GL: Hudson River to Georgian Bay and North Channel

[Dennis Bruckel]

Ron Barr proposed a trip....

Newport to Oswego via the Erie ----- Approximately 16 days.
Oswego to the St. Lawrence Seaway and Montreal - it would seem best to do
this downstream ----- Approx. 13 days.
Montreal to Ottawa via Ottawa River, I understand there are World Heritage
celebrations this year and we've never been there--- Approx. 5 days
including stay over.
Ottawa to Kingston ON & Thousand Islands via the Rideau---- Approx 8 days
Trent Severn Waterway to Georgian Bay ---- Approx 6 days.
Cruising Georgian Bay and The North Channel --- Approx. 16 days.
Back down the Trent Severn to Kingston ON ---- Approx 5 days.
Kingston ON to Oswego return trip ---- Approx 1 day
Oswego to Newport via the Erie --- Approx 15 days. 
 
This comes to about 85 days---- very rough estimate. There is the
alternative of course of doing Ottawa on the return trip by going from
Kingston ON via the Rideau then down the Ottawa river past Montreal and
picking up the Richelieu for the Champlain route avoiding the Seaway. 
 
I'd really appreciate any critique of this, timing, alternative suggestions,
and suggested publications. Thanks!

Dennis replies...

Hello Ron! I think your itinary may be a bit ambitious, at least for my
thinking. We tend lately to do more like 10-15 miles per day, rather than
hours per day.

I agree with your timing up to Oswego, although there are lots of nice
destination towns on Long Island's northshore as well as the Hudson. From
Oswego, I'd cross Lake Ontario, do the 1,000 Islands only as far as
Alexandria Bay or perhaps Brockville, ONT. Downstream from there, the
Seaway is quite industrial and not nearly so scenic, with frequent delays
for pleasure boats at locks, as well as expensive. Then, return to Kingston
on the Canadian side's Bateau Channel and do the Rideau north to Ottawa.
Leave at least a week for Ottawa and a minimum of 10 days for the
Richeleau. We find downtown Ottawa a bit busy and noisy at night, and often
tie to a lock near Dowe Lake, and motor or bike into town for the day. Go
down the Ottawa River  in 2-3 days, stay at Montreal for a week or so, then
St. Lawrence downstream to Sorrel, and south to Lake Champlain and return
to the Hudson.

I'd save the Trent Severn, Georgian Bay and North Channel for another
season. The Trent Severn is about 250 miles with a dozen or so nice small
towns. Also, traffic may be so heavy, particularly in late July, that you
prefer not to move on weekends. Get a spot in a nice town by noon Friday,
and chill out watching the house boat navigate the locks. Lots of folks
spend whole summers in the Georgian Bay and North Channel with great
gunkholing possibilities.

On that second trip, if you can get under 15.5 feet, consider going all the
way west on the Erie to Buffalo, transit the Welland Canal downhill, and
cruise the north shore of Lake Ontario.  The western Erie, from around
Fairport, NY west, while mostly a ditch, is much more economically sound
than the eastern section. As a result the towns are very prosperous
comparitively. Lots of harbors of refuge on Ontarios's north shore and nice
small to medium cities, as well as Toronto, with a spectacular waterfront.
Take the Murray Canal near Presque Isle to the Bay of Quinte and Trenton,
the start of the Trent Severn.

I will refrain from making any suggestions of published guides! Let me know
if I can offer anything else. My website has lot's of articles on previous
cruises in these areas if you want to paw through the "Trips on Sadie B"
section. Enjoy the cruise!

Dennis


Dennis Bruckel, Cruising Editor
Waterway Guide
Albin 27  Sadie B
website www.debruckel.com