Last guest of the season

Michael from High Park came with Emily to join us for a sail during the Labour Day Air Show over the CNE.  As we got out onto the lake, dark clouds gathered in the west, and as a few fat raindrops fell, we headed back in without seeing much of the Air Show.  The scary looking weather didn't materialize, and we enjoyed a visit aboard safe at the dock. 

Sailing with Zaza

Lucie and Zaza

My cousin Elizabeth (Zaza) is visiting from France.  Her daughter Lucie moved here a few years ago, so we get to see Zaza more often now.  Zaza's last summer visit was 4 years ago, when we had an unusual fog roll in while we were on the water.  Sunday was hot, humid and cloudy with a brisk wind, and we watched the weather as we headed out for a sail. 

Emily, Lucie, and Zaza each took a turn at the helm before we headed back to the club.  After a little refreshment, we took a break from the heat by taking a walk along the boardwalk on the lake side of the island, where the wind was welcome.

When we had been returning to the club after our sail, we had seen a boat coming in behind us dragging its mast.  Our friend Andrew, of Serica, had been out on the lake when the damaged boat crashed into another and lost its mast.  He snapped a photo just after the accident and stayed in the area until the police boat came out to offer assistance.

An unexpected journey

The August long weekend was another scorcher.  The club had a cruise to 50 Point YC, but we didn't sign up for this one.  Instead we stayed at QCYC and looked after some club chores.  On Sunday morning, a visiting boat couldn't get the engine started.  Ed and Paul worked in the heat to try to get it going without success, so Paul towed Paprika out the Eastern Gap, then went for a sail.  When he returned, Paul confirmed that the breeze was blowing on the lake, although it was quite calm at our dock.  Late in the afternoon, we dropped our lines, left the power cord on shore and headed off for a sail.

The wind was wonderful after the hot sticky weather at the club.  We were heading west, and after about a while, got talking about continuing on to the Lakeshore Yacht Club.  Ed called ahead, and we were assigned a slip.  We've never been to LSYC by boat, and with few landmarks, weren't quite sure what to look for on shore, but made it there just fine.

After checking in, the officer of the day was showing us around, and who was having dinner but Andrea of Paprika.  She invited us to join her and her friends for dinner.  They had mostly finished, but we got our burgers and veggies onto the club bbqs and joined them for an evening of good company.  At the end of the evening, Andrea introduced us to LSYC's 'Polish Navy' and invited us to join them for Polish Day on Aug 25.  

Monday morning, we took an easy 30 minute walk to the house on Third St. to check on the renovations.  The framing for the addition is mostly done, with the crew working on the roof.  Very exciting.

Last stop

Not quite ready to head home, we motored to Scarborough, and stayed at the Highland Yacht Club.  It's a relaxed place, with easily identifiable visitor slips and easy docking.  We took a walk around the park and snacked on fries and ice cream.  Great way to finish off vacation.





We actually sailed part way home on Sunday.  The wind was on the nose, but we did a few tacks to get us close to home before turning the engine on.  
Leaving Scarborough just ahead of us were Martin and Anne on Jeanette from QCYC. They sailed all the way, and we only caught up with them as we passed the Leslie Street Spit.

Retracing our steps

Rainy day in Picton

Having made the decision not to cross over into the US, the next decision was how to handle the forecast unsettled weather.  We didn't have a place to dock in Picton on Sunday evening, so after watching the forecast, we decided to make a late departure - close to noon - and head for Belleville.  The rain had mostly stopped except for a few brief showers, and the wind was forecast to ease later in the afternoon.  For the first part of the trip up Long Reach, we had a brisk wind on the nose, moving to our beam, with apparent wind readings topping 30 knots.  We hit some big waves breaking over the bow in the wider sections near Adolphus Reach and Hay Bay, but made it through unscathed.  West of Telegraph Narrows we unfurled the head sail, and had a great downwind sail until Belleville, and decided to continue on to Trenton.  The Port Trent Marina where we stayed a few days earlier seemed like a comfortable option for hanging out for a couple of days.  Again the staff who helped us dock were appreciated, as the wind was still blowing in the high teens. 

We enjoyed Trenton for 3 days while the winds blew and rain fell in the area.  We napped, read, cooked, watched the planes practice take off and landing at CFB Trenton, went to the movies, and took walks.  Very relaxing.

Then it was back to Cobourg - motoring yet again.  Since it was Wednesday race night, we went to the Cobourg Yacht Club for dinner.  Tony has apparently sold Abigail III.  At the club we ran into QCYC friends Linda and Chris from Doneva, and joined them for dinner.  They were on their way eastbound as they started vacation.

Thursday we motored to Whitby.  Thunderstorms blew through a couple of hours after we arrived, making for some dramatic photos. We planned to stay for a couple of days since the forecast for Friday was windy on the nose.  On Friday, we walked over to the Whitby Yacht Club, where we've never been before.  We enjoyed a walk around the grounds, and had a drink at the bar, where we ran into another QCYC member.  Yves was sailing Alice east to Kingston where his wife would meet him to cruise the Thousand Islands.  

Later that evening, Joanne and Keith dropped by the boat for a visit, and we watched the full moon rise, and a heron flying by.