August 21-26 29013 Door County WI

Sunset from slip #35

Wednesday, August 21, we moved from the anchorage at Shanty Bay to Sister Bay Marina.  Were lucky enough to get slip 35 which faces out towards the bay when you bow into the slip.  Since we rarely back the boat into a slip (because I cant see anything behind us) we bowed in and had a wonderful view of the bay.

Sister Bay Marina and BeachQuest in the background

We walked around the town, went to the beach and ate at Sister Bay Bowl.  Had to dash back to the boat to close hatches and windows.  Heavy, heavy thunderstorm blew through soaking everything, and everyone.

Greg on the 18th hole

The next day we headed back to the anchorage to swim a little and sample the beach store ice cream.  Greg and I did 18 holes at the park golf course

Seany!  Lots of stuff to take back

Greg, Laura and Seany departed the next day at the same time Dave, Jennifer and their two sons arrived for a night.









The dinghy handled the luggage and people shuffling with no problem.

More beach time with Jack and Jonah.  And dinghy rides on a beautiful, albeit windy day.  Grilled on board and somehow squeezed everyone in various nook and crannies for the night.

Dinghy Rides!

The next morning the beach was nearly deserted (9am) but later in it swelled with swarms of beach goers.  Must be loads of retiree's camping here. But between 5-6pm it cleared out again and I swear I could hear the clink of ice cubes splashing into glasses around the numerous campfires.  Really!



















At least I was able to make us of one our Canadian purchases (well, actually the only purchase).  Gotta admit, it's damn festive!















Sunday the winds were blowing near 30mph but the boat was anchored well so we had no dragging issues.  We went to town for breakfast and a stop at the Olive Oil store to replenish our depleted olive oil stocks.  The kids dropped us off and left fro home.  We hung around the boat the rest of the afternoon although I did retrace one of my running routes.  Walking this time though, not running!

Ate aboard and then I had the urge to head to Wilson's in Ephraim around 8pm.  Took the dinghy over there (about a 20 minute ride) and brought back a dish of Mackinac Mint Fudge for Mary.  Very clear and relatively calm night.  Mary's mint fudge ice cream didn't melt into a puddle either.

Our solar panels are still not working even though I replaced the charge controller.  So I had left the gen set running when I left and when I returned I went through the switch over procedure from generator to inverter but alas the inverter didn't power up the AC bus.  Uh Oh.  So we went to bed sans AC electrical meaning no TV and no power to the freezer and fridge up on the fly bridge.

Hopefully the Yachtworks Marina guys can fix this (internal fuse I think) along with the vexing solar panel problem when we get there Tuesday.  But in the meantime we'll run the generator in the morning before I change the oil so we can run it later Monday evening.    The bountiful joys of boating never fail to deliver :-)

Great to be back in one of our old haunts!

August 19-20. School House Bay Washington Island and Peninsula State Park

We are in Wisconsin!

Brandon the Detour mechanic, brandishing  a 1/2 inch ratchet, a tool I don't have (yet), loosened the belt  tensioner so we could replace the alternator.  Took 20 minutes which is about how long it took me to initially realize I didn't have that tool.  We sadly had to abandon the plan to fuel up at St. Ignace ($3.99/gal) and instead took on 240 gallons at the Detour Marina ($4.21/gal).  We high tailed it out of there and made for Mackinac where we arrived after sunset and pulled into a slip.  Forgot how rolly it is in there with all the ferry wakes.

The band Grrr at the bar where we ate

We strolled the 100 feet to the Immigration Department's video phone to check back into the country.  After a bunch of questions and many "what's" because the phone had terrible audio we were officially granted re-entry in the US.  To celebrate we went to a bar and had a drink or two and dinner.  Got back to the boat by 10pm, backed out of the slip and were on our way to School House Bay on Washington Island in Wisconsin.

The wave heights were forecast to get into the 3-5 foot range by Monday so we wanted to get across the lake before then or face 2-3 days being stuck in Mackinac.  So we did another night cruise.  It was calm seas for awhile until we were inside Greys Passage when the swell really picked up.  By morning we were really rocking and then with the turn towards the west after Beaver Island we had beam seas which meant lots of side-to-side rolling.

