Charlevoix, MI to Tennessee River

It's been a while since we updated the blog.  The trip is going very well.  The boat is handling well.  We have seen so many wonderful things in the last two months.  We have been overwhelmed with expressions of kindness shown to us along the way.  It has made things even more pleasant.

The truth of the matter is that there are days when internet connections are spotty and it has taken hours to get just basic things done.  We don't have a dedicated computer table and you know how things can be when you have to move things from one place to another.  It only just came to our attention that we could use the computer underway hooked up to the outlet powered by the inverter.  So we are learning.  And maybe whenever we are in 3G land we can use our iphone hotspot to get the blog updated. 

Sometimes our days are long and once the boat is anchored or docked, dinner has to be prepared.  Sometimes we hit the pillow at 8 pm.   We're not complaining.  Just whinning, I guess, because blogging fell to the wayside and now it looks like a momentous task to get caught up.

Rusty's dear sister, Judy, was diagnosed with a reoccurence of cancer in June and she lost her fight a few weeks ago.  Rusty was able to be with her just before she died.  This weekend we fly to Nebraska for the memorial. Gigi will stay at a pet boarding facility in Columbus Mississippi.

Travel arrangements have been difficult in this neck of the woods.  Either it is non-existent or it requires loops.  But the good part is that it all came together.

It looks like we will be home the early part of December.  Kind of looking forward to it.

Little Current, Ontario to Charlevoix, Michigan

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Last night we tried to anchor in Clapperton Harbor but the water was too deep in the area that remained available.  There was another spot close by that looked promising on the charts but Rusty felt uncomfortable when we looked at it so we headed for Logan Bay.  It was on the east side of Clapperton Island and proved to be an excellent anchorage.  Early Saturday morning we heard that a boat had entered the area that we nixed, and had gone aground.  Phew.

It was a rainy and blowy day so we headed for Kagawong and tied up at the public docks for a few hours.  There was a wonderful museum in town depicting the early life in this early.  One heartbreaking story centered on Daniel Dodge (son of John Dodge) who met and married a local girl while vacationing on Manitoulin Island.  She made $15 per week as a telephone switchboard operator.  On their honeymoon, day 13, Danny was playing with dynamite sticks, injured himself and the others and on the way to the hospital (via boat) he fell overboard and drowned.  The local gal inherited 1.25 million dollars.  This was back in 1938.  The Manitoulin home (and dynamite) had been purchased by Dodge from the Ford family.

The weather still wasn’t cooperating much so we headed for Gore Bay, about 1.5 hours away.  There were no dockhands to help us but fortunately another boater lent a hand.  Not much in Gore Bay which surprised us as it was listed in the guidebooks as a provision stop.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

A Canadian customs officer boarded this morning to check over our paperwork.  We were glad that our paperwork was in order.  She mentioned that a number of American boats had failed to clear customs when entering Canada and were consequently fined $1,000.

It stopped raining late morning and we were off again and anchored in the Oak Bay area.  Nice and quiet.  On the way we passed the Benjamin Islands with their colorful pink rock faces.

Monday, August 15, 2011

We didn’t intend to go as far as we did.  The winds were with us.  We are back in the US.  We cleared customs in Drummond Island and then anchored in Harbor Island, about two miles away. We were not the only ones and one of the other boaters came over and told us about a great anchorage in Government Bay and a good grocery store in Cedarville.

We were happy to be back in 3G land. 

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

We travelled only an hour or so and tied-up at DeTour Harbor Marina to take on fuel, do laundry, etc. etc.  Early afternoon we headed for Government Bay.  The anchorage was well protected and we were able to shave off four hours of our leg to Mackinac Island.  By the time we anchored it was too late to dinghy to Cedarville.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The weather reports were not encouraging.  Nevertheless we tried to make the crossing to Mackinac Island but after 45 minutes we had done enough bouncing and turned back and docked for a few hours at the Cedarville Municipal Docks.  We strolled to the grocery store and it was excellent.  One of the purchases was a bag of cake donuts made fresh that day in the store.  Yummy. 

We left early afternoon and headed through the Les Chenoux channel.  It was calm until we hit some open water about one hour later. Waves began to pound us.  We had called McDonaugh Marina in Hessel earlier and they had one spot left.  Not sure whether or not we needed it we just stored that information in the back of our minds.  We decided we needed the spot.

ME:  Let’s call the municipal marina first.

MUNICIPAL MARINA:  No answer

ME:  I’ll call McDonaugh.  Ring, Ring.  I called earlier and you said you had one slip available.  Can we have it? 

MARINA:  Hesitation…  “Port or starboard?” 

OUR BOAT:  BOUNCE, BOUNCE

OUR  VHF RADIO:  Are you the boat bouncing outside the marina?

RUSTY on VHF:  Yes, we would like a slip.

ME on the telephone:  I can’t see the entrance to your marina.  All I see is the sign “Hessel”

MARINA:  If you see the sign “Hessel” you are seven miles away.  You are calling the Cedarville Marina.

OUR BOAT:  BOUNCE, BOUNCE

ME:  Groan…  Sorry, I misdialed.

RUSTY (on the VHF radio):  This is the Cooper.  We would like to have a slip.

