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YUMMY TREATS ON GEORGIAN BAY
Taste the Georgian Bay lifestyle, with Buns on the Bay!
It seems everyone in Ontario's cottage country loves Chelsea Buns - those sweet, sticky, buttery treats - and Buns on the Bay near Parry Sound has a unique twist on making them available to you! Margot McGimpsey remembers her own Chelsea Bun experiences, jogging into town, bringing back Chelseas for her family, and enjoying them with their coffee around the cottage kitchen table. Over the years, she perfected her own recipe and finding herself living on the shores of Georgian Bay amongst cottagers, she decided to share her baked treats with friends and neighbours. The response was overwhelming and moved her to start Buns on the Bay with her friend Kim Potter. The two handmake and hand-bake Chelsea Buns and a delicious, spicy Kookie-with-a-Kick, and then deliver them to boaters, cottagers and campers in and around Franklin Island, near Parry Sound, out on the bay. She says people get pretty excited when they see the “Bun Runner” coming up to their boat or dock, a bright red and pink tinny loaded up with warm-from-the-oven loaves of Chelsea Buns. The buns have become so popular that they have expanded availability, now selling at the Parry Sound Summer Market, the Carling Market and select marinas and tourist spots in the area. I can't wait to try these sticky treats! For more information about Buns on the Bay! and how you can get yours, visit their website www.bunsonthebay.ca.
EVINRUDE BITES THE DUST
BRP, the parent company of Evinrude outboard engines announced that it is discontinuing production of all Evinrude engines. In its press release it suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated it to stop production immediately. BRP CEO José Boisjoli said, “This business segment had already been facing some challenges and the impact of the current context has forced our hand.” Evinrude has been around since 1907 and was founded by Ole Evinrude in Wiscosin.
VALCOURT, Quebec, May 27, 2020 -- BRP announced today it has re-oriented its marine business by focusing on the growth of its boat brands with new technology and innovative marine products. We will discontinue production of Evinrude E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines. Our Sturtevant, WI, facility will be repurposed for new projects to pursue our plan to provide consumers with an unparalleled experience on the water.
We remain committed to our Buy, Build, Transform Marine strategy which has been underway since 2018 with the acquisition of Alumacraft and Manitou boat companies in the U.S., followed by the acquisition of Australian boat manufacturer Telwater in 2019.
"Our outboard engines business has been greatly impacted by COVID-19, obliging us to discontinue production of our outboard motors immediately. This business segment had already been facing some challenges and the impact from the current context has forced our hand,” said José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP. “We will concentrate our efforts on new and innovative technologies and on the development of our boat companies, where we continue to see a lot of potential to transform the on-water experience for consumers," he added.
Discontinuing outboard engine business and signing an agreement with Mercury Marine
Following our decision to discontinue E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines, we have signed an agreement with market leader Mercury Marine to support boat packages and continue to supply outboard engines to our boat brands.
We will continue to supply customers and our dealer network service parts and will honour our manufacturer limited warranties, plus offer select programs to manage inventory. These decisions will impact 650 employees globally.
Pursuing new opportunities within Build and Transform phases of strategy
With this announcement, BRP will be positioned to expand its presence in the pontoon and aluminum fishing markets through technologically advanced solutions. We will leverage our track record of ingenuity through our R&D resources to enhance the boating experience with unique new marine products, such as the next generation of engine technology with Project Ghost and the next generation of pontoons with Project M, code names for new products we expect to transform the industry.
Maximizing operational and functional efficiencies
Lastly, we will consolidate Alumacraft operations from two sites to one. All Alumacraft operations will be transferred to St Peter, MN and our site in Arkadelphia, AR will be permanently closed. In addition, we want to upgrade the boat production facilities to reorganize manufacturing sites and apply the modularity model used elsewhere. This move is designed to enhance productivity and efficiency and to allow us to respond with even more agility to demand.
About BRP
We are a global leader in the world of powersports vehicles, propulsion systems and boats, built on over 75 years of ingenuity and intensive consumer focus. Our portfolio of industry-leading and distinctive products includes Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am on- and off-road vehicles, Alumacraft, Manitou, Quintrex, Stacer and Savage boats, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recreational aircraft. We complete our lines of products with a dedicated parts, accessories and apparel business to fully enhance the riding experience. With annual sales of CA$6.1 billion from over 120 countries, our global workforce is made up of approximately 12,600 driven, resourceful people.
HISTORY ON THE BAY
If you want a good read on the history and memories on Georgian Bay check out this website. Sweetwaters was put together by Ritchie With as a labour of love resulting from a lifelong love affair with Georgian Bay. Some of the content is documented history and some of the writings are Ritchie's personal experiences working and living on the Bay.
TIME TO CHANGE ANCHORS
Over the years I have tried every anchor category including Danforth, CQR, Plow, Bruce and the more recent scoop style anchors. The brands include Fortress, Delta, Kingston, Lewmar, Bruce and Rocna. My first anchor was a tin can full of cement with an eye hook on a wooden rowboat with a 5 hp Johnston. It served it purpose well.
I follow anchor reviews and You Tube video anchor tests like a religion. I have anchored from Georgian Bay to the Bahamas and everywhere in between. I have dragged anchor many times over the years and I have spent many sleepless nights awake in the dark waiting for the possibility of the anchor breaking free. My 35 lb CQR on all chain rode on a CS36 foot sailboat was legendary for breaking loose at the worst of times. Many anchor types have one of two basic problems or sometimes both problems. 1/they don't set well in difficult bottom conditions 2/ they don't have the surface tension to stay set in heavy winds, waves that cause the bow to rise and fall in an extreme way or with changing tides.
The advent of the scoop style anchor like Mantus, Spade and Rocna was a huge step forward towards modern effective anchor design. For those deniers who still believe their Bruce or CQR is the best anchor ever built, I'm probably not going to change your mind … and you probably have never anchored out in a gale or maybe you are just damn lucky always getting ideal bottom conditions. Plow anchors do just that - they plow just below the bottom surface and they often skip out while plowing. They don't set well below the bottom surface like most modern scoop style anchors do. Many boaters are heavily branded to the original Bruce or Bruce style anchors like the Lewmar Claw. I would agree that the Bruce sets well in a variety of bottom conditions. In my experience it's weakness is it doesn't have the surface tension and in some sandy bottom conditions and it can break free and drag in a strong enough blow.
I have owned 6 sail boats and 9 powerboats over many years ranging in size from a DS 16 sailboat to a Searay 52. For my last two boats over the past decade I have been sworn to Rocna anchors. I have never had a Rocna let me down and the Rocna represents great value in an anchor. I do know however from other peoples experiences and I have seen video evidence that all scoop anchors that use the bar loop to right the anchor can suffer a problem when anchored on a muddy weedy bottom with a wind or tide shift in heavy weather where if the anchor breaks out it brings with it a clump of sod that won't let the anchor reset. There is never a problem in sand or sand/pebble. It is only a problem with grassy muddy bottoms where the roots of the weeds bind the mud into one solid block of sod. I have never had that personally happen where my Rocna broke free and it wouldn't reset … but I have brought up the Rocna many times where a huge clump of sod has to be removed manually with a little shovel before I could drag the anchor off the bow to rinse it off the sticky mud before bringing it back into the chocks. It may be rare but with the right bottom conditions in heavy weather, breaking out and not resetting could happen.
So Ultra Anchor came along a number of years ago with an all stainless tip weighted self righting anchor manufactured in Turkey which is hard to be beat – albeit at a high cost. If you have been doing boat shows you have probably played in the Ultra Anchor sand box testing a variety of miniature scale weighted anchors on chains doing the old pull test to compare. It is a very effective way to sell anchors, btw, but it is not conclusive compared to real world testing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpfS_5WVTDs.
As mentioned the Ultra Anchor is very expensive and it looks like a piece of art. Their flip swivel is also very expensive but it is also the most robust best designed anchor swivel I have ever seen and I did once have the experience of having a Marinco swivel bending the pin and leaving my anchor at the bottom of the harbour. Many high end yacht manufacturers are now putting Ultra Anchors on their boats as standard equipment e.g. Fleming, Lazzara, Riviera, Luhrs, Feretti yachts. You don't see Ultra Anchors in most of the You Tube multi anchor shoot outs because quite frankly the Ultra is in a class of it's own when it comes to holding power in any conditions. In other words it would win every time in any anchor test and there would be no point in doing anchor tests anymore because it would be a forgone conclusion.
The Ultra is not for everyone because of the cost value equation. The Ultra is for those who really like to sleep at anchor in the worst conditions and are willing to pay the price to have that piece of mind. As you get older and wiser and you desperately want to avoid the stress of the all night anchor watch ritual in a storm, you become more willing to spend three or four times more money to own an Ultra. If the Spade or the Rocna is the Cadillac of anchors then the Ultra might be considered the Ferrari of anchors. Not everyone wants to own a Ferrari and not everyone can afford a Ferrari and that adage holds true with anchors as well. The other side of the coin is if you have almost as much into your boat as your house why wouldn't spend a few thousand for an anchor which is arguably the most important safety feature on your boat right up there with ensuring that your boat floats. For me personally I like to sleep at night even more now that ten years ago … so I'm willing to pay the price for an Ultra. On my new boat a 20,000 lb. Carver C37 Sport Coupe I'm putting on a Ultra 46lb anchor with Ultra swivel on all chain rode and if I'm up at night in a blow it's because I'm fending off other boats that have dragged anchor.
MAGNETIC POLE SHIFTING FAST
Something strange is going on deep down below the earths crust. It's causing the magnetic North Pole to 'skitter' away from Canada, towards Siberia. "The magnetic pole is moving so quickly that it has forced the world's geomagnetism experts into a rare move," Nature reports.
On January 30 (delayed due to the US Government shutdown), the World Magnetic Model - which governs modern navigation systems - is due to undergo an urgent update. This model is a vital component of systems ranging from geopositioning systems used to navigate ships through to smartphone trackers and maps. The current model was expected to be valid until 2020. But the magnetic pole began to shift so quickly, it was realized in 2018 that the model had to be fixed - now. "They realized that it was so inaccurate that it was about to exceed the acceptable (safe) limit for navigational errors," Nature reports.
Every year, geophysicists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the British Geological Survey do a check on how the Earth's magnetic field is varying.
This is necessary as the liquid iron churning in the Earth's core does not move in a consistent manner.
"In 2016, for instance, part of the magnetic field temporarily accelerated deep under northern South America and the eastern Pacific Ocean," Nature reports.
This shift was captured by satellites. But the movement of the north magnetic pole has been the object of study since 1831. Initially, it was tracked moving into the Arctic Ocean at a rate of about 15km each year. But, since the mid 1990s, it has picked up speed. It's now shifting at a rate of about 55km a year. Why the magnetic field is shifting so dramatically is unknown. "Geomagnetic pulses, like the one that happened in 2016, might be traced back to 'hydromagnetic' waves arising from deep in the core," Nature reports. "And the fast motion of the north magnetic pole could be linked to a high-speed jet of liquid iron beneath Canada”.This fast-flowing molten river appears to be weakening the magnetic influence of the iron core beneath North America.
"The location of the north magnetic pole appears to be governed by two large-scale patches of magnetic field, one beneath Canada and one beneath Siberia," Phil Livermore of the University of Leeds told an American Geophysical Union meeting. "The Siberian patch is winning the competition."
And, as global warming opens up more shipping lanes to the north of Russia and Canada, this presents a potentially deadly problem."The fact that the pole is going fast makes this region more prone to large errors," says Arnaud Chulliat, a geomagnetist at the University of Colorado Boulder and NOAA.
MANASOO SHIPWRECK FOUND LARGELY INTACT WITH A 1927 CHEVY IN IT'S HOLD
The Manasoo steamship sank in Georgian Bay over 90 years ago on September 15th 1928. Its wreck was recently discovered by divers who are surprized at how well preserved it is. See the video here and here.
Shipwreck researcher Cris Kohl found the wooden steamer 60 metres underwater off Griffith Island in Georgian Bay. The ship was built in Scotland in 1888. The stern of the steel ship sank first and the front end is still sticking up at the bottom of the lake ... it is speculated that a hatch door was blown out and heavy weather quickly overwhelmed the ship.
Divers found the ship on June 30, 2018 and also uncovered a 1927 Chevrolet Coupe still parked inside. The car belonged to one of the passengers who happened to have survived the shipwreck. John McKay the ship's captain attempted to steer the ship to a nearby island but it sank before it reached the island. Only 5 of the 21 passengers survived and around 100 cattle onboard also perished. The ship's name was changed only months before it sank supporting sailor superstition that it's bad luck to change the name of a vessel.
2019 TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE ONTARIO TOUR Bluenose II to lead the fleet of tall ships sailing in for the
2019 TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO Tour
TORONTO, ON – November 6th, 2018, Water’s Edge Festivals & Events is pleased to announce that the
historical Canadian icon, Bluenose II will be participating in a tour throughout Ontario next summer called the
TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO tour. The ship that’s adorned the Canadian dime since 1937 will be
leading a fleet of majestic tall ships as they make stops in Toronto, Sarnia, Midland, Kingsville and Brockville.
The TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO tour is the Canadian portion of the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®
Great Lakes Series that will also see the fleet travel to ports in the U.S.
Toronto’s 2019 Redpath Waterfront Festival, presented by Billy Bishop Airport, will once again launch the TALL
SHIPS CHALLENGE® Great Lakes Series. During Canada Day weekend, June 29th to July 1st, Toronto’s
waterfront will be transformed into a nautical wonderland with a fleet of tall ships docked from Harbour Square
Park to HTO Park West. In Toronto, the Bluenose II will be joined by Picton Castle, a tall ship that has travelled
the world and also calls Lunenburg, N.S, home. The 179-foot, three-masted vessel is currently on her way to
Bali, Indonesia on its seventh voyage around the globe. Other tall ships in the tour include U.S. Brig Niagara,
Pride of Baltimore II, Denis Sullivan, Fair Jeanne, Playfair and St. Lawrence II.
The festival is excited to welcome back, the Royal Canadian Navy and their oldest commissioned ship, Her
Majesty’s Canadian Ship Oriole and, for the first time, the Canadian Coast Guard will be participating in the
festival. They will be cruising into Toronto on one of their service vessels and will also visit all of the ports in the
TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO tour. The full fleet of ships taking part in the tour will be announced in
the coming months and will vary from port to port.
All of the tall ships anchored at the 2019 Redpath Waterfront Festival will be open to the public for deck tours.
Tickets for deck tours will go on sale in the new year. The festivities will continue ashore with vendors, food and
live entertainment in each park. Further event details will be released in the months leading up to the festival.
Redpath Waterfront Festival 2019 partners include: Redpath Sugar, Billy Bishop Airport, Waterfront BIA, Bell
Media, Government of Canada, Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto and porter airlines.
For information on the entire TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO tour, please visit tallshipson.com. To learn
more about the tall ships sailing in for the 2019 Redpath Waterfront Festival and for festival news and updates
visit towaterfrontfest.com and follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO Tour Dates:
Tour
Dates
Toronto - Redpath Waterfront Festival
June 29-July 1
Midland - TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO
August 9-11
Sarnia - TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO
August 10-11
Town of Kingsville - TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO
August 16-18
Brockville - TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® ONTARIO
August 30-September 1
ABOUT REDPATH WATERFRONT FESTIVAL, presented by Billy Bishop Airport
The Redpath Waterfront Festival, presented by Billy Bishop Airport, is an annual summer event providing onland
and on-water programming for people of all ages and interests, with the goal of promoting Toronto locally
and internationally as a premiere waterfront destination. With music, food and nautical entertainment, the
festival offers something for everyone to enjoy. Every three years, the event welcomes majestic Tall Ships to
Toronto. www.towaterfrontfest.com
ABOUT WATER’S EDGE FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
Water’s Edge Festivals and Events is an Ontario not-for-profit corporation created in 2011 with a mandate to
become the driving force behind the continuation of the successful Redpath Waterfront Festival. Its objectives
are to produce an exceptional annual family festival; provide a strong economic impact for Toronto and Ontario;
build strategic partnerships locally, regionally and nationally, including significant stakeholders Redpath
Sugar, PortsToronto and The Waterfront BIA.
ABOUT TALL SHIPS AMERICA
As a national membership organization, TALL SHIPS AMERICA supports the people, ships and programs of
sail training and tall ships through professional development grants, sail training scholarships, conferences,
education, publications, regulatory and licensing information, public events and advocacy. Tall Ships America
organizes the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® annual series of tall ship races and maritime port festivals to
celebrate our rich maritime heritage and traditions and to inform the general public about the transformative
power of adventure and education under sail®. Visit Site
PROMOTING SAFE BOATING PRACTICES TO CANADIANS
North American Safe Boating Awareness Week will take place across Canada from May 19th to May 25th, 2018. The purpose of this initiative, managed by the CSBC (Canadian Safe Boating Council) and its partners, is to promote safe and responsible boating practices to the estimated 15 million recreational boaters in Canada.
Although boating related fatalities have trended downwards in past years, there continues to be an average of over 100 boating related deaths annually in Canadian waters. With people gearing-up to launch their boats after a long winter slumber, the goal of the week is to continue to bring those numbers down by ensuring that Canadians who head out in any type of boat have the appropriate knowledge to help them have a safe day on the water.
The timing of the week, starting on the May long weekend, is perfectly aligned with the unofficial start of summer and a time when many boating fatalities occur.
There are five key boating safety behaviours to be delivered, all directed towards the most common boating related accidents. They include:
- Wear a Lifejacket
- Boat Sober
- Take a Boating Course
- Be Prepared – Both You and Your Vessel
- Be Aware of the Risks of Cold Water Immersion
To help media in communicating safe boating messages, short stories to be used as discrete articles and 30-second audio and video PSAs are available. They are easy to download and free of charge on the www.csbc.ca website. Beta quality is also available upon request.
In addition to offering media ready materials, a number of activities are taking place during this year's campaign.
Launches
In Canada, there will be five launches for media, public and boating safety educators alike. On May 17th, Toronto, Dartmouth and Winnipeg will kick off North American Safe Boating Awareness Week. Vancouver will launch Safe Boating Awareness Week on May 19th and Saskatoon on May 22nd.
2018 Focus
The impending legalization of cannabis along with the rise in prescription narcotic use is causing significant additional concern for boating safety advocate groups, enforcement agencies and first responders alike. Alcohol alone has long been proven to be a contributing factor in 40% of boating fatalities across Canada but the legalization of recreational cannabis has the potential to significantly increase this statistic. In response to this, at each of our launches, there will be media conferences put on by local and regional police to discuss emphasize the importance of not consuming ANY alcohol or drugs either before or while boating.
The Safe Boating Awareness Week initiative is promoted by the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC), a registered charity, with support from its members, partners and Transport Canada Office of Boating.
For additional information on both the event and boating safety information, please visit www.csbc.ca.
LAKE ERIE SHIPWRECK FOUND
A 119-year-old shipwreck has been found at the bottom of Lake Erie. The wooden steam barge Margaret Olwill sank in 50 feet of water during a nor'ester in 1899. Eight people died, including the captain, his wife and their 9-year-old son. Reporting in the Toledo Blade newspaper said "It was a major disaster back in 1899 when it sank," according to shipwreck hunter Rob Ruetschele. "I dove in the night I found it," Ruetschele added.
The Olwill was hauling 900 tons of limestone to Cleveland when it sank. The four survivors clung to floating wreckage and were tossed by Lake Erie's waves for hours. One man was described as "more dead than alive" when he was rescued. Rescuers tried to save another man but he was too weak from exposure to grab a rope that was tossed to him and drowned.
JANE MILLER HISTORIC WRECK FOUND
The wreck of a steamship that went down in Georgian Bay during a storm 136 years ago has been found, with what could be human remains onboard.
American shipwreck hunters Jared Daniels, Jerry Eliason and Ken Merryman revealed their summer discovery to coincide with the anniversary of the Jane Miller's sinking Nov. 25, 1881.
The 24-metre package and passenger steamer went down with 25 people aboard, including the crew.
The wreck was found in Colpoys Bay, an inlet of Georgian Bay leading to Wiarton on the east side of the Bruce Peninsula north of Owen Sound in Georgian Bay.
The ship mostly is structurally intact with its mast still standing, rising within 23 metres of the surface. The shipwreck hunters also reported spotting what could be remains of bodies.
Merryman, who's hunted shipwrecks for more than 40 years, said it was exciting to find the missing vessel.
“People call these things time capsules and they absolutely are,” he said from his home in Minnesota.
“That ship took on 10 to 20 tonnes of cargo, so now the archeologists have a snapshot of 1880s life on the Bruce Peninsula with what kinds of things are there.”
Finding the ship is a major discovery for the area, said local marine history author Scott Cameron.
He said there aren't many ships left from that era and it holds substantial archeological significance.
“It certainly tells a story and there is a big story to go with it,” said Cameron.
The Jane Miller was launched in 1879 on Manitoulin Island. Cameron wrote a story about the ship, available on his website at steamboatstories.ca.
The coastal steamer ran between Collingwood and Manitoulin with stops along the way, taking on passengers, farm goods and other freight.
“Rather cranky,” the ship was short and stumpy with a high profile and shallow draft that made it roll heavily in stormy seas and made it difficult to handle, Cameron writes. The night it sank it carried a heavy load from Owen Sound to
Meaford, where more freight and passengers were picked up.
Witnesses on shore last saw what was assumed to be the Jane Miller heading toward Wiarton.
The hunters aren't disclosing exactly where or how far down they found the wreck, to allow government officials time to determine how to proceed with preservation and protection.
The wreck was found upright, all but one of its davits that held the lifeboats still standing.
The hull and main deck cabins are intact, but the upper cabins have collapsed.
Their Ontario permit didn't allow the hunters to enter the wreck, but they saw what could be bodies.
In a post at scubaboard.com, Daniel said he made out 16 bodies in different parts of the ship, while Merryman said identification was difficult because of mussel encrustation.
“I kind of suspected we might see human remains, and maybe we did, but it was hard to tell from the zebra mussels,” said Merryman. “It is hard to say.”
Merryman and Eliason have hunted wrecks together for about 27 years and found 20 working together.
Merryman, a founder of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society, said history told them the Jane Miller went down between Big Bay, at the mouth of Colpoys Bay inlet, and what was Spencer's dock. They looked past the dock location, theorizing the captain might have shot past it in order to drift into Wiarton.
It was on about the second or third pass that their sonar picked up the wreck.
“We found it fairly quick and it was in a diveable depth,” said Merryman. “Nowadays, that is fairly unusual. We weren't expecting that.”
Owen Sound Sun Times
HENRY'S RESTAURANT ON FRYING PAN ISLAND FOR SALE
Famous for it's Pickerel dinners and a must stop for boats heading north among the 30,000 islands ... Henry's has to be one of the most unusual restaurants in Canada. Accessible only by water or air its also a Federal airport served by five commercial airlines (float planes). Henry's has been a fixture on the channel near Sans Souci Island for 44 years, owned for the last 25 years by Paul and Joanne Elliott.
Here's the listing info: A Georgian Bay Tradition is available to be purchased. The world famous restaurant will be opening for business on June 23rd of this year. Experience the atmosphere of this licensed restaurant/marina. This is an asset sale and the owner's will help in the transition period. Staff accommodations on site with female dorm style cottage, and 3 bunkies for the male employees. Access is by boat, seaplane and helicopter. Water taxi available from area marinas such as Georgian Bay Marina, Moose Deer Point Marina and others. Henry's is located on Island B321, Frying Pan Island. Ample room for dockage with deep water and 30 amp service. Separate dockage for seaplanes and the helicopter pad. The docks have deep water and can accommodate a 100 foot yacht. Licensed for 119 this restaurant/marina offers an owner's residence, chef trailer, separate fish cleaning building as well as office/store at waterfront, patios and separate dining areas. This is also a federal airport so please no drone flying. Inventory is not included in the asking price and will be established at cost. This is a once in a life time opportunity to purchase the well known establishment. Seller will entertain holding a 1st with substantial down payment. http://www.bodkinrealty.com/marina.html
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN KILLARNEY?
Across from George Island, Ontario, on the Killarney Channel, between Georgian Bay and Killarney Bay, is a well kept secret with strong ties to Michigan. Once the private hunting and fishing camp of Detroit transportation magnates, the Fruehaufs, Killarney Mountain Lodge has blossomed into one of the finest vacation destinations in the Georgian Bay area. Since his acquisition of Killarney Mt. Lodge in January, 2015, London, Ontario entrepreneur Holden Rhodes has embarked on an ambitious 3 year, $36 million plan to renovate, reinvigorate and expand the property.
Then there's the kitchen. Critical to expansion and marketing is the foodservice side of the business. KML is building a dream kitchen from the ground up, doubling the space and taking the entire culinary process into the major leagues. The centerpiece is the Rational. A $75,000 “Swiss Army Knife” of modern equipment. “This is the lynchpin of everything,” notes KML General Manager Kelly McAree “and key to consistent quality and much greater efficiency.” The 2,400 sq. ft. footprint is two and a half times the size of the old kitchen and capable of producing 400 dinners daily. To accommodate corporate getaways, Killarney Mountain Lodge will soon begin construction of a state of the art, 12,000 sq. ft. conference & banquet center with a satellite kitchen.
Arriving by boat? Look for the signature lighthouse portico facing the Killarney Channel. And of particular benefit to visitors from the USA, the Canadian-US Dollar exchange rate is near an all time high. A totally new, full service marina and renovated boat house, has added 25% more dockage space (24 slips for boats up to 64') and includes up to 100 amp power, WiFi and water services. Those docking at the marina may also choose to have food delivered to their boats. Next to the marina, is the new “Curds n' Whey” coffee and bake shop. And opening this spring is the “Covered Portage” lodge house, with 36 new, all season luxury rooms.
This boater's and nature lover's paradise, offers, fishing, swimming, hiking, tennis, and more. Nearby, is 187 square miles of pristine mountain wilderness at Killarney Provincial Park. Ontario has identified the shoreline of the Great Lakes from southern Georgian Bay to the north shore of Lake Superior, an area of mountainous beauty, as a heritage site that must be forever protected. For more information, visit www.killarney.com.
Just down the road from Killarney Mountain Lodge is the Sportsman's Inn ... a legendary destination for boaters. It too is now owned by Holden Rhodes. New upgrades, renovations and new dining experience await visitors. It's all about the 'new experience' for travellers to the Sportsman's Inn in Killarney in 2017. The Inn has recently undergone an impressive renovation, not only to the dining room area and pub, but also to the newly licensed outdoor dockside patio that can accommodate up to 90 guests. At the helm of the new dining offerings is new Head Chef, Keith Farrell, who has over 25 years' experience in the hospitality industry. Diners can indulge in fine dining, pub fare and gourmet cuisine such as a selection of “caught that morning” white fish for dinner.
Aside from the changes to the menu, the Sportsman's Inn has also something new for boaters at George Island. General Manager, Kelly McAree says new docks have been built and a new renovation has upgraded the look and space at Big Willy's Bait Shop. "We're thrilled to start the new season with a fresh look and more amenities for guests. The upgrades cover everything from the food and dining experience, to a new outdoor patio, more moorage capacity at George Island and service for boaters. We're ready to provide the same high quality of service with new features and comfort for our guests."
The Sportsman's Inn is open year round providing gorgeous views of the crooked pines and Killarney Channel, comfortable accommodations and spa treatments. With a marina offering 140 slips, it's a haven for boaters and yachters and can accommodate boats larger than 100 feet. Boat side service is also available with reservation and items from the pub menu can also be delivered on board. The surrounding pristine, sapphire blue lakes provide the perfect setting for recreational adventure. Activities organized by the Inn include a Boat-In Theatre, a unique experience on the water that can be tuned in using an FM frequency that features a variety of films under the stars. For the more active, rentals include: paddleboats, kayaks, and canoes, or take a leisurely walk to the scenic Killarney Lighthouse. Everyone can enjoy lakeside views from the channel at one of the Georgian Bay's best adventure resorts.
Killarney, a jewel that is less than four hours north of Toronto, is a nature lover's paradise with nearby access to hiking, kayaking and canoeing on Georgian Bay and in the interior lakes set within undisturbed mountain wilderness at Killarney Provincial Park. For more information, about the Sportsman's Inn please visit: www.sportsmansinn.ca.
NORTH AMERICA'S LARGEST FISHING DERBY
So I bet you thought the biggest fishing derby's are coming out of Hatteras or some port in Florida? You'd be wrong. Right next door to Georgian Bay on Lake Simcoe the annual Orillia Perch Festival takes place April 22nd to May 13th. This fishing tournament has been going on for 37 years! Over 60 tagged Perch worth $500 each! plus thousands of dollars in daily, weekly and grand prize draws are up for grabs at this festival. Opening ceremonies take place Friday April 17th at 7 pm at Orillia's ODAS Park on Fairgrounds Road. The LIVE RELEASE program is put on by Orillia Fish & Game Conservation Club. Adult cost is $20. and children under 16 are $5.00.
Details are HERE in conjunction with Orillia's Chamber of Commerce.
SAD NEWS - GERMAN CRUISER KILLED BY TERRORISTS
What is the world coming to? This poor guy already paid a six figure ransom to Somalis who grabbed them as hostages from their sailboat. Then Philippine terrorists shot his wife dead and kidnapped him for ransom and decapitated him when the $600,000 ransom was not paid. The link in the SailFeed provided article HERE and the VIDEO is gruesome so be forewarned.
LAWSUIT RULES AGAINST CRUISE SHIP
In August 2010 the Clipper Adventurer crashed into an uncharted rock shelf in the Coronation Gulf near Kugluktuk, Nunavut. The Canadian coast guard rescued 128-grounded passengers and 69 crewmembers. Through the federal government, the coast guard issued a lawsuit, seeking half a million dollars in damages from the cruise liner and a Federal Court judge has now ruled in their favour. The lawsuit said the damages were to prevent, repair or minimize pollution from the ship's grounding. 13 tanks aboard containing fuel, freshwater and sludge were breached with the impact. It took four tugs to remove the ship from the shoal whereupon it was taken to Poland for repairs.
The (Bahamas-based) owner of the MV Clipper Adventurer is Adventure Owner Ltd. At the time, they claimed that if the Canadian government had provided more information about the rock shelf, which was known to be a hazard, the collision could have been averted. They sought $13.5 million to cover repair and salvage and loss of business in addition to other costs. Justice Sean Harrington dismissed that claim, stating, “The shortcoming lies with the ship. The Coast Guard station Marine Communications and Traffic Services was under no duty to take the initiative to warn the Clipper Adventurer of the presence of the shoal,” Harrington said in his judgment. “It did not know which route would be taken. It may have been different if the Clipper Adventurer had asked for but was given misinformation.” He said the Coast Guard properly warned the Clipper Adventurer's crew of the rock shelf through a notice to shipping, which was not on board the ship.
Harrington awarded $445,361, plus interest, and said if the owners of the Clipper Adventurer fail to pay the damages, the ship must be sold to cover them.
LEXUS SPORT YACHT PROJECT
Marquis Yachts LLC the makers of Marquis and Carver Yachts has partnered with Toyota Motor Corp.'s Marine Department to engineer and build a prototype concept boat that applies the Lexus design to boat design/engineering. The result is a 42 foot sport yacht built in the Marquis Yachts Wisconsin plant. The project used the in house capabilities at Marquis including engineering, modeling, mold making, composite structure layup, metal shop fabrication, upholstery, paint and other applications. The Lexus Sport Yacht concept made its global debut at a Lexus hosted media event in Miami.
"Marquis Yachts management and employees immediately took ownership and have invested themselves in this incredible project as if it were theirs, and we felt a kindred spirit and trust in them ... We are honoured to have worked side by side with Marquis on this very expressive and unique project for Lexus." said Toyota marine department General Manager Hioshi Morimitsu. "In building the Lexus Sport Yacht concept, we managed and administered a quality program to their exacting standards and expectations. We'll apply what we've learned to all Marquis and Carver yachts going forward ... We worked with extreme tolerance levels to construct this boat. Essentially these are aerospace like tolerances and specifications," said Paul Liss, Marquis' Vice President of Operations and Manufacturing.
PORT OF ORILLIA CHANGES
On December 17, 2014, the Port of Orillia building was destroyed by fire. To continue operations and maintain the level of service previously provided by Chamber of Commerce staff, temporary facilities were put in place to accommodate immediate boater needs. Orillia City Council retained the services of Urban Strategies Inc. to examine future development opportunities for the Port of Orillia and its immediate surroundings in context with the goals and objectives of the City's Downtown Tomorrow Plan. The Downtown Tomorrow project calls for design approaches that will strengthen the links between the downtown and the Lake Couchiching waterfront. The Primary Focus area includes the existing downtown and waterfront areas, will lead to short and medium term action items over the next two to five years. The Secondary Focus area will lead to suggested action items over the longer term, between 10 and 20 years. At an Open House held at the Orillia Public Library in June 2015, Urban Strategies Inc. presented their 4 conceptual draft plans for the public's review and comment. Council, at its meeting held in August 2015 passed a motion to utilize a "design build" process for the replacement of the Port of Orillia Building. Council adopted recommendations and passed a resolution which directed staff to release a Design/Build tender with a total construction budget of $2.3 million. A Request for Proposal for a Design/Build project was released in January 2016. At its meeting in April 2016, Council ratified its decision to move forward with local firm, Bradanick Construction Services Inc.
As of January 2017 the construction work is on schedule with completion expected for May 2017. The state of the art marina building for boaters has 10 suites containing individual changing rooms, showers, washrooms and marina office/admin. The two-storey building will include a wonderful community room which has glass on all three sides with a lake view. Their is a kitchenette if users of the community area wish to have food catered. The Port of Orillia is right off the main channel where thousands of boats traverse from Georgina Bay to Lake Simcoe and beyond. It is a logical provisioning stop for cruisers heading too and from Georgian Bay as well a a popular spot for local marine traffic to visit and avail themselves of the many shopping and restaurant opportunities in downtown Orillia just minutes away from the marina.
NEW CANADIAN SEARCH & RESCUE AIRCRAFT
The Canadian federal government will spend $2.3 billion to replace the Canadian Air Force ancient search and rescue planes with 16 new aircraft from European aerospace manufacturer Airbus. Public Procurement Minister Judy Foote and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan made the announcement at CFB Trenton. The replacement of the existing search planes (some of which have been flying since the 1960's) has been delayed for more than a decade. Sajjan says the new C-295 planes are a game-changer when it comes to the military responding to distress calls and other emergencies around the country. Foote says the contract will also benefit Canadian industry as Airbus has paired with a number of Canadian companies to provide the planes' engines, simulator trainers and long term maintenance.
PAYNE'S MARINE BOUGHT
Brunswick Corp. has bought the assets of Payne's Marine Group of Victoria, British Columbia, a wholesale marine parts & accessories distributor in Canada. Payne's had sales of about $17 million in 2015. Payne's marine distribution business will become part of Brunswick's global P&A distribution business, which is operated by Brunswick's Mercury Marine division augmenting the presence of Mercury's Land 'N' Sea Canadian channels in western Canada, where Mercury Marine has made other investments like a new distribution center in Langley, British Columbia. With distribution facilities in British Columbia and Ontario, Payne's Marine provides broad geographic coverage as well as timely delivery services, technical expertise and support to customers across Canada.
"The two companies together will extend both the reach and value of our global P&A distribution network," "Further, we believe leveraging the unique expertise of each operation will lead not only to cost and revenue synergies, but also will further accelerate our growth in the important Canadian marine market", Mercury Marine President John Pfeifern said. "Our current strategy, as outlined at Brunswick's update to the financial community in November 2015, is to grow both our core marine and fitness businesses while augmenting such growth through acquisitions primarily in fitness and marine P&A," Brunswick chairman and CEO Mark Schwabero said. "This action continues the execution of that strategy and marks the latest acquisition that we have made recently to expand our P&A distribution network's global reach into both segments and geographic areas that offer opportunity, following the acquisition of Bell Recreational Products Group in the Midwest, and BLA in Australia in 2014 and 2015, respectively."
