Sept. 22, 201; From Peoria, Ill. to Green Turtle Bay Marina in Grand Rivers, Ky

Brown-eyed Girl entering small chamber  of Miss. R. lock

"See ya on the 1's....y'all!

Tow (not toe) boats, wingdams, weirdams,wickets, RDB,LDB....We have been immersed in the language of the Mississippi River!

But first, the Asian carp! An ugly, thin-skinned, bottom geeding, prolific fish that has invaded the rivers, thanks to Asian barges that brought them here. When stirred up, they jump all over, onto the swim platform, into the dinghy, etc. Because we were traveling slowly, Free To B had minimal contact. We could hear them banging on the bottom and sides of the hull, but that was it. Nova and Blond Eyed Girl scraped them off the back of their swim platforms. At one point, Brown Eyed Girl radioed that he was dealing with a lot of "carp crap". I radioed back that it was a wonderful play on words. The Coast Guard then radioed that Ch. 16 was a hailing channel, only....Oops! (They have no sense of humor!)

There is an eighth of a mile long, underwater, electrical barrier in the Sanitation Canal to keep the carp out of Lake Michigan. Since there are some claims of carp DNA in Lake Michigan, there are several lawsuits attempting to close the waterway. So far, there have been no opinions in that direction.


entering the carp electric barrier on the Ill. R.


We spent a few days at Grafton Harbor Marina in Ill. relaxing, replenishing supplies, and enjoying the company of several loopers.

On Sept. 15th, we began our trip on the Mississippi River. There would be one more marina stop for fuel, and then we would travel 220 miles relying on our own resources.We would be able to tie up to one lock wall, but would have to anchor out, often in iffy places as we made our way to the Cumberland River.

We spent the first night at Hoppies Marina in Kimmswick, MO.; one step up from a fish camp marina (and some of you know about my aversion to fish camps), but a legendary must stop for Loopers. The "marina" was made up of three barges attached somewhere, It is owned by a couple in their eighties who have lived there forever. Fern, the wife, handles your lines and tells you how to dock; and you had better listen to her. Her husband, Hoppie, looks like he has had a stroke, and handles the lines with one hand and some balance issues. He comes from generations of old time river lamp lighters, and is probably the last in the lineage. Fern then tells us we will meet with her at 4:30 for the latest info on the Mississippi...We took copious notes, getting the most local infoabout the rivers

Off we went the next day, still intimidated by the rivers. We were to have a four knot current pushing us along; the Captains were excited at the fuel we would be saving! (That euphoria would disappear on the Ohio River when a two knot current would be against us!

Lucky for us, one of our traveling buddies has an AIS, a device that can see barges, with their names, from miles away.After hailing the barges, the towboat Captain, with their deep voices and Southern drals, would tell us to pass on the ones or the twos. Knowing this passing system is much easier than figuring out port and starboard.


double chamber lock



the arch in St. Louis, Mo.

The travel on the the rivers was slow and tedious in many parts. The locks are monstrous, with two chambers; one for barges, the other for "recs" and small tows. We gratefully arrived at the huge and lovely Green Turtle Bay Marina on the Cumberland River in Grand River, Kentucky. The marina is full of Loopers: Crossroads, My Way, Salt n Sand, Godspeed, DuSchein, Harem, North Star, Happy Hours, Brown Eyed Girl, and Nova.


Green Turtle Bay Marina. Grand Rivers Ky. on the Cumberland R.


Then, there is the boat, Jumbo, probably the most photographed boat on the Loop. It is 26 feet, was built in Switzerland, and is owned by a fun loving German couple. They had the boat shipped to the US. When they notified a barge for passing instructions witheir name, Jumbo, the captain wanted to know if they were a barge. Fred radioed back, thatno, they were really like a mosquito!


Jumbo from Germany


So, enough already!We all have a van for the day and will be heading to Paducah. The ladies are going to the National Quilt Museum(one of the highlights of the trip for me). The Captains don't want to "look at blankets", so they are going "shopping".


