Home sweet home

Moring at Grendier Island Lac François

We got up about 7 am and there were thousands of sparrows and tons of tiny moth like bugs.

Boat was covered with green spots. We could not determine if it was bird poop or bug juice.

Double wishbone

Got up early about 6:30, but got out of bed by 7 ish.  I check the Internet.  The seaway website estimated a 10 am and 3 pm lock passage.Did not look like we could make it. Safron put stuff away as I pulled then anchor and sailed away. 

I tried to sail under full sails on a run but there was just not enough winds. Back to the iron sail.

Gunning for the bridges

We gunned it and as we arrived at the Valleyfield bridge, it opened as we approached it. There were several powerboats waiting. I figured they would wait for us at the locks since I figured we could make it for 11 am. The powerboats took off.




At the second bridge (Louis), there were the same power boats waiting.  The bridge opened well before we got there, we gunned it anyways and the bridge commandants waited for us to pass before the closed the bridge. A sailboat on the other side did not make it.

It seemed that they opened the bridge too early and kept it open for us. The current was over a knot and we were doing up to 8 knots GPS. They did wait for a tour boat to come across

Tour boat after it passes the St. Louis bridge

When we got to the lock, we slowed down to avoid docking at the pleasure craft dock and observed several power boats waiting so I figured that the lock master never opened at 10. We were there at 10:28. Not bad at all.

We did not wait much before the locks opened but it took a lot of time to tie up all the boats. There were about 9 power boats plus us.

Both locks cycled us relatively efficiently arriving in Lake St. Louis at 12:15.

Safron made a salad as I motored to the zig-zag chanel back to the club. We fueled and tidied up a bit before Safron departed to Benôit's concert.Tied up at home dock at 14:20.

I removed the cruising stuff and replaced it with the racing stuff, washed the deck and oiled the steering chain which was acting up during the trip.

An awesome vacation, learnt a lot and pretty much incident free. A splendid adventure.

Almost home

Stormont Yacht Club

We left Stormont late ... It was almost 11am. But we got a free pump out and an empty holding tank is happy holding tank. 















We set out for the US locks as Safran was taking pictures of birds in sports mode. We took a short cut to the chanel that was quite shallow and after that, when we went approached the lock, a big ship was coming out ... we had zero wait time. Was though both locks by 1 pm. Good thing we took the short cut.

When we left the locks, we gassed up and I had the urge to get the fricken sail or sails up. We got the 170 up half way up Cornwall Island and it was 5 hours of light of heaven in light wind sailing with a 2.5 current.




I had sentimental memories of seven years ago when I acquired Cygnus and Norm I took her to Dorval.  It was only about 4 miles from Stormont to the first lock. It seemed much shorter than I remembered it.



We passed close to two suspicious power boats that looked like they were doing something unlawful.  We did not stare. One boat took off very fast.  Later I see this.

About 5 miles out form Grendier Island Lake st Francis, we turned on the iron sail for an hour in order to get there before dark. There are at least three Grenadier Islands that we have encountered.There was a sailboat with two wishbones and another boat there. We anchored close but not too close.

It looked likely Daniele would make it to Benoit's concert. We did over 29 miles today.

Anchored with Jameson and a bottle of Hoya de Cardenas after the 2001 Fetzer was a disappointment. After-all it was probably our last night on vacation and Danièle felt that the wine should be perfect.

Lamb chops with sausage stuffed peppers.

And we saw the International Space Station for first time during this trip.

To Stormont

We got going at 7:30 in light showers from Toutsaint Island

Ticket to ride

We arrived at Iroquois lock at 8. The Credit Card payment machine was not working. They could not pass us through cos they were doing work on a gate.

We waited 45 minutes and went through alone. Nice chatty guy at the lock explaining how much less man power it takes to run a lock compared to 30 years ago. He told us that a couple days ago a ship hit the arrestor bridge at Beauharnois and blocked ship traffic for 12 hours.  Later we found out Andre was stuck in Valleyfield because of this.

Stormont Yacht Club

We motored in 1 to 1 1/2 current. We were doing 7 knots GPS without a sweat. Very light winds. 4 + hours of motoring. 8 hours since Cape Vincent, not sure where the next gas station will be.

Jamie met us in a dinghy before Stormont and we motored together to the visitor dock.

Rickety dock at Stormont

We walked to LCBO TO stock up.

Jamie and Joanne met up with us later.

We had a supper of hambergers.

Tomorrow Snell and Eisenhower and what ever we can. Winds are forecast to be light.

