Final Thoughts and Random Pictures

This was a wonderful vacation. We both agree it was one of our best. We may do it again next year.

Following are some pictures that did not make the blog but are still interesting. Enjoy!

Kerry loading our boat, Leo.

Houseboats move faster than sailboats with no wind

Kerry can be Captain too

A beautiful Tartan sailboat anchored off Sugar Island

Don plotting our course to the next anchorage

View from Potato Island

Sister-ship to Leo

Thousand Islands Tower

No comment needed!

Warnings at Smuggler's Cove

Boldt Castle

4 Holiday Houseboats at Alexandria Bay in addition to ours

Saturday August 17, 2013 Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

I woke up about 5:30 and could see the sky starting to lighten. The boat had been so still during the night that I had to remember we were on a boat. Again I took a couple of pictures of the early morning, always hoping to capture the perfect picture.

I went back to bed for awhile. A zillion little bugs, mosquitoes I think, surrounded the boat. I could hear them buzzing around trying to figure out how to get to the tasty crew inside. After a short time they were gone. Kerry got up early, about 6:15. I had her tea ready. She already had us mostly packed up but dealt with the final packing and cleaning details. In fact she had the boat so clean that Neil said the house cleaning girls would be really happy with this boat. She even mopped the decks on the trip back. Once it was filled with gas and the head pumped, it would be ready to go out again. Breakfast consisted of breakfast bars and milk.

We motored up the Canadian Middle Channel at about 4 knots. We had 6 miles to cover. I figured it would take us 1 ½ hours so we pulled anchor at 7:00. It was a most pleasant final voyage. We passed Gananoque whose marina was mostly full. We passed Lindsay Island and Beaurivage Island. We had thought about anchoring at one of these spots on our last night. I was so glad we did not. They were literally chock full of sailboats and even expanding outside the main anchorage into some of the entrance channels. It was so crowded. We both agreed that we dodged a bullet by bypassing them.

Don charts our course on the big chart

The Navionics Android App guides us to our destination

As we were ready to leave the main Bateau channel and pull into the little Chenal Channel where the marina was located, Kerry got sick. I decided to wait until her episode was over and just sat in the channel waiting. One of the marina hands went by and joked that I was waiting until 9:00 when the boat had to be returned, which was in about 10 minutes.

Kerry steering when she was feeling better

We were done and gone from the marina by 9:15 – a really quick check out and fueling process.  We were charged for 9 gallons of fuel, which means we used 19 gallons over the week. The boat has a two cycle 60 hp motor. We stopped at Canadian Tire and I returned the machete I bought as it turned out to be not needed for the houseboat. There was a big backup at US Customs so it took us almost ½ hour to clear. We zipped through once we got to the Customs booth. Note to self - there is a Nexus land on the left.


The trip home was very uneventful. It was a pretty day to drive. I asked Kerry if she would rather be taking 3 weeks to get home in Excalibur or 8 hours in the car. Surprisingly, she chose the car. We got home about 5:45 so the trip was just about 8 ½ hours again, the same as when we went. Our neighbors Mimi and Dave were having a big family reunion party. They had invited us to join them if we were home early enough, so we did. They have a very nice family, and it was a perfect way to end the week. Well, it continued to end well when Rosemary brought over my July Pie of the Month Sunday afternoon.

My July peach pie, a little late, but delicious!

Friday, August 16, 2013 Sugar Island

We had a really pleasant night. The winds and seas were clam and there was no reason to worry about the anchor dragging again. I woke a couple times and turned over in bed when I noticed the calm conditions. Kerry said she popped up ocassionally and looked around to be sure we were stationary.

I woke up for good about 5:30. We had gone to bed before 9:00 so it was still a good night’s sleep. The morning light was just coming. I took some pictures of the sailboats in the harbor against the morning light. I think some will be good and can’t wait to see them on the computer. Two loons were swimming nearby. Their calls are so beautiful. I wished they did it more frequently. I laid in bed for awhile listening to news on NPR.

When Kerry got up we sat out and had our morning coffee and tea. Sadly, we finished our last white powered donuts. I cooked a nice bacon and egg breakfast for us and we set sail for Sugar Island about 9:30. I had originally planned to go to an anchorage closer to the marina where we must return the boat tomorrow morning by 9:00AM. But after being in an open, more crowded anchorage yesterday I decided I would rather go further tomorrow and find a little tiny inlet where we could snuggle in alone. Sugar Island was the place, and lucky for us, it was open. It is so pretty here. We stayed at another place on Sugar Island our first night, but this is the premier location. It will be perfect for our last night. Today’s journey was only about 45 minutes.

Kerry watching for rocks as we start towards Sugar Island

Pulling into Sugar Island

We had a real nice ball of weeds on our anchor when we pulled it up on Picton Island. We pulled them off with our boat pole. The captain on a powerboat next to us used a machete to slice off his weeds. He obviously knows what he is doing! I don't think I will anchor in this place again. I now have a preference for little coves rather than a bigger designated anchorage, especially a weedy one!

Chopping weeds with a machete

Kerry is feeling much better today and suggested we have Lime-A-Ritas upon completing our anchoring duties. It was a great idea. I then did some fishing and caught a couple little perch using worms. I still have a bunch left. They are alive and I will free them on land when we get back to the marina tomorrow. Their brothers did well for me. Lunch was canned Sloppy Joes. Tonight will be the long promised ribs on the grill.

It’s 7:00 PM now. We spent the afternoon reading and relaxing. Kerry had a short nap.