<><>

<>

<><>

typical wingdam



double tow and a heavy load



I think my lines are a bit tangled

The boat will stay here; we are heading to Nashville to sightsee. I'll fly home on the 25th. Gene is going to DC and Toronto. We'll be back on Oct.6th.....Stay tuned....Ginny

Sept. 10, 2011; New Buffalo, MI to Peoria, Il.


 

 We left Lake Michigan from New Buffalo and traveled to Chicago on Aug. 31^st. The last hour or so was a bit rough, but we landed at DuSable Marina with the Chicago skyline right at the marina with some docking help from a 36 foot Monk named DuSchein from Annapolis. They would be our neighbors for the next few days. They say Lake Michigan can be really rough after Labor Day. That has proved to be the case, and we are glad we arrived in Chicago when we did. Some Loopers are just getting to Chicago today. Gene was glad to leave the challenges of Lake Michigan which meant waiting for those weather windows. I thoroughly enjoyed the Lake. Waiting meant we could do more browsing!

Approaching the Chicago skyline was awesome. Right up there and then some with the NYC skyline and perhaps better. We spent six days, along with Jen and Mike, on Nova running around like maniacs and acting like tourists. We took the architectural boat tour on the Chicago River which identified all the high rises. It also gave us a sneak preview of the river path we would be taking when we left Chicago. We went to the Science Museum and the Art Institute.  (Yes, Phyllis, I loved the Thorne miniature collection. I probably would have missed it if you hadn’t told me about it.) We went to the top of the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower) and saw, from awesome heights, all of  the Chicago and Lake Michigan views. I even ventured onto the sky decks which are Plexiglas enclosures, top, bottom, and sides. That really plays with the ol’ visual perceptual system…….Poor Gene, who hates heights, could be seen crawling along the inside walls. He finally decided he  had enough and headed to the ground floor. (He deserves applause for even getting up to the 103d floor). It took a few hours for the green coloring on his face to fade. That’s an awful feeling!!!

Chicago should be praised for their many beautiful parks; the numerous free concerts held in a magnificent outdoor auditorium, and the general cleanliness of the whole city. It is well suited to the visitor, with trolley tours, 25 miles of waterfront biking and walking paths, and great restaurants.

At many locations along the Loop, former or current Loopers volunteer to be Harbor Hosts. In some of the small towns, Penetang in Georgian Bay, for ex., they monitor the VHF for arriving Loopers and are there to greet you when you dock. They often offer help getting supplies, etc. and are often available in emergencies. Before we even arrived in Chicago, the Harbor Hosts here had put out the word that they were hosting a dinner on Sept. 3d at their condo for any Loopers in Chicago. The menus would be Chicago pizza and Italian beef. We RSVP’d, took a cab with NOVA, and enjoyed dinner and meeting up with about 25  or so Loopers who were somewhere in Chicago. We met Loopers from other rendezvous as well several new to us. It was, again, another evening We left Lake Michigan from New Buffalo and traveled to Chicago on Aug. 31^st. The last hour or so was a bit rough, but we landed at DuSable Marina with the Chicago skyline right at the marina with some docking help from a 36 foot Monk named DuSchein from Annapolis. They would be our neighbors for the next few days. They say Lake Michigan can be really rough after Labor Day. That has proved to be the case, and we are glad we arrived in Chicago when we did. Some Loopers are just getting to Chicago today. Gene was glad to leave the challenges of Lake Michigan which meant waiting for those weather windows. I thoroughly enjoyed the Lake. Waiting meant we could do more browsing!

