Down Hill To Spring From Here

Well, it's all down hill from here, my friends, as the winter solstice occurs tomorrow (Saturday) marking the longest night of the year. The good news is that the days will start getting longer! I told you this winter would go by fast . . . 

 Only three days to the Big Day, so Merry Christmas to you all. Hopefully Santa has found all those good deals on the boating supplies we are after ;-) If not, the Boat Show is only three weeks away. That reminds me - where did I put that list. This time, it's A.G.'s turn :-)

 OK, up to now we've had the most snow & cold we've seen in a December in many years. I think it's time for another hot & wet photo of some summer fun! This one was taken during our summer holidays while we were in Young's Point at the beautiful Islandview Resort. It features none other than yours truly enjoying some cooling off, as the temperature was 88.7 degrees! Ahhhhhhh summer - boating & swimming . . . I love it!!!!

Stormy Weather

We encountered this approaching storm while heading out onto Cooks Bay. This was mid July, the weekend before we left for our summer holidays.

Ahhhhhhh, holidays . . . .

Le Photo Du Jour

Today's photograph was taken at our new digs, the first time we was there to look at it. A very momentous moment, to be sure.

Really looking forward to many more moments at that place!!

Moving to Our New Home Port Marina!

 Here's a few from the corn roast, last weekend. Or should I have said LAST weekend - as this was to be our final days at the place we called home for nine years. . .


I started the fire early to try & get some heat going. That had to have been the coldest corn roast ever. By the time it was dark out, we had so much firewood in the rim that it was over the top. That was a first that I can remember.

Actually, it got warmer as the night went on. Believe it or not, me & anchor Girl were the last ones left at the fire that night. Hmmmmmmmmm.


Amazing how many unfamiliar faces show up when there's free food & entertainment, eh? Oh, that's right - that was the 'Charity' portion of the slip fees.







Sunday morning & A.G. waves bye bye to Boogaboo for the final ride out of Slip #96.







And just like that - she's at our NEW home & Slip to help tie up. What a woman!

For a minute I thought I'd get all choked up about leaving. Nope. Just happy about finally finding the marina we were looking for all summer :-)

Too bad that things never got any better at the old place, but it was clear nothing was ever going to change & I got tired of asking to have the garbages emptied, etc., etc., etc., etc.. Remember folks, we left the MARINA - not the people there.

Elvis Is Leaving The Building - A New Marina Home

Well, my friends, after nine seasons at Keswick Marine, 'Boogaboo' has found a new home. Everglades Marina in Pefferlaw.

Me & Anchor Girl are really, really looking forward to our move and the adventures it will bring! I'm hyped about the place and the fact that it has more of a resort type of feeling. We spent this past Saturday & Sunday there and spoke to as many of the boaters there as we could, joined in for a Saturday night fire and walked & rode through the whole place a few times. Without exception, everyone was actually happy to be there! And we could even joke around with the owners!

If all works out with the slip we are hoping to get, we'll be fairly close to the river, as these photos show. All the slips back onto grass and are drive up for cars. No more lugging to & from a far away parking lot :-) And we'll be closer to the areas we like to cruise.

With any luck, we'll be doing the actual move over the next couple of weeks.

HAPPY, HAPPY!!!

An Inspiring Marina Visit

Here's a quick pic from our slip at Ojibway Bay Marina that I took last weekend. What a nice marina. Super neat & clean with a beautiful view of Lake Couchiching. Super duper.

I'll post some more pics & a video clip or two from this spot, down the road.

Stayin' Alive - Good Music at Perterborough

Here's a pic from our time in Peterborough, back in July. This is a Bee Gees cover group in concert at the park next to the marina. We saw THREE shows in 4 days while we were there. Great spot! This shot looks over the crowd, to give you an idea of how many people come to these events. Ya, ya, what a good reporter I am . . . See, now you don't even have to go there!

August 16, 1977 - The Day The Music Died

Where were you on this day in '77? I was out goofing around with my cousins and when we got to my house, my sister told me that Elvis was dead. We went & I sat in my brother in law's 1969 GTO to listen to the news on the radio.

 Even though I was just a young pup of 14, I knew what a big thang it was . . . . Thank ya, thank ya very much . . . . 

 

Just a 380 Sundancer to Live Aboard!

  Here's a picture of that 380 Sea Ray Sundancer I was mentioning to our friends back home (the folks who wrapped their fenders + sold their house to live on this thing).

For The Birds

Well, I didn't want top break our clean record up to now, but I know you'll be saddened to read that today wasn't the usual 'good time, good time, good time' that you have been reading about. 

