Sarnia Yacht Club

SYC has 8/10 showers, which is high on our list. Roomy, tiled, bench and lots of hooks, good pressure. All for only $1.25/ft!

On the downside, we found the bottom twice in the entrance. They have not completed this year’s dredging, but the Commodore tells me it will be done by mid July. Lots of very friendly people!

We met Phil on the dock, who generously drove to the bank and back, way across town— thanks Phil! More interesting, he bought the Beneteau Heat Wave from Jerry Springer many years ago. Apparently it was in Toronto when last heard from.

SYC has a clear policy on life jackets for kids and a positive loaner program to help it work. Good for them!

The current in the river is strong all the way, averaging 2-2.5 knots but was over 4 just under the bridge. Allow plenty of time when upbound.

Sarnia, Stag Island

Stag Island is south of the city, but with chemical alley well in sight. Even in behind the island the current is strong, but we still had to put the wheel over hard for enough drag to hang down current when the south wind was still up this afternoon. We are right alongside the waterski slalom run, with the hook in about 20 feet of water.

It was a long slog between 2+ knots of current and some major powerboat wake. The chop reflects back off the sheet pile and makes it pretty messy. Still, nice and peaceful at the end of the day.

We were passed by many ships today. Sometimes two at once

Windsor, Peche Island

We couldn’t get as close to Grosse Pointe YC as last time, since we are staying out of US waters, but we did the best we could. Peche Island is right out front of the Windsor YC at the entrance to Lake St. Clair. The current is still almost 2 knots, currently against the wind, making anchoring a little complicated. We tried a couple of times further west before moving to our current spot. The eddie behind the point foiled us. Despite the official charts, we are now in about 12 feet of water.

Luxury in Leamington

We had never been in before, and thought it was a shallow powerboat Marina. While full of powerboats, it has 10 feet of water all the way into the gas dock, right in front of the fully equipped office and shower space. Three people met us at the gas dock, and the two young ones followed us out to the slip to make sure we got tied up. Power and water at each of the 40 foot slips. A powerboat level of luxury.

Of course it’s the most expensive so far ($2.35/ft DYC was cheapest at $1.50/ft for the second night) The live band just fired up on the patio, doing a passable “Lovers in a Dangerous Time”

The walk to Food Basics was 20 minutes because I took it slow in the heat. The storm smacked Toledo, but didn’t reach this far north. Overall it’s a great stop at an easy day from Erieau and from Windsor.

Scudder

Always reliable, we ducked into this great little harbour between squalls this afternoon, docking in almost no wind, down from 20 half an hour before.

The bar and grill is now open only for breakfast. Apparently the former owner died and took the liquor license with him. There’s still ice cream, and a new taco and pizza food truck. No fuel on the docks, so we will head to Leamington tomorrow. (You can fill Jerry cans at the Co-op)

The tradition of carving names in the dock seems to have lapsed. Few names remaining and none that I recognized. I would probably have discouraged it if it was my job to replace rotting planks 😉

Behind the Bar at Erieau

This view looking south shows us well protected from the lake, although the bay might get unruly in a significant northerly.

We had very little wind and motored all the way from Port Stanley to Erieau. We are anchored in behind the bar in more water than the chart suggests. Motored cautiously right through the gap and over to the west. It reads 5 or 6 from the weeds with occasional glimpses of 12 to 15 on the bottom, and we are 0.95m above datum. Anchored here with Dragon III 20 years ago, but that was September with lower water and a full season of weed growth.

There’s a horizon out there somewhere during our calm motor. Looks like tomorrow could be similar.

Scenic Port Stanley

We got in late last night and will be heading out soon. Port Stanley is the only place to stop on this stretch of coast, about 50 miles from Long Point and 40 from Erieau. There’s a sign to call the Harbour Master, but they’re not answering. We tucked into a gap between the rows of huge tires on the wall.

Lazy Morning at Long Point

We have the anchorage all to ourselves right in behind Long Point. We arrived yesterday, 2025-06-23, but nobody will see this until we get more than intermittent 3G ;-). The weather is the same as yesterday, 15 from the WSW, sunshine and blue skies. We spent the full day yesterday beating into the short sharp Lake Erie chop and decided we deserve a quiet rest today. I don’t think I will ever again choose to beat into more than 10 knots on Lake Erie, especially with a full Lake of fetch. 

The shore shallows quickly once you hit 20 feet, and we are anchored on visible bare sand in 10 feet, but well off shore, about 1/4 mile out. 

