Dot's Way Cruising Cat: Petrie Island Bay to Hawkesbury, Ontario

We left Petrie Island Bay headed up the Ontario River. This was our longest stretch without any locks and it was a beautiful ride up the deep river. There was not much boat traffic for the 40 miles to Hawkesbury and Golden Anchor Marina. We had tried multiple times to make a slip reservation so we just showed up and got a place on the inside face dock without power and the water faucet a long stretch away but we made it work. We enjoyed a wonderful relaxing afternoon on the flybridge and made turkey burritos for dinner.

Passing the ferry crossing

Gorgeous church spires along the river

Another ferry

Lighthouse shoal marker

View from the flybridge at Golden Anchor Marina

The seagulls loved to roost on restaurant dock behind us

On Saturday morning we walked towards town to Resto Chez Jos Diner located in a mall. It was the locals breakfast spot and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast listening to al the French speaking customers. This side of the Ottawa River is Ontario where they speak English and the other side of the river is Quebec Province where they speak French but we have almost all French being spoken in the marina. From breakfast we walked through the neighborhoods across town to the Walmart Super Center and the Independent Grocery next door. The afternoon was spent relaxing in the breeze on the flybridge and watching the boat traffic. That evening we grilled out turkey burgers at the marina pavilion and enjoyed listening to the French being spoken around us.

Close up of a church tower we had seen in every village

On Sunday morning we walked towards town to Goodies Restaurant for breakfast and then walked the bridge to Confederation Park. We checked out the free city docks which would have been a nice place to stay as well,. We toured the Cultural Center and then continued on the next bridge to Quebec. There was not an easy trail along the water so we headed back to the boat. We scrubbed the decks, took a long shower in the marina showers and then walked across the street to do laundry. The laundromat had a nice breeze blowing across the lawn chairs out front so it was a pleasant time getting that chore done. We grabbed a bottle of wine and the walked down the street to Moonshine BBQ Smokehouse where we dined on the patio enjoying pulled pork and pork ribs and a mountain of French fries, pork and beans and cornbread.