INCREASE IN OUTBOARD ENGINE SHIPMENTS IN CANADA
Through August wholesale shipments of outboard engines in Canada for the National Marine Manufacturers Association's group of manufacturers were up 18 % over year on a rolling 12-month basis. NMMA said outboard motor expenditure dollars were up 28.7 % . In the last few years there has been a trend for boat buyers to seek out outboard engines over inboard engines ... even to power boats up to 50 feet with up to four 350 HP engines.
HMS TERROR BELIEVED FOUND
HMS Terror was constructed for the Royal Navy in 1813. She participated in several battles of the War of 1812 and was converted into a polar exploration ship. She participated in George Back's Arctic expedition of 1836–1837, the Ross expedition of 1839 to 1843, and Sir John Franklin's ill-fated attempt to force the Northwest Passage in 1845, during which she was lost with all hands along with HMS Erebus.
Terror saw service in the War of 1812 against the United States. Under the command of John Sheridan, she took part in the bombardment of Stonington, Connecticut in 1814. She also fought in the Battle of Baltimore in September 1814 and participated in the bombardment of Fort McHenry. In January 1815 under Sheridan's command, Terror was involved in the Battle of Fort Peter and the attack on St. Mary’s, Georgia. After the war, Terror was decommissioned until 1828, when she was re-commissioned for service in the Mediterranean Sea, but she was removed from active service when she underwent repairs for damage suffered near Lisbon, Portugal.
Before leaving on the Franklin expedition, both Erebus and Terror underwent heavy modifications for the journey. They were both outfitted with steam engines, taken from ex London railway steam locomotives. Rated at 25 horsepower each could propel its ship at 4 knots. The pair of ships became the first Royal Navy ships to have steam-powered engines and screw propellers. Twelve days' supply of coal was carried. Iron plating was added to the fore and aft of the ships' hulls to make them more resistant against the pack ice in the Arctic. Their decks were also cross-planked to make it more resistant against impact forces. Along with Erebus the Terror was stocked with supplies for their expedition, which included among other items: two tons of tobacco, 8,000 tins of preserves, and 7,560 litres of liquor. Terror's library had 1,200 books, and the ship's berths were heated via ducts that connected them to the stove.
Their voyage to the Arctic was with Sir John Franklin in overall command of the expedition in Erebus, and Terror again under the command of Captain Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier. The expedition was ordered to gather magnetic data in the Canadian Arctic and complete a crossing of the Northwest Passage, which had already been charted from both the east and west but never entirely navigated. It was planned to last three years. It was first believed the 129 crewmembers of both ships abandoned their vessels and attempted to trek overland to Fort Resolution almost 600 miles southwest. It was believed the crews did not reach safety, dying from exposure, lead poisoning, botulism, scurvy and starvation.
On Sept. 12, a team from the Arctic Research Foundation said it had found the Terror. Terror sits level on the bottom of the sea in about 80 feet of water, its hull intact, and in remarkably good condition with panes of glass still in some of the windows. The remains of the ships are designated a National Historic Site of Canada with the exact location withheld in order to preserve the wrecks and prevent looting. An Inuit hunter who joined the crew of the Arctic Research Foundation's Martin Bergmann, recalled an incident from seven years ago in which he encountered what appeared to be a mast jutting from the ice, which led the searchers to the wreck. According to Louie Kamookak, a resident of nearby Gjoa Haven and a historian on the Franklin expedition, Parks Canada had ignored the stories of locals that suggested that the wreck of Terror was there despite many modern stories of sightings by hunters and airplanes.
The wreck was found in excellent condition. Its location was nearly 62 miles south of where historians thought its resting place was perhaps calling into question the previously accepted account of the fate of the sailors, that they died while trying to walk out of the Arctic to the nearest Hudson's Bay Company trading post.
The location of the wreckage, and evidence in the wreckage of anchor usage, raises the possibility that at least some of the sailors had attempted to re-man the ship and sail her home.
STEAMBOAT CHANNEL PROTECTED!
Georgian Bay Land Trust just announced that the 35 acre northern section of Pointe au Baril's MacKenzie Island is now protected. Known locally simply as "Steamboat" after the channel whose southern shore it borders, this property is both highly ecologically significant and historically treasured by the Pointe au Baril community.
One of Georgian Bay's few remaining pockets of old growth white pine forest is found here, a rare occurrence as the coast was so extensively logged over the last two centuries. The property is also a documented home to several Species at Risk, including the Eastern foxsnake and Whip-poor-will.
Steamboat Channel is so named because its depth, orientation, and sheltered waters made it a favoured passage for the steamboats that served Pointe au Baril before the railways and roads were built. Several of Pointe au Baril's earliest cottages were built in the surrounding area, but the channel itself remained largely undeveloped. Long valued by the community for its natural and unspoiled shoreline, it has become a favourite destination for canoeists and kayakers now that the steamboat era has passed.
The acquisition of the Steamboat Channel property is the result of members of the Pointe au Baril community coming together to protect a beloved shoreline and ecological jewel.
Georgian Bay Land Trust
920 Yonge St., Suite 609
Toronto, ON M4W 3C7
Canada
DINING ON THE TRENT
The world's highest hydraulic lift lock in Peterborough Ontario will soon be a dining venue. Peterborough plans to unveil 'Under Water Dining at Lock 21' where dinner guests are seated at tables right beneath a raised lock chamber. Lock 21 on the Trent-Severn Waterway opened in 1904 and provides the lifting and lowering of boats to a height 65'. The lift locks function by gravity, where two water filled basins, 43 meters by 10 meters . The technology is based on the counter weight principle, that when one basin ascends, the other descends. The last lockage is 7:00 pm in the high season and to 5:00 pm in low season and Tourism officials want to utilize the grand space after hours. Kelly Jessup of the Kawartha Tourism remarked, "Nobody ever goes in there. It's not a public space. They don't tour inside the lock on a regular basis, so it will be a very exclusive experience."
The tourism group is partnering with local food producers, the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Canadian Canoe Museum. A dozen dinner guests were part of a test run last month, where the dining experience included paddling a canoe from the Canadian Canoe Museum along the waterway into the lock where guests learned about the historical significance of the National Historic Site of Canada. Once seated they consumed trout, wild rice, duck eggs, asparagus, poached rhubarb and beef tartar, and then entered the turbine chamber for dessert. Ontario strawberries with coriander and chervil completed the culinary portion of the evening.
One thing for sure is it's a unique experience and one restaurant that will never be duplicated anywhere else.
GEORGIAN BAY REGATTA
The Georgian Bay Regatta (GBR) is one of the most unique sailing events in Ontario. On an annual
basis for the past 30 years, a fleet of 35 to 50 boats have participated in this adventure of racing and
cruising various areas of Georgian Bay. As the itinerary of the GBR encompasses a combination of
daily distance races, course races, nightly anchorages and visits to the various ports-of-call on the
shores of Georgian Bay, it draws the interest of all levels of sailors to this yearly summer event.
The Regatta began with the Georgian Bay International Challenge Cup in 1986 and continues the
tradition of safe, friendly racing and competition that is emphasized as our primary interest over the
years. Organized by the Georgian Bay Sailing Association, our goal is to promote the sport of sailing
to both resident sailors of Georgian Bay as well as those who have joined us from outside the area.
By altering the venues, ports-of-call and anchorages, we expose our participants to the many areas of
interest around Georgian Bay.
Novice sailors are occasionally leery of the prospects of venturing too far from their home port, but
truly wish to experience and witness the beauty of the shoreline scenery that Georgian Bay has to offer
and visit the many communities that welcome transient boaters. By traveling within the safety of a
large fleet of fellow sailors, many of our first time GBR participants feel a strong sense of security and
gain confidence in their sailing abilities while travelling across the open waters of The Bay.
Whether we are course racing in a specific area of Georgian Bay or traveling from port-to-port, the
emphasis is an atmosphere of comradery and the chance to spend time with fellow sailors that share
similar interests. Many of our participating crews are families that have chosen to spend part of their
summer vacation as part of the GBR fleet. We have special awards and recognition for families and
first-time skippers and crews.
Our annual regattas are very well organized. Our schedule of daily distance and course races follow
the rules established by the Canadian Yachting Association and Ontario Sailing. All of the boats that
register to race have established “racing handicaps”, known as a PHRF rating, that enables the slower
boats in each of the four racing divisions a competitive chance against the faster boats. Over the
years many of our novice, and even our first-time racers, have finished the regatta with their names on
one of our annual awards and division trophies.
This year will see the Georgian Bay Regatta start at the Midland Bay Sailing Club with the official
registration, an evening “practice race” and Welcome BBQ on Wednesday, July 27th, 2016. The
annual Awards Dinner will be held in Meaford on Sunday, July 31st.
For further details and information pertaining to this year's event, please visit the GBR website
at www.georgianbayregatta.ca.
We look forward to another great event of exciting sailing and the chance to meet all of the
participating crew members planning to attend this year's Georgian Bay Regatta!
Racing Begins July 28th, 2016 in Midland, ON and Continues to July 31st, 2016 in Meaford, ON
Registration July 27th, 2016 in Midland, ON
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ANNOUNCES FREE LOCKAGE FOR 2017
Celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary with free lockage along Parks Canada's historic canals. See a brief message HERE
As part of Budget 2016, the Government of Canada announced free admission in 2017 for all visitors to national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas operated by Parks Canada. Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna announced that lockage will also be free for boaters in 2017. A great reason to come and explore the Trent system and cap it off with some quality time cruising on Georgian Bay.
BOATDEALERS.CA OPTIMISTIC ON ONTARIO BOAT SALES
Despite lots of talk to the contrary, yacht sales in the fresh water market of Central Canada are extremely strong and poised to continue this upward trend for the foreseeable future. Aside from the Canadian Pacific coast and to a lesser extent, our Atlantic coastal salt water yacht markets, the inland fresh water market for yachts, arguably but generally agreed to be liveaboard boats over forty feet in length, is mostly concentrated within our Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River Basin.
The "talk to the contrary" is mainly centred on "sticker shock" related to the price of new yachts as a direct result of the relatively recent devaluation of the Canadian dollar with respect to the US dollar. Some boat show attendees have been somewhat in shock to see the significant dollar increases in the price of a new yacht. Talk then spreads that the yacht market must be dead.
But this is a far cry from reality. Witness for example the recent introduction of established yacht brands such as Beneteau and Sunseeker dealerships into this market plus a plethora of new yacht models from well known and respected brands such as Cruisers Yachts, Sea Ray, Carver, and Marquis appearing on Canadian showroom floors (slips?). Yacht dealers would not commit to inventory these new models if sales didn't justify the investment.
So what is "hot"; what are boaters looking for in a new yacht? Most, but not all, new yacht buyers have at least some boating experience in smaller cruisers. With this experience guiding them and given our seasonal weather extremes of temperature and precipitation in Central Canada plus the mosquitoes and black flies we endure plus boaters' increasing demands for more pleasure time and less preparation time, they want to eliminate as much canvas from their boats as possible.
They also want flexibility. Flexibility in entertaining. Flexibility in weather protection. Flexibility in seating and in accommodation. Flexibility in storage and function. They also want lots of "toys" and the latest in "gadgets" plus unlimited outward visibility and sightlines along with the natural lighting these features provide. Enter the "Coupe." The newest iterations in Coupe design from all manufacturers attempt to resolve all of the above demands from minimum canvas to greater flexibility to more toys and gadgets to bigger windows and glass doors.
With the new Coupe's, level floors extend from the transom right through the salon to the companionway leading to the accommodation below. The galley has been moved up to the salon level and flexible seating, entertaining, and even some sleeping extends right through to the transom. Partial or fully opening glass partitions separate the salon from the cockpit and large glass windows plus opening sunroofs in the hardtop provide an open, airy closeness to nature when wanted, or when closed, air conditioning and heating is provided.
New flybridge yacht models are making a comeback in this market and this will continue to trend upward as new lightweight technologies allow manufacturers to enclose the upper station with hardtops and solid panels to eliminate the need for canvas and to allow air conditioning and heating plus greater seating flexibility on the bridge.
The pre-owned yacht market in Central Canada is extremely strong with the demand for recent, decent name-brand yachts far exceeding supply. The key word here is value. Value has different meaning depending on the buyer. It can mean simply low price to some but buying based on this principle can be extremely hazardous. Value in a pre-owned purchase is generally interpreted according to perceived needs and wants.
To some experienced boaters moving up in size to a yacht, value is often perceived as getting the most of the new yacht design features as possible, including those as outlined above plus other features such as pod drives with joystick control, but at pre-owned pricing. To a growing number of other experienced boaters, they are looking for seaworthiness, fuel economy, and long term liveaboardability with handling ability for two persons in order to accommodate long range exploring and even to "do" the Great Loop.
To many new boaters who have perhaps searched out a cottage only to find out that cottage pricing is out of the question, value in a pre-owned yacht is often judged by the amount of on-board living space as a cottage substitute. Many experienced boaters moving up to a yacht know almost precisely to the make and model of what they want and will keep on searching until they find one in the condition and with the power and equipment they know they want and at a pre-determined price that they believe they should pay.
This last group is often disappointed since, as stated at the onset, demand is exceeding supply and properly priced, recent, decent pre-owned yachts are becoming harder and harder to find. Why? Because buyers want clean, well maintained, low hour, well equipped, pre-owned yachts that come with a recently completed recognized and accepted hull and mechanical survey.
The bottom line is, if you have been in the market for a new or pre-owned yacht or if you are considering one, the sooner you can make that decision, the better off you will be and the happier you will be. New yacht pricing is not going to come down as all indicators predict that our loonie is going to remain roughly where it currently is and the situation with pre-owned yachts is that the good ones are going to be harder and harder to find and the prices are not going to decrease. So make that decision and get into the yacht of your choice sooner and start enjoying what the incredible fresh waters of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence basin provide. Yachting life in fresh water Canada is beyond any doubt the very best in the world.
For Reviews on Some Recent New Yachts, Check Out Boatdealers.ca, Reviews below.
SPORTSMAN'S INN AT KILLARNEY CHANGES OWNERSHIP
There are new owners at Killarney's Sportsman's Inn Resort & Marina. Holden Rhodes bought the Sportsman's Inn in his strategy to further help the community with their tourism efforts and boost economic benefit to the area. Rhodes also bought Killarney Mountain Lodge last year and is spending an estimated $18 million in renovations at the historic lodge property. Rhodes grew up in Killarney and has a close attachment to the area.
The Sportsman's Inn and Killarney Mountain Lodge will continue to have separate identities but will share synergies to provide clients with exceptional service levels. The Sportsman Inn was recently renovated and the resort offers luxurious accommodations, marina services and a spa facility. Both properties are local landmarks and anchor businesses in the area.
GEORGIAN BAY IN WATER BOAT SHOW Friday June 3 - Sunday June 5
The Georgian Bay In-Water Boat Show has a huge selection of new and used brokerage boats at the docks. In addition, the show venue offers many land based displays including boat accessories and services, hot new products, Mariners Market Place, live fishing demos and boat demos. Food vendors are on site and the parking is FREE. Best of all ... the show admission is FREE for all those that want to attend! There are boat rides for the kids and a chance to get out on the water on SUP's and kayaks. It's a great opportunity for the whole family to come out and have a fun day checking out the show.
Special Guest: Russell Newberry - Deck Boss on the F/V “Time Bandit” from Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" He will be at the Boat Show June 3-5
Bay Port Yachting Centre
156 Marina Park Avenue,
Midland, Ontario
Phone: 705-527-7678
Toll Free: 888-229-7678
Event Hours:
5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Friday June 3
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Satuday June 4
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sunday June 5
PARKS CANADA ANNOUNCES EARLY OPENING OF HASTINGS SWING BRIDGE
Parks Canada seems to be really on the ball these last few seasons. Their projects have been completed on or before scheduled dates and they are doing some innovated things like the platform tent site rentals at some locks. Here is their press release:
Parks Canada is pleased to announce the Hastings swing bridge will be open to vehicle traffic on April 29, 2016, nearly a month ahead of the May 21st target. The new swing bridge will be at the heart of the Hastings community for generations to come.
Once the bridge is opened to vehicle traffic, there remains a possibility of intermittent closures as the contractors finalize their work at the site. This work will include the removal of the temporary pedestrian walkway, site remediation and routine checks of the new bridge to ensure it is responding well to vehicular traffic. Pedestrians will continue to use the temporary pedestrian bridge until concrete repairs to the sidewalks are complete.
Through investments like this, Parks Canada is protecting and preserving our treasured places, while supporting local economies, contributing to growth in the tourism sector, and enhancing the charm and attractiveness of Canada's heritage sites. The Government is committed to investing in the revitalization of federal infrastructure assets including national parks and national historic sites, for the benefit of all Canadians, from coast to coast to coast.
“The re-opening of the new bridge in Hastings, nearly one month ahead of schedule, is very welcome news. I appreciate the hard work of the Parks Canada team, Public Services and Procurement Canada and the contractor, as well as the tremendous support of the municipality, community groups, residents and businesses alike through this challenging project. The Government of Canada is revitalizing federal infrastructure assets throughout Parks Canada's treasured places, so they remain accessible and safe for all Canadians.”
Jewel Cunningham, Director, Ontario Waterways Unit, Parks Canada
TIGHT SQUEEZE
Feadship built M/Y Venus was built for the late Steve Jobs but he died before the yacht was completed. In 2012 when the yacht was delivered it was thought to cost 100 million EUR. The yacht was designed by Jobs and yacht designer Philippe Starck. Steve Jobs was aware he might not live to see the boat commissioned but he stayed involved with its design to the end. The yacht is currently owned by his widow Laurene Powell Jobs. The two upper decks, somewhat resemble the back of an iPad. Click HERE to see some aerial footage by Rick Moore of Venus slipping through the Simpson Bay Bridge in St Maarten. It's a tight squeeze but the Captain handles it easily.
Yacht Length: 78 m (257 ft)
Guests: 12 in 6 cabins
Crew: 22 in 14 cabins
Owners Company: Apple
CAPTAINS ROLE CARRIES WITH IT SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES
Most people just think of a Captain as a figurehead in charge of a boat, yacht or ship. But in reality a Captain has serious responsibilities and liability that goes with the position. There are many things that can go wrong piloting a boat ... and quite frankly most boat Captains aren't paid that well, even though they carry a huge weight of responsibility and often operate in perilous marine conditions.
Capt. Stephen Fossi was found guilty of two counts of manslaughter in a 2015 boat crash near Virgin Gorda, BVI and was ordered to pay $45,000 per death. Fossi had a short window to pay the fine or serve two years in prison. A male and female died in the accident in which Fossi piloted a resort ferry. The two dead were among a group of about 12 passengers on the boat that impacted a rock on the way to Oil Nut Bay resort. Capt. Fossi, a well thought of and experienced Captain with an impeccable record was also injured in the crash. The court took into account Fossi's good character, no previous accidents or convictions and testimony from co-workers which supported him as a responsible Captain. Capt. Fossi was in charge of marine operations at Oil Nut Bay Resort and YCCS Marina at the time of the accident.
So you want to be a Captain eh? Well if you love the water, it's a great life, and you have a fair amount of autonomy and independence. But the downside is, it's a 24/7 thankless job - and yes even the smallest mistake or lapse of judgement could land you in big trouble like Captain Fossi. It is certainly not a job that you can let your guard down, and there are many things that can happen that are out of your control (like weather) that ultimately still become your responsibility as the Captain of the ship.
Magical Malta
If your into boats, yachts and ships ... and you like it mixed with incredible culture, history and architecture ... Malta is a must visit in the spring, summer or fall. Malta is an island country with a rich past. It's recorded history dates back 800 years BC but it is known the island was first colonized 5000 BC. It is often referred to as the cultural capital of Europe and is located north of Africa and just south of Sicily in the Mediterranean ocean. It was a haven for sea farers as far back as man was known to exist and the culture of marine commerce is alive and active today. The average house in Malta is over 500 years old and the streets today are still narrow and the small garages that housed horses now house small cars. Everything is built in limestone and the walls of houses are 4' thick while forts and buttresses are generally 15' - 30' feet thick with cannons pointing in every direction lining every harbour. Here you will see the largest super-yachts in the world. Many make Malta their home port.
The people of Malta have their own dialect that is a mix of Arabic, Italian and English. Most Maltese also speak English. They have been occupied by everyone - the Romans, the Turks, Frances Napoleon, Italians and the British. It has been home to royalty from time to time. It was obliterated twice. Once during the Turk invasion in 870 AD and again in World War II. It is the most bombed place on earth due to it's strategic location between Africa and Europe. It is also one of the most beautiful and architecturally amazing places on earth boasting over 300 Vatican quality church's on an island (islands including Gozo) the size of Toronto.
The Maltese Islands went through a golden Neolithic period the remains of which are the mysterious temples dedicated to the goddess of fertility. Later on, the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Romans and the Byzantines, all left their traces on the Islands. In 60 A.D. St. Paul was shipwrecked on the island while on his way to Rome and brought Christianity to Malta. The Arabs conquered the islands in 870 A.D. and left an important mark on the language of the Maltese. Until 1530 Malta was an extension of Sicily: The Normans, the Aragonites and other conquerors who ruled over Sicily also governed the Maltese Islands. It was Charles V who bequeathed Malta to the Military Order of St John who ruled over Malta from 1530 to 1798. The Knights took Malta through a new golden age, making it a key player in the cultural scene of 17th and 18th century Europe. The artistic and cultural lives of the Maltese Islands were graced with the presence of artists such as Caravaggio, Mattia Preti and Favray who were commissioned by the Knights to embellish churches and palaces. In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte took over Malta from the Knights on his way to Egypt. The French presence on the islands was short lived, as the English, who were requested by the Maltese to help them against the French blockaded the islands in 1800. In 1974, Malta became a Republic within the British Commonwealth. The British military presence on the island officially came to an end on March 31,1979. The Maltese adapted the British system of administration, education and legislation. To this day families of Maltese Grand Masters have homes in the city of Valletta. Under the island are a massive web of catacombs and tunnels that were hand carved just after the dawn of civilization right through WW II. In times of war the Maltese went underground - sometimes for years. Until the 1960's, the Maltese economy depended largely on the British services and the Navy. After independence both industry and tourism advanced and today Malta and Gozo have established a successful industrial and services economy including tourism. In 1990, Malta applied for membership of the European Union and formally joined the EU in May 2004. In 2008, Malta adopted the Euro as its currency.
You can visit the War Rooms hundreds of feet underground beside the harbour in Valletta. Here is where Eisenhower, Patton and Montgomery plotted toppling Hitler via invasion of Italy through Sicily and a staging point to attack German occupied Africa. Malta was obliterated by German and Italian bombs for three years during WW II and the Maltese people were starving as it was very difficult for supply convoys to make it from Gibraltar to Malta. Very large convoys with destroyer escorts would try, but very few would make it through. Eventually the allies with the help of radar got very good at taking down German and Italian planes, subs and ships and the war eventually turned in their favour as the allies successfully took Sicily before turning the main invasion to an approach from France. If you like military history you'd be hard pressed to find an area with as much war as Malta has seen over the years.
Malta is a very "boaty" place littered with shipyards private yachts, fishing boats, freighters and gondola transportation. If you like boats it's a place you can overdose on everything marine.
SO YOU THINK YOUR MARINA DOCKING IS EXPENSIVE?
A deep water slip in Nantucket in the quaint harbour of a Massachusetts island was sold to Eric Schmidt and his wife. Schmidt is Chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet. Nantucket is an expensive picture postcard place to dock a yacht, and over the years this is seaside town has become a haven for the rich. And it's one of only a few deep water slips big enough to dock a 156 foot yacht and it was scooped up for $4.75 million dollars. Nantucket property records show that a ninety-nine year lease on the dock was signed by a holding company that lists Schmidt's personal investment office in California as the manager. The property was marketed quietly with several interested buyers. The last deep water slip that sold in Nantucket Harbour in 2002 fetched $2.1 million.
REDPATH WATERFRONT FESTIVAL JULY 1st - 3rd
The Redpath Waterfront Festival is an annual summer event providing on-land and on-water programming for people of all ages and interests, with the goal of promoting Toronto locally and internationally as a premiere waterfront destination. With music, food, nautical programs and entertainment, the festival offers something for everyone to enjoy. Every three years, the event welcomes majestic tall ships to Toronto. www.TOwaterfrontfest.com
The Redpath Waterfront Festival (RWF) will once again launch the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Great Lakes series in Toronto on Canada Day weekend. El Galeon, an early colonial Spanish ship and floating museum, Draken Harald Hårfagre the most authentic Viking ship of its kind since 1200 A.D., along with the return of Pride of Baltimore II, will offer public tours in Toronto before each continues through the Great Lakes with stops at ports on both sides of the border. This year the festival will span the waterfront from HTO Park to the Yonge Street slip and welcome for the first time the Royal Canadian Navy. Additional programming will include the Waterfront Artisan Market and the Ultimutts Stunt Dog Show. Visitors will also be able to check out live music, dance demos, live art and buskers at the Simcoe and Rees Wave Decks and take in the beauty of the Grand Finale Parade of Sail. General admission to the festival is FREE with a nominal charge for ship deck tours. This year, Ports Toronto has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the festival.
TRENT SEVERN DISCOUNTS FOR BOATERS
If you are planning a trip on the Trent Canal System this 2016 season there are early bird discounts before March 31st 2016. If you purchase seasonal lockage you get 10% off seasonal overnight mooring and if you purchase 6 day lockage you get one free overnight mooring permit. Go to www.parkscanada.gc.ca/boatingpermits or call 1 888 773 8888 before March 31st to get your discount.
2016 seasonal lockage is $8.80 per foot and six day lockage is 5.05 per foot. Single lockage and return is 90 cents per foot. Shore power and water is $9.80 per night. This year locks open May 20th and closes October 10th. .
PARKS CANADA OFFERS oTENTik ACCOMMODATIONS AT LOCKS
Parks Canada has introduced oTENTik platform tent accommodations at two of their locks. oTENTik is a a cross between a rustic cabin and a tent. It is ideal for boaters who are travelling with more people than accommodations allow or simply folks cruising in open run about boats or PWC's. On the Trent Severn they have oTENTik at Lock 35 at Rosedale and Lock 24 at Douro and they are planning more as the market grows. They also have three oTENTik's on the Rideau Canal System. These units are basic but quit comfortable with a covered front deck and accommodations inside for six people. To reserve visit this website.
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW OFF TO A GOOD START
Things were busy on show opening weekend. Very busy in fact. It seems even with the roller coaster ride in the Canadian economy folks are still interested in acquiring boats and accessories. We've seen it before. With our ultra low Canadian dollar Canadian built boats and brokerage boats are a bargain. Canadians are also travelling less lately because our dollar doesn't go very far in the USA ... and that means Canadians are staying home and looking for local recreation like boating. When 9/11 happened in the US, and Americans stopped travelling out of the country, boat sales spiked in the US, as people looked for ways to entertain themselves in their own backyard.
Now the first two mid-week days of the show were light because of the snow. Thursday moving forward through the weekend will no doubt be gangbusters with record crowds as the snow abates and the weather warms up a bit.
Here's a nice quote from Jimmy Buffet. "Later down the road of life, I made the discovery that salt water was also good for the mental abrasions one inevitably acquires on land."
- Jimmy Buffett, A Pirate Looks at Fifty. Salt water or fresh water his words hold true. There's not many things as settling for the mind as a lazy day out on the water swimming off the boat or doing some fishing. It's food for the soul. If you haven't tried it you don't know what your missing. Now get down to the show and buy the boat!
GEORGIAN BAY BEER
I came across this beer over the holidays. It's from Midland Beer Works in Tiny Township BUT it's looks like it's part of Hockley Valley Brewery in Orangeville where they also produce Georgian Bay Dipper. At this stage, Midland Beer Works just has a placeholder for a website. Not bad beer ... and you can find it in the local LCBO beer section. Orillia has it for sure. Anyways, it's kind of nice to have a beer with your favourite boating area featured isn't it?
CHECK THIS BAD ASS BOAT OUT
Safehaven Marine's Barracuda II is a stealthy (radar invisible) bullet proof interceptor boat with high-level ballistic protection. See her do her thing in Force 9 weather HERE . The boat is self-righting in a rollover situation. You'd want to be strapped in for the ride. Safehaven Marine is an Irish builder of military vessels. With twin Caterpillar C9 575 HP engines this 45' boat can reach 35 mph. This high speed interceptor boat will be sold for military purchase in 2016 with a list of options for weapons systems.
MEGA YACHTS AT ST. THOMAS - US VIRGIN ISLANDS
We were surprised while visiting St. Thomas how many mega yachts were in port. We also had the opportunity to watch one Captain thread the needle and bring a 300 foot yacht stern first into one of the back sections of the marina. Part art and part experience, it's amazing to see how they get these monster yachts get into some very tight spaces. Also interesting to watch the stern docked boats use computerized bow thrusters to keep the bows in position 24/7. It's a different world for sure than the under 100 foot boats that we are more familiar with.
Here's some pics and background on a just a few of the dozen super yachts in port:
NAIA
The 241foot custom expedition 'Naia' was built in 2011 by Freire Shipyard and last refitted in 2014. Previously named Pegaso her luxurious interior was designed by Mark Berryman and her exterior styling is by H2 Yacht Design. Naia's interior layout sleeps up to 12 guests in 8 staterooms, including a master suite, 1 VIP stateroom.4 convertible cabins. She is also capable of carrying up to 22 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience. Timeless styling, beautiful furnishings and sumptuous seating feature throughout her living areas to create an elegant and comfortable atmosphere. Built with Steel hull and Steel / Aluminium superstructure Naia features a sta of the art stabilization system to reduce roll motion effect and ensure comfort for owner and guests. With a cruising speed of 14 knots, a maximum speed of 16 knots and a range of 10000 nautical miles from her 342690 litre fuel tanks, Naia is the perfect combination of performance and luxury.
SECRET
Launched in 2013, luxury Motor Yacht Secret is a superb 271 foot displacement vessel, built by German shipyard, Abeking & Rasmussen. With distinctive slender curves Secret's super yacht features exterior design by Sam Sorgiovanni. Her stunningly elegant and modern interiors have been created by Jim Harris. The impressive mega yacht Secret is made of steel and aluminum. Lloyd's registered and MCA compliant, she is powered by twin Caterpillar diesels, reaching a top speed of 13 knots.
INFINITY
Launched by the Dutch manufacturer Oceanco in 2014, mega yacht INFINITY is an impressive 290 foot vessel, with aluminum superstructure built by Aluship. Luxury motor yacht INFINITY boasts naval architecture by Azure Naval Architects while her sophisticated exterior design is by Espen Oeino.
Spanning over five spacious decks INFINITY can accommodate up to 14 guests. She provides 7 luxurious cabins, including one master cabin, two VIP cabins and four double guest cabins.
INFINITY is run by twin powerful MTU 20V 4000 M73L diesel engines, giving her a top speed of up to 18,5 knots.
KAI
The 120 foot classic motor yacht 'Kai' was built in 2008 by Benetti and last refitted in 2009. Previously named Allegro her luxurious interior was designed by Zuretti and her exterior styling is by Stefano Righini. Kai's interior layout sleeps up to 10 guests in 5 staterooms. She is also capable of carrying up to 7 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience. Timeless styling, beautiful furnishings and sumptuous seating feature throughout her living areas create an elegant atmosphere. She is built with GRP hull and GRP superstructure. With a cruising speed of 13 knots, a maximum speed of 15 knots and a range of 3800 nautical miles from her 40012 litre fuel tanks, she is the perfect mix of performance and luxury.
RISING SUN
The yacht Rising Sun is designed by the late Jon Bannenberg, and built by Germany's Lürssen. Rising Sun was originally purchased by Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation, and is currently owned by David Geffen. David Geffen is an American record executive, film producer, theatrical producer and philanthropist. David Geffen is known for creating Asylum Records in 1970 and Geffen Records in 1980. The super yacht is the 11th largest in the world with a length of almost 453 feet. It reportedly cost over USD 200 million to build. She features 82 rooms on five levels with a total living area said to be in excess of 86,000 square feet. The yacht has 36,000 square feet of teak deck space and a basketball court on the main deck that can be used as a helicopter pad if needed.
BGB 2016 WINTER BOAT SHOW ISSUE IS OUT!
It's free ... and you can read it online or download by going to www.boatinggeorgianbay.com/magazine_archive.html . Lots of great stories to read by the fireplace and remind yourself that the Toronto International Boat Show is just around the corner and it sets the stage for the 2016 boating season.
We'd like to thank our sponsors who make the online magazine possible:
Skippers Plan Marine Insurance
Northstar Marine Insurance
Parkbridge Marinas
Lefroy Harbour Marine resort - Ranger Tugs
Big Orange Filters
Cosmos Yacht Charters
Worldwide Boat Deliveries
Big Sound Marina Parry Sound
Boatdealers.ca
Georgian Bay Yacht Sales
Crates Lake Country Boats
Killarney Mountain Lodge
Canada Docks
Toronto International Boat Show
North South Nautical Yacht Brokerage
Woodland Marine
It goes without saying that without our sponsors, the magazine, BGB TV series and the website would not be possible as an information source for our large boating audience. When you have choices to make, may we ask that you support these sponsors because they all support BGB and the marine industry at large.
Ontario Could Experience A Warm Winter
Scientists are saying the Pacific Ocean El Nino could bring big changes to the winter weather patterns in Ontario and it could result in a memorable season ahead.
El Niño is defined by prolonged warming in the Pacific Ocean water surface when compared with the average value. The definition is a 3-month average warming of at least 0.5 °C (0.9 °F) in a specific area of the east central tropical Pacific Ocean. Typically, this anomaly happens at irregular intervals of two to seven years and lasts nine months to two years. The average period of length is five years. When this warming occurs for seven to nine months, it is classified as El Niño conditions ... when its duration is longer, it is classified as an El Niño episode.
The El Nino phenomenon could bring another warm, dry winter for the Prairies, and Quebec and Ontario may see some relief after the last two winter's frigid temperatures. How can an El Nino, which occurs in the middle of the Pacific, affect the weather in Canada? In an El Nino year, warm water displaces the jet stream that basically causes major weather shifts around the earth. This year's El Nino is already the second strongest on record for this time of year. The mass of unusually warm water is already so big and warm that it appears bigger than it was back in the record year of 1997. It also stretches all the way up Canada's western coast which is unusual. In 1997 El Nino was blamed for the ice storm that paralyzed large parts of Quebec and Ontario and brought a mild winter to the Prairies.
The long range models and El Niño winters of the past show a consistent pattern with above average precipitation just south and east of the Great Lakes in close proximity to below normal precipitation across much of the Great Lakes. The dividing line between the two does vary from year to year. After a few lake effect events during the fall, there will be rather limited amounts of lake effect snow during December. When colder weather does return for the end of winter the lakes should still be mostly wide open and could contribute to some significant late season lake effect snow events. A unique feature of the upcoming winter compared to other strong El Niño winters of the past is the persistence of the warmer than normal ocean water temperatures off the West Coast of Canada. This feature has become known as "The Blob" and has been a key contributor to the dominant weather pattern across North America. Temperatures could be 2 degrees warmer than normal. There will probably be a January thaw and March will likely be more spring like than winter like. El Nino could tag team with the Pacific Blob and give us something that almost cancels winter? You can't rule that out. The winter of 2015-2016 will be one of the warmest we've had in a long time.
