Friday, December 27, 2013

After the Ice Storm

Toronto was hit by an ice storm before the Christmas holidays, with lots of falling tree limbs and damaged power lines.   Parts of the city were without power - some for over a week.   I dropped by the island to have a look at the boat.  I thought I might actually climb up and get snow off the cover, but the ground was covered in thick ice and snow, and I didn't think it would be a good idea to put the ladder up.

Our boat was fine, but a big branch had come down on the cover of another boat.  With the cold weather, the lagoon was frozen and kids were getting a hockey game going.  The sun peeked out and I got a great shot of the clubhouse.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

End of another season

This year's haul out started a little slowly, with some preparation which wasn't finished on the work party weekend.  We had light rain most of Saturday, and on Sunday when the weather was pleasant, we had a problem with the winch cable, and stopped working in the early afternoon.  The following weekend, we assumed we would need to work both days to finish hauling all the boats.  Despite the steady rain for most of the day, we got all the boats out by 4:00pm, and then prepared for a pot luck dinner. 

We bought a new cradle this year - a steel one.  The boat fits much more snugly than in the old cradle, and we had to pound out the blocks on the stern supports to get the winter cover on.  It certainly made the ride down the ways feel a little more solid and secure.  I swear the cover gets heavier every year, but at least the frame was easier to assemble since I numbered the pieces in the spring.  I love my label maker. 

Saturday, October 26, 2013

WSR 2013 - Update

I was reading the October issue of the Clipper (QCYC's newsletter) and noticed that in the "awards" section, Prime Interest was listed as 3rd in PHRF 1A division of this year's Women Skippers Race.  Since I hadn't won an award at the race, I checked with the race committee and learned that some time after the race, they decided to split the divisions.  As a result, I earned my first ever racing flag!  I can't wait to run it up on a halyard at next season's Sailpast, when it's time to dress ship.   

Monday, September 02, 2013

Labour Day Weekend

Patrice & Steve joined us for the corn and weenie roast this year.  We enjoyed the picnic atmosphere, and tried not to pay too much attention to the preparation of the pigs for pig roast. 
On Saturday, Amy and Mike came for a sail, and after waiting for some dark clouds to pass, we went out and caught the end of the CNE Air Show.  On Sunday, we motored to the other end of the Island to stay at the Island Yacht Club - another place we've never visited before.  The grounds are huge, and the clubhouse is bright and airy. 
Katie has been working at IYC this summer, so we had dinner at the restaurant. 

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Bronte

The weather was nice with a light wind, so we sailed to Bronte.  We left at about the same time as a long distance race was starting, I turned around at one point, and there were a bunch of spinnakers heading the same way we were.  I think they were heading for the Burlington mark.  In Bronte,   Deb was able to meet us for dinner at The Firehall, but we missed Andrew, as he was on his way eastbound, taking Horton to Kingston, where he'd pick it up the next week to sail the Thousand Islands.  We had another good sail back home on Sunday, once again coming across a race as we approached the western gap.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Women Skippers Race 2013

We didn't make plans to have anyone over for the Women Skippers Race this year, so I was asking around the club, and someone suggested that Amanda might be able to join us, but she didn't think she'd be staying for the race.  Our boat neighbours, Maria & Tony, were doing chores around the boat, but were willing to give that up to join us in the race.  Just before we left, Amanda came by to see whether we were still looking for crew - perfect!  

Tony and Amanda are both 'racers', so kept us competitive.  We finished 6th out of 11 boats in our division - our best finish ever.  Ribs for dinner were great, and we even stayed for the party.

Saturday, August 03, 2013

@ Home Again

We didn't have far to go from Whitby, so we sailed most of the way, even though the wind was a little light.  Just as we approached the Leslie Street Spit, we noticed a QCYC boat called @ Home Again.  How appropriate. 

