September 11, 2017. Kingston to home.

We awoke to bright sunshine and warm temperatures. Right after breakfast Bill went in the water to wash the outside of the boat--much easier to do it in the water than on the trailer.

The water was extremely calm in our little harbor.

We left Milton Island around 9:30, about an hour and a half later than we had planned. The water was still as smooth as glass with absolutely no wind, so we did not attempt to sail.

On our way back to Kingston we saw this interesting dock, and a boat very similar to ours. This is the 31' version, also made by Corsair.

The windmills on Wolfe Island were still. The view out into Lake Ontario was still as well.

There is a lookout tower on Cedar Island; this may be a future stop when we return to this area.

A ferry boat passed right behind us--I was not watching like I usually do, and Bill was uncomfortable with how close it came before we were aware of it. After stopping to pump out the head we docked at Kingston about 11:00 and started removing sails and gear from the boat.

Just when we were almost ready to take it out of the water a barge pulled onto the launch ramp and we had to wait half an hour while the bargeman loaded his concrete tiles. As soon as he was done Bill backed the trailer down the ramp so we would be next. We got the boat on the trailer without incident and started getting ready to lower the mast.

The mast came down nicely; it's much easier to do when there is no wind, which was a factor in deciding to come into shore today.

When we were done wrapping up the boat we walked across the street for lunch with my friend Noreen at Portsmouth Tavern. Noreen and I rode together from Los Angeles to Boston 9 years ago. We discussed inviting the XC08 group to meet somewhere in the midwest next year for a 10 year anniversary ride.

We left the marina at 4:30 PM, a full 2 hours later than we had planned, but it worked to our advantage. We drove past Toronto without any traffic delays (although there was plenty of traffic).

We encountered 4 separate construction areas between London and Windsor, 2 of them causing time delays. We got to the border at 12:40 AM, and the border agent was just getting into asking us questions when shouts arose from another booth. He sent us on our way and we arrived home about 1:30 AM. Life is good.

September 10, 2017. Georgina and Milton Islands.

We spent some time visiting with the people from the power boat on the other dock. Sharon and Chris, from Ottawa, told us about a kayaking opportunity on the Rideau Canal from Kingston to Ottawa. This is definitely going on our list!

I scrubbed the top of the boat this morning, since she's going in the barn as soon as we get home. Jeff, the owner of the boat next to us (and Sharon's brother), told us about a better product to clean and protect the non-skid surfaces on our boat. After I was done scrubbing I went for one last swim in the St. Lawrence River.

We motored out of Georgina. It was time to raise the main sail, but Yi Chia was not feeling well, so we put her on the tiller, and Bill and I got ready to raise the sail. Unfortunately Bill did not give her any instructions. Within a few short moments she ran over a buoy!

Fortunately it came between the ama and the main hull, hitting the net but not tearing it. We also did not tell Yi Chia how to stop the motor so I hightailed it back to the stern and hit the red button. No damage was done. It was most fortunate that we were going upstream, so when I killed the motor we drifted back off the buoy. Lesson learned: give instructions and do not assume anything!

We got the sail raised and headed west, back toward Kingston, our destination unknown. Either Cedar or Milton Island.

There were a lot of little homes on the islands we passed. I love this place!

The air was light so we unfurled the the screecher and Bill dried it out in the warm sunshine.

It was open water so Otto got to drive while we did other things. Gotta love the technology of auto-pilot.

When we got to Milton Island the only open docks were quite busy, but there was room for us. As we pulled into the dock, the people who reached out for the docklines looked familiar--it was Kimberly and Jerry. They were the ones we met last weekend, who moved to the Boatel after docking near us our first night out in the islands. There were 2 boats full of parents and children on the other dock, but they left pretty quickly.

The nearby kayak docks were closed, as were some of the trails and all of the campsites on Milton Island.

We waved goodbye to Kimberly as their boat and their friends' boat left. Now we were alone on our dock. We prepared the last of our food, opened our last bottle of Ontario wine, and set up the camera to take our photo. We discussed lessons learned, but decided we did pretty well over all.

September 9, 2017. Georgina Island.

We sailed out of Ivy Lea, under the International Bridge and around Georgina Island. This span of the bridge is 134 feet above the water, in the navigable channel.

We headed toward Constance Island, passing under another span of the International Bridge. The chart shows it at 72' above the water, but it sure doesn't look like it from underneath! We closely watched as the mast (50' above the waterline) easily cleared the bridge between Georgina and Constance Islands.

The first time we passed Georgina Island the only open docks were occupied. Constance's docks were all closed due to high water.

We looked at another span of the International Bridge (that we cannot fit under), and a view of the tower we are not able to visit. I emailed them last time we were in a harbor with internet and asked if they had boat access and the polite answer was no. I do want to climb that tower and see the vista of the Thousand Islands on a clear day!

We sailed back around Georgina, since we could not dock on Constance, seeing the ubiquitous Gananoque Boat Line tour boats. There are usually people on deck taking our photos as we take theirs.

Most of the docks on Georgina were closed, some of them under water.

A paddleboat came past us, this tour out of New York. When we came back around Georgina we found the last boat leaving the only open docks, so we pulled right in. Another boat came in right behind us, so it was very good timing on our part. So many docks are closed that it's hard to find a space.

Georgina Island is very hilly and rocky--I wished I had put on my hiking boots before setting out to explore it. The pit toilets were in a very scenic spot, as usual.

The docks on the other side of the island were closed. I could see 2 powerboats docked at the kayak dock on Constance Island, and there was another one tying up to the campers'dock on Georgina. I guess they must be desperate for a dock, but we have followed the rules, and docked only at open docks meant for full sized boats.

We were unable to get fresh food while in Ivy Lea (except for that $4 loaf of bread from the camp store). I brought along a couple of meals worth of "emergency stores" so we had tacos made from canned chicken and Yi Chia cut up the rest of the fresh vegetables out of the cooler. It was a real feast!

September 8, 2017. Ivy Lea, Ontario.

The weather prediction sounded dire--rain this morning and thunderstorms this afternoon. We left the docks at Gordon Island around 9 AM and sailed over to look at Mulcaster Island. The docks were closed, but it looks like a nice place to return to.

We then sailed over to Peck's Marina at Ivy Lea, the nearest marina that sells gas on the docks. It was raining by then so we asked about dockage, but they did not have room for us. We came instead to Williams Marina, right next door. When I asked for a store and restaurant, the woman at the office said there was a store at the KOA right across the street and stores and restaurants in Ivy Lea, about a ten minute walk. Yi Chia and I walked across the street, and then walked a mile to the campground for a loaf of bread and a coke for Bill, who was not feeling very well.

A little later, Yi Chia and I headed out to find Ivy Lea. We walked on the bike path, yet another part of the Waterfront Trail I rode a couple of years ago.

We walked a mile and a half before we gave up and turned around, not a ten minute walk in anybody's world!  

We had a nice view of the Tower, which I hope to be able to visit tomorrow. It affords a spectacular view of the river and the islands. Our only worry is where we would dock. We saw the International Bridge shining in the evening light.

We returned to the boat without finding a store, and deciding that the only restaurant we saw was entirely too expensive.