What will it mean to the 2016 boating season.
Ice should be out early
Overall boating season should be longer that the previous few years
It should be a hot summer
We may get more unstable windy days as the jet stream jostles about
Water levels may suffer due to more evaporation as the Great Lakes stay open longer without ice cover.
BGB MAGAZINE BOAT SHOW ISSUE COMING SOON
Boating Georgian Bay's free digital magazine will be available early in December. The first of two magazines coming out for the 2016 boating season, this first issue is being released early to coincide with the Toronto International Boat Show coming up January 9th to 17th. This boat show issue has articles on the Canadian dollars effect on brokerage sales, the wreck of the Avalon Voyageur, history of the town of Britt, Rocna's new Vulcan anchor, Killarney trivia, Cruisers 58', Parry Sound eateries and lots more including Toronto International Boat Show information. You can view the magazine online or down load to any device to read it at your leisure. Past magazine copies are HERE
ONTARIO HAS STRONG SHOWING FOR TOP NORTH AMERICAN DEALERS
The top dealers were named for the Boating Industry's Top 100 awards at a recent gala in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo.
Special Honour : Best Boat Show Strategy - Pride Marine Group, Bracebridge, Ontario
Boating Industry News Top Ontario Dealers (in order):
Pride Marine Group Ltd, Bracebridge, Ontario
Buckeye Marine, Bobcaygeon, Ontario
Desmasdon's Boat Works, Pointe au Baril, Ontario
George's Marine & Sports, Eganville, Ontario
Gordon Bay Marine, Mactier, Ontario
Legend Boats, Whitefish, Ontario
Maple City Marine Ltd., Chatham, Ontario
Not bad 8 out of 100 were from Ontario and we have such a short boating season. Congrats to all these dealers that did so well.
MUSTANG SURVIVAL ISSUES VOLUNTARY RECALL NOTICE ON
MD2010 & MD2012 model 22LB Inflatable Personal Flotation Devices
In keeping with Mustang Survival's commitment to the highest levels of product quality and safety, we are voluntarily recalling all model number MD2010 and MD2012 inflatable Personal Flotation Devices (PFD's) sold in the United States during 2011. To determine if you are impacted by this recall please reference the images below:
Any MD2010/MD2012 missing the “MIT” stamp should be returned to Mustang
Any inflatable product with multiple white sewn on safety labels on the back is OK and is not affected by this recall
If your inflatable does not have white sewn on safety labels, please check for model number MD2010 or MD2012 on the back of the PFD then refer to Image 3.
MD2010/MD2012 models with an “MIT” (Membrane Inflatable Technology) stamp (in black or color) above the CO2 cylinder is OK.
Image 1
Product with white labels are not part of this recall
Image 2
Check for the model number on the back of the PFD above the UL log
Image 3
Any MD2010 or MD2012 with an “MIT” stamp is OK to use and does not need to be returned
This recall is being issued for the inspection and repair of an inflator installation inconsistency that may prevent some units from fully inflating. Mustang Survival has developed a solution that corrects any affected product and prevents re-occurrence of this issue. The inspection and repair can only be performed at a Mustang Survival factory.
This recall notification is for only the MD2010 and MD2012 22LB buoyancy inflatable PFDs. No other Mustang Survival products are affected as they utilize different inflator mechanisms.
All MD2010 and MD2012 PFD's without the stamped MIT logo as shown in Image 3 (above) should be returned to Mustang Survival for inspection. All other Mustang PFD's are okay for use.
Distributors and consumers are urged to contact Mustang Survival's Customer Service department at 1-800-526-0532 between 7:30am and 4:30pm PST, Monday through Friday for specific shipping instructions. If you have questions, please first refer to the Frequently Asked Questions below.r website at www.mustangsurvival.com/22lb-product-notice
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why do I have to return the product?
A: Our QA team has discovered an installation inconsistency with the inflator system that needs to be tested and corrected if necessary.
Q: How do I know if my inflatable is one of the affected products?
A: The model number is screen printed onto the back panel above the UL mark and will begin with the characters MD followed by four numbers. Affected products are MD2010 and MD2012
Q: When will I get my product back?
A: We are striving to have all products returned to dealers and consumers within 3-4 weeks (including shipping time to and from Mustang).
Q: What are you doing with my returned product?
A: All units will be tested and if necessary, repaired, before being returned. We will stamp the inside of the product above the CO2 cylinder with “MIT” to indicate that it has been tested and is OK.
Q: Are the re-arm kits affected by this recall?
A: Re-arm kits are not affected by this recall. The problem is isolated to the inflator assembly on the inflatable PFD.
Q: Is this a problem caused by the M.I.T. (Membrane) technology?
A: No, the problem is with the inflator installation on the affected units.
Q: Does this recall impact any other Mustang inflatable PFDs?
A: No, the recall is limited to only the MD2010 and MD2012 models due to its unique inflator components and installation method.
Q: How do I return my product?
A: Contact Mustang Survival's Customer Service department at 1-800-526-0532 between 7:30am and 4:30pm PST, Monday through Friday with any questions or concerns regarding this voluntary recall notice.
Q: What are the shipping and repair costs?
A: Mustang Survival will pay for all testing, repair and shipping costs.
Q: How are you notifying the public about this issue?
A: A detailed communications plan is being executed to notify all affected dealers, distributors, consumers and industry partners.
PRIDE MARINE GROUP SNAGS CENTURION & SUPREME BOAT LINES
Pride Marine Group announced that they have been awarded the Centurion and Supreme boat lines for all of Ontario beginning the 2016 season. The addition of Centurion Boats and Supreme Boats will complement their Nautique Boats line-up and provide a wide range of options in the ski/wake/surf categories in the marketplace. Paul Nickel, President and CEO of Pride Marine Group states "The addition of Centurion Boats and Supreme Boats represent continued growth for Pride Marine Group and ultimately provide us with more opportunities to better serve our customers." We will have a vast inventory of Centurion and Supreme boats moving into 2016, and will formally debut the line-ups at the 2016 Toronto International Boat Show. We couldn't be more thrilled to align ourselves with these brands moving forward as they embody our mission, vision and values full-heartedly”.
Earlier this year Correct Craft (the parent company of Nautique) acquired Centurion and Supreme. Correct Craft also purchased PCM Motors this year, and all three of our towboat lines will be powered by PCM - the leading engines in the watersports market. Centurion and Supreme both have long and proud histories in the towed watersports segments.
TITANIC LUNCH MENU NETS $88,000.
The online New York auctioneer Lion Heart Autographs offered the Titanic's last lunch menu that came from Lifeboat 1. The Titanic's last lunch menu was saved by a first class passenger who climbed aboard a lifeboat whose crew was said to have been bribed to row away instead of rescue more people and the menu just sold at auction for $88,000.
Abraham Lincoln Salomon who brought the menu with him was among a handful of first-class passengers who boarded the lifeboat, dubbed the Money Boat or Millionaire's Boat by the media because of rumours that one of them bribed seven crew members in the lifeboat to quickly row the boat away from the sinking ocean liner. The Titanic lunch menu is signed on the back in pencil by another first-class passenger, Isaac Gerald Frauenthal, who escaped on another lifeboat. It's believed the two men lunched together that fateful day in 1912. Salomon also took away a printed ticket from the Titanic's opulent Turkish baths, which recorded a person's weight when seated in a specially designed upholstered lounge chair. The ticket bears the names of three of the five other first-class passengers with him on Lifeboat 1 and it sold for $11,000.
A letter written by Mabel Francatelli to Salomon six months after the disaster also fetched $7,500. Francatelli had climbed into Lifeboat 1 with her employer, aristocratic Lucy Duff-Gordon and her husband, Lord Cosmo Duff-Gordon, who was suspected to have bribed the crew to row them to safety in the boat the only a few passengers while the lifeboat had a capacity for 40 people. The Duff-Gordons were cleared after testimony by the British Wreck Commissioner's inquiry, which determined that they did not deter the crew from attempting to rescue other people although others might have been saved if the boat had turned around.
Lion Heart Autographs said the seller was the son of a man who was given the items by a descendent of one of the survivors of the lifeboat. It did not identify the buyers.
BOATING GEORGIAN BAY'S NEW RIDE
Let us introduce you to the new Boating Georgian Bay boat. You probably have never heard of a Jupiter boat. Jupiter Marine started out in Jupiter Florida hence the name Jupiter. They are a boutique semi custom builder focussing mainly on centre console fishing boats from 26' to 41'. They build their boats one at a time. They vacuum bag infuse core above the waterline like a Boston Whaler, but below the waterline they believe in solid fiberglass reinforced polyester up to 1 3/4 inches thick using multi directional knitted fiberglass. They also bond in a uni-grid fiberglass stringer system that makes the boat really stiff and they offer a lifetime transferable warranty. The design is a unique “I mean business” look, with few visible bells and whistles (but lots of hidden technology) and everything is flush mounted on the boat so as not to snag those fishing for the big ones. Jupiter boats are also Imron or Awlgrip painted in the factory just like a Hatteras ... so there is no gel coat fade. Jupiter's main competitors would be Intrepid, Contender and Everglades etc. .
Here is what Denison Yachts says about Jupiter.
"With over 35 years of boat building experience, the Jupiter Team is committed to building the finest, most technologically advanced offshore sport fishing boats available today. Every Jupiter yacht is individually built to the exacting specifications of the sportsman who demands the very best in offshore performance, styling and reliability. Jupiter boats are built under the direction of Carl Herndon, Jupiter's President. Herndon is best known as the founder and CEO of Blackfin Yacht Corporation and former president of Bertram Yachts where he earned the reputation for building some of the world's best and most respected sport fishing yachts. The Jupiter team includes many of the same experienced managers and skilled craftsmen who have worked with Carl over the years in a proven tradition of providing maximum offshore performance, superior quality, and meticulous craftsmanship in the boats they build. If you are looking for the finest center console this planet has to offer "one with great looks, fantastic seaworthiness, speed, quality construction, and a resale value second to none" take a ride on a Jupiter Boat.
So you are not likely to see another Jupiter in Canada. At least to our knowledge, we are the only one. They just don't produce a lot of boats and most are on the eastern seaboard of the US committed to a life of serious offshore fishing. We were sad to part with our Whaler 345 with triple 300 Verado's, but the 30' Jupiter with twin 250 Yamahas has pretty much wiped the tears away. The Jupiter is a boat that can handle six foot waves comfortably at a full speed of over 50 mph. While it is a pure offshore fishing machine, we plan to do more than fish with it. It's small enough to trailer to various locations so it allows for a lot of flexibility to cover stories in locations a great distance apart. Most importantly it fits on our 30' dock where we live.
AMERICAS CUP QUALIFIERS ON LAKE MICHIGAN
For the first time in America's Cup history, cup boats will race on freshwater in the Great Lakes as part of the qualifying event in Chicago.
The America's Cup will race in Bermuda in 2017 and it will be very difficult to get there to see the Cup as the limited accommodations will be sold out early.
The Chicago races will take place in Navy Pier summer of 2016 from June 10-12 with the high performance 45-foot foiling catamarans racing close to shore at speeds up to 50 mph. A perfect opportunity for America's Cup fans to see the boats and crew action up close and you won't have such a hard time finding accommodation is Chicago. Oracle Team USA is the defending America's Cup champion. Oracle Team leader, financier and Oracle boss Larry Ellison grew up in Chicago and studied at the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago.
COSTA CONCORDIA CASE APPEALED BY PROSECUTION & DEFENSE
Both the prosecution and defense legal teams are appealing the case of the Italian Captain Francesco Schettino who was convicted for the 2012 shipwreck of the Costa Concordia cruise liner off the Italian coast.
An Italian court convicted Schettino of the manslaughter deaths of 32 passengers and crew members, of causing the shipwreck by colliding with a reef near tiny Giglio Island and abandoning the capsized vessel with people still aboard. The court sentenced him to 16 years in prison while prosecutors sought 26 years. Prosecutors hope a Florence appeals court will stiffen the sentence, while defense lawyers argue that the court didn't correctly evaluate evidence in Schettino's favour.
Schettino is free pending appeals. The appeal trial is likely to start in 2016.
US NEW BOAT SALES SHOW GAIN TO END OF AUGUST 2015
Overall new boat sales were up 6.2% in the USA. By size, the big gainer was boats 41' – 62' up 17%. Boats 31' – 40' only went up 1% and boats 63' – 99' went up 3%.
So basically folks were buying small boats under 30' and those in the 50' range.
By boat category it looks like this:
- Sail boats down 12.9%
- Fishing boats up 3.2%
- Fiberglass outboard runabouts up 8.5%
- Pontoon boats up 5.2%
- Personal water craft up 7%
- Ski/Wakeboard boats up 10.1%
- Jet boats up 20.5%
- Stern drives down 10.9%
New boat sales in Canada have not translated over like the US performance, because of our high dollar and lack lustre economy. But used boat sales on both side of the border are doing very well and brokers are actively searching out good Canadian boats to export to the US with our low dollar. There are also some used US boats still coming into Canada but they tend to be specialty boats or low production semi custom boats that are not easily found in the Canadian used market.
Crates Lake Country Builds New Paint & Fiberglass Shop
Crates Lake Country in Orillia has a new stand alone paint and fiberglass building under construction. "We needed to expand our boat service areas and separating the fiberglass and paint side of the business from the mechanical side made a lot of sense from both a work flow point of view and to allow for cleaner environmental air handling methods for paint services" says Dan Crate.
The building will be 4500 square feet and it is adjacent to the parts storage building that was partially torn down to accommodate the new paint building. The paint systems will be state of the art and the workshop will be able to accommodate boats to 65'. The facility is large enough that the travel lift can drive right into the building with boats that weigh up to 65,000 lbs. "AWLGRIP brand paint is our specialty, and we like it for it's durability and the ability to easily work with the finished product for buffing. AWLGRIP is not porous like gel coat and it offers a mirror quality finish without fading ... it's a premium quality paint product. Boats painted with Awlgrip definitely stand out from the crowd" adds Crate.
The shop currently has the footings and concrete lower walls poured and completion of the facility is expected by mid October. Once complete it will allow Crates to expand their fiberglass and paint production by up to 100%. "It's been something on our list to do for a while. It will allow us to provide a much higher level of service for our clients because the paint facility construction project will also free up space to allow more through put on the mechanical repair side" states Dan Crate.
NEW PANAMA LOCK LEAKS
One of the new locks in the Panama Canal has cracked and leaks. The leaks appeared during testing of the new Cocoli Locks on the Pacific side.Workers began filling the new lock with water in June but the barrier separating the new lock from the Pacific Ocean was just removed at the end of August. A core sample pulled from the lock shows the concrete riddled with air pockets.
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is awaiting a report from its contractor, Grupo Unidos por el Canal before determining if the locks will open on schedule in April 2016. When the leak was discovered the ACP at first said it would not impact the expansion's opening, which is currently two years behind schedule. The ACP has appointed two independent structural engineers to evaluate the reasons for the leakage and to assess the contractors proposed solution.
Creating the third set of Panama locks is a $5.25 billion expansion project and includes construction of bigger locks on the Atlantic and Pacific sides to allow for larger container ships, effectively doubling the canals capacity. The expansion was over 90 percent complete and in its testing phase when the leaks appeared. The original canal was 100 years old in 2014.
3D IMAGING LAKE HURON SHIPWRECKS
US Marine archaeologists are exploring Lake Huron's past with 3D images of the shipwrecks resting at the bottom of Lake Huron.
The researchers have begun mapping shipwrecks in the 11,000 square-kilometre (4,300 square-mile) Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary with the state of Michigan with imaging technology by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration creating 3D images of the underwater ships by utilizing groups of photos interfacing into a software program. Researchers have been photographing the ship wrecks for years, but until recently did not have the ability to accurately create the 3D images.
The research team members recently spent several days aboard an environmental research vessel to study 8 deep-water dive sites in the sanctuary's territory that extends to the Huron maritime border with Canada. One of the highlights was a dive down to the Defiance, a 34 metre (110-foot) schooner that sunk in 1854 after colliding with the John J. Audubon. The Defiance sits nearly 61 metres (200 feet) below the surface off the coast of Presque Isle, on Michigan's north-eastern Lower Peninsula. The archaeologists were amazed at it's preservation with deck hardware and cabins intact, masts still standing . The Defiance was one of three mid-19th century schooners within a few miles of one another. The dive team found the Windiate and Spangler as well-preserved as the Defiance.
The sanctuary protects and monitors 100 shipwrecks and is working to discover and document dozens more. You can explore the 3D models collected so far online at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary website. (NOAA)
BOATDEALERS.CA SEARCH NOW ON BGB
Boating Georgian Bay now has a Boatdealers.ca widgets installed on both the Yacht Brokers and New Boats Sales pages. Most Canadian brokers and many new boat sales dealers advertise their listings on Boatdealers.ca . Most of our viewers are shopping for Canadian boats and most of those boat searches are under 40 feet so we thought it might be more convenient for them and with the right boat selection. Yacht World used to be on the Brokers page but it is much broader internationally targeted and skewed towards larger yachts. We know it's all relative to the search parameters the viewer sets up ... but we found that when it comes to smaller Canadian boats are lot are not listed on Yacht World. So overall we thought Boatdealers.ca would provide a better boat search experience for our viewers.
GEORGIAN BAY REGATTA
The Georgian Bay Regatta is the premier event for racing or cruising sailors on Georgian Bay. This year is the 30th anniversary of the event. The event combines port to port distance races and course racing. The emphasis is on “fun sailing” and this series is suitable for both families and expert racers. All Regatta Skippers are required to be members of the Georgian Bay sailing Association and the membership fee of $5 is included in the registration.
Itinerary is as follows:
Wednesday, July 29th – Fleet joins the 6:30pm regular race at MBYC (optional tune-up race)
Thursday, July 30th – Race 1 to Christian Island
Friday, July 31st – Race 2A morning round the Islands; Race 2B afternoon course race
Saturday, August 1st – Race 3 Christian Island to Meaford; BBQ at RBC
Sunday, August 2nd – Race 4 Meaford to Collingwood; Lobster/steak dinner at CYC
PIRATES ATTACK CANADIAN CRUISERS
A Calgary couple said armed pirates boarded their sailboat and demanded money, then stranded them on a remote Honduras coastline.
Andy Wasinger and Loretta Reinholdt were helping to transfer a boat from Belize to the island of Roatan in Honduras and learning to sail in the process from an American Captain.
But just a few days into the cruise in rough weather, a fishing boat came up behind them and the sailboat was boarded by four men armed with guns, a harpoon and a knife. Wasinger and Reinholdt said things happened very quickly. First the pirates held Wasinger at gunpoint, then Reinholdt, before ransacking the Captain's cabin. "They tore his place apart, yelling and screaming that they wanted more money," Reinholdt, a retired nurse, told CTV News Calgary. "They came back up on deck and they pulled my hair and they took a knife to my throat and threatened to kill me if they didn't get more money. This is when the captain did find some more money in his quarters. He gave it to them but they were still not satisfied."
The pirates ran the sailboat aground and took about $3,000 cash and anything else of value they could find while the Captain and the Calgary couple obeyed their orders to go below deck. After the boat was run aground, the pirates cut the electrical lines to the boat's communications system and cut off the sails. When the pirates left the crew headed for the jungle. The trio set up a small camp where they spent four days in the jungle, drinking rainwater and using the sail as a makeshift tent, until they were found and rescued by some hikers.
Wasinger said they eventually found a trail which led to the entrance to Jeanette Kawas National Park, a park that is only accessible by water. They set up an SOS on the ground using sticks, and after four days a group of hikers approached the beach where they had run aground. After their rescue, the couple met President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who offered them a ride in his presidential helicopter to the nearest airport. And the Honduran government covered the cost of their flight to Mexico, where they are recuperating from their ordeal.
CANADIAN TALL SHIP RESCUE
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued nine people from the 85 foot steel hulled disabled Canadian tall ship schooner “Liana's Ransom” early on March 30th about 93 kilometres east of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The Boston Coast Guard were notified at 12:35 a.m. that the engines and generator on the 26 metre tall ship were disabled and its sails tangled around the mast. The ship was en-route to St Maartin in the Caribbean with planned stops along the way.
Two Coast Guard vessels were deployed to tow the vessel back, but rough sea conditions required them to break the tow line. Captain Ryan Tilley, in consultation with the U.S. Coast Guard, made the decision to evacuate the crew for their own safety. The Coast Guard crew faced winds of about 55 kilometres an hour and waves swelling to three metres as they struggled to get all nine crew members off the ship and into the two coast guard boats. One crew member suffered a head injury when he leapt onto one of the rescue boats and he was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital by helicopter. The remaining eight crew members were brought back to Gloucester safely.
A locator beacon was left on “Liana's Ransom” to be tracked. The U.S. Coast Guard was tracking the damaged Nova Scotia tall ship off of Massachusetts, with plans to tow her in, when weather conditions permit. A coast guard cutter was on scene and a notice to mariners was issued to alert other ships to its location.
The steel hulled schooner was built in 1998 in Houston, Texas and was bought and sailed to Nova Scotia in late 2006. The vessel is certified by Transport Canada to carry 70 passengers, offers day sails and weekly charters. The ship had another incident in which it was de-masted in a storm off Cape Sable Island as it was heading south. After the de-masting a full refurbishment was done and it underwent inspection by Transport Canada. The ship visited Georgian Bay in 2013.
CRATES KESWICK RE-OPENING AS KRATES MARINA
Just in time for the boating season, new management is in place to re-open Krates Marina on April 6th. While many boaters essentially had their boats under embargo while waiting for resolution of bankruptcy issues, we understand that some boats that were sold or had planned moves to other locations will soon be free to go and they have made arrangements with delivery Captains and yacht trucking firms for their transit.
Some new marina management staff has been hired including General Manager Rob Walters. Many of the old staff has been rehired back to the marina operation. It is not known at this point how the bankruptcy debt was restructured and who specifically are the new owners or whether the new management team is operating under a Trustee. Their website www.kratesmarina.com at this point is essentially just a placeholder with and email address.
NEW OWNERS & BIG PLANS
Killarney Mountain Lodge in Killarney Ontario is an iconic, historic property that almost every boater on Georgian Bay holds near and dear. The lodge has something about it that transports you back to another time when bush planes and passenger boats delivered guests to what started out as a corporate fishing/hunting lodge before there was a road built into Killarney. Built in the 40's the lodge has a unique character and serenity that only a few properties in Ontario possess. The East family has run the lodge for 53 years and it was time for them to retire.
So on January 26th, 2015 the 42 room lodge officially changed hands and the baton has been passed to Holden Rhodes and his wife Carey. The Rhodes hail from London, Ontario but Holden has some roots in Killarney. He enjoyed many family vacations at the lodge and at family homes in the village. His grandmother and several other family members have all had homes in Killarney at one time or another. Holden is a lawyer and owns various companies including co-ownership of Carproof (vehicle history report services). Holden & Carey purchased the lodge because they cherished their memories in Killarney and because they saw the upside potential of the property and recognized they could preserve the historic lodge elements while modernizing and improving the structures allowing for some modern resort amenities expected by vacationers that don't want to sacrifice all the comforts of home.
The lodge is planned to open for the season the first week of May and it will run seasonally until October 3rd. But first there are improvements to be made like replacing beds, linens and furniture as well as installing new roofs and extensive painting, new signage and bringing a lot of systems up to code. They will be completely replacing all the marina finger docks and providing more dockage for larger boats. The boat house marina building and boater facilities will be renovated. In the future they will be adding guest rooms and improving facilities to draw in new clients. They want to increase awareness by using some new advertising channels, promotions and charitable events.
Kelly McAree has been hired as the General Manager and together with his wife they form a formidable management team with years of management experience in both restaurants and resorts. Kelly started running restaurants when he was 18 and jumped into hotels in mid 1995, most recently achieving success at Hastings House Hotel on Salt Spring Island, BC. Although his wife and he have been together for 26 years working in the hospitality industry, in 2010 they started working together and realized they were an effective professional management team. They have lots of ideas on improving the property and are currently surveying lodge customers to sort out those things that should be changed or improved and those attributes and experiences that should remain the same to preserve the character that their valued past lodge guests appreciate.
They will continue to offer sailing, fishing charters and cruising excursions at the lodge. Georgian Bay boaters can look forward to reinvigorated marina facilities and lets face it - there are few places in the world as interesting as the Killarney channel to dock your boat and sit back and relax to watch the amazing variety of cruising boats from various destinations coming through the channel heading up to the North Channel or heading south down the bay or across the bay to Tobermory or Lake Huron destinations.
We wish the new owners and management team great success in this new and challenging endeavour. We would also be remiss if we didn't thank the East family for running and maintaining the lodge for all those years while raising a family. It's quite a legacy as Maury is 91 years old and wife Annabelle 74 and they certainly deserve a happy retirement. www.killarney.com
The Photography Of Ethan Meleg
A number of years ago we started coming across Georgian Bay photos by Ethan Meleg. Photography and video are an important element of our business ... so when you see the emotion that comes across in Ethan's photos, it stops you in your tracks and you take notice. We took notice and wanted to find out who this guy is, and we tracked him down on the web from the watermarks on his published photography.
One thing I have learned over the years is that photography in itself is a tough business. Everyone thinks they can be a photographer, but few ever achieve the balance required where art meets business. In that light and because we know how dedicated and persistent a good photographer must be ... to find the right subject matter, the right light, the right karma that melts the click of the shutter into something beautiful and thought provoking we wanted to bring Ethan to your attention.
It's a beautiful world we live in, but in the 9 to 5 quest of making a living, many of us depend on photographers like Ethan to remind us of the natural beauty that surrounds us. And we owe them our gratitude. We feel the same way about Boating Georgian Bay - it is a labour of love and we hope that for our viewers we can invoke the sense of wonderment that we experience while cruising on the Bay.
We were going to build a story around an interview with Ethan, but after some thought we decided to let the interview speak for itself. While it was the Georgian Bay photos that originally caught our attention, you can see that Ethan's talents are far ranging when it comes to subject matter.
Questions:
What was your inspiration when you started out at 19 ... personal interest in documenting nature, the art form, leading into business etc.? I've been a nature geek ever since I was a little kid. When I received a camera for my 19th birthday, my newfound interest in photography fused with my knowledge of birds and wildlife and I became instantly addicted to nature photography.
Where is your home base now? I live in Tiny Township near the small community of Lafontaine. My place is on a wooded lot full of birds and just a short walk to Georgian Bay.
You seem to travel a lot - is that for photography sake or personal interest .. probably both right? Travel is my biggest passion - especially to places with high biodiversity, unique species and bold landscapes. My trips are motivated both by an interest in exploring and also to create photos for my business.
Who were your mentors in photography circles? Jim Flynn, a pioneer bird photographer who lived in the Point Pelee area, was a mentor for me when I started photographing birds. Robert McCaw, a very successful bird and wildlife photographer from the Guelph area has been a mentor and friend for many years. Lastly, my friend Dale Wilson from the Halifax area, has been a great coach in helping me navigate professional issues in the business of photography.
Are you self learned in the technical aspects of photography or did you take formal training at some point?
I've never had any formal training in photography. I'm self taught and learned mostly through trial and error, reading books and asking questions of photography colleagues.
Many of your photographs are almost surreal - how did you develop an eye for that? I work hard to be at the best locations when the light is most spectacular at daybreak or dusk, even if it means hiking or boating in the dark. I choose lenses and perspectives that emphasize the subject I'm photographing, so that it creates the most impactful photos possible.
Is your interest primarily in the subject matter or the technical ability of getting good photos? I'm far more interested in what I'm photographing than the technical aspects of photography, but you can't ignore the latter. One of the great benefits of having been photographing for so long is that the technical aspects have become second nature, which frees me up to focus on the subject and artistic elements.
You do lots of themes but Georgian Bay/Bruce Peninsula seems to be a favourite - where did that attraction come from?
I lived on the Bruce Peninsula for about 15 years and that's where I honed my photography skills. The natural diversity of the peninsula and incredible scenery along the Georgian Bay shoreline was inspiring and provided an endless array of things to photograph. I've always had a love for the scenery around Georgian Bay and now that I'm living on the eastern shore of the bay, I'm enthusiastically exploring new places over on this side.
How do you decide where to seek out your subject matter and do you have to return many times to get exactly the right conditions (weather, light etc.)? I find new places to photograph through random exploration and by seeking out locations I stumble across in various media. Sometimes I target areas that I know are under-photographed and represent an opportunity for my business, and other times I visit well known locations with the intent of capturing fresh perspectives.
Do you have a boat to get out to some of the more remote locations on Georgian Bay? I've owned small boats over the years to access locations along Georgian Bay. At the moment I'm paddling a cedar strip canoe, but am in the market for another small motor boat.
Regarding the business side of Meleg Outdoor Photography what is the typical client and are they generally repeat licensing clients? My business model has always been focused on cultivating repeat business with a small number of high-end clients. My photos mostly end up being licensed to magazines, tourism marketing campaigns, calendars and online media.
Do you shoot stock for agencies? I primarily manage my own stock photo licensing, but also use stock agencies to get my photos into different markets around the world that I otherwise wouldn't be able to easily tap into.
How can our readers attend one of your workshops? I host several photo workshops around the Georgian Bay region each year. There's a list of them on my website at this link: http://www.ethanmeleg.com/programs.htm
There are spaces open for the Wildflowers of the Bruce Peninsula workshop in June and the Waterfalls and Fall Colours of Muskoka in September.
Are your talk presentations technical or primarily motivational? I love doing photo presentations and my approach is to provide a blend of practical tips for capturing photos with plenty of inspiration to get people out shooting more photos!
Do you always use Canon equipment? Never been a Nikon guy? I shoot with the Canon EOS system, including Canon and Sigma lenses. I've never used Nikon gear, but many photographers do. Almost all pros nature photographers use either Canon or Nikon systems - they're both great.
Do you ever shoot black and white doing the Ansel Adams type of landscapes? I rarely ever shoot black-and-white images because I'm inspired by the rich colours at sunrise and sunset.
Do you run into people looking for commissions doing stuff for their subject matter vs. for the arts sake and how do you feel about that? The business of photography is highly competitive and to survive you have to approach it like a business. This means thinking about markets for your images and then photographing strategically. Photographers that think strictly like artists rarely make it and those that are strictly business minded probably miss some of the artistry. The ideal mix is somewhere in the middle.
Any big projects on the horizon you can tell us about? I recently bought a house with a beautiful wooded property and am completing renovations so I can home-based photo workshops here and in nearby Awenda Provincial Park. The idea is that photographers will stay here for a night or two of hands-on, one-on-one learning.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In ten years, I expect to be able to spend half the year here in Ontario and the rest (winter) in the tropics chasing birds, wildlife and great light for landscape photos.
COSTA CONCORDIA CAPTAIN GUILTY
Francesco Schettino, the captain of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia, was convicted in the deaths of 32 passengers and crew in the January 2012 sinking in addition to causing the shipwreck and abandoning ship. He has been sentenced to 16 years in jail.
Prosecutors said Schettino was a "reckless idiot" and asked the court to sentence him to 26 years in prison but the former captain told the court earlier he was being “sacrificed” to safeguard the economic interests of his employer. "My head was sacrificed to serve economic interests," the former Captain told the court. Schettino's lawyer suggested that finding Schettino not guilty would actually be good for Italy's image, somehow restoring it in the eyes of the world, which has seen this case as an example of Italian ineptitude. Schettino's defense also claimed that the ship had faulty watertight doors and generators, and that the elevators did not work when the ship was listing. These claims were hard to verify because much of the ship was underwater for many months after the accident.
Lawyers for many of the survivors and victims' families have launched civil suits attached to the criminal trial to order the Italian cruise company to pay damages.
CRATES LAKE COUNTRY
Crate's Lake Country Boats, a fourth generation boat dealer based in Orillia and started in 1971, has formed a new long term sales and service agreement with KCS International, owner of Cruisers Yachts.
“We are excited to be partnered with such a strong dealer serving Central Ontario. Crates Lake Country shares the same values as our company by providing exceptional sales and service to their customers. I strongly believe our existing clients will benefit from their dedication to service” says Dan Zenz, Vice President of Sales for Cruisers Yachts.
“Years ago, we were a Cruisers dealer and I am glad to be back doing business with such a wonderful company. Our customers will benefit from the expanded product line Cruisers Yachts has to offer as well as their history of building a quality yacht.”said Brian Crate, Principal at Crate's Lake Country Boats.
KCS International Inc. owns Cruisers Yachts, Cruisers Sport Series and Rampage Sport Fishing Yachts brands. Cruisers Yachts builds midsize luxury pleasure yachts from 31 to 54 feet in its Oconto, Wisconsin facility. Cruisers Sport Series ranges from 20 to 32 feet, while its Rampage Sport Fishing Yachts express and convertible vessels range from 34 to 45 feet. Crates Lake Country Boats is already a well respected Regal and Pursuit dealer owned and operated by Brian, Jason and Dan Crate. The dealership has a 98% customer satisfaction rate with Regal Boats. They have been ranked the #1 Customer Satisfaction dealer by Regal twice in the last four years. Crates Lake Country Boats has always been focussed on value and most importantly living up to their promises. More info at www.crateslakecountryboats.com.
UNMANNED TRANS ATLANTIC SAILBOT
Engineering students from the University of British Columbia are launching a 5.5-metre-long boat that will sail into the history books as the first boat to successfully traverse the Atlantic entirely solo – without humans. The team plans to launch the still un-christened sailbot off the coast of St. John's, N.L. on it's 2,900 kilometre programmed journey to Dingle, Ireland. It has never been done before. While the university's sailbot team has officially existed since 2006, this recent project has been in the works only since 2012, following three successful 1st place finishes in international sailbot regattas.
“Sailing has been around for thousands of years. Robotics has not been around for that many years. It's kind of the intersection of two very different disciplines.” says team member Vik Hansen. The sailbot uses solar panels to power the batteries that support onboard navigation and obstacle avoidance technology, plus thermal imaging to sense boat traffic & icebergs, as well as GPS co-ordinates to steer around inclement weather and fishing zones.
This from their website: “Packing an advanced electronics package, accurate sensors, and satellite communication systems into a carbon fibre hull will ensure that our vessel can survive what the Atlantic Ocean has to offer. In addition, our advanced sailing logic and course planning software can optimize voyage time while minimizing risk of damage from storms or shipping traffic”.
A number of university and corporate sponsors are underwriting the $60,000 project. Once the boat launches the team is not permitted to interfere with its passage across the ocean. For more info or to donate, click HERE.
2015 GEORGIAN BAY IN-WATER BOAT SHOW JUNE 5th - 7th
You don't want to miss this show. FREE PARKING and FREE ADMISSION !!! Great selection of in water and on land new and used brokerage boats. Boats from 12' to 50'+ are open to view. Lots of activities for the kids too ... so bring the whole family! Onsite food vendors and a refreshment tent are available. The show is at Bay Port Yachting Centre right in Midland. This is the show's second year ... and it had a great presentation last year. Enough boats so that you can spend the entire day doing what you like to do best – checking out boats and boat gear! More details are HERE.
COSTA CONCORDIA TRIAL NEARS END
Italian prosecutors have asked the court to convict the captain of the Costa Concordia and sentence him to 26 years in prison. They said the term is not excessive given that 32 people died in the 2012 shipwreck off Tuscany.
Prosecutor Maria Navarro also asked the court to detain Capt. Francesco Schettino and seize his passport and navigation license, saying he is a flight risk. The Prosecutor said the trial had proved that Schettino “thought only and always about himself.”
Schettino is being tried for manslaughter, causing the shipwreck and abandoning the Concordia while many passengers and crew members were still aboard. In closing statements in the Grossetto Italy courthouse, Navarro accused Schettino of lying from the start and saving his own life “without even getting his shoes wet.”
