Laishley Park Marina

Laishley Park City Marina in Punta Gorda has been our temporary home for the past few weeks.  It's a great place to stay while we get the boat ready for traveling, with easy access to everything we might need...several marine supply stores, grocery stores, Lowes/Home Depot, and, of course, Walmart!  We have dealt with a number of small issues (like a leak in the water system), and done the necessary cleaning and polishing.  Serious teak work will have to wait, though.

The weather has been wonderful.  In fact, we have even complained (very quietly) that it's sometimes just a little too hot.  On those days, we just work a little less.  We had been here for almost two weeks when Michael observed that we had not yet visited the Tiki Bar.  Amazing!  We were very quick to remedy the oversight, and headed off to the Bloody Mary bar that Sunday morning.  For $2.50 you get a shot of vodka in a glass, with ice, and head off to make your own drink just the way you like it.  Choices included several different Bloody Mary mix varieties (from regular to extra spicy), celery, olives, horse radish, and shrimps.  What a civilized way to spend a Sunday morning.

There has been a bit of rain, and we are in a great position to watch the clouds build over Charlotte Harbor.  Clouds also make for lovely sunsets, which we can see from our aft deck.  It's a favourite spot for our 'Is it 5 o'clock yet?' cocktail.

There are plenty of birds around the marina.  Pelicans and terns are constantly fishing, and the snowy egrets wait patiently on lines to catch their dinner.

This green heron made himself at home on our forward deck while he waited for the sun to go down so he could indulge in a little night fishing.

Another day of hard work was capped off by a short run in the dinghy to make sure it was in good running order.  How better to celebrate than a cold beer at the Tiki Bar?  This little beach seems custom made for our little boat.

Endings and beginnings

October was a month of mixed emotions for us.  A surprise visit from a long lost cousin of Michael's created a flurry of Levy family based activity over our Thanksgiving weekend.  Cousin Roy's mother and Michael's father were siblings.  She married a Dutchman, and the family grew up in the Netherlands.  The 'boys' had not seen each other for 58 years!!  Roy was on a mission, visiting as many relatives in Canada as he could find...and there are quite a few.  We caught up with another cousin who was camping in Parry Sound for the long weekend, and we were invited to join them for Thanksgiving dinner, which was great fun.

Roy and his wife, Marina, are also sailors, so a trip out was required.

The Trojan was hauled out of the water and put to bed at the end of October, bringing an end to our season in Georgian Bay.  And just in time, too, as the day after we left the area for Toronto, it snowed in northern Ontario!

October was also a time of loss for us, as we said a sad farewell to Edee, our intrepid boat cat.  After 3 surgeries for cancer, it became clear that she was in pain, and we had to make that difficult final decision. She was with us for many years,and is missed.

We began our trip south with a full car, and a nervous approach to the US border.  Sure enough, my passport has been flagged after my last encounter, and we had to speak with the officials in the office.  After a wait of about 30 minutes, we spoke to a very nice border guard who told me to expect to be interviewed every time I cross, but if I stick to the rules, and can demonstrate strong enough ties to Canada, I should be OK.  And so....we're in!

We traveled via Alabama to pick up new registration stickers for the President, and to visit with friends there.  Roger and Deena put us up for a couple of nights, and were able to catch up with several others on the dock.  I was taken to task by several of them, who complained (very nicely) about the recent lack of activity on this blog, and I have promised to do better over the coming months.

Our arrival in Punta Gorda started several days of hard labor to get the boat ready to launch.  We scraped barnacles (well dried after 7 months on land), and painted the bottom and all the running gear (props and shafts and rudders), and cleaned, and tested batteries (finding some needed professional help), and did whatever else needed to be done.  We were very lucky to be staying with friends, so could walk away at the end of the day, and not have to worry about staying on board while we got her ready.

