great lakes sailing 2012

September 4

We've been back in Toronto since August 19 and naturally caught up in "getting back to normal". Following our night in Ashtabula we headed to Erie for a couple of days, then directly across to Port Colborne. We were luck to get quick passage through the Welland canal along with two other sailboats. Not difficult but still tiring, standing in the sun for several hours minding the lines.

Southern Cross berthed at Erie Yacht Club. We sailed under the bridge, wondering where we would end up! I'm sure the yacht basin was there before the hotel/convention center was built.

To complete our voyage we did a bit of Lake Ontario cruising, stopping for two nights at Dalhousie Yacht Club and one at the Oakville Club.

Great to be home but we are already planning possible future trips. The North Channel is our number one pick.

Right now I am watching the  Olympic closing ceremonies (well it must be a rerun since it is 8:00 pm Sunday here is Ashtabula Ohio). We are at a small yacht club for the night. For the last four days the weather has been rainy and windy. We stayed at a lovely club in Mentor for two days to avoid 25 knot winds. However a number of intrepid racers finished the Falcon cup race at Mentor, down wind in record time. Mike spent a couple of hours watching them all come in and then joined the after party for a beer or two!
That afternoon there was an outdoor wedding that really was washed out but went ahead (there was a gazebo but it really did not cover everyone - apparently 250 people.) Don't know why they did not go for plan B inside. People had to be ferried the short distance from one side of channel to other, and back, so they were lined up in rain. Absolutely dismal! 

We've had no issues with the sailing on the lake - the chop has been rolly but we've dodged quite a few rain clouds and not been close to any thunderstorms while on the water.

leaving port on the way to Mentor. Heading east towards Mentor the sky behind us - it was sunny soon after we arrived!  Mentor yacht club The end of the race. Next challenge is to get through the narrow channel

We are now looking to the final stage of our journey..east and then across Lake Erie to Port Colborne and through the Welland Canal.

Yes, a week  has passed since my last message. We continue to move right along. The sun and storm gods continue to favour us as we have missed high winds and storms that would have kept us in port. We had a fast sail from Tobermory to Kincardine that was quite rock and roll. After dinner we strolled Kincardine's main street purusing a terific variety of cars, all spit and polish. Some were very old, lots of 50's and 60's and some from last year.  My car never looks nearly so shiny even as it emerges from the car wash; guess I need to get buffing.

Kincardine marina and yacht club

Next few days have included a wind-on-the-nose motor sail to Sarnia Yacht Club. There, from our secure cockpit vantage we took in a nearby storm that included lots of thunder and beautiful sheet lightening. Next stop  was the Bayview yacht Club near Detroit-past Canada cup competitor.

Travelling from Sarnia through the St Clair River, Lake St Clair and then the Detroit River and into Lake Erie requires following the freighter channel, so not much sailing, especially since the wind was always in our face. so far, Lake Erie has been benign - now at a little yacht club in Lorain, a bit west of Cleveland.  The sky looked very black north of us! It is always a little funny seeing the city buildings on shore look quite close but knowing that it will be an hour or two before we actually arrive.



Put-in-Bay harbour. Do you see our boat?



on top of the Perry monument

Arrived yesterday after a mostly motor from Killarney. We are staying today because of large storm that looks to be tracking right across lake Huron where we want to go. It is windy and cloudy here today but should be fine for sailing tomorrow. We have some long stretches coming up to Kincardine and then Sarnia.

Great ice cream in this town! Lively place - the usual clothing stores (MIke bought a new hat), art galleries of various merit, a well stocked grocery store (Ontario fruit and Ace bakery bread) and fish and chip places (good dinner last night).


Sailed past Flowerpot Island



Little Tub Harbour - important refuge from bad weather



We are sadly saying goodbye to the North Channel and will be going to Tobermory tomorrow - the open water. We explored such a small part of the area that we are talking about when we might return for a lengthy stay. After a day and a half of cloudy and rain, the sun shone warmly for the rest of the time. Some great sails, splendid anchorages, swimming, dinghy exploring, gazing at our surroundings - wonderful.

Protected anchorages (here in south Benjamin) mean no cell phone coverage. Mike has to catch up, from the edge of the flat earth as he tells people.



Killarney Mountai nLodge - the dark cloudscame and went all day with only one shower, and then a rainbow.


We have the boat moored at Killarney Mountain Lodge and we are curretly in their large bar area making use of wifi. Killarney is a smaller place than we expected, barely a grocery store, no bank; there is an LCBO in the channel (park your boat...) and an OPP. Now in height of summer there are plenty of large motor boats, and sailboats.

Today we hiked 8 km on a trail around George Island, which forms one side of the channel. It was lovely but long with all the ups and downs. We'll see how our legs are tomorrow when we're climbing around the boat! Here's some photos from the island..

Locking through from Lake Superior with a Sault Ste. Marie tour boat

We have now entered the North Channel and are at Thessalon.  It was a great day lots of sunshine and great wind in the afternoon.  The first half of the day was back down the St Mary's river this time with the current that added between 1 and 1.5 knots to our speed.  We cut through a narrow channel (called the trickier one in the Ports book). After that we had 15 to 17 knots of wind on the beam and blasted across the North Channel at 7.5 to 8 knots to Thessalon. A great little marina.