Powercat rendezvous at Upper Brewers

At Last! is dwarfed by B and B and Tumbleweed at Upper Brewers on the Rideau Waterway. Click on this and any other photo for a larger view.

2 June 2009, 0830 hours, Upper Brewers, Rideau Locks 44 and 43

This is the third season we've owned our powercat, a TomCat 24 built by C-Dory. In that time, we've never encountered another power catamaran.

All that changed last night when we arrived at Upper Brewers. There, waiting for us was Tumbleweed, a PDQ 34. A little later, B and B, an Endeavour 36 TrawlerCat arrived. That was a first for us, three powercats together.

Attitude Adjustment Hour took place aboard Tumbleweed, floating home of Roger and Erika for the last five years. Their last home on land was in Ottawa. Over the years, they've cruised the Great Loop and explored the Bahamas. These days they call the Rideau Waterway their home. The Endeavour is owned by Bill and Birute who have also cruised extensively, but they do have a real home, in Charlevoix, Michigan. Bill and Birute are cruising with friends Paul and Stacy who own a Gulfstar 44MC and hail from Athens, Georgia. Add the crew of At Last! and you have one happy hour with great apps, great conversation and great time. All of which started with the toast, "Powercats forever!"

As a light rain descended on the locks in a wooded setting, we all retired to our individual boats for dinner. Aboard At Last! the Captain prepared a house specialty: perfectly seared rib-eye steak smothered with buttery mushrooms and onions, presented with home-fried potatoes and Banrock Station 2007 Shiraz.

When provisioning for the cruise, we were delighted to find that some of our favourite wines are now in Tetra Paks and so easy to store in the port hull.

We must mention the lunch we enjoyed on our first day on the Rideau: Roasted sweet pepper and tomato soup accompanied by grilled cheese sandwiches made with Le Baluchon, a fragrant raw-milk cheese from Quebec. After that little feast, a nap was a must.


At Last! and Tumbleweed wait below Kingston Mills, the first lock when northbound on the Rideau.

The Admiral holds a line around a fixed lock cable as water is let into the lock chamber.

Bicyclists take a shortcut across the closed lock at Kingston Mills.

Access to the Internet on the Rideau is spotty; thus, the delay in our posts.