Sunday, August 2, 2009

Poonamalie

Saturday, Aug 1

It was a perfect morning, mild temperatures, bright blue skies and calm water. We headed out of Merrickville for the eight mile run to the first lock of the day, Kilmarnock; it is an isolated station with a swing bridge just above the lock. The bridge is so well balanced that the lock attendants just push on opposite ends of the bridge to swing it open.

We exited the lock through the pretty exit channel and headed for Edmunds Lock.

After Edmunds is the Old Sly flight of two approached by this nice wood channel and a train bridge right at the front of the blue line.

Old Sly is on the outskirts of Smiths Falls and soon we were going by the abandoned flight of three into the open gates of the new hydraulic lock. We went out of it and tied to the grey line along beautiful Victoria Park and had a bit of lunch.

Then we sent Jan and Loren of with instructions on where to find us after touring the museums and downtown Smiths Falls. Then Diana and I headed up to the next lock just a quarter mile away. We locked through and found the gray line full but the very nice lock master said we could tie to the far end of the blue line for a few hours.

Diana and I went grocery shopping for a few items, the store was much closer from here then when we went last time form downtown. Our plan was that when Jan and Loren got back we would be two miles to the next lock and spend the night above the lock. About four I went to the lock master and asked if he could check with Poonamalie to see if they had room. The answer was sorry they were full up, the lock master graciously agreed to allow us to stay on the blue line overnight even though we shouldn’t be there until they close.

Jan and Loren saw some of Smith’s Falls and the Rideau Museum plus the railroad museum, they said they enjoyed the entire afternoon, even if it was a lot of walking.

About five o’clock the lock master said he had just talked to Poonamalie and a boat had just left their gray line and there would be room for us after all. We hurried to get going and were soon at Poonamalie and locked up and tied to a spot on the grey line that we just fit into. This allows us to start tomorrow with a 23 mile run to the first lock.

This is a remote lock in a beautiful park like setting with a picnic table just up the hill from the boat. We prepared a dinner of corn on the cob, chopped vegetables (potatoes, onions and three types of peppers) with grilled shrimp all done on the BBQ. We adjourned to the picnic table for a fine dinner on a beautiful evening.

As we were finishing dinner, the Kawartha Voyageur came in and tied to the blue line across from us for the night. Jan and Loren talked with one of the passengers that has been aboard several times and he invited them aboard for a tour, this is against the rules but it happened anyhow.

It was a perfect day.

1 comment:

André Andrade Silva said...

nice blog,

acess my blog,

http://row51.blogspot.com/