Bayfield to Kincardine

Got up around 7am, made coffee, and got ready to go. Environment Canada was predicting rain and a chance of thunderstorms around noon and into the evening. When we started at 8:30am, it did not look bad at all and there was a wind from the south around 10 knots. We put out sails, but with the threat of the T-Storms we "power-sailed", and had the option to duck into Goderich if things started to look bad, but they never did. On the way we got a slight sprinkle for about 10 minutes, and no thunderstorms were evident. The wind shifted around - first to the northwest, and then to the northeast - but we were able to get some help from the sails, but kept the engine on the whole way. We arrived at the dock around 3:30pm and checked in.

Since our Canadian Immigration Report Number we obtained in Windsor was only good to May 30th, we had to check-in with Can-Pass again to get our long-term "Report Number". This was confusing to the person Kathi talked to, so next thing we needed to be inspected by immigration officers. They arrived about 30 minutes after we called in, and were actually very nice. The young female officer boarded and inspected our vessel while the young male officer instructed us about our faux pas of  (1) more then one person getting off the boat and (2) registering with the marina before being inspected. You are not supposed to hook-up to water or hydro (aka electricity) until you get your new Report Number. Never got this strict treatment on Lake Erie or when we checked-in at Windsor! But we passed all inspections and everything was fine.

We walked into town around 5pm to find the noted English Pub - The Erie Belle (named after a Great Lakes Steamship who's boiler exploded and the ship ran aground south of Kincardine. Evidently the remains of the boiler can still be seen near the shore). I had a Caledonian beer (from Scotland of course) and Steak & Kidney Pie with "chips" (aka fries). Kathi had a mandarin chicken salad and a Moose Head Lager.

We left the Erie Belle to walk around town, but it was starting to rain and I could see lightening and hear thunder. We got a little wet even though we tried to duck under awnings and into door ways. Did duck into a Coffee Shop (rather Starbuck's-ish) to warm up with some hot coffee. The rain lightened but was still constant. We decided to walk back to the boat - good thing! It started to really pour down after we got back. Struggled to put up the cockpit windshield and enclosure as the sections were still "tight" from being rolled up and stored over the winter. Finally "got'er dun" and am sitting here doing my log entry. The rain and thunderstorms are forecast to last all night and stop by morning.

You can see web cams at http://www.kyc.ca/ of the marina and the harbor entrance. The cameras are attached to the old lighthouse. Will probably add more tomorrow as we plan to stay here for a couple of days... we will see what the weather gods decide for us.

Trying to capture how blue the water is in Lake Huron

Having a Ramen Noodle snack under sail.

Famous historic lighthouse just across the river from the marina.

Marina viewed across the bridge near the lighthouse taken as we walked into town.

A'Ghrian is in the third row of docks.

English Pub we stopped at for dinner.

We sat at a table near the bar of course.

Mural on the wall of the Coffee Shop we stopped at, but taken as we were walking in town before the big rain started.

The Bruce steakhouse - supposed to be pretty good and a main hot-spot in town.

Kathi relaxing with her hot decaf coffee in the Coffee Shop trying to warm up and dry out a bit.

View from inside the cockpit after we wrestled the enclosure up. You can see all the rain and if you look carefully the lighthouse in the middle of the photo through the windshield.

 Sunny day today (June 1st)... A'Ghrian at Dock C Slip 314. View of the light house off the bow.

Took the long walk to the LCBO and on the way this was the only "piper" we saw.

On the way back from LCBO, Foodland, and Gilley's Feed Lot (for a beer), stopped on the bridge by the lighthouse to take a panorama photo of the marina and entrance. A'Ghrian is in there! Where's Waldo?

Sunsets along the Kincardine Boardwalk

Beach panorama off boardwalk - went wading, water was nice.

MacTavish flower garden section along the Kincardine Boardwalk.

Goodnight sunset along the Kincardine Boardwalk.