Sailing & Boating.
Big Rideau Lake — at approximately 50 km² the largest lake on the Rideau Canal system — anchors open-water sailing and motor cruising in the township, with through-canal navigation running north toward Smiths Falls and south through the Newboro, Chaffeys, Davis, and Jones Falls lockstations toward Kingston Mills. All four lockstations are staffed Parks Canada operations during the canal's roughly mid-May through mid-October navigation season.
The brief.
The Rideau Canal is a fully navigable waterway from Kingston to Ottawa during the navigation season, with Parks Canada operating each lockstation on a published schedule (typically May long weekend through Thanksgiving weekend, with reduced shoulder-season hours). Locking-through fees apply at every lockstation per the Parks Canada fee schedule, payable per metre of vessel length.
Big Rideau is open enough to build chop in strong winds and supports mast-up sailing throughout most of the lake; the smaller connected lakes south of Newboro Lock are more sheltered. Township-managed public boat launches and several lockstation-adjacent docking facilities serve the corridor.
Off-season (November through April) the canal is drained for winter maintenance and through-navigation is unavailable.
5. places.
- 01
Big Rideau Lake
~50 km² of canal-system water for sailing and motor cruising; the largest lake on the Rideau Canal.
- 02
Newboro Lock
Parks Canada lockstation at the north end of Newboro Lake; connects to Upper Rideau Lake (Westport) to the north and to Newboro Lake to the south.
- 03
Chaffeys Lock
Parks Canada lockstation between Newboro Lake and Indian Lake.
- 04
Davis Lock
Parks Canada lockstation between Indian Lake and Sand Lake.
- 05
Jones Falls Lock
Parks Canada lockstation between Sand Lake and Whitefish Lake; southern canal anchor inside the township.
Today's read.
Cool but comfortable for layered effort · light winds · clean air.