Friday, August 02, 2013

Weather

After a couple of really pleasant days in Cobourg, it was time to move on.  The weather forecast for Friday was calling for thunderstorms in the afternoon, so we got an early start  for the trip to Whitby.  We had no wind, so were able to make good time motoring.  We saw rain to the north of us, and another big cloud heading southeast.  We got a little sprinkle of rain, but most of it passed us.  It did look dramatic though, and we saw a couple of power boats hurrying along to avoid the weather.  Just as we arrived at Port Whitby Marina, the sky to the west got quite dark.  We were safely docked by the time the heavy rain, thunder and lightning came by.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Cobourg

We left CFB Trenton YC, and with absolutely no wind, we once again motored all the way to Cobourg.  We had to slow down a couple of times, reverse the engine, and do all sorts of circles, to get rid of the weeds we picked up in the Bay of Quinte and Presqu`ile Bay, and were dragging on our rudder.  The Murray Canal had a number of weed mats floating right across, that we had no choice but to power through.  You`d think someone could keep those few kilometers of channel clear.   Cobourg Marina was busy, so we tied up to the north wall, with no water or power.  Just behind us docked an Island Packet 38.  Ed met Nigel and Patricia on Dancing Brolga, from the Lakeshore Yacht Club, and invited them aboard.  Then we got to tour the IP.   Beautiful boat, and huge compared to ours.  We went for dinner at Oasis Bar & Grill, and invited Nigel and Patricia to join us.  It poured rain overnight, and into the morning, so we decided to stay put for another day.  A dock opened up once the rain stopped, when a group of Americans on power boats headed out.  A couple of them ended up returning, because conditions were apparently pretty rough on the lake. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

CFB Trenton

We had a long motor from Picton to the Bay of Quinte.  We decided to bypass Belleville this year, if we could get into CFB Trenton Yacht Club.  They were able to accommodate us, although they generally have smaller boats at their club.  It`s a lovely location on Baker`s Island, adjacent to the base.  One of the staff recommended a visit to the National Air Force Museum, so off we went, as there isn`t much else to do.  There used to be a big open training field on the base, which now houses the Aerospace Warfare building,
and another large building under construction.  We watched a Hercules go around in circles, as it practiced take-off and landing.  It was a LONG walk to the museum, maybe 3 kms past the base airstrip, and we arrived half an hour before closing.  We took a quick walk around some of the model planes, and a lovely volunteer showed us a few key exhibits, including an Olympic Gold medal.  You might remember the RBC commercials during the Winter Olympics, which made reference to the year RBC sponsored a hockey team made up mostly of Air Force personnel.   

Monday, July 29, 2013

Familiar Faces


The wind was brisk today.  We sailed for the first couple of hours out of Waupoos, then turned the engine on, as the wind was right on the nose at about 13 - 18 knots.  As we were motoring west through Adolphus Reach, Ed spotted a QCYC burgee.  Ted on Comus was heading east.  Ted is 89 years old, and regularly sails his boat alone, around the lake.  Later we passed another boat which was heading the same way we were (but they were sailing), and came into Picton Marina just after us.  Margaret and Alan on Griffwn (PCYC) are good friends with Harry and Mandy, the previous (original) owners of our boat.  In Picton, Ed and I took a walk to the grocery store (and the Tim's, of course).  We spotted a group of cyclists in matching jerseys, and Ed mentioned that he had sponsored someone in the Friends for Life Bike Rally, from Toronto to Montreal, and he should keep an eye out.  A few seconds later, I heard Ed call to Ken, who turned around and waved, but kept riding.  There are over 400 people riding, and I'm sure they're spread out over some distance by now.  What are the chances that someone Ed knows happened to be on the same street in Picton, at the same time we were - amazing!

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Waupoos


It's been a long time since Ed and I travelled to an unfamiliar harbour.  On Saturday we made the 40 nautical mile trip from Sackets Harbor, NY to Waupoos, ON, in Prince Edward County.  The wind was great, and in fact we had to put in a reef in the main sail, but still managed to top 7 knots!  There was a high wind warning for Eastern Lake Ontario for later in the afternoon, so we were glad to make good time.  The marina at Waupoos was busy, with a sail-in from Burlington, but we got a nice dock, and should be well protected from the south winds, by Waupoos Island.    On Sunday, we helped support the local economy - breakfast at the Blue Moose CafĂ© and lunch at The County Cider Company Estate Winery, We walked over to the Duke of Marysburgh for dinner, but they were closed :-(  We borrowed bikes from the marina for the ride to the Cider Company, and on the way back, stopped to buy local blueberries and raspberries.  Nice place - I think we'll be back.