 To start off, we woke to lousy heat and sunshine & had to deal with that ALL DAY. That was tough enough, but then we had to return to Islandview Resort to suffer through yet more sunshine, heat and water for swimming. It was really hard for Anchor Girl to endure, but she somehow managed to take this pic of me suffering while swimming in the lousy waters of Clear Lake. Add to that the fact that I was then burdened with the task of cooking - on a BBQ!! And I'm almost ashamed to mention this part, but I was forced to open an ice cold beer and sip on it while starring at that disgusting water I mentioned before.

Take a look at these magnificent animals. This is a nest of three osprey we spotted today, during our passage through Lake Katchewanooka. They certainly are majestic birds, seen flying - gliding, actually - high in the skies while they stalk their prey.

Show Time(s)

Currently at Peterborough. Last night, as part of the Festival Of Lights, we saw a tribute band doing all Bee Gees stuff & Wednesday evening it was the actual band Nazareth. But tonight is the one that Anchor Girl has been really waiting for - a tribute to The Man In Black, Johnny Cash!

The internet connection here is spotty so when I get a better connection I'll upload some video clips, as I know you are eagerly anticipating that :-)

This next pic is one that A.G. took of me, being questioned by the OPP (why is that I always seem to run into those guys lately?) at Young's Point.

Ya, there was couple of kids that kept racing past the marina in their little boats. Well, by Sunday night the owner of the marina had enough and, well, sort of took matters into his own hands. . . . So, the cops showed up & I offered my side of the story as a witness. All good in the end, and we even ended up having a few beers that night with Keith & entertained his little guy, Ryan, aboard Boogaboo.

Islandview Resort at Young's Point

Despite having to pass through 'Hell's Gate', round 'Hurricane Point' and pass too many dead carp on Pigeon Lake, we successfully transited from Bobcaygeon to our current location, Islandview Resort in Young' Point. This place is really nice. The marina is positioned right above the Young's Point Lock and has a restaurant and THE NICEST WASHROOMS in a marina, period. And the view is spectacular. This pic is a look from the back of Boogaboo.


Total Current Floater Count: 31

The Bobcaygeon Connection - Lots of Dead Carp!

Another marina, another internet connection ;-)

We headed out from Fenelon Falls on Wednesday and are now at Centre Point Landing Marina, in Bobcaygeon. The first photo shows the deck with a lovely view of the docks and Sturgeon Lake (+ A.G.).

A bit of rain overnight and cloudy today - a good day to do a lot of nothing. That is, unless your boat chores include laundry :-( At least we missed the heavy rain pounding they got in Peterborough yesterday afternoon.


I just had to share this one with you - Anchor Girl helping one of the Fenelon marina guys to bag a dead carp 'Floater'. Seems the kid was struggling to get the thing into a garbage bag by himself, so she jumped in to the rescue.

So far, the total observed Floater count is 5.

 

 Post Update: This particular season saw an incredible number of dead carp in the waterways through the eastern portion of the TSW, as well as Lake Simcoe. We had counted hundreds, but the number was well into the many thousands by the time it cleared up later that year. Here's a news article from the time (https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2007/07/11/bacteria_blamed_for_scugog_carp_kill.html)

Boat Cruise to Fenelon Falls - Holidays 2007

----------------------------------
Day one of our on the road portion of the 2007 trip to the eastern portion of the Trent Severn Waterway - all the way to Fenelon Falls Marina.

 Here's a few pics that mirror the excitement we have enjoyed up to this point. Click on them to expand to full size.

The first one is just heading out onto Lake Simcoe - how's that for Perfect conditions???








The second one is 'Boogaboo III' sitting on the blue line, waiting to lock through. Except for one lock, we were able to hit all of them on our own, which made the whole process easy. However, there was a fair bit of traffic heading in the opposite direction, so there was a wait for them to 'unload' at most of the locks - and a 20 minute wait at Kirkfield Liftlock while the staff did some maintenance.

This is a Close Encounter we had passing through the cut, just past Kirkfield. These folks were so intimidated by OUR BOAT, that the captain actually started to back up! I tried to hail him on the radio, but no luck, so we just got closer and yelled for him to continue on (with a bit of speed, to maintain control) & we passed by each other without even a little clunk (above or below the water line).


This was the view at or current spot, Fenelon Falls Marina. A lovely little cloud passed by and left me no choice to to capture it - on film.

After the clouds passed & the wind died down, we had this wonderful sunset view for the evening. Seems like every time we come here, we get to enjoy these spectacular vistas.

After the sun was gone, the moon showed up. Take a look at the moon's reflection over the lake! Beautiful.

Chow for now.

BIG Boat In Midland, Georgian Bay

Me & Anchor Girl went for a car ride up to Midland & Penetanguishene a couple of weeks ago to scout out potential cruising areas & came across this REALLY BIG boat docked in Midland Harbour. As you can see in the picture, it was the 'Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin', a 730 foot long great lakes carrier. Check this link to get all the fascinating details, history and more photos: Big Boat.

First Post

Hello World.

Ice is Gone & things are heating up . . . .