One of yesterday’s highlights was a little flock of eight or ten purple martins that took over the second spreaders for about 10 minutes just after we anchored. They flitted around and landed repeatedly chirping “look at me” and could have been eating spider’s catch, or just playing. Then they were gone as suddenly as they arrived. 

Another lack of detail on the Orca charts — they don’t show the many well heads and pipelines that blanket the bottom of the lake. Navionics do and this helped us miss any hardware with the anchor.

On Our Own in Port Colbourne

We set off bright and early Sunday the 22nd with a boat full of help. Many thanks to Rosemary for the whole trip so far, and to Jim, Marcia and Nick who made the trip all the way here to help us up the Welland Canal. CSL St. Laurent came in behind us and we held them up the whole day.

They now do scheduled transits for pleasure craft, so we wound up with 4 big power boats and a Catalina 380, making us the smallest and slowest under motor. This was the first time we had rafted in a lock and the crew made it really easy for me to— I just drove the boat…

They also did a really slow fill that made the ride up almost easy. Here’s some of our large companions

Algoma Bear was headed down the flight as we came out the top. We got to the top and tied up about 18:00, Jim went and collected the car and now we’re all alone for the next leg. Thanks All!

The St. Laurent cleared out about 19:40 right in front of us.

Currently in Port Dalhousie

Current goes north in the centre of the harbour, but south in the eddy where we are docked. Go all the way in and turn around at the wider spot to approach slip 87. Two nights free for KYC boats. Tomorrow we will move to the wall at the club.

Navionics isn’t as pretty but shows our dock position accurately.

Welaxing in Whitby

(photo courtesy Rosemary)

We set off about 6:30 to get ahead of the forecast. By noon it was exciting enough that we decided to stop at Whitby, where the waves are cresting the break wall piling in 20-25 knots SSW.

Brand new bathrooms, free pump outs and 2 free nights to reciprocal clubs!

On the Wall at Coburg

We have a free mooring on the wall, and apparently there are now some reciprocal slips with power.

I’m trying out Orca (top) vs Navionics (bottom). Liking Orca, but the chart coverage is not as good in the north.

We motored all the way but sail assisted some of the time. Lots of weed near the Murray ($5.50 this year), and apparently we picked some up on the way in to Coburg too!

We stayed another night ($1.50/ft) because of zero visibility.

Sandy Cove

Motored up the Bay of Quinte almost to Belleville, then anchored for a pork chop BBQ.

Scenic Little Club in Kingston

 

We have really enjoyed our stay on the centre dock at the lovely KYC, almost like a cottage in the city, but we will be headed out this morning for points west and north. Rosemary is joining us for the leg from here through the Welland. 

After good wishes from friends on the dock we got away about 10:20. Now motoring in no wind up towards the Bay of Quinte.

Naming a Heron

 2025-06-07 Naming a Heron

More than 20 years ago we used this same short ceremony to rename Anemone II as Dragon III. We sailed Dragon III far and wide for many years, and she is still sailing with Tom and Sue on the east coast. That seems auspicious evidence of a good and proper renaming.

This short ceremony allowed us to safely and happily rename Lasata as Night Heron, ready for many voyages under her new name. We completed the ceremony on the lake following Sailpast with long time crew members Martha Sellens and Mary Wilson on board.

Rick: Bless the vessel Lasata. We now allow this name to go back to the everlasting sea and the Canadian Registry of Ships. Thank you for your service and goodbye Lasata, I toast your service!

(Rick toasts and sprinkles some wine on the bow)

All: Lasata, we toast your service!

Laura: Hail Poseidon! We seek your benevolence upon this ship, now to be known as Night Heron. Poseidon and Night Heron, I toast you!

(Laura toasts and sprinkles some wine on the bow and in the water.)

Both: Oh Poseidon, you spirit God of waters great and small,
On this vessel, by your grace, allow these sons and daughters all,
To pass from port of hailing to their port of call,
And on these sailing subjects let your gentle blessings fall.

(Both sprinkle some wine on the bow and in the water, then toast)

All: Poseidon and Night Heron we toast you!

Rick: Hail Aeolus! We seek your benevolence upon this ship, now to be known as Night Heron. Aeolus and Night Heron I toast you!

(Rick toasts, sprinkles some wine on the bow and spits some wine into the wind.)

Both: Aeolus, whose mighty hand doth charge the wind,
To this vessel gentle zephyrs send,
And we who sail within will bend,
Our heads in awe and tribute without end.

(Both sprinkle some wine on the bow and spit some into the wind, then toast)

All: Aeolus and Night Heron we toast you!