HESSEL MARINA:  No answer

RUSTY:  I can’t raise them

ME:  I’ll call them

RUSTY:  Make sure you use the right number.

ME:  Ring; Ring (with the right number):  No answer

By that time a number of people had come out on the Hessel Marina outer dock and were waving us in.  Rusty made the decision to set up for a port tie-up as we couldn’t raise the Marina by phone or VHF.  It turned out to be the right call. I scrambled to the lower deck to put out the fenders and lines while the boat rocked from side to side.

We entered the safety of the marina and with the help of four boaters and the dock master; we were secured in no time flat.  Hessel turned out to be a gem.  The Marina was well maintained.  A general store offered great lattes for $2.  There was a used book store, The Village Idiom, run by two elderly women, and they helped me select some books.  We took some long walks and relaxed.

Thursday, August 18

We made it to Mackinac Island before noon and docked there.  Although we were rocked all day by the wakes of the ferries, it was calm at night and the location was terrific.

We toured the Fort, strolled the town, and went to the Grand Hotel for dinner.  Except for dinner, it was all lovely.

Friday, August 19

The winds had picked up and there was a small craft advisory for the area we were travelling so we stayed put.  Rusty got out the bikes and the three of us explore the island.  It was wonderful. That evening we had a delightful time over drinks with a couple from Ohio.  They were sailors but were considering a trawler so we showed them our boat and then we went over to see their sailboat.  There is a surprising amount of room in a sailboat.

Saturday & Sunday, August 20-21

We ended up spending two days in Beaver Island because of weather.  This is starting to sound repetitive and we were beginning to think that weather might be an ongoing factor for the next while.

Beaver Island is the place to come and relax.  There are lots of cottages to rent. One well stocked grocery store, a deli/bakery, a snack bar, a museum, a bar, a couple of churches, and a ferry service to the mainland about 30 miles away.  And on Sundays, the NYTIMES arrives on the 11 am ferry.  At 11:10 we were sitting outside the deli on a picnic table with our lattes and the paper.  How decadent!

The ferry doesn’t run in the winter and then food, etc. needs to be flown in.  A gallon milk costs $1.80 extra.  There are between 350 and 600 permanent residents on the Island (depends on source of information)

The museum told the story of King Strang, a self-declared king of Beaver Island and polygamist in the 1800’s.  He was assassinated by two of his flock.

Monday – Friday, August 22-26

It was a four hour run from Beaver Island to Charlevoix.  We left at 7 am and during the next few hours, the water and winds became increasing stronger.  Dark clouds followed us all the water and at times it looked like waterspouts were forming.  We were so glad to be tied up.

Charlevoix is delightful.  Even though it is too windy to boat, we’ve had some nice times walking around town.  There are bistros (Scovies, Racquette) that do a great job with deli sandwiches and a fish market (Cross)around the corner that sells their daily catch to the retail market.

The town has a library converted from a public school that is just unbelievable.  It is huge.  Former classrooms have been converted to comfortable reading rooms and there are computer stations everywhere.  This for a town of 2,500 permanent residents.

Gigi has fleas.  The local pet store said there was an outbreak in the area and he was out of medication.  Gigi being the social princess has to meet and greet every dog within two miles so this is her (and our) punishment. We have frontline which is applied every month but last month the application hit more fur than skin so that will be a lesson.  The local vet was 3.5 miles out of town and I hopped on the bike to get $100 worth of flea spray, flea shampoo, and more frontline.  My treat on the way back was a latte and angus delux wrap at McDonalds.  It has been at least two months.

Rusty took the time this week to do oil changes, changed the Raycor filter, and topped the batteries.

We hoped to leave earlier than Friday but the winds have been strong enough to create waves that would be dangerous for us.  There has been a small craft warning for the past few days.  

Today our goal is Leland, Michigan.  We called ahead to the marina and while they don't take reservations they took our information, "because they like to know who is coming."

Killarney to Little Current, Ontario - eastern part of Northern Channel

Sunday, August 7, 2011

It was nip and tuck whether or not we would move on.  It began to rain in the morning and we were prepared to stay another night but reluctantly.  The Sportman Inn marina was accommodating and allowed us to wait until the afternoon to make a decision.  It cleared early afternoon and within five minutes we had moved the boat to the fuel dock.  We had hoped to make it through Canada without purchasing diesel fuel and we probably could but for peace of mind we purchased the equivalents of 50 gallons.  Here’s the sobering part. The cost per gallon was $5.64 USD.  We have been paying on average $4.00 USD.

Less than an hour later we were in Covered Portage Cove and soon after we saw the sun again.  Lovely, secluded anchorage with high quartz cliffs on our port side.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Today’s journey was four hours and took us up Baie Fine ending in the “Pool”. As we ate lunch we heard a commotion coming from land.  Most of the people from a small tour boat were on board.  Two folks were still on the hill along with a black bear.  The bear wanted the lunch. The two must have been the guides because we heard the clanging of pans.  The bear backed away, circled and approached the campfire from another direction.  The clanging increased and finally the bear ran away.  Soon the group of folks were back on land enjoying their lunch.

That afternoon we dinghied over to the start of the Topaz Lake trail and had a real workout climbing up and up and up the trail filled with 4-8” rocks.  Gigi surprised us by navigating the rocks without hesitation.  At the top was a lovely mountain lake.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

This is the view that greeted us when we woke up.

