Colonel John By still sails down the Rideau Canal; at least that's what it looks like when Captain Lance Jervis-Read takes the helm. Dressed in a full 19th-century naval officer's uniform complete with his own mutton chops, Captain Lance even resembles the Royal Engineer who built the canal.
But one giveaway that you're not viewing By's ghost is the name on the boat - Chuckles. The 10-metre-long restored 1940s Maine lobster boat refitted with a quiet electric motor can take 12 passengers and is wheelchair accessible. Starting at Chaffey's Lock, Rideau Canal Boat Tours cruise to Jones Falls, an undeveloped stretch of lakes and wilderness that probably hasn't changed much since the canal's construction 176 years ago. The 45-minute stop in Jones Falls gives you enough time to visit the 1843 blacksmith shop, the home of the first lockmaster and North America's largest arch dam, at the time. Captain Lance's commentary emphasizes the river's history - the reason UNESCO in 2007 designated the Rideau Canal a World Heritage Site - on the four-hour journey. You can combine the cruise with an overnight stay at the two-bedroom B&B run by the captain and his wife in Portland. Their Rideau Discovery Cruise Getaway Package includes dinner at Westport's Galley Restaurant and lunch at Opinicon Resort Hotel. Chuckles is not the only boat 
navigating these waters. 1000 Islands Cruises offer full-day trips aboard General Brock III, a 66-passenger boat traveling between Kingston Mills to Manotick. Which part of the Rideau you sail along depends on the day you board. Each day the boat travels one-way for 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours. At the end, you return to your starting point by bus.
In 2008, 1000 Islands Cruises began three-day excursions in September only. Sailing five to six hours a day, the General Brock III travels between Ottawa and Jones Falls. Passengers overnight at Sam Jakes' Inn in Merrickville and the new Code's Mill on the Park in Perth. For even longer trips, you can opt for Ontario Waterway Cruises although the Kawartha Voyageur is nearly always fully booked by early April, thanks to so many returning passengers. Their five-day cruises travel along the Trent-Severn waterway as well as from Kingston to Ottawa on the Rideau. The 24 cabins are equipped with twin beds, a toilet and a sink: the four separate showers stalls are in the stern. Each night the two-story ship docks beside a village or an area with walking trails. Hearty, old-fashioned meals and board games for entertainment contribute to the friendly low-key atmosphere. No children under 13 allowed. If you prefer a more active role, you can travel through the historic locks between Chaffey's Lock and Jones Falls by kayak. Run by Frontenac Outfitters, the day expeditions with commentary about the area's history by naturalist and historian Terry Sprague include a portage over the Davis Lock. Or explore another section of the Rideau Canal by helping to paddle a 34-ft. replica of a voyageur canoe with guides dressed as voyageurs. Perth's Fiddleheads Bar & Grill sponsors three 90-minute rides Fridays at 1:30, 4 and 6:30, mid-June through August. Learn about the Rideau Canal's history and hear stories surrounding its construction as you paddle. You can also tour the Rideau at your leisure. Numerous outfitters all along the Rideau rent pontoon boats, kayaks, canoes, houseboats. In Ottawa, Dows Lake Pavilion has pedal boats, canoes, kayaks and rowboats. Or you can follow the canal by bike and inline skates, also available for rent at the pavilion. Paul's Boat Line provides a more relaxing canal-side view of Ottawa. Operated since 1936, their Rideau Canal 1 1/4 hour-long trip departs from below the National Conference Centre on boats specially built to travel down the canal. The tours run from May to October. Late June through August, cruises go from 10 am to 8:30 pm. Mary Ann Simpkins is a frequent contributor to the Montreal Gazette, Ottawa Citizen, Spa Life, North American Inns, and also Fifty-Five Plus, Grit, Rolls Royce Diary & Fodor's Travel Guides. She is author of Travel Bug Canada & Co-author of Ottawa Stories. Mary Ann is a member of TMAC & SATW.
Airlines (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airlines Embassies/Consulates (Embassy World): http://www.embassyworld.com/ Health precautions (WHO): http://www.who.int/ith/en/ Google interactive map: http://maps.google.com/ Temperature (Temperature World): http://www.temperatureworld.com/ 
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Rideau Canal, Ontario