Brockville to Iroquois Locks

retrieving lost jib halyard

We got up early with the intention of making good long day, maybe pass Iroqois or stop near Toussaint Island just before Iroquois locks.

Winds looked good as we prepared the boat for departure. We did groceries and ice at at Metro. Deflated the dinghy that we lugged since Georgina Island and only used once and packed her away. We eventually decided to have breakfast at Brockville Yacht Club in hopes of stirring some things, to no avail.

We eventually departed BYC at 10:30, put up the 170 and 5 minute the 170 dropped ... 1/2 on the deck and half in the drink. The snap shackle had opened.

Bird killing tree

We came back to BYC and Daniéle pulled me up the mast and retrieved the halyard and departed at 11:40.

After 40 minutes of motoring we sailed. GPS said 6 1/2 hours to Iroquois (about 21 miles).  The current kept us moving well under light winds. Did some dragging to cool off.

Prescott Ogdensburg bridge

As the wind died, we started the iron sail for about an hour and then we had lunch. The remaining Montreal smoked meat turned an unpleasant gray colour, so we settled for chips and guacamole.

Canada Starch near Cardinal  http://www.casco.ca/

We sailed past under the Prescott Ogdensburg bridge and after that the winds were just enough to keep the 170 full. Boat speed was .7 to 3.5 knots, but there was 2 to 3 knots of current so we were doing well.

Ship from behind Toutsaint Island

At 4pm we decided to anchor beside Toussaint Island which was big, pleasant and private - we were the only boat there.  Apparently this was quite a violent place a while back  See http://www.warof1812.ca/ambush.htm


I figure if we went for the lock, we would be rushing things. As we anchored, winds came up to 10-12 knots.There were no convenient anchorages after the Iroquois lock.

Hamburgers for supper. Very nice burgers.

To Brockville

Sumersland Island

We got up near Summerland Island  ... slowly in drizzle and rain, so we lingered around, made bacon and eggs for lunch.

The sun started peering through the gray so we set out with the wet 170 only.

Singer Castle

The anchor was caught on a submarine cable ...arg.  One of the cottagers came out to check us out and told us not to anchor there since there was a cable.  In fact we avoided the cable the first time we anchored, but when someone anchored too close to us, we re-anchored forgetting about the cable.

Winds were typically about 16 to 17 knots with gusts to 22 knots, generally from the south west making for mostly a run.

The 170 handled okay but we did go one chicken gybe to be safe.

Crossover Island

Passed a ship near Crossover Island and we monitored the US seaway channel on the VHF as the ship transferred to US control.  Interesting and polite conversation.

We had planned to anchor at Stovin Island but as we passed it it looked unsuitable so we headed to Brockville.

Winds were very strong from the south and I went in the club and had difficulties to turn around and managed to dock upwind at the fuel dock.

17 miles in 3 1/2 hours of sailing.

It took over an hour and two calls to check-in at customs.

Brockville

Garth gave us a hand to dock at our assigned dock which was cross winds.We had a much better dock than our first visit.

Safron had a craving for Indian food so we for Tandoori Mint but it was closed Sunday. We walked back and found a decent pizza joint and came back to Brockville Yacht Club.

The Journey Home - Alexander Bay

After two nights at Cape Vincent, we departed about 8:30 to the Anchor Marina next door for ice and fuel. 20 liters or 5 US gallons. Gallons - we are in America now.

Fort North

We put up the still wet 170, sailed pass Carleton Island, Wolf Island, Grindstone Island, navigated the chanel south of Wellesley Island to Alexandria Bay to Heart Island to Summerland Island.

A US military ship (Fort North) passed after the thousand island bridge.

Much of the sailing was one tack until before the Thousand Island International bridge was on tack with southern winds. After that, it was all runs and gybes. We did over 25 miles of sailing from 8:30 to 3pm.

Heart Island

When we got to Alexandria Bay, there were about 300 powerboats all enjoying Alexandria Bay Pirate Week. It was insane. We were the only sailboat and we were under sail (right of way). Took a lot of picture of the activities and Heart Island.  Very touristy.  Glad we did not visit.

We headed to Summersland Island and the place was crowded with maybe 50 powerboats. Again we were the only sailboat - black sheep, black swan ...Safron really did not want to stay here, but I was in no mood to find another anchorage after so much great sailing. It turned out to okay.

Most boats were anchored haphazardly We had to re-anchor cos a powerboat anchored too close to us. We might have had the right to hold out ground but a collision at sea would ruin your whole day.

Radcliff from Active Captain reported he counted 70 boats here and by the evening he was the only boat here.It turned out correct.  By evening, there were only about 3 boat there