We were glad to have the track feature on the chartplotter.  It made for an easy trip back out of Baie Fine.  There were predictions of wind and rain so we looked for an anchorage that would give us some protection.  Around noon we had dropped the hook in the north end of Heywood Island. 

Rusty went fishing and I read.  It was warm but not hot just a lovely, lazy summer day.

During the night the winds shifted from south to northwest.  We were still protected but not quite as much as earlier that day.  Both of us got up in the middle of the night a few times to check the anchor.  Rusty had moved the chartplotter to the lower helm so that we could hear the anchor alarm if we dragged.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The winds picked up in the morning and it seemed we had drifted closer to shore so we reset the anchor.  I don’t think we are going to move today.  There are whitecaps past the barrier islands.  It’s only 1.5 hours to Little Current but it would be brutal with those winds.

We read.

That night was one of our worst at anchor.  The winds howled and we could not get a decent night’s rest.  The anchor held though!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Shortly after 10 am we passed through the swing bridge at Little Current and were tied up at the town docks.  Stores, including a great butcher shop was within walking distance.  We eyed the bakery and made note to get some croissants for breakfast the next morning.

I met a fellow boater who had brought her expresso machine and offered to make me a latte.  Definitely need to bring ours next time.

Friday, August 12, 2011

We will leave Little Current today after the morning cruisers broadcast.  Rusty is in attendance.  Roy, the broadcaster, is a retired teacher who gives information on the weather and news of the day.  Then boaters call in via VHF radio with the name and location.  It's a great way to find out where boaters friends are located.

Orillia, Ontario to Killarney, Ontario

Thursday, July 21
It was a maintenance day today in Orillia.  Gigi had chewed up the arms to Rusty's glasses and we found an optometrist who fixed them up for $5.  A run to the local butcher shop filled our freezer and Rusty and I worked on things like cleaning the strainers, replacing a burned out fuse, and topping fluids levels, ready for our early morning departure on Friday.

Friday, July 22
Today we went over the Big Chute lock.  The boats float over straps that then lift the boats out of the water.  The boats are then lowered (in our case) gently as if on a railway track heading down to the lower section of water.  Anchored out tonight near a group of islands that looked like they would provide some protection.  We are getting better at finding spots to anchor.

Saturday, July 23
We met up with James, Jen & Courtney in Port Severn, which marked the end of the Trent-Severn Waterway. As the lockmaster said, "we are the only show in town".  We all headed back in the Waterway, anchored for lunch and a bit of swimming.  Weather was perfect.  James then accompanied us through Lock 45 at Port Severn and onto Midland, Ontario, where we met Jen and Courtney who had driven there. We were treated to a nice birthday dinner and then it was time to say goodbye again. 

On our way to Midland we travelled down a narrow passage into Georgian Bay.  To our horror we encountered a high speed boat coming straight at us.  Only at the last minute did he turn but across our bow.  There are idiots on the water.

Midland town docks are not well protected and we bounced around quite a bit.

Sunday, July 24
A quiet day in Midland.  We moved to the inner basin at the town docks.

Monday, July 25
Enterprise had a car and off I went to Hamilton to see my Mom.  We had a lovely visit.  Rusty stayed at the boat and had some quality father/daughter time with Gigi.  It was 2.25 hr. on the return trip from Hamilton to Midland.

Tuesday, July 26
High winds prevented us from leaving the dock and going to Penetanguishene  for our AGLCA rendezvous. It would be our 4th night in Midland.  About 4 pm there was a knock on the door.  The coordinator for the rendezvous offered to pick us up for the evening wine and cheese to be held at the local museum in Penetanguishine.  By road the two towns are 4.5 miles apart, by water they are 1.5 hours apart.

The museum and docent were excellent and we thoroughly enjoyed learning something of the history of that region.

Wednesday, July 27
An early morning departure brought us to Beacon Bay Marina in Penetanguishene by 9 am.  We were in time for the charting session.  While we had charts for Georgian Bay there are so many options for side trips and anchorages.  The charting session was invaluable for getting insider information.  That evening Beacon Bay hosted a BBQ for the AGLCA members. 

During the day Rusty, Gigi and I went biking along the waterfront paths, stopping for lunch, and picking up some supplies at the great supermarket in town.

Thursday, July 28
It was a short but beautiful run to Frying Pan Bay on Beausoleil Island.  We travelled past Honey Harbor through some narrow channels, slowly.  The anchorage was beautiful and we took advantage of the dinghy ramp to do some easy hiking.

That evening we took Gigi to shore and as I was approaching the dinghy I slipped on a wet rock.  Nasty little head gash that Rusty doctored up with hydrogen peroxide and gauze bandages.  Determined that my crocs do not have enough of a tread.

Friday, July 29
It had rained during the night and by morning it was still overcast.  We did a 3 hour run today and anchored in Indian Harbor.  A number of other boats were rafted together and then tied to shore.  They seem to like it.  Guess it helps to be young and not mind others being so close.  Rusty dinghed Gigi over to her own rock to do her business. I'm coping with ibuprophen.

