URBAN
Kingston F
in-town and out; paddling through history
ew places in Ontario are able to meld the world of kayaking with the continuous pres- ence of
history.Kingston is located at the southern end of Lake Ontario and is the meet-
ing place for the St. Lawrence River and the historic Rideau
Canal.This area is riddled with history, stories, scenery and great paddling.
Kingston and Lake Ontario The best place to enter the waters of Lake
Ontario is at Ahoy Rentals located on the water- front in Kingston, Ontario. This small one room business provides kayak, sailboat and bike rentals. There is ample parking with a great boat launch and a low wooden dock ideal for pad- dlers.
As you enter the clear waters of Lake Ontario fronting the Limestone City you can see many reminders of Eastern Ontario's past. Kingston is a city mixed with a sense of history and modern growth. Paddling north, the city of Kingston rises on your left. The shoreline has been reinforced with large boulders to protect it from erosion by the prevailing and sometimes strong, southerly winds sweeping in from Lake Ontario. Crossing along the lake to the east, be careful to avoid the Wolfe Island Ferry. This large car carrying ferry travels regularly between Kingston and Wolfe Island. As you approach the point opposite
Kingston, a monumental work from Upper Canada’s military past looms up from the water. Fort Henry was completed in 1839 following
the War of 1812 with the United States. This national historic site rises on a barren, desolate hill overlooking Lake Ontario, guarding the entrance to the Rideau Canal and the St. Lawrence River. This impregnable star-shaped fort is complete with working cannon, uniformed sol- diers and a fife and drum corp. Fort Henry brings to life our military past with daily re-enactments and guided tours. Paddle along the shoreline dot- ted with scruff vegetation to Navy Bay where a Martello tower rises from the cool waters. On the point is a rough beach area great for landing on a calm day to stretch your legs and view the fort more closely. After paddling around this area per- haps a visit within the walls will enhance your day of paddling. To the east of the fort lies Deadman's Bay. Within the shallow waters of this bay is a similar shoreline to Navy Bay complete with a second
ADVENTURES
story by Don MacKay photos by Scott MacGregor
looming tower. In the depths of the bay you can float above wooden warships that were scuttled following the War of 1812. On a calm day you can see these ships of the past peering towards the blue sky from the lake’s rocky bottom. Similarly, a few miles across the lake at Garden Island, other wrecks can be viewed. The paddle to Garden Island is about two miles and requires a strong and experienced paddler in the event the winds pick up.
Across the bay lies Cedar Island. This small island is part of St. Lawrence Islands National Park, Canada's oldest and smallest national park stretching from Cedar Island to Brockville through a series of islands protecting a unique natural environment on the Frontenac Axis. This narrow geological area connects the Canadian Shield to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State. This strip of land acts as a corridor for animals and plants to move north and south. These islands are home to plants and animals not usually found in this area but in areas further to the south or north. Cedar Island makes an excellent place for a picnic lunch, complete with a hiking trail, a Martello tower and ghosts. Perhaps, you will see Elizabeth who mysteriously disappeared on the
18 FALL2002
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