Friday, July 26, 2013

Sackets Harbor - Tin Pan Galley

We've never yet sailed between Sackets Harbour and Oswego.  Wind seems to always be absent, or against us.  No different this trip.  Motored all the way there, on a beautiful summer day.  We enjoyed dinner at the Tin Pan Galley last year, and went back again.  Food was great, but some of the plating was a little odd.  For appetizer, Ed had an interesting take on french onion soup - wonton wrappers filled with sauted onions,  covered in cheese, floating in broth, with croutons.  I had the ahi tuna - very tasty, but the plate was too busy. 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Oswego Harborfest

We actually had a really good sail to Oswego.  Winds were building throughout the afternoon, and we were flying.  As usual, we arrived on Harborfest weekend.  I guess we're always here on the last weekend of July when this event is on, along with the regatta, which means no room at the inn - we were on the wall with no power for a very breezy night, but by morning, it was quite calm.  A free beer at the Oswego Yacht Club ($2 for the second one), dinner in the park overlooking the lake, and funnel cake in the midway for dessert.  Life is good. 

When we signed in at the yacht club, we noticed that the very first entry this year, was Steve Rose aboard T'ai Chi.  Steve and Liz passed through in May, on their way home to QCYC after a winter in the Bahamas.  A link to their blog (Adjusting Our Sails) is on the right.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Sodus Bay

Sometimes I feel like all we do is drive around the lake.  We had a bit of a sail to Sodus Bay, but mostly, the engine was on.  Sodus is a beautiful place.  Every time we're here, I look for real estate.  We had an uncomfortably breezy night, which carried on until the next day. While we were taking our usual 'we were here' photo, a woman came by and offered to take one of both of us.  We got chatting, and she recommended a good place for dinner.  Our walk took us past the Lighthouse Museum. Really cute, and you can see a long way from the top.  We walked past the Bay Street Hotel, the recommended restaurant where we would have dinner, and as we were warned, it doesn't look like much.  When you look in the window, you see a bar and pool table, but we were game to try the place.  Dinner was amazing.  The chef cooks here in the summer, and spends the winter cooking in Key West.  Chef Ramsey would have a field day with the dĂ©cor in this place, but the food really was good.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

An early start to our vacation


Or maybe it's a late start.  Ed and I were planning to leave Toronto on Friday late afternoon, but with a forecast of severe thunderstorms, we decided to wait until they were done, to make run for Rochester.  The severe weather was pretty dramatic, with high winds (while we sat having dinner in the clubhouse) and an amazing lightning display late in the evening.  It was still raining at 2:00 am, and any hopes of a really early morning departure went out the window, because we fell asleep and didn't get up until 5:00.  A quick check on the forecast, and we were off by 5:25 on Saturday morning.  We had a quick downwind sail for the first 3 or 4 hours, and then alternated between motoring and sailing, and made it to Rochester by about 7:30 pm.  On Sunday, Ajay, Kathy and Sara came for a visit to the Rochester Yacht Club, and then we went back to Webster for a barbeque dinner.  Our 'traditional' dinner at Schooners followed on Monday evening. 

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Silent Auction Winners

In May, our friend Cathy's daughter, Diana, helped organize a fundraiser in support of Light the Night, a charity dedicated to ending blood cancers.  Although we were not able to attend the event, we offered an afternoon of sailing for the silent auction being held at the event.  Terry won the sailing trip, and invited her friends Laurie, Cindy, and Elaine.  Two of the ladies had gone to elementary school together, and three of them attended high school together - in Belleville.  They hadn't seen each other in decades, and got together at the fund raiser. 

After storms and flooding earlier in the week, the day we picked turned out to be perfect - sunny and warm, with enough wind to give us a good sail.  We did see some of the aftermath, with lots of debris floating in the lake. 

