The Story
It was too beautiful of a day to stay indoors. We went to walk on the ice on the historical Rideau Canal which stretched 7.8Kms. Since I moved to Ottawa in 2021, it hasn’t had the best of luck to open its operations fully as it used to do in it’s glory days.
The great weather brought so many on to the canal and it was a sight to see. It makes me proud to live in a beautiful city like Ottawa.
I have shared some pictures that I captured using the Sony A6000. Please see that I am a newbie to interchangeable lens cameras and capturing pictures using the manual mode. I am enjoying it so far, but a long way to go for me to improve the skill. I like the vintage look of the pictures.
Walking on the historical Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal finally opened up its full length to the public this winter for skating. The last time it opened it’s full length was back in 2022. Due to unreliable weather, the 2024 season lasted 10-days and the it was a total closure in 2023. The full 7.8-kilometre stretch opened on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 8 a.m., a rare occurrence after recent seasons of unreliable weather and thinner ice.
To ensure safety for skaters, maintenance equipment, and vendors, the canal’s ice sheet needs to be 30 centimeters thick. However, last year the NCC allowed skating when the ice was only 27 centimeters thick.
Achieving this thickness requires 10 to 14 consecutive days of freezing temperatures, a challenge that recent winters have struggled to meet.
The NCC has made it enjoyable for skaters and non-skaters alike.
