Do unto others....and why do the weather forecasters almost always get it wrong?

Georgian Bay remains one of our favourite places to boat. The water is crystal clear and not too cold. The landscape, some might find bleak (a rock, is a rock, is a rock) but we find it beautiful.

The water in Georgian Bay is crystal clear

You know you are in the Canadian Shield



Blustry

Rock formations

 

Our first anchorage this time around was recommended to us by Bruce and Ann from MV Happy Hour. Although off the main boating channel, Longuissa Bay is a popular anchorage. The reasons aren’t hard to see, the holding and wind protection is great!!

Gary took this opportunity to change the sacrificial anodes on Time& Tide. The water is clear enough to see and nice and warm to work in. After changing the anodes he checked out the props and both had a little curl on one of the wings; we figured it probably happened when we fought the debris in the Hudson River or it might even have happened as far back as the Tenn-Tom waterway when we also had to duck and dive around floating tree stumps. Still, we have been lucky; many boaters have had to have their props changed while on the Loop.

old and new

Getting suited for underwater work

 

Gary says that since he straightened out the props he feels a difference in the boat … so that is good.

After a couple of days we moved on and anchored in Indian Bay, an anchorage I was very sorry to have missed the last time we passed through Georgian Bay. Another great spot!! Great holding and clear warm water. On a weekday we were all by ourselves and on Saturday night there must have been 15 boats anchored in the Bay.

Josie having a cat nap

 

We waited out a huge squall in the bay (50-60KM) and were nice and protected. Boats around us dragged their anchors but we held nice and tight. The rain poured down in buckets. We heard no less than 6 mayday calls while the squall was blowing through. The next morning we left early but the big waters were still very unsettled so turned right around and went back to bed. The winds continued howling all day and the very hot and humid weather made way for cool northern winds and the evenings were pleasant to sit outside. The past few night had been so hot we had to run the air conditioner.

We were asked by 3 boates rafted off together to take a picture of them. They had been
vacationing together for 8 years. They returned the favour by taking a picture of us with T&T in the back ground.



Nice fish

Jumped out of my hands into the dingy, it wasn't hurt and
we set it free to live another day.

Sunset Indian bay

 

When we left Indian Bay we decided to get some distance behind us and we headed to Bing Inlet. Here we anchored behind Rabbit Island. Our plan was to wake early the next morning and make a run for Killarney and Covered Portage.

We woke up to find fog all around and a weather forecast that was getting more grim by the hour. As we had already de-anchored we tied to the Government Dock and decided to go back to bed. Both of us were restless so after an hour we decided to give it another go and on our way out saw 2 Loopers heading out as well.

Sedgwick Point cross

Moon rise - Bying Inlet

Sunset Bying Inlet

Early morning as the moon sinks behind a fogbank

We discussed things and decided to skip the inside route for a faster outside route to Killarney (via the North East passage).  The weather held out and we arrived in Covered Portage around 2pm along with the whole trailor-sailor community. Last year they all arrived while we were here and sure enough, here they were again. Gary and I found a tight little spot and tied the stern to the shore with about 50 feet of chain. I counted 59!!! boats anchored total. Catheryn (MV Next to me) if you read this, there were 18 boats anchored just in the spot where you were originally anchored outside!! Insane!!

Covered Portage full of boats

Time& Tide tied to the shore

Moon rising

 

So we waited for the forecasted high winds and sure enough they were blowing 30kns on our beam. We felt more uncomfortable as the day grew and the winds continued to blow out of the west and not the north as forecasted. Gary and I spent 4 hours working non-stop, trying to get a second anchor to hold us against the wind and re-tying lines to shore….and out of the 30+ boats anchored with us not a single boat offered to lend a hand. What a shame. Many people watched as we struggled but no one came forward to lend a hand. Gary and the dingy were covered in black mud from re-anchoring the second anchor so many times. Eventually I said we had to make a decision and move, there just was no way we could stay tied to shore, the wind on our beam and so close to other boats.

Poor Gary tying a line to one of the huge boulders onshore to try and keep us
safe.

As Gary left to try and find another spot in the crowed anchorage he actually was asked to save a dingy from a sail boat that had come loose and was drifting away, which he did of course. The folks were very thankful for our help, just too bad that we couldn’t say the same from any of the trailer sailors.

It was a tight maneuver but we finally lifted the anchor, untied our shore line and moved out to find a better spot. We were both relieved to be out of the precarious situation and safely swinging on our anchor again. A power boat that was tied next to us sent his kids over with our shore line and our faith in our fellow man was renewed.

It seems that there are good and helpful people out there.

If you read this and you are a boater….please, if you see a couple of people struggling for hours to secure their boat in a a tight spot, offer a lending hand, help out a little...................for that I thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

……………………….to be continued