LakeOntario

To Colborne, Ontario    - July 25, 2009

After a fairly quick trip across New York state and checking in to our lodging for the night, we took a walk around Port Colborne wondering if the "Mighty Quinn" would be arriving from Erie, PA, given the forecast for 90% chance of thunderstorms along their intended track. We drove down to the marina to see if we could spot them on the docks. I asked at the office if they'd checked in yet, and was told they were just approaching the docks.   The woman told us the location of the assigned slip and the access code to the docks, so we set out to take lines and greet them to town. Talk about timing!

The wind was howling and after making a valiant attempt to maneuver into the assigned slip, Chuck requested to use an empty slip one over. It provided a bit of a lee from the large power boat that was in the adjacent slip. After getting permission, the docking was straight forward, although the man in the power boat spent the entire time glowering at the Mighty Quinn. Obviously he'd never attempted docking a sailboat with a major prop walk under windy conditions, and should have been relieved at the change in slips since he would have been in the other side of the slip that shared the original assignment.

It was great to see everyone, and there were hugs all around. They'd spent a good portion of the day dodging the thunderstorms, with bad weather on either side of the boat. The wind made for a fast sail, although after the passage of one cell, they said the wind made an abrupt change, backing the jib before they could react. If they'd waited to cross after listening to the forecast (Thea missed the actual forecast) they'd likely had strong head winds the next day, making the crossing impossible.

After checking through the provisions, Leonard and I made a grocery store run with the car. Even though we went to a Price Chopper, it was difficult to find what I wanted to buy. I guess having a premier Price Chopper across the street at home has spoiled me, but this one left a great deal to be desired!

We opted to eat dinner together at the restaurant adjoining the inn where we were staying, which gave us a chance to catch up on the Platt's portion of the journey. Besides, the pub had some interesting beers on tap. Some how we managed to time things right and missed the rain going to dinner, as the skies opened up just after our arrival. It seemed the "rain every day" syndrome we've experienced most of the summer followed us to Ontario.

Port Colburne town docks at far right by the blue house

Sunday July 26, 2009

As planned, we exchanged modes of transport with the Platts about 0800, with us heading for the Welland Canal and a long day of transversing the 8 locks and 30 some miles connecting Lake Erie with Lake Ontario. While last year's west bound trip had been a bit of a nightmare due to strong winds and all the locks being lifts, we were hoping that the eastbound transit would be easier. The Seaway folks require 3 people on board on the west boundpassage, but only 2 heading east since lowering the locks is less turbulent than lifting, so we had our fingers crossed.

Once again it was very windy. A series of thundershowers had passed through during the night with heavy rain and high winds. The fishing contest scheduled for the day was cancelled after a boat out to scout the conditions on the lake reported waves breaking over the outer breakwater Instead they handed out the prizes by a raffle while drinking the beer they'd brought for post contest! It looked like we might have an interesting passage.

After locating the Welland Canal entrance dock and paying the required fee (at $200, the canal is the most expensive set of locks on the Seaway and the trip), we were told to wait until 1100 before entering the system. The Lock Master controls everything. So instead of our early start, we spent a little over 2 hours cooling our heels at the town dock, hesitant to leave the boat in case he called early. He didn't, and it was 1100 when we cleared the first lift bridge in the 33 mile system.

Lock gates openning after doing Lock 8 (or the first from Lake Erie)

We were delighted to find that the down locking was a breeze. It was like sitting in a bath tub and having the tub drained. The lock tenders did a good job handing us the very long lines required for the huge locks (a 348 foot descent in the canal with an average of 47 feet per lock), and very little fending was needed in spite of the wind. Things went smoothly until exiting Lock 4 when we'd been instructed to keep out of the way of the lake freighter that would be exiting the lock. It takes a while to get up enough power to start moving these huge boats.

A big ship going up as we go down in parallel locks

When we finally negotiated the passing and made it into the lock, the lock tender apologized and requested we exit back out of the lock and go tie up along the west wall beyond the lock. No explanation other that the Lock Master had changed his mind. Sort of like Monopoly, do not pass go or collect $200. So off we went to tie up against the wall. It was a bit tricky since the wind was pushing us off the wall and the bollards were spaced and of a size for freighters, not 38 foot pleasure craft- we had too tie dock lines together to reach!

