Tuesday – July 29 – Detroit Yacht Club – Detroit MI .. (313) 824-1200 Ext 237 .. we pulled out of the Marina at 07:20 am right into the sun .. yesterday we looked into solutions to our Fuel Filter and we even got some helpful information over th Internet from Jim Cronin a good friend from Northern Wisconsin .. sooo we decided to head to the Sarnia Bay Marina .. they are the home of the largest Viking dealer on the Great Lakes .. once out on the St Clair Lake we followed the Main Channel until we detoured to the Marina .. the Lake is about 15 by 25 miles in size so we were out of the site of land most of our trip .. about 09:10 am we pulled up to the Fuel Dock at the Sarnia Bay Marina .. once docked we added Killem to our Forward fuel Tank .. we added enough to ‘shock’ the system .. Killem is a Fuel Additive that is to ‘kill’ the Fungi, Bacteria, etc that can grow in a Fuel Tank .. we stayed at the Fuel Dock with the Starboard Engine running for about 3 hours .. we do not have any idea if this will clean the Tanks out but it is sure worth a try .. the Fuel Filter turned a ‘grey’ color . there are over 2,500 Slips at the 6 area Marinas but they do not have one Slip for Transient boaters ..
Engine Hours – Port Engine .. 2003.5 – Starboard Engine .. 2013.5
.. after we topped off our Fuel Tanks and headed out of the Marina at 11:45 am .. the Staff at the Marina ( all Gals ) were some of the best that we have encountered .. the weather has been GREAT the last few days .. low 80s .. sunny .. and just a mild breeze .. after lunch Betty went out on the Front Deck and got some sun .. once we got to the top of the Lake we entered a River again with the United States on our Port Side and Canada on our Starboard Side .. the River was wide and deep and lined with gorgeous homes and cottages on the US side and a rural look on the Canadian side .. there were many pleasure crafts out today .. we called ahead to the Marina ( first come basis ) and we were docked at the Marina by 03:45 pm .. once we got checked in at the Marina Office we checked in with the Canadian Customs .. our Number is 20032100544 .. Betty took the Marinas Shuttle to the grocery store and Marv returned to Dee Light’s Engine Room .. we replaced one Fuel Filter as a results of the Fuel Additive that we put in earlier .. hopefully its doing a number of the Fuel .. we walked to Paddy Flaherty’s Restaurant & Pub for a great ‘Irish’ dinner and watched the sunset .. Marv called and left ‘Happy Birthday’ messages for his son Jeff ..
Travel – Detroit MI to Sarnia ON – 44 Locks To Date – 65 Miles Today – Cumulative Miles 2774
Wednesday – July 30 – Sarnia Bay Marina – Sarnia Ontario .. (519) 332-0533 .. .. ( $1.65 – Canadian .. i.e. .. times 65 percent .. equals .. $1.07/ foot US ) .. the Entrance to the Marina is well marked but it is shallow .. we kicked up mud yesterday all the way in .. there are many Canadian Geese in the Harbor .. with the noise that they were making you could tell that they knew that they were at home in Canada .. we pulled out of the Marina at 07:15 am right after Betty got done feeding the Baby Ducks and the Canadian Geese .. once we were in the Port Huron Harbor area where the Lake funnels into the River we headed into about a 4 knot current with 2 to 3 foot Rollers .. it was like going thru a ‘white rapids’ .. once we made it to Lake Huron the Lake was ‘flat’ .. after about an hour out the Seas were only about 18 inches from our Aft and we had 85 feet of water .. we made good use of our Autopilot most of the day .. a GREAT day on the Lake .. by 11:00 am the Rollers were about 2 to 4 foot from our Port Aft .. about noon the Rollers and the wind started to become a factor for the first time today .. we have good paper Charts but the Charts on our Plotter are very limited for this all of area .. soooo we really had to spot our Markers on the way in .. we called ahead to the Marina and we were docked by 01:15 pm .. Carol Seiser called and said that their house in Pepin sold 17 days after they put it up for sale .. sooo now they are ‘dirtless’ too .. since we were off the Canadian Coast Carol also asked if we could see any Mounties .. if so she expressed an interest .. we will keep an eye out for them .. when we checked in at the Marina Office they did ask for our Canpass Number .. soooo it’s a good thing that we checked in with the Canadians yesterday .. Betty cleaned the exterior of Dee Light and Marv worked in the Engine Room .. we ended up with water in the Bilge today ( always something ) .. upon inspection Marv found that the Generators Thru Hull Strainer was leaking .. when the Mechanic from J & J Marine fixed the Water Pump on the Generator he did not get a good seal on the Thru Hull .. sooo Marv the ‘Bilge Rat’ fixed