The defence is expected to respond in court starting Feb. 9, with a verdict expected shortly thereafter. Five other Costa Crociere employees indicted in the case were allowed to enter plea bargains and none is serving prison time.
CRATES KESWICK MORE FALLOUT
First off .... CRATES LAKE COUNTRY in Orillia is not bankrupt and is not involved in any way with CRATES KESWICK.
A. Farber & Partners the court appointed receiver is now in control of Crates Keswick including Crate Marine Sales Limited, F.S. Crate & Sons Limited and numbered companies that make up the Keswick marina. Assets in Lagoon City and Quebec are also seized by the receiver. We have heard that Pride Marine is making a move to take over the leased Lagoon City operation.
A. Farber & Partners, the receiver, is advising those with boats on the Keswick property to complete a Proof of Property Claim to identify their boats. Boaters who have already paid for a 2015 slip in the marina must fill out a Bankruptcy Proof of Claim. These forms must be submitted to A. Farber & Partners by 4 pm EST Jan. 30, 2015. at www.farberfinancial.com/insolvency-engagements/crate-marine-sales-limited-et-al
Farber at this time is uncertain as to what will happen with the former Crates Marina operations come spring 2015.
A. FARBER & PARTNERS INC.
1330732 Ontario Limited, 1328559 Ontario Limited, 1282648 Ontario Limited, 1382415 Ontario Ltd., and 1382416 Ontario Ltd.
Address: 150 York Street, Suite 1600
Toronto, ON M5H 3S5
Telephone: (416) 496-3762
E-mail: cratemarine@farberfinancial.com
THREE MARINE PROFESSIONALS PROVIDE INSIGHT ON LOWER FUEL PRICES We interviewed three industry professionals in the marina, new boat sales and brokerage businesses to get their take on the affect that much lower fuel prices will have on the 2015 boating season. Parkbridge Marinas runs the largest fresh water marina in Canada and dominates the marina industry in Ontario with six large marinas. Crates Lake Country Boats in Orillia is the dominant customer driven Regal boat dealer in North America. They sell several other lines of boats and they are in the marina business and boat brokerage business as well. North South Nautical Group is a successful yacht brokerage firm based in Port Credit, but with satellite offices and CPYD certified sales agent all across southern Ontario. I won't spoil the video but suffice to say low per barrel oil costs translate into something good for the marine industry. How good? ... we're going to find out!
UP CLOSE WITH KILLER WHALES This guy is braver than me ... out among a pod a of killer whales on a stand up paddleboard.
2015 PORT CREDIT BOAT SHOW
Mark May 29th - 31st on your calendar for the Port Credit Spring Boat Show. This in water boat show is staged at the Credit Village Marina. It is Toronto's only spring boat show. Adult tickets are $8 and seniors & youth $5. Parking is free. The show features new and brokerage boats with both land based and in water boats. www.portcreditspringboatshow.com
2015 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
So we just spent two full days at the show. We talked to lots of our client vendors. Show numbers were up in the 6% range the opening weekend but down about 10% the first few weekdays. We did notice the show was noticeably busier on the Tuesday afternoon compared to the Monday afternoon.
Post mortem of the show - seems it is down from 2014 attendance and of course 2014 attendance was down from 2013. So what's going on? Certainly there is renewed interest in the brokerage boat business and there is some upside movement in the new boat business. We're not sure, but my guess is that many folks are getting what they need off the web. You can get detailed technical information and tons of pics on any boat (new or used) online. You can't touch the used brokerage boats at the TIBS show anyways, because they are not there. And to be straight to the point there is not a big selection of new yachts over 40 feet either. There is actually more info on the web than you can glean at the show. It's a bit of a cottagers boat market when you think about it ... and we all know the resale cottage market has been weak for many years. This might be part of the attendance conundrum. The other thing that I notice is that the Chandlery type operations are selling the same old stuff - not much new and exciting ... and I don't see the excellent deals that used to be offered three or four years ago. We love you Toronto Boat Show ... but it's time to think out of the box. The street food vendor trucks were a great idea and it was one of the busiest areas of the show by my observation on the two days I attended.
We enjoyed some of the theatre presentations ... especially the Shard's who are well known from their Distant Shores series. We also attended the pre show opening of the Parkbridge Marina VIP presentation provided by CMC electronics on the latest from Raymarine. We learned a lot from that one and we will have a video of that session on the site soon.
While there were lots of new boats, there were fewer large boats. Crates Lake Country as always put on a great display of boats and Pride Marine had an incredible amount of floor space. They were two big boys on the block. It seems Wakeboard boats are a really hot item at the show this year. The chandlery shops seem less busy in comparison to other years - probably because of the afore mentioned reasons. The yacht brokers tell me one of their problems is shortage of high quality low hour boats. They had a fantastic Fall last year and this coming season will be a hard act to follow if they don't get some new inventory. With our Canadian dollar way down, the American brokers were noticeably absent at the show. The stars have lined up for Canadian brokers with the low dollar, low borrowing costs, somewhat improving economy and fuel on the way down.
This is the first year I bought NOTHING in boat equipment at the show - not a single gadget. Nothing caught my fancy and I think this was the first year in a decade that I didn't drop $400 or more on things I really didn't need.
We always have a good time at the show running into friends, hob knobbing with vendors and eating junk food like pizza, poutine and hero burgers washed down with beer. This year and last year it was easy to get onboard any boat with no line-ups. You can see from some of pictures below at times it was eerily quiet at the show and vendors were desperate to talk to attendees. On the positive side, you get to pick up lots of stuff to read when you get home ... and most of all the show is a pleasant respite from a long cold winter - but then again so is the Miami show.
CANADIAN WEATHER SYSTEM UPGRADES
The Canadian federal government is investing $134 million to improve the quality of weather forecasts and weather warnings for Canadians. Environment Minister Leon Aglukkaq says the money will allow Environment Canada to make significant upgrades to monitoring networks and to weather warning and forecast systems. Aglukkaq says weather warnings will be more accurate and faster to give more lead time to the public and weather sensitive business sectors such as agriculture, tourism and transportation and the changes are required to warn Canadians of weather hazards and to allow individuals and businesses to plan properly. There will also be an upgrade at the Canadian Lightning Detection Network. This money is in addition to $78.7 million for weather monitoring announced in 2011.
THE WRECK OF THE AVALON VOYAGER
Preamble: In the fall of 1980 and the summer of 1981, five wooden Newfoundland ships set out on voyages for Georgian Bay. One came heartbreakingly close to completing the voyage, ending her days on the rocks of Cape Hurd Channel. Three vessels made it to Owen Sound Harbour. Only one survived to continue fishing in Alaskan waters. The fifth vessel, prepared for the journey, never left Newfoundland but she is an important piece of the amazing story of hopes, dreams, shipwrecks, love found and vessels lost told by Patric Ryan in his memoir, Closing the Newfoundland Circles: The Wreck of the Avalon & the Voyage of the Naaman J Humby.
On October 29, 1980 gale warnings were up for Northern Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. The wooden cargo ship Avalon Voyager was at sea in an attempt to move from Kincardine to Owen Sound before winter set in, but she came to grief at the entrance to Georgian Bay, within sight of the protective arms of the Bruce Peninsula. Less than an hour after changing course for the Cape Hurd Channel the Avalon Voyager should have been safely in the Bay. But in the storm-dark dawn with growing seas, the Skipper had to heave-to, searching for the elusive channel mark, and in the galley of the rolling ship a freak accident signalled the beginning of the end of the tough old Newfoundlander; veteran of hurricanes and Arctic pack ice, victim of neglect and happenstance.
The unlucky Voyager, owned by restaurant entrepreneurs Hank and Thelma Buitendyk, had left Kincardine just hours before meeting her untimely end on the rocks of Scotch Bonnet Shoal; another vessel on a long list of ships to come to grief in a fall gale on the limestone ledges of Northern Bruce Peninsula. The seven passengers aboard the foundering Newfoundland freighter were rescued by the crew of the W. A. Spears, a local fish tug, herself running for the safety of Tobermory Harbour. The author and artist, Patric Ryan, was a crew member onboard the Spears, his first season fishing with Peter Dean. Patric was working to make a few extra dollars before he and his mate settled into their farmhouse near Kemble, looking forward to a quiet winter in the studio. The events of that day altered the future for the newlyweds and by February they would find themselves in Newfoundland the owners of their own derelict fishing schooner.
Excerpt from Closing the Newfoundland Circles: The Wreck of the Avalon & the Voyage of the Naaman J Humby:
Green combers rolled out of the iron-grey horizon, climbed the limestone ledges and broke in white fury against the Bruce Peninsula. The black hulled Newfoundland freighter rolled and pitched at the end of her weakened tether. Owner Hank Buitendyk clawed his way to the bridge of his stricken vessel, crabbed from the wheelhouse door to the silent exhaust stack and, with a kick at the white canister, deployed the Avalon Voyager's life raft.
Skipper Peter Dean, at the helm of his diesel fish tug, W. A. Spears, was trying hard to keep the two vessels from slamming together. We had one survivor on board; the kid Brian Cutting had jumped for the ladder as soon as the Spears came alongside. Only quick action by Rod Anderson spared him from injury or worse. I was in the water waiting for the remaining passengers to jump for the raft. My crew mates, Rod and Jim Dillworth, were holding my tether line, ready to pluck me from the waves. When Hank deployed the raft I climbed in to assist the jumpers but was rudely spit out of the canopy like a watermelon seed when the two vessels were driven apart. The raft was tied to the rail of the freighter. I was tethered to the tug and decided to stay in the water. It was marginally safer.
The Avalon Voyager rolled to port again pulling the black tire fenders out of the water spewing foam and the slime-grown bilge loomed overhead. The trough of the green wave opened up a dark cavern under her battered hull. It was fascinating to see strands of caulking hanging out of the wide seams, wondering how much water was pouring in between the rough planks; a trick of the mind to focus on some obscure detail rather than the potential tragedy unfolding around me. The massive tractor tire fender would come down like a guillotine on the next roll. I pushed off a moment before the Newfoundland freighter lurched to starboard, the sharp lugs of the tire just grazing my foot. The next grey-green crest swept between the boats and lifted me face to face with the remaining passengers lining the rail. Their expressions were frozen in fear. I raised my arm in greeting. It should have been funny: a clown puppet dressed in orange, waving a big rubber glove. I was covered head to toe in a surface survival suit, so far the only participant in the water but, all taken, the most protected.
Three survivors including fourteen-year-old Mike Henning were in the canopied life raft and three more, including Hank and the engineers, waited at the rail. The next wave thrashed itself to foam between the vessels. I was in the trough staring again at the seaweed-green bilge of the Newfy freighter, so forlorn in her death throes, being driven relentlessly toward the ledges of the Cape Hurd Channel. I thought of my young bride, Dorie, at home trusting we were having a routine day hauling fishnets down the Lake Huron Shore.
As I stared at the wide planks of the wooden freighter I wondered at the events that placed us both in the treacherous Cape Hurd Channel. The Avalon Voyager was a sturdy wooden vessel built for the North Atlantic. I was a boat operator, commercial diver, artist, writer, and romantic dreamer. Fishing with Pete Dean's crew was an experience, a chance to make some money and prepare for another long winter on the Peninsula. The Bruce Peninsula is spectacularly beautiful in summer, equally, but differently attractive in winter. The fall fishing season is a gamble for boats and crews, the risks taken routinely can quickly turn to disaster if the timing is wrong. But that wild morning in the wind driven waves off Cape Hurd my concern was surviving the present.
Another Avalon passenger made a desperate lunge for the opening in the raft, missing as the raft leapt away. I helped him aboard and waited for the next sequence of crests and troughs. The engineer plunged head first off the rail, sprawling across the rubber tube. I pushed from behind and he was dragged in by his mates. The raft was still tethered to the rail of the Avalon Voyager but there was enough slack for me to swim the raft to the closing tug. Rod and Jim pulled the escapees aboard. I swam the raft back to the Avalon Voyager's side and called for Hank to untie the tether and jump. He jumped, landing squarely in the raft's opening, but the raft was still tethered to the mother ship and the tug was drifting out of range. Too many collisions with the rolling freighter had convinced Pete to back off and my tether line was too short. I untied and swam free.
A rogue wave broke and foamed between the boats catching me unattached to be hurled against the slick hull. The deadly tractor tire rose up inches from my face, so close I could smell the seaweed. The raft and I were now in danger of being sucked under the turn of the bilge as the Avalon made a sickening roll to port exposing her bottom planks right to the battered keel. I thought she was going all the way over. The raft was dragged up the starboard hull colliding with the tractor tire. Furniture and appliances inside the ship were crashing down to leeward. In another moment the ponderous bulk of the freighter would roll back to starboard. I kicked hard against the slippery hull, propelling myself out from under just in time, only to be whirled away by another wave. Now out of danger I considered letting the waves take me up the channel, an easy drift home, safe in my capsule of neoprene, but Hank was now trapped in the raft, being slammed against the hull of his own ship. He could be crushed if Pete manoeuvered close enough to rescue him. I swam back towards the tug to get a fish knife to cut the tether, admitting that it was exhilarating being on the crest one moment, then surfing down the back of the waves into the troughs. If something went wrong the survival suit would keep me buoyant until they found my body thrown up like so much flotsam on the rock-bound coast of Georgian Bay.
Our day of danger had begun well enough. Georgian Bay and Lake Huron were deceptively calm, as we left Tobermory in the dark before dawn for the run down the Lake Huron shore, but gale warnings were up and we had only hours to pull our nets and set back before the Nor'wester roared out of the black clouds crowding the western horizon.
The Voyager had run slowly up the coast from Kincardine. Hank was planning to wait for daylight to close with the Cape Hurd Channel fairway buoy marking the southernmost entrance to Georgian Bay. The last day in the life of the working Newfy freighter also dawned optimistically, despite the forecast. As the sun came up over the verdant Bruce Peninsula, the Avalon Voyager II glided through the first ripples of the approaching wind regime. To the northwest appeared the ominous bar of gray cloud foretelling the approach of a large system. Hank was steering his ship due north, hoping to reach the Cape Hurd Channel before it broke. Tobermory was a safe haven if necessary, but the Voyager was an ocean ship and should weather a fall gale with impunity. Once through the barrier of islands into the Great Bay, the winds would be on her stern and the Bruce Peninsula a buffer. Making a steady eight knots, another twelve to fourteen hours should see the precious seafood restaurant safely tied to the dock in Owen Sound Harbour. The charts clearly showed the channel options and Hank chose the first to save an hour or so. A fairway buoy and small spars showed the way but daylight visibility was the key element.
The Avalon Voyager was abeam our position off Warner Bay about 0830. We were too busy to notice another vessel five miles out on the tumbling iron-grey lake. Hank didn’t see us because we were too close to shore, backed by the dark tree line.
"Flag's Up!' Dawn was just breaking over the Peninsula. We had the gangway doors open and the net puller swung out, the furnace heating water to warm freezing fingers. We were ready, eyeing the northwest horizon for the gray bar, the storm front. Overhead the light blue dawn sky was giving way to wispy cirrus clouds, tinted pink by the low sun. We didn't need the hints, not like in the old days when sailors searched the skies for any sign of weather, gauging their future by the sunsets, seagulls or aching joints.
We were set shallow so it wasn't long before the first gang appeared, the plastic floats visible ten feet down in the clear water. Would there be fish? We wanted whitefish and lots of them. The conditions were near perfect. The weather had been relatively calm for days, it was the dark of the moon and the fat whitefish should be moving into the shallows at night to spawn.
"There's a fish! And another!" Soon there was a steady rise of whitefish over the roller. Pete worked the helm to keep the tug in line. On calm days he could let the puller set the pace with little bumps of the throttle. The nets come at a steady pace, the fish are picked, the trays packed and taken away in an orderly fashion. On a good day Pete might boil up chunks of fresh whitefish with onions and potatoes, served on cracked plates cleansed by time. There is no gourmet dish in the world to match it, at least until we discovered Newfoundland fish'n'bruise. Then we'd set the nets back and head for home, cleaning our day’s catch on the run, looking forward to delivering a nice haul to the freezer truck with half the day still to play.
That morning the conditions were in our favour for the first third of the pull. Pete could help pick when the fish started coming closer together. Getting into the main patch, to use a seal hunter’s term. When the net began to show signs of strain Pete had to work the engine controls. The pace of the pull was increasing. To add to the confusion the leading edge of the gale was ruffling the surface with increasing gusts, making it more difficult to stay on line. Soon waves began to lift our stern. The pace went from fast to frantic as we tried to control all the elements, but the nets were spilling off the puller. The puller creaked with the weight, leads popping off the line, and still the fish kept coming. The mother load! Pete guessed a ton, maybe more. We picked furiously. No longer able to head aft to soak our swollen hands, we dipped them into a steaming bucket, the cuts bleeding into the fish slime. No time to worry about cuts. But with fingers cramping into claws from the cold, the nets were being shredded more than picked. Fish were everywhere around our feet. It was treacherous sliding aft with the trays. Trays and fish boxes began to pile up.
Finally Pete called a halt. The puller stopped clattering. We cleared away trays while the W. A. Spears hung on the net. White caps were now racing past the hull and the sound of the wind had a heavy note.
"Never mind boxes! Let's get those nets in," Pete shouted over the din. "We can overhaul on the way home."
We were relieved. We wouldn't have to set back but the enclosed stern area was a shambles of spilled nets, gear and fish boxes. It would take hours to sort it out in a big sea. The puller started up again, running at top speed, and we handed the nets as they came off the trough. The piles grew quickly and tumbled from the weight of fish still flopping about in their final agony of breathless strangulation, their peaceful realm in the cold clear waters suddenly turned into a massacre. Our hapless fish were rudely dumped on the pile to find their own level. Ankle deep, then knee deep in nets and fish, we pulled until the last mud anchor clanged aboard.
Finally free we slammed the gangways closed as Pete turned the Spears for home. Encapsulated in our steel shell, cut off from the world of water except for the drum-boom crashing, Pete drove the W. A. Spears into the rising waves, getting farther off shore, putting distance between us and the shoals. Water was shooting in the cracks around the gangway doors. Cascades running forward from the scuppers every time she dove into a trough. A dirty soup of cold water and fish guts washing around our boots: scales and eyeballs, junk fish, seaweed. We sat on wooden boxes turned on edge, backs against the wheelhouse bulkhead, with a metal tray on each side, a fish box between our boots, pulling nets over our rubber aprons, picking, sorting and packing the trays, and we could only imagine those hard grey seas advancing at us, frothing combers now rolling over themselves driven by the weight of the gale. Our only concern was to finish overhauling the nets before we reached the safety of Little Tub Harbour.
Time passed unnoticed as we slipped into the rhythm of the plunging bows, the steel hull resonating, comforted by the steady rumble of the engine, bracing instinctively to the motion, passing nets, handling the fish, packing the nets. We were about halfway through the overhaul when the motion of the tug changed from plunging and rearing to a deep roll. The first deep rolls sent everything in motion, as if we were one big organism, sliding first one way then the other, hearing the net trays and mud anchors tumbling, creating more chaos. But we also knew that Pete had turned for the Cape Hurd Channel. The engine revs picked up. No more wind and booming crashes. The motion changed as the waves chased our broad stern, first rising sharply as a big wave hissed by unseen, and then wallowing in the trough until the next wave ran in and under. The lack of noise was a relief but the squishy motion made me cross-eyed until my senses adjusted. Shortly we were back into the rhythm of the overhaul, knowing that in twenty minutes the engine would slow again as Pete began the long sweeping turn past Lighthouse Point to cross the outer harbour.
The engine suddenly slowed to an idle. Too soon. Pete took the Spears out of gear and called down. "Patric, come up a minute!" I put aside my burden and stepped up to the brighter wheelhouse. "Recognize that boat, Pat?" He pointed west, back toward the lake. I scanned the horizon in the direction Pete was pointing, at first seeing only tumbling white combers. Then further out I spotted the black hull and white superstructure against the dark clouds. The ship was three or four miles out in the wild lake. Even at that distance we could see she was rolling badly.
The W. A. Spears was beginning to drift sideways, presenting her wide beam to the waves piling high into the Channel. The wind shrieked around the loose fitting gangways. Solid waves crashed against the hull, the spray like thrown gravel against the superstructure and water poured in the scuppers.
The Avalon Voyager was in trouble judging by the extreme motion. Pete put his tug in gear and turned back toward the lake. Green water was coming over our bow with every plunge. We all had a look through binoculars but there was no one on deck, nothing additional to see except a closer view of the strange ship, beam on, rolling drunkenly from rail to rail and white water sweeping over her wheelhouse. Pete tried calling on the VHF. We were about half way back out the Cape Hurd Channel when we saw a puff of black smoke shoot out of the exhaust stack and the black hull was moving again. Pete idled back and we continued to watch as the Avalon Voyager showed us her stern, easily driving the waves apart with her power and bulk, heading out into the lake away from the shoals. "No point following him," said Pete. "He must be going for the Main Channel."
"Strange," I said, relieved. "Keep an eye on him."
Hank had to slow the freighter, keeping steerage way to approach treacherous Cape Hurd, searching for the fairway buoy. The first sharp blast of the system struck the blunt face of the wheelhouse. The ship barely registered the assault but Hank could see the surface of the lake quickly making up white caps. Within minutes the white caps were tumbling and became swells. Hank began to worry that it would be harder to pick out the fairway marker. The failing radar was no help. Local knowledge would help but that luxury was on board an unseen fishing boat five miles to his starboard. He gripped the steering wheel and peered into the distance. From Hank's position south and west of Cape Hurd the fairway buoy was masked by the white shoals of the Devil's Island Bank.
Hank signaled the engineers to idle the engine while they sorted out the offing. Without power the Avalon Voyager lost momentum, slewing to starboard, presenting her port beam to the mounting seas. Then she began to roll alarmingly, the very situation Hank feared most; the reason he wanted to avoid running further north to round Cove Island. At some point he’d have to expose her full beam to the growing storm waves.
The passengers in the dining room felt the effects immediately. Tables, chairs, bar stools, glasses and bottles began to shift back and forth, and things began to break. First a glass sliding off a table, then plates and ashtrays. They held on to whatever was solid. The only thing firmly fixed was the bar itself. Bottles rattled and overhead the wine glasses swayed in their holders, tinkling like wind chimes, some breaking, falling free to add to the accumulation of shards on the blue carpet.
Most of the tables and chairs had been roped together in preparation for the trip but still they shifted en masse, a dangerous force. The lobster tank became a menace until it capsized, shattering into the scuppers. Galley equipment came adrift and rattled about. At first just pots and pans from the evening meal. And dishes in the sink. As the roll deepened grease in the fryer began to slop over the edges, just enough to make the linoleum floor as slick as ice. Eventually the heavy fridges and freezers came alive, turning the galley into a no man’s land. Deep in the bowels of the reeling ship the engineers became nauseated and disoriented as the long, tiring, noisy night of accumulated smells ganged up on his senses.
Before Hank could choose a route through the islands the decision was removed from his immediate concern. In the galley a large can of chowder concentrate tumbled off the shelf down the engine room hatch and bounced off the ladder, striking the link belt that drove the fresh water pump. The old leather belt severed and the pump stopped. The engineer called Hank to report the problem. Hank dropped down the wheelhouse ladder and raced to the galley, stopped short at the entrance by the sight of a freezer sliding across the deck. No time to worry about freezers or the sounds of breaking glass. He dodged around the corner to the engine room hatch knowing they'd have to shut the engine down to prevent overheating.
An engineer was holding the two ends of the broken belt. Hank shut off the fuel supply and the engine stopped. Now they could hear things sliding about over their heads and the thump and splash of waves assaulting the hull. The motion was extreme even in the lowest part of the ship.
They tried lacing the ends of the broken belt together, forcing the belt back on the pulleys. Too tight. Too slack. The ship rolled deeper and oily bilge water slopped over the deck plates. The engineer was sick to his stomach. The Avalon Voyager, helplessly broadside to the waves, was drifting toward the rocks, in shoaling water. Great Lakes storm waves build quickly and what may be just good-sized swells in deep water become steep and dangerous as the waves drive into the shallows. Sailors call them square waves. The Avalon Voyager was falling off one crest to be slammed by the next, staggering and rolling her railings down. The lack of sufficient ballast and the added superstructure making matters worse. Without power the situation suddenly went from serious to imminent danger.
The Voyager needed sea room. Hank chose to restart the engine and risk the overheating. There was just enough air in the pressure tanks to turn the big diesel. The engine roared to life without hesitation, but there was little time before she would seize. Hank raced back to the wheelhouse and turned for open water. The Avalon Voyager ranged ahead, putting some distance between herself and the wave-laced banks.
The wind was hauling to the westerly, the seas becoming confused. Undaunted the sturdy Newfy plunged on but time was against her. Hank had to shut down again or risk seizing the engine once and for all. The event would be a spectacular smoke-billowing failure as pistons welded themselves to chamber walls or rods and bearing disintegrated. Whatever the cause, seizure would be final. Some precious distance was gained, but not enough. With the engine stopped again she was soon wallowing out of control.
Hank descended once more into the engine room. The engineers were too sick to be of much help. Even if there were a spare belt, it would take time to loosen nuts frozen by salt water and years of neglect. Tools had to be found, and some replacement for the broken belt. In the midst of the frantic efforts to fix the pump, the ship took a deep roll and the lights went out. Avalon had no auxiliary lighting. During her stay in Kincardine she had been switched to domestic shore power, a big extension cord from Ontario Hydro. For the trip Hank shipped a portable generator, which, up to the moment it flipped up side down on the main deck, supplied all the power to run the house lights. Hastily installed in the wheelhouse, the useless radar and VHF radio had only a failing car battery. The Avalon Voyager was a dead ship and without emergency lights Hank could only grope his way out of the engine room leaving the engineers to fend for themselves. To avoid the galley Hank went forward through the cabin to the fore deck and then aft along the open deck to summon help. The only recourse left was to drop anchor.
Hank and the boys managed to knock out the pins and the starboard patent anchor dropped uncontrolled, the chain rattling out in a cloud of red dust, piling up on the bottom. The ship continued to wallow, driven relentlessly toward the breaking banks, now drifting sideways between Middle Bank and Southwest Bank and over a shoal until the anchor flukes found a ledge. The doomed Voyager finally hauled up head to the wind in Cape Hurd Channel, diving and rolling as the confused seas rushed around her.
There was not much for the crew to do except wait. Hank had been calling a Mayday on the VHF with no response, although he had heard our calls. Hoping his message had been heard Hank mustered the shaken passengers on the open deck. Even if the anchor held they were in danger of capsizing. If the anchor let go or the chain broke, the ship would be driven onto the shoals within minutes and there was no way of knowing what a Newfoundland freighter could take. Forgotten in the chaos of tumbling water were the aluminum boat and a life raft on the top deck but it’s doubtful the inexperienced passengers would have willingly traded the Avalon Voyager for a fourteen-foot punt in those seas. Then someone spotted a blue and white fishing tug headed in their direction. The anxious passengers lined the rail midships, gripping the rails or hanging from stanchions, alternately facing down into the deep, dark troughs or up to the ragged grey sky, hoping the rescue boat would reach them in time.
And that's how we found them as the W.A. Spears plowed her way over the steep green waves, breasting the combers, crashing into the troughs, throwing solid water over her wheelhouse. Pete planned his approach on the fly, wondering how we were going to lay safely alongside the madly lurching vessel. We gathered at the gangways watching developments, while behind us our gear and our fish were again becoming a shambles. Hot soapy water slopped out of the boiler, steaming around the mess.
Faced with the sight of the stricken vessel and the passengers huddled on the open deck, there was little time for introspection. We had only a brief visual assessment of their situation and what we saw were seven worried, life-jacketed people lining the rail amidships.
"What's your situation!? What do you need!?" We had to yell above the engine, the wind and thrashing waves across the narrowing gap.
"We want off!" answered Hank Biutendyk.
There was no time to plan their escape. In retrospect we should have backed off to consider alternatives. A transfer of the Avalon's crew from the high sides of a top-heavy ship whose motion was so startling it appeared the vessel might capsize at any moment, to an enclosed fishing tug barely under control herself, was obviously fraught with danger. Pete's turtle tug has three portside openings. The forward door, sliding on tracks, opens wide for handing in the nets. The aft opening, for setting nets, runs from the quarterdeck stanchion around the stern and is covered with a heavy canvas curtain. In between is a narrow man door.
Keeping her bow into the steep waves Pete eased the tug in as close as he dared. Rod went forward to throw a line. No sooner was it received and tied off than a larger wave picked up the tug and slammed her against the side of the freighter with a shuddering boom, sending vibrations through the steel vessel and knocking us off our feet. Now the adrenaline was rushing through our veins. We were fully engaged in a rescue effort.
The bow struck again and was in peril of being smashed by the Avalon’s high rails. Our labouring boat was at a shallow angle to the hulk and the gap was only a few feet. Pete reversed the engine, trying to back away to avoid another collision. The bowline came bar-tight then acted like a spring, jerking the Spears alongside with another resounding crash. Briefly the two vessels were level, deck rail to gangway and we were preoccupied trying to disengage when a body tumbled through the man-door. It was Brian, the banker's son, hurtling to the ladder without warning, clutching his precious collection of audiotapes. Rod was able to grab him before he fell between the boats. We all froze for a moment realizing that the kid was lucky to have made the desperate leap without serious injury. Obviously allowing the others to attempt the jump was out of the question. Someone yelled about jumping to the open top deck. Also out of the question. There were no railings and the steel deck was slick with running water. It would be as hazardous for our crew as for Hank’s passengers. Meanwhile Rod had been trying to get their attention to release our bowline. Pete was forced to apply power to keep the vessels apart, managing to put some distance between us but at the same time it forced the Spears broad-on to the waves. The beamy tug began to wallow and roll alarmingly. Charts and gear came adrift in the wheelhouse making it difficult for Pete to keep his feet at the wheel. Something had to be done fast as the situation quickly degenerated to a dangerous stalemate.
The bowline was alternately bar-taught and slack. Even attempting to untie was dangerous but in a brief lull Rod was able to transfer our end of the tether to a lower hawse where we could cast off the line if necessary. Another hazard to add to the mix; a thick hawser drifting about in the waves to snag our own propeller.
Pete yelled, "There's a raft on his top deck! Tell Hank to launch the god-damned raft!" We shouted the instructions and pointed to the top deck. Hank got the message and disappeared into the cabin.
On the upper deck behind the Avalon's wheelhouse was the white fiberglass canister containing a self-inflating life raft. Hank worked his way to the top deck and, handing the painter to one of his crew below, kicked the canister over the side. The canister popped open even before it hit the water and the big raft inflated. The white canister was whirled away, disappearing to leeward; where the survivors would go if they missed the opening in the raft.
Sensing this new hazard I went up to the wheelhouse to don the orange neoprene surface survival suit. My own plan was to get in the raft and assist the jumpers. Rod tied a tether line around my waist and I plunged in, swam to the raft and climbed in through the slit in the canopy.
Once inside the raft I became disoriented. The translucent cover made the interior eerie and overly bright. The sound of the waves and the wind were muted. Covered from head to toe in the suit, I was perspiring with the effort, and without my glasses felt detached, distanced from reality, cocooned in a surreal, rubberized world of muffled noises and crazy motions. I was jarred back to the present when the ship rolled to port and the raft was thrown against the hull. The next instant we were lifted out of the water. What if the tether broke? If not crushed between the two boats I would be whirled away down wind, but safe enough, aside from the prospect of being tumbled ashore on the rocks, (we were only a mile from Tobermory Harbour), or, missing the Bruce Peninsula, adrift and alone on the open Bay.
The Avalon Voyager rolled back to starboard dropping the huge tractor tire fender on the edge of the raft. At the same instant a body plunged head first through the canopy opening, becoming tangled in my tether line. My tether kept alternating from tight to slack, not helping the situation. I moved the jumper to the far side of the raft and we prepared to receive the next jumper. A large wave foamed through the gap forcing the two boats further apart. Suddenly I was flying through the air, spit out of the canopy like a watermelon seed, flopping ungracefully into the water. No harm done, but as I looked up the two vessels were closing the gap again with me and the raft in between. Rod and Jim reeled me in like a snagged fish a moment before the thump and boom of the next collision. Fortunately the raft was not damaged nor the occupant crushed. Being in the raft and tethered to the tug was not a good option, but being available to help the jumpers if they missed the raft was necessary. I reluctantly plunged back into the water.
The rescue proceeded and two more passengers leaped for the raft as it crested beside them. We had three jumpers in the raft including 14-year-old Mike Henning. I swam the raft back to the tug where Rod and Jim helped the escapees aboard. Two survivors and the skipper to go. I swam the raft toward the ship, certain she would capsize at any moment. The two vessels drifted further apart. My safety line was too short so I untied...and so it went. The rescue stumbled to its conclusion.
Later, rescue completed without casualties, I was standing beside Hank Buitendyk at the stern of the W. A. Spears taking pictures as we pulled away from his floundering ship. She was still anchored, with her bows gamely facing the onslaught of the steep Lake Huron waves, white water sweeping over the superstructure. Hank, with tears in his eyes, watched her receding into the distance. "What should I tell Thelma?" he wondered aloud. The odd silhouette of their Newfy freighter looked so forlorn, lifeless, abandoned.
On the way to Tobermory Harbour Hank asked my opinion. I said she looked like a tough cookie and could probably survive. If the storm abated over night, I thought to myself. It was only a sincere wish, a ray of hope that the Voyager had not met her end. Grounded she could be salvaged intact if it came to that. After all, she was built to withstand the Labrador ice packs, and had done so year after year at the sealing game. It was we who were not up to the task, unequal to her strength. We would collectively prove to be good scroungers as, vulture-like, the locals swarmed over her bones in the days and months ahead. But that day we ran away from her, heading for the safety of our home port, to deliver our supercargo and face the mess that had become of our best day of fishing.
The survivors were landed in Little Tub Harbour and we did our best to recover our fish. Later, with the wind dropping, Pete took Hank back out to the site. This time we were equipped with cutting gear and heavier lines, prepared to take her in tow. As we turned the mark into the channel, craning for a glimpse of the derelict, our worst fears were realized.
She wasn't where we had left her at anchor. The channel was devoid of anything but the big seas still churning in from the lake. The storm was moving on but the waves would roll in for hours. Continuing into the Cape Hurd Channel we found the Avalon Voyager hard aground on a ledge of rock called Scotch Bonnet Shoal, being swept continually by mounting seas. If she survived the night we would see what tomorrow would bring.
In the waning hours of October 30th, there was a blinding sunset over Lake Huron. The orange fireball dropped out of a leaden sky, mocking the participants in the disaster, which befell a lame but game old wooden ship, so far from her homeport of Clarenville, Newfoundland.
Dorie and I stood with Hank and Thelma on Wreck Point, the closest land access to the site of the stranding. The ship was broad on to the limestone ledge of Scotch Bonnet Shoal, spray sweeping her superstructure. Even above the wind and the pounding seas we could hear her keel working on the ledge, as if crying out to us in her agony.
When the sun dipped into a bank of ragged grey clouds we turned to head back to our vehicles. I hadn't had time to give Dorie the details, specifically avoiding my part in the rescue.
"That was something what Patric did, wasn't it, Dorie?" Thelma said. Dorie looked at me.
"What? What did you do?"
"He jumped in the water to save Hank. Didn't he, Hank?" Hank confirmed the deed.
"Patric...!?" I obviously had some explaining to do.