Saturday, July 30
As we pulled anchor we noticed the screw had fallen out of the anchor roller.  This was the Civic holiday weekend in Canada.  Our focus was to find a place to get it fixed and finally found a place in Parry Sound called Sound Marina.  The mechanic installed bolts, nut screws and permanent Lock-tight.  Cost:  $20.  What good news and what a relief.

We stayed at the Parry Sound town docks and found ourselves docked next to Gemini.  That evening we had a wonderful dinner at Kudos Kuisine, located across from the docks.

Sunday, July 31st
We left Parry Sound around noon and as we got underway the weather reports indicated squalls were expected so we headed for Killbear Marina instead of Hopewell Bay.  Killbear Marina is for people who like to "chill out".  There is nothing to do but relax.  No wifi.  No laundry.  No trails.  But there is a wonderful (reportedly) German restaurant on site.  Next time.

The weather did not turn and we suspect that the weather folks were trying to drum up some business for the marinas.

Monday, August lst
A nice run to  the anchorage in Hopewell Bay today.  Rusty caught a fish which we had for dinner.  There were some wind gusts to 20 mph in the evening.

Tuesday, August 2nd


Wednesday, August 3rd
We woke up to fog and increasing wind.  We were protected and we were alone so we had plenty of swing room.  By noon the weather let up and we were on our way to the Bustard Islands.  It was so beautiful. Lots of cozy inlets and places to explore.  Gigi had her own rock island to run off the lease.  She fell in the water at one point but swam to shore so we were very proud of how she handled herself.

Thursday, August 4th
We travelled to Devil Door Rapid for the morning and went blueberry picking followed by a dinghy ride near the rapids.  Kids were body surfing and others braver than us dinghied up the rapid and back down again.  Lovely setting and we would have stayed.  Well, we almost did. 

The engine would not start when we were ready to leave.  How could the engine not start?  Rusty pulled out the manuals and turned to the troubleshooting section.  We went down the list of what could be wrong and eliminated them one by one, periodically trying to start the engine, and meeting with no success. Rusty got out the voltmeter and he did some fuse testing and still everything seemed ok.  We were in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone coverage.  We had enough food to last a few more days.  And there was a suggestion that we dinghy around to the other boats to see if there were any mechanics aboard.

After an hour Rusty looked at me from the place down under and asked if I would try turning on the engine.  So I went over and turned the key and pressed the "start" button.  The engine turned on.  I looked at Rusty and he had a very happy look on his face. "I was pressing the "stop" button" he said.  Now in case anyone should be wondering - don't - my darling has been pressing the correct button for the last four months.  We kind of sank into each others arms with relief.

We ended up at the Mill Lake anchorage around 6 pm.  Lovely, lovely place.

Friday to Sunday, August 5-7
We arrived in Killarney by noon on Friday.  The scenery was spectacular along the way. 

Laundry, fish and chips, reprovisioning, hooking up to wifi was the order of the days.  A lovely service at the small Catholic church in Kilarney on Sat. afternoon with an informal inclusive communion policy.  So here we are, ready to go, and it has started to rain.  What to do??

SingSing, NY to Orillia, Ontario

Sunday, June 26

It was lovely cruising up the Hudson River.  We made it as far as Kingson, NY and anchored out nearby on the side of a channel.   Today we made the decision not to travel to travel up Lake Champlain.  We are running out of time and decided to save that area plus Quebec and the Rideau for the following summer.

Monday, June 27 – Tuesday, June 28

We completed the Hudson River and made a left to start the Erie Canal.  Waterford, NY was at the intersection of the two waterways.  We reprovisioned at a great grocery store, did laundry, stepped the mast, and got ourselves ready to start the Erie Canal and locks.  We met a couple from Holland who were doing some extended cruising on a sailboat they had sailed from Holland.  Being a bit homesick for Dutch food, they appreciated getting a few packages of Dutch soap and Indonesian nasi goreng from our pantry.

Wednesday, June 29

We were ready to get moving after our two day rest.  There were 9 locks today and it was tough going.  Because the water levels were high there was a lot of water going over the dams and it was turbulent as we would enter the locks.  Rusty did a great job of piloting in spite of the difficult conditions.   Our boat has a high freeboard.  Our fenders are sized correctly for our boat but not for the locks.  When the fenders are placed correctly to protect the boat while going up the lock walls, they are too high when we come to the top of the lock and then we have to scramble to lower the fenders and hold onto the lines at the same time.  There was significant water movement in the locks and it felt as if my arms were at least a couple inches longer at the end of the day.

We stopped at Amsterdam, NY along with Gemini and Sea Flats with whom we travelled all day. If there is anything left of the Dutch influence in Amsterdam, it was not to be found.

Thursday, June 30

Another rough day with tough locks.  Docked at Herkimer where we experienced the worst wake from another boat passing by.  We almost lost our wooden rails.

Friday, July lst

It was a short day today and it turned out wonderfully.  We docked at Rome, NY in time for a great lunch at the Savoy, followed by a tour of Fort Stanwix, and the purchase of Italian deli meat.  After all, we were in Rome!

