get her fishing rod. She was apprehended by my mother.

We set off again and went under a bridge. Had some wine to celebrate the fact that we had been paddling for a week. We paddled to Clowe's Locks where Mr. Howard returned the charcoal we had left behind. In the locks we met the McFarland's who waited for us at each lock with their small boat. They had remembered us from Jones Falls. When we arrived at Nicholson's Locks it rained so we stayed there. My notes stated that we fooled around by the locks and wandered around on the outhouse roof. I'm assuming that was probably just myself and Brent…and maybe my mother. When the rain let up a little, we pushed on to Berrett's Rapids. Went to Morton's Store for supplies. We had a look at Stephen Berrett's house which was being done over at \\$90,000.00 by friends of the Queen of Holland. Saw some cranes and pushed on. Neko always wanders around the side of the canoe. Today she fell in while watching some muskrats. At Beckett's Landing we passed the locks and arrived at the Double H Lodge where the Herberts were very kind in finding us a place to stay. Their sister, Mrs. Townsend drove us around until we ended up at Neil MacMillans Cabins. We slept there after eating. Got cleaned up and even washed our clothes.


DR. LEAKEY, I PRESUME	DEX & I ON A LANDMARK

We said goodbye to Maureen, Mil and Donna. A mile later we went swimming. I got a sliver in my foot.

Apparently my log ended here and was reconstructed from memory in February of 1980 with a note saying I would try and keep it in the same style.

That evening we arrived on a spit of land with some woods on it. Some strange animal screams kept us up (probably a weasel). Had our supper over a fire. We made several fires to protect us from the banshee in the woods. We kept the fire going all night which was the cause of Brent slicing his head open with the axe. We wrapped Wendy's Mickey Mouse t-shirt around his head. It was amusing but it worked.

We broke camp and paddled to Manotick. Here we found our friend, Margaret Coldrey who drove us to the Ottawa hospital. Brent was pronounced okay but we spent the next two days at the Coldrey residence while Brent recuperated.

Paddled to Black Rapids Lock and stayed at my mother's friends house, Irene Woolford ("Woolly"). She took us to the Red Barn for supper.

WATCH IT NOW - MRS. GORDON WORKMAN OF MILLHAVEN (CANOE AT LEFT), HER SON DAVID, AGE 12, AND DAUGHTER, 6 YEAR OLD WENDY, GUIDE THEIR WAY THROUGH ONE OF THE LOCKS ON THE RIDEAU CANAL DURING A TRIP TO OTTAWA. IN CANOE AT RIGHT ARE BRENT MACNEIL OF VANCOUVER AND ANNE TULLOCH OF TRINIDAD.

Woolly dropped us at our canoes and we paddled in to Ottawa. The Ottawa Journal took our picture. The lockmaster refused to let us through which was disappointing as we wanted to complete the trip by water. All in all, it had been an interesting trip.

The following is a copy of the article that appeared in the Whig Standard Tuesday August 6, 1968:

CANOE TRIP DOWN RIDEAU REVIVES MEMORIES OF 20 YEARS (Ottawa: Special to the Whig Standard):

The big flood gates didn't budge as two canoes and their peculiar cargo were paddled aimlessly at the head of the Ottawa locks of the Rideau Canal beside the Chateau Laurier. Just a few hundred feet and eight locks lay between Mrs. Gordon Workman of Millhaven and the end of her second marathon canoe trip down the Rideau. "I don't care if you're the Prime Minister's daughter", the lockmaster said. "I don't lock canoes." And that was it. The end of the trip. The lockmaster's stern refusal to let the little expedition continue to the Ottawa River took a bit of the thrill out of what had been a scary, lonely, sometimes cold and wet, but mostly fun voyage down the Rideau from Kingston. Mrs. Workman's crew included her son David, 12, daughter Wendy, 6, Anne Tulloch 18, a friend from Trinidad, and Brent MacNeil, 12, a friend from British Columbia. Along for the ride and what turned out to be more than a few laughs, were Dex, a 7 year old mutt born in Mexico no less and Neko (that's Japanese for cat), a 3 month old pussy. Wearing faces longer than a war canoe the stymied mariners loaded their gear into Mr. Workman's truck, at 4:00 p.m. Friday, now and then casting a wistful eye to the other side of the locks and the Ottawa River. Mrs. Workman, a well-preserved 45 years of age, said the trip was much the same as 20 years ago when she and 4 girlfriends got their first outdoors experience on the 124 mile route. David found some pictures the 5 giddy girls had taken on the trip "and bugged me until I finally had to give in and try it again", Mrs. Workman recalls. She borrowed another canoe, bought abut \\$100 worth of camping supplies and shoved off from Kingston Monday July 22. They averaged about 14 miles a day and slept in the open in sleeping bags at night. "We just pulled in whenever we felt like it", Mrs. Workman said. But they had to break the pattern and rent a cabin near Kars last Monday night when the thermometer dipped to a frosty 40 degrees. "We toughed it outside on the bank until about midnight and we nearly perished", she said, developing a noticeable shiver as she thought about the experience. The bad experiences seemed to tally up about the same as the good as she continued her story. Brent had to be rushed into Ottawa Riverside Hospital on Tuesday July 30 when he cracked his head open while chopping wood on one of the cold nights. The chop wound turned out to be minor. "I didn't even need any stitches", Brent recalled, the wound neatly concealed by a sailor's cap. Brent had some more bad luck when he lost his wallet containing \\$20 on a racoon infested island in Newboro Lake. Anne and Mrs. Workman stayed awake that night scaring off the pesky masked animals. "Any idea who or what might have taken the wallet?" she asked with a grin. Understandably, the cat took a few nose dives off the gunwales and had to be fished out. And Dex splashed out in pursuit of a fish-like otter one day and had to be hauled out of a smelly swamp. "My arms feel horrible" Mrs. Workman groaned when asked how she withstood the paddling. "But the hardest part for me was getting in and out of the canoe. I had to sit and think about it for a while." The Ottawa lockmaster, G.H. Gravelle, explained later his ban on canoes was mainly for safety reasons. There have been accidents in the locks before. "I offered to take my men and carry their canoes and equipment to the bottom", he said, "that takes 10 minutes. It takes an hour to lock a boat down." He was on the same locks when Mrs. Workman made her first trip all the way down. "I could live on \\$10 a week in those days." Mr. Gravelle recalled, "I can't do that today either. If I made an exception for one, I would have 50 canoes a day going through." That was pretty hard for Mrs. Workman to swallow after she had just been allowed through the other 39 locks in the Rideau system.