Freighter passing us in the canal

There we sat, like kids being punished for some unknown deed, with no communication from the authorities. It was hot, so after eating lunch (by now it was 1500) we sat below, cooling our heels, reading and keeping an ear out on the radio for any indication we might be allowed to re enter the system. Eventually we heard talk about a ship entering the lock which would pass us while we were still tied to the wall. Finally we saw to top of the ship appear over the lock gates and just keep getting bigger and bigger as the lock filled. From our vantage point, it appeared the ship filled the entire width of the lock, and indeed, we saw what looked to be fresh red paint on the lock walls once we got back into the lock.

Algocanada easing out of Lock 3

It also turned out to be the worst lock of the trip. In the locks, as we dropped,Chuck had been using the engine to help keep the boat in place. This had worked very well. Actually, under closer scrutiny, I realized the transmission had a mind of its own, shifting on a whim, and not necessarily when Chuck intended. It would then pop back to neutral just as he'd reach for the shift lever, as if taunting him.

Chuck fending off the lock wall in one of the big locks
(note the size of the lock gates behind us)

Lock 3 it took a whole lot more work. Both Chuck and I pulled on the stern line to keep the back of the boat from heading into the middle of the lock and he used a lot more RPMs. I no longer felt superfluous. Naturally, this was the lock that has the controls for the whole system and a visitor viewing area with lots of people watching. We were much relieved to exit the lock unscathed. The last 2 locks were anticlimactic, the only concern being the gathering dark clouds that had been slowly building as the day progressed.

To reach our destination for the night, Port Dalhousie, we had to head west for a bit on Lake Ontario. We watched the rain fill in around us and then engulf us. Having been given advance warning, we all were suited up in our foul weather gear before it hit. There were enough strokes of lightening with closely following bangs in our immediate vicinity that we were glad to let Auto do the steering while we huddled under the dodger. Fortunately the rain was brief and had passed by the time we entered the Dalhousie River. Chuck had planned to head up river for the yacht club, but the entrance channel sported new cleats and several boats were tied up. After asking another skipper if it was possible to tie up for the night we learned we could, and he told us no one had appeared to collect any fees. Hearing this, we picked a spot and settled in for the night.

It had been a long day. We'd been ready to start the canal by 0845 and it had been 1830 by the time we exited. It could have been worse as the Lock Master has the power to delay you as he sees fit any where in the system. The freighters have priority and the locks run 24/7. You are expected to make it through the entire system once you have begun and are only allowed to tie up overnight at the Lock Master's discretion, which doesn't include excuses like over tired crew. There were 4 sail boats lined up at the Ontario side of the lock awaiting passage as we left. One of lock tenders told us the next 2 days were fully scheduled with freighters, so it was possible those boats could be required to wait for an opening in the schedule.

After dinner Leonard and I took a walk into town in the dwindling twilight. It was bustling with multiple bars, many with music. Fortunately we were far enough away that the noise wouldn't be an issue. The town and the docks appeared to be a favorite hangout for the locals. We'd been entertained watching the steady stream of folks walking past the boat as we ate dinner. The only breaks in foot traffic were caused by passing rain showers, but as soon as the rain stopped, people were back.

After a short walk in the morning to stretch our legs, we got underway heading across the lake to Toronto. With a west wind, it was a nice sail and it was interesting to watch the city rise up out of the horizon. The CN Tower made for an easy way point. Chuck called ahead and arranged for a slip in the downtown area so we'd have easy access to the city. Many of the marinas and yacht clubs are located on the barrier islands that provide a natural harbor. While staying there might be quieter, it would require a ferry ride to get to town.

Toronto skyline from the west

Kajama under sail at harbor entrance

We berthed across the bay from the downtown airport. We would hear a sound like fire crackers whistling before the engines revved up prior to takeoff. The guys figured out this was bird control to clear the flight path prior to takeoff and landing. The airport was very busy, handling everything from small private planes to good sized commuter flights. The airport was a bit of a surprise. Although both captains had checked the charts in the morning, neither noticed the obvious runways right at the edge of the channel. Another surprise was the airport ferry. We'd read there was a ferry crossing and traffic was to give way to the ferry, but since it was in a slip off the channel we didn't see it until we were right there. Luckily the ferry captain saw us and gave us the time to clear his path before heading across.

Aerial view of Marina Quay West (Mighty Quinn is closest to the sea wall just beyond the tall ship). Note the airport and the ferry in the channel.

After a quick lunch we headed off to explore Toronto. One of the places we wanted to locate was the pump out station that, while on the harbor wall, wasn't at the marina. Since we planned an early departure (before the marina opens) on Wednesday, we didn't want any problems. It took tokens and could be done with or without assistance. We'd been told it was between the 2 big mega yachts that were on the face docks. One of those included a helicopter on deck along with several good sized runabouts. Both were out of the Cayman Islands.

