Day 5-Julie

Left Poonamalie by 9am. Our earliest departure to date. I blinked and we were in Smith Falls and done for the day! Set up camp by 10am and the rest of the day off!

Had a home-made breakfast at a place called "The Roosteraunt". Roosters everywhere. Great food!
Hit Canadian Tire (just so Jeff could walk up and down the aisles)... Walmart so I could get some muscle pain meds...and of course Tim Horton's.

Found a laundromat about 2k from lock and now have clean clothes again!

Stifling hot day so we decide to hit the beer store (which we can see from our tent)...grab some coolers and hang out by water in the hammock.
We only got 4 drinks at a time (no cooler) so we went back twice so we had cold drinks. The 3rd time (getting beer for tomorrow) girl says "I can't serve you I've already served you today". This after we asked what time they closed at on our last visit so we could buy beer for our kayak trip! Oh oh....I've seen what happens to Jeff with out his cigarettes...give the man his beer lady!!! "You didn't serve me lady...I'm buying". Success! Whew!

After a liquid lunch we needed some real food. Swiss Chalet for me...Harvey's, Dairy Queen and Tim's for Jeff. He's not feeling so good now. Hmmm...might be all the grease and sugar. I'm just saying is all?!

I tried out the pocket shower tonight. Basically its a black bag which you fill with water and hang from a tree. The sun warms it up and voila...you have a warm shower at night! Open the spout and out the water flows. Worked not bad actually. Except for the fact that a little girl (10yrs old) from The Netherlands literally stood about 10 ft from me and watched me wash. Had a bathing suit on but still...a little privacy here please!

Why is it that no matter where we are the local fishermen plant themselves right next to us and decide that this is where the fish are biting tonight?! Arghhhhh!!!

Day 5 - Jeff

Best idea ever to stop at Poonamalie Lock for the night, quietest night of the trip and slept like a baby, out by 10pm and woke up around 8. Having just paddled 32km might have had something to do with it. Coolest scene, walking back to tent after washing up for the night and there were fireflies everywhere, so cool how they just light up, could see them right through the tent

After waking up, went to washroom and when I came back Julie had our tent packed up, never seen her move so fast, think she really wants a day off! Made coffee and skipped breakfast, we were off by 9. Strong headwind and realized no matter how many km's in a day it's the last 3 which are the toughest, in this case we only had three to do and every 2 minutes Julie was like, are we there yet? Are we there yet? Not much to tell about the paddle as we were only out for half an hour, oh, Julie got swamped once, she hasn't learned proper brace technique yet not matter how much I instruct her.

Arrived in Smiths Falls and had camp setup by 10, time to enjoy a day off. First order of the day, breakfast, funny little diner called "Roosteraunt" lined all with rooster this and that, great food though, I had eggs Benedict and Julie a western omelet, wasn't 5 minutes later Tim Hortons was in hand, ahhh home sweet home. Walked through Smiths Falls which is a beautiful little canal town and reminds me of Fenelon Falls and Cambelford combined. Did prerequisite laundry at the local coin laundry then off to camp site to relax for the afternoon.

Trip to Beer store (one of many) and swim off the pier, was great, would get hot, jump in and swim to cool off, drink beer, repeat (ok coolers but had alcohol content). Then put out the hammock and Julie and I took an afternoon siesta in the shade, was great, cool breeze coming off the lake and wasn't hot at all. Hit the beer store to stock up for tomorrow and then for dinner followed by Tims and Dairy Queen. Oh ya was running low on pepper so scammed 100+ packets from local Harveys, it's a wonderful thing.

All in all a perfect day off, ready to paddle again, not sure Julie feels the same way. ;)

I am about to have a shower now, portable, fill with water hang from tree and sun warms, very cool and works like a charm, Julie just had one and said water a little cold so I will go fill with hot water from washroom for mine.

Taking turns sucks

Hammock Rated for 300lbs, we are definitely less than that, can almost take a nap

Afternoon!!

Taking turns, Julie's turn

Nice way to spend afternoon

Ahhhhhhh!

Day 4-Julie

Today is our longest paddle day scheduled...32k to the next lock in Poonamalie. Beautiful day...great conditions...awesome company...but damn does my ass and shoulder ever hurt today!
I broke down and took 2 tylenol to help ease the pain. Worked for about an hour then over-use set in again. No aspirin is going to help me. I think I need an easy day!

Found a Marina at about the 25k mark. Chugged an ice cold root beer! Yummy! "Mean Ol Jeff" made me get back in my kayak and do another 7k. Please someone make him stop! :(

As soon as we arrived and unpacked at lock for the night the lock master tells us its only 3k to Smith Falls from here! We thought it was 9k and planned an easy day for tomorrow. Guess its going to be easier then we thought!
I think even had we known, we were both done at that point!

I have a feeling tonight is going to be an early one!!!

Day 4 - Jeff

Woke up at around 5:30 this morning, for some reason just waking up early, last night was a little stuffed up so sure that didn't help. Let Julie sleep and just lounged around and enjoyed the sunrise, bright orange sun, was cool. Made some coffee and did my blog just in time for Julie to get up, at the same time generator dude kicked into full gear. Argggghhhh.

Did our typical eggs for breakfast and then packed up camp for what was expected to be a short relaxing day, amazing how things change...... Pushed off at 9:30ish. Lockmaster at narrows did the project to build all the canoe/kayak docks on the Rideau and thanked him again, so much easier, trent waterway 4' high docks suck.
Our kayak friends left about 45 minutes before us and we caught them within the hour, incredible how fast these 18 foot kayaks can travel, and that's loaded with gear, hit 12kph at one point today.
Was a slight headwind for about the first 3 hours but nothing crazy and hardly noticed, was just nice to have a cool breeze. Calm flat water for the rest of the day.
We debated taking two days to cross Big Rideau but in the end we did it in one shot, have to take the good weather when you can get it, it can be a nasty lake I hear if the wind picks up, better to cross when conditions are perfect, they were certainly that. Water is crystal clear and the scenery is spectacular, breathtaking actually and enjoyed all of it.
Our first option to stop was Colonel By island where they have waterside camp grounds, little more of a paddle but was only 9km into day so we passed that option, we were both feeling great. Second option was at Murphy's Point park where the campsite is in a secluded point overlooking lake, passed on that too, we were only halfway and weather too perfect to pass up. We are definitely staying there on the way back.
In all we did 32km today and at the halfway point to Ottawa, so much for short day. We are both tired but think Julie more so, I am a stronger paddler so I paddle then rest and wait, then paddle along easily, she doesn't get a rest and her shoulder acting up.
Stopped only 3 times today, first two were 5 min bathroom breaks and the last was at Rideau Ferry Harbour for coldest rootbeer ever. I pushed her hard today and feel guilty. Tomorrow is a well deserved rest day.
Smith's falls is another 3km from where we are camped at Poonamalie, we just could get energy to paddle another stroke, will have dinner her then in the morning pack up (1 hour) paddle (30 minutes) unpack (1 hour). Going to spend the day in Smith's falls, do some laundry, relax, re-supply andf have a nice dinner with real cutlery and glassware.
Dinner menu tonight, sauté mushrooms, mixed veggies (peas/carrots), vine ripened tomato soup, salmon and lemon pepper tuna + for me mr noodles (chicken) saving the chef boyardee ravioli for another time ;) and beer of course, followed up with a nice french vanilla coffee and walk.