Route Details
The organized movement of the large group of paddlers along the canal over a two week period was an
an amazing experience on many levels.
After a ceremony held near the
Pump House Steam Museum on the afternoon of July 14, the crew embarked on their journey. Their departure
from the shorleine marked the successful conclusion to a incredibly busy year of planning.
Each evening the crew camped at the locations noted in the itinerary shown below. These points had been carefully selected
to ensure that the paddlers would be able to maintain their energy over the duration of the trip. The distances
between locks was carefully reviewed prior to the start of the journey to determine this schedule. The support
of the Canada Park's Service, Waterways Campground and the city of Smith Falls was greatly appreciated!
Each morning of the journey, all camping gear was packed after breakfast, and the boat set off for that evenings
destination. Members of the crew took turns as 'road' crew, completing the final cleanup of the site, and then
transporting all camping gear and food on to the next location. On arrival, the setup of the meal tent was completed,
and the crew's personal luggage was set out in preparation for their arrival. Crew members were still responsible for
setting up their own tents at the end of each day!
Dinners and lunches for the crew were often provided by the generous groups and towns along the route. Rarely was
there a need for the crew to prepare their own meals. The people who live along the Rideau are truly kind and charitable.
The one condition that we could not control nor predict was the weather. Happily, each day was terrific, without
any issues related to inclement weather.
The last morning of our journey was a short paddle through Ottawa from the edge of the city to the
National Arts Centre which is located near
the parliament buildings. The Rideau Canoe Club kindly
allowed the Ready Ready crew to borrow a second dragonboat, allowing everyone to paddle the last few kilometres
as a single group. Our crew was joined by members of the Busting Out
dragonboat crew. The arrival of the crew marked the end of the journey, and a chance for crew members to reconnect with family and friends. Ceremonies
to celebrate the end of the trip included presentations by members of parliament, and special guest
Pam Gerrand, of
Stratford, Ontario.
| Date | Destination |
|---|---|
| July 14, 2002 | Kingston Mills Locks |
| July 15, 2002 | Upper Brewers Lock |
| July 16, 2002 | Jones Falls Locks |
| July 17, 2002 | Newboro |
| July 18, 2002 | Waterways Campground |
| July 19, 2002 | Beveridge Locks |
| July 20, 2002 | Smith Falls Victoria Park Campground |
| July 21, 2002 | Merrickville |
| July 22, 2002 | Burritts Rapids Lock |
| July 23, 2002 | Rideau River Provincial Park |
| July 24, 2002 | Long Island Lock |
| July 25, 2002 | Hartwells Lock |
| July 26, 2002 | National Arts Centre |