We're Really Rockin' On The Rideau.

Saturday night, while up in Canada, our crew drove to Smiths Falls to an old family friend's house. Wentworth has lived in the same digs on the Poonamalie Lockstation for as long as I have been alive. We used to keep our boat, the PyeSeas docked nearby, and I spent a good portion of my childhood annoying people in the general vicinity. I'll mention this evening in greater detail when I get around to processing all the accompanying photos. For now - let's just say you haven't lived until you've heard 3 hours of Newfie jokes told by the drunken Newfies themselves.

"Did you hear about the Newfie 2-seater airplane that crashed near a cemetery? They've recovered 136 bodies and they're still counting."

The Rideau Canal System, was built by the British from 1824 - 1832: Back then, the Rideau was a wilderness of lakes, rivers and swamps. In the middle of this wilderness, with many men dying from malaria, an engineering marvel was created. Over 1,000 workers, the vast majority of whom were Irish or French-Canadian, died during construction. Considering the era and technology available, building the canal makes the Big Dig look like a half-assed sandcastle.

There are 23 locks on the system, and I've been through every last one of them. I carry many great summer memories of the community that surrounds boating up and down the waterway. As a child I was often bored - it can take hours to get through one station - but overall they were great times. I have to get crackin' on the long day ahead, but if you're interested read some more of the truly amazing history here.