The crew of the W. A. Spears successfully rescued the passengers and the skipper from the foundering Avalon Voyager II. The ship was stripped of all usable equipment but all attempts to refloat the hull failed and her bones and huge engine became just another shipwreck curiosity, a map location of the Tobermory, Georgian Bay Islands tourist area. Her remains were visible for years on Scotch Bonnet Shoal, despite arson and ice, wind and waves, a fading memory of yet another shipping disaster. Her tough Newfoundland heritage almost forgotten. Nothing more than a footnote in the register of shipping. The important thing to remember is that no one died or was seriously injured in the course of events that wind-swept Autumn day in 1981. The following summer the skipper and crew members of the W. A. Spears were awarded the Governor General's medal of Bravery in a ceremony far removed from the dangers of the beautiful waters of Northern Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.
Bio
Patric Ryan, a native of South Western Ontario, grew up on Lake Erie and Lake Huron, moving to Tobermory in the 1970's, and currently lives in Owen Sound with his mate Dorie. They met in Tobermory in 1979, on a boat of course. In 1980 they married with a plan to settle on the Bruce Peninsula and run their own charter business, but Patric became involved in a shipwreck, the stranding of the Avalon Voyager II, and was awarded a Governor General's Medal for his part in the rescue. As a result of the shipwreck saga Patric and Dorie travelled to Newfoundland where they acquired a derelict schooner of their own, many friends and endless stories. They have two wonderful daughters and fond memories of sea-going dogs and cats. Over the years they fished out of Tobermory and operated charter boats, including their own Newfy schooner. They also operated cruise ships on the Muskoka Lakes, (The RMS Segwun), Ramsey Lake in Sudbury and Patric was Chief Officer on a St. Lawrence River Cruise Ship running between Kingston and Quebec City. Patric & Dorie are also artists and have shown in galleries around the area. Patric is a self-published author of several books. "Writing was always a big part of my artistic life. As well as writing novels and short stories, I have won awards for screenplays and produced my own plays. The Fogo's War Trilogy scenario was a result of the trip to Newfoundland. The Fogo's War Trilogy tells the tale of two sailors, a Newfoundlander and a German who were enemies in the World Wars but they became collaborators, then friends to survive." Many works of writing and fine art have followed The Trilogy. Closing the Newfoundland Circles is the true story of the shipwreck, their winter adventure travelling to Newfoundland and the voyage home in their own fishing schooner. Patric and Dorie Ryan have been sharing their experiences in novels and paintings for thirty years. Now the whole story is told in a memoir filled with tales of land and sea, ships lost and love found. Of cats and dogs and coincidences. Of circles of life driven by luck and circumstance. Serendipity ruled and it was survival on the fringe. Patric had many careers as he learned his art and writing craft, living like his fictional characters, one boat, one painting, one book and one day at a time. Patric & Dorie are currently building their new home on the Bruce Peninsula. They built five boats including a 30' steel sailing tug, and continue to experiment with rigs and upgrades. Patric has plans to build a 42' wooden schooner as soon as the house is finished, to Dorie's satisfaction. They sail Georgian Bay out of beautiful Lion's Head Harbour. Besides his growing collection of boats and novels, Patric has a large number of drawings and paintings inspired by Newfoundland, the East Coast and Georgian Bay. Dorie works in paper and clay when she isn't sewing sails for their many boat projects.
Autographed copies of Closing the Newfoundland Circles, 356 pages, 45 illustrations, can be purchased from Sarawak Studios Press. Contact Patric by email, patric@patricryan.com. Or from Independent Book Stores from Tobermory to Collingwood and Creemore, and from Southampton to Sarnia. Or, Patric's books are available from Amazon.com by title or author's name. Patric's art work can be see online at the Gallery de Boer or at www.patricryan.com. Email: patric@patricryan.com.
CLOSING THE NEWFOUNDLAND CIRCLES - BOOK REVIEW
Closing The Newfoundland Circles is actually a collection of three books – The wreck of the Avalon Voyager, Newfoundland Beckons and The Voyage of the Naaman J Humby. The writer Patric Ryan has an interesting background as an artist and generally speaking grew up with a keen interest in work boats and the fishery that translated down the road into professional endeavours as commercial fisherman, fish tug skipper, dive boat Captain, steamship Captain, cruise ship Officer, High School teacher, boat builder, traditional paper maker, writer and painter.
In the fall of 1980 and the summer of 1981, five wooden Newfoundland ships set out on voyages for Georgian Bay. This true story takes the reader through a detailed account of the history and ultimate demise of the Newfoundland built Avalon Voyager (Patric Ryan should know ... he was there to rescue the crew) which wrecked in a storm down Cape Hurd Channel on Scotch Bonnet Shoal (near Tobermory). In Patric's own words “Coincidently we seemed to be involved with every ship wreck on Georgian Bay that decade. The Avalon Voyager, the Caroline Rose, the Aburg, the Remy and the Clarenville.” The story then goes on with Patric and his wife Dorie heading east to Newfoundland to pursue their own dream of restoring and owning a wooden Newfoundland working boat - hence the second part of the book Newfoundland Beckons. Patric and Dorie met plenty of interesting characters along the way and discover the true hospitality of Newfoundlanders. With some trials and tribulations over forty-six days, they bring their well loved Naaman J Humby back to Tobermory in Georgian Bay.
There are many side journeys in the book. Patric and Dorie are animal lovers and their pets share their adventures and various characters from their past pop in and out of their lives. Somehow this detailed account of their love of boats is also much about the twists and turns of the long winding road we call life ... and how one can cope and grow with the experiences learned along the way. Certainly not every one seeks out a stable vanilla sort of life, and Patric is one of those people that is a free soul who stumbles from one adventure to another - some by happenstance and some by design or necessity. I glean his common thread of normalcy is his understanding and dedicated wife Dorie, and their mutual love of wooden working boats.
Closing the Newfoundland Circles is really all about how life runs in circles. Patric says it very well ... " I began this tale by saying that life is a cycle, a trite truism perhaps, but once begun must run to it's conclusion. Life also runs in circles, many circles; circles overlapping circles, not always perfect, not always completed. How you close a circle depends on many things, seldom within your control".
Patric Ryan certainly has a way with words. There is much one can learn from his book about boats, perseverance, persistence, people and the magic of a journey, we call life. While you may well want to read the book for it's interesting detail on working boats and Georgian Bay ... the story is really as much about the people in the book and their real life experiences. If left me with two unresolved personal issues. The first is I must meet Patric and Dorie in person and the second ... I'm embarrassed to say, as a person who has traveled the world (and most of Canada) ... I have never been to Newfoundland, and I must get there while some semblance of it's salty past still invites those who seek.
It takes a bit to get into this book and it rambles around a bit, but it is a good book and it is a true story, in fact a memoir of an interesting characters life. The one really good thing about having the Boating Georgian Bay website is, that I have discovered there are some really neat people still around the Bay that have known or know of the old ways. Old Captains, deckhands, aboriginals, fish mongers are still out there and the area has such a fascinating history, it is important that we learn and relay as much of that as possible to our readers. In the next few decades it will disappear as sure as the passing of time. So take the time to smell the roses and dive into these nautical character histories. Closing the Newfoundland Circles is good start to achieving that objective.
The book can be purchased from Sarawak Studios Press. Contact Patric by email, patric@patricryan.com. Or from Independent Book Stores from Tobermory to Collingwood and Creemore, and from Southampton to Sarnia. Closing the Newfoundland Circle is also available from Amazon.com.
ROCNA DEBUTS NON ROLL-BAR ANCHOR CALLED VULCAN®
Building on the recognized success and performance of the classic Rocna anchor, the new anchor design from Canada Metal Pacific BC based Rocna Anchors is called Vulcan® and offers greater anchor compatibility across a wide range of vessels with enclosed bow roller assemblies.
Rocna Anchors designer, New Zealand sailor Peter Smith, has been designing, building and sailing boats since the early 1960s. A lifetime of Peter Smith's worldwide marine experience was put into an anchor, initially conceived for Smith's own use, which became the original Rocna.
Despite the great documented holding power of the Rocna, some boat owners have difficulties accommodating the roll-bar that is fundamental to its design on their bow. Vulcan® is an ideal alternative for these boaters, since the omission of a roll-bar combined with a carefully designed shank profile provdes a snug fit on the bows of vessels that cannot accommodate the roll bar in the bow roller. The shank shape also encourages self launching and ease of retrieval on a most bow rollers.
The new anchor design features a unique combination of shank and fluke geometry, which in conjunction with a roll-palm™ at the rear of the fluke, self rights the anchor on the seabed without the use of either a roll bar or heavily weighted tip ballast. This allows for a larger fluke surface area equating to more holding power and security on a weight for weight basis.
Shank strength is supported by a unique design, with great resistance to bending because of the unique I-beam geometry. This innovation also improves setting performance with the lower V edge minimizing resistance to a deep set into the bottom of the anchorage.
Available in hot-dip galvanized steel or polished stainless steel, the new Vulcan anchor is available for boats in a range of sizes from 4 kg (9 lb.) to 55 kg (121 lb.) And like the classic Rocna, it features a lifetime warranty against breakage and bending. Now we have not tried this new anchor yet BUT my current boat and my last boat I had fitted with the Rocna classic. I know Peter Smith does his homework. I know Peter did design work and testing himself ... because I got Tweets from our Twitter follower spies that were observing Peter at work out on the west coast as he tested new designs. Rocna has developed a very good reputation for anchors that you can rely on in any weather ... on a wide variety of bottom conditions. I will try the new anchor but I also trust the brand. Rocna is an advertiser on Boating Georgian Bay but I was a Rocna user on my 52' Sea Ray before they were a paid advertiser and it was my overall satisfaction with the product that lead me to pursue them to come on board. I know there are a lot of cruising power boaters that can't use the original Rocna because of their bow roller configuration and I'm sure they will be thrilled with the new Vulcan. More info and videos on this page www.rocna.com/product-range/vulcan Here is Peter's personal site www.petersmith.net.nz
YACHT INDUSTRY BOOMS IN CHINA
To further develop the marine economy in China, the Chinese National Tourism Administration and the National Development and Reform Commission has come out with a bunch of policies to aggressively support and encourage the development of the yacht industry in China.
According to the Chinese statistics, every dollar invested into the yacht industry generates 6.5 to 10 dollars back into the economy. The return on investment to the Chinese economy has huge potential. To date there are 17 provinces in China making plans in developing the yacht industry, including Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian, Shanghai, Guangxi, Hunan etc. When we say develop the industry, we mean their initiative to both increase the already formidable production of yachts and boat accessories, as well as building infrastructure and marketing for visiting yacht tourism. China has great potential as an exotic location for yacht tourism that hasn't really been tapped until now. With the right facilities China could become the next fashionable "go to" location for mega yachts to cruise.
Recently many Chinese coastal cities are undergoing a great boom in the development of the yachting tourism industry. So far, there are 63 existing yacht clubs and 6400 berths in China. But through support and encouragement of the Chinese policies, more than 150 new yacht clubs and 20,000 new berths are under construction or included in the construction plan. In addition many local municipal governments are planning to build public berths to lower the docking cost for yachts to further stimulate the yacht industry.
China is also planning to make yacht industry clusters in Zhuhai, Shandong and Tianjin for domestic boaters. In 2013 domestic yacht berths in China were only 3,000 and the total domestic yacht sales volume was 4 billion yuan. With the rapid construction of the yacht industry in China, it is predicted that the number of domestic yachts in China will grow 13 times over in the next 10 years and by 2020 the total sales volume of new domestic yacht builds in China is expected to reach 20 - 40 billion yuan!
The yacht industry in China is experiencing a pivotal turning point and the yacht market in China is huge. How can western industry tap into the yacht market in China? Boat China 2015 which has been running for 19 years is held in Guangzhou, next to Zhuhai and Zhongshan and is worth checking out if you want to understand the pulse of the yacht industry in China. Some western companies already do display boats in this show ... and one of the principle reasons for being there is to establish Chinese marine partnerships and connections. Given that the Chinese economy is arguably the worlds largest now, it is a market that is hard to ignore given it's upside potential in the relatively new marine market space focusing on wealthy Chinese consumers.
The Boat China show has partnered with hundreds of yacht clubs from many Chinese coastal cities, especially Zhuhai and Zhongshan. Zhuhai has been identified to be one of the most important yacht industry bases and is currently under rapid construction for marine development. At the risk of sounding sexist, it is interesting to see that the Chinese are not above using scantily clad females on display with the boat products ... which seems to draw huge crowds. It may not be politically correct from a Western perspective, but it still draws attention to a venue. It was kind of funny but a few years ago at the Toronto Boat Show in the depths of recession a group of booth vendors and one of the show staff were in casual discussion about how to bring back the show audience that had fallen off dramatically from the peaks of former years, and it was a female in the group who spoke up and said “maybe it's time to bring the bikinis back”. Maybe she was on to something? In any event if you want to go off the beaten track to an emerging market boat show ... and at the same time enjoy some tourism time in China, this show is a good opportunity to do that, and to also make some industry connections over there. Keep in mind, to do business successfully in China (import or export) you need trusted Chinese partners and the Chinese culture requires personal meetings (not emails) to cement a partner relationship. More information on Boat China is on their website at www.boatshowchina.cn/zh-cn .
OH MEXICO
Well we just got back from our annual trip to Mexico. We love the vibe in Mexico and the Mexican people are wonderful caring respectful and family oriented people. It is too bad that all of Mexico gets a bad wrap from the few areas that have cartel initiated violence problems. Like most areas of the world if you go looking for trouble in Mexico you can find it. Yes the cops are somewhat corrupt and yes there are lots of military soldiers cruising around with machine guns. but don't come to Mexico if you want a vanilla Florida vacation. Natural selection is alive and well in many areas of Mexico and you have to be aware as there are just not the warning and safety type considerations we are accustomed to in Canada or the US.
What I most like about Mexico is the gritty contrast of a society where the average worker makes $5 a day coexisting together with some of the wealthiest people in the world calling it home. It is normal to have million dollar condos in the same neighbourhood as happy indigenous families living in a small block shell with a sheet of tin for a roof. It is a stark, yet interesting contrast.
We have travelled many areas of Mexico on both coasts and the Baja. For the last two years Puerto Vallarta has been our base. We love the old town and the fabulous views from the mountain overlooking Banderas Bay and the old town. The influence of the Catholic church is fascinating. We happened to be there when the continuous Lady of Guadalupe (Mother of God) parades were taking place 24/7. Thousands of people from little towns from all over the Jalisco region would walk or bus to the iconic Lady of Guadalupe church, and they arrive at any time (including the middle of the night) where the church welcomes them with bells and cannon fireworks followed by a blessing with holy water.
Some Mexicans cross over and combine their faith with Santa Muerte (Spanish for Our Lady of the Holy Death) who is a female folk Saint. A personification of death, she is associated with healing, protection, and safe delivery to the afterlife by her devotees. Despite half hearted opposition by the Catholic Church her support is large as part of a deviation closely tied to Catholic religion and it arose from popular Mexican folk belief between indigenous Mesoamerican and Spanish Catholic beliefs and practices. Since the pre Columbian era Mexican culture has maintained a certain reverence towards death, which can be seen in the widespread commemoration of the Day of the Dead - (read more). Elements of that celebration include the use of skeletons to remind people of their mortality. Skeletal based Catrina statues produced by artists are a popular collectors item in Mexico. This type of worship is condemned by the Catholic Church as invalid, but it is firmly entrenched among Mexico's lower working classes and various other elements of society.
The number of believers in Santa Muerte has grown over the past ten years, to several million followers.
Crossing over with these beliefs is that many Mexicans make promises to God for granting certain prayers and it is not unusual to see religious Mexicans doing penance to honour their promise to God. Believers make different types of promises that are wide ranging like "if you save my child I will walk barefoot for two years" ... or "I will crawl on my hands and knees with the holy cross through the streets to the church alter". I talked to or watched three female Mexicans that did penance - one who crawled up to the church with her afflicted child in arms, one who walked for a day with a heavy cross hunched over in a position that doesn't allow standing and one who crawled on her hands and knees up the church aisle to the alter. It's different for sure.
We went inland to Tomatlan (means tomato land) the hometown of our Mexican friends and as the only Gringos in town we witnessed the local evening Lady of Guadeloupe parade and met the local judge and retired sheriff in a beautiful dusty little Mexican town where horses were still a common transportation. We also traveled down to the Jalisco southern border and witnessed beautiful undeveloped white sand beaches and ate gigantic fresh oysters just harvested right off the beach from volcanic rock by local Mexican free divers. As always on our Mexican trips, we seek out the best Mexican Tequila from mom and pop Hacienda small tequila production facilities. Some people collect stamps - I collect Tequila. Really good hand made organic Extra Anjou is something special and for those who think Patron is a top Tequila ... you would be wrong. In Mexico even Grande Patron at $800 a bottle might be considered a bar brand in comparison to some of the artisan tequilas available in small operations in remote areas. You won't find these brands in a liquor store.
One of the best things about Puerto Vallarta is the Bay of Banderas ... a very deep (up to 3000 feet deep) sheltered harbour that attracts boats from all over the world. It is great place to to charter a fishing boat because the Bay is spectacular for sport fishing and all fish species down there grow large and plentiful. Yellowfin Tuna, Marlin, Grouper, Yellow Tail will just about jump into your boat. Hammerhead Sharks, Dolphins, many species of sea snakes and Humpback Whales are commonly seen as well. Fishing, boating and the ocean in general is part of the fabric of Mexican coastal society ... and if you have never experienced this as a boater you owe it to yourself to get down there sometime and partake.
NAVY DESTROYER TAKES ON MONSTER WAVES
Bying Inlet & Britt Then And Now
The community of Britt is located on the north shore of Byng Inlet, approximately four kilometres west of Highway 69, at the end of Highway 526. Byng Inlet is also the name of the community across from Britt on the south shore of the water body, Byng Inlet.
In 1868, Clarke White & Co. opened the Page Anson saw mill on what is now called Old Mill Island, just east of Wright's Marina. Also in 1868, Anson Dodge started his saw mill located in the community of Byng Inlet.These two saw mills were consolidated and came under the ownership of the Maganettawan Lumber Company in September, 1876 and in 1883 became under the ownership of the Georgian Bay Consolidated Lumber Company. Over the winter of 1883/84, the Burton Brothers saw mill was built on the site of the former Britt Inn (formerly The Little Britt Inn and now a private residence). Each of the three saw mills had extensive docks and some of the pilings and cribs still lurk below the water. In 1898, the Holland & Emery Lumber Company moved their Michigan mill to where the Anson mill had once stood. The Anson saw mill was destroyed by fire in 1891 with the Burton Brothers mill following in 1893. In 1890, Holland and Graves took over from Holland & Emery and in 1906, Graves, Bigwood & Co. continued the business. Pine logs were the main harvest for the mills although some hemlock was cut and sawn in later years.
At one point the mills in Byng Inlet grew to become the second largest in Canada and the biggest in Ontario. Because the lumber industry was booming in Byng Inlet, additional housing for mill workers was built adjacent to the Byng Inlet mill. Byng Inlet had a theatre, hotels, post office, bakery and a school. The Byng Inlet Post Office opened July 1, 1868. In 1875 enough children were living in the south shore community that a school was built called the S.S. #1 Wallbridge. The school was given the #1 designation because Byng Inlet North (today's Britt), already had a school. S.S.#1. & S.S. #2 which closed in 1950. A young lady school teacher drowned while skating home across the river to Byng Inlet in 1883. During the non winter months boats were used to ferry workers between Byng Inlet and the community on the north side of the river. When a another post office was opened on June 10, 1885 in the community north of Byng Inlet, it was given the simple name of Byng Inlet North. The lumber industry peaked prior to the building of the CPR railway between 1903 and 1908. In 1911 the community on the north shore was further established as a port for receiving coal for the railway's steam locomotives (and later diesel fuel). A train station was built in Byng Inlet North and it was called Dunlop while the Byng Inlet train station was built in 1908, the year the C.P.R. tracks first crossed the Byng Inlet water body.
In 1912, the mill caught fire and burned down (a second fire followed in 1920 in the box factory). The Byng Inlet North post office continued through 1927 and on September 1, 1927 was renamed as the Britt Post Office. The mill was rebuilt and in 1912 and 1913 and was operational in 1914.The post office changed its name to Britt effective September 1, 1927, named after Thomas Britt who was the head of the CPR fuel depot in Montreal.
Byng Inlet and Britt were essentially one industry towns. At it's peak, the communities had a population of about 4200 but when the mill finally closed down for good in 1927 the majority of workers left as there was no work except at the coaling facility. But the reality was that once a lumber person, always a lumber person ... so those young enough to work, headed to northern Ontario and western Canada.. The mill was demolished shortly afterwards ... but there are still some remains lying along the shoreline on private property. After the lumber mills closed, the Britt train station sat empty for many years. The CPR company had decided to demolish the Britt station (built 1912) just as they had done to the Byng Inlet station (built 1908). Some folks from southern Ontario that were former area residents wanted to preserve the station and approached the CPR company. CPR agreed to allow the family to move the train station to private property. CPR covered the cost of transportation and the station was sold for a dollar. Due to impassable bridges at both the northern and southern sides of Highway 69 it didn't get very far and the Britt train station can be found along Station Road just north of Byng Inlet.
Britt was a fuel oil distribution depot. About four times per year, large ships over 350' used to bring fuel from Sarnia into a Britt tank storage farm from where it is trucked further north for distribution. The C.P.R. railroad also uses Britt for storage and fuelling its trains. The big ships no longer come with the water levels being so low over the past number of years.
Today things are looking up for Britt and Byng Inlet. Britt is known around the Bay for it's fresh Pickerel and a commercial fishing boat works from Britt and Byng Inlet and they come back with a daily catch of whitefish and some pickeral. It also has a seasonal recreation industry and it has become a logical stopover for boats cruising north and south on Georgian Bay. Britt is a safe sheltered port to refuel, get boat repairs, provision and just enjoy the comings and goings of yachts while eating as much fresh fish as possible during a stay.
One of the most important businesses in Britt is Wrights Marina Limited. Sixteen year old George Wright settled in Britt in 1930 while his father, Carson returned with his tug to the family home in Collingwood after a summer of fishing. The Wright family moved their summer fishing base to Britt from the Squaw Islands because of low water to continue to fish commercially. In 1947 George Wright brought the first diesel powered engine onto the Georgian Bay and since the highway at that time ended at Britt - tourists, fishing parties and hunters could then be delivered from Britt by boat to their more remote camps by Wright's Transfer Service. The Wright's Marina Limited was established in 1950 by George Wright and his wife Elaine. Their son Doug and his wife Doreen became the owners in 1971. In 2000 the third generation of the Wright family daughter Karrie, and her husband Graham Lacey took over the business. The water taxi service survives to this day as part of the marina operation.
Karrie and Graham are known throughout the marine industry on Georgian Bay and Graham Lacey is Past President of Boating Ontario. Their marina is true to it's principles of quality work, fair prices and good value for cruising boaters. They are Lieutenant sponsors of the Americas Great Loop Cruising Association and they always offer a warm welcome to cruisers stopping in for a visit. Wright's Marina http://wrightsmarina.on.ca/ is an authorized sales and service dealer for BRP Evinrude and Johnson outboard motors and they can make repairs to all boats small or large. The marina can haul boats to 48' for repairs and they can take yachts up to 100' on their docks. During the summer season, Wright's Marina stocks some of the basic requirements for boaters and local cottagers in their store. The marina offers food, shelter, art, entertainment, private showers, laundry facilities, pump outs, gas & diesel fuel, Wi Fi and 30 & 50 amp power at the docks ... and quality friendly service.. Wright's marina is at mile 61 on the Small Craft Channel chart 2203 right at the west end of Britt and it provides excellent shelter in bad weather and the route in is very scenic.
Remember when planning your cruise, Britt is the logical marina stop heading north from Parry Sound and you won't likely find cheaper fuel than Britt if you are heading upbound or downbound. It is worth a stop in Britt.
If you are interested in more in depth information on area history check out Fred Holmes book The History of Byng Inlet and Its Shoreline Communities.It is available at Wright's Marina or via fred.holmes@sympatico.ca
BOATING GEORGIAN BAY MAGAZINE TO GO
We now have links on our BGB Magazine Archive page HERE so that you can download the magazines to Windows or Apple devices and take them with you to view on your device at any time. Handy for when you want read them later on vacation or on the boat when you may not have an internet connection.
CRATES KESWICK IN RECEIVERSHIP
Crates Marina Keswick (not to be confused with Crates Lake Country in Orillia, (which is a completely separate business) one of the long standing and larger marina operations in Ontario has gone into receivership according to several confirmed sources. Just before 5 pm on Friday November 21st the doors closed. It does not affect the Belleville operation ... but it is thought that Lagoon City, Port McNicoll, Willow Beach and Port Credit operations were affected in addition to the main Keswick based marina. Sources has said the marina operator is upside down $28M. It is assumed a receiver on behalf of creditors will take over the operations.
BGB DIGITAL MAGAZINE WINTER ISSUE COMING SOON
The next free Boating Georgian Bay online digital magazine is just around the corner. We expect we will launch it December 21st ... or sooner if we can manage it. Once again thanks to our advertisers who make it possible to offer the magazine for free. This issue has all of the advertising sold out and we have the Toronto International Boat Show and Lefroy Ranger Tugs coming onboard for the first time.
We have some great articles in this issue including a piece on Hope Island Ghosts. I'm sure many of our readers have anchored off the beautiful Hope Island beach or perhaps taken their dinghy around to the Lighthouse ... but did you know Hope Island had a sordid past and even some documented ghost sightings? And you'll want to learn about the most amazing mariner that ever sailed the oceans & waterways – Joshua Slocum adventurer and publisher. Also for those history buffs, relive the demise of the Mary Ward Steamer. And check out our info pieces on installing Lumitec underwater lights and an add on cockpit bimini, for summer sun protection. And there's a nice article on one of our favourite spots to hang in the summer - Killarney.
If you are not already on our mail list, sign up at the top of this page and we will email the free magazines to you as they are seasonally available ... or you can download it from this site on the Home page ... or pick it up from the Apple iBooks Store.
WEST MARINE CLOSING CANADIAN STORES
Marine retailer West Marine will close all ten stores in Canada during the next few years ending its presence here.
"We have some fantastic associates up in Canada. This was a very difficult decision for us," West Marine CEO Matthew Hyde told analysts during a quarterly earnings call Oct. 23. "That said, this is all about ensuring that when leases come up that we're making the right determination about where we invest our money. "So we will be closing our stores in Canada over the next few years," Hyde added.
The company has seven leases coming up throughout the coming year that won't be renewed. With the exception of the Toronto store, where the company has the lease termination at the end of this year, the six additional stores will operate "basically through the season," said CFO Thomas Moran.
"As you can imagine, Canada is a pretty highly seasonal market. So that's just a callout about next year. But beyond that, the impact on our top-line sales and on in our contribution and profitability is immaterial [in 2015]," Moran added.
So you can read into this that after 2015 there will be only two stores left in Canada with remaining leases that will likely go in 2016.
INTERESTING PARTNERSHIPS
Contender has announced a new agreement whereby purchasers of Viking sport fishing yachts will have the option of purchasing a Contender for use as a bait boat or tender.
Contender has signed Valhalla Boat Sales, a Viking Yachts factory owned company and dealership as a Contender dealer, according to Contender Boats. Valhalla Boat Sales is now a full line Contender dealer and will be offering Contenders to Viking customers. Both Contender and Viking are established market leaders in their own segment ... so it's an interesting partnership combining two separate corporations selling together under the same dealership – you buy the big boat and how about we throw a little one in for a great package deal kind of thing. Makes a lot of sense when you think about it. What new Viking 92 owner won't need a high quality chase boat to go with it sitting on the docks. I wonder if Boston Whaler, Grady White or Pursuit will follow suit and partner with say Bertram or Hatteras brands?
THE ORENDA - BOOK REVIEW
Many of you may have already read this book, as it is a best seller by Giller Prize winning author Joseph Boyden. The story is clearly set in the Georgian Bay region although the author uses different geographic descriptions to tell the story of the Huron conflicts with the Iroquois and the interjections of the Jesuit missionaries trying to assert their role in the conversion of aboriginals to Christianity, some 400 years ago. The story is very granular and gets into great detail in the everyday lives, conflicts and brutal conditions the aboriginals endured to survive. If you don't appreciate the detail of violence and the lengths that the Huron and Iroquois go to to avenge hundreds of years of seething hate, then you won't want to read this book because there is a great deal of gore vividly described. It must be said though, that the author uses the brutality of the situation to provide the context necessary to portray the day to day struggles and traditions of the warring tribes.
One might ask oneself when did these aboriginals have time to forage and farm, because they seem to be all consumed with every bit of their energy put into annihilating each other, while the real threat of white mans religion, disease and settlement gets tolerated to a degree, as the tribal killings rage on. Author Boyden weaves a carefully crafted mesmerizing story, rich in the detail of aboriginal customs and traditions as well as the misguided intentions of the missionaries ... an adventure that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.
Although the characters are fictitious, it is easy to believe they are documented, historic real characters and you'll get to know them as well as you might a close friend ... or a known enemy. The book puts some bones on the sometimes bland written documentation of the history of the area, and it is a must read for anyone interested in interpreting what was going on, when whites first arrived in the Georgian Bay/North Channel area. After you've read this book, you'll never again look at Christian or Beausoleil Islands the same way when you anchor offshore. It is hard to believe there was such brutality and hardship in such a beautiful, yet unforgiving rugged setting. It also leaves you awestruck how determined and capable the aboriginals were in sustenance survival at that time.
OUR CUSTOMER SURVEY RESULTS
This is a summary of what our viewers told us about Boating Georgian Bay:
- 36% of viewers visit the site a few times a year, 27% visit about once per month and 30% are on the site often
- most popular pages in order are What's New, Boat Stuff, Mermaid of the Month and Message In Bottle editorial
- 40% have seen Boating Georgian Bay TV ... so 60% have not – we have to do something about that one
- 80% have read the first Fall Boating Georgian Bay online magazine
- 90% of respondents own a boat
- 67% boat on Georgian Bay, 10% wish they did, 12% boat elsewhere and 10% don't currently own a boat
- everyone but 2 replies seemed to really like the site
- 28% of viewers want to see more stories on history of the area and historical marine information, 24% want more cruising stories, 23% want more interviews with interesting boaters and people in the marine industry
The survey response will be useful to us. In particular those areas where viewers want more stories on specific themes. We were kind of surprised that Mermaids was the 3rd most popular page but yet it ranked low in terms of what viewers wanted to see more of. Maybe the assumption is they will just keep coming to the site once a month? Truth is we are going to run out of Mermaids anyways in the next few months. We were not surprised that viewers want to see more interviews with boaters and people in the industry – we hear that all the time. I think what people want is for Boating Georgian Bay to be a go to place for the marine orientated newsy type stuff that is happening on the Bay. Without question Georgian Bay and the North Channel have some of the most interesting pre human, aboriginal and European explorer/settlement history in North America. For the average person they had no idea how much important history that shaped the world happened right in our own sparsely populated area of Georgian Bay. We have done a number of presentations on Georgian Bay History & Attractions to groups at the boat shows and rendezvous ... and boaters are genuinely interested and intrigued by what happened in the past ... especially the shipwrecks and stories about folks living and surviving in the remote and harsh conditions like first nations, homesteaders and lighthouse keepers on out islands. We will continue to research and present more history of the area.
THE FATE OF THE JANE MILLER STEAMER
The Jane Miller went down on November 23rd 1881 somewhere between Spencer's Landing and Cameron's Dock near Wiarton just inside of Colopoy's Bay close to White Cloud Island. It is thought there were 46 people on board but no one will ever know for certain, because they didn't have a passenger or crew manifests back then.What is known is that she left Cameron's dock and had taken on some wood for fuel and was getting close to Spencer's Landing just a few miles away where she was to take on much more wood. So her below decks fuel bay was somewhat empty. She was fully loaded on the decks out of Owen Sound (top heavy) and she took on another 30 tons at Meaford. It is thought that the 59 iron farm ploughs (destined for Manitoulin Island) on her hurricane deck shifted and got caught up in the iron railings and pulled her over. It was a raging gale on Georgian Bay with heavy snow coming down. The steamer would have had all the gangway doors shut tight and she likely went down fast with no chance of escape for those inside.
This article from the Wiarton Echo tells the story as well as any.
Click to enlarge
THE TREACHEROUS DEEP AN APPALLING CALAMITY
What was foreshadowed in these columns last week has now become an absolute certainty; the propeller JANE MILLER has gone down with every soul on board, leaving nothing behind to mark the spot where the dreadful calamity befell her, and only a meagre remnant has been given up by the cruel treacherous deep to proclaim the awful tidings of the hapless steamer's fate. A broken flag-staff, four or five caps belonging to the crew, some parts of the hurricane deck, a few pieces of freight and four oars identified as belonging to the ill-fated steamer are all that have been found. Though the amount of wreckage this far discovered has been small, yet the fact that the steamer has entirely disappeared, and no human eye has seen her since the night the dreadful disaster is supposed to have happened, leaves not a single doubt in the minds of all that there is one more vessel to be added to the list of mysterious disappearances, and that the waters of Georgian Bay have engulfed another ill-fated WAUBUNO and twenty-eight unfortunate human beings.
Information concerning the time the steamer left Owen Sound is not very satisfactory but enough has been ascertained to show that she departed from there on the 25th of November for Meaford. It is stated that she then had a very heavy load of freight - all she could safely carry - and at Meaford she took on thirty tons more. She left Meaford on the afternoon of that day for Wiarton, and the last positive intelligence we have of her is from Big Bay, where she arrived about 8:30 p.m. After taking on a small quantity of wood she cast off her lines, with the intention it is stated of calling at Spencer's Landing to "wood up" We have heard that while laying at Big Bay dock Captain Richard D. Port ordered the steamer to start immediately as he said they would require to blow water out of her and it is further stated she was rolling very heavily and that is all.
On that particular night there was a heavy gale from the south-west in progress accompanied by a blinding snow storm, which made it impossible to see any great distance. As an indication of the ferocity of the gale we are informed that propellor CITY OF OWEN SOUND during a trip from Collingwood to Owen Sound had her anchors ready to let go at any moment, and her captain said it was the wildest night he ever experienced on the Georgian Bay. We know that the steamer left Big Bay wharf, but excepting the statement made by Mr. R. Cameron. given elsewhere, and the fact of finding the wreckage described above, we have no further accurate knowledge of the luckless propellor. The rest is only conjecture. But the events thrown together point to a very definite conclusion, - that is the JANE MILLER foundered on the near neighbourhood of Spencer's Landing, in that fatal night, and now lies in over two hundred feet of water not half a mile from shore. It is surmised, and we think correctly, that after taking in the extra freight at Meaford the steamer became top-heavy, and the fact that nearly all, if not all of her load was in the main deck, (part of the hold having been reserved for, the fuel she was to take on at Spencer's) there being no ballast and has simply rolled over without a moments warning, gives ample ground for such a conclusion.
That not one of the victims of the dreadful disaster has been found need not be wondered at when it is considered that the strong gale and snow storm which was raging at the time no doubt compelled every gangway and other avenue of escape to be closed against the elements without. Thus completely penned in and before the slightest effort could be made to save themselves, twenty-eight souls were hurled into eternity without time to utter a prayer. The awful scene, as the helpless despairing victims were ruthlessly carried to their doom, no pen can adequately portray. But their agony must necessarily have been brief, and "The stout limbs yield for their strength is past" The trembling hands on the deep are cast. Their white brown gleam a moment more. Then slowly sinks - the struggle is o'er!" The disaster is all the more mysterious... the fact that although a hurricane from the south west might sweep the point where the accident is supposed to have occurred it could not create waves sufficiently strong but that a skiff might pass along in comparative safety as it would be blowing directly off the land. The steamer too was a new and strongly built, and that hardly a vestige of her has been found fully justifies the statement That she has gone to the bottom with her precious freight of human lives is beyond peradventure, and it is saddening indeed to think that almost within her haven and within sight of the homes of many of those on board the catastrophe should have occurred.
