2000  Feedback

Ken, I have been coming to Canada for 30+ years and have a cottage on Black Lake. My sister and her husband lived in Westport for many years. To me, Canada is the home where I want to be. I have thoroughly enjoyed your research and efforts to bring this beautiful land to life. I have been able to learn more about the area around me thru your efforts and am most grateful. Keep up the good work and many thanks!

Nancy Pidliski, Chalfont, Pa.
11 Jan 2000

Dear Ken, I am a newcomer to the internet having been converted by my son recently. You may imagine how delighted I was to find your incredibly beautiful site covering the Rideau.

If I may take a few lines to explain. I am a retired Police Officer living in Sussex, England. When I resigned from my military service in the Royal Engineers, I enlisted in the local constabulary and was eventually posted to take charge of Frant Parish and it was there that I found that Col. John BY was buried in the local churchyard. Being an ex-Sapper,I became fascinated by the story of John BY and his familiy connections with my village. I gained a long-term correspondence with an OttawaCity police officer who was extremely knowledgeable about his city. The Historical Society of Ottawa pay for the upkeep of the grave of John BY and I helped maintain it for many years.

I retired in 92 and just before I did so I made the trip to Ottawa where thanks to the kindness and help of Parks Canad! a and Ottawa City Police I had a wonderful week exploring the area. The highlight of my visit was a trip from Poonamalie Lockstation to Lower Burridges in the Parks Canada VIP launch "RIDEAU". I was constantly awed by the beauty of the canal and its surrounding landscapes, so much so that when I returned home I named my new bungalow "Poonamalie", much to the consternation of the Post Office !.

The history of the canal is never tiring to read and we should never forget the difficulties those pioneers had to endure in the wilderness. How lucky you Ontarians are to have such a facility. I hope that before long I can return to the Rideau and complete my fervent ambition - so sail the waterway from end to end. To anyone who reads this and remembers me from 92 - Greetings. Thanks again Ken for a truly informative site.

Bob Morrison, "Poonamalie", Figg Lane, Crowborough, East Sussex, England.TN62PD
01 Feb 2000

GREAT WEB SITE. MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS A LOCK MASTER AT JONES LOCKS IN SMITHS FALLS. HIS NAME WAS JOHN MCLEAN AND WAS LOCK MASTER UNTIL 1945. WE ENJOYED YOUR INTERESTING ARTICLE.

Al Goulet
6 Feb 2000

I enjoyed the webpage on the History of the Rideau Canal. I am a descendant of one of the Royal Sappers and Miners who went to Newboro. He died in a black powder blast there. I wish I could find an article or more information about him or his death. Do you know of any source for that type of information?

Dot Arthur, Panana City, Florida
27 Feb 2000

Just found the website and have spent the last 1/2 hour surfing thru it. I grew up spending my summer vacations at the house my family owned on the Upper Rideau Lake. We sold the house when I entered college and vacations never felt the same after that. After I got married, I took my husband there hoping he would fall in love witht the area too. We have been back every summer for the last 5 years. Even managed to get my parents there also and we make it a big family fishing and relaxing vacation. Can't wait till the summer gets here to go back!

Diane Engler
26 Feb 2000

Thanks for the wonderfull site you have been building up for the past years, it is getting to be the best site I've seen about our own country.

Yes, anyone can find out all the nice interesting spots on that waterway, be it about the waterway itself or all the interesting facts of this wonder that is the Rideau Waterway on this site of yours.

I did the trip of the Triangle, from Hull Quebec to Kingston down to Montreal and back up the Outaouais to Masson-Cumberland the first time in 1947, when I was 11. What an experience.

The last time I sailed the Canal, was last June, 1999 that is, when I went to get a cruiser for a friend of mine, in a Gananockway Marina, to bring it to Hull, Qc through the Canal. Boy, what wonderfull memories that trip brought to me, over 50 years later. Nothing much has changed in over 50 years, except some new properties on the Rideau Lakes and elsewhere. But the nostalgic is still there.

I thank you for all your devotion about this subject, because it's a quick way to remember past nostalgies and show the younger this beautiful wonder, that the Rideau Waterway is and remaining so.

Keep up the good work.

an admirer of yours and the Rideau

Andre Lemay, Masson-Angers, Qc
20 Mar 2000

Ken what a great job you have done on this web site"! I"ve been fortunate enough to have spent 35 years on the Opinicon . This web site sure can stir the fondness of many great memories. Thanks very much

R.P., Brooks Bay
28 Mar 2000

This is by far the very best, well organized site I have EVER seen on the net. A true joy to use. I found an answer to every question I had. Thanks!

Peter Sirman
06 May 2000

Hi ! Just wanted to let you know we made your nest for our loons.& guess what? Miss Molly as I call her laid her eggs today May10th. It was so good to see her get up there.Her other nest didn't have any water around it, so had to make one for her. I got your name & information from a friend of mine. So in 29 days we should have our little ones. She had 2 last year. The year before the baby loon died. We don't know what happened to it. We live in Minocqua,Wi on a small lake, but have enough food hear for them, other wise I don't think they would come back. I named the too little ones last year p.J & J.J . I am like an old Mother hen, I don't let anyone get close to them when fishing.

