July 9, 2012 

It was a great night to sleep on the mooring at Col. By Island and we awoke today to 67 degrees and no humidity.  We entered Lock 36 at Narrows, but were delayed inside as a cable had come loose and had to be repaired.  We then proceeded south to Newboro which we had heard has an old-fashioned department store, Kilborn’s.  Kilborn’s is, indeed, a lovely store with just about everything, but if you want to go there, take your big, fat wallet – the prices are ludicrous to say the least.  The cherubs enjoyed the children’s section, but decided to spend their money elsewhere, as did their grandmother – except for milk @ $5.29 for 2 two liters – less than a half gallon.  Milk has been expensive everywhere in Canada, but this place has topped them all.  Some stores offer it for less money in plastic bags, rather than cartons, but you need to store it in a pitcher.  I have one, but it takes up a lot of fridge space.

Outside Kilborn’s in the husband’s chairs, we caught up with our “Crow’s Nest” friends, John and Kara.  Kara ended up at a clinic in Ottawa about a week and a half ago diagnosed with sunstroke.  She is doing much better now.   John concluded that spending $400 at  Kilborn’s  perked her up!  

We moved on to the next village, Chaffeys, and walked into town for ice cream cones – this has become our afternoon event and having dessert in the middle of the afternoon is better for the cherubs than after dinner before bedtime.  We left Chaffeys and continued on through very narrow passages with homes right on the canal that have docks for their back porches.  We locked through the Davis Lock then tied up at the Jones Falls lock wall.  Jones Falls is famous for a massive stone dam built in 1830 and was at that time, the highest dam in the world.  The huge arch dam is 350 feet from tip to tip.  I expected to see a huge waterfall, but the water from the dam is collected in three pipelines that carry the water directly to the hydroelectric plant located there.  The dam is beautiful, and once again, when I get internet connectivity, I will post pictures.

Jones Falls is peaceful and lovely with a few historic sites.  Jack and I went to the working blacksmith shop and watched the blacksmith.  Jack was intrigued at his work and stayed to watch for quite a while.  Meanwhile, Betsy, Reese and I took the “rugged hiking trail” through the woods over a swing bridge and eventually to the historic Hotel Kenny.  We had a little internet connectivity there and decided to have dinner at the informal Snack Bar.  We enjoyed burgers, corndogs and fries – yes, even poutines – and walked back to the lock wall where we were tied.   PopPop and the cherubs found sturdy sticks and made Huck Finn-type fishing poles so the cherubs could fish off the dock.  They decided to use raisins for bait because “they stick to the hooks better.”    As usual in our travels we met a nice couple travelling with two friendly little beagles.   Betsy was in heaven – her dream is to one day have “a beagle named Sherman.”

We found a nice snack bar across from the Hotel Kenny and had dinner there with limited wifi connectivity, but we were able to download our email.  We enjoyed burgers and fries – poutines – and the cherubs had corn dogs – something new for them.  It was perfect sleeping weather and everyone conked out early.  

Built in 1830 the arch dam at Jones Falls was the largest in the world

Betsy, Reese and a furry friend

Dinner at the Hotel Kenny Snack Bar

Reese with her Huck Finn fishing pole

Jack, the Fish Whisperer

Oh boy!  Ice cream!!!

Jack and Reese meet Bo and Emma

Jack captivated by the blacksmith at Jones Falls

The Rideau Canal is quite narrow and twisty in places.

Kilborn's Department Store sign