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.

Summer's here.....

Canada Day has been and gone, and our friends in the US are celebrating Independence Day today.  We miss you all.

We've been having lots of fun, and spending plenty of time out at anchor.  We met friends from another marina in Port Rawson Bay over the Canada Day weekend before they head to the north channel for their vacation.

It's always a chore to get the raft set just right!!!

We spotted this family of red necked grebes while out for a ride in the dinghy.  Mum would make a short dive, then all the little babies (we counted 10!) would scurry to catch up as she surfaced.  We watched and laughed for about 10 minutes.

Michael and I are now on our own again, in a place that we call Wildberry Bay.  We went exploring this afternoon, and spotted this family of loons.

We got back to the mother ship in time for afternoon cocktails in the sun.  It got quite warm in the sun, and we decided to go for a swim before dinner.  As I swung my leg over the transom to get onto the swim platform, I noticed a stowaway....one that make my poor little heart skip a beat.

He had found an nice quiet spot in the sun, and my yelling disturbed him enough to force him back into the water.  Deciding that he was more afraid of us than we of him, we still went for a swim.  But just a quick one!

Olden days

In the olden days (about 25 years ago) it was possible to take a boat through this gap into the bay beyond.  Michael used to take his 26ft Bayliner through here without any difficulty at all.

Seven or eight years ago the tree fell, making this bay accessible only to dinghies.  Now, with the water levels as low as they are, we were lucky to get our small boat through without hitting the rocky bottom.

Please visit http://www.stopthedrop.ca/ to see how you can help.

Three Finger Bay

Today we moved further into the park, to a place called Three Finger Bay.

It's a pretty run, but care must be taken to avoid areas where rocks lay in wait for unwary boaters.  Helpful cottagers often mark these rocks with bottle floats.  In one season a few years ago, at least half a dozen boats from our marina damaged their props on these rocks lying just under the surface.

We arrived without mishap, and again, we had the whole place to ourselves, with our pick of anchorages.  We headed for a small beach, next to a narrow cut through to another bay.  We thought there was a sign posted indicating no fires allowed, which was fine with us.

Michael set the anchor perfectly, and began to back towards the beach to set a stern anchor.  As we got closer, I was able to actually read the sign, which in fact said 'No Anchoring'.  Trust us to pick the only place in the whole bay!!

So we upped anchor, and slowly cruised to our second choice based on the projected winds.  Again, we set the anchor, and waited to make sure everything was OK. The wind gusts were not coming from the direction they should have been, according to the weather reports, and we were soon beginning to drift around the anchor in entirely the wrong direction.

So we upped anchor again, and headed for a large, shallow area where we could anchor and swing all the way around and not hit anything.  It was such a rough day, Michael decided we should go to Henry's for supper, and I quickly agreed!

It was a dark and stormy night.....

Actually, it was a lovely evening, bright and sunny, but still with a cool wind.  We had been joined earlier in the day by Heart Tug (Randy and Audrey from Cambridge, ON) and Frederica Lady (Charlie and EJ from Georgia).  Both boats are heading for the North Channel, and have ended up travelling together after meeting in the Trent Severn Waterway.  They arrived in Echo Bay, set their anchors and headed out to Henry's for lunch.  On the way, they stopped by to say hello to us, and invite us over for drinks that evening.

We headed over around 5pm, looking forward to hearing of their travels north.  EJ offered us a Dark and Stormy - something I had heard of but never tasted.  After hearing it's made of dark rum, ginger beer and lime, I quickly agreed, as did Michael. I think I've found my new favourite drink.

It was a late dinner for us that evening, and we were up fairly early the next morning to wave goodbye to our new friends as they continue their travels.

Michael and I then went on a tour in the runabout.  As you can see, the wind is still very cold!

But another beautiful evening brought our neighbourhood loon back.  This time, I got the pictures to prove it!

Is it summer yet?

Once again, it's been ages since my last post, but quite honestly there hasn't been much to write about.

It's been a long slow start to summer.  Despite the calendar showing us well into June, the weather has yet to indicate the arrival of summer.  It's been often cool and wet, with the occasional sunny day thrown in, and boating activity here on Georgian Bay has been sparse. Most folks are either staying home, or staying in the marina where they can plug in to run heating.

Every Saturday at the marina is hot dog day, courtesy of Doug.  He supplies the dogs and buns, bring your own beer.

We have taken a number of short trips in the runabout to familiarize ourselves with changing water levels, and have finally ventured out for a few days in the Massassauga Park.  This is a provincial park encompassing 13,000 hectares of Georgian Bay shoreline, and is a must-see for anyone visiting the area.

Twelve Mile Bay

O'Donnell Point (where Twelve Mile Bay meets Georgian Bay)

One of our favourite spots is Echo Bay, which right now we have all to ourselves. We are visited each evening by a beautiful loon, who heralds the sunset with his (her?) mournful calls.

Last week we went to Henry's Fish Restaurant for lunch with a bunch of friends from the marina.  Great pickerel and perch, but you have to try the Georgian Bay Shrimp (actually deep fried smelts).....delicious.


Today we went to one of our favourite restaurants out here...Craganmore's. They have the best wings on the water!  Being a Monday afternoon, it was pretty quiet, but that didn't stop us having a terrific lunch with a couple of Stella's to wash it all down.

Brought to you by the letter 'S'

S is for Spring, which arrived, according to the calendar, on March 21.  

S is for Splash, a boating expression for launching one's boat.  We splashed our Trojan F32 on April 26.  There were only a few other boats in the water ahead of us, but there has been a steady increase in numbers since then.  

S is for Scrub.  After three years in a shed, there was a tremendous amount of cleaning needed.  The outside had accumulated a lot of dirt, despite the tarps we draped around her hull.  The inside, while dusty, wasn't too bad, except for evidence of mice.  Nothing that some bleach can't cure.

S is for Sunshine, of which there has been plenty over the last 10 days.  Temperatures have steadily climbed well into the 20s (Celsius) for over a week, and we have been in shorts and T-shirts - a welcome change from the warm clothes needed previously.  

S is for Snow, which we got again yesterday, along with rain, freezing rain, and ice pellets.  The warm sunny days have left us, at least for now, and we have been huddled inside with our two electric heaters working overtime to keep us all warm.  Strong winds have pushed lots of water up the bay, and changed the water level in the marina by at least 18 inches.  The sun is shining again today, but it is still cold and windy.  

And, finally, 

S is for Summer, which officially arrives in Ontario this Victoria Day Weekend - first long weekend of the summer.  We expect an influx of boats this week, and lots of people at the marina on the weekend.  Weather forecasts are not encouraging right now, but lots can change over the next few days.

It's great to be back on Georgian Bay, and we are enjoying renewing friendships with boating friends from years past, and sharing tales of our adventures.