Launch day promised wind and rain, and we kept one eye on the sky as our time grew nearer.  They had to move two other boats in order to get to us, so we waited, and watched.  Finally, as the travel lift moved slowly towards the launch slip, the rain started out of a sky that had turned almost black, and the wind howled around us.  But the rain only lasted for about ten minutes, and the sun reappeared for the rest of the day.  The wind, however, was sticking around, so we arranged to stay at a slip at the boatyard for a day or two before we headed out of the protected canal system into the open waters of Charlotte Harbor.

I seem to be a magnet for every kind of biting insect that lives in the mangroves surrounding the boatyard, and my arms and legs were quickly covered in itchy red spots that made it look like I had measles. Antihistamines and hydro-cortisone cream have worked wonders, and the spots are finally fading away.

We left on Monday, at about noon, in order to exit the lock into the harbor waters at high tide.  It was still very shallow, but we made it through without incident.  The wind was still blowing, with seas of about two feet...nothing for us to worry about in this boat.  She ran very well, and got us safe into Laishley Park Marina by late afternoon.  We have some work to do before we are really ready to head out anywhere, so will make this our base for the next few weeks...at least until after Thanksgiving, which we will spend with our friends here in Punta Gorda.

We are very happy to back in the warm sun, and looking forward to the next few months.

The arrival of autumn

It’s the end of September, and somehow another six weeks has slipped by without any new entries.  The days slide into one another, and we meander from one anchorage to another, or back to the marina to replenish water, food and fuel.  The leaves started changing colour a few weeks ago, far too early in my opinion, and the nights are definitely getting cooler as we head into fall.  But many days are still warm and sunny, giving us an illusion of summer.  One by one, boats are being hauled and prepared for winter.  Labour Day signaled the end of the season for some boaters, while others are determined to get every last ounce out of our somewhat shortened summer. 

But, to recap our activities in the last month or so...we've had some beautiful sunsets... 

...and watched the loons...  

...and herons.

We bundled up for a trip in the dinghy...

...and made a shore trip to Bracebridge, returning at dusk.

This little fox was not at all afraid of us, coming into the middle of the road to see if we had anything nice to offer...

Trees are changing, and goldenrod is in full flower.  Allergy sufferers beware!

And finally, after all this time, Edee has finally found the courage to leave the boat and explore the docks around our neighbours' boats...

Secret Bay

After our adventure with the anchor failing to hold us, we left that bay in the afternoon, spent the night at Echo Bay, and carried on the next morning to Parry Sound for provisioning and a vet visit for Edee.  By late Thursday afternoon, we were on our way again with full fridge, full water tanks, and full fuel tanks.

We have been sworn to secrecy about our current location, because those who use it now don't want it to get too crowded.  I can tell you that it's surrounded by native reserve land, it's sheltered and quiet and really pretty.  And I can show you pictures.

A few other boats have poked their noses around the point, obviously wanting to come in, but there isn't room for another boat, so they go away disappointed.

Anchors away

Despite the bbq offerings the other night, there was no sighting of mama bear and the two cubs.  We did, however, have a delicious dinner.  

It has been very windy for the past few days, and we spun around on the anchor in all different directions throughout last night and this morning.  We had been discussing our next move, and trying to decide which anchorage might offer some relief from the constant wind, and then I went down to the galley to make lunch. 

Suddenly, Michael jumped from his seat, swearing, and rushed to the aft deck, shouting something about being on shore.  I looked out the door to the aft deck, and saw only trees…no water, no air, no space, just trees.  And a beaver lodge. 

I dropped everything and ran to help, scaring poor Edee, who didn’t have a clue what was happening.  Michael already had the dinghy started, and I jumped in. We headed for the anchor line, hoping that we could use that to tow the boat out of the two feet of water and the muddy shoreline where she rested and back into deeper water.  No luck.

We went back towards the boat, and took one of the docking lines from the bow, already attached to a cleat there, and wrapped the end onto a cleat on the dinghy.  Michael put the dinghy motor into reverse, and started to back away.  Nothing.  At least, not at first.  Then, ever so slowly, we sensed motion.  And then it started to rain, of course!

