Yondering Home - 2025

What a spectacular end to our summer Yondering.

Rob and I left Waupoos September 15th on a late summer day. The sail plan was to take the outside route, get to Cobourg and anchor overnite, then reach our slip at BPYC by the second evening. We had waited for a suitable weather window for the trip home: three days fair weather with no storms forecast; winds moderate and blowing in the right direction (North/East - East). 

Things did not go according to plan. We ended up sailing straight on til dawn, and then some. The motor gave out, so we were obliged to keep on sailing. 

Sunrise. Sunset. Moonrise. Sunrise. Thirty six hours total! What an adventure!

We left Waupoos in morning twilight, the motor puttering along as Rob hoisted the mainsail. Once underway we unfurled the jib and turned off the engine to enjoy the winds and the quiet. After a few weeks on the dock, seeing the sails puff out was pure rapture. Four hours in, the winds died down a bit so we started to motorsail, taking our speed to 5 - 6 knots. No other boats accompanied us under the September skies.

Eleven hours into our journey, after we had circled past Wicked Point, a monarch butterfly visited us in the cockpit. The sight of butterflies always lightens my heart.

Then: Pop! Pop! Pop! G R I N D Clickety Clackety. The engine suddenly started making alarming noises while blowing white smoke. It was around 5:30 in the afternoon. Without a working engine, we decided the best course was a straight sail home, foregoing an overnight stay in Cobourg.

It was going to be a long haul. Neither of us had experience sailing at night, but winds were light and we decided to take turns at the helm. 

Our Catalina Tall Rig isn't conducive to having the lines run back so it isn't possible to raise the mainsail from the cockpit. Over the years, I have held my breath watching Rob on the top deck hoist and drop it in strong winds. We decided to sail by the jib the rest of the way home. 

Evening twilight started around 6:30, and the sun was sinking under the horizon when we dropped the main.

Speed now 2 - 3 knots. It was going to be an even longer night. As skies darkened, winds grew lighter. At some points, winds weren't high enough to even register on our navigational instruments. I watched the arrival time get later and later into the following day. When I went down for a nap, we were in front of Cobourg, and when I came up to relieve Rob a couple hours later, we were still in front of Cobourg. Bobbing. Were we going backwards?

It was indeed a long night as we took our turns at watch, but it was a beautiful one. The moon rose as a sliver of silver. We saw shooting stars among the thousands that lit the heavens. Loons sang their haunting calls. 

Front row seats for dawn. Morning twilight was on full display. During the astronomical phase we could see a morning glow near horizon; nautical twilight we could still see the stars; civil twilight emerging into brightness. Then the sun rose right on the horizon behind us. Sublime!

Rob handed me a mug of the tastiest instant coffee I ever had. 

We were now at the 24 hour mark of the sail. Winds continued favourable and we continued to swap spots at the helm to take naps. The city of Toronto and Scarborough Bluffs could finally be seen in the distance. Speeds now 3 - 4 knots. It would be another 11 hours before we could make out the lighthouse in front of Bluffers Park.

 

We called C-Tow to meet us. At 4:45, Jamie the operator, tied us to the Boston Whaler that would tow us into our club. Talk about a grand entrance! Alan, Mari and Dave were there to catch us as we shifted perfectly into our slip a little before 5:30 p.m.

At 7 pm. I was telling the story at my Book Club meeting in the clubhouse, but before the end of the meeting I hit a wave of exhaustion. Rob and I took an uber home to our bed for a well deserved and undisturbed sleep.

Birthday Moon! - September 2025

There was a full moon on my birthday this year. 64!

I can't remember the last time there was a full moon on September 7, but according to my blog it was close enough in 2009. Full moons occur around this date on a cycle of roughly 18 to 19 years. So, maybe I will be on the planet the next time this happens, and maybe I won't. Yikes! When put so bluntly. 

So far I'm 832 moons old and deeply grateful for each.

While googling I found a Hindu tradition, Sahasra Purna Chandrodayam, that celebrates a person's 1000th full moon, a significant milestone equivalent to about 81 years, as a mark of spiritual strength and liberation. 

The moon itself is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. I'm a blink in comparison.

Yondering in the Summer of 2025

The summer of our Waupoos adventures, we continued to fly the BPYC burgee and hoisted the Waupoos flag on the halyard, too. 

So many perfect moments. Swimming in the lake on hot summer days. Watching fireflies spark in July, and shooting stars blaze trails in August. Admiring the birds and the bugs and the clouds; and the feel of the breeze on skin warmed in the sun.

Yondering in the Summer of 2024, we only managed to get the boat out for twenty days in total. This year the boat was out all summer long! 

We probably spent half summer at the dock at Waupoos. Generally I am not a fan of being tied to a dock as I'd rather be sailing or swinging on an anchor in the summer breeze. Rob and I kidded about getting our money's worth, but what a view!  Cottage life without the cottage. 

Many days exploring "The County" and its charms.

Lots of time sailing, too. Lake Ontario, Bay of Quinte, Saint Lawrence River, Prince Edward Bay. 

Our first-ever cruises to Big Sandy/Wolfe Island, Main Duck, and Trident Yacht Club.

