Exploring the Rideau Canal

Cruising through Canada's heritage from Ottawa to Kingston

By Mike Milne

The Rideau Canal may be eastern Ontario’s most popular recreational waterway, but relaxation and pleasure cruising were far from the minds of its designers and builders. WhenColonel John By of the British Royal Engineers oversaw construction of the Rideau Canal about 180 years ago, it was meant to provide secure access to the sea, safe from the military threat of the United States. Although that security concern ended a long time ago, the waterway remains. It’s a marvel of engineering and a gift to generations of pleasure boaters.

In the mid- to late-1800s, the Rideau Canal brought European settlers into eastern Ontario and helped them take out lumber and farm produce. But for the past century, the 125-mile network of rivers, canals, locks and lakes – technically known as a slack water canal system – has been focused on recreation. It’s enjoyed by boaters, anglers, cottagers and visitors from around the world and can handle boats up to 90 feet long, with 22 feet of overhead clearance and five feet of draft.

Except for three automated locks, the canal is hand-operated and remains much as it was when completed in 1832. It’s a Canadian heritage site that is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the United Nations. For boaters, it’s a relaxing cruising ground that combines historical appeal with modern shoreside conveniences.

As the canal officially starts in Ottawa, the city is a logical place to begin a cruise. Every summer, hundreds of pleasure boats from Quebec make their way up the Ottawa River to do just that. After following the canal’s southwesterly route from Ottawa to Kingston, most of those cruisers head back to Quebec, completing what’s often called “le Petite Cercle” or “the little circle.”

That round-trip route is also popular with boaters cruising what is called the “Great Circle” or “Great Loop” through North America’s inland and intracoastal waterways. Many “Loopers” also include the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal in their adventure.

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View the video: This destination was featured in Episodes 4, 5 and 6 of the 2011 season of PowerBoat Television. To watch full episodes online or get a list of broadcasters and airtimes, please go to powerboattv.com.

 

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