Five Royal Canadian Navy patrol vessels traversed the 123 miles of the Rideau Canal from Kingston to Ottawa, the first naval vessels do so in fifty years. The flotilla's destination was the naval reserve division HMCS Carleton, the host unit of the Great Lakes Naval Regatta held in Ottawa September 1-3, 1951. Originating at various naval reserve divisions in Port Arthur (711), Windsor (762), London (779), Hamilton (706) and Toronto (716), they were seven of the surviving 117-foot, 88-vessel wooden-hulled wartime fleet, assembled in kit form shipped from England to small Canadian shipyards for assembly. The Fairmiles from London and Kingston (721) did not complete the journey.
At Kingston's CSL dock on August 28 (top photo and below). Note Fort Frontenac plus a boxcar, gasification tank and two other freight cars in the left background in the top photo. (Queen's University Archives, V25.5-16-68, George E.O. Lilley Fonds)
The Fairmiles made their way up the canal starting on August 28, 1951. With a five-foot draft and a lock depth of six feet, clearances were tight! At Kingston Mills, each vessel took about 40 minutes to traverse the locks. Toronto's 716 is the first to pass under Kingston Mills Road:
Reaching Smiths Falls late Wednesday on their three-day voyage, there were three mishaps, including one Fairmile losing the top of its mast to a high-tension power line and London's vessel coming a day later after needing repairs to damage encountered while arriving in Toronto harbour. Swing bridge and blockhouse at Kingston Mills Road (Queen's University Archives, V25.5-16-119, George E.O. Lilley Fonds)
This news clipping shows the four Fairmile launches in the canal approaching Ottawa:
Another news clipping seems to show the Fairmiles descending the locks to the Ottawa River for a naval review. The vessels returned to Kingston, departing Ottawa on September 5.