Approaching the Chicago skyline was awesome. Right up there and then some with the NYC skyline and perhaps better. We spent six days, along with Jen and Mike, on Nova running around like maniacs and acting like tourists. We took the architectural boat tour on the Chicago River which identified all the high rises. It also gave us a sneak preview of the river path we would be taking when we left Chicago. We went to the Science Museum and the Art Institute.  (Yes, Phyllis, I loved the Thorne miniature collection. I probably would have missed it if you hadn’t told me about it.) We went to the top of the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower) and saw, from awesome heights, all of  the Chicago and Lake Michigan views. I even ventured onto the sky decks which are Plexiglas enclosures, top, bottom, and sides. That really plays with the ol’ visual perceptual system…….Poor Gene, who hates heights, could be seen crawling along the inside walls. He finally decided he  had enough and headed to the ground floor. (He deserves applause for even getting up to the 103d floor). It took a few hours for the green coloring on his face to fade. That’s an awful feeling!!!

Chicago should be praised for their many beautiful parks; the numerous free concerts held in a magnificent outdoor auditorium, and the general cleanliness of the whole city. It is well suited to the visitor, with trolley tours, 25 miles of waterfront biking and walking paths, and great restaurants.

At many locations along the Loop, former or current Loopers volunteer to be Harbor Hosts. In some of the small towns, Penetang in Georgian Bay, for ex., they monitor the VHF for arriving Loopers and are there to greet you when you dock. They often offer help getting supplies, etc. and are often available in emergencies. Before we even arrived in Chicago, the Harbor Hosts here had put out the word that they were hosting a dinner on Sept. 3d at their condo for any Loopers in Chicago. The menus would be Chicago pizza and Italian beef. We RSVP’d, took a cab with NOVA, and enjoyed dinner and meeting up with about 25  or so Loopers who were somewhere in Chicago. We met Loopers from other rendezvous as well several new to us. It was, again, another evening of stories, boat card swapping, and plans to meet up, again. This, for me, is one of the highlights of the trip; meeting boaters and hearing about their adventures and lifestyles.

We left Chicago on Tues., Sept. 6^th even though to get to the first lock, we would have 20 minutes or so on rolling Lake Michigan. It seemed unavoidable. We are now back to locks and bridges and will travel through 40 more locks before reaching Mobile Ala. The first Lock, at the entrance to the Chicago River, is known as the Sanitation and Ship Lock and Channel. Years ago, pollutants, sewage, etc. flowed freely into Lake Michigan. The powers that be decided this was not good, and had the lock built so that the river and current would reverse direction and send the stuff to the Mississippi and eventually to the Gulf of Mexico. (Have you noticed we don’t solve problems; we just move them around?) The Lock, therefore, is only a one foot drop. Now, we would travel the Chicago River and travel under forty bridges in five miles to get through the City. After merging with the Calumet Canal and Des Plaines River, we are presently traveling the Illinois River; a different kind of boating. The Locks are huge, the barges are humongous with Catcher, Brown Eyed Girl, and NOVA are here. We will leave tomorrow. Not sure where we will end up. Many of the marinas (some primitive) are too shallow to get into. We will likely find an anchorage. Flexibility is the name of the game.

It continues to be the adventure of a life time….Stay tuned!!!....The Admiral, Captain, and Skipper.




Chicago skyline

 

Mike at the Bean in Millenium Park




Gene at the Bean





Trump Tower

 


Thru Chicago on the Chicago River





Chicago Skyline and Lake Michigan from the Sears Tower

  

Aug.21, 2011: From Leland to Grand Haven, MI.

v

Aug.21, 2011: From Leland to Grand Haven, MI.

We have had such beautiful weather that the rain yesterday was barely noticed. We are at a marina in the channel at Green Haven just at the mouth of the Grand River. I understand this river is the longest in Michigan and goes to Grand Rapids. It is a rough day on the Lake today, so boaters are seeking refuge here. There is a steady stream of boat traffic. The entertainment right off our stern is watching the Coast Guard board everyone…not us!..

The night before leaving Leland, we had a gathering with the Loopers Jolly Tolly, from Ga.,  Carrie Rose, from Chicago, Tropical Breeze from Fla., and Nova from the Vineyard. We swapped stories and gathered information about Chicago. That will be a major visit at the end of this month. Jan, on Jolly Tolly, is known as the “pump out Queen” forevermore. (If you really want to know why, let me know!)

