The Falls In Late Winter

It was time for a new header. This one dates to last May, taken in Commissioners Park during the Tulip Festival. 

A few days back, on the last day of the winter, I paid a visit to the Chaudiere Falls, where the Ottawa River meets a series of islands between Ottawa and Gatineau, and where the main channel tumbles down falls and cascades, a total height of fifteen meters and a total width of sixty meters. It is ringed by a ring dam which diverts for hydro purposes. 

The Chaudiere Bridge is immediately downstream. Also visible in the distance are the Portage Bridge and Parliament Hill.

I have not been up here in winter, albeit in late winter. Not everything was accessible, but enough was that it was worth the trip.

I was able to approach between two of the old industrial buildings.

Check out this video.

More from here tomorrow.

Chaudiere

This past Sunday I ventured out to the Chaudiere Falls. Here on the Ottawa River, the flow of the river goes through several islands, and the main channel of the river comes through this waterfall. Altered by man, it still retains its power, particularly in spring when the flow is high. These falls were well known to the Anishinaabe tribe and other Indigenous peoples. Champlain saw them in his first exploration up the river in 1613, and it's from him that we have the name. In French, chaudiere is cauldron or kettle.

This was an industrial place, vital for timber and paper, and also hydro. Only hydro remains, with a ring dam controlling the flow, and some of the old buildings remain. A park has been fashioned here as well, but from here, we're looking at the water from a viewing platform outside one of the hydro buildings. Take a look at a video here.

Looking east takes in views of the nearby Chaudiere Bridge, the Portage Bridge downstream of it, and Parliament Hill in the distance.

I used the windows of this old ruin to frame the falls on the far side.

And then I moved along. More from these falls tomorrow.

City Daily Photo Theme Day: Bridges

The first day of each month is a theme day for members of City Daily Photo, and for September, that theme is Bridges. Take a look at how others are interpreting this theme right here.

I was down near the Rideau Canal on Colonel By Day in early August, and took this shot from the terrace of the Chateau Laurier. In the background is Plaza Bridge, the first of the bridges the Canal passes under on its route to Lake Ontario. 

This shot from on the bridge itself shows the Ottawa River in the distance, at the bottom of the Ottawa Locks, where canal meets river.

The underside of the bridge features graceful arches over the Canal and the adjoining walking areas.

Down at the bottom of the locks, this view over the river takes in the Museum of History on the far shore, and the Alexandra Bridge that spans the river.

Here we have the other side of Plaza Bridge, with the Chateau in the background.

On another day, I went out to the Chaudiere Falls, and took this shot of the Chaudiere Bridge, which crosses the Ottawa River just downstream of the torrent.

After my visit, I looked west and photographed the William Commanda Bridge. This pedestrian and bike bridge is a former rail bridge with a lot of history. I have never actually been on it. It spans a wide section of the river, passing over an island en route.

I proceeded on and found myself on another pedestrian bridge. I was familiar with this one, but always thought it to belong to the hydro operations around the falls, as the gate at the far end had been consistently closed. This provides an easy link between the parkland around the falls, and the Canadian War Museum, which can be seen at the end of the path.

I was on the Alexandra Bridge crossing over to Gatineau to visit the Museum of History. The bridge is in the midst of an extended rehabilitation project, and is presently only open to pedestrians and cyclists, occupying the central lanes where cars usually travel.

And lastly, I finish with the Portage Bridge. I come out here twice a month to photograph the view of the Ottawa River downstream, and from the spot where I generally take the shot, I turned and photographed this view of the bridge itself heading into Gatineau.

The Roar Of The Waterfalls

After my stop at the War Museum, I went onward towards the Chaudiere Bridge as it crosses the Ottawa River to visit the Chaudiere Falls. This is a set of cascades and waterfalls with a total drop of fifteen metres over its length. Backed by a ring dam that diverts some of the flow for hydro use, these falls have been greatly altered. They were effectively cut off from view for a century with industrial uses of the islands around them, but that has changed now and parkland occupies the best viewing areas, while some of the old industrial buildings remain, at least for the moment, as a nod to its complicated past. This first view is from the first viewing platform area. 

A look back from here looks towards the Chaudiere Bridge. The Portage Bridge and Parliament Hill are downstream.

Walking towards the next platform brings us towards this building, seen in the first shot. The stone walls are still up, with a steel frame within, but that's all. I wasn't sure when they started reclaiming this area from its industrial past if this building and its neighbour would be among those brought down, but this appears to be staying. A platform lies between the two buildings.

A look below from here shows the secondary hydro outflow seen in the first shot.

No glass remains in the old building. A look at the far windows shows us the waters framed.

And from this platform, we get a good look at the waterfalls. Champlain first saw this during his 1613 journey up the Ottawa River. First Nations peoples had known this place for thousands of years already.

A look downstream.

And then over at the falls again.

Passing by the second of the old buildings overlooking the falls here, I paused to photograph this sealed doorway. The old stone feels like the building was solidly made.

One last shot today, with a view towards the main viewing area and the wealth of flowers, bushes, and trees growing here. We'll see more tomorrow, including a couple of videos of the falls.