Liana’s Ransom Held Us Captive!

If you are looking for a unique experience on the mighty St. Lawrence River- you have found it with a tour on the Tall Ship “Liana’s Ransom”. Set sail with Captain Tilly and 7 of his crew members for an unforgettable pirate adventure.

Today, I had the pleasure to board the tall ship for their first tour of the day. I was a bit worried with the weather- looking cloudy and as though the sky may open up at any moment- but it held off and the 90 minute tour was incredible. I boarded Liana’s Ransom, an 85 foot, steel hulled schooner and eagerly awaited to set sail from Blockhouse Island on our excursion. Along the way I met up with friends Deidre and her wonderful husband Warren, who were celebrating their anniversary with the tour.

   Many of the people on board were visiting from our Nation’s Capital -Ottawa and area. One lady I spoke with had always wanted to board a Tall Ship and try one of these adventures, she stated it was on her bucket list and was thrilled that this had come to the city of Brockville. Throughout the tour, the captain and crew kept us entertained by telling us the history of the ship, pirate stories and even performing tricks, such as swinging out over the water on the rope! 

I went with my Aunt, Mary Lynn – who is a cruise specialist and travel consultant. I figured she was the best one to check this out with, as she has been aboard many ships and boats. I think she was even more excited than I was- as she volunteered to help hoist the sails, load and fire the cannons and dress up like a pirate! It was way too much fun and I’m really happy that we were able to check it out together.

If you are in Brockville or area, the Liana’s Ransom Adventure is worth the trip. The crew is hilarious and make the voyage an absolute experience-get your tickets today!

The Great Waterfront Trail has gotten me hooked!

Our area has seen a huge increase in cycling tourism over the past few years. As someone who has never cycled much farther than my neighbourhood, I always admired from afar when I saw large groups come to town. I hadn't given much thought to the sport until recently, when a friend mentioned a cycle tour she was doing for the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure.

Kaitlynn Dodge had reached out and let me know about the upcoming cycle tour she was doing. Riding from Brighton, On. to Cornwall, Ontario- a total of 331 KM over a five day period, this ride was going to be a tough adventure but unbeatable when it came to the scenery and experience. There were around 150 registered riders who are taking part of this adventure, which is in it's 7th year. Each year has highlighted a different leg of the trail, with this year being no different. This year is a shorter ride to help accommodate families and less experienced riders- like myself! When the daily leg of the tour was complete, riders would settle at camp (or in hotels for those who wish) and explore the communities. It is a great way to get to know this beautiful area we call home!

When Kaitlynn mentioned the tour and asked if I would ride with them for some of the journey, my heart stopped! I am not physically fit or active on a daily basis. That, and I am also an anxiety sufferer. When you combine all those things, it was terrifying to even think about even taking a leisurely ride. For some reason though, I agreed to join the ride from Gananoque, On to my hometown of Brockville, On - a ride of 47 KM. I suppose it was my competitive nature that made me jump at the challenge, but I am sure happy that I did. Kaitlynn is blogging about her trip at http://www.thekickstandblog.com  - which will give you more insight into a beginners guide to cycling. 

I started training right away, going to Gananoque and riding as far as I could on the trail. The first evening I rode 5.2 KM and couldn't breath when I was finished. My legs felt wobbly, I was sweaty and had no idea what I had just committed too. The next evening I rode again and made it past 7 KM. I was less tired and more eager to get to the next night and beat my personal best. I found that I started looking forward to my nightly rides and to see how far I could ride. 

To date my personal best is 18 KM (which is from Gananoque to the United States Bridge) and I am extremely proud of myself. I am not ready to do the ride tomorrow- as I feel I wouldn't be able to complete it but I am going to continue training on the Great Waterfront Trail until I am able to complete the 47 KM ride. I have learned so much about cycling during this time - the difference between a mountain bike and speed bike, the importance of a helmet, proper stretching and hydration, etc and am looking forward to learning much more! 

What impressed me the most about the Great Waterfront Trail was how serene of a ride it really was. There were parts that were tough for me, but all in all - I found it was a great place to start cycling and highly encourage anyone who is interested in the sport to check it out. Cycle Tourism is gaining popularity and I now know first hand why!  

If you are interested in donating to the Waterfront Regeneration Trust or want to learn more about the Great Waterway Trail Adventure, please check out their website: http://www.waterfronttrail.org