Mega yacht with helicopter on the deck

Toronto "beach"

Just past the marina was a "music garden", an interesting park with a small area where music was preformed (just not on Mondays or Tuesdays). It had a number of interesting areas, including a natural wet lands section and a series of flower gardens connected by meandering paths. This year a series of "wave" walks were installed along the boardwalk which have a number of different levels of walkway in different wave patterns. Interesting. We also had a nice view of a tall ship berthed just past the marina. It could be rented for special occasions, and looked like they take it out for sails on the lake.

New "wave walk"

Empire Sandy - the largest sailing ship in Canada

The waterfront was filled with kids, obviously various summer camps in the area take advantage of the sailing and paddling classes offered. A small area of sand surrounded by the walkway that provided a "beach" of sorts that was being used by sun bathers and kids playing. We'd watched Kajama sail out of the harbor as we'd entered, and saw it returning to the dock so we wandered over to observe the docking. It was neat to watch them fold up the aft most sail. It folded up like a butterfly's wing, when they were off the wind and stowed neatly along the mast. We were hoping to see them do the same to the other 2 sails, but they were dropped the traditional way, by heading into the wind.

Sailing class

"Kajama" approaching the dock

We then headed to the CN Tower, but when faced with a 1 1/2 hour wait to get to the elevators, we opted to return in the morning before the crowds arrived. Instead we wandered around trying to find a place where Chuck and Mary had eaten in the past. It turned out to be a smaller version of the Marches or markets in Montreal and Quebec City. The difference was instead of independent stalls, upon entry you received a card and every time you made purchase, it would be added to your card to be payed wheb you left. It offered nicely prepared food with a wide variety of international menus to eat in or take out, with prices lower than regular restaurant rates. Since we had food on board, we only picked up some fresh bread and rolls for breakfast. We were tired and foot sore by the time we got back to the boat.

Night view of Toronto from the dock

One of the reasons we came to Toronto was for Chuck to see if he could locate the priest he'd purchased the boat from some 8 years ago. It took some phone calls, but he was able to locate him and left a message that we were in town. He sounded like an interesting guy as he'd just returned from Peru where he'd been working at mission. Note, Chuck indicated he was old when they purchased the boat, but obviously he's still very active if he's doing mission work in the jungle.

On Tuesday, after making plans to meet at the boat in the evening and go to dinner with Father Quinn, we headed over to the CN Tower. With short lines for both tickets and the elevator, we were soon looking down on Toronto. We spent hour and a half enjoying the view. They very thoughtfully placed the restaurant blocking a prime portion of the waterfront view. After checking out the "glass floor" one level down, we splurged and got coffee so we could take in the whole view. It was worth it.

Barrier islands viewed from the CN tower

Railroad turn table view from CN tower

Across the street from the tower was an old roundhouse being refurbished and home to the Steam Whistle brewery. We checked that out and got a good sized sample of their signature beer, a pilsner. We were given a ticket for a second glass, but opted pass on that since we hadn't had lunch yet. The vats were very impressive, but we didn't want to wait an hour to take a tour.

Sampling Steam Whistle beer

Engine on the turn table

New wall painting of the rail yards

Landscape work out side the round house

The roundhouse still has 32 tracks that could be operational, and an engine sitting in the middle of the turntable. Several of the tracks had rolling stock on them too, but under tarps during the renovation. It was the largest roundhouse any of us has ever seen. Built in 1930, it was heated, allowing maintainence work to be done even in cold weather. It would be interesting to see the final rehab - workmen were busy doing landscape work and there was lots of space for shops, including a huge furniture store that was open.

Interior view of refurbished round house

Next we made quick stop for some lunch on our way to the art museum . The folks at the marina had recommended it highly as had Father Quinn. The building was designed by the sculptor, Henry Moore, and houses an exhibit of a large number of his plaster casts. Unfortunately, that exhibit was on the first floor, and we'd done the recommended "start at the top and work your way down" route. There were also interesting Surrealist, African, Oceanic and Inuit exhibits on the first floor as well as a large model ship section. Tired as we were after having spent the afternoon wandering down the 5 floors of exhibits, we trudged through them before departing. By the time we left, we were foot sore and museumed out .

Henry Moore's plaster cast exhibit

The walk back to the boat took us through China town and I wished I'd had more energy to explore some of the markets. As it was, we needed to locate a grocery store we'd been told was on the route back. It was a brand new Sobeys, and a real treat to shop. Chuck and I wandered around picking out goodies while Leonard looked at magazines since shopping for food is not as high on his list of priorities as eating it is. Luckily they had samples of really good smoothies which helped perk us up.

