The Saint Lawrence River

 What's in a name? The word Ontario was given by the by the Iroquois tribe, and translates roughly to "beautiful lake" or "big body of water." This has been so for millennia before Europeans discovered America. The name was adopted by the United States and later by Canada. That name will not be changed with a sharpie or by Google.

Lake Ontario drains into the Saint Lawrence River. Some of the river is not navigable by ships, so canals were constructed in various places to bypass rapids. The name Saint Lawrence Seaway has been given to the combination of the river along with the constructed canals and locks. 

We only went as far as Montréal. Other than the northern lights, the journey down the Saint Lawrence River was the most spectacular part of our trip. Most of the surrounding land is wilderness with abundant wildlife. There are interspersed mansions and castles along the shores and on the islands. Most of our time was spent at the railing admiring the scenery as it went by. Upstream, the river separates Ontario Province from New York State. Further downstream, it separates Ontario Province from Quebec Province.

Snell Lock, Massena, New York

Snell Lock, from above

Snell Lock, from way above