Friends of the Rideau

Historical Interest - plug and feathers. Of historical interest is that adjacent to a set of floating docks, about 30m south of the lower lock at Jones Falls, is a cut stone showing half a drill hole used to split the stone using plug and feathers. This stone was quarried in the Halladay Quarry just outside of Elgin, 9 km away and hauled here along a road built to the Jones Falls in 1827. It is Potsdam sandstone, the stone split out by drilling a line of holes and then ins...erting feathers into which a plug was driven to split the stone (see photo). Hammering the plug forces the feathers apart, splitting the stone. You don't see these holes in the facing stones of the locks, so this is a rare opportunity on the Rideau to observe one up close. The stone is part of a former breakwater (you can see other cut stones), likely built in the early 1900s from stones removed during reconstruction (perhaps from the quoins which were re-done in cement). An 1893 photo shows no evidence of the breakwater, but it is clearly visible in a 1964 air photo (likely put in for erosion control, although it could also have been used as a landing). See more

The Duke's Profile - just north of Upper Brewers is a distinctive outcrop known as the "Duke's Profile" in a bay called "The Court of the Duke." It is named after Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington (known as the "Iron Duke"). Wellington is perhaps most famously known as the General who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, but he's also the man, as Master General of Ordnance, largely responsible for getting the British government to build the Rideau Canal. ... The name of the outcrop dates back to the building of the Rideau Canal. Not to say that the Iron Duke had a prominent nose, but, the outcrop clearly reminded someone of the Duke and the name stuck. It's official, you'll see the name of the charts of the Rideau Canal. It's one of the Points of Interest listed in Watson's Paddling Guide to the Rideau Canal which is available as free download from our website. See more

Look at me - I'm a Moose! While boating yesterday near Seeleys Bay, I came across this odd sight of a deer munching on lily pads. I don't know if the group of kayakers initially saw it, but they became aware as I nosed my boat in for a few photos. I then backed out and the deer posed for kayakers, allowing them to get some good photos.

FREE LOCKAGE ON JULY 1 - it was announced today that Parks Canada will again be offering free lockage on Canada Day. The weather forecast looks quite nice, 30C with only a 30% chance of showers - so a good time to get out and travel through a lock or three.

The Rideau Canal is now fully open. Kingston Mills and Jones Falls were re-opened today (June 24). We found out this information from a CKWS news story (Parks Canada seems to be keeping this a secret - no media release, no info on their website). Locking through is similar to previous years except for a few COVID-19 safety changes such as that everyone must stay on the boat while locking, lock staff will not touch boats or lines and no rafting in a lock will be allowed.