Saturday, July 2^nd

We said goodbye to Gemini this morning and later we left Sea Flats in Brewerton, NY, on our way to our night’s destination in Phoenix, NY.   Teens in this town help out the boaters for tips.  Unfortunately by the time we arrived, no one was there and the town was virtually shut down.  So at three o’clock in the afternoon we had an ice cream cone, toured a former church building turned into a museum, and purchased Tito’s vodka at the one building still open at 5 pm.

Sunday, July 3^rd – Monday, July 4^th

Early Sunday we headed to Oswego, NY and tied to the town dock between Lock 7 & 8. We spent Monday doing maintenance on the boat.  It looked like the weather would be good for a crossing on Tuesday.

Tuesday, July 5^th

The Lake Ontario crossing was bad.  We expected winds of 10 MPH out of the south west but they were coming at us from the north west, right on our beam.  It was brutal.  Rusty had to keep altering course so that we would not be rocked, and then making a correction, so it was a tack to the left, then a tack to the right.  We skirted in north of Amherst Island and got some relief but it meant we would not be going to Kingston that night.  We did a telephone customs/immigration interview at Collins Bay Marina and stayed there for a couple of nights.

Wednesday, July 6^th

Joanna, Pascal, and our grandchildren drove from Montreal and we had a really nice visit with them.  There was a park next to the marina and the setting was perfect for relaxing and enjoying each others company.

Thursday, July 7^th

It was a pleasant cruise to Picton, Ontario.  This is the Canadian version of a town that I imagined would be the perfect retirement place.  The main street had everything you could want.  Everything was in walking distance.  The town was well maintained.  We got a mooring ball at the yacht club and it worked out well.

Friday, July 8^th

We made it to Trenton, the entrance to the Trent-Severn Waterway.  Lo and behold, as we docked at the Trenton Marina, who would be there waiting to help us with our lines but Gemini and Sea Flats.  The main street was next to the marina and there was promise of a farmers market near the bridge the next morning.  Two blocks away was a Dutch food store and my droop fix was satisfied.

In the early evening, Rusty struck up a conversation with a local couple and found out the man was born in Friesland.  We chatted for a while about things including Dutch food and I happened to mention that I especially like Frisian clove cheese but it was not available in the Dutch store.  About one hour later there was a knock on the boat door and the Dutch gent handed me a package of Frisian clove cheese. 

Saturday, July 9^{th -} Sunday, July 10th

It was a long day today from Trenton to Campbellford, Ontario.  We should have broken it up.  We were so exhausted by the end of the day we literally collapsed for two days.

Monday, July 11^th

Only 20 miles today and we made it to Hastings, Ontario.  There is a good fish and chips restaurant  there (Captain’s Table) and that is about it. 

Tuesday, July 12th - Wednesday, July 13

We spent two nights in Peterborough at the city docks.  It was convenient to the downtown area and there was a nice waterfront park.  Next to the marina was a local art gallery with an exhibition of work by local artists for their upcoming studio tour.  The work was excellent.  Different styles and the quality was breathtaking. 

We were treated to a concert on Wednesday evening by the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces. Earlier that day we found a mid-week farmers market where we stocked up on lamb meat pieces and Russian pierogies.  They were yummy.  We also picked up the chartbook for Georgian Bay & the North Channel.  While the guidebooks are helpful and we have a great chartplotter, we are finding that it makes life much easier if we also have the appropriately sized paper charts.

Thursday, July 14

Long, long day.  We left Peterborough at 8:15am and found an anchorage at 7:45 pm in the Blind Channel near Gannon Narrows.  It was hard to find a spot to anchor with the weedy bottom but finally the anchor held. A steak and salad dinner was our reward.

Friday, July 15 - Saturday, July 16

An early start brought us to the Bobcaygeon lock.  It was a narrow entrance and the lockmaster did not see us so we had to tie up on the wall and wait for them.  Well, tying up is not an easy thing sometimes.  Our front end came in fine but we lost the back end.  Fortunately some folks on shore came over to help.  We really did not want to move for a while so we hit the local butcher store, found out the story on getting through the lock, and had a latte.

Shortly after noon we were on our way again, arriving in Fenelon Falls, a few hours later.  The lock walls at Fenelon Falls are popular because some of them have electricity and water.  As we entered the lock, the staff told us there was no room which meant either an anchorage or a marina some distance from town.  As we pulled out of the lock we spotted an opening and with the help of the two boat owners on either side, we had our spot for the night.  Apparently just as the lock was opened, the folks in our spot took off.  What luck!

We spent two nights there which was perfect.  James, Jen, and grandaughter Courtney came to visit on Saturday, and later that evening sister Jackie and family also joined us.  All of them had been enjoying a week at cottages nearby.  Family is a good thing.

Sunday, July 17

We stopped off at Coboconk for a couple of hours.  As we approached the end of the waterway, our water depth blanked out. A very nice gentlemen  on shore said there was lots of water and encouraged us to tie-up at the city docks ("They're free.  You're in Canada" he yelled).  He came over and offered his own dock with electricity and hot showers if we wanted to stay the night.  We felt we needed to move on and spent the night on the wall at Kirkfield. We tied up behind God's Speed from Louisiana, a lovely boat from Louisiana. There was a severe thunderstorm that night and we were glad to be securely tied up.