Reflection of the CN tower

Reflections with curved glass

We spent several hours waiting to hear from Father Quinn when Chuck realized there were messages on his phone he hadn't received. Nice to see that ours isn't the only cell phone that occasionally neglects to ring or beep when someone's trying to reach us. Irritating, but quickly remedied as Father Quinn was soon at the marina, admiring the boat he'd raced and loved. He approved all the changes Chuck as made over the years.

Father Quinn back aboard the Mighty Quinn

He was a treat. Hardly the image evoked by the word priest, and everything that Chuck had been telling us about for years. He is an Oblate Father whose mission in life is to help others and have a great time while doing it. As a recovering alcoholic, he spent time aboard the Mighty Quinn taking groups of recovering men and women from a 400 bed facility he helped found, out on 3 night, 4 day trips, teaching them the art of sailing as well as to trust each other since their lives depended on it. Each person, usually 7 in a group, would be assigned a position aboard ship. It was their responsibility to then teach the next person what they had learned until they'd rotated through all positions. The crew were also required to spend an hour together eating dinner and discussing what had been learned during the day. In his personal experience, learning trust and caring for others was a major hurdle to be crossed in recovery.

He worked out of Detroit in the 60's, with the boat located on the eastern side of northern Lake Michigan, the trips included some rather posh ports of call. The crews included some talented musicians and interesting people from all walks of life, and they were required sit on deck after dinner and entertain and interact with the folks on shore. This made for some interesting experiences on both sides of the dock. The crew weren't accustomed to having admiring audiences, and the folks on shore usually weren't to happy at the start to have a motley crew on "their" dock. Surprises and appreciation all around, not a bad outcome and I can't see many people able to pull it off, but Father Quinn proved more than capable.

I asked about his sailing and racing experiences and learned he'd been directed to get a boat (with an addictive personality, he'd become a workaholic and sailing was to provide some needed relaxation) and then went to racing schools in Florida to learn to sail. Naturally he found racing to be addictive, and he ran very successful campaigns and winning the "Mac" race in '85. Being the charismatic Irishman that he is, he also met and sailed with a number of America's Cup and other wealthy sailors. I suspect he was equally adept at fund raising to support his other use of the boat. After the races, the"good" gear would be trucked back and various members of his family would join him for the return trip.

After a circuitous tour of Toronto, he treated us all to dinner at the Marche we'd visited the day before. Both the food and the company were excellent. After dinner he drove us to his house to retrieve the life ring that had hung on the stern of the Mighty Quinn for years. We also saw photos of the boat taken during some of the races and others from his hockey playing years.

He was a member of "Flying Fathers," a group of hockey playing priests akin to the Harlem Globetrotters. Prior to becoming a priest he'd played semi professional hockey and the "Fathers" were of a caliber that raised a lot of money for charity playing a variety of teams including retired professionals. At 75, he has hung up his skates, but still tells some great stories of his day as a goalie in drag. He wore a red dress and a blond wig as part of his gear. At the end of the evening he promised to make the trip to Vermont for some sailing. We are all looking forward to his visits.

Chuck has also been having a great time disputing the location of the hockey hall of fame. For those of you not familiar with or from Minnesota, skip this part. It began at the Info Center when the nice lady told us we'd find the Marche next to THE Hockey Hall of Fame. Chuck immediately that couldn't be, as THE hall of fame was in Eveleth MN. She took a bit of offense (these Canadians are possessive about their hockey playing) but soon joined in the fun while maintaining the "correct" location to be in Toronto. After discussing the location with Father Quinn, it was determined that there might actually be 2 halls of fame. (It's hard to kid a kidder.) Chuck also pulled this with the dock master at the marina who then took us out to the dock and pointed at the airport. He told us a tale about baseball and Babe Ruth who hit his first home run out of the park, then located on the waterfront, and into the lake. We couldn't top that.

As you can probably tell, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Toronto. Unfortunately even our loose schedule dictated a need to move on if the Mighty Quinn was to reach Lake Champlain before the snow flies. Wednesday morning saw a groggy crew (no alcohol, but Father Quinn kept us up well after our normal bunk time) headed for the showers before departing for new adventures. The only thing missing at the marina was a wifi spot. We asked, but they had problems keeping a provider and finally gave up. Hence the delay in dispatching log notes from either of us.