A watery grave deep and dreadful has been their fate, and we know of no more fitting requiem then the following, by Oliver Wendell Holmes:
"Well may the eternal waters be
Their broad, unsculptur'd tomb!
The wind that rings along the wave,
The clear, unshadow'd sun,
Are torch and trumpet o'er the brave,-
Their last green wreath is won!
No stranger-hand their banners furl'd,
No victor's shout they heard,
Unseen, above them ocean curl'd,
Save by its own pale bird;
The gnashing billows heavy'd and fell
Wild shriek'd the midnight gale;
Far,far beneath the morning swell
Were pennant, spar, and sail!"
To the people of this village the realization of the dreadful calamity that has befallen the JANE MILLER, her unhappy officers and all on board has come with startling effect, and awakening the deepest sorrow. She was a Wiarton steamer, and Captain Port's family reside here. Last Tuesday evening a public meeting was held and a search party organized. The tug TOMMY WRIGHT has made one trip to the scene of the accident, with the party on board and we give below Mr. Wm. Bull's statement of the result of their search:
"Yesterday morning the tug TOMMY WRIGHT in charge of Mr. James Inksetter and Hugh Boyd - with Messrs. D. G. Miller, Samuel Parke and the writer provided with ropes, grappling hooks, and a long lead line, went down the Bay as far as Spencer's wharf. Where we prepared to commence dragging. While this was going on I took soundings and got 33 fathoms about 50 rods from the end of the dock, we dragged with one grapnel out for several hours, and then proceeded to White Cloud Island to see if anything more had drifted ashore, Though we made no definite discovery we gained information which indicates that the vessel has foundered about half a mile from Spencer's wharf. I give the facts that seem to point to this - that on the evening when the JANE MILLER was last seen she left Big Bay between 8 and 9 o'clock on Friday evening with the intention of calling at Spencer's dock to take in wood and then proceed to Wiarton. That same evening Mr. Roderick Cameron and family expected their son from Owen Sound by the WIARTON BELLE and were looking out for her. They saw the lights of a steamer pass their place in a snow storm about nine o'clock or a little after, and watched her till she appeared to be nearly up to Spencer's dock, which is within two miles. She then appeared to be stationery. She never reached Spencer's dock as there was no wood taken. On Sunday last, (being a calm day) Mr. McGregor and two young men started from near Spencer's dock to go to the Island to see if they could find any indication of the missing steamer, and in rowing straight for a bay on the island, they saw some air bubbles rise to the surface of the water, and the water itself slightly discoloured at a particular spot Mr. McGregor roughly took the bearings from certain objects on the shore and proceeded to the Island where, in the bay they found a number of articles belong to the steamer, viz., a bucket rack, cradles of her boats, an oar with the name of JANE MILLER on it, her flagstaff, broken off, and two caps that have been identified and a number of other articles. These were all found within a short distance of each other. On returning from the Island yesterday, in the TOMMY WRIGHT; Mr. McGregor showed me the bearings of the spot where he had seen the baubles rise. And I found that this spot was about half a mile from the end of Spencer's wharf, in a north-easterly direction. The spot where the articles were found on the island was also in a direct line with this, and the wind was south-west that night. This is about the place where Mr. Cameron and his son could have last seen the boat on her way up the Bay. All the indications point to this spot and we can locate it, I think within a circuit of a quarter of a mile. Besides the soundings I took about half a mile above the spot Mr. Inksetter sounded about halfa mile below it, getting about the same depth, so that we conclude she is lying in about 200 feet of water. The search will be continued until all hope of discovering the wreck is lost. Meaford will send a tug to co-operate with the party here.
As far as has been ascertained the following are the names of the lost. A Port, owner, R. D. Port, captain,.F. Port purser, all of Wiarton. J. Christison engineer, Red Bay; Alex. Scales, wheelsman, Keppel; Gilbert Corbet, fireman, Owen Sound; four deck hands, names unknown, J. Jestin, Port Elgin; J. Holeek, S. Thompson, of Meaford, I Hutshart and wife, Tobermorry; R. Gillespie; Jas. Hope, Sydenham; Capt. McLeod, Goderich; Mr. Hill, Collingwood Township. The names of the others are not known but they were a number of labourers engaged in work at Watt's mill, Lion's Head and McLandress shanty Tobennorry.
Capt. Andrew Port was one of our most respected citizens and his genial and kindly presence will be greatly missed from among us. He was a good sailor and on the fatal night when he met his death, if any act of heroism had been required of him, he would not have been found wanting. He had often braved greater dangers than his last voyage appeared to portend. He came to Wiarton in September, 1878, and, with the tug PRINCE ALFRED; plied between Wiarton, Owen Sound and Lion's Head until the JANE MILLER came on the route. It was in the PRINCE ALFRED that Captain Port attempted his memorable trip to Michael's Bay with r. A, Lyon, M P. P. And party in the winter of 1880, and after being driven back to Tobermorry and getting frozen in there for a month, he, in endeavouring to return to this port, got fast in ice, and for two weeks, without rudder or fuel, drifted about in Georgian Bay, finally arriving in safety. He has made his last voyage, however, and a widow, two grown-up sons and daughter mourn his untimely fate.
Capt. Richard Dawson Port was the eldest son, aged 24, and a young man of more than usual promise in his calling. He commanded the ill-fated steamer. He will be sadly missed by his many friends here, by whom he was held in high esteem.
Charles Frederick Port, purser, was the youngest of Capt. Port's family. This was his first season. He was a steady promising young man and respected by all his fellows. He was only 15 years of age. James Christison, of Red Bay was a practical engineer, and held first class papers. He lived in this vicinity upwards of three years, and was greatly respected by all who knew him. He leaves a widow, and four children to mourn his loss. Alexander Scales the wheelsman was the eldest son of Mr. Alex. Scales of Keppel, and we understand, a steady, industrious young man.
The Jane miller was built at Little Current, Manitoulin Island, by James Miller & Sons, and launched in 1879, she was 150 tons, classed A 2-1/2. Capt. Port purchased her in June, 1880, and employed her on the route from Wiarton, Meaford, Owen Sound, and the south shore of Manitoulin Island. We understand she is insured for $6,000.
DROWNED
In Georgian Bay, by the foundering of the Propeller JANE MILLER, on the night of November 25, 1881
ANDREW PORT, aged 52, RICHARD D. PORT, aged 24,
CHARLES: F.R.EDERICK PORT aged 15 years
lAS. CHRISTISON, age not given,
Together with twenty-four others of their fellow beings, who went down to death on that awful night.
The above announcement speaks for itself, and tells to our readers that all hope that this unfortunate vessel might have reached a safe haven is now at an end and there is no room for doubt that she lies at the bottom of the Georgian Bay, having carried down with her at least 28 human being. The calamity, viewed in any light is an appalling one; but the fact that the ill-fated boat went down almost, we may say, within sight of Wiarton adds more poignancy to the sorrow which all must feel at the immense sacrifice of life which has taken place. The JANE MILLER was a new boat, having been built in 1879 at Little Current on the Manitoulin Island, 160 tons burden, classed A 2-1/2, and purchased by Capt. Port in 1880. The pecuniary loss which will be very large falls heavily on his unfortunate family. We have no certain information as to the cause of this disaster, and can only conjecture that it was occasioned by the overloading of the boat, and the shifting of the cargo when she came broadside to the storm. There is no doubt that the JANE MILLER was a good staunch, boat, and this is endorsed by the fact that with the exception of the few loose articles which have been picked up, not a vestige of the ill-fated vessel has risen to the surface. Had the contrary been the fact the rush of the waters as she made the fatal plunge would have broken her to pieces ere she reached the bottom. That she lies within a short distance of Spencer's dock, in about two hundred feet of water, now is all but definitely ascertained. The tug TOMMY WRIGHT has been out trying to locate the exact position of the sunken vessel, as yet without success. A tug from Meaford is expected to co-operate with the TOMMY WRIGHT in the search, and we sincerely trust they may be successful in their endeavours.
Captain Port was a thorough and experienced seaman and perfectly well acquainted with the waters of Georgian Bay, and we feel quite sure that all that good seamanship and pluck could do, on his part and on the part of his officers was done to save his steamer with its precious freight of human lives. The sympathy of the whole community is extended to the families of all the unfortunate men in their heavy affiliation ... the bereaved families, and if necessary by substantial aid, try and alleviate the distress that must invariably follow to those families who have by this sad calamity been deprived of the support of their bread-winners. The affliction falls very heavily on the family of Capt. Port, but more particularly so on that of Mr. Christison, of Red Bay, the engineer, who are left, in a measure unprovided for. We trust that the committee appointed at the public meeting held last Tuesday evening will, if they find it necessary to call upon the people for aid to the distressed family of this unfortunate man, meet with a ready and cheerful response to their appeal, and though we were powerless to avert the disaster we can, by our sympathy and aid, soften the affliction.
Wiarton Echo
Friday December 9,1881
THE NEVER ENDING DEBATE ON ANCHORS
I have had lots of different anchors on boats over the years. Some are anchors I have bought, and some came with boats. I have had the extremes of a heavy duty English forged plow anchor with poured lead weighted tip and I have had a light weight aluminum Fortress style anchor. The anchors I have owned on boats ranging from 35' - 52' are as follows: Danforth, Fortress, CQR, Plow, Bruce (claw), Rocna. Danforth was my first anchor I ever owned and I inherited one on a 52' Sea Ray I bought as well. I have never been a fan of Danforth or Fortress anchors. I end up using them as backup stern anchors and use a replacement for the main anchor. I used a CQR on a 36' sailboat from Lake Simcoe down to the Bahamas and back and unless you have an inordinate amount of chain laid down at say 15:1, they tend to break free and bump along the bottom in windy conditions. Same goes for the forged plow ... although it's weighted tip performed somewhat better than the CQR. Now I don't have any technical data to back these findings up but I do have practical experience in a lot of different conditions that made my mind up for me.
There is nothing worse than breaking anchor in a storm in the middle of the night. I've been there and done that more times than I want to think about. Quite frankly I would would never recommend a Fortress, Danforth, CQR or Plow. I'm not trying to pick a fight, and sorry in advance if you own one - it's my opinion based on my experience of ownership. I know Bruce anchor users are loyal but I found the holding power is hit or miss depending on the bottom conditions. Almost any anchor will set well in soft mud or sand but the hardest set is on a heavy weed or rocky bottom.
My last two boats the first thing I did was pull the anchors off that came with the boat and replace them with a Rocna. You see more and more cruising boats sporting Rocna's these days. Make sure you don't pick up a used one that was manufactured in China. They will bend due to inferior metals. If it was made in Canada or New Zealand you've got the good stuff. I like to sleep at night and that is my anchor choice. I worry about other people in the anchorage and not my boat dragging. I once set the Rocna (30,000 lb. boat) in pure sand on a windy day and backed into the set and parted the 3/4” rode post chain and it went off like a stick of dynamite. I set my secondary Danforth as a temporary solution and went snorkelling to retrieve the Rocna and it was dug in and hadn't moved when that rode parted. The thing has holding power big time. I can't speak to the new Rocna without the loop. It seems to me it is an entirely different design. But I realize it may be a solution for boats that can't accommodate the self righting hoop on the original Rocna.
I imagine that the Ultra and Manson Supreme would perform like the Rocna because they are very close in design. I am anxious to try the Mantis because I have heard good things about it ... BUT I'm not keen on the bolt together parts and it seems to me that although similar to the Rocna it might lack a bit of surface tension with the narrower spade portion. Anyways I am not a scientific anchor tester and I see so called impartial data all the time that different manufacturers and hired supporters put out showing their product is the best. It certainly is a competitive industry.
The one thing I'm sure of is ... bigger is better. Oversize your anchor and the more chain ground tackle you can carry the better. Remember a boat swinging free will always hold better than a boat with a stern tie or Bahama set, because there will be less resistance and tugging. Gusty conditions are worse than steady strong winds and wind gusts tend to shift in direction somewhat. In some situations you won't have the space and hence you won't have the option of swinging totally free. Rope snubbers not only keep the chain quiet but cushion the tugs that might break an anchor free. And always remember in a tight anchorage follow the lead of the anchoring method of the boats that got there before you. Most of all when you get a new boat, get rid of that funny little toy most boat manufacturers stick on the bow and call it an anchor. Nothing screams inexperience louder that a 50' boat with an anchor suitable for a 30' boat.
DRONE COPTERS - GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY TOOL OR INVASION OF PRIVACY?
There are a number of really good drone copters for sale now in the thousand dollar range that have some amazing features like gimballed cameras, built in GPS, auto “follow me” and go-home failsafe retrieval. If your copter is programmed in go home mode – if it were to get out of sight and out of range or the batteries got low it heads back to a pre programmed location, lands and waits for you. The better products just snap together and have ranges of a half mile away and 1000 foot height ceiling. You don't need a license to fly these if under 35 kilograms (yet) and they go perfectly with a Go Pro camera.
The federal government has launched a public campaign to help Canadians fly drones safely. Transport Minister Lisa Raitt reminded operators of legal restrictions on drone use, such as keeping at least eight kilometres away from airports and not hovering above 90 metres. “How I explain it to my kids is, it's heavy, it's going to be up high in the air—if it falls out of the air and hits somebody on the head it's actually dangerous. So safety really does matter, it's as simple as that,” said Raitt.
The safety push features a website guide and forthcoming online ad and social media blitz and also highlights that commercial operators and those flying aircraft with a take off weight of MORE THAN 35 kilograms need a special certificate from Transport Canada before they fly their copter. If they fly without one, they can be fined up to $25,000. “Transport Canada is facing an ever-growing demand for SFOCs, making it difficult to respond to applications in a timely manner,” reads a note sent to Raitt earlier this year. In 2013 Transport Canada issued 945 copter flying certificates. The waiting time is supposed to be 20 days.
There are many to choose from, but the DJI Phantom 2 Vision + is one of the better ones. There is also a Canadian company making a Bluetooth copter that is being crowd funded right now that will be released in March 2015, that promises to be exceptional. We're not telling you which copter to buy, because you can research that yourself and make that decision based on the budget you have and the features you want.
So here's the thing. You can get stable high res video from any angle, close or far, that is spectacular that you will get no other way. For boater's you can get some amazing shots (video or stills) with a copter following the boat or perhaps a wakeboard. Imagine out at Beckwith Island checking out the anchorage or video coming over the Hope Island lighthouse and then panning out over the anchorage or perhaps following a yacht heading down the gun barrel of the Bustard Islands. You get the idea – really spectacular stuff you can't get from the ground or even off another boat.
Now while this the coolest thing since sliced bread for photo buffs you have to ask yourself where do you draw the line in terms of privacy. While some might regard it as a fun toy, others may see it as a professional photography tool and some on the receiving end might see it as an outright annoyance. Legally at this juncture anyone in Canada can fly one of these drones and do it very well with just a days practice. And when you are out in public you are in the public domain and folks can photograph your boat or you. Now there was a guy charged who was flying one of these things taking photos inside high rise condo windows. Clearly that is “peeping Tom” kind of stuff because it is willful spying on others while inside a residence with a reasonable expectation of privacy. But what about if the ladies are sunbathing on the fore deck of your boat and a drone copter comes visiting? It may be legal but it's not right. Maybe they won't care but maybe they will.
Problem is if you're like us and would love to take pictures or video of boats from the air ... you probably never know what you will find on any given boat. While you may get some fantastic photos and videos from the air – you may not make many friends in the anchorage. These things don't make a lot of noise but you can hear them whir when they get close. To be honest we take photos of boats all the time from our boat sometimes with some pretty long lenses. Our viewers want to see boats and the boating lifestyle. Sometimes we ask and sometimes we don't – depending on how close the shots are and if people are involved. Frankly I have never had anyone turn us down for some photos or video when we ask. Almost everyone loves to be on camera. Usually if it's video and there are persons involved it's one of those things you plan out with the person or cast in the video before you start to shoot so they know what to expect. Anyways we were thinking of getting one of these things, but we are torn with disrupting peoples' privacy photographing from the air. As a boater what do you think about this? Great tool for some great boat shots or an invasion of privacy? Email us at info@boatinggeorgianbay.com and let us know.
Here are some video resources and tips on flying drones.
FURUNO WINS 2014 NMEA MARINE ELECTRONICS AWARDS
Furuno won four National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) awards at the 2014 NMEA Convention for a total of 212 wins with NMEA. Over the past 40 some years Furuno has received the honour of being the most awarded company in the marine electronics field by NMEA. Furuno also received the Manufacturer of the Year - Support Award for the 9th consecutive year.
Furuno also won in the best radar category for the 39th year in a row with the NavNet TZtouch TZTBB with DRS6A Radar. The TZTBB is a Black Box Multi Touch MFD coupled with a 6 kW, 4-foot radar array, which incorporates Furuno's UHD digital radar processing for fantastic target detection and performance. The NavNet TZtouch also won in the Best Multi-Function Display Category. Furuno's FCV587 Fish Finder won as best fish finder.
"Bringing fresh, new products to the market is certainly an important part of business, but offering excellent customer service is the cornerstone of Furuno's success. I am proud of the employees we have at Furuno here in the US and around the world and their dedicated service to our customers." said Jim Atteridge, President of Furuno USA.
DOGS ONBOARD
We came into a cove to anchor this Fall and noticed a sailboat with really nice lines already at anchor. Shortly is was joined by another sailboat that rafted, and soon it seemed there was a menagerie of four legged friends scurrying about, happy to see each other. We got to talking to the owners of these two beautiful sailboats and we wanted to find out how they coped with the dogs (and cat) and when they cruised.
"Exit Stage Left" is a Hylas 42 owned by Deborah Everitt and Tony St. Amant and she hails out of Pentanguishene. Tony grew up in "Pentang", so his love of the water and sailing comes natural. They did the club racing scene at Mimico Yacht Club, and Tony even LORC race campaigned for a while. For Deborah and Tony the sea and adventure was calling ...
so they sold their house and pushed aside their land based lifestyle and moved aboard the Hylas with their West Highland Terrier dogs Barley & Sugar ... and their cat Chloe. They plan to be cruising long term, and they will over winter in Pentanguishene and resume their explorations of Georgian Bay and the North Channel in the spring ... and then head south next fall via the Atlantic coast, spending some time in the Chesapeake and visiting the Annapolis Boat Show before continuing south to the Bahamas and other Caribbean Islands. They have no fixed address no fixed schedule and no fixed plans to return to Canada. They will be taking it a day at a time and their "ark" with all their worldly possessions is the appropriately named "Exit Stage Left". Most folks dream of this kind of adventure and Tony and Deborah are turning their dream into reality.
"Ceiba II" is a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49 owned by partners Brett Colville and David St Amand and she hails out of Midland. Brett and David both work in Toronto, but they wanted a boat that could take them to far off destinations once they retired down the road. They traded in their old boat, a Catalina 36 and in the Fall of 2013 trucked the Jeanneau up to Georgian Bay from Port Credit. Brett & David had visited Georgian Bay three years earlier and they wanted to do some sailing in the worlds best fresh water cruising destination. They knew Tony & Deborah from the Mimico Yacht Club, and like Tony & Deborah they too are avid dog lovers. Their furry friends are Bosun & Ensign. Their plans are to use Georgian Bay as base for their boat for the next five or six years. For Brett & David and the pups, it's like going to the cottage whenever they can get away.
So without further adieu here is a video with the crews of "Exit Stage Left" and "Ceiba II" talking about boating with their pets:
HEY GRAMPS TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PIRATE DAYS SMUGGLING COCAINE
The Makayabella sailing yacht was seized by the Irish Navy some 200 nautical miles off Ireland's most southerly point. The yacht was tracked across the Atlantic by authorities in several countries as it left Venezuela, stopping off in Trinidad, before it was boarded and seized off the south coast. Under armed guard on Thursday, the one tonne haul of cocaine was unloaded off the yacht onto the docks at the Haulbowline naval base in Cork Harbour.
The seizure was so large the suspects were forced to use bales of cocaine as makeshift furniture for the long voyage. It's thought the illicit shipment was destined to land somewhere in Wales before heading to the north of England. John O'Mahony, assistant commissioner of An Garda Síochána, said the interception would deliver a serious blow to drug cartels operating right across the world. Police in England have already said the cocaine is worth more than £100 million. That is one big haul of cocaine! Captain David Barry of the Irish Navy described the raid as follows: “It was a particularly dark night. We believe they had no idea we were there until we were actually on board”. The crew was in reasonably good condition for being out at sea for so long and put up no resistance to the Navy and no firearms were found.
Boating Georgian Bay did some digging and found that Makayabella was a Caribbean charter yacht Captained by John Powell 70 years old ... his son Stephen Powell 47 years old and four other men were arrested.
This from a yacht charter site: Makayabella can accommodate 6 guests in 4 cabins. The Master cabin has a double bed, shower and toilet. 2 Guest cabins have a twin bed, shower and toilet. A Guest cabin has a double bed, shower and toilet. Makayabella has no air conditioning. The voltage onboard is 110/220/12 volts. Smoking is allowed on deck. Makayabella´s crew has a separate companionway, heads and shower. Guests are not allowed to bring pets onboard. Yah no pets but cocaine's just fine!
And this from another yacht charter site: The Crew: The combination of John's Yachtmaster and Divemaster experience and Sue's imaginative culinary skills together with their delightful sense of fun and adventure is certain to ensure that your holiday will be one to enjoy and remember.
John was born in Greenwich, England and has sailed for many years progressing from dinghies to yachts before buying his own boat which he sailed across the Atlantic to the Caribbean in 1991. Here he successfully chartered whilst continuing to explore much of the area including many fascinating and little known uninhabited islands in the Caribbean and Venezuela. Having decided tha Caribbean and continue chartering. This he has done together with his 2 sons who now carry on running the highly successful cabinet making company.
Sue comes from Leicestershire in England and has also led something of an adventurous life; after attending catering college she worked in a variety of pubs, hotels and restaurants. She has traveled through Europe, the Middle East and East Africa and lived in North Africa and France before settling in South Africa where she lived for 16 years. Here she found herself preparing meals as diverse as "Zoo Stew" for guests on game farms, and "Marinated Marlin" for a family beach barbecue! It was in South Africa that John met Sue whilst on a shark diving holiday on the south coast of Natal.
So it looks like Sue was not on board and perhaps had nothing to do with the operation. Who knows eh? But John's in a heap of trouble. Note John has some experience in Venezuela where the drugs were thought to originate. Well perhaps the charter business was not as lucrative as John thought it would be. That one big shot didn't pay off. Or maybe it wasn't the first time? If convicted the whole bunch stand to spend a long time in jail and for a 70 year old Captain living the Caribbean lifestyle ... it will be a very uncomfortable adjustment. So kids, if your reading this, remember CRIME DOES NOT PAY ... VERY OFTEN. Here is a video of the seized vessel.
US COAST GUARD TO INTERCEPT MARINE TRAFFIC FOR EBOLA CHECK
The US Coast Guard in Long Island Sound will be contacting ships's crews that have recently been to Ebola affected countries to determine whether passengers or crew have symptoms of the virus, before they are allowed into port. The US Coast Guard sector, which includes parts of New York and Connecticut issued a bulletin to the maritime community outlining the protocols due to the Ebola outbreak. The Coast Guard will specifically ask whether anyone on board is experiencing symptoms of Ebola, such as fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, cough, hiccups, sore throat and other symptoms. If any symptoms are present, the Coast Guard will ask how many people are sick, when the symptoms started, whether they have been treated, if they have arranged for medical care and if they have been around anyone else who is ill. It will also determine whether any crew will be getting on or off the ship once it gets to port.
Ships headed to American ports are required to report illnesses or death from communicable diseases among passengers or crew fifteen days before arrival, according to the Coast Guard. There have been no reports of people infected with Ebola on any vessels entering into US waters yet. The Coast Guard had issued a nationwide bulletin about Ebola in August, reminding vessels of the rules regarding the reporting of illness. The Coast Guard will work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and US Customs and Border Protection to review each situation. The Coast Guard can restrict a vessel's movement or bar entry to better evaluate the situation if need be.
MARGARITAVILLE BEACH RESORT
Jimmy Buffett made a surprise visit to the Fort Lauderdale site of the new Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort. After a walk about with the resort's developer Buffett gave the property a positive endorsement with a thumbs up.
Construction is on pace for the Summer 2015 grand opening. Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort recently announced its executive team and details on its St. Somewhere Spa. Included in the resort plan are multiple waterfront venues with everything from Tiki bars to upscale dining including a Margaritaville Restaurant, LandShark Bar and Grill and conference space. www.MargaritavilleResorts.com
WOW CHECK THIS OUT!
At the recent 2014 Cannes International Boat Show representatives from Boston Whaler introduced the new 420 Outrage.
"The 420 Outrage is the largest Boston Whaler ever produced. It all began by asking, 'How can we push beyond the limits of what's possible in a center console boat?' We've found our answer in the 420 Outrage. There is literally nothing else like it on the marketplace."said Jeff Vaughn, Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Customer Service. Show attendees were treated to an intricate two-foot scale model of the 420 Outrage with the finished full sized boat to be introduced at the Fort Lauderdale Boat show October 30th. The detailed replica highlighted several of the boat's defining features including four Mercury Verado 300 HP engines with joystick docking. And like all Whaler's it's unsinkable.
The 420 Outrage will be the ultimate outboard sport fishing boat with walk around centre console that is also perfectly suited for onboard entertaining. The bow and helm areas are designed to facilitate group gatherings and the well appointed cabin provides head, galley and accommodations. The 420's debut comes on the heels of a major facility expansion at Boston Whaler's Florida based headquarters. With an addition of more than 58,000 total square feet the expansion significantly increases Whaler's manufacturing capabilities and will help them keep up with demand for their boats.
Apparently orders for this boat are coming in sight unseen. It's one of those boats that plays down the glitz but will turn heads wherever it goes. The boat has a look that says it means business, and the four 300 HP turbo Verado's hanging off the stern leave no doubt that it's the new bad boy in town. It's nearest competitor would be the well respected See Vee 42 with quad outboards.
HATTERAS MAKES BOLD MOVE TO EXPRESS MODEL
Hatteras Yachts has just announced that they will unveil a 45' Express Cruiser. The 35' - 50' range down-east style express cruisers are on fire right now as boater prospects look for all the creature comforts in a quality package, with great fuel economy and ease of handling. It's not only about big anymore ... but rather more about quality, manageability and great use of space. As boaters get older many are downsizing to something more practical ... but they want the very best in quality construction and amenities. Hatteras has heard the call and is responding to the market.
This is a sneak peak, and the boat will be unveiled at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show October 30th. The yacht is available with or without a tower. The tower setup looks like the boat comes with a real fishing pedigree. Overall length is 44' 7" and a beam of 16' 6". She holds 80 gallons of fuel and 100 gallons of water. The boat draws 3' 8" with props included.
While many manufacturers are refocusing to down-east express style cruising/fishing models, when an icon like Hatteras moves into the market space it's news. Info to come soon on their website www.hatterasexpress.com
FRANKLIN EXPEDITION SHIP DISCOVERED!
The mystery of two British ships that disappeared in the Arctic in 1845 has perplexed historians and lead to many searches through the decades. More than 160 years later Canadian divers have found the wreck of one of these British Navy ships. Searchers used remotely operated underwater drones to find the ship although it is currently unclear which of the two vessels it is. Photography shows the wooden vessel has remained intact, with only the main mast sheared off. The ship was resting upright in only eleven meters of water below the surface.
It is said that sailors on the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror may have turned to cannibalism after the ships became stuck in ice at the Victoria Strait in the Arctic Territory of Nunavut. Searchers hunted for the crews until 1859, but no sign of either ship was found until the bodies of three crewmen were discovered in the 1980's. Crews abandoned the two ships trying to find help after both of the ships became locked in ice near King William Island. The crews wandered for hundreds of miles over the ice and the local Inuit gave conflicting reports of the directions they took ... but eventually over the years traces of seventy crew members have been found. The original search expeditions in the 1800's helped to map the Canadian Arctic for future generations.
Canadian divers and archaeologists increased their efforts to find the shipwrecks in 2008. The Canadian government is embroiled in legal strategy aimed at asserting its sovereignty over the Northwest Passage with Russia (being the primary adversary) disputing Canada's territory. Russia a few years back planted a Russian flag on the bottom of the ocean in the Northwest Passage. Canada in turn has stepped up it's military and cultural support for the area.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the find to the media saying, "This is truly a historic moment for Canada. This has been a great Canadian story and a mystery and the subject of scientists, historians, writers and singers, so I think we really have an important day in mapping the history of our country." "Franklin's ships are an important part of Canadian history given that his expeditions, which took place nearly 200 years ago, and laid the foundations of Canada's Arctic sovereignty" added Harper.
GREAT LAKES SCUTTLEBUTT - BOATING GEORGIAN BAY ARTICLE
Boating Georgian Bay has an article published in Great Lakes Scuttlebutt MAGAZINE. The article was requested by the magazine in their interests to promote Georgian Bay cruising. Increasingly boaters are hearing about and taking interest in Georgian Bay as the worlds ultimate fresh water cruising destination. "We will provide content to any magazine that wants to feature information on the North Channel or Georgian Bay ... it's not competition but rather partnerships working together in the interest of boaters and tourism for the Georgian Bay area" says Mark Coles of Boating Georgian Bay. "We are about to launch the first FALL issue of our Boating Georgian Bay magazine and we hope that boaters who read the magazine would also like to contribute their cruising experiences on Georgian Bay" adds Coles.
GORE BAY IS A HAPPENING PLACE
On a recent trip to Gore Bay we were amazed at the hustle bustle of the small Manitoulin Island community. Some big boats are visiting Gore Bay these days including a 163' Amway family yacht that we mentioned in a earlier article on BGB.
While the boating season is winding down ... one anchor business in Gore Bay keeps steaming right along through Thanksgiving weekend. Canadian Yacht Charters owned by Ken Blodgett and Pam McLaughlin-Blodgett is a major factor in attracting people to the North Channel from all over North America and even Europe. We were surprised at the diversity of locations that CYC charter clients had made the their journey from. Just like Canadians like to charter in the BVI's in winter ... Californians and Floridians like to charter the North Channel during the Summer and Fall. Some even prefer the Fall because there is less traffic in the anchorages, the crystal clear water is still warm for swimming and the fall colours can be spectacular.
Marshalling the charter boats coming in and out of Gore Bay is a challenge and cleaning them and getting ready for the next group that jumps aboard the same day is nothing short of running an army of people dedicated to keeping the charter fleet bristol, and running like a clock. Eve the running gear is inspected by a diver as each boat returns. It's a busy operation when things are running full swing.
The town of Gore Bay is cute and has some really interesting architecture - both commercial and residential. Good homemade food is available at several restaurants and accommodation is available at several B&B's right in town. We stayed in a very nice two bedroom rental apartment managed by the local real estate company. We drove out on the point of the Bay to the Janet Point Lighthouse which is privately owned, but generously the owners allow tourists to visit. Deer along the road to the Lighthouse seem tame - just like you see in Carmel California wandering along the road. I'm guessing they get less tame when hunting season rolls around. We also drove around to the escarpment across the Bay from the town to take in the spectacular views of Gore Bay from a great height.
In the Gore Bay yacht basin it's hard to miss the spectacular brand new rather large Neptunas yacht owned by the local owner of Manitoulin Transport, one of the largest trucking companies in Canada. The yacht is Captained and apparently makes it way down to the Caribbean in the winter, as one might expect for a yacht of that size.
There is still a fishery in Gore Bay and you can buy excellent fresh and smoked fish for very reasonable price right at the marina base. If you have never been to Gore Bay it's an interesting place to arrive by boat or by car.
Gore Bay as seen from escarpment across the Bay
Gore Bay's Janet Head lighthouse
Downtown Gore Bay
Lots of interesting old boats in Gore Bay
PARRY SOUND SUICIDE MISSION
Well we headed off from Midland for what we expected would be our last late August window to cruise. The first day was a scorcher ... one of the best we have seen all summer ... and we spent the day swimming at Beckwith Island and anchored overnight. The next morning was supposed to bring thundershowers, so we deemed it a travel day and weighed anchor early in the morning to head for Parry Sound. As it turned out, we had nothing more than a few drops of rain when we were on the way north. We took our time enjoying the scenery. Not too many boats out and about. We took the south channel to Parry Sound. Along the way we came upon a big barge with a dump truck on it heading south in Five Mile Narrows (see pic above). We wisely radioed the skipper and got right off to the side of the channel to let him push on through. Big responsibility manoeuvring that kind of load through such narrow passageways. Learned that the bridge leading into Parry Sound is not obligated to open for just one boat ... unless you are commercial traffic.
We arrived at Big Sound Marina (see pic) and the staff were very courteous, and were there to assist with docking. George Stivrins the new operator of the marina is on top of his game and he will treat you right when you're in town visiting. We try to get to Big Sound once or twice every season because it is a great base to explore Parry Sound from. After filling up with fresh Parry Sound town water at the docks, we walked into town to Wellingtons Pub and Grill for lunch (see previous review on Restaurant Review page). Once again they did not disappoint and I had my favourite Tiroler Snitzel washed down with Steam Whistle on tap and my wife had the Whitefish with Pino Grigio. The wife says it is the best whitefish she has ever had the opportunity to partake in. We had a chance to talk a bit with Owner Mike Reeves who has a passion for collecting historic Georgian Bay memorabilia. Below is a short video of some of Mike's Georgian Bay memorabilia collection.
And then it happened. My wife pointed out that it was wing night at the restaurant. I have a weakness for good wings and I don't get them often. The deal was I had to walk back to the boat and walk back for dinner both ways to earn the wings. Mike would have driven us but my wife insisted on torturing me if I was going to get those wings. I asked the waitress about hot vs. suicide. She said the suicide would make her eyes water just getting them to the table. But I do like things HOT. So to be safe I ordered the hot wings with a cup of suicide sauce on the side. It was a big feed of wings (2 lbs.) plus a whole stack of veggies and home made blue cheese dip. The wings were delicious and cooked to perfection ... but I was craving the heat - so the whole cup of suicide sauce went on the wings. I ate every one of those hot little suckers and I was kind of numb around the mouth later but wings are a love hate relationship ... and the chicken wing hang over doesn't come until the next morning anyways. Man oh man do I love good wings washed down with copious amounts of ice cold beer. I pretty much needed a bath when I finished them all, and then I had to keep my end of the bargain and walk all the away back to the boat at Big Sound Marina.
The next morning I had a wing hang over but we departed Parry Sound heading south to Browns Bay. It was a gusty day and the clouds were amazing. At anchor that evening the sky colours were spectacular (see pic) and then overnight the sky opened up crystal clear as a cold front enveloped us. The stars were spectacular that night. The winds died off that night but came up again the next morning. About 3 pm the next afternoon we weighed anchor in 25 knot winds and headed for Midland satisfied our suicide wing mission in Parry Sound had been accomplished.
OWN A PIECE OF MARINE AND AVIATION HISTORY!
So, if you were going to buy a boat that had real pedigree and history what would it be? Perhaps something owned by Royalty or a Presidential yacht? No thanks ... Queens, Kings and Presidents come and go. Want something really unusual owned by a one of a kind person? How about Albert Einstein's boat? Hmm to my knowledge he didn't have a boat. Well then how about Orville Wright's boat - you know the guy who invented manned flight? Guess what ... it's for sale.