it .. we did not clean or change the Fuel Filters today .. hurray !! .. but we did not have real rough waters today either .. this is a great quaint Lake City .. many Fishing Boats harbor here .. both commercial and private .. the Town has is original charter and is very well kept .. the area is buzzing with ‘Summer Time’ activities .. when we called ahead to the Big Tub Harbour Resort in Tobermory Ontario we found that their dockage was on a ‘first come’ basis thus we will have to get up with the birds in the morning .. Betty walked to the Post Office and when she returned we ( and Autumn ) walked to the Beach .. there is a golden brown Beach in either direction from the Marinas Inlet .. Autumn really enjoyed getting back to the Beach for a good run ,, Betty found many polished stones .. over the Weather Channel on the Marine Radio the Canadian Coast Guard gives out a ‘Mafor Code’ .. the format is a series of 5 numbers each with a separate code .. we asked at the Marina Office what the numbers meant and we got a Chart that gives the meaning of each number .. ie ‘Time Period’ .. Wind Direction’ .. Wind Speed’ .. and ‘Weather Forecast’ .. it is a quick very GOOD way of giving a Weather Forecast .. something that our Weather People could put to good use . we had dinner at The Erie Belle just up from the Marina .. when we got back to Dee Light there was a Bag Piper at the top of the Lighthouse directly above Dee Light .. he played his Bag Pipe as we watched the sunset ..
Travel – Sarnia ON to Kincardine Ontario – 44 Locks To Date – 111 Miles Today – Cumulative Miles 2885
Thursday – July 31 – Kincardine Marina / Yacht Club – Kincardine Ontario .. (519) 396-4336 .. ( $1.00 – Canadian .. i.e. .. times 65 percent .. equals .. $0.65/ foot US ) .. during the night Betty’s tummy became upset for no apparent reason .. after checking the weather out we pulled out of our ‘Well’ at 06:45 am .. in this area they refer to Slips as Wells .. a Canadian thing we think .. once on the Lake we headed due North and we had Seas of 2 to 4 feet from the East Southeast .. for the first two hours we headed Northeast .. thus when the Seas started to build we were able to change our course and cut down from getting the Seas directly on our Side as the Rollers / Waves did grow to 4 to 6 foot and we were able to keep them right on our Aft .. with two weather systems merging over us about 10:00 am the Seas started to lay down a little and a light fog started to set in .. since we do not have the Charts for our Plotter for this area we used our Radar unit to help spot Markers .. we spotted our first Marker at 10:45 am .. and were able to spot the other Markers with the aid of Betty on the Binoculars and our Radar .. this area is all ROCK .. and we had our hands full getting around and thru many rock Islands without the Plotter .. once thru our first cut of ROCK we entered the Georgian Bay for our first time .. at 11:00 am we called ahead to the Marina to let them know that we were in route and to get directions .. we were confused to say the least ( at least our Captain was ) .. and after heading towards Big Harbor we ended up getting directed into the Little Tub Harbour Resort .. by 11:30 am we had Dee Light docked with the help of three Dock Hands .. it’s a good thing that we made it when we did as the Marina was soon filled up for the night and the weather started to make a change .. the winds picked up and the fog became heavy overcast .. by 12:30 pm boats were starting to raft together for the night .. there is a Government Warf where boats can also tie off on for the night but there is not any electrical power or water .. just a wall .. we overheard many disappointed boaters over the Marine Radio .. after lunch on the boat we took a walk around the Harbor / Town and found the Ice Cream Shop .. there were people all over as this is a hub for tourist activity’s .. we launched the Dinghy and explored the Harbor and went out around a couple of the Islands in the area .. we also stopped at the Big Tub Harbour Resort where they have a Fuel Dock .. we talked with them and they are going to set up a Tanker Truck to come and fill Dee Light right where we are docked .. we also stopped at the Little Tub Bakery and got a loaf of ‘fresh baked’ bread .. and it was great .. its located on the other side of the Harbor .. when we went to dinner at The Crowsnest Restaurant we sat at the same table as a couple from Niagara Falls ONT .. John and Ruth Beyer .. they were on vacation doing a walking trail that goes thru the area .. in segments they have completed 400 of the 500 mile trail .. it led to an interesting evening of conversation .. after a stop at the Ice Cream Shop John and Ruth stopped by Dee Light to extend our conversation ..