We then traveled to Manistee, Pentwater, White Lake, and then Grand Haven. We followed along the coast of the Sleeping Bear Dunes State Park, which, according to ABC’s Good Morning America, has been voted the most scenic area in the U.S. It was beautiful, but so are a lot of other places.

Grand Haven is a lovely city and a good stopover for a few days on land. There has been a Farmers’s Market, Arts and Crafts Fair, church suppers and an ice cream social; quite a busy place. Each night, on the opposite shore, there is a 45 minute production of music, colored lights, and fountains. The intensity of the fountains and the lights are synchronized with the music. The first night the music was from the Phantom of the Opera; quite a phenomenon. They have been doing this since 1962.

Skipper is having a wonderful time on the boat. He loves to walk and gets whiney if we leave him. He knows what ice cream is and would probably eat a gallon if we let him. Mike, on NOVA, stopped at a pet store and bought him some pigs’ ears to chew on. When Gene told me, he failed to mention they were for the dog. I thought it was going to be one of those crazy dinner appetizers Gene often experiments with. Well, Skipper loves them. He is, as they say, happy as a pig chawing on one. Thanks Mike!

We are about 100 miles from Chicago. We plan to be there by the 30^th and stay for a week through Labor Day. There is a bit to do (we have never been), and the waterfront is supposed to be spectacular.

There are now a bunch of Loopers docked here: Jeremiah, Seamore, Dream Catcher, Rock Chalk, NOVA and us. There will be a gathering at 5 o’clock; that’s always fun!

The winds will be calm, so we will head to Saugatuck tomorrow for a couple of days. It is supposed to be a town with much music and artwork…..The locals think summer is just about over….I think we are just beginning! Stay tuned…Ginny

St.James Harbor litehse, Beaver Is.



Pt. Betsie litehse, Frankfort, MI
the last to be decommissioned



Manistee North Pierhead litehse


 <><>

<>

<><>

Fog house at Grand Haven, MI

 

Skipper heading to the groomer



a pillow would be nice!!!!



1941 renovated train in Grand Haven, MI



NOVA and Free To B in White Lake; just us!



White Lake Lighthouse



Aug.10,2011 Little Current, North Channel, Ont. to Leland, Michigan

I had a boring, long write-up set to add pictures to and lost it in cyberspace somewhere; fortunately, for any readers!! So, after much procrastination and fist banging, I’ll try, again. And, it will be shorter.

We are currently about one third down the Lake Michigan coast at a cute little town called Leland. We have been here for three days. After several days of smooth Lake Michigan waters and wonderful sunshine, we are seeing Lake Michigan when it is just plain gnarly!

We tried to leave for Frankfort yesterday. The weather prediction (most of the time lousy) was right at the bar we deem comfortable for travel. So, we eased out of the marina, expecting 15 knot winds out of the north to find the winds were really out of the south, against us. After about twenty minutes of slam banging and hearing from other boats that they were in the middle of thunderstorms, we said “nuts with this” ( not really the language used), and headed back to Leland Harbor Marina to a round of applause from other tied up boaters who knew something we didn’t.

Shortly after tying up, wicked thunderstorms, horrific wind hit and lasted on and off throughout the day. It is still quite windy and we will probably not leave tomorrow. That’s fine. It is good to stop and smell the roses (or sniff the white caps on the water!)

Michigan marinas are quite unique. Many (and they are quite modern and beautiful) are run by municipalities or the state. They all have great facilities and rock breakwaters that provide storm protection. They are called Harbors of Refuge or Safe Harbors. That means that when weather is bad, they will find a spot for every boat that needs to come in out of bad weather. That situation happened here. All slips were full, and several boats are now rafted to other boats or tied perpendicular to docks. The marinas don’t, however, take reservations; it’s all first come, first serve. That was a little nerve wracking at first. But we have learned to just get on the waiting list, and, as we travel, keep calling the marina. So far, it is working.

