July 12, 2017

Presently we are in Gore Bay, in the North Channel of Lake Huron, Canada.   We left Rogers City on Sunday am, had a wonderful trip across Lake Huron and entered Canadian waters at Meldrum Bay....after checking thru customs, we are now good to go for a few weeks.....

Our first stop and anchoring attempt was Monday eve in Campbell Bay off Bayfield Sound.  The anchor went down and held us overnight, just like it is suppose to!!  Hooray!....Neither one of us slept soundly though....but by morning we were more secure in our anchoring skills...not bad for the first time!....We would like to say getting the new dinghy off the top of the boat with the swing lift went as smooth.  After the morning fog rolled out, we decided we would stay here and take a tour of the area in our dinghy that Bob had successfully loaded up on top before we left Rogers City.  (Let me add that he is not impressed with it just yet.  He thinks it is too small and too slow.....he is so used to getting in his Caribe and going 40 mph!!! that he had yet to learn to slow down.)  That also goes for his life as a boater....every day he undertakes a major project.  What about me?? I am happy just sitting around reading and making an occasional meal.  Well, back to the saga......Bob got the little dinghy half way off the top when the power wench stopped....just stopped....Not a good thing.  Now we have it leaning over the side of boat and it won't go up or down.  After several hours of trying to find the problem to no avail, we both used all our manpower (and one of us is not a man) to get the darn thing back in the cradle manually.  Well so much for that!.....we decided to go to Gore Bay and find someone who might have a clue as to how to fix it.  We arrived late afternoon and the attendant says "oh, getting in and out of the way of the incoming storm?".....we didn't know there was an incoming storm, so perhaps the Lord has his way of getting us out of danger as we would probably stayed anchored another night.    We did get some rain last eve, not anything serious and today is a dreary dismal day.  We do have the name of a "guy" that could fix our problem, IF he would only return our calls...might be here longer than we anticipated.  It is not a bad port to be stranded at....it has changed considerably since we were here 12 -14 years ago....very large and nice amenities...lots of eating and grocery options near by.   There are probably at least 6 other looper boats in here....I might have to walk the dock and get in on some "docktails with them".   We did  meet 2 other looper boats while in Rogers City.....one with a man doing it alone.  (he was heading into Lake Superior) and another couple close to our age who had just started from Bay City....they were heading north.

Another cute thing that happened while we were in Meldrum Bay.....a young gal, sailing alone (has been for 10 years) with a cute little white yip yap dog named Reef was docked beside us.  She was going to dinner and said he might bark, just ignore him....I said, no way....."bring him on our boat and I will dog sit".    How much fun was that!  just like grandkids, I spoiled him and fed him all kinds of stuff probably that his mama would not.....cheese and crackers, etc....and then he went home.  ALMOST makes me want to have a dog....but decided if I can get a gig dog sitting every once in a while, no need!!!  Once I can get this picture thing down, I will try to post more pics and talk less!  HA...would love to share the beauty of the countryside.....