Orville Wright had a long history on Georgian Bay until a US Envoy dragged him away at the beginning of World War II thinking he was an easy target for German spies lurking in Canada. His beloved Lambert Island (not far from Midland) and his beautiful Gidley built boat Kittyhawk (named after Orville's first manned flight aircraft - Kitty Hawk) were left behind and then Orville passed away.
Kittyhawk was fully restored by Guy And Kathy Johnstone. Kathy's father, a France from Franceville was Orville's dear friend and caretaker at Lambert Island. The boat had the compass given to Orville by Amelia Earhart. AY Jackson was a frequent passenger. The Johnstone's are at the point where they can no longer maintain Kittyhawk on their own and although a number of museums want the boat (including the Smithsonian), due to tax/donation issues they simply can't make the numbers work. The boat ... or perhaps we should be calling it a motor launch, is in pristine condition. It has the engine that Orville installed with the help of Mr. France still purring away. The boat is regal and an impossible act to follow at any classic boat show ... anywhere in the world. It is valued at 1.2 million but due to a soft post recession marketplace for antique boats, it is for sale right now for $395,000. You'll never see one like this again. It needs a home where it can continue to be properly maintained and cherished by someone who appreciates the historical importance of the vessel. In the first upcoming July 2014 Boating Georgian Bay TV episode we will feature the Kittyhawk so stay tuned. HERE is more information on the unusual history of the Kittyhawk. If you want to contact Guy Johnstone for purchase information click HERE and send us an email and we will put you in touch.
KILLARNEY TRIVIA
Killarney was originally called Shebahonaning the native Anishnaabek term for "safe passage". It was established as a fur trading post in 1820 by a French fur trader and his aboriginal wife. The first steamer the "Penetanguishene" arrived in 1836. In 1854 the village was renamed Killarney. In 1867 the Killarney west lighthouse came into operation to begin operating after Canada's confederation. This makes it the first official Canadian lighthouse. Shortly after the east lighthouse was built, both were rebuilt in 1909. Between 1949 and 1961 it was essentially a fish camp owned by Fruehauf Trailer Company with the main base being what we now know as Killarney Mountain Lodge. In 1962 a 70 + km road finally came into Killarney and public tourism started in the area. Fishing is still a big part of it's economy (Herbert Fisheries).
BAYSCAPES ART AUCTION 2014
This Fall, Georgina Bay Land Trust annual Bayscapes Art Auction will be held on November 14th at the St. James Event Centre in Toronto. The auction will feature work from a variety of artists who love Georgian Bay. It's a great opportunity to find special Bay themed pieces for your cottage or home, such as the stunning painting by Ed Bartram shown above. Don't miss this exciting event!
GBLT are currently looking for volunteers and sponsors for this event. If you're interested, please contact Janet Lougheed at janet.lougheed@gblt.org. We'd love to have your help.
NORTH CHANNEL VISIT
We just returned from a trip up to Killarney, Little Current and Gore Bay. We were up there filming for Boating Georgian Bay TV. The weather for the three days we filmed was the best we've seen this summer. Killarney was a little quieter than it was last summer or the summer before that. The marinas were fairly full, but not at capacity ... especially the docks across the channel from Sportsman's Inn had lots of space. Killarney Mountain Lodge Marina is much smaller than the Sportsman but it seemed full. The Lodge's mooring buoys out in the channel were all in use. It helps when cruisers paying for dockage or moorage at Killarney Mountain Lodge get full use of the resort facilities including the pool. The Killarney Mountain Lodge resort accommodations seemed almost at capacity. We had a delicious dinner and breakfast in their dining room (and we had good pizza over at the Sportsmans Inn for lunch). I love the traditional rustic quaintness of the Killarney Mountain Lodge. I can see why Killarney Mountain Lodge attracts a lot of European visitors.
Little Current was smokin busy. It's just the way you would expect it to be in peak summer ... but to be honest many ports of call around Georgian Bay would die to have all the boats that congregate in Little Current. We filmed the Ranger Tug Rendezvous and I was amazed that boats had come from Florida, Texas and Rhode Island. Some of them were Loopers. A few trailered in from far off places. In any event the Ranger Tug owners are loyal to their brand and they sure know how to have a good time. We met Cruisers Net icon Roy Eaton and he is still going strong doing his good work over the VHF for the benefit of all boaters.
Over in Gore Bay things were busy as well. CYC had all of it's yachts chartered back to back and it was a mad rush to get them all serviced and cleaned when one group steps off and the next charterers show up that same afternoon to get back on. Every charter guest that stepped off a CYC Yacht that we talked to loved the North Channel experience. Lately Gore Bay has seen some really big yachts visit including the 163' Amway family yacht (see pic). We had a great time up there, and I'm going to make it a point to get back there more often. My perspective on the our short visit was that the North Channel is in pretty good shape marine business wise, compared to some areas of the Bay BUT it's disadvatage is an awfully short season with some marinas closing right after Labour Day weekend.
BOATER'S SAIL IN CINEMA
Shades of Killarney's boaters drive in theatre Batman ... boaters can now enjoy the Toronto Port Authority's free 'Sail-In Cinema' movie festival, August 14-16. Viewable by land or boat, the movies will be projected onto a floating, two-sided, 700-pound, four-story screen placed atop a barge anchored in Toronto's Harbour. Sail-In Cinema is being held at Sugar Beach (25 Dockside Drive) and will offer Torontonians and guests the unique chance to enjoy classic feature films beneath the stars along Toronto's waterfront.
"Entering our festival's fourth year, with the help of our incredible sponsors, we really wanted to make Sail-In Cinema an all-evening affair, with gates opening at 6:00 p.m. and non-stop activities, free samples, food and entertainment offered prior to the start of each night's feature film. From a navy marching band to free treats and swag to a spectacular Toronto Fire Boat water display, the waterfront at Sugar Beach will truly come alive and is something not to be missed." said Deborah Wilson, Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs, Toronto Port Authority.
Each night guests can enter to win exciting prizes from partners, including airline tickets to anywhere Porter Airlines flies. Keurig, a fan favourite from last year's film festival, will provide complimentary full-sized cold and hot coffee beverages, while Fruttare will help festival attendees beat the summer heat with free iced treats. The HMSC Royal Canadian Navy Band, Waterfront BIA Singing Ambassadors and Toronto Fire Boat will also perform.
This year's "Creature Craze" themed movie lineup will include Jaws (August 14), Jurassic Park (August 15) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (August 16). A limited number of free tickets are still available at www.sailincinema.com. While tickets are free, seating is limited on the landside and entry is subject to the availability of space. Movies will start after sundown (approximately 8:45 p.m.) and gates will open at 6:00 p.m. Boat mooring is available on a first come basis.
BOATING GEORGIAN BAY MAGAZINE LAUNCH
Boating Georgian Bay will launch it's first online boating magazine this Fall. We will be issuing a new magazine every season (4 times per year). The digital magazine will be available to our substantial website audience, to our mailing list and in the Apple and Android stores. It will be FREE to readership.
Attached is the cover of the first issue. Most of you probably already subscribe to online magazines, and like most online magazines, you can flip the pages and view it on your phone, tablet or laptop. Our magazine will also have some imbedded videos to support the stories we write. Each issue will have about 14 or more feature stories ... so these magazines will be interesting for serious boaters who like a good read. Although the magazine will carry the name Boating Georgian Bay ... just like the web site www.boatinggeorgianbay.com, we will market the online publication diligently to ensure that it becomes widely known and read in boating circles all over North America.
The Boating Georgian Bay web site is the highest traffic boat site of any kind in Ontario – we are confident of that. It probably is the highest traffic boat site in Canada ... but we can't be 100% sure of that yet. Our goal with the magazine is to be a circulation dominant player in the online boating magazine market by next summer ... and yes we realize there are some great competing boating magazines that have been in print for many years that more recently have gone digital to satisfy the market that is rapidly moving away from print to digital.
What will be different about our magazine?
1/ It will be FREE to readership.
2/ It will be content heavy in comparison to most boating magazines.
3/ We will utilize embedded videos in the articles where they make sense.
4/ We will be a seasonal publication, not a monthly publication - so we can concentrate on quality content of high interest ... rather than fluff.
5/ First Page SEO is an experienced top performing world class web marketing company and we will market this magazine no holds barred.
6/ We will sell limited “theme relevant” advertising space only, and the magazine will NOT have 75% advertising and 25% content ... but rather the other way around.
7/ In this magazine you will not find multiple advertisers on a given page, because we want our advertisers to have the sole attention of readers on those limited pages that we do offer ads.
8/ There are no artwork charges or hidden extras.
We will be selling limited advertising and we will keep the costs at a fraction of what one would normally pay. There will be a generous 40% discount to advertisers that book all four seasonal issues upfront.
Advertising pages will be as follows:
- inside front cover $900.
- inside back cover $700
- outside back cover $800
- half page interior ads (6 available) $400
SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY SELLS HIS BOAT
So who knew Paul McCartney loved boats. He could have owned a super yacht if he wanted one ... but instead he opted for an ex navy DICKENS CLASS motor yacht built by Groves & Gutteridge, Cowes, Isle of Wight built and launched in 1956. Paul has decided to part with the boat after 27 years of ownership.
The boat advertisements don't mention its owner McCartney ... saying only that the boat has an 'interesting history'. The 52' boat named Barnaby Rudge is a converted naval launch and is advertised for £60,000 anonymously. A spokesman for the former Beatle said proceeds from the sale would be donated to Oxfam.
The wooden hulled vessel was offered for sale by Essex Boatyards. She has a forward cabin with four single berths, a galley and an aft cabin with a large double bunk with mahogany woodwork and teak floors.
It is said that Paul and Linda McCartney spent a lot of time on the humble boat with their kids including time not long before Linda's death to cancer. The boat has many memories for the rock star. After conferring with his children, he decided he had to let go and move on, and the decision was made to sell the boat.
NEW MAPS DOCUMENT FLOATING PLASTIC TRASH
Tens of thousands of tons of plastic garbage float on the surface waters in the world's oceans, according to researchers who mapped giant accumulation zones of trash in all five subtropical ocean gyres. Ocean currents act as "conveyor belts," researchers say, carrying debris into massive convergence zones that are estimated to contain millions of plastic items per square kilometer in their inner cores.
- NG STAFF, JAMIE HAWK. SOURCE: ANDRÉS COZAR, UNIVERSITY OF CÁDIZ, SPAIN
THE GOOD OLD DAYS
Michie & Company carried an inventory that included such exotic items in the 1800's as Valencia oranges, figs, spices and imported cognac. The company's creed, that service was as important as quality, led to Michie & Company becoming the most important retail destination in all of Toronto and the surrounding area. This was the golden age of customer service where the sales clerk signed each hand written bill with "your most faithful servant."
Michie's customers, whose names were among the country's wealthiest elite, made their way to the busy King and Yonge corner from all parts of Toronto and the surrounding countryside. The purchases completed, servants would load the goods on wagons prior to the trip home to Rosedale, Parkdale, or far off Richmond Hill.
There were many wealthy Canadians and Americans in camps, resorts, lodges and cottages in Southern Georgian Bay. George Michie had some friends and Toronto customers summering up on Georgian Bay and he saw a retail niche opportunity. They began shipping pre ordered goods by train from Toronto to Midland where it went by steamer (SS Midland City was one) right to the doors of those hospitality properties and private cottages that could afford their services. This went on for over 100 years and future orders were posted and sent back the same way the orders came in. For decades it really was the only way to get luxury goods and exotic foods brought to remote locations in Georgina Bay. Other steamers came by but unless you were transporting the goods yourself, their fair would be pretty standard stuff ... including livestock still very much alive.
Michie's continued as a family run business until 1947 when John Forbes Michie ... the grand nephew of founder George, sold the company to the Simpsons Company. The Huronia Museum near Little Lake in Midland has several artefacts from Mitchie & Company on display.
COSTA CONCORDIA ON THE MOVE TO SALVAGE
Here is a drone view of the Costa Concordia being moved to salvage after the monumental effort of righting her and re-floating her in the most expensive salvage operation in history ... taking over a year and 2 billion dollars. For past information on the Costa Concordia look back through our previous What's New page articles.
BOATING GEORGIAN BAY TO LAUNCH DIGITAL MAGAZINE
Beginning in September, BGB will launch the first online issue of our new seasonal boating magazine. The magazine will have interesting stories on marine history, attractions, cruising destinations as well as lots of editorial, videos and pictures. The magazine will be published quarterly for each season. All those on the Boating Georgian Bay mail list will be emailed the magazine and there will also be links on the website. Although the magazine is called Boating Georgian Bay ... there is enough general boating feature content that it will be of interest to all boaters in North America. The magazine supplements our efforts for the website and the BGB TV webcast series.
WYE HERITAGE MARINA HOSTS 2014 LOOPERS
American Great Loop Cruising Association members are rendezvousing at Wye Heritage Marina between July 19th and July 23rd. This is a chance to stopover and outfit as they continue their journey north through the 30,000 Islands to the North Channel and then back to the US on their way south via Chicago. For most it is their first time arriving in Georgian Bay. Wye sends a boat to escort them to the marina from Lock 45.
Wye puts on a bunch of activities including a $6.95 full breakfast at Henry's South, a Mayors welcome reception, concierge service, organized excursions, complimentary pump outs, discounted docking/fuel and a farewell BBQ. So if you are in the marina or visiting the marina take the time to welcome and say hello to the Loopers. It is easy to identify a Looper boat because they are usually flying a AGLCA flag on the bow and a US flag on the stern ... and of course they are outfitted for cruising.
VOYAGE PLANNING FOR YACHTS
California based Applied Weather Technology (AWT) has launched Bon Voyage System for Yachts (BVS) moving for the first time into the private yachting sector. BVS for Yachts is an on board software system for voyage planning that provides up to date weather forecasts and ocean data for yacht Captains, owners and charterers.The company is known as a leading commercial provider of fleet optimization services and onboard voyage management software. BVS for Yachts is an easy-to-use on board software system for voyage planning coupled with onshore resources to help make yacht journeys predictable and trouble free. BVS for Yachts uses high res data, making it easy to plan and optimize routes for time, safety or cost. BVS for Yachts also provides 15-day forecasts and custom forecast parameters to enable yacht owners to find the best weather window for their journey and the best route for their voyage. BVS for Yachts also includes safety features such as severe motions or resonance alerts to reduce severe rolling and dangerous vessel motions, detailed rogue wave forecasts, wind speed, sea height, swell height, and global pirate attack information provided by the IMB Piracy Reporting Center. All data is automatically downloaded via the Internet so the latest information is always available. AWT is partnering with KVH Industries to deliver AWT's BVS high-resolution weather data via the KVH MobileCast & WeatherLink services. For yachts without Internet access data is delivered via email.
"AWT is well-established in the maritime shipping industry and we are excited to be releasing a customized version of our Bon Voyage System for Yachts," said Haydn Jones, CEO of AWT. "We released the original BVS more than a decade ago for the commercial shipping market and we have continued to refine it within that market. We have tailored this version for the interests of yachts, but it has the same trusted core features of the market leading Bon Voyage System used onboard more than 5000 ships" adds Jones. "BVS for Yachts has everything yacht owners need to provide a safe and comfortable voyage for their guests," said Rich Brown, vice president of products and systems at AWT. "Specific areas of ocean forecasts, visibility, port vicinity forecasts and sea surface temperature helps ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip. And with all our products at AWT, we prioritize safety and efficiency. We've included features specifically designed to keep yachts safe while helping them transit as efficiently and comfortably as possible" says Brown.
For more information, visit www.awtworldwide.com and click on “Products and Systems.”
COSTA CONCORDIA PREPARED FOR SALVAGE
Two and a half years after the Costa Concordia struck a reef and sank, the operation to move the Costa Concordia finally got underway in the waters off the island of Giglio, Italy. If all goes according to plan, the once sunken ship where 32 people died will be towed to Genoa to be disassembled for scrap.
The salvage company has already begun with the emptying of the massive metal boxes which helped to right the ship last September. They are now being filled with compressed air to raise it about 2 metres in the water. The entire re-float operation requires the boat to come up by 12 metres. This is expected to take up to five or six days. A flotilla of tugs, motor boats, fire service boats and other craft carrying environmentalists and marine biologists are swarming around the wreck, ready for action in the event of problems.
The main concern of the salvage company is that the ship could break up when moved, spilling some of the remaining chemicals & fuel into the sea and subsequently onto the beach which is less than 50 metres away. Once underway, the ship will travel about two knots per hour for 240 km accompanied by the tugs and support boats. It is estimated that that the total cost of the entire rescue and salvage operations over the last two and a half years will be in excess of $1.75 billion.
MEET GAIL OUR NEW CO-HOST
Sometime last winter we made the decision that we needed a female co-host for our Boating Georgian Bay TV videos. No one likes to look at an old dude spouting off about boats all the time. It needed a softer touch and someone who is interested in boats and has fun on boats but NOT someone who is a walking boat encyclopaedia. So who did I know that would fit the bill? I racked my brain and eventually a little light came on.
Gail Holness is my wife's Yoga instructor (and I confess mine for a season too) and Gail did a segment once for us on Boat Yoga www.holness-yoga.com. Boat Yoga is not very common in Canada but very popular in the yachting centres of Miami and Fort Lauderdale ... but I digress. Prior to her north country life with yoga, Gail owned and operated several restaurants in Toronto. So Gail is a very friendly and outgoing gal who is always inquisitive and has a very positive mental attitude. She is very laid back and relaxed, which is nice for a change because it offsets my tendency to charge out of the gate. We thought she'd be perfect for the job.
She's very comfortable talking to anyone and she's learning to love boats. She is also pretty fast on her feet with conversation and grasps issues quickly. While she is long time kayaker she is just a few years new to the bigger boats and has been out and about with her husband Mike on our boat ... and let's face it who doesn't like hanging out on yachts!
So Gail has signed on - or to be honest, "conscripted" to grace future episodes of BGB TV. In our latest episode you'll see her on Orville Wrights Kittyhawk, aboard the 54' Cruisers with Esterline CMC Raymarine and up in the air with Georgian Bay Airways. In our late August episode you'll see Gail at Aquapalooza, Huronia Museum, Discovery Harbour, the Ranger Tug Rendezvous in the North Channel, a visit to CYC Yacht Charters and hanging out on the streets of Killarney.
MERMAIDS OF THE MONTH
So by now if you are one of our many fans who visit this site, you're probably thinking we are totally out of our minds. You wouldn't be far off there ... but don't think of us as totally crazy – just a bit eccentric. So really soon ... we are starting a Mermaid of the Month feature. Yes ... wonderful ladies that have a second dimension to their lives as Mermaids. Now if you've read our blog way back in 2011, we touched on the historic Mermaid sightings sworn by an Assistant Lighthouse Keeper on remote Georgian Bay's Lonely Island. In that article we promised you Mermaids ... and after all, a promise is a promise, There is much controversy regarding Mermaids, since the Animal Planet aired it's Mermaid documentary TV show several years ago, documenting lots of Mermaid evidence and several videos including this one
I know what your thinking ... who the heck believes in Mermaids? Well 200 years ago who the heck believed in dinosaurs? And 50 years ago who the heck believed that man could land on the moon? We've been on this planet for a very short time relative to the age of the earth, and we really know so little about the depths of the oceans. It's another relatively unexplored world. Thankfully our beautiful planet is still chock full of wonderful surprizes. Just in the last few years, five new species of sharks have been discovered – Carolina Hammerhead, Goblin, Smooth Toothed Black Tip, Walking Bamboo and new species of the Ghost Shark. In my twenties I spent some time almost every day for many months snorkelling offshore in the ocean in the Caribbean and every day I saw something new and surprising, that I had never seen before.
So let's all accept that it's not out of the realm of possibility that there could be Mermaids! Are you still with me? So for a hundred years, sailors have been seeing and fantasizing about Mermaids. But did you know, many woman fantasize about Mermaids too ... and some take it a step further and make it a reality. That shouldn't be a surprise given that an entire generation grew up idolizing the Little Mermaid, Ariel. As you know Boating Georgian Bay always has the inside track on anything nautical or interesting “on” or “in” the water. So dear viewers, our next quest is to bring you ... every month, an exclusive Mermaid of the Month. Real ladies being what they like to be - Mermaids. Stay tuned.
CANADA'S EAST COAST ROCKED BY HURRICANE ARTHUR
Hurricane Arthur is the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. In records dating to 1851, this hurricane declared on July 3rd was the first to make landfall in North America this early in the season. The earliest previous hurricane was on July 11, 1901. Arthur brought flash flooding and power outages resulting in widespread road closures. In Atlantic Canada more than 200,000 people lost their electricity as heavy rains and winds passed through the region. Members of the Charlottetown Yacht Club on Prince Edward Island were gathered to defend their boats with south-westerly winds reaching 60 knots. By early evening a boat was already sunk in the Yacht Club and many were damaged. Looks like this could be a busy hurricane season in contrast to last years below average hurricane season.
DORAL MARINE INTERNATIONAL TO REOPEN
The management of Doral Marine International has announced on June 2nd 2014, the reopening of the Grand-Mere Quebec Doral boat factory. New strategic alliances as well as boat production slate will be announced in the weeks to come.
TRENT SEVERN ANNOUNCES EXTENDED HOURS & ENDS MOBILE CREWS
Parks Canada says it is enhancing visitor service on the Trent-Severn Waterway with extended operating hours to support tourism and economic development.
Just in time for the busy summer visitor season, the 2014 Hours of Operation are as follows:
June 27 to Sept. 1, 2014
Monday to Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday to Sunday; Canada Day, August Civic Holiday and Labour Day: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 2 to Oct. 13, 2014
Monday to Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturday to Sunday; Thanksgiving: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
During the peak visitor season, Parks Canada will end the use of mobile crews and will provide “upon arrival” service at all lock stations and bridges along the Trent-Severn Waterway. This service will be implemented as soon as possible. In addition to the extended hours, the government announced a new collaboration with the Ontario Waterpower Association to look into capitalizing on the hydroelectric potential of national historic canal systems, including TSW. More than $140 million over five years from the National Conservation Plan is targeted at making the locks more accessible to people in southern Ontario.
“It is an important step that will strengthen tourism, economic development and investment for the TSW, and will create a more stable base on which a long-term operating model can be established” says Capt. Marc Ackert Ontario Waterway Cruises Inc. and Chair of The Trent-Severn Waterway Working Group
EVEN MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS ILLEGAL ON BOATS UNDERWAY So you have some guests coming out for a weekend on your boat and one of them has marijuana used for medication. The fact is that more than 20 U.S. states have legalized marijuana in some manner and although a controlled substance and not legal in Canada (yet) Canadians can and do rather easily get a prescription for medical marijuana. Think twice about letting it come aboard your boat though. Whether medicinal or recreational, natural or synthetic marijuana or more commonly called cannabis is not allowed under law to be transported on your boat while underway.
In the US by example, revocation of a mariner's credential or endorsement is mandatory when a charge of possession, use, sale or association with marijuana or other drugs is found. Revocation is also mandatory if the mariner has been a user of or is addicted to a dangerous drug, or has been convicted for a violation of dangerous drug laws, whether or not further court action is pending and a charge is proved according to the Coast Guard. So if your Canadian skipper in US waters you will get the book thrown at you if you have marijuana on board. It is routine to confiscate cars for connections to drugs and those same laws do apply to yachts. You would have your yacht seized and sold at auction for a minor amount of prescription marijuana in a marijuana legal state. Unfortunately different laws applying to different jurisdictions do not often line up and this applies to Canada as well as the USA.
Boat Captains should anticipate that people may try to come onboard with cannabis. It is the Captains responsibility and risk regarding what illegal substances get brought on board. A patient who claims to have been given a marijuana prescription actually has what is legally called a "written recommendation". A doctor can't use a prescription to clear an individual for the drug because writing prescriptions is not linked to federal use and federal law hasn't changed and boating on the water is subject to federal law.
NEW BLUENOSE II HAS PROBLEMS The new Bluenose II will miss the rest of the summer tourist season while the rebuilding costs climb according to the man in charge of the project after a sea trial of the ship. David Darrow, deputy minister to Premier Stephen McNeil, said the ship passed all of its tests except with regards to steering. The problem is the new rudder is solid steel and as the 3,150-kilogram rudder turns the weight in effect is like lifting the rudder. It is difficult to manoeuvre the vessel due to the slow steering that takes great effort to turn the boat. The rudder on the previous Bluenose was wood. So it's back to the drawing board on the rudder issues.
While Darrow's main goal is getting the ship back in service as soon as possible he doubted that it would be this year. "I like everyone else involved, and many Nova Scotian's would like to see this vessel sailing again as soon as possible. However, there is one thing I will not do to enable this to happen - I will not cut corners. We are not going to do it in a rush and hope we get it right." said Darrow. Premier McNeil placed Darrow in charge of the file May 28 after a scheduled harbour trial didn't happen.
Darrow said the wheel requires more than 100 pounds of force to turn; a ship the size of Bluenose II shouldn't need more than 30 pounds of force. A team assembled under Darrow's watch determined there were three options to fix the problem: install a hydraulics assist system, alter the existing rudder, or design and install a new lighter rudder. The conclusion was adding hydraulics was the best option, with alterations to the existing rudder as the backup plan. Design work has already started and he expects to be ready to apply for regulatory approval soon.
Wilson Fitt was hired as a consultant at $1,200 a day to report directly to Darrow about the project's progress. Fitt in turn has hired Nova Scotia naval architect Iain Tulloch will be paid $800 a day to design the hydraulics system, while Laurie McGowan will be paid $500 a day to develop the backup plan. Sounds like government bureaucracy run amok to us. The ship building project is more than two years overdue and almost $5 million over budget and at $19 million spent, the project costs continue to escalate. There are outstanding invoices with a value that could reach another $5 million ... plus the new steering system changes.
PEARL SEAS CRUISES HAS GEORGIAN BAY PORT STOPS The newly launched Pearl Mist runs between Chicago and Toronto with stops in Holland, Mackinac Island, Little Current, Parry Sound, Midland, Windsor and Niagara Falls. The cruise ship runs July and August on either 10 or 11 night venues. The Pearl Mist has six decks and is the perfect size to provide a luxury experience ... almost a private yacht feeling. Open sun decks offer plenty to do between ports admiring the Georgian Bay view. The ship is equipped with viewing balconies, a library, a fitness area, six lounges, a spacious glass-enclosed dining room, and elevators between every deck.
The large well appointed staterooms aboard the Pearl Mist range from cozy private cabins to large luxury suites and all have balconies. Every stateroom is fully stocked with everything needed to relax on the cruise. Wireless internet access keeps you connected to the outside world. The Pearl Mist officially launches June 25th. The ship will carry over 200 passengers in rooms ranging from 300 - 580 square feet.
Length 335' Beam 56' Draft 12' Passenger Capacity: 210 Number of Staterooms: 108
The ship has three stops on Georgian Bay and the North Channel and there are speakers on board that can talk to local history and attractions of the various port towns. Nice to see some cruise ships back on the Bay. Michael Reeves owner of Wellingtons Pub in Parry Sound sent this pic along (right) to remind us of a time when cruise boats frequented the Parry Sound docks.
HAVE YOUR BOAT TRANSPORTED BY FREIGHTER A popular option is to have your boat or yacht professionally transported by freighter, then fly over for your holidays to start cruising. Sevenstar Yacht Transport is one of the world's leading providers of yacht shipping services, with a global network of destinations and a fleet of over 120 independent carriers. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam and runs a network with offices in the United States, UK, Australia and Turkey. Sevenstar acquired DYT Yacht Transport, and two semi submersible vessels designed to float-on float-off yacht transport to fit with Sevenstar's existing lift on & lift off yacht transport.
Sevenstar Yacht Transportation Services made 70 port calls worldwide in April, and 200 yachts were shipped to the Mediterranean in just one month.
Yachts were loaded or discharged in a port somewhere around the globe more than twice a day from Sevenstar's fleet of carriers. The transatlantic route is the busiest route as Sevenstar transports yachts back and forth from Florida and the Caribbean to the Mediterranean almost continuously. Bas Bos for Sevenstar commented "I believe that more and more yacht owners prefer fast and safe yacht transport to sailing under their own keel. Think of the possible wear and tear on their yacht and the time and crew you may need otherwise".
KUDOS TO WYE HERITAGE MARINA
Want to know who has the the nicest marina washrooms on Georgian Bay? Wye Heritage put in a bunch of brand new private washrooms over the winter and they are very generous in space and designed with a nice ambiance similar to what you would find in your own home. South Bay Cove also has really clean nice washrooms ... but it's hard to beat Wye's brand new set up. They didn't miss the details like the whole bathroom tastefully ceramic tiled and grouted and tiled showers that are really big and deep so you can step in and turn on the water and adjust the temperature rather than reach in and get soaked with cold water when turning the showers on. Lots of slope on the floor and your not standing in inches of soapy water. Four stainless steel clothes hooks on the wall just outside the shower so you can grab the towel rather than walk across the bathroom to get it. Your getting our drift? ... boaters appreciate details like this. Many marinas (but not all) on the Bay have decent washrooms ... a few are an insult to boating tourists. My worst washroom experience ever, was the Windsor City Marina. I went in for a shower in the morning turned on the lights and looked before the mirror and I could see huge spiders coming down on their webs behind me reflected in the mirror. I looked up and giant spiders were hanging all over the place. Obviously no one had done anything about the spider population for a long time. Hopefully it's not still like that. Anyways good work Wye Marina! SEASONAL DOCKING NOW AVAILABLE AT BIG SOUND MARINA PARRY SOUND
New owners are running the municipal Big Sound Marina business on a long term lease in Parry Sound. Big Sound has long been a stopover point for cruisers visiting the 30,000 Islands. It is also a popular Rendezvous base because the marina has walking access to plenty of restaurants, shopping and attractions. The new operators are experienced in the marine trade and also operate the Chief Commanda II boat tours in North Bay on Lake Nipissing and formerly the M.V. Chippewa boat tours out of Parry Sound. George Stivrins is heading up the team and they are making many positive changes to the marina.
The big news is they now have 25 seasonal slips accommodating boats to 60'. They can also handle 18 tons road legal to nearby indoor storage. Marine services are available on site, and the chandlery is being stocked up to offer many more convenience products to cruisers. Big Sound Marina is ideally situated in the heart of the 30,000 Islands and there is some merit and logic for boaters who want to start their boating weekend already docked right in the midst of one of the best fresh water cruising locations on the planet. So with the newly improved #400 extension it is only an extra half hour to drive to Parry Sound and jump on the boat for a short cruise to hundreds of different anchorage possibilities. One of the best things is the marina is walking distance to downtown Parry Sound and there is lots to do and see on those days that you might stay in port due to inclement weather. Entertaining friends on the boat? ... some Parry Sound restaurants like Log Cabin Inn will pick you up at the marina ... and you are only a short boat ride to Henrys Fish Restaurant on Sans Souci Island.
Big Sounds Marina is also a popular place for transient docking and offers an excellent venue for Rendezvous participants. The marina has 120 slips with water and hydro hook ups (30 & 50 amp), onsite BBQ's, laundry, Wi-Fi, Pump Out, clean restrooms, complimentary AM coffee and they can take boats to 85' at the marina and large yachts and commercial boats to 300' at the town docks (which they also run for Parry Sound). You can reach them at (705) 746 7642 or visit their website at www.bigsoundmarina.com THE AMAZING LIFE AND LEGACY OF JOSHUA SLOCUM
Joshua Slocum was the first man to sail single-handed around the world. Slocum was born on February 20, 1844 in Mount Hanley, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, overlooking the Bay of Fundy.
Slocum yearned for a life of adventure at sea, away from his demanding father and his increasingly chaotic life at home among many brothers and sisters. He made several attempts to run away from home and finally succeeded at age fourteen by hiring on as a cabin boy and cook on a fishing schooner. He soon returned home. In 1860, after the birth of the eleventh Slocum child and the subsequent death of his mother, Joshua at sixteen Slocum left home for good. He and a friend signed on at Halifax as ordinary seamen on a merchant ship bound for Dublin, Ireland.
In 1865, he settled in San Francisco, became an American citizen, and, after a period of salmon fishing and fur trading in the Oregon Territory of the northwest, he returned to the sea to pilot a schooner in the coastal trade between San Francisco and Seattle. His first blue-water command, in 1869, was the barque Washington, which he took across the Pacific, from San Francisco to Australia, and home via Alaska. He sailed for thirteen years out of the port of San Francisco, transporting mixed cargo to China, Australia, the Spice Islands, and Japan. Between 1869 and 1889, he was the master of eight vessels, the first four of which he commanded in the employ of others. Later, there would be four others ships that he himself owned, in whole or in part.
Shortly before Christmas 1870, Slocum and the ship Washington put in at Sydney. There, in about a month's time, he met, courted, and married a young woman named Virginia Walker. Their marriage took place on January 31, 1871. She sailed with Slocum, and, over the next thirteen years, bore him seven children, all at sea or foreign ports.
In Alaska, the Washington was wrecked when she dragged her anchor during a gale, ran ashore, and broke up. Slocum at considerable risk to himself saved his wife, the crew, and much of the cargo, bringing all back to port in the ship's open boats. The owners of the shipping company that had employed Slocum were so impressed by his leadership, they gave him the command of the Constitution which he sailed to Hawaii and the west coast of Mexico.
His next command was the Benjamin Aymar, a merchant vessel in the South Seas trade. However, the owner, strapped for cash, sold the vessel out from under Slocum, and he and Virginia found themselves stranded in the Philippines without a ship. While in the Philippines, in 1874, under a commission from a British architect, Slocum organized native workers to build a 150-ton steamer in the shipyard at Subic Bay. In partial payment for the work, he was given the ninety-ton schooner, Pato, the first ship he could call his own. Ownership of the Pato afforded Slocum the kind of freedom and autonomy he had never experienced before. He used the Pato as a general freight carrier along the west coast of North America and in voyages back and forth between San Francisco and Hawaii. During this period, Slocum also fulfilled a long-held ambition to become a writer; he became a temporary correspondent for the San Francisco Bee.
The Slocums sold the Pato in Honolulu in the spring of 1878. Returning to San Francisco, they purchased the Amethyst. He worked this ship until June 23, 1881. The Slocums next bought a one third share in the Northern Light 2. It was capable of carrying 2000 tons on three decks. Although Joshua Slocum called this ship "my best command", it was a command plagued with mutinies and mechanical problems. Under troubling legal circumstances he sold his share in the Northern Light 2 in 1883.
The Slocum family continued on their next ship, the 326-ton Aquidneck. In 1884, Slocum's wife Virginia became ill aboard the Aquidneck in Buenos Aires and died.
In 1886, at age 42, Slocum married his 24-year-old cousin, Henrietta Elliott. A few days into Henrietta's first voyage, the Aquidneck sailed through a hurricane. By the end of this first year, the crew had contracted cholera, and they were quarantined for six months. Later, Slocum was forced to defend his ship from pirates, one of whom he shot and killed; he was tried and acquitted of murder. Next, the Aquidneck was infected with smallpox, leading to the death of three of the crew. Shortly afterward, near the end of 1887, the unlucky Aquidneck was wrecked in southern Brazil.
After being stranded in Brazil he started building a 35 foot boat that could sail them home. He used local materials, salvaged materials from the Aquidneck and local workers. The boat was launched on May 13, 1888, the very day slavery was abolished in Brazil, and therefore the ship was given the Portuguese name Liberdade. He and his family began their voyage back to the United States. After fifty five days at sea and 5510 miles, the Slocums reached South Carolina. This was the last time Henrietta sailed with the family. In 1890, Slocum published the accounts of these adventures in Voyage of the Liberdade.