Monday, July 18

It was a bit of toss what we should do today.  The weather predictions indicated that it was not a good day to cross Lake Simcoe.  On the other hand we had a few more locks before we needed to make that decision.  So on we trotted but not before God's Speed's captain gave Rusty explanations of diesel mechanics on our boat (he was a former diesel mechanic - how lucky as we??)  By noon we had reached Lock Thorah.  It had a high rating from the guides and it meant that we would only have one lock before heading across the lake the next day.

We spent a leisurely afternoon at the bottom of the lock.  Gigi went off the leash for the first time in an unsecured area and she behaved wonderfully.  While on a leash she tugs to go after the squirrels and anything else that interests her.  But given the opportunity today, she was cautious and did not get into any mischief.  

The lockmaster and his assistant talked to us at length about their jobs.  These are not full time jobs and they must compete for winter work at Parks Canada to reach the equivalent of an annual salary.  They are required to maintain their lock area, grounds, etc., but mechanical issues with the locks themselves are handled by others.

Early that evening, two smaller boats tied up behind us and set up tents on land. Two younger couples from Nova Scotia.  Gigi made friends and soon one of the couples came over to introduce themselves.  We were able to give them some potable water.  

Tuesday,  July 19

We were at the next lock at 8:30 am (time that locks open up), got through, went across Lake Simcoe and docked at Port of Orillia around noon.  Who should be there but Gemini.  We rushed to get Gigi to her grooming appointment and had a delightful lunch nearby upon the recommendation of the groomer.  The owner noticed us looking at the black and white photos on the wall and he asked, "would you like a tour?".  His mother-in-law travels and is quite a good photographer.  She had supplied the photographs of places she had travelled.

That afternoon we had drinks with Gemini and traded stories past, present, & future.

On our early evening walk at the marina, we came upon a man who was looking up at the sky, would blow a whistle periodically, and then say something in a coxing voice.  Nothing happened.  And so he would go through the routine again.  Frankly about the 10th time we began to wonder. And so did a few others.  At that defining moment a bird swooped down and landed on his gloved arm.  It was a harris hawk.  This man owned and trained birds to get rid of gulls in certain areas, eg farms, waterfronts, anywhere gulls are a nuisance.  Companies hire him and his birds.  Never knew such a service existed.  The bird was gentle enough and allowed us to stroked his belly.  The gloves are necessary only when the birds land and grab the arm with their talons.  Otherwise they sit gently enough on the arm.

Wednesday, July 20

There are no cars to be rented in Orillia.  Not exactly what we expected.  How can there be no cars for rent in Orillia in the middle of the week?? Only two hours from my Mom and no way to get there.  Will try again tomorrow.

Laundry was the order of business this morning.  Cost was $3.75 for a load to wash and about $2 per load to dry.  I had three loads.  This is a far cry from US marinas that charge anywhere from $1-$2 per load to wash and $1 to dry.   

In between loads we discovered a bakery and deli, and a sidewalk trailer stand by the name of "Rib City BBQ".  They have been in business since the 1970's and copywrited the name.  They found out about Rib City in the US and very softly complained that they had the name first.  We suggested that they sue so they could retire.  And pointed out that if the roles were reversed the US company would not give them a break.  They seemed too gentle to make an issue of it.

Deltaville, VA to SingSing, New York

Monday, June 6 – Thursday, June  9

We attended the Monk36 rendezvous at Doziers Regatta Marina.  About 19-20 boats were registered and we  had an opportunity to find out more about our model boat and to meet some of the people who have been so helpful in answering our many questions in the past months. Rusty learned to splice.  After the demonstration of the enlarged rudder we decided that we would not go that route especially as we have an older Monk and they are not as problematic as the new Monks.

Thursday, June 9 – Sunday,  June 12

We headed next door to Zimmerman’s and had our ship/shore switch and our exhaust muffler was replaced as well as new hydraulic steering wires.  They did a great job and came in within budget.    We headed to Tangier Island late Friday afternoon  at the invitation of the Zimmerman service manager, Tom, and his wife Christina.  The island made me feel like we had been transported to a children’s storybook.  The main street is the width of a golf cart path and that is what residents drive: golf carts!  Quaint houses  lined the main street.  We stayed two nights and left early Sunday morning for Solomons Island and shortly thereafter discovered that one of our ball fenders was gone.

Monday, June 13 – Tuesday, June 14

Solomon’s Island is another area that seems to be popular with the weekend boater but we had to really dig to find out what the attraction was. A few restaurants.  A few marinas.  Okay a fairly good mariners museum.  And a pet groomer that could take Gigi on short notice.   We moored for two nights, picked up groceries and did laundry.  We left Solomon’s Island around 11 am and anchored in Rhode Creek.  The wind picked up after we went to bed .  We got up and put on the new anchor bridle and went back to bed.  About 15 minutes later we got up and took up the dinghy motor – when will we ever learn.  Finally got to bed at 1:30 am.

Wednesday, June 15

It was a nice run to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.  The city dock is convenient and is an excellent spot to check out the happenings.  We definitely have to return.  

Thursday, June 16

An early morning departure and by 2:30 we were in Chesapeake City on the C&D canal.  There is room for 3-4 boats on the dock and overflow is a nice anchorage.  We were not the early birds and so we anchored.  The town has done a great job of maintaining the Victorian period homes.