Travel – Kincardine Ontario to Tobermory Ontario – 44 Locks To Date – 105 Miles Today – Cumulative Miles 2984
Friday – August 01 – Little Tub Harbour – Tobermory Ontario .. (519) 596-2731 .. ( $1.25 – Canadian .. i.e. .. times 65 percent .. equals .. $0.81/ foot US ) .. spending an extra day in Port has its advantages .. sleeping late ( 06:00 am ) and laundry .. next to the Marina there is a large Commercial type Laundry Facility .. we even did our ‘Fuel Oil’ rags .. Tobermory is located on the end of a long Peninsula with Lake Huron to the West and the Georgian Bay to the East .. there is a lot of Divine done in this area due to the clear waters .. the area also attracts Hikers and Bikers ( the type without motors ) .. even the local Grocery Store is stocked to cater to the recreation that goes on in this area .. we also studied our Charts and talked with many boaters and Marina personnel .. we met Bill and Maria Wertz ( Kalamazoo MI ) .. who are on their Sailboat docked just across from us in the Harbor .. they have ‘sailed’ this area many times and know it very well so we picked their minds for ‘local information’ .. they were most helpful .. we talked with the Harbor Master from Little Tub about getting our Fuel Tanks filled right at our Well.. we could have gone without fuel for a while yet but it was so covenant so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity .. the Fuel Oil Truck and the Harbormaster from Big Tub made it to Dee Light at 11:15 am .. within 10 minutes we had a Diesel Fuel Oil spill .. UGH!! .. the Truck Driver tried to fill the Tank too fast !! .. but by 12:00 pm our Fuel Tanks were full again ..
Engine Hours – Port Engine .. 2018.7 – Starboard Engine .. 2028.7
.. we took a tour on the Blue Heron and saw many of the Islands in the area and of two Shipwrecks in the Big Tub Lagoon .. it also gave us more ‘local knowledge’ of the area for the next time that we set out with Dee Light .. Bill recommended having dinner at The Grandview and we did .. there is a large sing that says ‘GOOD FOOD’ right outside the restaurant and Bill said that he has always been told to not go to a restaurant with that type of signage as the food in normally not good but he said that this was an exception and he was correct .. we did save enough room for a stop at the Ice Cream Shop on the way back to Dee Light ..
