Waterway an invitation to slow down, see something ‘old with new eyes’

Published Oct 03, 2025 • Last updated 6 minutes ago • 4 minute read

What struck Nadine Robinson most about having her own boat was not just the scenery, the convenience, nor the luxury, but the freedom.

If you’re like me, you probably know Parks Canada’s Rideau Canal for its winter persona as the world’s longest ice-skating rink winding through downtown Ottawa. This past week, I learned so much more about the UNESCO World Heritage waterway thanks to colleagues at Parks Canada and Le Boat. My three nights on a luxury cruiser have forever changed my view of Colonel By’s once military masterpiece. We meandered through quaint towns and villages, past landscapes worth painting, along the 202-kilometre waterway, laughing and enjoying the best that life has to offer.

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The Rideau Canal, thinking back to my school project on Colonel By in grade school, stretches from Ottawa to Kingston, rising and falling through 47 locks at 24 lock stations. At its heart, it is still the same 19th-century slack-water system built under Colonel By to guard against American invasion after the War of 1812. Today, there are ‘invaders’ from around the world, especially from across Canada, Australia, Europe, South Africa, and the United States, all curious travellers like me looking for something unique and freeing.

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Since 2018, from May to October, anyone (that’s right, no boating licence is required) can rent a Le Boat luxury cabin cruiser and chart their own course along this historic route. Le Boat made its name in Europe’s waterways and brought a fleet to Canada after being astonished that no one else was offering cruisers on one of the most beautiful and best-preserved canals in the world. Invited by Parks Canada, they settled in Smith Falls to serve customers with a sense of adventure, history, convenience, and/or a love of nature and boating.

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When I first took the wheel of the 37-foot boat, I zigzagged more wildly between the buoy markers than I care to admit. My overcorrections had my crew clutching their coffee mugs and joking about seasickness. But after a quick reminder, I was deftly aiming for the horizon, making small corrections for the wind.

I’ve never been good at small corrections. If something is off, I make big moves. This was a lesson for me, as the rudder of our two-bedroom, two-bathroom Horizon 2 took a couple of seconds to respond. Sometimes, patience and small corrections are the winning strategy to chart the perfect course in life.

At Le Boat’s orientation they teach you everything you need to know about boat safety and the joy of using the bow and stern thrusters. I watched Lisa, our captain, spin our boat on a dime, parallel park, and even back into a docking spot at the base.

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In the locks, the Parks Canada staff are so friendly and helpful, knowing that many Le Boat customers are first time captains. They are also great for recommending restaurants and hidden gems in the areas.

The experience is like a luxury RV on the water. You chart your course to visit many historic towns by water, docking steps away from stone mills, wineries, and farmer’s markets, with no need to unpack or book a hotel. The boat comes with everything you need including a decent kitchen, an upper deck barbecue, towels, and bedding. You just bring your food, sunscreen, toiletries (including shampoo and soap), and layers of clothing for the varying temperatures out on the water and on land.

That said, as much as Le Boat has the convenience of an RV, it has an unparalleled level of luxury with stunning waterfront views all day and night. You’re definitely not sleeping in a Walmart parking lot. You can enjoy skies full of stars, and mornings where the mist on the water lifts to show a glassy reflection of weeping willows, and in my case, fall foliage.

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Travelling in the fall, we had most of the locks to ourselves, and even a private island one afternoon for a chilly dip. One night, we had a campfire under the stars. Another day, we ate wood-fired pizzas at a Scheuermann Vineyard and Winery. My favourite was a feast of fajitas on the boat followed by board games. We used our phones to take too many photos of the views, but enjoyed a mostly technology-free cruise.

Le Boat also offers bicycle and paddleboard rentals to add more strokes to a trip. Instead, we opted to walk at each lock station before we set off for the day to get in our steps, either cruising main street or hiking Foley Mountain. This made the caramels we bought in Merrickville guilt-free and gave us the chance to buy artisanal mustards at Mrs. McGarrigles and fine cheese in The Perth Cheese Shop. Every stop offered something unexpected.

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What struck me most was not just the scenery, the convenience, nor the luxury of having our own boat … it was the freedom. There is no rushing, no traffic jams, and no crowds: just open water and open skies at your luxury floating waterfront hotel. It seems like the perfect vacation option for 2-4 couples, for multi-generational travel, or for a friends’ getaway, with boats that sleep up to 12 people. (And they are pet-friendly.) Everyone can get their brag-worthy Instagram photos, as well as a chance to connect without technology.

The Rideau Canal turned out to be more than a waterway. It was an invitation to slow down, to see something old with new eyes, and the realization that to experience the road less travelled, you can rent a boat and chart your own course.

Nadine Robinson’s op-ed column and travel writing for Postmedia runs Saturdays. You can reach her atthe.ink.writer@gmail.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram @theinkran.

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