 Now, to back track a bit. We left Little Current on July 27^th. (Seems like ages ago!). Little Current is really a misnomer; it should be called Big, Big Current. The current is swift and powerful. Some of the entertainment (after we bing-banged into the dock) was watching the struggles of other boats. Amazing how you how you can figure out how another boat should slither into a slip, but it just doesn’t quite work with your own boat.

We said goodbye for the time being to the Looper NOVA they were still checking out their engine) and travelled with Menous (Cajun for cat) from Pt. Arthur, La. We travelled to Kagawong and Gore Bay with them. In Kagawong, in the middle of the night, two schooners ( with just red and green travel lights) came creeping into the dock).  Both schooners had teenagers on board who were learning sailing and teamwork. I went up to the large dock in my PJs (as did everyone else) to watch the landing. (The Captain and Skipper remained passed out!)  There is something magical about watching boats at night; so much skill is required. And,that’s why we don’t travel at night.

Moving on, we were boarded by Canadian Customs (again) in Gore Bay; don’t know why, but all was fine.  (Did we have guns, liquor, hideaways?) That seemed to push our decision to head back to the U.S. We were not far from Drummond Is., Mich. We re-entered the US on Sun. July 31^st. The Customs (kid) officer was right there waiting for us.  (Did we have guns, liquor, hideaways and more than $10,000?)....Only in America!). We did fine, again!

Since then, we have traveled to Macinac Is. (kind of a mega Nantucket, but with cheaper slip fees!) No cars on the island! Just bikes, bikes, bikes and horse and carriages. In the winter, the 300 or so horses are returned to the mainland. (That must be some ferry ride! Phew!) We rode our bikes around the island for 8 miles. While the Captain and the Skipper sat in the shade, I took the $10.00 tour of the Grand Hotel. I skipped the $25.00 high tea. What luxury!  Here we paid $49.00 for a slip and a room with a view at the hotel was over $300.00 a night.

Our next fun, and off the beaten path trip, was to Beaver Is. The trip to this island can be rough, but we waited for a calm day! Took the road tour of 42 miles of winding, hidden dirt roads. It is amazing the hidden history that seems to be everywhere. Once occupied by Irish immigrants, a group of Mormons (led by a man named John Strang) forced everyone off the island. Strang then declared himself King for four years until he was murdered. The Irish then populated the island, again, for the fishing and lumbering. The Irish still predominate. The visit was like stepping back into the fifties!

After visiting Chalrevoix for two days, we headed to Traverse City in Traverse Bay. Here, I met up with a high school classmate (who was also in my homeroom). We had talked about meeting up when we joined them at the last high school reunion, and we did it!!! We had an absolutely wonderful visit with them. Their gracious hospitality was so enjoyable. They took us by car (what’s that?) everywhere. We enjoyed their home and dining out. And, there is nothing like local knowledge. Thanks Mike and Margaret!

Now, we meet boats from Michigan, Wisconsin. Indiana, etc. We hear “oooh, Vermont” when folks walk by our boat. We have traveled 1600 nautical miles. Guess we are really away from home. The boat is behaving well!

 We are just waiting for that weather window to continue our travels Frankfort will be our next stop. It is a wonderful adventure….Tune in…..Ginny and the crew


 

student sailors at Kagawong


 

Main St Mackinac Island



Largest Hotel Pourch in the World at Grand Hotel Mackinac Is



south pier lighthouse, charlevoix



a mushroom house in Charlevoix



Honey Harbor, Georgian Bay, Ont. to Little Current, North Channel, Ont.

Honey Harbor, Georgian Bay, Ont. to Little Current, North Channel, Ont.

We’ve gone from Locks, locks, locks to rocks, rocks, rocks. And the challenge of chart reading, finding buoys, and coordinating with the GPS takes two sets of eyes! No knitting for me…but I’m lovin’ it, so it’s ok.

Our next stop was an anchorage or park dock in Frying Pan Cove. Here we met a Gold Looper and a looper like us from St. Augustine. We enjoyed dinner together, a campfire at night and dinghy rides in and  of the island. The Gold Looper was Canadian and knew every nook and cranny. There were posted spots prohibiting camping because of bear, but we spent an afternoon enjoying the small beach…and the rocks. Snakes and bear are quite prevalent, so you won’t catch me hiking!