Alice Kiss, Minocqua, WI
10 May 2000

Great web site, and so much information available at the tip of my finger. You really put some time into developing it and maintaining it as well. Got me eager to head to Canada and rent a boat just to enjoy the experience. Did a trip on the Holland Canals (the Tulip type Holland) about 10 years ago and loved it. Was actually thinking about going back to Europe to do some more until I bumped into your web site, so now don't have to go so far or incurr as much expense. Thanks again!

David Colvin, South Carolina, USA
13 May 2000

I have been going to Rideau Canal for almosts 4 years now with my aunt uncle cousins and my dad. I always go and eat ice cream and watch the boats go through its awesome.

Christina, Lancaster, Pa
19 May 2000

You make me so proud to be from this area and proud to be a Canadian! I have never seen a site with so much 'wonder' in it - always something new! I have taken the liberty of linking to your site from my small personal page, free from my server. Thank you for hours of enjoyment and learning.

Joan Burchell, Smiths Falls
20 May 2000

I am impressed by the effort that must have gone into this truly remarkable site.

I especially appreciate your work, for I have always wanted to tour the Rideau, and this summer I shall. My daughter has a new electric launch. She called from Vermont to urge me to look at your site. She is using it and its references to plan what will be a delightful vacation trip.

Thank you so much

Stuart Zahniser, Boca Raton, Florida
21 May 2000

I was talking to Chuck Brown yesterday and he recommended that I take a look at your web site for the Rideau. We've lived on the river just south of Manotick for 33 years, have a cottage in the inlet at Chaffey's, and spend a lot of time on the system with our boat. Last year we travelled the Shannon River in Ireland on a hired boat and two years before did the Midi Canal in southern France. I guess you could say that we are partial to inland waterways. But none more than the one in our own back yard.

I have always regarded the Rideau as a national treasure and your web site really highlights it. Its beautifully done and carries a wealth of information. I compliment you on your efforts. Thank you.

Frank Black, Manotick
24 May 2000

This is a great site. I have been directing canoe trips on the Rideau for 15 years and a youth participant for 3 years. My dad also directed trips on the Rideau a total of 22 or 23 years (remember the "TP's" and the rope swing at the basin at Jones Falls?).

It has been 7 years since my last trip and I have found your site and the provincial site very helpful, yours more so. I have found address's and phone numbers to help in planning the itinerary for this years trip on your site. It is planned to bring up to 15 youth and three adults this year from July 30 to August 5. Am looking forward to another great trip for the kids! Thanks for your help.



Pastor Frank Loan
11 Jun 2000

Hi Ken! We have just completed an 8 day boat trip on the Rideau Canal and wanted to let you know how helpful your website was to us both in doing our "homework" when planning the trip and as a daily reference while enroute.

"We" are three couples from Pennsylvania, all members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and our boats are a 22ft. Starcraft, a 26 ft. Rinker, and a 26 ft. McGregor. We traveled from Kingston to Ottawa and then back to Kingston. In addition to the wonderful scenery, we found the lock personnel to be most helpful and friendly and enjoyed many fine restaurants along the way. Despite some wet weather, we had a truly wonderful cruise and hope to repeat the trip sometime in the future.

Your website is great! It contains a wealth of very accurate information which we put to good use. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and met many wonderful people along the way. We certainly appreciate all your efforts in developing and maintaining this excellent website on the Rideau Canal!

Ric and Marion Vespe, Little Marsh, PA
29 Jun 2000

Thank you so much for the helpful and interesting information about the Rideau Canal. My father, Stuart Zahniser, has always wanted to see this canal and we have a trip planned from July 3 to July 8. I think my father has already e-mailed you to express his appreciation of your efforts.

Our trip will be on our 18ft. electric launch.(which will need to be recharged) We will be camping at three different sites and will cover 20 -25 miles a day. We will have two cars and I have planned a car shuttle to match our travels. We will not be boating on the entire canal but hope to cover most of it. For example our first leg is a launch at 10 km. north of Kingston at Rideau Acres Campground. We will travel to our first campsite at Shangri-La in Jones Falls. The next night is at Murphy's Point Provincial Park and our next two nights are at Rideau River Park Provincial Park. We have accomodations for two sites side by side to accomodate my sister's trailer and to plug in our electric boat.

Our fourth day on the canal will be a launch that will take us to Ottawa, down the mulitple locks and over to Hull where we will pick up our truck and trailer. We will want to eat in Ottawa that evening before driving back to the Rideau River Park. My research says we may need three hours to go through the final Ottawa Staircase Locks. QUESTION? Where should we put in at a ramp about 10:00 a.m. so that we would end up in Hull by 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

In studying our maps and your most nformative list of ramps, I thought Clouchester Eccolands Park or should we go as far north as Dow's Lake? I don't have a sense of this last leg and where to launch for it to be a relaxed and enjoyable trip.

My husband and I drove the route one weekend in May. I can't tell you what a help your web site has been. I have organized a folder of ramps, campsites, maps, cruising guide and regulations based on your information.

I think it is amazing what you have done - THANK YOU!

