The "Haweater's" parade was around noon, but we missed the "pipers" at the head, because we were on the boat when we heard them start and did not get over to the main street until they were done (short street!). While we were at the parade, Kathi got a very large hot-dog after she said we was heading over to the "kettle corn" stand.
Around 2pm we disconnected water and electricity, and untied from the dock and made it over to Wally's to get a pump-out, diesel, and gas for the dinghy. Afterward we motored over to an anchorage northwest of Little Current at the west end of Goat Island. There was another boat here and we anchored a 100 yards or so to the west of him in about 10ft of water. Looks OK on the charts and we seem to have a good hold. We will see what kind of mess the anchor will bring up tomorrow morning. We did finally get in touch with Mast Transit. They are in the East Rous Island anchorage. We plan to meet up with them tomorrow morning.
I will provide an update on the afternoon and the fireworks tonight, possibly with some video, later...
Saturday, July 31 -We got up early when the alarm went off at 7am, but decided it was too early for us and went back to sleep. We had planned to 'maybe' go up to the Anchor Inn and participate in the Crusier's Net broadcast, but decided to go up at 10am after the broadcast. After coffee and breakfast of cereal and Kashi bars, we took showers and then headed up to the Anchor Inn - of course we checked-in between 9am and 10am on VHF channel 71 first!
We met Roy and he took our photo, and another guy took our boat info (we gave him a boat business card). We had multiple nice talks with Roy and he sent us a nice email that I read and responded to earlier. We saw Norden Passage (Wayne and Joyce from Tobermory - they planned to go to Superior, but had multiple problems that turned them back to here). Also met up with Steve (Kismet) and Klaus (Cozumel) from Collingwood Yacht Club. We decided to spend yet another day here at the dock. Filled up the water tanks and tomorrow we need to get a pump-out, top off the diesel, and fill the dinghy gas tank. Steve and Klaus plan to anchor off of Goat Island for the fireworks tomorrow night - we plan to join them. Met four generations of family on 'Exuberant' from Battery Park Marina, Sandusky, Ohio (next marina down from Cedar Point)...
We are off for another locally made ice cream cone...
View to the next dock with 'Exuberant" (dark blue), with the swing bridge in the background.
Friday, July 30 - I was definitely moving slowly this morning: late night (2am) and sipping too much Scotch while I caught up on my emails, bills and accounts, and worked this blog. Kathi actually got up around 8:45am and made coffee and turned on the Cruiser's Net broadcast. We heard Mast Transit's location as Matheson Island to the west of us. Kathi took a shower and then headed out to check on hairdressers in town, but since it was just after 10am, she headed over to the Anchor Inn to see if Roy was still there. She said he was real nice and apologized for miss-pronouncing our boat name: A'Ghrian (Ah-Gree-On, as we call it). He would like is to come by tomorrow morning as he takes photos of boat crews and comes by the docks to snap on of their boat too.
I finally pulled my act together and headed to the showers while Kathi was out and about. When she came back she told me about her visit with Roy and that the "good" hairdressers are booked for 6 weeks ahead! At the moment we are preparing our grocery list and gathering up laundry to get done. We will load up a washer of two and cross the street to the Anchor Inn for lunch. We are thinking we may stay here another night or two to experience the "Haweaters" Festival... more later...
Went to the grocery store (the supposedly cheaper one) where we spent $210 on food, and we forgot stuff! This is really the last place to get things until we head into Kagawong (which is famous for its "Bridal Falls") or Gore Bay (which was our farthest point east that we went to 19 years ago). Things have definitely changes - a lot more boats and fewer solitary, pristine areas. The water is not near as clear as it once was, and so many cottages so far - hopefully it will be better than my worst expectations as we move West and North.
We tried to find a place within walking distance or a dinghy ride to get our propane tank refilled, but no luck. Kathi did go up to the public dock building and asked if they would give her a ride to the propane place and they did! I got out the tank and she took it to the Shell station north of town. It is a 3.1 lb tank and the guy told her there was still 1 lb still in the tank - much better than we expected - and it only cost $3 for the refill. She gave the dock-hand a five for the drive and wait - maybe we could have gone with a toonie, but I think it was the right thing to do.