 Our next stop was Sans Souci Is. and the highly over rated Henry’s Fish restaurant. The specialty was whitefish; good, but a bit over rated. We did get to watch sea planes and the Canadian Coast Guard spend time here.

Parry Sound was unique and we made the decision (I think it was my birthday and Christmas present) to take a seaplane ride. Since we are traveling along the north side of Georgian Bay (known as the 30,000 Is.), we thought it would be fun to get an aerial view; and maybe even count the islands…Ha! Ha! An island is pretty much defined as any size rock formation that has green growth. If it has nothing growing, it is a rock. It was awesome; so glad we did that.

We went to several other anchorages; pristine and quiet, then headed to Britt on Byng Inlet. The marina was so-so; the locals were quite friendly. A Looper from Martha’s Vineyard,  named Nova, was towed into the marina with a dead engine. Since this was a to be installed. We felt sad for them and invited them to our boat for spaghetti. We have traveled with them since and are enjoying their company.

After a stay in Killarney, a quaint, small town at the start of the North Channel, we moved on to Browning Cove. (Yes, the Capt. insisted). It was heat wave time in the states, but probably not as uncomfortable here.

We are now in Little Current, a great spot, loaded with boats coming and going. There was even a quilt store (got my fabric fix). L.C. is also the home of the Cruiser’s Net. A man by the name of Roy Eaton (former school teacher and principal here) volunteers his time each morning to host a broadcast on Ch. 71. He’ll report news and weather, and then boats in the area call in with their boat name, location and where they are headed. He also provides radio help with emergencies, etc. Yesterday morning, since Gene was changing the oil, I went to the Cruiser’s Net office and helped record boats and their locations. There were 142 boats calling in. It was busy, but fun. At night we went to the annual Cruiser’s Net pot luck supper. There were at least 100 boaters. We are now seeing boats heading east from Michigan, Chicago, Wisconsin….just amazing!

Each night we read and read to get the scope of things and plan a couple of days’ travel. We have spent time with locals and Loopers who more than willing to share the must see spots, places to avoid and to go over charts with us. Because the buoys often are hard to see, and can change sides unexpectedly, we have a gizmo on the helm. When the red and green buoys change, we also change the gizmo. That keeps our feeble brains oriented and off the rocks. We know of two Looper boats that are waiting here for shafts and props. And, everything in Canada is expensive with a 13% tax



this used to be a lighthouse with a light
at Pt. Au Barile



Sad to say, we will probably leave the North Channel by the middle of next week, return to the U.S. and begin our Lake Michigan journey. I shall miss the Canadians; we have met some very friendly folks. This whole part of the rip has been beyond our expectations…..Tune in…..Ginny



Sportsman's Inn and marina
at Killarney







this will be a left hand turn!!




when the red and green buoys
change sides we rotate the gizmos

lighthouse

Monday, July 11,2011

Travel from Orillia, Ont. to Honey Harbor, Georgian Bay, Ont

We enjoyed a few days at the Port Orillia City Marina. The waterfront park was lovely. We met Loopers on Maine Vision, Gullwing, Sea Pal, and Running Erin”s. We enjoyed dinner, stories and camaraderie with them It remains amazing how we are each making this journey in different ways, different boats, and different schedules (alto’ we are not on a schedule, right?)….SeaPal’s owners and plan is quite interesting. They have a well-equipped 25 foot motor boat with two large gas out board motors, no keel, and everything they need compactly stored. They trailered their boat behind their truck from Bend, Oregon, starting their Loop in Norfolk=, Va. Altho’ they like our space, they can get their boat into spots we can’t even think about!

We left Orillia planning to meet up with the three Loopers at Lock 44. Boat traffic was quite heavy because it was a weekend, so locks were crowded and we often had to wait our turn. (But who cares!)

busy lock 42

We were heading to Big Chute, Lock 44, another unique lock. Actually it’s not really a lock, but, rather, a huge crib or travel lift that takes your boat out of the water on railroad tracks, across the road, down a hill 59 feet and back into water, the Little Chute Channel. The ride is seven minutes, the boat is in a sling in the crib, and we were on board.