Monday, July 01, 2013

Canada Day weekend

We had some guests aboard this weekend, and for possibly the first time, I have no photos to show for it.  We didn't invite anyone for Saturday, since the forecast was for rain, but while there were big clouds over the city all day, on the island we had sunshine until past dinner time.  Derek, Hayley and Marysia came on Sunday, and although it was sunny and warm, the wind was fairly calm, and we only actually sailed for about an hour.  We mostly motored around the island, and went past IYC to show our guests where Katie is working this summer.  There was a great firework display just off Harbourfront in the evening, and we had a prime view from the QCYC lawn.  On Monday - Canada Day - Cora came with her husband Dwen, and children Alex and Olivia.  We had hoped to take them sailing, but it was overcast and cool, and there was a high wind warning in effect.  Instead we enjoyed some refreshments on board, took a walk around Algonquin Island, and fed the baby ducks...and the bigger ducks....and the little ducks....

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Lobsterfest 2013

June 22 was a busy day at QCYC.  It started with a Marine Sale, where members donated items from their boats or lockers, with profits going towards the Learn to Sail program.  We picked up a new anchor, sold the old one, and bought a beautiful sextant.  Now we just have to learn to use it. 
Joe and Lynn were going to come for a sail, but it was raining heavily until about 3:00pm.  They came for a visit, and stayed for Lobsterfest, where Joe ran into someone he had once curled with.  The band which played on the lawn during dinner was great, and helped get the party started for the after dinner band in the Great Hall.    

Friday, June 21, 2013

Summer Solstice 2013

Summer solstice fell on a Friday this year, so Ed and I headed out for a sail after work, to enjoy the longest day of the year.  The weather was great and we got a few hours out on the water.  We then toasted the arrival of summer with a sip of rum, with Ken, Deanna, Eriks and Jacqui on Wild Jasmine.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

To the top!

I've had lots of trips up masts this spring, since I have a climbing harness, and have fun doing it.  Generally the trip up is quick - just to remove the mast crane strap from the mast, when it is attached above the spreaders.  This trip, though, was to attach the topping lift on Sea Sharp's mast - a Nonsuch, with an unstayed mast.  It was my first time to the top of a mast, and this one was quite wobbly.  I managed the job without dropping any of the bits, and enjoyed a great view.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Sailpast 2013

Sailpast 2013 fell on our 28th wedding anniversary!  It was a breezy day, and our first sail of the season.  We headed out a little early, and zipped around the harbour under (our new) headsail alone, making 6.5 knots.  We rolled up some sail, and were still making over 5 knots, so when it was actually time to 'sail' past, we rolled up the sail and motored past.  We joined a group on the tennis courts for snacks, since none of our immediate boat neighbors were around, then enjoyed the Commodore's Punch Bowl before dinner.


Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Getting ready for another season

This is that great time of year - the start of sailing season on Lake Ontario.  The boat was launched on April 14, and we took advantage of the warm weather this weekend to step the mast.  All that's left now is to hoist the sails, including the new #2 headsail we had made at North Sail over the winter.   Sailpast is in a couple of weeks, and we're starting to plan our summer cruise and booking sailing dates with friends.  Club members are slowly returning from wherever they hauled their boats, and we look forward to catching up after the winter.  We're awaiting the return of some QCYC cruisers who spent the winter in the Bahamas, and can't wait to hear the stories they didn't include in their blogs.  We're watching the weather and planning a few boat jobs to take care of over the summer.  This is that great time of year.    

Sunday, January 06, 2013

A little break from winter

Winter has really just begun, but we left for some sun!  We took a Caribbean cruise on the Brilliance of the Seas, starting in Puerto Rico, with stops in BVI, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe and Barbados.  In St. Kitts, we took the Rail & Sail tour, which makes almost a complete circumnavigation of the island.  I would have liked a little less rail and a little more sail.  In St. Maarten, we came across Voyageur 10-10 which was hauled while Ken and Carol returned to Canada for the holidays.