Fall is a Comin' eh

It seems as though the season has changed.  There is a different feel in the air.  Temperatures are just a tad cooler and the winds have been higher the last several days.  There is also a pattern of more rain than we have experienced the last two months.  It makes us sad to think our most wonderful summer ever is drawing to a close.  We have had a GREAT time however, and still have about a week left in Canada as we make our way slowly toward Michigan.

Saturday August 25th we had a day of rain.  It was on and off and Keith did a little fishing while I did boat chores and some sewing.  I finished a shopping bag with some of my loon fabric.  Good for farmer's market or grocery goods.

Loon bag (each side has a loon pocket)

Sunday August 26th we pulled up anchor and cruised north and west about 30 miles to Beardrop Harbor.

Clouds lifting Sunday morning while heading to Beardrop

  This is a cool spot just along Whale's Back channel.  There is good protection from a long island to the south and east and mainland Ontario (part of the First Nation's Reserve) is to the north.  There is a bit of exposure along the channel from the west, but we got tucked up behind a smaller island and it seemed fine.  

Heading through the channel at Little Detroit toward Beardrop

Once we were safely anchored, the rest of the day Sunday we spent out exploring, fishing and kayaking as Monday and Tuesday were forecast to be somewhat rainy.  Keith had some fairly good fishing and the kayaking here was great.  There were a lot of little coves and such.  Numerous beaver houses and I even saw an otter up close (he was a bit agitated with me).  It is, however, a bear dessert (I still have not seen a bear). 

Kayaking pictures from Beardrop anchorage

It was a bit windy kayaking in the afternoon.  Pengi could not even ride on the front for fear of falling off.

The scenery here is just amazing.  Pictures just can not do it justice.  I wish everyone could be here to experience it.  While kayaking I could here the crickets and the frogs and it was otherwise so quiet.  And the smell of the fresh, cool air.  Certainly is an experience for all the senses.

Monday was pretty gray and drizzly.  I made a big breakfast with eggs, smoked bacon I had vacuum sealed and frozen from back in Maryland and blueberries from NC that I made blueberry pancakes with.  We also had real Canadian Maple syrup.  OMG  It was pretty darn yummy.

Pancakes and Bacon (Captain Keith had already eaten the eggs by the time I got the camera)

It is hard to believe we have been at anchor over a week now.  We left the marina in Little Current last Sunday. 

Monday afternoon August 27th the rain stopped and the sky cleared up.  Monday early evening was very nice with no wind and a pretty sunset.

Pengi taking in one of his last Canada sunsets Monday evening

Little did we know this was the calm before the storm

Around 12:50 AM Tuesday morning I woke up to lightening and thunder and a sudden downpour.  I went running for the open hatches up in the pilot house.  By the time I got them both closed, I was drenched and there was a good bit of water in the pilot house below the hatches.  Keith woke up when he heard me "cussing" and came to help.  We got everything mopped up and started the generator so I could use the blow dryer to get my hair dry enough to put on a pillow without being soaked.  We headed back to bed, however I had a bad feeling about the night.  Turns out I was right.  About 4:00 AM I was again woken up with lightening and rain.  Although all the windows were now shut, I got up just to see where we were in relation to the 4 other boats in the cove with us.  I was not up 5 minutes when the storm hit full force.  The wind was pushing us all over and I was just about to wake Captain Keith when he came upstairs.  We both were a bit unnerved for about 15 minutes during the worst part.  Thank goodness for an all chain anchor rode.  We held firm and also the boat just in front of us did not drag anchor, thank goodness or he would have been into us.  In the middle of all this, we actually saw a large cruise ship or tanker ship all lit up, going by out in the North Channel.  Really spooky to see just his lights against the lightening and wind.  We were lucky to have a decent mobile hot spot signal here, so I was able to pull up the radar and see when the worst of the storm was past. The next morning once it was light, we heard rumors about a possible tornado in Spanish Ontario just 15 miles from where we are anchored.  This was all a little more excitement than we needed.

Tuesday was very blustery with sun and clouds as well as drizzle at times.  There could be some more thunderstorms overnight, hopefully not as bad as last night.  Wednesday is to be a bit drizzly but the wind should improve a bit and we are planning to cruise the 25 miles or so to Gore Bay.  This will be our last night at anchor in Canada most likely.  Hopefully it will be an uneventful one.