Ontario – Ice Quest

It was a warm and hazy day and it seemed that half of Toronto was out sailing as we left the quay and headed around the outside of Centre Island.  We motor-sailed in light winds, steering NE to Port Whitby, about 30 miles.  We had stocked up on ice (the marina only had crushed) and were hoping to score some blocks in Whitby.  We had also received news that the Oswego Canal had been indefinitely shut down due to high water from Hurricane Henri, along with several of the far eastern locks on the Erie Canal, so we were happy to be heading toward the Thousand Islands.  The trip was uneventful, with the exception of some weird “pipes” which we happened across all along the coast.  They only showed on the chart if we were zoomed way in, so the first one was a bit of a surprise!  They appear to mark pipelines and water intakes.  The coastline was reminiscent of Lake Michigan, with high sandy bluffs.

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Whitby Harbour is well protected, but very shallow with no place to anchor out, so we took a slip.  The channel was only 8 ft. deep so we ventured in slowly and they placed us at the first dock. The marina was very nice with newer bathrooms/showers/laundry, but only had crushed ice!  We swamped out the fridge and added some more bags.  We have been really surprised by the lack of block ice, from PA to CA. Our old boat had an icebox that would hold for days with block ice, and since there seems to be a proliferation of sailboats old and new everywhere we go, it just seems odd that we can’t find any. 

The main part of town was not close, so we ventured by bike to the nearest small shopping center that had all the essentials – ATM (Canadian cash), LCBO, grocery store, pharmacy – all set! Our dock neighbors had just returned that day from a month in the Thousand Islands, and were happy to share some of their favorite spots with us, so we were ready to get going next morning. Their brand new Bavaria 42 – Esmeralda, was gorgeous and made Ritual look even more like a “working boat”!

Our next stop would be Cobourg, another 30 miles along the coast.  This harbour is larger and deeper that Whitby, and we were happy to join several others anchored inside the breakwalls.  The marina sits one block from the charming main street, so walking was fun.  Cobourg is an old town, with many historical sites and old cobblestone buildings. It also has a tiny, but first-rate marine supply store. Or dingy gas tank/supply line had not been working well, even though Fred had taken it all apart, blew out the line (yes, he did, and yes, he did!), and tinkered with the connections.  Although Dean was extremely helpful, the parts he had would not fit. We did score some new line for the outboard motor hoist so we could run a double block, which makes it much easier to lift.  And, a minor miracle – block ice at the marina! We enjoyed watching the activity in the harbour – kids sailing, folks kayaking, dragon boats practicing, and people fishing and walking the breakwall. 

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We sat out thunderstorms the next day, in anticipation of having better weather for the leg to come – a long 9-10 hour journey east around Prince Edward County and up into Prince Edward Bay.  Even though there is an abundance of shoreline, including Sandbanks Provincial Park, the two protected harbours we passed are shallow with entry channels at only 4-5 feet deep (we draw 6).  The alternative route through the Murray Canal and Bay of Quinte is also known for shallows and weeds and narrow, buoyed channels. So we opted for the outside, and rode lumpy following seas all the way. West winds prevail in this area, and with a fetch reaching all the way from Hamilton, the water can really pile up this far east.  One of the things we love about Ritual is her “canoe” stern, meaning her back end is rounded to a point, so the ride is a bit smoother since the waves tend to part as they hit us, rather than smacking against a flat stern.  It was still a relief to finally turn back west around Long Point and drop the hook in calm waters off the Little Bluff Conservation area.

After a quiet night and a short pebble beach/cliff walk, we continued moving NE towards Kerr Bay on Amherst Island, one of the anchorages recommended by Esmeralda.  We ducked into the marina at Bath for ice, of course, only to find they were out of blocks. Geez!  While Fred topped off the diesel, Lisa scored a new primer bulb for the dinghy fuel line from the mechanic, hoping that might solve the issue (nope).  Kerr Bay was just a quick two-mile jump across the channel, and we anchored behind 4 boats already there.  What a pretty spot!  There were only a few houses at the head of the bay, and the water was clear and warm.  Swimming was great and we enjoyed two days here. 

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With looming rain storms and strong north winds forecasted (bad for Kerr Bay), we moved across the North Channel to Collins Bay Marina.  After topping off the ice (only crushed…) we biked up to the grocery store. Lack of refrigeration also means more frequent trips for fresh items!  The next morning we dinghied across the channel to a boat ramp and walked to another marine supply store – this time for a water pump they had in stock.  Our deck-wash pump had cracked (oh – so THAT’S where the water in the bilge was coming from!).  This pump pulls water from the lake and exits at a hose bib on the bow – allowing us to wash the crud and mud off the anchor before it gets all over the deck, or alternatively, to wash the deck without tapping into our freshwater reserve.

As we exited the marina for Kingston, we tried to top off the ice. They were completely out! Apparently there is only one ice company that serves the entire Kingston area, and no one had heard from them in a week, despite repeated calls.  We called ahead to several other marinas and got the same story.

We had heard nice things about Confederation Basin Marina and the city of Kingston, but all dockspace was booked for the next several days, in part due to the weekend BluesFest and charity boat races.  NE winds meant the next best anchorages were past this city.  As we cruised by the Kingston Yacht Club on the coast at the foot of downtown, we called in just to see if they had a spot.  Eureka – they had one guest spot!  Unfortunately, as we tied up to the end of the very exposed t-dock, we had to think hard about actually staying.  It promised a rolling, creaky night.  We decided to pay the price of losing a good night’s sleep rather than miss a visit to Kingston.

Downtown was only a few blocks up the road, and we passed some beautiful old buildings dating back to the early 1800’s.  Known as the Limestone City, most of the official buildings were constructed with this material.  We had dinner at a rooftop restaurant that overlooked City Hall square, where they were setting up for the evening Blues Fest.  It was hard to choose a restaurant – the streets were lined with romantic sidewalk patios and there were so many choices! We joined the music crowd after dinner, but with a fall chill in the air, and without jackets, it eventually became too cold to sit there, and we returned to the boat for what was indeed an uncomfortable night.

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The yacht club had been out of ice for a week, but we had called the closest convenience store and they set aside 6 of the 10 bags they had left.  First thing in the morning we dinghied over to the boat basin and picked up that ice (crushed…), then set out to see more of the Thousand Islands. 

We passed historic Ft. Henry, built on the heels of the War of 1812 to protect the British naval dockyards, and were sorry we did not get to visit. There is so much history related to the early settlement and strategic control of this region, and there are reminders everywhere.

We rounded the north shore of Wolfe Island on our way to Brakey Bay.  Wolfe is the largest of the Thousand Islands, mostly low lying and agricultural, and known for having an impressive wind farm – 81 windmills dot the horizon.  The bay was toward the east end of the channel, and well protected from the strong south winds in the forecast. We set anchor near the head of the bay in 10 feet of water.  This was another beautifully wooded shore, and although there were houses, they were set back and hidden by the trees.  We stayed here 3 days, relaxing and tinkering, ordering parts (new fridge!), installing the new deck wash pump, and watching other boats come and go, until the last of the ice was gone, forcing us back to reality and timelines.  We were notified that the Oswego Canal was set to open on September 3, and we needed to get back to the states and (finally) into the canal system.

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Fair Winds, Fred and Lisa