Friday, June 17

We were anxious about crossing the Delaware Bay but it turned out to be a piece of cake.  The tides were with us for most of the time and we made good time.  When we got to Cape May we topped up the fuel tanks with 192 gallons of diesel.  You do the math – ouch!  

We anchored outside the Coast Guard station and on the third try we got it.   We still need to get the feel for where we want to be after the anchor is played out.  The anchor chair got stuck and in loosening it a strip of skin on my finger peeled back to flesh.  I now use the boat hook.

Saturday, June 18

Our goal was to make it to Atlantic City.  It involved an outside run.  The Atlantic Ocean had gentle rolling swells so it was ok.  Leaving at 6 am got us into Atlantic City before noon.  We anchored outside the Coast Guard station but abandoned it because it was too rough.  We decided to continue  north but  to do the inside run.  The water is skinny  and the channel  is skinny.  The NJ boaters are unlike any we have met. They anchor in the channel and don’t seem to mind when other boats roar by and rock them.

Around  5 pm we found a small area near Beach Haven with the right water depth ,pulled off and anchored for the night.

Sunday, June 19

We had to wait until 10 am for the tide to come in before we could leave.  A few hours later we were in Tom’s River, NJ where we were hosted by a man we met through the trawler forum.  He had offered to help us with our windows and to provide dockage at his marina.  The sliding window tracks had deteriorated during the time that our boat sat on the hard (before we purchased it). 

Monday, June 20 to Friday, June 24

We removed three sliding windows, cleaned up the frames, had new tinted glass cut, installed new window 

tracks, and reinstalled the windows to the boat.  We were finished by noon on Friday. 

Our only real hiccup was the glass guy. We brought it a piece of glass first thing on Monday morning and he gave a ball park price letting us know that the glass could be ready that day if we put in the order.  Well we had to remove the rest of the windows first.  By that time, it was mid afternoon and when we returned with the old glass panes, our glass guy was not there and a very nice helper offered to pass on our request for a quotation.  We got a call and the price had increased by about 30% for clear and only 10% for the tinted.  As we wanted tinted we decided to go with it after thinking about it a bit.  By  that time the glass place was closed for the day and we had to wait until the next day to place the order.

We stopped by the next morning to give our deposit and to confirm that the glass would be ready later that day or the next day.  Our glass guy blew up at us, “it will be ready by the end of the week.  You take two days to make up your mind .  You gotta be nuts.”  If we did not have three windows out of the boat we would have walked but we had no idea whether other glass shops could be any faster.  As it turned out he called later that afternoon and said the glass was ready.

Wednesday morning we arrived at the glass shop to find two pieces of glass had cracks where the glass guy tried to reattach the pulls.  We asked that they be redone and we got the same story about getting  it done by the end of the week.  And didn’t we know that he put other jobs aside to do ours yesterday, blah, blah, blah. At about 2 pm he called to let us know the glass was ready.  I haven't decided whether he is a diamond in the rough.

We now know how to redo our boat windows. It is not that difficult when you know what you are doing.

We anchored out that evening near Manasquan Inlet ready to do the outside run to NYC the next day.

Saturday, June 25

There is a reason why small boats don’t belong on the ocean.  It was nice when we headed into New York Harbor and could relax again.  The highlight was cruising past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  We got there shortly after noon and decided to do a few more miles, ending up at a nice anchorage north of Sing Sing prison.

Fort Monroe, VA to outside Deltaville, VA

Wednesday, May 25

Rusty emptied the dinghy of water from yesterday’s storm and washed down the bilge before we headed to Davis River, VA.  There is a small fishing village on the river with a couple of vintage marinas.  We chose to anchor out.  There wasn’t much room and it took about five attempts to get good holding with adequate swing room. 

Thursday, May 26

Early morning the fishing boats motored past us and we soon followed.  The tide was low and the entrance was a bit complicated so we touched bottom for a second.  I’m not sure we can recommend Davis River as an anchorage for our size boat. 

Rusty made arrangements with Zimmerman Marine, Deltaville, VA to give us an estimate on replacement of our stainless steel muffler.  We had been warned that when a muffler goes there can be collateral damage.  And ours was rusting at the joints.  Zimmerman’s had been highly recommended by a fellow boater.

Zimmerman’s provides complimentary tie-up with full amenities while doing repair work.  We were impressed with the personnel who went out of their way to answer our questions and to ensure that we were comfortable.

Friday, May 27

Zimmerman’s had arranged for a diver to assess and scrape off the running gear.  He found the bottom and running gear to be in good condition but did clean out the intakes, bow thruster, and depth transducer.  Zincs are at 80-90%.

We decided to have Zimmerman’s quote on replacing the hydraulic cables to the upper helm.  The cables had been stiff for some time. 

 

After arranging for the work to be done after our Monk36 rendezvous June 7-9 in Deltaville, VA, we headed off to Reedville, VA, and anchored in a small cove near town.  Reedville has a huge menhaden fishing and processing industry.  Menhaden is a type of inedible fish that is used in animal food and to make vitamins. 

After a dinghy ride to town for ice cream and shore duties for Gigi we settled in for the night.  As soon as our heads touched the pillows a blanket of stale fish odor descended to the aft cabin stateroom.  Gross.  I couldn’t sleep.  After a few hours the winds shifted.

