West End Mini Cruise - Hamilton

For the long weekend,  QCYC had a reciprocal cruise with Royal Hamilton Yacht Club.  RHYC had been our first trip when we first got our boat in 2006.  We arrived at the lift bridge just before it opened, so didn't have to wait around.  We actually passed under with Fine Romance from QCYC.  The club has beautiful new docks, which have been put in since our Cruising Guide was last published, so the docks didn't match the photo we had. The dockmaster was very helpful in getting us settled in.  
On Saturday night, we had a club pot luck before dinner.  As often happens, we didn't actually need dinner, because there were so many great snacks provided by members. 

Sunday we attended mass at a nearby church, then walked almost 6 km to Millionaire's

Daughter.  No good finds today, but it was an interesting walk along Barton St.  It's quite an economically depressed street, with lots of boarded up businesses, on the border of the industrial areas and residencial neighbourhoods.  We went past the Hamilton Wentworth Detention Centre, the Children's hospital, Hamilton General, and a bunch of churches, including two Polish churches.  Near St. Stanislaus Kostka, there was a branch of the Polish Credit Union, a Polish deli, and 2 other churches, but not much else.

We got an early start on Monday, going under the bridge at the 9:00 a.m. opening.  We motored for the first couple of hours, then had a great sail to the Western Gap.  First cruise of the season was a great success!