With the motor smoking from the extra load, we inched our way away from the shore, towing the mother ship with us.  Soon, we were at a safe enough distance and in deep enough water, that Michael could get on board, start the engines, and haul the anchor.  When the anchor broke the surface, there was a ball of weeds and mud so large that it appeared to double the size of the anchor.  No wonder it couldn't dig in and hold us in the increased winds.

We went to a different, less weedy part of the bay, reset the anchor, and finally managed to take a breath.  This is only the second time in all of our boating that we have dragged an anchor, and it’s not something I want to repeat. 

Sorry, but there are no photos of this adventure – we were a bit busy.  

Bear with me

All summer, I've been waiting to see a bear.  There have been plenty of beavers, a few otters, lots of loons, grebes and other assorted birds, but no bears.  We've had reports from others of bear sightings..."we saw one yesterday on that island over there", and ..."we saw one swimming from Pennsylvania Island to Crooked Island last week", and " I saw one on the way into the anchorage today".  But no bears for Mundy.

We arrived in the anchorage inside Crooked Island on Saturday afternoon, to find our intended corner already occupied.  So we dropped anchor in the middle, and Michael took the dinghy to introduce himself to the neighbours.  He came back with news that they had seen a mother and two cubs just the night before, so I was now on bear watch.  Nothing on Saturday night, and nothing on Sunday night, despite my best efforts.

Today, as the neighbours were getting ready to leave, he came over to say goodbye, and tell us that they had seen mum and cubs AGAIN last night.  The secret, he said, was to light the bbq and let it smoke.  They came to investigate the smells.  We moved into their corner after they had gone, and settled into a quiet afternoon on aft deck, listening to the breeze in the trees and the birds chirping.  I thought I saw one, but it turned out to be a rock in the distance.  I swear, that shadow looked just like a little bear profile!

Then, there was a noise in the woods of something moving through the brush.  With binoculars at hand, I started scanning the few openings in the trees that were visible.  A shadow moved through one...a large shadow.  More noise from the bushes as I called to Michael to bring the camera.  And then, there he was...a lovely black bear, intent on making his way across the shoreline.

He didn't stay out in the open for very long, but we caught glimpses of him in the bushes across the bay for the next 20 minutes or so.  Still no cubs evident, so maybe we will still get to see them tonight.  I am planning blackened chicken for dinner!!

It doesn't get much better than this

From sunrise in Port Rawson Bay...

...to secluded anchorages in Spider Bay,

...we are enjoying the wonderful summer weather as we meander around the Massassauga Provincial Park.  

One of these anchorages is home to an abandoned copper mine, surrounded by high rock walls which crack and wear in amazingly regular, straight-edged shapes.

We were joined here for a night by Bob and Judy from Florida, aboard Sanderling.  They are on their way to the North Channel, but at a very slow and relaxed pace that allows them plenty of time to truly appreciate the beauty of the trip.

We took them on a dinghy tour of the area, and discovered this new addition to the local landscape.

It seems to follow traditional construction, with all of the long supporting poles, and an entrance flap that laces closed, but we were unable to determine what material was used for the covering. According to a neighbour we met, it has two storeys.  This has to be the coolest bunky on the bay!!

Our days on the bay have been spent watching the loon family train their chicks,

and trying to keep ourselves cool with the help of our new floating toys.  A tether to the mother ship means no worries of floating away, and allowing total relaxation, as demonstrated here.  Sunglasses and hat in place, and a built in drink holder to complete the experience.

On our last trip into the marina, we came across an unusual sight - a flock of loons.  They are usually such solitary creatures, which are occasionally seen in pairs, but hardly ever in groups like this.

Sandwiched into all of this rest and relaxation over the last few weeks have been cataract removal and new lens implants for Michael, in both eyes.  He'll be good as new (or maybe better than new) in no time.