School House Bay beach

But we finally made the calm water in School House Bay.  Nice and quiet.  A good night to rest up.  School House Bay sports and all stone beach and very clear water.

Anchored near the boat ramp at Nicolet Bay

Left the anchorage early and headed to Nicolet Bay in Peninsula State Park.  Rode into into 2-4 foot head seas as soon as we rounded the point.  They swells moderated as we made our south.  Arrived in the anchorage and experienced a bewildering series of failed anchoring attempts.  In all the years we've anchored in here this was the first instance of an anchor not setting right away.  We finally got a good hold right before Dave arrived to take Kathy back home.  Thanks Kath for the great time!

Greg and Laura arrived shortly after.  The dinghy got a workout transporting their stuff to the boat.  Went to the beach for ice cream but the snack bar was closed.  And the beach is surrounded by a chain link fence so they can regrow some vegetation.  Appears very prison-like.

 Back at the boat we grilled and then settled in for the night. Should be a good day tomorrow until the winds pick up and with it, rain.  Going to Sister Bay marina Wednesday and Thursday to wait out the weather.

August 16-18 Severn,ON to DeTour MI

Sunset on Georgian Bay

We left Severn Friday at 9:00am.  We took the southern channel and avoided the shorter Potato Channel on the advice of a local boater I was talking with in the lock.  We wound our way through this "better" channel out into the Bay.  Cruised all day and night with the goal of reaching Mackinac the next day.

In slip 39 at Detour Harbor marina

Lofty goals are sometimes met with insurmountable obstacles.  Like alternators.  Our starboard engine alternator in this case.  It began acting up but I was able to moderate the high output voltages with cooling air and much slower engine speed.  This slowed us way down so that all the time estimates of making Mackinac by this evening were out the window.  We decided to stop in DeTour to replace the alternator.





But in any case I guess we made it here and should be in Wisconsin in a few days.  With a forecast for strong SW winds Monday we'll be forced to scamper across Lake Michigan Sunday evening and probably anchor in School House Bay on Washington Island Monday before beating our way south down Green Bay towards Peninsula State park.

Energy drink, rum or some rooted plant juice?  

Our initial overnight passage from Cape May, New Jersey to New York City was a busy one so there was little time to doze off.  The over-nighter from Trent Ontario to Detour Michigan was less busy but we had another person with us.  .

Dont worry.  Some else is driving this thing.  I hope!

Our planned over night journey for Sunday should be easier still since we're all experienced over-night cruising hands

Piloting a boat at night is so easy for some they
 can do it in their sleep.  

August 15, 2013 Port Severn (Starport Marina)

Winds we're still blowing today so we elected to stay another day here and not beat ourselves up on the Bay.   And what better opportunity would there be to take care of a few boat maintenance items like ...

Cleaning the decks

Tightening clamps

Cleaning Strat-O-Glass

But after maintenance chores there's always time for more interesting activities like displaying items purchased at Canadian Tire ....










... or observing the deliveries at the LCBO up the block.

August 14, 2013 Port Severn (Starport Marina)

We mostly hung around the boat today enjoy the rocking motion caused by the beam on wind pining us to the dock.  Rather cool here too.  More like Fall actually.

We did take the courtesy  car, (in this case, truck) for a shopping trip to some exotic Canadian shops like Walmart, Dollar Tree, Home Depot, Giant Tiger and Canadian Tire.  A few you might recognize.  Some though like Giant Tiger and Canadian Tire might not ring a bell.




Giant Tiger is a discount outlet for clothing and other stuff.  I bought  a pair of shorts for $5.  Turns out the "medium" is really extra large so I cant wear them without a belt and super glue.

Canadian Tire is a better version of Fleet Farm.  Its got everything.  Including tires.

Home depot didn't have my filter wrench or a 1" brass check valve.  But they have everything else you'd find in a Home Depot.

