Report #2: June-July-August 2013 - Ready, Set, Gone

June-July-August 2013:  Ready, Set, Gone

Homeless.  Our house sold mid-June with a 2 week closing.  No problem, lots of time!  Next day, spoke to our friend about running the business and over a few beers we worked out the basics and the details followed easily.  Edi and I feel great and confident knowing Homer will be in charge.  Next up, get rid of EVERYTHING that we don’t put on boat.  Check, with 2 plastic bins in Edi’s father’s basement for storage (including a winter set of clothes each that will hopefully be moth eaten before used!)  By late June we have moved aboard on Magic with one month to go at work!

Unemployed.  July was a blur.  Final projects on the boat getting done, repair and rebuild kits ordered, parts inventory reviewed and gaps filled in, packing, repacking, weeding out and stocking the club’s free table.  The boxes, bags and bins stacked about Magic, bow to stern, started to visibly thin out as we waded back and forth through the cabin and the cockpit.  The boat started looking like a boat and not a storage locker and living aboard started getting easier.    Basic provisioning next:  96 rolls of TP, hundreds of zip lock bags (dollar store’s greatest bargain), kleenex, serviettes, etc. all packed, organized and stowed.  All throughout, we (well, Edi especially) looked after the office and clients and got the office ready to hand over to Homer (all old files shredded or purged, closed out etc.)  The office looked better and more organized than ever in the last 12 years since we moved in!  Suddenly, the last client was looked after and the final job completed (yes, finally got around to our own wills and Powers of Attorney!)  We threw a party for well wishers (family, friends and club members all invited) to theme of ITS 5 O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE.  Ship’s booze supply finally fit into its locker!! Thanks Richard, Mike, Al, Neil, and the really blurry guy at the end for your help on that boat job!  One day, Blair called Edi at work and Homer s assistant, Melissa, answered.  Another cause for celebration -  unemployment! 

Loaded for bear.  Beginning of August, Edi finishing the work carried over from July and Blair wrapping up final details with the office and office admin details.  Somehow Magic’s 79 lockers, shelves and drawers were filling rapidly and Edi still hadn’t provisioned.  $2000 later and that’s done (while USA does have lots of stores they just aren’t quite as easily accessed when you no longer have a car)  So we won’t go hungry starting with 6 months’ worth of staples (120 cans diced tomatos, corn, soups, tuna, chicken, pastas, sauce mixes, 50 lbs of flour, sugar, Pringles,  items the American couzins might not have - Mac & Cheese, HP sauce, 12 cans of Tim Hortons’ coffee, 2 bottles Cdn maple syrup from Oro.)

 

Edi makes great bread so she also stocked up all the fixings for various types and for pain au chocolate (Blair’s fav.)  Huge supply of prescriptions filled - a couple necessary and many precautionary - our doctor and her staff have just been absolutely FANTASTIC – thanks again Barb, Donna & Anna.  Wow, Magic swallowed all of that up and there were still a few areas still awaiting contents. 

Final Lesson shoreside.  Got home one night and Edi suggested taking down the genny.  An hour later and both sails are off.  Next morning Kory asks when the mast is coming down and that afternoon we are a power boat!  5 days to go.  One day nearing departure we were discussing plans for the day over morning coffee before Edi left for Barrie to include lunch with Homer and Melissa when Magic sprang her next surprise lesson -  Advanced Plumbing.  Well, it had to come and at least it was before we left.  Such a simple piece of equipment when it works that you don’t think of its manual as reading material.  Well, first things first and get it to a point where you can dismantle it.  Enough said except a working clothes peg is a wise tool for the plumbing kit. Five hours later and the throne is refurbished, leak-free and fit for the reigning queen and tough enough for her ship’s handyman.  Thank goodness for a spare minor rebuild kit.  Note to self in maintenance log – do maintenance on head!  Last part of job, call Jim (thanks for 24 hour delivery!) for another minor rebuild kit, a major rebuild (with new motor – after this job I’m not getting caught with my pants down :-) !), and 4 spare joker valves (named, I think, for the suggestion that you should change them periodically or the joke(r)  will  be on you!)  However, after 6 years of faithful service, it was WAY past time to strip down the entire motor (it is an electric Jabsco), replace all O rings, valves, lip seals, and clean out whatever was weighing on the shredder.  Good lesson Magic, at a well-appointed time.  

Final Disposals and top ups.  Ship’s 2 below deck diesel tanks filled (200L), dinghy’s gas tank filled, all jerry cans filled:  diesel (4), gas (2), and water (4), meats purchased and freezer section filled with 20 meals worth for two, final pump-out and 130 gals fresh water .  At the Club the dock-box got moved and it and all cradle accessories got taken to Edi’s dad for storage, all traces of us removed except for the steel cradle to be stored deep in back. 

 

We moved over to the “wall” and removed all docklines  and set up 4 sets of lines a side for the locks.  We strapped 2 boards between stanchions to strap jerry cans cans onto and distribute their weight. 

 

After 13 years our cars (the rear Sebring and Windstar van in front of it) may not have owed us anything but the junkers still gave us $570!  Much thanks to Rob and Robert at Barrie's ER Automotive for keeping the vehicles on life-support the last couple of years! 

August 14 we slipped away at 7am – windy but we were ready to bail to Carthew Bay and started getting electronics going.  OK, Magic threw another one at us and Otto (our third crewmate) set course abruptly for shore - apparently he had less confidence than we in this voyage!  Three hours later and Otto was re-commissioned after we learned that 120 cans of assorted foods is best stored A LOT further away from Otto’s fluxgate (& magnetic!) compass!  We set course for the other side of Lake Simcoe, Otto once more his agreeable self, and zig-zagged the waves to keep them 45 degrees off the bow and then off the stern making Gamebridge by 1pm.   