Saturday, May 28

As is our usual practice, we turned on the generator to make the morning coffee.  The  generator/shore switch was a bit stiff when we turned the generator off previously but it snapped into position with a bit of muscle.    We surmised it was stiff because it was old.  We were partly right, I suppose.

Short version of where this is going:  when we turn on the generator and move the  switch to generator power, we get a “reverse polarity” reading and there is no juice from the generator to our A/C system. We put out dilemma to the Monk Association forum and the responses indicated that our switch was kaput  but that we should look to see if there was a loose wire or setting that needed to be realigned and tightened.  Perhaps that snap we felt simply got it out of alignment.    Rusty was reluctant to remove the switch and try and fix it on the off chance that the entire thing would fall apart and we could not hook up to shore power.  It  was after all Memorial weekend.  And then there was the question:  do we pay someone to fix an old switch or do we pay someone to replace the switch.

With that heaviness, we set out again, only to find the Chesapeake Bay choppy and waves hitting us on our beam.  Once we cleared the shoals we headed north and got a break for an hour or so but then the weather started to turn.  We decided to duck into Smith Point Marina at the mouth of the Potomac.  There is very little transient traffic and we can understand why.  The entrance is shallow and not well marked but for once we had no problems.

It turned out to be a pleasant stay.  The personnel were friendly and the marina is laid-back.  Mom’s nautical decorating was evident everywhere including the bathroom stalls.  We were free to wander through the store with some purchases done on the honor system.  The nearest store is two hours away by boat and the nearest restaurant is five miles away by car.  It is remote. That evening we took a long walk down narrow one lane roads and enjoyed cool weather and fragrant bushes along the way.  We let Gigi off the leash and she had a great time.

Sunday, May 29

A long run up the Potomac today, listening to my Worship CD in the morning.  Anchored in Mattawoman Creek, MD.  Turned out to be ok once all the day boaters left.  The dinghy ride to the state park resulted in four stops to clear out the grasses from the prop.  The park was littered with dog poop.  Some  dog owners are not responsible.

Monday, May 30 to Wednesday, June 1

We passed Mt. Vernon and gave the traditional toot of the horn, arriving at the Capital Yacht Club ($1.75 per foot) around noon.  It is located next to the fish market off the Washington Channel.  We enjoyed our stay and can recommend it, although next time we will anchor in the channel and pay the  $15 daily rate for the amenities.

We met up with friends for dinner and lunch and hosted Rusty’s daughter and partner for dinner on Tuesday.  It was a lovely time in DC.  

As we headed back down the Potomac, the weather looked like it was going to get nasty so we made arrangements  to stay at Quantico Marine Base Marina.

Thursday, June 2

Before heading out we stopped by the deli and bakery in town and picked up an Italian sub, some quiche and tiramisu.  What a find!  Yummy. 

We ended up in Leonardtown, MD.  They  have built a new wharf and offer complimentary tie-ups.  The only problem is that the depth is barely four feet at low tide.  We got there at high tide and had no problems getting in.  The town is delightful.  A small square with stores and restaurants, a coffee bar, gourmet French bistro, health food store, extensive used book store, etc. etc.  Oh, yes, and the pit bulls between the dock and the town.

We noticed that the forward head was not taking in any water.   It turned out that the sea cock that takes in water for the air conditioner and the raw water wash down also brings in the water for the forward head.  We had closed the sea cock for some servicing not realizing this.   This brings up a point.  Boats need an operations manual.

Friday, June  3

We had to wait for high tide mid afternoon so we took the opportunity to have lunch at the French bistro  “Café des Artistes”.  What a find. 

Folks in Leonardtown were friendly and we had a number of people stop by the dock to talk with us.  One  recent arrival to town offered to take us on a tour and I ended up helping her put up a yarn vine at the door of the art co-op.

That night we anchored near Lovers Point.

Saturday, June 5

We spent a lovely day at historic St. Mary’s City, MD.  What we didn’t realize is that there is no St. Mary’s city.  It is a living museum on a college campus.  It was well worth the stop.  There is an ongoing archeological  dig and we were fortunate to meet two people who had lived and breathed the project professionally and now as volunteers.    We keep discovering places with historical significance from the 1600’s and it kind of debunks the idea that America is young.  Well, sort of…

There is a lovely anchorage outside the campus with a dinghy landing and we thought about staying two nights.

We discovered the repair to the anchor roller failed.  I sent an email to both Ocean Marine and Waterside in Portsmouth/Norfolk to see what they will do.

That evening we had cocktails with a couple who had seen us in DC and happened to be anchored in St. Mary’s River.  They are old salts in terms of experience and young salts in terms of energy.  They were interested in ‘perhaps’ purchasing a Monk36 down the road.

Sunday, June 5

The weather reports were a bit scattered but when we saw that the batteries were being drawn down again we decided we needed to run the engine for more than a couple of hours.  So off we went to a nice anchorage in Mill River, just a few hours from our destination tomorrow, Deltaville, VA.  I prepared lunch before we hit open water.  It is just not safe to move from flybridge to the salon when the waves are rolling the boat.

Two other sailboats were already anchored and we positioned ourselves out of their way. The anchor roller held.  Thank goodness.