We are trying to figure out the best place for dinner tonight... yes, out again... probably the Anchor Inn again, but this time I am having fish (my steak was good last night, especially with Ed and Carolyn as our dinner partners. I saw them leave the dock for Killarney around 1:30pm and waiting for the 2pm swing bridge opening).
Even though we irritate each other once and a while and I get mad and lose my temper more than I should, we have learned that we can live for months on a 37ft boat together. Our 32nd wedding anniversary is on Thursday, August 5th (that is 34 years of living together as a couple)... I have not killed her yet and she still loves me despite all may faults... So many of the people we have met, although they seem very happy and comfortable together, are on their second or third marriage. It seems rare to be still together after all these years!
The Anchor Inn on Water Street (the main drag) and where the Cruiser's Net VHF 71 broadcast comes from.
View down the Water Street from the laundromat with the Anchor Inn on the corner.
View of the swing bridge in the background with Jenessa II heading out, the town dock wall, and our finger docks in the far end to the right. Jenessa II was headed for Killarney to pickup Jessica and Venessa their daughters (hence the source of the boat name for them). Maybe we will see them again soon.
As Kathi went for her morning swim, I released shore tie-up lines and pulled the anchor in up to the 35ft of chain, and got everything ready to head out. Kathi was surprised that I had prepared the boat for departure on my own - really? We were on our way to Little Current around 10am. We were able to sail for part of the way, but with the wind from the Northwest, the direction we would eventually be headed, this was only to last for one leg. We arrived at the 'swing bridge' around 12:50pm and waited in the current for the 1:00pm opening. There were other boats waiting behind us, but not having done this before, I was hoping that someone else would take the lead. A Catboat and a couple powerboats did take the lead and we let them.
The wind was about 15 knots from the Northwest so there was a noticeable current in this narrow channel. As we passed under the bridge the eddies whipped us left and right, but I just followed the lead of the other boats. I was worried that the docks would be full as this is 'Haweaters" weekend in Little Current - a major holiday with parades and fireworks, but we called in and there was a dock for us. The 'dock master' kept in contact with us as we moved into slip 5 on D dock. The current and wind made it not so easy to pull in, but I 'skillfully' used the current and wind to slide sideways into the correct position and powered forward 'skillfully' into the assigned dock (so the dock master told us).
Once at the dock, we adjusted our lines, hooked-up power and water, and eventually checked-in. The two boats next to us were from the Sandusky Bay area! Connecting to WiFi was a problem as I think the routers were saturated with boater traffic, but I finally got an IP address and got internet access (as this posting testifies to).
But first we went to the Anchor Inn for WiFi and a drink in the bar. We also met up with Ed and Carolyn from Jenessa II who arrived at the docks late in the day, but we had planned on a 7:00pm dinner meet. Kathi went and got a table with then while I continued to finish up my beer and shot on the internet before dinner. We had a great time with the two of them and talked until around 10:00pm when they and us headed back to our respective boats.
I finally got connected with an IP address and am able to access my email and the internet. It is currently 2:00am, the alarm is set for 7:30am and I am ready to sign off... I will add more tomorrow and photos too...
As we sailed in towards Little Current, we saw the St Lawrence II sailing east.
As we approached the bridge we slowed down because we were 10 to 15 minutes early. We had to idle in the current moving forward very slowly with a bunch of boats waiting for the swing bridge to open.
Although we were originally the lead boat, everyone took off like a flock of scared geese once the bridge started to swing open. There was a bit of current as we passed the pilings with eddy back currents that you had to maneuver through. We just followed the other boats' lead and did fine.
Once through we headed to our slip assignment on D-dock. Because of the current and wind, I had to slide the boat on an angle sideways, letting the current carry me towards the slip while remaining in the middle of the space between the finger docks. It worked great as we made the "perfect" touch-less docking (so the dock hand told us).
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