Trent-Severn Waterway.

This waterway is wonderful and varied from top to bottom.  We transited the upper four locks from Lake Simcoe trough Port Severn onto Georgian Bay several years ago.  This was our first time seeing the waterway through to Lake Ontario.  Lake Simcoe to Buckhorn, Buckhorn to Burliegh's Falls, Stoney Lake to Peterborough, the Onatobee River, the Trent River and finally the Bay of Quinte are all discernibly different segments from rocky shield to rolling meadow and lazy meandering turns.  While we have a destination in mind for December, the journey itself is wonderfully entertaining.  Boat jobs were shelved and we immersed ourselves in the journey.  We met up with Brian and Susan, Blair’s brother and his wife, at Buckhorn one afternoon at their trailer at Six Foot Bay.

 

Edi’s dad, Joseph, and his girlfriend Diane arrived at Buckhorn and with Brian’s help vehicle arrangements were made and Joseph and Diane joined us from Buckhorn to Burliegh’s Falls.  On to Peterborough and through the big lock #21, it really is awesome.

We made it into Peterborough and looked for an anchorage and settled by the fountain which lights up at night.  Dinghy down, we did a little shopping and went out for dinner.  The next day we moved on to Lock 19, still in Peterborough, slipping in after 6pm.  Two boaters came over to introduce themselves and letting us know the washroom keys were tucked under the recycle bins, a nice way to start the conversations.  One couple, from Newmarket, have a 30’ Doral and will be towing it to Fort Myers in December, intending to transit Lake Okachobee and on to Bahamas.  He lent us a hand and waiving off thanks  the next morning and reminded me to repay him with a beer in in the Bahamas.  The other couple, Judy and Gerald from Bay of Quinte region, are cruising on a pontoon boat new this year, their first boat in 7 years.  We will just about see their home leaving CFB Trenton YC and passing under the Skybridge.

Gerald, who has MS for the last 10 years, uses a wheelchair so the pontoon boat is fantastic.  Judy handles the lines and items shoreside while Gerald stays on the boat and minds it.  A full enclosure makes it an all-weather platform for their six weeks or so adventures on the Trent-Severn and Rideau canal this season (so far!).  Great people with a great CanDo attitude. 

Pushing on we saw more examples of people doing whatever it takes to get on the water and have an adventure, the fellow on the paddle board taking our vote for the KISS prize.

 

 

 

Later that day we caught up to Steve kayaking from Buckhorn on to  Trenton area (or wherever he needs to finish his trip.)  He has backpacking gear tucked into the nose of the kayak and camps evenings.   Steve was running close to our speed so he is about a 30HP kayaker!  We had him over for dinner and unbeknownst to us he walked 50 minutes round trip to pick up a six-pack of Campbellford micro brewed beer to bring over.

Nice man, great beer, entertaining conversation.  We were very touched by his gesture and generosity of spirit.

Getting into Frankfort we met up with Pete & Kathy, new friends to us but old friends of several common friends.  Nice to be a part of the cruiser community; benefits of membership:  friends everywhere that you just haven’t met yet!  Pete gave me a lift to gas station to fill up some diesel and we enjoyed dinner boatside at lock 6, Frankford.

 

 

The Trent-Severn Waterway has been a wonderful ride, top to bottom,  Lower down, there was evidence of the difficulties the Waterway has been experiencing.  However, Lockmaster Randy, runs his Locks 6-5-4 as a consummate professional, his love of the waterway, service to the boaters and his dedicated care of his locks very evident.

Pete joined us for the ride from Lock 6 into CFB Trenton YC.  George and Mary, part of the net, are off cruising but report they have ensured we’ll be looked after (thanks R&B, P&K for that intro.)  Approaching Lock 3, we saw a sailboat with no mast and a very disreputable looking man at the helm  Larry Webb, of course, who shouted greetings relayed from Bill Chalk (both members of the community to which we are seeking full membership.) 

Existing the TS waterway south of Lock 1, out through Trenton, we heard a horn and Edi looked and saw a man waving – so she waved back and got back to coiling lines.  A second later she jumped up and said "Hey, that's Tata"  –  and it was and Joseph and Diane had driven down and were seeing us heading out around to CFB Trenton.  They joined us for the afternoon and P&K said come all of you whenever you are able to our house. Frankly, Edi and I have been seriously thinking “why leave Canada, just cruise up and down the Trent-Severn and be treated like visiting Royalty!”  These wonderful folks are easing our preparations for crossing Lake Ontario and doing everything possible to help us out.  We promise we will pay this kindness forward to other boaters, cruisers and travelers. 

Kind of Magic now pumped-out, watered up, and safely in a guest slip right at the end and pointed for the channel, I am now, at Tim’s for a coffee while Edi, Joseph and Diane do a little shopping, banking a final provisioning, I am posting this report.  I have googled directions to Pete & Kathy's, booked travellers insurance for our time through the USA, caught up on kindofmagic@rocketmail .com emails and had a freshly brewed Tim's coffee. 

We intend to run out to the Bay of Quinte and head for Pinyer’s Cove as there is a weather window for Saturday and Sunday. Saturday will be spent getting out to the staging point and early Sunday morning – 4am – we will push out for Oswego provided the weather holds.  We will post position reports on shiptrak.org ve0bg call sign until our next internet connection.  While it is possible to post blogs by ssb, my attempt to post this was unsuccessful but I will keep trying.

Hugs and kisses to Gracie, Charlie, Thomas, Hannah, Meagan & Amy your auntie and uncle miss you already.