24 Nights at anchor! Twelve different "ports of call":  Cobourg; Sandy Cove;  Prinyer's Cove,  Waupoos Marina, Little Bluffs, Waupoos Island, Stella/Amherst Island, Brakey Bay/Wolfe's Island, Trident Yacht Club, Van Deusen, Big Sandy/Wolfe Island, Main Duck.

Two trips back home with eleven nights ashore in Toronto to enjoy the comforts of home and visit friends and family.

For three weeks or so we had the company of Alcyione, with Alex and Aldo. Shared suppers, sails and swims.

In August, Alex, Parshvi and Nora visited us for a couple of nights, to our absolute delight. Nora loved sleeping in the V-birth, and in close quarters I watched her wake up in the morning and start the day by studying her wiggling hands and feet. Such a joy to see her toddling on the dock. And so much fun hosting them all and sharing our little slice of heaven. Alex was to start a new job the following week, and it began to feel like "back to school days."

Colder weather settled in the last half of August and by the final week, the lake had cooled considerably for swimming. Rainy, windy days followed and we had a few cozy nights on board with the space heater.

Griskit accompanied us on all our travels, via car and boat. Sea sick only twice! Eventually she got quite comfortable. By August it got to the point where we would take her off her leash when we were at the dock. I wanted to keep her on board, but she managed to saunter off several times, thankfully returning after her evening prowl.

We loved it so much we've reserved the same slip for next summer!

"The County" in Prince Edward

Having a car, we could easily get around "The County" while we enjoyed our summer living aboard Yondering in Waupoos. 

Free and easy rides on the Amherst Ferry, which we usually watch from the boat while sailing in the Bay of Quinte. Lovely drives along Loyalist Parkway, covering ground that would take Yondering hours to sail, in minutes. 

Quilts are painted along many of the countryside barns, which we  discovered is the Prince Edward County Barn Quilt Trail. A modern barn quilt movement started in the early 2000s, inspired by traditional fabric quilts. These painted wooden panels offer representations of family history, cultural traditions, and rural craftsmanship. Quilt colours often carry meaning—blue for peace, red for strength, and green for growth. 

County Cidery

Rose Museum

Waupoos

Waupoos is a sleepy, pretty little hamlet. 

Just a five-minute walk away from the Marina there is a 'pick your own blueberries' place, which made for an afternoon of fun when Alex, Parshvi and Nora came for their visit. As well as a constant supply of fresh berries for healthy breakfasts. 

Waupoos Tarts is a ten minute walk for incredible lemon and butter tarts. So good! The small self-serve shack proudly displays the Cottage Life write up from a few years' back.

We stocked our pantry with local treats from Waupoos Estates Winery, including pickles, cider, wine and local honey. 

Stella's Eatery, featured in the 2025 summer edition of Food and Drink magazine and a destination for local diners, was a twenty minute walk or five minute drive. We enjoyed a delicious, satisfying meal there one cool, late summer evening. 

Another afternoon stopped by  County Cidery, did a cheese tasting at Fifth Town Cheese, and treated ourselves to a stop at Vickis Veg  There's lots on offer from county breweries, distilleries, and roadside produce stands. 

Kingston

A fun excursion to the Sheepdog Trials at Grassy Creek Park, where we watched the border collies compete. We also saw sheep shearing, wool spinning and weaving. My favourite on the day was the raptor show, and seeing the Golden Eagle, Great Horned Owl, Red Tailed Hawk, Kestral, and Harrier.

Another day we ventured to the Great Lakes Museum to tour the S.S. Keewatin but didn't book ahead and all the tours for the day were sold out. Displays and exhibits were glimpses of cruise travel in the 1950's, and a look behind the scenes into Victorian-era dry dock engineering.

Wellington/Bloomfield

Drake at Devonshire was a fun day trip and a very tasty lunch. A great spot to watch the waves on a windy day. In addition to a stunning lakeview, there is an indoor games room with a backgammon table. For dessert we wandered the streets and enjoyed gelato.

Picton

The town of Picton i close by for essentials, where we provisioned at the local supermarkets and LCBO. Ralph's Meat Market vacuum packs on request, which helped us keep things fresher longer in our cooler. Picton Laundry Co. is next to groceries and clean, with commercial grade machines, so we could do several loads at once and save both time and loonies on the chore.

When the car started making grinding noises, we were able to make an appointment with mechanics at Canadian Tire. While it was being serviced, I checked out the little shops and boutiques... my favourite store was Books and Company, where I spent a couple hours reading and browsing shelves. A late lunch at 555 Brewing offered tasty wood-fired pizzas and craft beer.  

And two unscheduled visits to the hospital emergency room! Both visits to Picton General Hospital were for medical issues arising, and because the town had no walk-in clinics, we visited urgent care at the hospital. After quick triage and prompt medical attention, we were soon on our way with prescriptions that were easy to fill at the pharmacy.

Blackberry Moon, August 2025

Anishnabe and Ojibway call the eighth moon the Blackberry or Thimbleberry Moon.  We were at the dock in Waupoos, watching the moon rise and then almost balance itself on top of Alcyione's mast, (Alex R and Aldo's boat). 

A few days later, we were off to Main Duck Island with Alcyione. The moon still full in the sky, steadying itself among the bobbing anchor lights.

This is the time of year for the Persaids meteors, so I have been lifting my gaze at night toward the heavens. Lucky to see some real beauties streaking through the sky, leaving stardust in their trail.