Dollar Tree lured me in only to harshly disappoint when I discovered it's really a buck-and-quarter store.

Walmart  ... well what can I say.  Its  a Walmart but the MacDonalds located inside charge a shocking $1.50  for an ice cream cone.  My Canadian stash of cash is dwindling at an alarming rate.

We ate at the Principals Schoolhouse.  Fish and Chips.  It was in the basement of an old school house.  A family run affair.  No beer, but the food was pretty good.

Weather Friday will be better so we're leaving and doing an overnight to Mackinac if things all work out.

August 13, 2013 Port Severn (Starport Marina)

I was up at sunrise this morning.  Very calm and stunning at the Swift Rapids Lock..

We locked through lock #43 with a small runabout at 9am.  The weather which was dead calm early this morning started winding up with wind and clouds.











As we wound our way through fjord like channels, the winds increased but so did the quality of the scenery.  About mid way to Severn our Navigation system reached the end of the route I had so carefully laid in the following night.   So we were left basically navigating by eyeball, meaning we simply looked for the next buoy and hoped it was marking the channel to Severn.

The small lakes through here were warm deep and clear and oh so inviting.  But on this journey we simply didn't have the time or decent weather to swim or engage in any  Chunky-Dunking.

Boat on the rail platform 

The last exciting lock after the two lift locks at Peterborough(#21) and Kirkfield(#36) is the Big Chute railway lock.  Here they have you drive your boat on a large platform which is equipped with big slings.  They place the slings under the boat which stabilize the sides as the rail car is moved out of the water.  This keeps the boat from tipping over since its actually resting on its keel.  The rail car traverses about a quarter mile of land and drops about 58 feet.  Rather remarkable idea for moving recreational craft without constructing a lock.



The entry to the rail car today was a nail biter though.  With the normal port-setting current augmented by a very stiff wind also setting us to port,  I had to make a powered approach offset to starboard.  Got in ok, but the stern swung out as I backed the starboard shaft and we bounced on the slings.  Later one of the dock guys told me they set those slings to help boats in high winds.  Instead of careening off the steel sides of the rail car we careened off the sling.  Luckily!

At the top of the lift

Shortly after leaving Big Chute you come to a high faced channel with a blind 90 degree turn to port into a very narrow cut with exceptionally strong currents.   And of course we met two boats coming out of the darn thing in the opposite direction.  We got lucky because maneuvering to avoid squishing them placed us perilously close to the rock wall.  Luckily we avoided chewing up a prop!







We finally emerged in Severn on a twisting channel boarded by several marinas.  But we were intending on tying up at the Lock wall so we passed them by even though the wind was really howling by then.  This last lock is the smallest lock (we'll have to go through it alone) so the the wall is rather petite.  And of course there were 5 boats already there leaving no room for us. So back to a marina we had to go which meant a 360 turn. In this wind, and given and our boats penchant for acting as a sail, such maneuvers can lead to many moments of unwanted excitement.  But it went fine.

The boat behind us is about 3 feet from our stern. 

Called the marina on the radio but didn't have my glasses on and got the name wrong.  They answered immediately when I finally got the name right.  We docked at the gas dock momentarily and then proceed to a long side dock between two other boats with the roaring wind pushing us into the dock.  Another exciting moment but no crashes or anything untold.  So we're sharing the face dock with a go fast Sea Ray behind us, and Albin 43 and a marvelous 36' Manatee in front of us.




Great staff here!  They are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable.  And I hope their knowledge extends to the water next to us because I don't have a clue of how to extract ourselves from the narrow confines of the dock without a precise understanding of the water depths.

Heck, that'll be Thursday's excitement.  Wait!  Did say Thursday?  Damn retirement.  Cant keep the days straight.  I meant Friday.  Georgian Bay is still rough today but early Friday morning. the winds will die down transforming Georgian Bay from an angry torrent of water to an inviting, placid pond.  We much prefer placid ponds. Meanwhile I changed the oil in the main engines today so we are all set to go ... after I clean out the water maker primaries and do some navigation work tomorrow.

