Boating With Boogaboo: Anchoring at Lost Channel

Welcome to Part Two of the Canada day long weekend festivities. For your dining and dancing pleasure we are featuring a ton of photos and a whole whack of videos. I hope you have the capability of watching - and listening - to the videos clips. They help me tell the story. Tonight I'm going to try my best to stick to the topic at hand and not veer into the outer reaches of my psyche. Or physics. Nor even physicality. . . Except for the following - it'll be quick! I happened to watch a documentary on Turner Classic Movies this week about the composer/singer/record company founder, Johnny Mercer. For those of you who are not familiar with his name, you will almost certainly know some of his music. One song in particular will be ringing in your head come FFFvIX. The song is 'Moon River' (wider than a mile; I'm crossing you in style, some day; Oh dream maker, you heart breaker; Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way . . .) and I look forward to including that tune to help score a special segment of the 2009 Year End Video. Can you possibly imagine what that is going to be about? Mr. Mercer wrote an astounding 1500+ songs during his lifetime and this week marked what would have been his 100th birthday. I found an insightful article about him that was written to mark his birthday and I encourage you to read it HERE. The piece talks about his relationship with Judy Garland, who was - as everyone knows - Dorothy from the Wizard Of Oz. Toto, I don't think we're in Oz, anymore. . . .

Wizard of Oz? I think I used that theme to great effect in the Year End Video about three years ago. Let's see . . . Wizard Of Oz & Moon River as inspiration. Judy Garland & Johnny Mercer. Coincidence or more of life's karma? Or is it just that I am somehow attracted to the older classics? I tell you, everything happens for a reason and it is all interconnected. Not much is left to chance. Like Mr. Mercer says in the article, he felt that the words for his songs came to him "like you're tuning in to a musical instrument that's miles away . . " Bingo! It's as easy as tuning into those same types of inspirations to bring positive energy to all of us. It's everywhere, all the time - one need only open their eyes and heart to it. I dare you to prove me wrong. Where was I? Somewhere over the rainbow? Yes, yes - I know - on with the show already!

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Leaving Severn Falls on Thursday morning with a light rain falling;

Next stop was Big Chute Marina for fuel and a walk in the sunshine. Wait a minute - scratch that last part. More like liquid sunshine. Rain or shine, it was a good time;

Get the popcorn out - it's movie time. Notice how Anchor Girl is the only one in bare feet;

In retrospect, this part of the trip ended up being a rehearsal for the beginning of our summer holidays - traveling through the system in the rain. I'm so glad that Santa got us those Sea Ray raincoats. Ahh, if you're listening Santa, maybe this year you might want to consider some hats or sun screen. Something that might be bring us some weather more conducive to boating;

Our destination - Lost Channel. You can see it here on the chart - just north of the Severn River and 3,000,000 miles from 'been there, done that';

This is the entrance off the Small Craft Route along the Severn River. Man, Wayne's description was top notch, right down to the sign advertising the fireworks - which ended up including guns being fired off!

Entering the first narrow passage in to the Channel. Nope, it sure don't look like Water Wings is gonna fit;

Ahh, no problem. We sure took it slow through here, though;

In case you missed it the first time I posted this video, here it is again. Right where it's supposed to be;

SunAria is close behind. Remember, Sanja - it's up to you to lead us out from here;

This is just another one of those really cool shots. Beautiful!

Once the anchors were set, we took Sanja's spare anchor line to tie to shore;

Remember Frankie, do it the German way and make it gutentight!

Too bad we got that brand new line all dirty, but it had to be broken in sometime;

Now that everything's secure, Little Pugsely was able to go for a relief run to shore and claim 'Pugsely Point'. Notice the boys' reflections on the water?

Swim shower time;

Next, it was time to help out the crews with the technical stuff. Figuring out how to work Von A's video camera. Hey, skipper - any chance of getting to see some of that there video? I might be able to use it on the year end video;

And helping Sanja figure out how to work her camera. Now, those pictures I already got, thank you very much. We'll be seeing some of them real soon;

Look at that! Here's one of those pictures already! If I recall correctly, I think I was helping Billie Sue to find the number for Casino Rama;

Here's some video Sanja took of the two Paul's trying to determine where Lost Channel was, exactly;

Once all the technical stuff was figured out, it was on to the dinghies and off to explore. What a (and, yes, I realize I use this term a lot) beautiful shot;

Everyone was excited to go for a dinghy ride - even little Ugly Pugsely Wugsely;

Out and about;

Heading into our destination which was a water control dam at the end of one of the little fjords, just to the south of the bay we were anchored in. When we got there, we saw a sign stating that this is part of an O.F.S.C. (Ontario Federation Of Snowmobile Clubs) trail. We didn't see any - not even any tracks;

DAMN! I mean, ahh - the dam;

Not only were there innumerable mosquitoes inhabiting the lower reaches of the spillway, but those little blood suckers were just waiting for some sucker to come down and get . . ahh . . . bitten ;-) Yes, despite the peril I put myself in - for the greater good of my audience - I set forth to capture photos to share with you today. And video. And sob stories to garner any sympathy I can. . . And I think I got a boo-boo on my finger :-( And while we're at it, how come nobody has ever pointed out the fact that I have a tiny (yet highly noticeable from this angle) bald spot on the aft/starboard quarter of my square head?

Here's some of that hard won video from the mosquito basin;

The infamous 'Pugsely Point' where we later saw the illusive Lost Channel black bear;

Von A with a lovely Pike. Though we were only about 15' from shore, we were in about 10' of water, as it dropped off quickly here. The same afternoon as this, we saw a couple of boats (about 24') anchor here, with their sterns tucked right into shore;

A moving review of the moving pictures of the Pike release;

Some of the rugged shoreline leading back to our anchorage;

Blackfly Mountain in the mist. This reminds me of a shot I took up in The Bay this summer, at Gilman Bay - but them photos are for another day;

Looking off to our port side line to shore;

A panning video of our anchorage, all the way from Pugsely Point to Blackfly Mountain;

Despite not being comfortable swimming in water over her head, Anchor Girl made the plunge for a swim shower. Like I told her, if we were going to spend a lot of nights on the hook during our holidays, she better get used to it. She did:-)