GlobalMedic

During the Covid lockdowns, with not much to do, I started volunteering with GlobalMedic, an organization which provides disaster relief internationally, and also supports local food banks and shelters.  

Several of the volunteers are there daily, and I got to know Dominique and Gerard, who came out for a sail with us and Marysia one day.  

West End mini cruise 2021

QCYC had a reciprocal cruise planned for the August long weekend to Royal Hamilton YC.  While we couldn't stay at RHYC, we got a mooring at the Harbour West Marina, and joined QCYC for their pot luck get togethers.  Hamilton is a great place to spend a couple of days and we walked around town, and even made the VERY long trek to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington!

The St. Lawrence II, a sail training vessel from Kingston, was moored near us at HWM and we got a great view of some of the trainees up in the rigging.

We followed up with a night at the Dalhousie Yacht Club before heading back home.

QCYC Sailpast 2021

Sailpast at QCYC is always a fun tradition.  Because we hadn't launched in 2020, I had not had the opportunity to sail past with my 'Past Commodore' burgee.  Covid restrictions and the delayed launch required a modified event.  

We celebrated on July 24, rather than the Victoria Day weekend, and had an outdoor take-out dinner instead of the usual indoor banquet, but it was great to spend the weekend with friends, and join the other Past Commodores in the salute to Commodore Ron Mazza. 

The convenience of mooring close to home

Our first sail of the season was a great example of how convenient it is to have the boat close to home.  We walked down to the club, sailed for 75 minutes, and were home for lunch!

While Covid restrictions limited any social functions at the club, and masks were required in most places, we enjoyed having a few guests aboard to share our new home on the water.

So Long and Thanks for All the Fish

Over the winter we made the decision to move the boat to the Lakeshore Yacht Club, which is walking distance from our home in New Toronto.  Now that we are no longer working downtown and the commute by transit much longer than before, the trip to the island was becoming quite expensive and much less convenient.  We were surprised that we were able to get a mooring for the current sailing season, and I had to cut short my role as Past Commodore on the QCYC board.

It was a little sad to be leaving Queen City after 15 year, but we were looking forward to a new adventure.

We had quite a load atop the boat as we motored our way to LSYC. It's always amazing how much stuff one accumulates over the years, particularly with a convenient locker in which to store it all.  Sails, winter cover and frame, ladders, tools and various odds and ends - it all had to be moved.  Luckily we had a calm day with an easy motor to our new home.  Lakeshore had not yet stepped masts, so our boat was easy to spot.