Early morning departure

There was no wind, so we swung the compass, (a very slow rotation to align the autopilot compass with the binnacle), in the harbor after leaving the pump out station and departed Toronto about 0745. The morning was a motor with occasional rain showers to dampen things. Our next chosen port of call, determined by consensus, was Cobourg, about 50 NM further east. The wind finally appeared mid morning (along with heavier rain) allowing us to become a sail boat in the true sense of the word. While rain had been in the forecast, the winds hadn't been predicted to blow out of the NW, but we get what we get, and were sailing the direction we wanted to head. We also got more calm which required firing up the iron jenny. Thankfully Auto is willing to stand watch in the rain allowing us to keep dry under the dodger while keeping an eye on things.

Cocktails in Cobourg

After checking into the marina at Colbourg, we took a walk around the town. Unfortunately it was after 1700 and the sidewalks were rolled up for the night. There were a couple of restaurants open, but we planned on eating aboard. We did find a internet cafe (closed!) and planned to return in morning to get and send messages. Internet connection was available at the marina, but cost as much as per day as a month at home and was more than we wanted to pay. Chuck had used his cell phone connection earlier in the trip and found that the brief connection cost $8, not something we want to do casually.

It was Wednesday night races at the Colbourg Yacht Club, and we watched the sails as they drifted around the race course just outside the breakwater. Just like race night at home, no wind! We visited the clubhouse after dinner do see if we could get some local knowledge about the depths in the Murray Canal. Leonard had looked the charts, and advocated taking a short cut into the Thousand Island area rather than sail along the northern shore of the main lake. Chuck was unsure that his 7 foot draft fit in either the canal or the area leading to the canal proper. We found some cruisers who claimed they'd not seen depths less than 10 - 12 feet this summer. It helped that the lake was about 2 feet higher than normal thanks to the persistent rains this summer, so there should be more water than the charts indicate.

Early in the morning we returned to the internet cafe (they had good cinnamon rolls and coffee) to connect to the internet. Leonard was somewhat frustrated at being unable to get an e mail message sent out. He hadn't planned on sending my log out as setting up the website would take more time than we had to spend, but had wanted to send a quick note to let everyone know the trip was going smoothly. At least we were able to pick up our messages.

While the guys finished up on the computers, I headed out to see what the sidewalk sale had to offer. In spite of the early hour (before 0800), the main street was closed to traffic and the shop keepers were busy setting up for a weekend long sidewalk sale. Across the street I picked up a great top at the out door gear shop, and content with my "find," headed back to find the guys.

Before we departed the harbor, we topped off the fuel tank and I made a quick run to the grocery store that was almost across the street. Chuck had heard some men talking about how neat the store was, so I had to check it out. The doors were still locked (it was a few minutes before the official 0900 opening) but the clerk was nice and opened the door for me. It was a brand new store that had opened since the Mighty Quinn had been in port last year. I found some nice looking fish for dinner

Straightening out the spinnaker

Sailing under the chute

The wind slowly filled in as we headed east, and after eating breakfast, Chuck and Leonard sorted out the spinnaker and got it set. It made for a very pleasant and fast sail. I'd spent last year trying to get Chuck to set it, but given the prevailing westerly winds, it hadn't been possible. After a great run and we finally took it down as we headed toward the bay that took us to Murray Canal. Being uncertain about the depths, we weren't anxious to find a shallow spot while charging along under full sail.

Leonard at the helm

Following the directions we'd gotten from the locals, we avoided both the shoals and the weedy patches and headed up the canal. There was a $5 fee for opening the 2 swing bridges that cross the canal. Collection of the fee was done as you passed through the first bridge by the bridge tender passing a brass pot attached to a long poll for you to place the money in. Actually the fee is $4.95, but he didn't return the pot with the nickel. The canal was 3 miles long, and after exiting the canal you entered the Bay of Quinte which was prime cruising grounds in the Thousand Islands region.

Bridge tender with pole and pot collecting the fee

We found a pleasant cove toward evening and tucked in for the night. It was good to be swinging at anchor again. It had been a great day of sailing. No only had we had a good spinnaker run east, but we'd managed to sail most of the way after we'd left the canal. Other than some shallow water, the area was a great cruising grounds. Too bad we didn't have more time, but we enjoyed the few days we had.

In the morning while Leonard raised the main, Chuck hauled the anchor and we sailed away. There wasn't much wind and no chance to set the spinnaker, but since we only planned on going as far as Picton, a short day of some 20 miles, we weren't in a rush. Chuck has had problems with a coolant leak in his engine this year. He and Bob Platt had worked on it after they got into Port Colbourne and they'd hoped the fix might be as simple as tightening down hose clamps which needed to be done with a cool engine. After topping off the engine coolant, he and Leonard emptied the cockpit locker and tore apart the quarter berth while I slowly sailed the boat toward Picton.

