Saturday, August 23, 2014
August 19, 2014
On the way back to Bismarck, boat in tow on the trailer. So sad this adventure is over. Will update the blog as time permits entering pictures with postings.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
July 29, 2014 Tuesday Leaving Britt, Ontario, Canada
Finally somewhere that has good Wifi and not to tired to use it. Came in here two days ago, storming and high winds 25 knots predicted yest. which really happened with rain the night before. Met up with 5 other loopers for happy hour. At all different stages of their loop, we were the only ones almost done. Interesting the stories. All agreed the rocks and narrow passages of Georgian Bay are very intimidating to say the least and also the most beautiful. Sad to hear we lost a good friend Esther yesterday. She wanted to go to heaven for so long and now she is there but I am happy for that but sad I won't get to talk to her and show her pictures of this great adventure. Everyone has said this is an adventure of a life time but I don't know about that, just a long adventure with hopes of good health and many more. Discussion underway about cruising the rivers of Europe with our own private boat............
This morning fog off the water, forecast to get down to 47 last night, jeans and sweatshirt day, Curt even had his foulies and winter coat on with sweatshirt under when we came in two days ago, cold and wet. Boat is staying dry on the inside at least. With water and gas in their proper tanks and laundry and provisioning done, the weather calm but cloudy and cold, we'll be heading out again today, some outside the islands passages which is somewhat like going off shore in the Atlantic but at least away from most of the underwater and above water rocks. Slow going this last week due to weather issues. Traveling with another couple on John B-Don from Florida and Kathleen from British Columbia, both of us watching the map and still we both missed a marker, we did drag across some rocks but nothing severe, just a warning. Had the center board up and rudder popped up some so all was good. After hearing Barb and Ross's story of crossing the water over to the right side of the red marker and coming aground on a rock near Orilla, doing $24,000 of damage to the prop and shaft we were nervous about turning to get into the channel or turning around to go back where we came from and then get in the channel. Our thinking has changed dramatically hearing that story and seeing these huge granite rocks just under the water. The only good thing about high winds is we can see the waves hit the rocks and plummet the water into the air sometimes like a geyser. Very intimidating going in the channel between this. Water is so clear and beautiful deep blue with the pine and birch trees growing out of the rocks on the shore. Georgian Bay is amazing but treacherous on water and land. Black bear sitings have been talked about as well as the Muscagean Rattle snake. It is written the country we are about to travel thru is more hostile and remote than anything we've seen so far. Great! Anxious to get to Mackinaw Island and the U.S., Canada is expensive. Hoping to get to Kilarney in the next day or two. Just in a half hour, its gotten stormy, cloudy looking, no wind yet, we're still moving on, two days in one spot is enough.
This morning fog off the water, forecast to get down to 47 last night, jeans and sweatshirt day, Curt even had his foulies and winter coat on with sweatshirt under when we came in two days ago, cold and wet. Boat is staying dry on the inside at least. With water and gas in their proper tanks and laundry and provisioning done, the weather calm but cloudy and cold, we'll be heading out again today, some outside the islands passages which is somewhat like going off shore in the Atlantic but at least away from most of the underwater and above water rocks. Slow going this last week due to weather issues. Traveling with another couple on John B-Don from Florida and Kathleen from British Columbia, both of us watching the map and still we both missed a marker, we did drag across some rocks but nothing severe, just a warning. Had the center board up and rudder popped up some so all was good. After hearing Barb and Ross's story of crossing the water over to the right side of the red marker and coming aground on a rock near Orilla, doing $24,000 of damage to the prop and shaft we were nervous about turning to get into the channel or turning around to go back where we came from and then get in the channel. Our thinking has changed dramatically hearing that story and seeing these huge granite rocks just under the water. The only good thing about high winds is we can see the waves hit the rocks and plummet the water into the air sometimes like a geyser. Very intimidating going in the channel between this. Water is so clear and beautiful deep blue with the pine and birch trees growing out of the rocks on the shore. Georgian Bay is amazing but treacherous on water and land. Black bear sitings have been talked about as well as the Muscagean Rattle snake. It is written the country we are about to travel thru is more hostile and remote than anything we've seen so far. Great! Anxious to get to Mackinaw Island and the U.S., Canada is expensive. Hoping to get to Kilarney in the next day or two. Just in a half hour, its gotten stormy, cloudy looking, no wind yet, we're still moving on, two days in one spot is enough.
