Fifth Annual ELO Expedition, September 11, 2014

The more things change, the more they remain the same: when you hear the words Cold Front, stay home.

To begin at the end, met with near disaster when I arrived home at about 8 pm yesterday after a ten hour run from Kingston at the end of ten days of smooth sailing. Had a chaotic docking with a very strong south wind from a sharp cold front and low moving through the region. Was expecting a little protection inside Meier's Pier, but learned otherwise. By that time it was pitch dark, and I was saved by the kindness of two people who appeared dockside to take the lines on my second attempt, and as well by my flashlight which enabled me to see the position of the rudder head (wheel steering) while I was less than cooly manipulating the boat, back and forth from forward to reverse, inside the marina, loosening a stanchion or two in the process.  The south dock at Victoria Harbour was blown loose later that night.

I had set off from Kingston at 1000 Wednesday September 10, had a marvellous run to Glenora arriving there at 1600 ,then made the (unwise) decision to keep going rather than stopping in Picton as was my original plan. All went well until the approaches to the Pier. Pitch black after Massassauga Point with a strong and rising wind  (boat flew along at 6 knots across Big Bay under sail alone although in the interests of time had motor sailed otherwise after Glenora) , but was saved by my iPad (not very visible in sunlight, but brilliant at night) and did an instrument approach to Meier's, and once again by that flashlight as the red and green buoys at the entrance only have reflective tape, although the flashing green lighthouse beacon on the Pier, visible from Massassauga, is also brilliant.

My parting comment to the very obliging harbourmaster in Kingston was that the worst part of sailing is docking. The lesson learned is that at Meier's Pier with a strong south wind when docking on the leeward side of a finger dock approach the dock while sailing upwind rather than down or across as I had unsuccessfully attempted initially.

But back to the beginning, herewith a synopsis of this year’s 5th annual travels with Trillium through eastern Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence:

Set off Sunday August 31, 2014 , strong southwest wind so motor sailed to the Murray Canal assisted by first reefed main alone. Some issues with the two canal bridges lately, physical with the Trenton bridge, and political with the Brighton bridge , so minor delays, but good water levels and only met one oncoming sailboat during transit. Then out the other end, rather shallow water in the channel to Brighton Bay, and then in to the remarkable Presqu’ile Yacht Club marina, assisted on arrival by one of many  pleasant members of the club. Remained there three nights awaiting weather favourable to an attempt around the south coast of PE County, entertained family, allowed a front to pass through, then with a good forecast set off along that legendary south coast, through the Marysburg triangle and to Main Duck accompanied by one crew, and a good thing too as despite ideal conditions would have been hard work single handing on the lake over that length of time. Left at 0800, motor sailed to Nicholson Island, marvellous sailing on a 12 knot south west breeze to Point Petre, passing over the tip of Wicked Bank  at Salmon Point along the way (25 feet of water, a little tension here), tracking with the iPad as we went, a great innovation, then motor sailed the rest of the way under lighter following winds using jib as telltale only, to Main Duck Island for a ten hour journey total, arriving 1800, nary a cloud in the sky all day, warm, one long tack from Point Petre in a straight line, threading the needle of markers at the south Traverse shoal, William shoal and Psyche shoal, leaving the three markers to port, port and starboard respectively, then running parallel to the upbound shipping lane although no ships came into view. Made our turn to Main Duck once the north shore was abreast. Learned that electronic navigation programs are very good, but do contain inaccuracies, but had a full set of paper charts on the chart table, as well as GPS connection for iPad and two other hand held GPS’s containing waypoints, so well covered there.

Met Storm Vogel with the Ambassador and another boat for overnight anchorage rafted up with one shore anchor and the Ambassador's perennial length of dental floss for the stern anchor in the northeastern Main Duck bay on a quiet night, enjoyed a swim, defined the shoal in northwestern third of that bay (look for the tallest tree in your approach and stay off that line), being a pile of boulders at the prow of a wreck at the eastern limit, ran briefly hard aground there on the way out two years ago.

Set off at noon for Sacket’s Harbour, another sunny day with light winds which subsided at Stony Island, motored in, arrived 1730, full facilities available, toured the historic battlefield and sampled the wares at the Hops Spot again, twenty five microbrewery brand on offer, had Smutty Nose dark ale and Erie's railbinder, neither as good as the Creemore at Brighton this year, or the Smutty Nosed amber of last year.

Wind came up all night from the southwest, gusty, left Sacket’s at 1000 to keep ahead of a cold front coming through later that evening, similar conditions to last year except considerably more blue sky looked altogether less threatening,  waters rough with SW 15 knot breeze on the lake, motor sailed the first leg to Point Peninsula with 85% jib (proved to the the ideal choice) and second reefed main, shook out to the first reef for next two legs making a slight hash of it but got it sorted taking us quite far off Point Peninsula in the process, turned off motor. Now we are off the wind on a beam reach for the second leg and a broad reach to down wind run on the third, sailing by the lee when past the Grenadier Island shoal, and a good run in to Tibbett’s Point (some tension here again sailing by the lee with big and getting bigger following waves and the Dablon Point shoal close on the starboard beam, and good following wind, but no yawing or broaching to with that fine stern and perfect keel, and its amazing how well the rudder bites in when there is big heel on. Then motor sailed past the Point to Cape Vincent, did one benign accidental jibe as preparing to end the harbour, got the same berth at the Anchor Marina as last year, with a huge Beneteau owned by a pleasant couple in front of us. This was Friday. Guinness at the outdoor patio of the Irish pub at the Roxy, followed by the mandatory cup of tea, which unforgivably for the hotel proved to be herbal. We made no comment.