Turned out it wasn't a nice easy fix - never seems to be. Although one of the hose clamps wasn't really attached, replacing it and tightening the others didn't solve the problem. It would appear the heat exchanger he had installed by a yard in Michigan may have gotten damaged when the mechanic installed it. Chuck was less than pleased with the work he'd had done as this looks to be the latest of several problems resulting from sloppy workmanship. The temporary solution was to take the pressure off the system which appeared to stop the leak, but would require an eye being kept on the engine temperature gauge.

Our plan was to anchor close to town and pump up the dinghy to go ashore. The anchorage described in the guide book was filled with moorings, and being a narrow bay, left no place to safely drop a hook. We asked about the moorings at a marina and learned they were operated by the Prince Edward Yacht Club. We got the last available mooring, right off the yacht club docks.

PEYC docks

Chuck had forgotten the foot pump for the dingy, so Leonard and I began the tedious task of using the "hand pump from hell". It was very inefficient, required lots of arm work with very little air going into the tubes. When we had it about 3/4 done, Chuck found his electric pump which we used with his small inverter. It was a little faster and a lot less work.

We'd heard on the radio that it was a long weekend for the Canadians. Monday was Civic Day and town was packed with people. We were lucky we weren't a day later as the yacht club was hosting a group of some 30 Albin boat owners and would have been full. We explored the town and after finding a bakery and getting treats for dessert, we wandered off the main drag and found a park that took us along the creek at the head of the bay. We checked out the docks in town before heading back to the yacht club for a beer and returning to the boat for dinner.

We checked the weather on the computer at the yacht club. We had one more night to spend in the Thousand Islands before heading across the Lake Ontario to Oswego. The destination of choice was the island of Main Duck, which gave us a jump on the crossing. It would have been nice to have had more time to explore the Thousand Islands as there would have been many interesting anchorages, but even a loose schedule needs to be followed.

Leonard and I rowed ashore for a short walk in the morning while Chuck caught up on his log and other chores. We walked away from town and found that much of the shore was public park. There had been a gathering of tall ships in the town several years back, and a nice fountain commemorating the event with an anchor design had been installed over looking the harbor. Even though it would be a "short" day, we headed back to the boat to get underway after taking some photos of the "Mighty Quinn" from the park.

Anchor fountain commorating the tall ships

Mighty Quinn at Picton harbor

After sailing off the mooring (have I mentioned Chuck much prefers to sailing to motoring?) What started out as a slow, leisurely sail became more energetic once we headed out of the Bay of Quinte toward Main Duck. It was reef the main time, one of the things we managed to convince Chuck last year was better done sooner than later. Sail boats behave better and actually sail faster when they are not heeling past 20 degrees.

View of the south side of Quinte Bay shortly before we exited the bay

The wind went light as we approached the island, so Chuck reluctantly fired up the engine. We all were anxious to launch the dinghy after getting settled, and go explore what looked to be an interesting island.

The engine had been requiring its daily dose of coolant/water and wanting to test how the engine would stand up under load, Chuck nudged up the rpms as we headed for the island. I noticed the temperature gauge was pushing the upper safe limits which meant trouble. Apparently the solution of not have pressure on the heat exchanger wasn't quite the answer. With steam wafting from below, we shut down the engine and ran out a bit of jib so I could keep us headed in the right direction while the guys tackled the problem. The solution was to pour more water and coolant into the engine which allowed us to restart it.

Photo of the Main Duck chart at PEYC- note cut that almost disects the island. We anchored in the outer portion of the cove above the "UC" in Duck

Main Duck, on the chart, had a channel that nearly cut the island in two offering a very protected anchorage if you could negotiate the narrow (and uncharted) passage. However, with a seven foot draft we were hesitant to enter it, especially after not seeing the back half of the range that the guide book mentioned. Instead we headed for the alternative anchorage nearby rather than risk running aground in a narrow channel.

What happened next was something none of us has experienced in all our combined years of sailing and was a bit mortifying. According to the guide book, the alternative anchorage sported a charted, submerged crib that could present a problem at low water, but offered space for 4 or 5 boats to swing at anchor. The crib wasn't on the Canadian charts Chuck had on his computer or chart plotter. It didn't instill confidence when the depths we saw were not as charted Two boats were already anchored when we looked for a likely spot to drop the hook (with Leonard at the wheel this requires making circles to check out the depths). As we did our loop d' loops, the boat anchored further out offered and then hauled their anchor so we could take their spot. This is unheard of, since the first in has anchoring rights and other boats should anchor so as not to interfere. But move they did, in spite of our insisting it wasn't a problem, and we eventually dropped our hook and tentatively backed to set it. We'd hoped to anchor in 20 feet of water, but the more protected portion of the anchorage shoaled up quickly from 40 or 50 feet to the teens.