July 28, 2014 Monday
Hanging out in Britt, visiting with other loopers. Used the courtesy car to go one mile to town and get groceries at the convenience store at the other Marina, drove around town another half mile and back for to our boat and off to the little ice cream stand for Karwatha Ice Cream. Curt had snapping turtle and I had Lemon Meringue Pie, the lady made the up herself, both very good.
July 26, 2014, Saturday
Going between a few the 30,000 islands of Georgian Bay and some outside passage which was very rough with northwest winds. Came across this picnic area and pulled in immediately, ready for a rest and only noon. Spent the day resting and hiking the island or just part of it, looking at the map, checking weather. Thunderstorm supposed to hit this evening and high winds, we were very protected and decided to stay, many boaters slowly coming by, think we have their spot. With weather calm and comments from two couples who stopped by to have their own picnic we decided to put up our mast, yes our little sailboat is happy with her mast up. Had a lovely time in this spot, Copegoge Island, luckily didn't see black bears buts lots of blueberries and raspberry bushes along with black berry and strawberry bushes, wild. Yest the blueberries were wonderful, especially since we are almost out of fresh fruit and not sure when we'll get more. Small towns if we find one do not have much for food supply. Oh almost forgot, we found a Geocache put out by the Canadian Parks Dept, had some big holes in the plastic, ?bear teeth?, we had a plastic coffee container we had been saving for something and this was it, we were first to sign the log and put the clear broken container in the plastic coffee container with tight lid and put it back for someone else to find. Very cool. You should have been here Bob, Curt just got lucky and happened upon it.
Monday, July 21, 2014
July 20, 2014 Sunday
Left Bobcaygeon this morning crossing several s.all lskes into Fenelon Falls. Cute little town where you tie up to the wall above the lock and your are surrounded by other boats in the middle of town. Restaurants all around. We had happy hour at the Hog and Sow and went to a small small New Foundland restaurant and had Jiggs dinner with bread pudding for dessert. Yum. At 9:00 pm the place was quiet. We walked around and decided to go to bed too. Cool rainy day today with occasional sunshine.
July 19, 2014
survived the night at Lovesick lock beautiful area but man were there
lots of mosquitoes. We spent an hour killing mosquitoes in the boat
looks like a battleground with blood on the walls and floor and dead
mosquitoes all over in the boat. we are at 25 or passed lock 25 halfway
on the Trent Severn Waterway soon to be going down in the locks rather
than up. Beautiful lakes with big rocks sticking out of the water. we
were warned about the Black Bear coming on the boat to get the garbage
and told to put our garbage in the bathroom also that the raccoons
would sneak on the boat and get into different foods that may be left
out? Don is telling us his scary bear stories. So were careful to keep
everything locked up. Got up this morning with no trouble. Started the
motor started right away but immediately quit. We couldn't get the motor
started. So after lots of guessing what to do and our friends said they
would tow the boat to a marine about 8 miles down the water way so we
can have it looked at. Decided not to do that because there was a lock
in between not easy to get in the lock with one boat. So I said a prayer
and said make this motor start magically and then went back to the boat
pulled it back up and put it down again, it magically started everyone
amazed asked what I did, I told them I said a prayer no one could say
anything after that with great smiles we took off made it through a lock
25. We are sitting right now waiting for the mechanic to fix the motor
or the short in the wire, glad to have that wire fixed. Don and
Katherine from the 25 ft. Oday waiting for us. They are also doing tje
loop, started in Florida.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
July18, 2014 Friday
Happy Birthday Andy!
spent a quiet night at the top Lock 21, had bathrooms and electricity close. Right at the top of Peterborough lock 21.got an early start and had a wonderful day. Allen amd Patti caught up to us at locl 24 bevausr of a dels u in opening the lock. Said goodbye to them once again. Stopped at another lock to b o thru a touristy store and of course Karwatha ice cream. Nice break. Afe ot thru Lovesick. Lock named after a young native American who was in love with a girl.
spent a quiet night at the top Lock 21, had bathrooms and electricity close. Right at the top of Peterborough lock 21.got an early start and had a wonderful day. Allen amd Patti caught up to us at locl 24 bevausr of a dels u in opening the lock. Said goodbye to them once again. Stopped at another lock to b o thru a touristy store and of course Karwatha ice cream. Nice break. Afe ot thru Lovesick. Lock named after a young native American who was in love with a girl.