I decided to go for a swim. The water was so inviting and clear, like a mountain stream. I grabbed my trusty seahorse and jumped into the water. Not too bad, really, probably about 70. I tried to talk Kerry into coming in the fish water, but no success there. Then Kerry asked me if I wanted my scuba mask. Of course I did. I did not know she brought it – what a nice wife! The bottom was fun to see and a bunch of the little perch that were chomping on my worms were swimming along the top of the sea grass. A warm shower was perfect after my cold swim.

We started cocktails early so we could cook the ribs and still have time to pack up for our disembarking tomorrow. It was really pleasant grilling ribs in such a beautiful setting. I love our decks at home, but they do not compare to this setting. As we were eating, Kerry said she would like to come back here again. It is just so beautiful.

Just as we finished eating a nice couple came by on a jet ski. We waved at them and started talking to them when they approached. They commented that we really looked contented and the lady offered to take our picture. I said, “Sure!” Kerry wondered if they would steal our camera. I asked them if they would, and they said they would not. After the photo op they said we had the best spot in the Thousand Islands. I told Kerry that I thought we might have the best spot on earth.

We sat out and enjoyed the night. We had beautiful scenery, warm weather, wine, a nice cigar and a breakfast bar for dessert. How could it have been any better? This has been a perfect last day and evening.

Thursday August 15, 2013 Picton Island

We might have spent our last night at the Alexandria Dock. There was some nice music playing from one of the restaurants as we went to bed, like Bob Marley. The music was a little loud, but certainly sleepable. No sooner had we climbed in bed that the guy in the powerboat right behind us, and our bed, turned on a gasoline generator he had on the back of his boat. What a racket. That ran for an hour, and then they sat out and partied. It sure confirmed our thoughts that a 4 hour visit would be perfect. Even before this all happened we had mentioned that we wish we were anchoring out rather than docking. We really do like to anchor out in the islands.

I already have the boat reversed at its dock. I saw the other houseboat fellows and asked them to help me turn the boat since there was no one behind me and therefore there was no one to hit. The move went without hitch. The wind was behind us. So we just took a line from the outside bow cleat, tied it to the dock and pushed the stern out. The boat pivoted, we tightened the outside cleat line, now the dockside cleat and it was over. When the stern hit the dock, Kerry popped up in her bed and with really wide, sleepy eyes said, “Are we leaving now?” We weren't and we are still docked at 7:28 AM as I write this now.

I finished updating our blog and made a cup of tea for Kerry. She stepped out on the dock to get in the sun as it was a bit cool and windy this morning. She complained about her foot hurting and it was still swollen. I decided that we should try and get something to treat it because once we leave here we will not be on land again until Saturday morning. She will be miserable on the boat if it continues to swell and redden.

Google Maps said there was a drug store a 3 minute drive away. The dock boy thought Van’s Sun and Fun store might have something. I walked to Van’s only to have him say I should have gone to the drug store and if I had gone that way I would be half way there now, as it is the opposite direction. I was able to get Benadryl for Kerry and she took some immediately upon my return.

Don returning with Benadryl

While I was gone a most beautiful yacht pulled in, Miss Scarlett. It looked like it should be in a museum and it was in that quality of condition.

Miles, the dock boy, helped us off. It was very uneventful because we had already turned around. Our trip today turned out to be the longest of the voyage, 2 ½ hours. We were going against the current, 15-25 knot winds and the waves which made for slow going. It’s a scenic trip and we enjoyed it, but were happy when we turned out of the Seaway and got in some sheltered water.

This Islander likes flags!

We shared the Seaway with big friends

We got to the Picton Island anchorage and only one other boat was there, a sailboat anchored further out that we did, no doubt because of draft.

Picton Island

A few more boats arrived as the afternoon progressed. A little duck came up and begged some bread from me when we anchored. I watched that little beggar, and he paddled up to each new boat as it arrived.

I had a nice conversation with Jim Karpinski. He pulled our location up on Google Earth and said he could see us in the anchorage. Amazing. Kerry took a big nap for about 3 ½ hours saying she had chills and headache. She only got up because I needed her help to reset the anchor which was dragging and covered in seaweed. She did feel better than before though.

But, that was just the first of three re-anchoring we had to do. Prior to this happening, we had no real problems with the anchor holding. What a mess today. We reset once. Then we noticed we were dragging again. As we were proceeding to pull up and re-anchor, these nasty people in a sailboat behind us starting screaming. I told them we were aware of the problem and were in the process of re-anchoring but they seemed unsatisfied with that reassurance from me. I thought afterwards that I just should have stood on our dragging boat and said I was not going to react until they spoke nicely to us. Kerry thought we should have cupped our ears and said “what?”

After three moves and drags we finally are set in. I used the compass on my binoculars to mark points on land to see if the compass headings to them changed. It worked well. I noticed that the boat dragging starts slowly, but then really picks up as a bigger weed ball forms around the flukes of the anchor. When you have a chartered houseboat it appears that you do not get a lot of respect as a knowledgeable mariner. I surprised one captain in a 45’ cigarette boat last night when he said his dream was to go to Picton. Well, I knew it was in the Bay of Quinte and had been there twice. I told him about the town and docks. I think he was really surprised that a houseboat nomad could be knowledgeable. Of course all the anchor dragging today did not enhance our credibility.

Dinner was grilled Italian sausage, macaroni salad and a dessert breakfast bar. Cocktails were rum and tonics, with 5 alarm chili peanuts and pistachios. Anyone want any peanuts?

Note: My internet connection is poor co I cannot load pictures. Tomorrow I will be in Canada with no internet connection. So, I will finish this and tomorrow's post when I get home on Sunday. Bye!