Next short section of the Rideau (second section in one day!). Warm sunny fall day with little wind making for an easy paddle. We shuttled from Smiths Falls to Poonamalie Lock and paddled East back to Smiths Falls. River very quiet; only two other kayaks. Little wildlife: geese, ducks, and gulls. Muted fall colours. Stopped to admire the disused bascule bridge at Smiths Falls (See description below), followed by an ice cream/shake at Sweet Scoops. Treating each day of paddling as if it is our last of the season. Celebrated having reached the half way mark! Built by the Canadian Northern Railway over the course of the year 1912-13, the 21 metre span Scherzer Rolling Lift Bascule bridge was part of the Toronto to Ottawa connection of the CNR. Designed in Chicago and built by the Dominion Bridge Company, this massive iron bridge was originally powwered by a DC motor, which was rendered useless when the town switched to AC in 1915, so was manually operated from then until 1978, when it was disused and became a historic monument in 1983.