All photos: James Ross / LuxuryOntario
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The general rule of boat travel is green-right-go and red-right-return. It sounds simple, but sometimes I have a hard time figuring out whether I’m coming or going. Coloured buoys mark the channel and, as I navigate my impressive 11.5-metre rental yacht upstream from Le Boat’s base in Peterborough, I steer right of the red markers.
A meandering channel through the rocky islands and shoals of Stony Lake stretch before me, the lake’s glassy surface offers up a mirror image of the ragged shoreline and a cloud-mottled sky. Smart homes and cottages slip past, as the landscape becomes a little less civilized, but no less interesting, as I cruise through the rugged and rocky Canadian Shield.
We are travelling aboard a Le Boat Horizon 2 Cruiser. Our smartly designed vessel comes with two berths with double beds, ensuite bathrooms with showers, a spacious fully equipped semi-stocked galley, and a dining area with big windows allowing plenty of natural light. The upper sundeck has a barbecue, wrap-around seating and lounging chairs.
Travel in Luxury on Le Boat
Bridge controls can be switched from up top to below in case of inclement weather. For such a large yacht it is surprisingly easy to operate even in the narrow locks, with side-thrusters and an ingenious wrap-around bumper system, and the boat’s speed is capped at 10 km an hour to control rambunctious skippers such as myself. I was surprised to learn that no experience or boating license is required, just an orientation at departure.
For 56 years Le Boat has allowed visitors to access Europe’s most spectacular waterways. Rivers that were once the continent’s lifeblood now offer a unique way to discover each country. Unlike river cruising, however, with Le Boat you set your own course and encounter things at your own pace. There is no worry about finding accommodation; our cruiser is like a floating villa, offering all the comforts of home.
You might choose to journey through the elegant beauty of France’s waterways, setting a course through vineyards, sun-drenched lavender fields and the beguiling villages on the Rhône or Saône. Perhaps you would prefer the dramatic beauty of the Scottish Highlands? A Caledonian Canal cruise will take you through the misty lochs and rugged valleys of the Great Glen.
Le Boat Comes to Canada
Le Boat allows access to the delightful lagoons of Italy, the lowland canals of Holland, and the lakes and rivers of Mecklenburg and Brandenburg in Germany. The River Thames flows past Southern England’s colourful gardens, while Ireland’s River Shannon offers great fishing and even better golfing. Stop in quaint villages, explore medieval churches and castles, or visit a waterside pub.
In 2018, Le Boat brought its luxury cruisers to North America and the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This year, Le Boat started operations here on the Trent-Severn Waterway, establishing a base just south of Peterborough. A yacht cruise from Peterborough to Lakefield on the waterway is historically marvellous and quintessentially Canadian in every way.
The Trent-Severn Waterway was not constructed with us, the casual, fun-loving cruiser, in mind. Its completion in 1920, after 87 years of sporadic construction, marked the realization of a century-and-a-half-old dream, born out of a fear of American expansionist interests and spurned along by commercial transport desires.
Travel at Your Own Pace
However, by the time the motor launch Irene made the first passage of the system that summer, logging was in decline and railways were burgeoning as an economical means of moving goods. By the 1940s, there was not enough traffic on the waterway to warrant keeping it open.
The post-war economy saved the system, as people found they had the time and money for pleasure boating. Today, the Parks Canada locks each has its own particular personality and charm and stands as the centrepieces of the delightful Ontario small towns along the route: Peterborough, Lakefield, Buckhorn, Bobcaygeon, and Fenelon Falls.
As in Europe, you can set your own itinerary, enjoy the optional bikes and kayaks on board, hop off at restaurants and attractions and, at day’s end, moor your boat at the picturesque Parks Canada lock stations. Besides a spattering of locks to keep the boater busy, there is little to interfere with the quiet enjoyment of the landscape. We find the pace of our journey wonderful; the changing scenery and characters we meet lead to new adventures and discoveries around every bend.
Find out more about travelling in luxury on Le Boat at www.leboat.ca.
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Contributing Editor James Ross writes about destinations and travel adventures for various international publications. You can see more of his work at www.thejamesross.ca.