Currently listening to waves slap the hull which is lulling me to sleep.

August 12, 2013 Swift Rapids (Lock 43)

Preparing for the days journey with the last of the cherry pie and Canadian coffee.

Entering Lake Simcoe

Our valiant try to make Severn today failed.  It was just to far.  We crossed  Lake Simcoe in a light breeze and the temptation to jump in was hard to resist.  Very clear and relatively deep.   Following the route took us through picturesque lakes and river runs lines with cottages.  Very northern Wisconsin-ish.  We opted to try and make it to the lock wall at Swift Rapids, Lock 43. The lock operator at Lock 42 assured us we'd make it with out a problem and even promised there'd be room on the wall.  And she was right!  

Narrow winding channels hewed out of the rock

Lock 43 is very isolated with nothing around.  There is a hydro plant here and one of the spillways has a ramp affair at the bottom which launches water in a spectacular arc.   Of course it wasn't operating so we only saw a trickle of water meekly dribbling down the spillway.

 

The lock wall and the calm before the winds picked up

Three other boats where there including a gold looper.  Gold loopers are people who have completed the loop twice.











So what is The Loop?  Here's a good explanation: The Loop


Skies were clear when the sun went down so I was anticipating a good star gazing night but it turned out the glare from the lock chamber flood lights obscured the sky making viewing difficult.

Lock 43 has a 47 foot drop, largest of the Canal's 45 locks.   It also has a double lock door arrangement on the up side for ease of maintenance.  Here is a map of all 45 of the Trent Severn Locks




We finished off the Texas caviar with cocktails and most everyone went to bed early.   The wild bunch takes a night off?  Hmmm ..

August 11, 2013 Lock 38 (Talbot)

Pictures to follow shortly.

We left Bobcaygen around 9:30 following a large rental houseboat who were anxious to leave. THere were several long narrow cuts through forested areas.  We reached the Kirkfield lift lock in plenty of time to lock through.  Its not quite as high or mighty as the Peterborough lock but seemed to move at a much swifter pace.  After Kirkfield we passed through the Trent Canal, a very narrow cut through rock.

Trent Canal

Kirkfield Lift lock at the top of the lift

After leaving Kirkfield we wound through some very shallow areas filled with little islets.  A minute or two after passing this island we chunked on something.  The props weren't damaged so I think the keel must have hit something.








We did make water in one of the lakes and did a load or two of laundry on the way!  We had intended on anchoring  for the evening but given the ify weather conditions and unknown bottom conditions we elected to stay on a lock wall at lock 38.

Lock 38 is a rather desolate rural area, but nice.  The lock master here was very helpful and took our lines when we came in although we can now dock by ourselves .. more or less.  We gave him an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie as a tip since they cant accept real tips.







We took a walk and and observed chickens at one house which Kathy identified as ... well I forgot, but they weren't  normal chickens.  I ran up the road to a resort type place in my never ending quest for an internet connection, but couldn't get into the compound.

Made up a batch of Texas caviar (thanks Dona!) and had cocktails with it on rapidly deteriorating corn chips.

The continuing saga of  absconding with a real Parks Canada shirt isn't going well for a person with a burning desire to own one.  Bribery, charm and threats flounder against steadfast resistance of the Lock staff.  Only a few locks left now too.

Still shirtless in Ontario ...

August 10, 2013 Bobcaygen, Ontario

We went the 40 miles to Lock 32 at Bobcaygen, another neat but busy little town.  Along the way we lost the inverter to over temp and high voltage alarms but it came right back up after turning off the AC loads and running slower with the engine blowers on.

Traveled through some beautiful scenery especially around Hells Gate and Stony Lake.    

Coming into the lock area at Bobcaygen

Coming into the lock area it was busy, and a trifle confusing as to the location of the lock.  Of course it turned out to be where all the boats were milling about.  Luckily we found some space big enough for us along the blue line on the lock wall.   (For those unfamiliar, the Blue Line is a blue colored line on the lock wall designated for boats waiting to go through the lock).  I talked with the lock master and since it was late he allowed us to stay there for the night.

