Day 8 - Jeff

Well, Kayak trip half over, sigh, still a great 8 days ahead of us and if anything like the first half, will be a trip to remember.

Woke up around 7am and went on a coffee run then finished off the last of our eggs and bacon for breakfast, packed up and on the water by 9am.

Was a short paddle day again, 10km to Burrits Falls lock, our turn around spot. Since we started planning this trip our intent was to make it to Ottawa and back to Kingston, the only rule we made was after day 8 regardless where we were, we turn around to go back, we are about 60km short of Ottawa, so close can almost reach out and touch it, unfortunately, to make it to Ottawa would mean 4-5 30km days to make up the difference from our life of leisure the last while, just isn't going to happen, having too much fun, back we go.

That didn't however, stop me from discussing various options for hitting Ottawa, cab back from where we end up on day 16, rail from Ottawa etc., in the end nothing made sense, my Mother even offered to do the 7 hour drive to ferry us around but hey, I am not that mean, I know she would in an instant and has offered but nah, we are good with what we have accomplished and have had a great trip, no prize for making it to Ottawa. Julie humored me most of the day as I talked over options, mostly to myself.

The perfectionist in me knows I will come back to Burritt's Falls and finish the last leg at some point ;). Part of me just wants to get out of these blah canals for something more visually appealing.

Was a nice trip today, hot and humid but a cool breeze, I think it dawned in Julie tonight that we have 8 days into the wind against the current on the way home, hehehe.

Spent the afternoon lounging, hit a public beach after filling cooler with ice for beer and then had my typical sit in hammock to read, fall asleep afternoon nap, Julie slept under the sun on her air mattress as the hammock hurts her back.

We are at a lock with many boats all French people, literally feet away from my head (can hear their AC, bastards). Finally had one boater actually offer to charge our phones, first offer of anything since we left, both Julie and I have commented that Boaters on the Trent are much friendlier, I think it's just the french people (I can say that, I'm French)

Went for cocktails at the bar across the street "date night" we showered (Julie under cold hose, me in lake) and put on our best, wrinkled clothes and off we went, band was good Jazz band and the base player used to be in the "drifters". Jazz though, put me to sleep, zzzz, zzzz. I think I might have embarrassed Julie when I held up my Blackberry between sets and blasted Metallica, Fight Fire with Fire.

Rained while we were at bar and they are calling for a storm, back in tent and good night sleep in order