June 11th – 18th, 2012
As we left Bay Port Marina’s fuel dock on Monday, 6/11/12, it occurred to me that it might be a while before we would stay at a marina again. I knew it was time to stow away my hair dryer, my straightening iron, my makeup and my jewelry. The tradeoff for the conveniences of land-based overnight stops is the beauty and peacefulness of an anchorage. You can literally feel your blood pressure drop after you set your anchor and shut down the engine.
There are a few frustrations -- like where to take the dog ashore and sketchy internet and cell phone service, but all in all, a protected anchorage is the place to be!
Our first stop was Beausoleil Island Chimney Bay, where we stayed for 3 nights. Communications were good, so Roger was able to work easily. A cold front had moved in and a couple of nights had dropped down to the low 40’s. The winds were gusting to about 20 mph, and the boat was twirling around on the hook. It wasn’t uncomfortable, and we knew the winds would subside. I baked brownies, so the cabin was cozy and warm.
One day we went ashore and hiked around Fairy Lake on the island. My senses were on high-alert for Canadian bears, poison ivy and the dreaded Massasauga rattlesnake. We stepped over the poison ivy, but found neither of the other two perceived threats. We were struck by the smell of the pine trees and the fresh, but cool air. I was wishing my legs were longer so I could keep up with Roger as he climbed up and over the rocks like a 25-year old! We followed the Canadian provincial parks trail marked with orange cans on posts, so it was somewhat civilized, but still pretty rough. Our daughter Nicole is a trails expert for the National Association for Accessibility and she would love the challenge of designing this trail for handicapped-accessibility! Who knows - this may be a project for her IROC Consulting business (www.irocconsulting.com).
The next stop was on Thursday, 6/14, at Longuissa Bay. On the first night, there were only a couple of boats at the anchorage. By Saturday, there must have been 40 boats! This is the place for Toronto residents to get away for the weekend. It’s amazing that no one was rowdy or loud; we were even conscious of not running our generator too long.
The weather had turned very warm and we took a long dinghy ride with Danny and Susan up the Musquash River. We came to some small rapids that prevented us from going any further in our dinghies. However, that wasn’t going to deter Danny! Roger secured our dinghy to a rock and Danny took the motor off of his and then he & Roger carried it over the rapids. They put the motor back on and the four of us dinghied further up the river. We got out and walked on the land and Roger spotted a snake on a rock on the side of the river. Was it the dreaded Massasauga rattlesnake? I don’t think so, but as far as I’m concerned a snake is a snake and I hate ‘em all!
By Sunday night, Father’s Day, there were just three boats, including us, left in the anchorage. It was so still you could probably hear a pin drop. This morning, Monday, 6/18, we pulled up the muddy anchor (thank goodness for the wash-down pump!) and are heading north toward Twelve Mile Bay. It will be about a 30-mile run altogether. The weather couldn’t be any better --- the small craft channel is like glass and the temperature, whatever it is, is perfect!
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