The night before this adventure, the Captains studied the process; we took a gazillion pictures, and there was discussion with the lock masters about how we would proceed the next morning. It was decided, because of size and weight, that each boat would travel separately. Now it was time to plan out optimal use of picture taking. Cameras were exchanged and we excitedly looked forward to the next morning.

lockmaster waiting for free to b on the crib; free to b entering crib



in the crib



Ginny on the Bow

At 8:30 the next morning, we moved our boats to the waiting dock. Sea Pal decided to go out for breakfast and would travel Big Chute later in the day. They took some great pictures of us, but are now a day behind us.

We were second in line. I was on the bow, if lines were needed. Gene slowly approached the crib which is now partially submerged. The expert lock masters carefully adjusted the slings that the boat would sit on, and we were ready to go. The crib slowly came out of the water, crossed the road, and began its descent. OMYGOSH! About halfway down, a lockmaster shouts that he sees black line wrapped around our propeller. (Back track to last spring, and we did, indeed lose dinghy line. Gene thought he had retrieved it all from the propeller , but I guess not.) The youngest lockmaster tells us he can cut it off for us, so under the lift he goes! Another lockmaster readjusts the position of the crib, and the young one cuts off about four feet of line! We jokingly asked if he would like to paint the bottom while he was there.! Ha! Ha!. The head lockmaster made it clear that the reason they could retrieve the line was because there were not a line of boats waiting. They probably saved us a $500 boat yard charge, so the Capt. Saw to it that they would have a nice dinner.









 

Lockmaster finds line on the prop

Back in the Water Again

We continue down and make a smooth slide into the water, tie up at the wall and take pictures of the last boat. And, of course, the lockmaster gives us the line!!!!

We are finished with locks (I am glad; 74 locks is a bit of work; but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!) until Chicago when we will be sharing locks with huge barges on the rivers. Tune in…..

We temporarily said good bye to Running Erins and Gullwing. They were heading to a marina in Honey Harbor, Georgian Bay. I wanted to head to the southern Penetang Bay to visit the town of Penetanguishene; just to say I had been there. We would meet up with them, again, in Honey Harbor a day later. At the marina in Penetang, we were met by a Looper harbor host. Loopers volunteer throughout the route to be available if help is needed. We assured Byron that we had plenty of groceries, etc. He has completed the Loop and gave us much local info. It turned out we were too tired to bike into town after doing laundry, repairing an AC, etc.

We headed the next morning to Honey Harbor on the north side of Georgian Bay to a truly lovely marina, with a great Looper discount rate. The amenities were outstanding, the restaurant was five star, boaters were friendly, and the location was pristine. We stayed for two days, met up with our Looper buddies and planned a few days travel.

Here are some random pictures of open water travel. It wasn’t all locks and waiting. We are enthralled with Georgian Bay. It is Canada’s paradise. It is more developed with cottages (and boat traffic on the weekend) than I imagined, but the rock formations, luscious green trees and shoreline are incredible. We already know that somehow we will come back. (And we have only just begun.) Our travel over the next couple of weeks will be along the north shore, known as the 30,000 islands. This will take us to the North Channel and then to Lake Michigan. This a more complicated route with narrow channels, hidden anchorages and to die for scenery; rock formations and trees. We will need to pay close attention to our charts.

We met a young man, here, who grew up on Georgian Bay. He sat with us and our charts and showed us all of the ideal spots. If we even tried to visit them all, we would be here for years; so we shall pick and choose.

Today, we are heading to the northern tip of a Canadian Nat’l Park called Beausoleil Is. There is a dock and anchorage at Frying Pan Cove. Altho’ it will be hot and humid today, the water should refresh us.

All is well; this is the trip of a lifetime! Stay tuned…..

Janet, I'm really here