Friday, July 11, 2014
July 11, 2014 Trenton Marina, Trenton Quebec
Had a beautiful day motoring to the Trenton Marina, weather was perfect maybe a little cool 70 degrees, sweatshirt and shorts will do while we are on the water, warmer on land when we got into the marina at 4pm, short day, left Picton Marina at 10 am with Fairwinds and John B. Met John B.-Don and Katherine late Wed. night before we went to bed, they were tied up on the wall a few boats back. John from Nuclear Fishin said you got to go see that boat, it's smaller than yours and they're doing the loop in it, so we did, great couple started in Chesapeake somewhere and have come this far. She is Canadian and has to come back to Canada in a few months, something to do with insurance. So they are going as far as they can. They followed us today from Picton to Trent and I think we'll probably start thru the locks together tomorrow too. Just were tying up in the slip when Al and Patti from Fairwinds came by and said Happy Hour, so we pulled out our chairs on the lawn behind the boats and had happy hour watching Curt clean off the bottom of the dingy, not to many barnacles on the bottom of the dinghy this time. We need to fold it up and put on top of the boat going thru the locks here on the Trent Severen Waterway because the locks are tight and because they charge for the length of the dinghy in addition to our boat which is supposedly $4.50 per foot. We will pay as we go if we decide to tie up to the locks, hope to anchor out and go into some towns on the waterway, sounds like some neat places. Called Sal and Ina, friends from Marathon this winter, they came to visit us tonight also. Good to see them also. Had a concert in the park tonight which we took our chairs over to listen, had the rest of happy hour there and then got the famous Tomasato Pizza which was good too, only after Tiger ice cream which is orange dreamsicle tasting ice cream with black licorice, definitely a do again thing, ice cream is the famous Karthara Ice Cream. Yumm. Full moon tonight, can't wait to find a dark place to anchor this week while the full moon is happening.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
July 10, 2014 Thursday
We're off for Canada. No phone calls for two weeks or until back on the U.S.
Woke up at 2 am this morning with the wind blowing and our boat rocking like crazy banging up against the concrete wall. Finally started to settle down at 6 am, thinking the weather man was wrong again we stayed in bed, caught a little more sleep until Don and Connie in the trawler in front of us were getting ready to head out. We got and looked out the window, alot of the boats had already left so we made coffee, and took off. Lots of rolling going out the inlet, typical, wind didn't seem to be blowing but the waves were rolling straight out of the northwest with some wind, we were only able to do 3.9 to 4.6 knots with the waves making us pound on the bow at times. Curt kept saying "it will settle down the farther out we get", and it did after we started to get into the 400 ft deep water about 5 miles away from Oswego. Lots of fishing boats and trawlers still going by us as we were crossing Lake Ontario. Finally 30 miles away from Ontario we could see the two smoke stacks which was the inlet to go into taking us down the waterway to Picton. The towers and stones below them got bigger and bigger. Waves settled down even more and wind changing around to the east, southeast. Started to get 5.6 kts which really decreased our crossing time down 2 hours or more. Nice. Clouds started popping up but no storms. Thank God. Thank you to those who were praying for our safe passage. Met John B the 25 ft O"day, they were looking for a place to get gas, Curt told them to follow us to Picton if they ran out of gas we would give them some, so they followed us, finally a boat smaller than us traveling about the same speed. Made it to Picton around 8pm, tied up to the gas dock, Fairwinds happened to be right there, visited with them and made supper, walked around town. Found a quilt shop, but 10:30pm, closed :( Went back to the boat, nice quiet peaceful spot, great night sleeping weather, cool,calm. Fishermen on the dock were catching big Walleye and large mouth bass.