Crew left by ferry next morning Saturday after acquiring for a Canadian fiver at Dan's old curiosity shop yet another stool in need of resuscitation, this one lacking a seat but solid nonetheless. Stopped at the annual Cape Vincent Arts Council  Chopin competition at the Maple Grove estate on the western edge of town then bicycled on to Tibbett’s Point lighthouse to have a look around. Having a bike on board is an obstruction on the starboard side deck, but very handy for local touring. Good shower facilities at the New York state docks (lighting in the Anchor facility being next to nil). A dozen or fifteen sports fishermen, some a little tired, arrived back that evening with a picnic table top spread of large smallmouth bass to show for their efforts having left early that morning in three heavy guide boats with soft shelled crab for bait.  Finally figured out that the Pilot boat docked as last year next to the marina is just that, and not a Coastguard vessel, their function being to transport pilots to and from passing international vessels as they ply the St. Lawrence river up and down bound at they are required to carry by the Seaway Authority. The Pilot boats have an interesting technique of latching on to the side of one of these huge vessels as it proceeds without slowing while the transfer is made. Coastguard is at Sacket's (witness the huge Ford F450 military type truck parked in the senior officer's parking space), and Alexandria Bay.

Sunday, not much wind, another brilliant day, attended late morning piano competition and then afternoon awards ceremony with three professional musicians as judges and giving interesting commentary. Two classes, junior and senior, and brilliant playing by the seniors that I heard, i.e. early 20’s international pianists playing Chopin and other composers, in an outdoor setting under a tent overlooking the great river, ideal. Improvised yet another trackstop to replace a commercial version whose slug fell off once again (inexplicably found it in the laundry a few days later) just as we arrived at Cape Vincent and was striking sail. Aubrey's a good family restaurant.

Monday, off to Clayton at 1300, turned east a little too soon after the first green marker to the southern shunt  out of the sea lanes around Carleton Island at the so called Feather Bed shoal until spotted the second of three markers some distance north, corrected without incident, light winds, motor sailed all the way, another brilliant warm sunny day, arrived Clayton 1600. Don’t miss the newly opened Wood Boat microbrewery there, particularly the Channel Marker IPA. Had a tour of the Clayton Opera House,, renovated in 2007 for its100th anniversary (no classic opera there these days, but they did do Gilbert and Sullivan last year) , circled the attractive new Harbour Hotel (twin of a similar design at Watkin's Glen) at the eastern end of the waterfront, and the next day went into the remarkable Reiman’s hardware store, particularly catering to boat owners but general merchandise to be had there. Recharged the auxiliary 12 volt battery purchased here one year ago which surprisingly was quite run down although it supplies only the radio/cd player. Clayton, a very pleasant place.

Got briefly distracted by a 22 foot motor sailer with a pilot house on a trailer for sale which I had seen and been aboard last year in Cape Vincent, spoke to the owner, asking a big price, rather rueful subsequently at having been so beguiled albeit briefly when considering the virtues of the Hughes 29. What a remarkable vessel she is, a proper yacht, comfortable in the big swells of the lake and the gaps, flies like a sail fish, forgiving and safe, tolerant of an amateur at the helm,  the smaller top heavy motor sailer with lots of windage and a shallower keel being no comparison. Need an autohelm though, and did inquire at Marine Outfitters Kingston while in Cape Vincent, but they do not do installations.

Tuesday another brilliant day, light winds, motor sailed through the Forty Acre south of Howe Island (a little disappointing considering the two prior passages), but shut off the motor at Abraham Head, had a good sail in a southwest wind, the forecast southeaster not having appeared yet, to the  Kingston Yacht Club on reciprocal privileges as at Brighton, had booked ahead, fine facility, assisted by the very pleasant manager. Busy with race night on, a lot of ambitious and athletic younger types with some rather more weathered looking elders helming fast boats. Gal in the next boat went to the top of the mast in a bosun's chair to fix the wind speed instrument, did it in nothing flat and with no comment, supported by her able crewmates.

Overnighted there,  managing to lose a couple of bumpers loosened by overnight winds, never found one but did a neat pickup of the second errant bumper which came off the boat just as we left the yacht club entrance the next morning as we set off at 1000 from KYC with a 15 knot south wind with forecast for 30 knot winds by midnight as the low came through.

Exhilarating sailing at its best through the swells and rough waters (somewhat attenuated by a south wind) of the Lower Gap, skidded along keeping the Everett Point marker to starboard, into the calmer waters but still strong winds of Adolphus Reach behind the Amherst Island, where incidentally wind turbines are now situated on the north shore of the Reach and continue to threaten the Island. (Main Duck and Cape Vincent remain unblighted.) Was passed by two larger vessels, one at the Brother's Islands being Wind Chaser from Waupoos with a first reef on,  yawing about and almost broaching to on a couple of occasions with her short fin keel in the strong wind. On crossing the Upper Gap passed the Limnos, a Coast Guard vessel at anchor, called for a radar check. Happily again this year that was the only call made to them. Also saw two jet fighters flying towards Trenton, a reminder of Canada's increasing commitments to northern Iraq Kurds and NATO as the Islamic State and the Russian czar continue to threaten. At least our PM is backing his words with a show of some real support for the Yazidis, moderate Muslims, and the Ukraine. "The Ukraine is not Russia, Mr. Putin", to quote the man.

The Glenora ferry awaited our transit at 1600, motorsailed from there on down the Long Reach, missed the sharp left turn  to the first pair of a series of channel markers through Telegraph Narrows after passing under the Hwy 49 bridge but corrected, and no harm done although would be impossible at night with the electronic version of the chart I have as these are not marked, and the buoys are all unlit with the exception of the Telegraph Island lighthouse.

The rest as described at the outset, another ten days of marvellous sailing in a Hughes 29.