The island offered great protection from winds blowing from the S to W, but a nasty lee shore with winds from the N to E. The forecast was for "light" easterly winds shifting into the south during the night. The engine problem had delayed our anchoring, so once we had the hook down, we launched the dinghy and used the outboard to check things out.

Building on Main Duck

The out board, never terribly reliable, ran with fits and spurts, but it appeared the gas tank had not taken on water when the previous crew had problems with big seas that turned the anchor locker into a swimming pool. We did manage to reach the park dock and found a shoal draft sailboat tied alongside. It looked too shallow for the Mighty Quinn, so we glad we hadn't attempted the channel.

Government dock on Main Duck

After securing the dinghy we set off to explore the island. Unfortunately Leonard had forgotten his shoes in the flurry of getting the engine down and running, limiting our exploration. There were a few ruins and run down storage buildings, but there was a fancy "high rise" outhouse that looked to be newly constructed. A few short paths had been mowed to what looked to be possible tent sights. However the sign indicated limited day use only since the island was a designated wildlife and water fowl refuge. Equally baffling was the fire pit that looked like folks had used to burn garbage and the nearby fire extinguisher as the sign also forbade fires. Since it was late we cut our stay short and headed back to the boat for dinner.

Unusual out house

The chat we'd had with the folks on the dock was a bit unsettling. They commented that the anchorage we were in was a loose shale bottom with minimal holding. Not what we really wanted to hear. The weather was due to deteriorate overnight with rain and the winds shifting from east to south. With all this in mind I requested the wind generator be turned on (Chuck's solar panels are sufficient to keep his batteries charged and all on board systems running smoothly) to provide an early warning should the wind pick up during the night. Leonard also set our GPS anchor drag feature, but with only one 12 volt plug outlet, the GPS was next to Chuck's bunk, not ours. The highlight of the evening was seeing the large field of wind generators we'd seen on the horizon all winking red lights simultaneously once darkness set in.

It was not a restful night. The light easterly wind wasn't the problem, but the wakes from the freighters traveling a channel just north of the island sent in wakes that occasionally rocked the boat giving the impression of bigger waves than actually existed. Shortly after we'd gone to bed a shower passed through with enough rain to necessitate shutting the main hatchs. With the dinghy inverted over the forward hatch, the "V" berth remained dry.

With the shower came some wind and an increased sound from the wind generator. I kept trying to convince myself that if the wind were easterly, the wave action would be higher, but the only way to know for sure would be to get up which I really didn't want to do. I heard Chuck go on deck to check the anchor and the GPS alarm didn't go off, but it was hard to go back to sleep.

In the wee hours the wind generator really wound up - the signal that it's time to check things, and then it proceeded to pour. The wind driven rain sent a fine spray of water down on our bunk like a gentle Chinese water torture, prompting us to dog the hatch and check the GPS which indicated we hadn't moved. While this was good news, it was still hard to get back to sleep. This is not one of the reasons we go cruising!

It was a long restless night. By morning the anchorage was calm and peaceful, but the reality that we needed to reach Oswego got us out of our bunks bright and early despite the desire to sleep. After the prerequisite check of engine fluids, we headed out, motoring past the island only to find the wind on our nose and the waves on the lake still rolling.

After a quick breakfast and clearing all the shoals, we set sail for Oswego with the hope that the wind would work toward the west, giving us a better angle to sail. First came rain, and then more rain. The wave action was enough that Auto wasn't reliable. After a couple of 90 plus degree course changes it became apparent that the human touch would be required to keep us on course. Unfortunately Chuck didn't have a free standing bimini and the only cover above the helmsman had was from the solar panels - minimal at best in driving rain.

With the rain came more wind. We'd set out with a double reefed main and partial jib, but once the wind built, we dropped the main. We were all glad we'd gone to Main Duck since any alternative anchorage would have added another 20 NM to the trip. The question was why hadn't any of us suggested heading across the lake the day before when the weather was better? The answer was we all wanted to continue to enjoy the Thousand Islands.

The guys did most of the wet miserable part of the trip. The wind eventually did go a bit more westerly allowing us to head toward our destination. When the rain and wind let up we raised the main again to keep us moving. We were all glad to see the nuclear power plant just east of Oswego appear on the horizon and then the twin stacks of the other power plant just west of the harbor entrance. In spite of the wind going light, we managed to sail between the breakwaters before resorting to the engine to reach the marina.

