After a week on Lake Ontario and a week on the Rideau Canal, I paddled into downtown Ottawa two weeks ago, where my wife Lisa and some friends welcomed me home with hugs and champagne. The weather was beautiful for this last leg — crisp mornings, sunny and warm days, starry nights — although the crosswinds on Lake Ontario were tough, as were the headwinds on the Rideau. But that’s all part of the fun. My body has pretty much recovered by now (still some pain in my middle fingers, mind you) and I’m getting into writing mode, with a few magazine stories on the go and a book proposal that’s just about ready to be shopped around by my agent. I’m still processing the past four months, which included about 1,900 kilometres of paddling over 10 weeks on the water, and dozens upon dozens of inspiring conversations with amazing people along all of the waterways on my route. Stay tuned for a post about my SUP, paddles and all the gear I relied on this summer. For now, here’s a photo recap of the final leg.