On the Blue Line

Bigblys is the large building in the background

The lock is right in the middle of the town. There's a Bigley shoe store here which seemed to stir a torrent of excitement for some on board.  As for me, well I'm not into shoes that much.  There were several ice cream stands and a well stocked grocery store.  Internet was available at the Kiwartha coffee shop next to Bigleys.

Vacationing Canadians rent houseboats around here.  And in the evening around the campfire they sing along to old 60's music.  A few of them had really good voices.  That was our entertainment for the night.  

Again, no pictures.  We have a coffee house internet connection but we're due in the lock in 15 minutes so no picture uploads today.

August 9, 2013 Lakefield Ontario

We made it to Peterbrough and the infamous lift-lock there.  Quite thrilling to ride up in a large bathtub of water.  The lift is around 80 feet.  We rode up with this houseboat.  

After that we went all the way up to lock 26 and Lakefield, Ontario.  Its a bustling little town with a MacDonalds!  Nice park-like setting above the lock.  I hightailed it there to get the free internet.  Had to buy an ice cream cone. Then found out the internet wasn't working.

Next rode 2 miles to the pizza hut for their free internet connection!  Had to buy a pizza.  Ate the pizza waiting for a web page to load.  Speedy?



Left there and started back into the two scanning for wifi signals. Found one at the Thirsty Loon.  A bar/restaurant.  Cajoled the hungry crew (Mary and Kathy) to head over for a drink so I could satiate my internet hunger.  Ended up being a dinner outing but I did get a lot of email and other business taken care off.  Mary and Kathy went back to the boat and I stayed but met Bruce at the bar who was very talkative.  And I  learned a whole lot about the Canal.

 Finally made it back to the boat.

August 8, 2013 Hastings Ontario

We made it through a whole series of locks until lock 18 around 4pm.  We decided to stop for the day and tied up on the wall above the lock.  Hastings is a small little town but has grocery and ice cream and the necessary Liquor and Beer store.  Banjo's is a little shack with great food.

Thanks to Ernia and Tina on Ideal for all the info!

Sorry no pictures yet.  When I get a chance to uplaad them I'll edit the post.

August 7, 2013 Campbellford Ontario

Our dock at Picton Bay

Tuesday we left Picton Bay after crossing Lake Ontario.  We were attempting to make Trenton but it was too far so we pulled into Picton Bay and they luckily had a spot for us.  We were traveling with SweetWater (Time and Pam).









We left Picton around 9am and traveled the 39 or so miles to Trenton.  Tied up at the free day dock and went shopping and hit an ATM machine for some Canadian cash.  Ended up at  a liquor store where Kathy and Mary stocked up.  Swung by a farmers market which also had a meat store and bought more stuff.

 Guess who lugged it all back to the boat?

On the lock wall

Sweetwater went over to a marina for a pump out and then we both went up river to the first lock.  We missed the last locking of the day and ended up staying on the lock wall over night.  Had a great time with Tim and Pam who came over for cocktails.

A double lock

We were first to lock through this morning.  The locks here are very narrow and small compared to the Erie Canal.  We shared the lock with Sweetwater and no other boats until lock 10 when Shell Seeker joined us for the last three locks.  We went through 12 locks today. Thanks Kathy for being a deck hand!

Looking out over the double lock

This double lock we went through was impressively high.  That's Eye Candy down below waiting to enter the lock.

We tied up in a neat little town, Campbellford Ontario.  They have a town wall/dock at only $0.90 a foot.  We have 20 amp electrical and a grocery store a block away.  Most everyone stayed on their boats tonight but Mary and I went to the Apollo for diner.  Good food!

Came back to the boat and enjoyed a thundering rain storm complete with lightening.  We now have a clean boat and I now know where most of the leaks are located.


Tomorrow we're off again.  Probably wont make Peterborough but we'll be very close to it.  Since internet connections are few a far between I may not be able to post anything for several days.  I did update the our Map as far as Campbellford.