Woke up at 2 am this morning with the wind blowing and our boat rocking like crazy banging up against the concrete wall. Finally started to settle down at 6 am, thinking the weather man was wrong again we stayed in bed, caught a little more sleep until Don and Connie in the trawler in front of us were getting ready to head out. We got and looked out the window, alot of the boats had already left so we made coffee, and took off. Lots of rolling going out the inlet, typical, wind didn't seem to be blowing but the waves were rolling straight out of the northwest with some wind, we were only able to do 3.9 to 4.6 knots with the waves making us pound on the bow at times. Curt kept saying "it will settle down the farther out we get", and it did after we started to get into the 400 ft deep water about 5 miles away from Oswego. Lots of fishing boats and trawlers still going by us as we were crossing Lake Ontario. Finally 30 miles away from Ontario we could see the two smoke stacks which was the inlet to go into taking us down the waterway to Picton. The towers and stones below them got bigger and bigger. Waves settled down even more and wind changing around to the east, southeast. Started to get 5.6 kts which really decreased our crossing time down 2 hours or more. Nice. Clouds started popping up but no storms. Thank God. Thank you to those who were praying for our safe passage. Met John B the 25 ft O"day, they were looking for a place to get gas, Curt told them to follow us to Picton if they ran out of gas we would give them some, so they followed us, finally a boat smaller than us traveling about the same speed. Made it to Picton around 8pm, tied up to the gas dock, Fairwinds happened to be right there, visited with them and made supper, walked around town. Found a quilt shop, but 10:30pm, closed :( Went back to the boat, nice quiet peaceful spot, great night sleeping weather, cool,calm. Fishermen on the dock were catching big Walleye and large mouth bass.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
July 9, 2014 Wednesday on the wall between Lock 7 and 8 Oswego, New York
Woke up to a beautiful cool morning, cool but partly cloudy. Had a windy front come thru during the night, thought we would have to get up and shut the windows. Found a coffee shop Tim Horton's up the hill from our boat, apparently the Canadian equivalent of Starbucks in the U.S. Good Vanilla Coffee for me. Talk of the coffee shop was the High winds/Tornado that went thru a few miles behind us. Apparently many trees came down, power out in half of Oswego and the big news was the Drive In Movie theater got taken out along with some roofs in Minetto and trees down by the water. Minetto city dock is where we were a couple of days ago, hesitantly came here to tie on to the wall and wait for good weather to do the 45 plus mile crossing of Lake Ontario, well know for storms popping up and bad wind causing large wave action. So happy we came here, divine guidance? Met two other couples on trawlers at Minetto,they had been there for two days before we got there. They were kind enough to help us tie up and invite us to Happy Hour. One couple Allan and Patty just retired 1 month ago and having been living on their trawler in Norfolk for 11 years, they are heading to Georgian Bay to hang out for a while. The other couple Don and Connie have been cruising in the local area and are heading up the St. Lawrence River. Just realized yest. that we need to get ready food wise and alcohol wise to come into Canada. There are limits on each so glad I didn't shop for fresh fruits and vegetables. Was concentrating on crossing in a good weather window and getting enough gas. Wasn't thinking about what we can bring into Canada. Supposed to have storms this afternoon but tomorrow better. Weather changes by the hour here, difficult to trust the forecast.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
July 8, 2014
We are currently parked by the wall between Lock 7 and 8 at Oswego Canal, New York waiting for weather window to cross the 40 plus miles of Lake Ontario to Trenton, Canada and across the Trent Severn Waterway. We not be available by phone till back in the U.S. in approx. 1-2 weeks, so no postings unless I can find a free Wifi in Canada. You can email and I will pick up and answer as wifi is available. Hoping tomorrow or Thursday will be the good weather window.
Friday, July 4, 2014
July 4, 2014 Friday Happy 4th of July
At Schenectady Yacht Club on the Mohawk River, Erie Canal, leaving to go west to get out of the outskirting storms from the Hurricane.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
July 2, 2014 Wednesday Troy city dock
Woke up to nice calm waters, learned that they were going to have a
"Rockin the Waters" this afternoon at the parking lot right above our
boat with fireworks tonight instead of tomorrow night. With the dock
being free and Carol K. saying this was a need town to look around at
the windows and architecture we decided to stay and the bad thunderstorm
building and coming right over us. With our boat tied up securely and
all hatch covers in place we went off to the BBQ Rest., as you can tell
they have good Wifi. :) and good BBQ.
July 1, 2014 Tuesday Leaving the Anchorage north of Athens
0600-Weather clear, calm, CAVU, temp 70. Decided to sleep a little longer since needing to wait till the tide turned north again at around noon or 1 pm.
