Day One (August 3, 2009)
We left Collingwood at 1000 August 3rd with friends and family waving good-bye on the dock. We were accompanied by Paul and Sue Butcher on their 33 foot catamaran, Twice 's Nice, who are doing the trip with us and Jim and Wanda Ree on their C&C 30, Sheer Connection. Jim and Wanda are travelling as far as the Benjamin Islands in the North Channel. We arrived at Little Port Elgin at 1800 after enjoying a great beam and broad reach with winds 10-15 knots. The only incident was that we noticed that our Windex was loose. I told Gill that I would go up the mast and fix it when we stop for the night. Unfortunately somewhere along the line, it blew off completely. Had sundowners on Twice 's Nice and later went to bed very tried.
Day Two (August 4, 2009)
Left Little Port Elgin at 0800 with the winds still out of the southwest 10-15 knots and the water was just a little lumpy. Part way through the day, I happened to notice that the Dinghy-Tow was putting a lot of stress on the transom and it looked like the port backing plate was going to pull through the back of the boat. We stopped to check things out and decided to tow the dinghy until we can get that area of the transom reinforced. We arrived at Wingfield Basin at 1500 and anchored right in the middle. Everyone came over to Periwinkle for sundowners with wind howling. While we were imbibing, we noticed that Twice 's Nice was dragging so the guys jumped their dinghies and rushed to save the day (and the boat). Twice 's Nice anchor was reset and all ended well.
Day Three (August 5, 2009)
Were going to head for Heywood Island but the forecast was for 20 knot winds gusting to 30 with waves two metres. We decided to stay put for the day. It turned out to be a good decision as we saw three boats come during the day that were bounced around pretty badly. We got some jobs done around the boat including changing the speed transducer which had failed just before we left on the cruise. Sundowners on Sheer Connection.
Day Four (August 6, 2009)
Left Wingfield Basin at 0530 thinking the winds and sea state would be better at sunrise. WRONG!! The wind was out of the northwest 16 knots and the waves were one to two metres. Decided to head for Killarney instead of Heywood Island to get a better angle on the wind and arrived in Killarney at 1430. Pumped out and refuelled at Sportsman Inn and moved on to Covered Portage for the night. We decided to take the dinghies back to Killarney (normally a ten minute ride) for fish & chips. The water was rough and we all got soaked there and back but the fish & chips were great. Gill and I changed into dry clothes and went to visit Sharpie's Dream which also anchored in Covered Portage. Pat and Dianne Sharpe are fellow Thunder Bay boaters who now live in Sudbury and sail out of the North Channel Yacht Club in Sprague. We were delighted to hear that they too are doing the Great Loop and were going to be about a week or two behind us. We were hoping to meet up in Chicago. Sundowners on Sharpie's Dream.
Day Five (August 7, 2009)
Left Covered Portage at 1000 and had a nice lazy sail down Lansdown Channel. Light winds, flat water, and sunny skies. FINALLY!! Arrived in Little Current at 1400 and tied up at the Municipal Docks for the night. Everyone took advantage of the showers. Met up with Ray and Cheryl Girard sailing Perfect Peace. Another pair of former Thunder Bay boaters. We sailed with them in Florida and the Bahamas in 2006. Ray is the Commodore of the North Channel Yacht Club. Gill and I then went shopping for groceries and rum (found both). Went to a reception at the Anchor Inn hosted by Roy Eaton, the fellow that does the Little Current Cruisers' Net. Got to talk to other boaters that are doing or have done the Loop. Sundowners on Periwinkle II.
We left Collingwood at 1000 August 3rd with friends and family waving good-bye on the dock. We were accompanied by Paul and Sue Butcher on their 33 foot catamaran, Twice 's Nice, who are doing the trip with us and Jim and Wanda Ree on their C&C 30, Sheer Connection. Jim and Wanda are travelling as far as the Benjamin Islands in the North Channel. We arrived at Little Port Elgin at 1800 after enjoying a great beam and broad reach with winds 10-15 knots. The only incident was that we noticed that our Windex was loose. I told Gill that I would go up the mast and fix it when we stop for the night. Unfortunately somewhere along the line, it blew off completely. Had sundowners on Twice 's Nice and later went to bed very tried.
Day Two (August 4, 2009)
Left Little Port Elgin at 0800 with the winds still out of the southwest 10-15 knots and the water was just a little lumpy. Part way through the day, I happened to notice that the Dinghy-Tow was putting a lot of stress on the transom and it looked like the port backing plate was going to pull through the back of the boat. We stopped to check things out and decided to tow the dinghy until we can get that area of the transom reinforced. We arrived at Wingfield Basin at 1500 and anchored right in the middle. Everyone came over to Periwinkle for sundowners with wind howling. While we were imbibing, we noticed that Twice 's Nice was dragging so the guys jumped their dinghies and rushed to save the day (and the boat). Twice 's Nice anchor was reset and all ended well.
Day Three (August 5, 2009)
Were going to head for Heywood Island but the forecast was for 20 knot winds gusting to 30 with waves two metres. We decided to stay put for the day. It turned out to be a good decision as we saw three boats come during the day that were bounced around pretty badly. We got some jobs done around the boat including changing the speed transducer which had failed just before we left on the cruise. Sundowners on Sheer Connection.
Day Four (August 6, 2009)
Left Wingfield Basin at 0530 thinking the winds and sea state would be better at sunrise. WRONG!! The wind was out of the northwest 16 knots and the waves were one to two metres. Decided to head for Killarney instead of Heywood Island to get a better angle on the wind and arrived in Killarney at 1430. Pumped out and refuelled at Sportsman Inn and moved on to Covered Portage for the night. We decided to take the dinghies back to Killarney (normally a ten minute ride) for fish & chips. The water was rough and we all got soaked there and back but the fish & chips were great. Gill and I changed into dry clothes and went to visit Sharpie's Dream which also anchored in Covered Portage. Pat and Dianne Sharpe are fellow Thunder Bay boaters who now live in Sudbury and sail out of the North Channel Yacht Club in Sprague. We were delighted to hear that they too are doing the Great Loop and were going to be about a week or two behind us. We were hoping to meet up in Chicago. Sundowners on Sharpie's Dream.
Day Five (August 7, 2009)
Left Covered Portage at 1000 and had a nice lazy sail down Lansdown Channel. Light winds, flat water, and sunny skies. FINALLY!! Arrived in Little Current at 1400 and tied up at the Municipal Docks for the night. Everyone took advantage of the showers. Met up with Ray and Cheryl Girard sailing Perfect Peace. Another pair of former Thunder Bay boaters. We sailed with them in Florida and the Bahamas in 2006. Ray is the Commodore of the North Channel Yacht Club. Gill and I then went shopping for groceries and rum (found both). Went to a reception at the Anchor Inn hosted by Roy Eaton, the fellow that does the Little Current Cruisers' Net. Got to talk to other boaters that are doing or have done the Loop. Sundowners on Periwinkle II.
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