Since I last updated you, we've had several interesting days. On Monday, We finished the Rideau Canal and arrived in Kingston. The last 15 miles of the Canal contained some of the most shallow water and narrowest channels we've seen on the entire loop which demanded highly focused attention. And, we are starting to get into "rock" country which will only become more notable as we head up into true Canadian Shield Territory through the Trent-Severn Waterway and into Georgian Bay.
Swans, cormorants, and Canadian geese proved the big surprise of the last day on the Rideau. We had seen a few mute swans here, moms and babies there. But, on the last stretch, we encountered not hundreds but thousands--a few still nesting but most swimming or sunning in huge flocks. And, just as we were getting accustomed to that, we found a white island that had been denuded of trees. It turned out to be white (and probably treeless) because of guano--cormorant guano. Again, thousands of birds flocked together raising young and convening over cormorant issues. Finally, Canadian geese covered both the water and many landscapes--in groups of dozens--adult birds, tiny babies, not so tiny babies. Everywhere we go on land we have to tip toe through the tulips--no, no--through the Canadian geese poop. The frequency of kingfisher sightings is also rising. We saw one cute fellow sitting on a green navigation buoy not ten feet from the boat. Wish I had a picture. Great blue herons also remain a staple of our bird observations.
We had planned to stay at Confederation Basin in Kingston right in the heart of their beautifully developed park/waterfront. However, the LaSalle Causeway got in the way. An accident last year destroyed the causeway's main channel bascule bridge which has been replaced by a floating bridge that is moved once a week so that boats can pass out into Kingston Bay and onto Lake Ontario. We had been counting on the causeway's secondary channel on the east end which was reported a week ago as offering a 16 foot plus vertical clearance (the top of our anchor light is 15'8" and our antennaes, which will flex, go up to 16'9". Unfortunately, rising water in Lake Ontario had rather quickly reduced the bridge clearance to a hair over 15'6"--much too tight to dare to try. Very fortunately for us, however, the Province offered a bonus open day for the floating bridge for Canada Day on Tuesday. Luckily, we found a slip at Kingston Marina north of the bridge for Monday night. We docked on a rickety wooden dock next to a huge crane. A large, gray water snake greeted us and getting on and off the boat we had to step over wire mesh boxes covering turtle eggs. But, we had power and water!
To get through the bridge, we moved on Tuesday out into Kingston Harbor. Because of Canada Day, Confederation Basin had no room for us and we ended up at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour which hosted the 1976 Olympics. Sadly, they did not have a space for us with either water or power but they did allow us to use our generator. We docked next to a boat launch which was overrun with boaters launching to watch Canada Day fireworks. Fortunately, the dock lay between us and the boat launch. It turns out that boat launches in Canada offer as much entertainment as they do in the States. Our view in Portsmouth Olympic? An abandoned men's prison that for years incarcerated Canada's worst.
We celebrated Canada Day by grocery shopping and then taking a tour of Keewatin, the world's last remaining passsenger cruise liner of the Edwardian era. Commissioned in 1907, Keewatin served as a flagship of the Canadian Pacific line until she retired in 1965. Yes, you correctly thought that the Canadian Pacific was a railroad and hotel empire. But, for decades, the CP also offered two and a half day cruisers on the Great Lakes timed to intersect with train schedules in Port Arthur on Lake Superior and Port McNicoll on Georgian Bay.
 The Keewatin and her sister ship were much more luxurious than even the finest rail travel and the wealthiest loved her. She offered an array of state rooms--those for "First, First, First class" passengers included showers and tubs, three port holes, and either a double or two single beds and a couch as you preferred. They were spacious! There were smaller (tiny?) staterooms for "First, First Class" and First Class passengers. These passengers shared a small number of communal bathrooms but could use a thunder jug if the toilets were busy or it was too rough to leave the room. An on call bell boy would empty it over the side for you. There was no steerage and all other amenities on the ship including the dining room, men's and women's salons, and other lounges were shared equally.
Even in that day, the ship's silver frequently grew legs with passengers wanting a souvenier of solid silverware with the CP logo on it. The ship had a dedicated silver master and waiters were charged for place settings that they failed to return to the kitchen. Some things never change.
I found two booklets on the ship fascinating. I wish we had a copy of "Songs for Happy Voyagers on Katahdin! There've been a few times that it would have been handy.
And, I couldn't resist snapping the photo below when I visited the Captain's state room.
We do have the equivalent USCG document on board.
Wednesday, the Admiral dragged me to the hair salon. While they took forever doing unspeakable things to her, a young Ukranian woman who will marry a Kingston gent in September quickly cut my hair which gave me time to sneak away for a much needed massage. The Admiral and I met up afterwards for an Uber ride back to Katahdin and, after a quick lunch, we headed west 20 miles to Prinyer Cove Harbour.
Dave and Emily, partners perhaps headed toward a second marriage for each, bought Prinyer Cove Harbour two years ago. Both escaped long careers, lives, and first marriages in downtown Toronto to live their dream of running a B&B, marina, and campground in rural Ontario. They have a beautiful, two and a half acre property on a quiet, well protected cove. We wish them all success.
Later this morning, we'll head to Trenton where, tomorrow on the Fourth of July, we will start up the Trent-Severn Waterway. Over the horizon, we can start to see our year on the Loop coming to an end. I wish it would last forever; the Admiral will be ready to be home--at least for a while.
Another entry designed to make me envy you both.