Tripping the Rideau Canal
We are observing a scene that begins with an aerial view of a river; we see a dam with water cascading over its barriers, alongside a square, stone building with a white roof, surrounded by lush, green trees; the water from the dam creates a foamy rush downstream, and we can hear the sounds of the river flowing.
The camera slowly descends, giving us a closer perspective of the dam; we notice a small, red motorboat with two passengers as it glides toward us on the river, and we are then presented with the words, ‘TVO presents’.
We continue to follow the boat, passing waterfront homes and docks; the trees and houses are mirrored in the calm water; subsequently, the video presents text stating we are viewing the ‘Rideau River, Ontario, Northern Portion of the Rideau Canal’, alongside a marker of where we are; we then see the words: ‘The Rideau Canal connects a series of rivers and lakes with 52 dams and 47 locks. The canal is a freshwater highway stretching 202 km from Lake Ontario to Ottawa.’
The camera then moves to a different area along the river, now showing a clear, blue sky with sparse clouds, with green trees and a few houses along the banks; then, the image changes and presents a map of Canada with Ontario marked, and text saying ‘Toronto, Kingston, and Ottawa’, pinpointing the locations, followed by the Rideau Canal outlined in blue.
We observe ducks on the river, and the camera gradually approaches a dock and some homes on the shoreline; geese stand on the lawns of houses; the next text presented reads: ‘Our journey covers the last 27 km of the route heading north from Manotick to Parliament Hill.’
The final section shows a map over the current image, demonstrating the locations along the way, labeled with: ‘Manotick Start’, ‘Long Island Locks’, ‘Vimy Memorial Bridge’, ‘Black Rapids Locks’, ‘Ottawa International Airport’, ‘Mooney’s Bay’, ‘Rideau River’, ‘Hogs Back Locks’, ‘Hartwells Locks’, and ‘Dow’s Lake’, ending at ‘Parliament Hill’.
The camera angle changes and continues its journey down the Rideau, where we see 3 kayakers navigating the placid waters of the Rideau River under a clear, blue sky; this scene ends with the words, “The Rideau Canal is the oldest continuously operated canal in North America, Opened in 1832, it is now a National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage site.