During the winter, Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Ontario, is the world’s largest outdoor skating rink — but in the summer, it’s a floating tour back in time.
Made up of a series of rivers, lakes and connecting locks and canals, the Rideau forms a continuous waterway from Kingston to Ottawa. Of the canal’s 125 miles, only 12 miles are man-made.
Built in 1826 by the British, little has changed about the Canal since that time. Since 1925, it’s been a Historic Site of Canada, and in 2007 the canal was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From its start in downtown Ottawa, to its woodsy, watery end on the St. Lawrence River, the Rideau runs through urban landscapes and dense, untouched wilderness.
And the best way to see it is by boat.
From May to October, boat tours abound along the Rideau. However, those in search of the quiet, secret parts should travel to Chaffey’s Lock, 90 miles southwest of Ottawa. When you arrive, look for Chuckles, a heritage 12-passenger wooden boat.
Owned, restored and skippered by Lance Jervis-Read, Chuckles is powered by a silent, clean electric engine. Lance, dressed as a 19th-century naval officer, leads twice-daily, four-hour tours while his wife, Mercedes, adds commentary. Along the way, passengers are treated to views of waterfront McMansions, quirky cottages, loons, beavers and even the odd moose.
Seated in the stern, Mercedes says she never tires of the serene watery landscape, or her role as Rideau ambassador.
“I watch the visitors, and I see how happy they are. They’re at peace, “ she says. “It’s so calm. You’ll see things and hear things you can’t on the big boats.”
If the combination of small boat and long tour is worrisome, relax. A washroom, as they say in Canada, is onboard, too.