Chuck sailing past the Oswego light house

By the time we were tied up on the dock, the sun had come out making it feel like summer had arrived. Once we'd cleared Customs, a fairly quick process via the visual phone station, we started the process of preparing the mast to be stepped. The mast cradle Chuck had stored at the marina last summer had disappeared. The new marina owners had cleared out the stash under the building and it looked like most of the cradles had been scavenged by folks looking to make cradles when they transited the canals. Luckily a portion of his cradle was onboard and had been turned into a helmsman seat under his solar panel. He was able to find pieces with a 2006 return date to construct the bow support.

We were in the process of drying out gear and removing the sails and dinghy when Beth and Wes, the new crew, arrived. With more hands, we quickly got the sails down and flaked and the dinghy deflated (much easier down than up!) and stowed in it's bag. There's always a lot of work to be done when stepping and unstepping a mast. Chuck had scheduled the mast to to be stepped Monday morning with the hopes that things would be squared away in time for them to get a start on the many locks in the canals between Oswrego and Lake Champlain.

While the guys hustled to beat the rain shower that was building, Beth and I did a reprovisioning run to the local supermarket. By the time we got back much of the work had been finished and the shower had passed. We opted for pizza for a quick dinner as we were all tired after a long day. With much of the work done and dinner finished, Chuck took us for a walk up to Fort Ontario which gave us a nice view of the harbor entrance and lake.

Early morning view of Oswego

An interesting note - after we got to Oswego Chuck learned from a couple who'd crossed a few days before us that Main Duck was full of snakes. They said they'd seen 7 snakes on the first step of the high rise outhouse! Sure glad we didn't see any - they are my least favorite critters and I don't know who would have got to the dinghy first - Chuck or me since he said he doesn't like them either! Leonard would have had his hands full.

The mast stepping went smoothly. There was a heart stopping moment when the mast refused to budge due to the spar tight Chuck had applied to keep the mast from leaking. The crane actually lifted the bow of the boat up several inches out of the water before the seal broke, releasing the mast.

Crane operator heading up the mast to secure a line

Chuck being the "button man"

The crane operator did a great job, especially considering he had 3 guys from our crew and 2 awaiting the launching of their boat giving him advice. It was tricky to thread the mast between the supports and the solar panel arch at the stern of the boat, but with a few adjustments of the support boards, things when smoothly.

Easing the mast under the solar panels and into the cradle

With only the securing of the rig to the deck left to be3 done, Leonard and I departed with Beth around 1130. It would take us hours what would take the a week or more in the canals.

Mighty Quinn ready to tackle the canals

The pleasant, sunny day made for a fast trip and we opted to take a break when we got to Fort Ticonderoga to take Beth to the top of Mount Defiance and see an over view of the southern part of the lake. It's easy to understand how the British held the upper hand in a battle there once they had secured cannon on the mountain top. The view is impressive.

Toward the end of our journey home we had a bit of excitement we'd rather not have again. As we passed the traffic light at 5F in Charlotte we saw a police car heading south with lights flashing. He turned east on 5F and pulled into the gas station and store. With the light green in our favor, we headed up the hill. Shortly after the passing lane ended at the top of the hill, he was behind us, coming fast, lights ablaze. Leonard (who'd NOT been speeding) pulled to the edge of the road only to have the police car cut in front of us and jerk to a stop. I wondered what we'd done, fully expecting the cop to stomp back to our car, when a second unmarked car pulled up alongside, blocking us.

A bit of excitment at the end of our journey!

Instead, the officers jumped out, shot guns drawn, yelling at the driver who'd stopped a head of us to keep his hands in sight and get out of the car. Nothing like a front row seat to the stuff we usually see in the movies or TV. Three more cop cars careened past us, pulling in front of the other car, all discharging cops with weapons drawn. We sat there with our mouths open, unsure of what was happening and wondering if we were going to have to explain to Wes how his car happened to acquire a few bullet holes on the trip home.

Patting down the suspect

Luckily the other driver cooperated and was soon led, hand cuffed, back to the police car and frisked. About then yet another cop car pulled up behind us, and after seeing everything was under control, set about to move the cars blocking our lane and direct traffic which had come to a total stand still in both directions. Somewhat shaken, we headed for home. Guess we'll have to check the news to see what it was all about. (Naturally there was nothing in the Free Press, but there had been a major drug raid late last week so perhaps this was drug related too.)

Nothing like a page turner end to a great trip!

Lynnea