Motored over to the city dock at Athens and went to see the different architectural style of houses, saw a few, most not in really good repair, unable to find main street. Walking by a cemetery, saw headstones with death date of 1830, most of them unable to read on the stone due to"Acid rain" and the stone so deteriorated. Found a little gas station that had "Happy Hour Pizza", at noon for 99 cents a slice, had a great piece of Pizza and of course ice cream for dessert, after the apple fritter, once scoop of blueberry patch and one scoop of "death by chocolate". Ate it quickly on the way back to the boat, temp in the 90's feeling like 101 degrees with 80 plus humidity.
12:30 Left the Athens City dock, tide still going south against us and the wind has picked up making for high waves and us wallowing in the river as we were going up stream. Big boats passing going up smoothly.
1700- Stopped in Albany at the city dock, the railroad bridge unable to open for us for at minimum an hour. We decided even though the water was rough and wind blowing 15 plus knts we would take the mast down here which would enable us to go thru Lock 1 and 2 to Waterford and on thru the Erie Canal Waterway. Curt and I were nervous about doing this, especially in the wind, rough waters and a group of young kids driving their boat up and down the river by us giving us huge wakes. We had to remember the proper order in doing this, thankfully Curt remember each step and the mast came down without problems. Now we have a motor boat, hard to think that we can't put the jib up and get a little more speed. The kids came back to the dock and said sorry about the wake "My bad", one of the girls said do you do Yoga?, just checking your balance, ha ha. As Curt and I said yes you did rock us badly, the girl said whoops she's not smiling and off the boat and away from the dock they went. The boat leaving with very little wake but no matter we were done bringing the mast down and ready to go. Took us about 1 1/2 hours to get it down and everything tied up. Made it to the city dock in Troy, New York, too late to go any farther we tied up, hoping to get to Waterford tomorrow. Got to see a deer walking in and out of the trees along with the water.
Looking to the south from our anchorage
Looking to the north east of our anchorage
Athens City Dock, looks like they are getting ready for July 4th
Looking at the house built in 1883, redone and now a bar, bed and breakfast
Looking at our boat tied up to the dock at the Athen's City dock on the Hudson River
Beautiful flowers by their dock
Interesting bring chimneys along the water
Concerned for this large boat coming at us? or going? or anchored?
Coming and going by us, he was huge, not too bad of a wake though
Motored over to the city dock at Athens and went to see the different architectural style of houses, saw a few, most not in really good repair, unable to find main street. Walking by a cemetery, saw headstones with death date of 1830, most of them unable to read on the stone due to"Acid rain" and the stone so deteriorated. Found a little gas station that had "Happy Hour Pizza", at noon for 99 cents a slice, had a great piece of Pizza and of course ice cream for dessert, after the apple fritter, once scoop of blueberry patch and one scoop of "death by chocolate". Ate it quickly on the way back to the boat, temp in the 90's feeling like 101 degrees with 80 plus humidity.
12:30 Left the Athens City dock, tide still going south against us and the wind has picked up making for high waves and us wallowing in the river as we were going up stream. Big boats passing going up smoothly.
1700- Stopped in Albany at the city dock, the railroad bridge unable to open for us for at minimum an hour. We decided even though the water was rough and wind blowing 15 plus knts we would take the mast down here which would enable us to go thru Lock 1 and 2 to Waterford and on thru the Erie Canal Waterway. Curt and I were nervous about doing this, especially in the wind, rough waters and a group of young kids driving their boat up and down the river by us giving us huge wakes. We had to remember the proper order in doing this, thankfully Curt remember each step and the mast came down without problems. Now we have a motor boat, hard to think that we can't put the jib up and get a little more speed. The kids came back to the dock and said sorry about the wake "My bad", one of the girls said do you do Yoga?, just checking your balance, ha ha. As Curt and I said yes you did rock us badly, the girl said whoops she's not smiling and off the boat and away from the dock they went. The boat leaving with very little wake but no matter we were done bringing the mast down and ready to go. Took us about 1 1/2 hours to get it down and everything tied up. Made it to the city dock in Troy, New York, too late to go any farther we tied up, hoping to get to Waterford tomorrow. Got to see a deer walking in and out of the trees along with the water.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)