At anchor

At anchor, the boat swings with the breeze and it feels so much cooler than when you're tied to a dock. And so much easier to jump straight into the lake for a swim. Day 5 in the Bay of Quinte, we were overdue to drop our hook. Glen Island was perfect.

As we approached, we recognized Sunglimmer flying the BPYC burgee, and later invited Mike B. onboard for curry. He ended up cooking the rice on his boat as we were short on both pots and burners.

We heard a loon call and splash for the first time this season.

The island cottages seemed empty, but the solar powered dock lights switched on as night darkened. Fireflies dotted the shore. Haven’t seen those in years, what a treat! 

Also a treat was the morning swim, jumping off the side of the boat and floating about.

Day 6 was seven hours to Waupoos, with some great sailing and motoring before we dropped our anchor again. Strong winds forecast, so we took extra care as we set the hook close to shore. 

Several Bluffers were already at Waupoos. Medina was docked at the marina, with Kaarina and Mike waiting for their guests to arrive. Fellow Bluffers Laura and Peter were anchored nearby, so we dinghied over to Elusive after dinner to say hello and enjoy the sunset and a few cocktails.

By the time we went to sleep, the strong winds that were expected hadn’t yet arrived. A few hours later, the lines on the boat were tugging hard and I heard knocking sounds on deck. I called out to Rob to see if he needed help, thinking he was above and resetting lines, but he replied from inside the cabin. That’s when we saw the other boat, banging into our port side. We rushed out and started calling to them to let them know they were drifting, but it seemed they were still asleep as it took them a bit of time to come above. They’d drifted and their anchor line had crossed ours, which meant they had to cut it loose and come back for it later. The skipper later told Rob this was only the second time it happened, but the next night the wayward boat drifted again, almost colliding with Medina (Kaarina and Mike’s boat). 

Day 7, Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning. But the day turned out to be sunny and winds were fair, so you can't always rely on folk wisdom to forecast weather. The marina’s ice shipment came in, and just in time, as our cooler was starting to smell. Not a bad smell, but enough to let us know the icebox wasn’t effective anymore. 

Kaarina’s guest had arrived with a car, and Laura and I went along for the ride to explore the county and gather provisions. Vickie’s Veggies was the first stop, but unfortunately it was too early for fresh tomatoes - they’ll likely ripen enough on the vine by next week. Stopped at Black River for some cheese curds, but still needed some eggs. The nearest convenience store was a few miles away, and it turned out to a real General Store, offering freshly baked goods, light lunches, non-prescription medication, and laundry facilities. We stopped in to another place, just opened, called The Local Food Store, and it had some delicious charcuterie, frozen sausages and chops. Then to Waupoos Cidery for a light lunch and cider tasting, and a view of our boats anchored far below. A wonderful day.