Nancy Zahniser
29 Jun 2000

I would like to say how much I enjoy your Rideau Canal Internet Site. As a boater, who lives in Kanata but boats out of Len's Cove in Portland, I find you site full of interesting articles. We have travelled the whole lenght of the Canal and have enjoyed every minute.

I must say the work you did on the history of the construction of the locks was oustanding. I read every page always wondering how they would constuct the next lock. It has given me a whole new appreciation for such a beautiful waterway that in many ways gets taken for granted.

Mike Souliere, Kanata
30 Jul 2000

Just wanted to tell you what a fantastic site you have. My husband and I have wanted to canoe the canal for years and it looks like it might happen this mid October. We can enjoy the lovely Fall colours as well. We are overwhelmed with the info and don't know just what to do or for how long, but it's fun planning. We had thought about joining a group canoe trip and staying at B&B's along the way. This I haven't found at your site yet. Maybe it's there but there is so much to read, I may have missed it. Anyway, thanks so much for all your info. What a job you've done!

Jean Hindmarch, Vancouver, B.C.
21 Aug 2000

I glad to have found your Web.

I was in Ottawa in 1984 on a Visit and came across the Rideau Canal. I immediately fell in love with Ottawa and the Canal. I hope that some day i can make the whole trip of the canal and take photos to include in my web about Canada and the Canadian Pacific Northwest.

Kurt Knoll, Kitimat, B.C.
17 Sep 2000

Hello Ken: Just discovered your wonderful site, and wanted to congratulate you on it. I took the cruise on the Kawartha Voyageur in October, and enjoyed it so much. Did five watercolours of some of the scenery, so appreciated your photographs. You are an artist too. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful country. I know you feel the same. Good luck in your endeavours.

Joyce Putnam
23 Oct 2000

I enjoyed reading all about the building of the Rideau Canal, it is so interesting and must be such a beautiful area to visit. My reason for visiting the website was that I have an ancestor, Lt. Basil Jackson, who was a member of the Royal Engineers and, I believe, from family records, was "employed in the construction of the Rideau Canal".

Monica Craston, Gymea Bay, Sydney, Australia.
24 October, 2000

Congratulations on a wonderful job done on this page. Lots of info and thats what the Internet is about!

I think my g-g-grandfather may have worked on the canal, but have no proof. I'm into genealogy. He was Irish and lived for a time on Long Island at Osgoode.

I love history and rejoice when I find a site like yours. Much appreciated.

Garry McFadden Prince George, BC.
30 Oct 2000

Could you please tell me where I might purchase a copy of your book "History of the Rideau Lockstations"? As a descendant of William Newsome, lockmaster at Kilmarnock, I have some of the original log books, and am very interested in this publication.

By the way, you have a great web site!

Wilma Newsome
25 Nov 2000

Info about the book can be found on the A History of the Rideau Lockstations page

Thanks for your good work on the Rideau Canel. . The Newsome's, William and George were my great grandfather & great - great grandfathers respectively. I grew up in Prescott and of course, am very familiar with Kilmarnock. We enjoyed many family picnics there and a family reunion. I now resided in Saskatoon not far where by grandfather (James, son of William) came to homestead in the early 1900s. Amazing that technology has connected us to our past and reaffirmed the significance of history.

Barbara Sprigings, Saskatoon
26 Nov 2000

I am interested in the Rideau region. How did it come to be called Rideau. Was Rideau an original explorer? What does Rideau mean? Please tell me how to find out.

Teryl Rideout
02 Dec 2000

See the Rideau Canal History Page for the answer.

I love your site and check it out frequently. It especially helps get through the winter months. I'm one of the lucky people who live on the river.

Bill Vanveen
5 Dec 2000

I have just been looking at your Rideau website. I didn't know it existed and I must compliment you as I think it is brilliant! It will take me a lot more time to check out the vast amount of material but since I have a summer cottage in Gananoque I have a real interest in the area. I well remember the first time I travelled on the Rideau as a kid going to Ottawa from Gan on the Rideau and tenting on the Lockmaster's lawn at Smith's Falls.

Chris Cowan
17 Dec 2000

Hi there! I'm sitting here in Sault Ste. Marie on a cold blustery night thinking about summer on the Rideau, and looked up your site. I have it bookmarked. The pictures are just gorgeous and I love the pictures with the rippling waters! My parents have a cottage on Singleton Lake near Lyndhurst and we spend many days at Jones Falls and enjoy dinner at The Opinicon frequently. Last summer I took my 3 sons, ages 14,12 and 9 from Kingston to Ottawa in our 17 foot bowrider and had a ball!

In any case your lovely work on this site makes a long northern winter just a little shorter and warmer. Thank you so very much.

Graeme Johnson
17 Dec 2000

Thanks Ken, your site was very valuable in teaching me about the area where my Loyalist family lived in the early 1800's.

Lorraine Keyser, Sydney, Australia
19 Dec 2000

Take Me Home!

Next Page

Comments: send me email: Ken Watson
This page was last updated on: December 31, 2000
URL: www.rideau-info.com/canal/feedback.html
© 2000 Ken Watson