The Ottawa River: Spring Run into the North Atlantic

On Easter Friday, K and I were strolling along the Ottawa River and I took these photos w my BlackBerry somewhere btwn Parkdale Avenue and Westboro Beach ....

It is a sunny day. The air temp is abt +14C but I feel hot from the brisk walk. There are not too many cyclists or runners on the trail as many Ottawans have a habit of leaving town on long weekends.

As you can see from the photos, the water level is fairly high from all the melting snow at this time of the season. Rain is forecast for the weekend and there is a flood warning in effect for low-lying areas.

Venturing to a spot near the water's edge, I try to keep my balance while holding onto my BlackBerry. I notice that the current is moving really fast and there are metre-high standing waves not far from where I am standing. I recall several years ago, some teenagers were swimming in the area and one was caught by the strong under-tow and drowned.

Further downstream, there are more rapids before the Ottawa River tumbles down the rocky Chaudiere Fall (near the building complex in far side of the photo). That section of the Ottawa River is fast and there is actually a small waterway on the Ottawa side that you can do white-water kayaking.

After the Chaudiere Fall, the river slows down and flows past Parliament Hill where boaters from the Rideau Canal take the lock "steps" to enter into the Ottawa River system. From here, one can travel to Montreal and Gaspe via the Fleuve (St Lawrence Seaway), and exit into the north Atlantic Ocean.

Photo Credit:
* I tool the two photos on April 22, 2011 with my BB


Sent from BlackBerry

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