Saturday – August 02 – Little Tub Harbour Resort – Tobermory Ontario .. (519) 596-2731 .. another great morning .. the storms that were in Wisconsin and Michigan have passed to the South and Southeast of us .. we got a few drops and the temperature dropped some but we can still wear our shorts so its not too bad .. there were many Dive Boats that took off loaded with Divers .. they were in and out of the Marina all day .. the water is so clear that it is a great place for diving .. there are a number of diving business in the area that give people instructions / classes and then take them out to do diving .. after some of the boaters left the Marina Staff ( Moe ) had us move Dee Light down the Warf to make more room for other boats .. Marv talked with Bill from AIRWAVES and he let us barrow his CDs for this area .. it took some time but we got the Charts to work on our Navigation Computer .. Betty did some productive shopping .. this weekend in Canada is like our Fourth of July weekend in the US .. thus they have Monday off sooo this is a busy boating weekend in this area .. we met the owner of TOMMY TIGER ( 54 foot Hatteras ) and his Captain Mike Levell out of the Sarnia Bay Marina near Detroit .. Mike works for Atlantic Yacht & Ship ( Dania Florida ) .. we had the Dinghy out again and we went to the Big Tub Harbor / Resort to pay for the Fuel that they had delivered to us yesterday .. we went to the Flowerpot Island but we could not find a place on the Island to dock or beach the Dinghy once back to the Harbor we put it back on Dee Light .. we ended up having dinner at a restaurant that looks like it belongs in Key West Florida .. its called the Shipwreck and that is just what it looks like .. like all of Tobermory they were very busy and the food was great .. and so was the Ice Cream Shop on the way back to Dee Light ..
Sunday – August 03 – Little Tub Harbour Resort – Tobermory Ontario .. (519) 596-2731 .. we saw Bill and Maria leave the Harbor about 06:00 am .. we left the Marina at 07:00 am into the FOG .. our visibility was less that a half of a mile and the Seas were 2 to 3 foot from our Starboard Aft .. sooo we took our time .. good thing for our new Charts .. shortly after Betty was checking out our Charts and spotted the Island ahead of us called ‘Cash Flow Rock’ .. ( that we stayed away from ) .. she was thinking back to Tobermory and remembered that there was not a Bus Station there but there was a Ferry that she passed up .. we were in Marina Radio contact with Bill and Maria and we passed them at about 08:00 am .. we passed thru many Islands but saw very few of them .. only on the Plotter and the Radar that we used all day .. we also maintained our course using the Autopilot .. about 09:00 am the FOG really got dense .. due to the FOG we heard and talked with many Boats over the Marine Radio .. we went from the South Side on the Georgian Bay to the North Side of the Bay today .. when we got close to our Marker Betty went out on the Bow to watch for rocks .. we used out Two-Way Radios .. we made it to our first Marker at 10:15 am .. we could not see the Marker until we were within 25 feet of it and when we saw the Marker on out Port Side we had ROCK ( Shore ) dead ahead .. UGH !! .. we made our way up the Killarney Channel passing many boats that were fogged in .. there is a strong current in the Channel that made docking another challenge but we had Dee Light docked and hooked up by 11:00 am .. when Betty made it in from her ‘rock spotting duty’ on the Bow Marv could hear her mumbling / sputtering something about ‘he is trying his best to hit a ROCK and then all my underwear will end up at the bottom of the Georgian Bay’ .. ‘I’m not moving from here’ .. ‘spending the Winter right here’ .. ‘call 911’ .. ‘etc’ .. we were docked right across the Channel from the Marina Office .. once we were docked w called AIRWAVE and thanked them again for the Electronic Charts that they let us copy .. they have a Water Taxi that takes the boaters from one side of the Channel to the other side that operates all day .. after a deelightfull lunch we headed over to the Marina Office on the Water Taxi called ‘Tinkerbelle’ .. after checking in at the Office with Heather the Harbormaster we took a walk on the ‘Main Land’ side on the Marina exploring the area .. the Sportsman’s Inn is celebrating its 100 year here and it has not changed much at all .. for those that do not stay on a boat they do have some room for the night .. they didn't have a road to the outside world until 1962 at that time the first and only road here was built sooo Betty does have an escape route .. we had Bill and Maria over for cocktails before we all headed across the Channel to the Sportsman’s Inn for dinner ( our treat for the Charts ) .. and we had an evening of great conversation over an excellent dinner and we enjoyed Chris at the Piano .. the piano music went on until 02:00 am ..
Travel – Tobermory Ontario to Killarney Ontario – 44 Locks To Date – 57 Miles Today – Cumulative Miles 3041
