Trent Severn to Georgian Bay

We have made it to our cottage in Georgian Bay. It feels like a mini-miracle to have navigated the waterways to this beautiful spot. In truth, it feels more of a miracle than that, with the logistical problems of the past 10 days. Nothing to do with safety issues, but more gremlins than I can comprehend. But we are here, and we are very grateful.

Thank heavens for Sandy being aboard. Sandy is a "college friend". Although she is quick to remind me that we met when she married a college friend a few years after we graduated ....... to us, she is as dear a college friend as anyone. Sandy, and her husband Perry, are sailors, and she loves being on the water, so anything and everything that happens on the water is OK by her..... including loss of generator, loss of inverter, loss of battery power, loss of refrigeration, etc. etc. etc. "It's all good, and these things can be fixed." Not only is Sandy cognisant of what needs to be done when aboard Moon Beam, she is completely unfrazzled by the inconveniences of things going wrong. Thank heavens for Sandy! We did have a few carefree days when she first came aboard, before we hit our problems and then (mostly) constant rain when we reached the cottage..... where she finished no less than two books, while we sorted things out.

Sandy joined us in Orillia, Ontario, which is at the north end of Lake Simcoe. Having rented a car from the Toronto airport, she drove us around Orillia to do errands and buy groceries (the fridge had already started its decline, and we had lost most of what we had bought a few days before). Then we were all treated to a beautiful sunset across the lake .... and we started out on the rest of the Trent Severn Waterways the following morning. We had several locks to go, so it was fun to share them, especially the second to last lock, The Big Chute, which was an overland ride. The picture on the left shows boats being brought up through the lock. We were next in line to be brought down. Forty-five tons of Moon Beam motored into the "lock", where we were secured by straps, such as the ones used to haul the boat in Albany, NY. Then the lock lifted us out of the water and hydraulically carried us up over land on rails and down (and I mean down) a hill to the water below. Because of our size, we were the only boat in the lock, besides 3 Sea-Doos, which were in front of us. I am not sure I would have been comfortable in their position, but it was a beautifully smooth ride, and I was brave enough to sit on the bow and take pictures. Unfortunately, my pictures are in the form of a movie, and I can not seem to get that posted here. Once we were gently placed in the water, the lock keepers released us from the straps. Amazing! The picture on the left shows the rail we came down.


Our second night with Sandy was spent docked east of our last lock, through which we traveled the following morning, into Georgian Bay, at Port Severn. Heaven. From there we meandered through some of the thirty thousand islands of GB, and decided to anchor off Beausoleil Island, a national park, about noon that day. Good thing we started early. The first bay we tried was somewhat crowded, and because we were trying to use our backup anchor (another minor problem involving our windlass), we were not able to get a good "hold" .... so we took off for another spot. And what a spot we found. A bay all to ourselves with a little beach and what looked like a deserted camp on the shore. We finally anchored successfully at about 1:30 pm ... and took Tigger ashore for a swim and a ball play on the beach. The water was cold, but I took the plunge anyway, and it was worth every gasping breath I took. At 2 pm, the camp came alive with swimmers, canoers, kayakers and shrieks of pleasure. We had a lovely evening .... a perfect introduction to the Bay.

The next night was spent at the town docks in Parry Sound, where we shopped again for groceries ( silly me .... I thought our refrigeration issues were over, and I loaded up) and were treated to dinner out by Sandy and Perry. Thanks Perry! Sorry you couldn't be there! As Peter said, the Chateau Margaux 1958 was wonderful! And then last Friday, a week ago, we motored up to Snug Harbour and anchored off Franklin Island across from our cottage. Heavenly-er!

Deb and Dado were on the porch to greet us and welcome us "home". Deb is my VBF from the time we met at age 4, she married my second cousin, David, and has been living in Canada ever since. They were able to use the cottage for the month of July, since we were occupied elsewhere! They came over to Moon Beam .... and we came to the cottage that night for dinner, once their friends Linda and Garry had arrived for the weekend. By this time, the gremlins on le bateau were taking over big time and the rain was pouring ..... and we were very grateful to be treated to Garry's special hamburgers and the comforts of home .... which really felt like their home! Strange ..... but wonderful. The next night we had a party on Moon Beam with them, along with our good friends from years at the cottage, Audrey & Alex and Janet. It was good to be "home"!

On Sunday we had a bit of sunshine, so Deb & Dado and Linda & Garry joined Sandy and us for a short trip north to explore this beautiful area. Later in the day, the gremlins completely took over the electrical system on board, such that our Captain became concerned that we would lose all our house batteries, since they were not being recharged off the generator. Luckily, we were invited to the cottage for another wonderful dinner. On Monday, the pouring rain returned, and we limped through having D&D for dinner by grilling rather than roasting the meat (which had stayed frozen in a separate freezer), and cooking the rest over our propane stove. The sorbet for dessert was very soft. Lights were not an option, so we were in bed before the sun set, with no reading!

Very long story short .... our Captain was engrossed in phone calls, Internet searches, and technical brochures trying to diagnose our problem. He found local electricians and boat battery experts who communicated with dear Eric in MD, who had overseen the commissioning of Moon Beam this winter & spring, and with Ian and John (on Sunday!) and Chuck from Selene ...... and in the end, everyone came up with the result that our house batteries (I have learned there are several!) charger had blown out and was fried. The upshot is that a local electrician hooked us up with a brand new auxiliary battery charger .... and we shall have to have the permanent one replaced ASAP. The good news is we now own a back up battery charger .... and we have wonderful people at Selene Annapolis and Washburns Boat Yard who are willing to do what it takes to keep us floating! And Sandy who quietly encouraged us throughout .... saying it all will work out!

So now the sun is shining .... sorry D, D & S who left on Tuesday as the sun was beginning to came out .... and we are in the cottage, with the water out front calm and beautiful. Moon Beam is moored in a bay near Snug with her generator going full time, charging up her batteries. And I am breathing in my surroundings, loving our cottage and charging my batteries as well. It is quiet for the Friday of a long Canadian weekend, but it is still early. An outboard motor boat just went by ..... the old fashioned kind with the bow in the air and one person steering in the stern .... and it looks so simple, beautiful and serene. We have made our lives much more complicated than need be. I am not adventurous, but Peter has always provided the spontaneity and excitement, and I am grateful for all that I would have missed if he had not. But for now, I am very happy to relax and reflect on the fact that all these gremlins do not add up to a hill of beans in the real world of trials and challenges which good people face. And I share our experiences, knowing this full well. I also understand, as I knew before, that a trip of this magnitude is not often taken with a boat this new. There have been personal and technical problems, with Moon Beam being so late in her delivery and our need to get underway quickly. And again, I share this as simply being part of our reality and our journey.

Deb & David come back soon to share time at the cottage with Geoff & Jaimee, who arrive a week from today. Unfortunately, D&D will not be able to stay until Sarah gets here, after her final exams the following week, but we are looking forward to having them all here. Then we take off once again, around the middle of next month, to head north to parts of Georgian Bay which we have never seen. The North Channel is supposed to be one of the best parts of our trip ... and then of course Mackinac Is. will be a thrill. I am sure Moon Beam and I will be up to the task by then!