In the northern winter of 1893/94, Slocum undertook what he described as at that time being “the hardest voyage that I have ever made, without any exception at all”. It involved delivering the steam-powered torpedo boat Destroyer from the east coast of the United States to Brazil. Destroyer was a ship 130 feet in length and intended for the defence of Brazil harbours and coastal waters. Equipped in the early 1880s with sloping armour plate and a bow-mounted submarine gun it was an evolution of the warship type of the American Civil War. Slocum and a small crew aboard the Destroyer left Sandy Hook, New Jersey, on 7 December 1893. The following day the ship was already making water: “A calamity has overtaken us. Despite all hands pumping and bailing, by midnight the seas were extinguishing the fires in the boilers. With a storm continuing to blow on the 9th, the crew was able to lower the level of water in the hold and plug some of the holes and leaks. By the morning of the 16th the storm had abated, allowing the Destroyer to anchor to the south of Puerto Rico. On the 20th of January the Destroyer arrived at Brazil. The Destroyer joined up with the Brazilian navy and the crew was again engaged in repairs as the long tow in heavy seaways had severed rivets at the bow, resulting in leaks. At the Arsenal at Bahia the naval crew grounded the Destroyer on a rock in the basin. The vessel was holed and subsequently abandoned.
Back in Fairhaven, Massachusetts Slocum rebuilt a 36' gaff rigged sloop oyster boat named Spray. On April 24, 1895, he set sail from Boston, Massachusetts. After an extended visit to his boyhood home at Brier Island and visiting old haunts on the coast of Nova Scotia, Slocum took his departure from North America at Sambro Island Lighthouse near Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 3, 1895. Slocum navigated without a chronometer, instead relying on the traditional method of dead reckoning for longitude, which required only a cheap tin clock for approximate time, and noon-sun sights for latitude. On one long passage in the Pacific, Slocum also famously shot a lunar distance observation, decades after these observations had ceased to be commonly employed, which allowed him to check his longitude independently. However, Slocum's primary method for finding longitude was still dead reckoning; he recorded only one lunar observation during the entire circumnavigation.
Slocum normally sailed the Spray without touching the helm. Due to the length of the sail plan relative to the hull, and the long keel, the Spray was capable of self-steering and balanced stably on any course relative to the wind by adjusting or reefing the sails and by lashing the helm fast. He sailed 2,000 miles west across the Pacific without once touching the helm.
More than three years later, on June 27, 1898, he returned to Newport, Rhode Island, having circumnavigated the world, a distance of more than 46,000 miles. Slocum's return went almost unnoticed.
In 1899 he published his account of the epic voyage in Sailing Alone Around the World. Slocum's Sailing Alone won him widespread fame in the English-speaking world. The book is riveting and his account of his journeys truly amazing. Slocum hauled the Spray up the Erie Canal to Buffalo, New York for the Pan-American Exposition in the summer of 1901, and he was well compensated for participating in the fair.
In 1901, Slocum's book revenues and income from public lectures provided him enough financial security to purchase a small farm in West Tisbury, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, in Massachusetts. After a year and a half, he found he could not adapt to a settled life and Slocum sailed the Spray from port to port in the north eastern US during the summer and the West Indies during the winter, lecturing and selling books wherever he could. Slocum spent little time with his wife on the Vineyard and preferred life aboard the Spray, usually wintering in the Caribbean.
Slocum's mental health deteriorated during his later years. Visiting Riverton, New Jersey in May 1906, Slocum was charged with raping a 12-year-old girl. After further investigation and questioning, it became apparent that the crime was indecent exposure, but Slocum claimed to have no memory of any wrongdoing and that, if anything had happened, it must have occurred during one of his mental lapses. Slocum spent 42 days in jail awaiting trial. At his trial he pleaded "no contest" and was released for time-served.
By 1909, Slocum's funds were running low; book revenues had tailed off. He prepared to sell his farm on Martha's Vineyard and began to make plans for a new adventure in South America. He had hopes of another book deal. On November 14, 1909, Slocum set sail for the West Indies on one of his usual winter voyages. He had also expressed interest in starting his next adventure, exploring the Orinoco, Rio Negro and Amazon Rivers. Slocum was never heard from again. In July 1910, his wife informed the newspapers that she believed he was lost at sea. In 1924, Joshua Slocum was declared legally dead.
To this day some of the heritage continues on. Headquartered in Latham, New York, Slocum Inc. was founded by family members to carry on the amazing legacy of their ancestor Captain Joshua Slocum. “As direct descendants, my family wants to honour Captain Joshua Slocum and recognize his significant accomplishments, and offer high-quality pieces that provide excellent performance along with great style,” said Tracy Slocum, great, great granddaughter of North America's best known sailor who is often referred to as the New World Columbus. Visit their web site at www.joshuaslocum.com SAULT SAINT MARIE GETS TOWBOAT US MEMBER SERVICE
Much like an auto club for boaters, TowBoatUS offers on-the-water towing plans for freshwater boaters and anglers for $67 a year that includes BoatUS membership. Some West Marine Card members have this service included with their membership. Without a towing plan, boaters could face costs that average $600 per incident although many insurance policies do cover a towing service (if there is one available in the area).
Boaters can contact TowBoatUS Sault Ste. Marie by hailing on VHF channel 16, calling the company directly at 906-322-6259 or calling the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Service at 800-391-4869. Assistance can also be summoned via smartphone with the free BoatUS Towing App, and BoatUS is the only towing service that offers satellite messaging services with the SPOT and in Reach satellite communications services. To see the company's location on a map, go to www.BoatUS.com/saultstemarie.
For the Sault Saint Marie TowBoatUS service they use a bright red 22-foot Crestliner powered by a 230-horsepower stern-drive engine. The boat, which is based at the George Kemp Marina on the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It is easy to recognize with the words "TowBoatUS" visible on the topsides. The boat is rigged for towing with powerful pumps, battery jump packs, dive gear and extra fuel.
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has over half a million members with a wide array of consumer services, including on water towing assistance provided by TowBoatUS and Vessel Assist. Combined, these two towing fleets offer boaters, anglers and sailors the world's largest network of towing ports with over 300 locations and over 600 towing assistance vessels. For more information go to www.BoatUS.com/towing or call 800-888-4869 TUGFEST RETURNS TO MIDLAND IN 2014
TugFest offers both Midland residents and visiting tourists exciting activities including the parade of lights, tug parade, tug races, the entertaining Tug Push, tug boat tours, homemade tug boat race and the popular tug demonstrations. TugFest will offer visitors over 25 historic and interesting tugs from around the Great Lakes. Boaters can get a great vantage point from the water.
The schedule will include the following events:
Thurs. Aug. 21st:
Tugs start arriving at Midland Town Dock
Fri. Aug. 22nd
12:00 noon
Horn Blast and boats leave dock
12:30 pm
Tug Race start off main dock
1:30 pm
Tugs line up for photo off man dock
9:15 pm (dusk)
Light parade of tugs
Sat. Aug. 23rd:
10:00 am
Homemade tugboat race construction begins
11:30 am
Tugs leave dock for sail past
Displays on dock
Artwalk on King Street
Artisans at Georgian Bay on walkway
12:00 pm
Tug demonstration and tug push contest
1:00 pm
Homemade Tugboat race past main dock
1:30 pm
Tug demonstration and tug push contest continues
2:30 pm
Tugs return to dock
Homemade Tugboat Race Awards on dock
3:00 – 5:00 pm
Select tugs open for tours
Entertainment on the dock
Their website is www.tugfestgeorgianbay.com/Intro%201.html SUNSEEKER BUILDS IT'S BIGGEST YACHT EVER
Sunseeker just launched it's new 155 foot flagship yacht. This is the biggest Sunseeker yacht ever built. The yacht already has a new owner as it was built for Formula One racing personality Eddie Jordan (commissioned by the Jordan family trust). Eddie a former race car driver was the founder and owner of Jordan Grand Prix a Formula One constructor which operated from 1991 to 2005. He is currently the lead analyst for F1 coverage on BBC. A second Sunseeker 155 has already been commissioned for a buyer in Dubai.
Sunseeker has taken the concept of semi custom production yachts one step further with a modular build construction model that allows owners to have input to both the yachts superstructure and interior design. The yacht can accommodate 12 people in luxurious surroundings and 10 crew (including a separate Captains cabin). The yacht includes a commercial galley with panoramic dining area and a huge upper deck sky lounge for entertainment.
Sunseeker in the UK is known for building beautiful yachts with powerful fresh rugged lines that stand out from the crowd. PORT CREDIT SPRING BOAT SHOW 2014
The Port Credit Village Marina is hosting the Port Credit Spring Boat Show www.portcreditspringboatshow.com. The show will feature new and used power and sail boats up to 55 feet. The event will be running from May 23rd – 25th. The show features boats both in the water and on land. The boats being displayed on land, or on "the hard", will have sales reps there to talk to you about the boats and go over any questions that you may have, and also general boating information, including the best type of equipment and services for your style of boating.
There will be many exhibitors showcasing boating products and services to help make your time on the water more enjoyable with everything from insurance brokers and yacht brokers to canvas sales and repairs. Sponsors include Canadian Yachting Magazine, Town of Port Credit, Snug Harbour Bar & Grill, and Boating Industry Canada. The venue will also have a refreshment tent and will feature live music throughout the weekend. BOATING GEORGIAN BAY ANNOUNCES TWO NEW BGB TV EPISODES
In 2014 Boating Georgian Bay will produce two new episodes (episodes #5 & #6). The principle sponsors for the episodes are ESTERLINE CMC ELECTRONICS and RANGER TUGS/LEFROY HARBOUR MARINE RESORTS. Filming for the first episode will begin May 30th. Episode #5 will be completed by mid June and Episode #6 will be completed by August 10th.
The segments for the 2014 episodes are as follows:
Episode #5
- Raymarine's latest in marine electronics
- Tour of Orville Wrights classic Kittyhawk yacht
- Marine Heritage at Discovery Harbour & Huronia Museum
- Georgian Bay Boat Show
- Georgian Bay Airways 30,000 Islands tour
- Georgian Bay Canada Day celebrations at anchor
Episode #6
- Ranger Tug Rendezvous at Little Current, North Channel
- Tour of Killarney
- CYC Yacht Charters operations Gore Bay, North Channel
- Aquapalooza
- Cruisers Network
- Big Orange filter installation
MIDLAND BLESSING OF THE BOATS & COMMODORES DINNER
For those of you who attended the sold-out Commodore's Dinner last year, you will remember an outstanding gourmet dinner paired with exceptional wines, both enjoyed while overlooking the historic grounds from Restaurant Sainte-Marie. The event this year kicks off on Friday June 6th with a private tour of the Martyrs' Shrine from 5:30 - 6:30 pm, followed by a fire-side welcome reception on the terrace of Restaurant Sainte-Marie.
Dinner promises to be a culinary masterpiece. Please RSVP to Jolie Rail jrail@parkbridge.com as soon as possible to reserve tickets. The fare fee for this evening is $125. per person. Proceeds are extended equally to the Martyrs' Shrine Restoration Fund and this year's community recipient, The Georgian Bay Land Trust.
Mr. Frank Morneau will be this year's "blessing of the boats" Commodore held on Midland bay the morning after the dinner. Frank is a summer resident at Thunder Beach and a customer of Wye Heritage Marina. He will Captain “La Belle Helene,” his 65' Linwood Huckins, hosting on board the officiating Jesuits from The Martyrs' Shrine who will offer the blessing.
Please RSVP before May 30th to jrail@parkbridge.com reserve a spot for the Commodore's Reception and RSVP to info@wyeheritage.ca to register for The Blessing of the Boats on Saturday June 7th, 2014. This event is great way to celebrate and kick off the 2014 boating season.
IN-WATER BOAT SHOW COMES TO GEORGIAN BAY
Parkbridge Marinas is the principle sponsor behind the Welcome To The Water Boat Show which will be staged at the Bay Port Yachting Centre at Midland Ontario. The show starts on Friday May 30th with a preview night and continues on through to Sunday June 1st.
Show hours are:
Friday May 30th
12:00 - 9:00
Saturday May 31st
10:00 - 7:00
Sunday June 1st
10:00 - 6:00
The show will have both new boat and brokerage yachts as part of the in-water boat display. In addition, the show will have land based boat displays and marine orientated vendor booths. The organizers are working towards bringing in gourmet “street food” vendors to provide the food component of the show. Boating Georgian Bay will have a booth at the show. There will be onsite entertainment and a beverage tent.
Parkbridge has partnered with Boating Ontario and several other leading Ontario boat dealers to develop the show and the plan is this show will become an annual event and grow in stature over the years. Brokers & vendors can contact Patricia French at (705) 527 7678 to arrange to have their boats on display or for vendor booth space booking. A number of high profile vendors and brokers are already signed up for the show at the time of writing this article. Space is limited, so vendors should act quickly if they wish to display at the show.
The show expects to draw boaters from around Georgian Bay and other boating regions in the Great Lakes basin. "While the show will be of great interest to boaters in our own back yard of Georgian Bay, our goal is to bring both new boaters and seasoned cruising enthusiasts from central Ontario up to Midland for a fun weekend doing what they like to do most ... checking out the latest in boats and boat gear" says Ken McDonald, Director of Parkbridge Marina Operations.
"This will be the biggest collection of new and used brokerage boats for sale on the Bay ever ... and the public can tour and put their questions to various brokers” states Dan Pride, General Manager of both Skyline Marine and Pride Marines Group yacht brokerage business.
The Welcome to the Water Boat Show is open to the public and there is no charge. The Bay Port Yachting Centre is just a short drive from Orillia or Barrie and about 1.5 hours from the greater Toronto region.
Bay Port Yachting Centre is located at 156 Marina Park Avenue in Midland Ontario
Phone: (705) 527-7678 or Toll Free: 1-888-BAY-PORT (229-7678) BOSTON WHALER'S MAJOR EXPANSION
Boston Whaler announced a major facilities expansion is underway at its Edgewater, Fla., headquarters. Isn't it nice to see a boat manufacturer back on top growing rather than the contractions and bankruptcies we've been seeing for the last 6 years? The project also will result in the addition of 46 full time jobs. The factory expansion is more than 58,000 square feet. Whalers expansion will significantly increase manufacturing capabilities and expand capacity at a time when the company has their boats in high demand and is experiencing strong growth.
"This expansion gives us the capability to continue to grow our portfolio," said Boston Whaler President Huw Bower. "We are proud to have introduced more than a dozen new boats in less than three years' time, and look forward to continuing this trajectory of innovation. Expanding the capacity of our facility underscores our commitment to continued growth and enables us to further expand our product line to meet the solid demand for our boats", adds Bower
"The creation of additional jobs helps the entire community", said Edgewater City Manager Tracey Barlow. "Boston Whaler has been a very strong partner for our community, and we look forward to a long and prosperous future with them", commented Barlow
"By staking a continued presence in the community and reaffirming our dedication to positive growth, Boston Whaler has again proven our status as a leader in the marine industry. We're committed to the development and production of boats that are truly cutting edge and that carry on the Unsinkable Legend" said company President Bower.
A GOOD CAUSE ON THE WATER
Performance Boat Club Events Inc. is a group of avid performance power boat enthusiasts who hold various poker run style events in southern Ontario and donate the considerable proceeds to charity. Money is raised from advertising sponsors and event participants and they have been doing this since 1972. To date the club has raised more than $350,000. for various charities. Some of the charities include Children's Wish Foundation, Lions Club of Canada, Orillia & Rama Fire Departments and the North Bay Association For Disabled Youth.
The events are well planned and conducted in safe manner with participants following the rules. Breaking the rules means disqualification from the event. Poker runs are not races. Poker runs are an organized event where participants using their boats visit four checkpoints, drawing a playing card at each one. The object is to have the best poker hand at the end of the run. The event has a time limit, however the participants are not timed - winning is purely a matter of chance.
Each poker run requires a fee to enter and some for each additional hand. A small part of the fee goes to funding the event, while the rest goes to the event's charity recipient. Prizes, such as money, plaques, or merchandise are donated by commercial sponsors of the event. The best hand wins the top prize. Mid day there is a delicious lunch stop. Each participant is responsible to maintain the integrity of their hand during the run. The only requirement is that boaters arrive at the final checkpoint by the total time allotment (usually 3 pm or 4 pm) and by the time prizes are awarded during the gala dinner. Following the dinner is a charity auction of prizes donated by sponsors and this raises more money for the charity.
The event schedule is put together over the winter and announced in January at the Toronto International Boat Show. Events each year generally include Georgian Bay, Lake Simcoe, Rice Lake (Kawartha's), Lake Nipissing and the St Lawrence River.
2014 Charity Poker Runs Schedule:
June 14 -15 Muskoka Lakes – Gravenhurst
July 4 - 5 Georgian Bay – Midland
July 18 - 19 Lake Nipissing Blast for NADY – North Bay
August 16 - 17 Lake Simcoe Summer Surge – Orillia
August 22 - 23 1000 Islands – Gananoque
Sept 6 - 7 Rice Lake Bruce Nicolle Memorial – Bewdley
TRAILERABLE TUG OFFERS GREAT CRUISING SOLUTION
One of the frequent posts I see on the Americas Great Loop Cruising Association forum is the issue of how do I get my live aboard boat from A to B to cruise a specific area, or to reposition the boat. There are very few trawlers that have comfortable living space that can be moved with less than a tractor trailer equipped professional boat hauler. Ranger Tugs are the exception to that rule, and that is what makes them very unique. No other boat that we know of has this kind of good looks and live aboard space, that can be put on a trailer behind a pickup truck and trailered anywhere in North America without breaking a sweat. The ranger Tug 31' by example is only 10,500 lbs. dry ... even though the tug is constructed very ruggedly. The Ranger is built of solid fiberglass with no coring. On the trailer the 31 sits at only 13' 2" so it can be trailered almost anywhere.
The interior layout of the R-31 features two staterooms - one large island berth forward with ensuite head and a mid-ship berth and day head. Those who are familiar with Ranger Tugs models will know how well the Ranger galley layout, staterooms and lower helm station maximize interior space. A starboard side door provides easy access from the lower helm to the side decks so crew can get to the bow for line handling. This boat is well thought out. It's a real cruising boat and very capable.
It's hard to believe that you can have relatively sumptuous living conditions with comfortable accommodations for four in two staterooms, two heads, full galley including stovetop and oven, settee/dinette for four, generous cockpit, interior helm and exterior helm command bridge in a 31' package. And the lines of the boat are very pleasing and traditionally trawler/tug like. The 31 Ranger is powered by a Volvo D4 300 HP and the boat even includes a bow thruster as standard equipment. It can attain 23.7 knots and cruise at 17 knots with a range of 270 km. At low trawling speed, range can be extended up to 567 km. The boat is an efficient miserly fuel sipper that also has the ability to get up and go.
Now the big thing is flexibility. Just imagine the Toronto weather is getting cold in November and you hanker for some heat and a getaway. Just hook the trusty Ranger Tug up to the back of the Ford pickup and away you go. Three days later your at the dock in Fort Lauderdale enjoying the sunshine and contemplating your departure date for the Bahamas. A few months later and it's time to get back to Ontario and away you go. You can cruise this boat all around the LOOP but if you decide you want to get to sun and sand in a hurry you have that option and ultimate flexibility. And like heavier trawlers, it holds it own and handles very well in bad weather. You can stay comfortable and dry at the inside helm when conditions get rough.
There isn't much not to like about Ranger Tugs. For those seeking trailerable live aboard flexibility, there is no better solution that we know of. And hence their explosion in popularity.
Ranger has a full line of tugs from 21' to 31'. In central and eastern Canada Ranger Tugs are represented by Lefroy Harbour Resorts ( www.lefroyharbour.com ). Give them a call at (877) 453 3769 or (705) 456 2120 and learn more about these amazing cruising trawlers.
CONCORDIA CAPTAIN RE-BOARDS CONCORDIA ... FIRST TIME SINCE ACCIDENT
Francesco Schettino, the former Captain of a luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia that capsized off an Italian island went back on board late February 2014 for the first time since the 2012 shipwreck killed 32 people. The last time Schettino was on the cruise ship was during it's sinking when he boarded a lifeboat leaving behind passengers behind after the ship ran aground at Giglio Island, Italy on January 13th 2012.
Schettino is on trial in an Italian court for manslaughter for causing the shipwreck by steering too close to the island, and then abandoning ship before everyone was evacuated. He was allowed to board the ship to help court-appointed experts inspect generators.
Schettino claims that faulty emergency generators and a poorly trained crew contributed to the tragedy. An inspection was requested by the defence and lawyers for consumer groups. "I gave indications that will help the experts decide how to divvy up the responsibility'' Schettino told reporters post inspection. Prosecutors countered that - "None of the 32 Costa Concordia died because the emergency diesel generators didn't work the night of the shipwreck,'' says Chief Prosecutor Francesco Verusio.
Five other cruise ship employees who were indicted in the case entered plea bargains as part of their willingness to testify and none are serving prison time.
MIAMI BOAT SHOW 2014
We had a great time at the Miami Boat Show but I think next year we'll take a pass after four years in attendance - here's why.
Without question the traffic was up in the main Convention Centre venue. At the Convention Centre location that is where you will find both indoor and outdoor boat gear, gadgets, services and mid sized boats. It was packed on the Saturday when we were there, and the upstairs of the Convention centre is heavily slanted to fishing gear, which we always find it interesting to view but rather specific to mainly one segment of boaters. This is also the best place if you are looking for boat gear and in a buying mood. Lots of stuff on sale. This year we bought Mojo fishing shirts (we buy some every year as they are the best boat shirts you will ever see) ... we bought a Sea Sucker suction mounting system for our IPad Air (which we run Navionics maps on in addition to our two Furuno plotters) ... we bought some better quality armour plated binoculars at a great price and various other things we needed on our shopping list. Oh yes, and I once again I got to visit and board my dream boat the 42' Sea Vee semi custom which makes other fishing boats in the 40' range look downright tawdry. Well maybe that's an exaggeration because Grady White, Boston Whaler, Pursuit and Tiara are there also and are they are very nice high quality boats ... but they don't make my heart throb like Sea Vee. Sea Vee knows how to build custom serious but comfortable offshore fishing boats that is for sure ... and the 42' are competitively priced in the $800k. range with quad 300 hp engines. In the Convention Centre almost ALL boats are available for boarding and inspections and just a few make you register. Most new boat manufacturers in the 15' to the 50' range are represented there. This is the best part of the boat show by far. You can spend a few days to take it all in.
The Sea Isle in water power boat portion of the show we found disappointing and I think most show attendees would feel the same. Crowds were very light there, even though this is a free portion of the show. Honestly it was ridiculous to get in and out of there. We parked our car at the stadium and took a shuttle to Sea Isle which took the better part of an hour to get there. Then when we went to leave Sea Isle the line up for the shuttle bus to the Convention Centre was a full hour to get on a bus and a full hour to go from Sea Isle to the Convention Centre because it is a transfer point to the other show locations and satellite parking lots. On top of that, Sea Isle had none of the bigger boats in the water – only Marlow was represented there. The rest were all mostly fishing boats and a few other boats mostly under 40'. Ranger Tug was the only trawler company represented at Sea Isle (last year there were many). Now don't get me wrong ... if you want to go out on a pre arranged demo on a fishing boat, they have some of that. The one boat I did want to go aboard to check out was by invitation only and this was a 40' production boat – GIVE ME A FRIGGIN BREAK. I can understand wanting to qualify folks for 100'+ yachts but not this crappy little boat. There was no one already on the boat or even interested in the boat except for the lazy salesman sprawled out in the cockpit gripping his coffee. This is no way to sell boats. Trust me folks, take a pass on Sea Isle if you decide to visit the show in 2015. It's not worth the time.
The Strictly Sail venue was carbon copy of last year and there are some nice sailboats, but not a lot of vendors. You can spend an hour or two there and you've seen it all. Plus you have the same transportation issues as Sea Isle. My opinion - take a pass.
Now the Collins Ave Brokerage Show is full of used mega yachts and many of the new higher end production boats like Viking, Bertram, Hatteras etc. -and it is worthwhile. Guess what ... it's free and not part of the actual Miami Boat Show. It's always fun to visit and you can spend the better part of a day there and most of the production boats you can tour with a short wait queue. Very few boat gear vendors there though ... but some good floating beverage barges.
So overall we had fun but it's not worth the time with all the transportation hassles. Sorry Miami Boat Show but your off our list for next year and we will focus on Fort Lauderdale and maybe the Annapolis shows for 2015.
Click HERE to see a brief video of the Miami Boat Show
RAYS PREDICTIONS FOR 2014 WATER LEVELS
Reprinted with permission from Ray Bilsky:
Well Ray has decided to make his predictions on how mother nature is going to affect our launch and Water Levels on the Bay for this upcoming shorter season. Oops I'm hinting at my prediction.
WATER LEVELS
Last year 2013 at this time the 3 Lake system ( Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan) hit a record low of -.647 below datum in the month of February. Never in recorded history did the Bay rise over .7 of a meter in one year. Yes that's 27 inches the water level came up. That rise can be attributed to the record flooding in the Michigan Basin. For those that like to fallow the water level attached in the link for the water level at Parry Sound. www.waterlevels.gc.ca/c&a/Graphs/parrysnd.htm
So right now the water level is averaging -.1 below datum. This is above average for the season as usually its about -.2 to -.3. Generally the Bay rises about .4 of a meter peaking around late August. So with the large amount of snow that has fallen which will contribute to big spring run off. An if the US doesn't go into a drought situation we should see the 3 lake system sitting around .5 of a meter above datum. Yes that my prediction .5 of a meter or 19inches above datum. It hasn't been that high for over 12 years. So look out for floating debris and docks left of the shoreline.
My prediction is that we will not start launching boats this year till possibly mid to late April. So don't come back from Florida early. The Bay will probably have mini ice burges floating the first week in May. Georgian Bay is frozen over this is the first time in many years this has happened. Attached is the link for Feb 9 2014. http://iceweb1.cis.ec.gc.ca/Prod20/page3.xhtml
For those who want to follow the melt along just Google "Ice Coverage Great lakes"
There's a good possibility we may set a new record for ice coverage on the Great Lakes. iceweb1.cis.ec.gc.ca/Prod20/page3.xhtml
Thanks for reading and Happy Boating Ray Bilsky
PAUL ALLEN'S YACHT PULLS INTO PORT FOR SOCHI OLYMPICS Tatoosh the 92 m mega yacht owned by Paul Allen, Co-founder of Microsoft, has pulled into port for the Sochi Olympics in Russia. Typical of other Olympic events - owners want their yachts with all the creature comforts right at the heart of the action for this world class sporting event. Other mega yachts Octopus - 126 m, Seanna - 65m, Illona - 74m , Olympia - 57m and Chayka - 54m have joined the party or are thought to be on their way to the party. Interesting that Paul Allen also owns Octopus. Hmm two mega yachts same owner at the same event - one must be charter?
I wonder what weight the need for mega yacht docking at an Olympic event is taken into account when the IOC selects and awards a location? It seems most are in major port cities . I guess if the odd event ends up inland they can always fire up a chopper on the aft deck to whisk them to the games. It's a different world for sure, but when you think about it, the use of yachts to attend an event probably eliminates many security concerns that would otherwise have to be managed by the hosting governments, to keep visiting VIP's safe.
Most large privately owned yachts are also under charter. They are just too expensive to be left at the docks when owners are not aboard. More important these yachts need to run. Not good to be parked gathering barnacles and letting seals dry out. It's also hard to keep a crew on board and focused if a yacht sits too long in one place. Better to keep them roaming around with professional crew in the groove, maintaining an upkeep schedule. The rule of thumb for mega yacht annual maintenance is about 10% of the yachts value so keeping these floating hotels in top shape can cost a bundle ... like in the range of 10 million a year for a 300' super yacht.
Last time we looked, Tatoosh was for sale btw for $125 million pounds. It was reportedly bought by Allen in 2001 at a cost of $100 million. Not a bad investment really if you have the pocket change. Paul Allen is fresh off his teams Super Bowl win, where his Seattle Seahawks crushed the Denver Broncos 43 to 8.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GOOGLE BARGE?
Google has been ordered to remove the barge it has floating off San Francisco Bay because it does not have the permits to meet local regulations. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission that launched an investigation into the barge says Google documentation does not meet their guidelines. The commission told Google they can resolve the issue by moving the barge to a construction facility in San Francisco Bay that has proper paperwork. Fact of the matter is, with Google's money, they could gold plate the barge and buy up half of downtown San Francisco to dock the barge if they wanted to.
There has been some wild stories as to what the barge was to be used for and what exactly was going on onboard the boat. The speculation ranged from wild party boat off limits to government, a floating data centre that could be easily moved outside US waters and a refuge for the last remaining dinosaur on earth a la Jurassic Park. Google announced last fall that the secretive barge in San Francisco Bay as well as one in Portland, Maine, will be used as learning spaces for people to find out about new technology. Hmm that seems odd ... why not just do that on land?
CNet broke the story that Google was building a floating facility on Treasure Island in San Francisco and suggested the barge would be a floating data center – based on patents the technology giant had attained in the past for creating such a structure. As we all know Google patents everything they touch. If you sneeze your probably infringing on a Google patent.
More recently many sources have reported that the barge floating in San Francisco Bay would become an exclusive luxury showroom complete with a party deck on top that would display Google's latest innovative projects and products to VIP invitation only investors and business partners. Only time will tell - we just hope they are not breeding dinosaurs.
ECO FRIENDLY GREAT LAKES FREIGHTERS
Canadian shipping firm Algoma Central has taken delivery of the first in a line of eco friendly Great Lakes freighter.
Berthed at the Port of Toronto, Algoma Central Corp.'s new M.V. Algoma Equinox dry-bulk carrier promises to be the most environmentally friendly, and one of the biggest ships in Canada when it takes to the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway to deliver iron ore and grain in Canada and in the USA. Part of a $300-million fleet renewal by St. Catharines, Ontario based Algoma Central ship line, the Chinese-built Algoma Equinox gearless ship is the first of eight Equinox Class vessels manufactured by Nantong Mingde Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. to operate in and around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
This state-of-the-art vessel represents the next generation of Great Lakes bulk carrier and is consistent with Algoma Central's mission of environmental sustainability. What makes the vessel so environmentally friendly is their closed-loop exhaust scrubbing system, which eliminates 97 per cent of all sulphur dioxide emissions before they reach the atmosphere. The Algoma Equinox and its sister ships will deliver class leading fuel efficiency and emissions output, putting Algoma Central at the front of the pack as new emissions standards are phased in over the next decade.
The vessel is 740 feet long, or about the height of Toronto's 56-floor TD Bank Tower and has 14% more cargo capacity and moves 17 % more than traditional domestic dry-bulk freighters but yet burns less fuel and produces less emissions than previous bulk carriers. According to Algoma Central, the Equinox Class of vessels provide fuel savings in the range of 26 % when compared to other carriers on Canada's waters, or 45 % less per tonne kilometre of cargo than Algoma's current vessel average.
The ships scrubber works by injecting distilled water and caustic soda into the exhaust gases which neutralizes sulphur dioxides. The water which contains the sulphur dioxide molecules, is then extracted and brought into a holding tank. Going out of the stack is zero emissions when it comes to sulphur dioxide. The water used in the exhaust scrubbing spray is distilled on board, and the sulphur dioxide is held in the bowels of the ship before being disposed of.
Part of the motivation behind building the green fleet of carriers is emissions control area (ECA) regulations being phased in on the Great Lakes and other waterways in Canada that will eliminate the burning of sulphur dioxide in marine operations. By 2020 ships are not going to be allowed to put sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere. The remaining seven sister vessels that make up the Equinox Class will be delivered throughout 2014 and 2015. Algoma Central will own six of the vessels while the remaining two ships will be owned by CWB Inc., formerly the Canadian Wheat Board. The CWB owned vessels will be operated by Algoma Central.
EVEN THE DOCTORS ARE TOUGH IN NEW ZEALAND
A young doctor has recounted how he fended off a shark attack and stitched up his own wound on the beach before enjoying a pint of beer at a nearby pub. James Grant was spearfishing with friends near the base of New Zealand's South Island when he was attacked by what he believed was a Seven Gill Shark.
The 24-year-old was in about six feet of murky water when he felt a tug on his leg, which he initially thought was a friend playing a trick on him. "I looked behind to see who it was and got a bit of a shock," he told Radio New Zealand. He didn't see the shark and had no idea how big it was, adding that he thought it could have been about eight inches across the jaw. "I thought bugger, now I have to try and get this thing off my leg," said Grant.
He already had a knife in his hand and stabbed at the shark. "I am not sure how effective it was. I guess it let go, so something must have happened. I put a few nicks in it", added Grant. He quickly made it on to rocks on the shore, where he took off the wetsuit and saw bites up to five centimetres long.
Grant gave himself stitches using a first aid kit he kept in his vehicle for pig hunts. He and his friends then went to the Colac Bay Tavern where he was given a bandage because he was dripping blood on the floor. The stitching was finished off when he later went to the hospital he worked at. “I am pretty grateful to have my leg still, when the stitches come out, I will be back in the water.” said Grant
POST TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW THOUGHTS
Well first let me say, this is the first time we've had a booth at the Toronto International Boat Show. We have been attending it and covering it for many years, and this was a chance to get involved and talk to a lot more boaters about the benefits of cruising in Georgian Bay. It was a pleasure to attend the show and we talked to many boaters planning on visiting Georgian Bay and also those who were already seasoned cruisers with home ports on the Bay. Lots of folks were drawn to our booth like a beacon saying "we boat on Georgian Bay" and they were always excited to share stories. Lots of them knew our site well and were regular visitors.
We were surprised to run into a number of visitors from the USA that were planning on cruising to Georgian Bay in the next year or so. They came up for the show to do their research and pick up a few boat goodies. We even ran into a professional Canadian treasure hunter stationed in Marathon Florida who is seeking fortune buried in the ocean sands. We ran into the Shard's in person too – they do the Distant Shores sailing adventure series discussed in an earlier article on this page.
We requested and received official attendance numbers from the show administration. Show attendance was down 11% over last season with 72,289 visitors. That was our perception and most booth owners were telling us the same thing even before show numbers were released. It seems the chandlery type booths did very well and people were in a boat gear buying mood ... but the higher ticket new boat seller businesses did not fair as well.
Lots of media coverage on the show as well including Rick Mercer doing a segment. Overall the show management did a good job promoting the show and the crowds being a little weak was certainly not for lack of effort on their part. I think Canadians are still a bit skittish about spending post recession on boats, unlike their US counterparts that seem to be back in the market.
Having said that we had a great time at the show and our presentation in the Parkbridge presentation suite on Georgian Bay History & Attractions was well received, with a full house audience. Our goal was to increase brand awareness of Boating Georgian Bay and in general Georgian Bay tourism and I think we achieved that goal. We passed out more than 2500 Boating Georgian Bay directory postcards as well as lots of our advertisers brochures and we could see an off season spike of traffic to the web site. We also found some neat products we can feature on our Boat Stuff page.
CLICK HERE for a short video highlighting the Toronto Boat Show.
LAKE SUPERIOR ABOVE CHART DATUM
Click to enlarge
While Lake Superior is below it's maximum monthly mean for this time of year, the levels are well above the minimum monthly mean and they are above chart datum. This winter has significant snowpack in the area so the trend is likely to continue. What is important is, these higher water levels are pouring into Lake Huron/Georgian Bay via the St Mary's River at Sault Sainte Marie. Yes the water levels in Georgian Bay will be going up - probably quite a bit this year because Georgian Bay & Lake Huron also will have very wet condition this spring with snowpack melt.
It is important to put Lake Superior into context as to the role it plays on the Great lakes including Georgian Bay. Lake Superior contains 10% of the entire worlds fresh water and it covers 82,000 square kilometers. It is the largest lake in the world and has an average depth of 483 feet. It contains as much water as all the other Great Lakes combined plus three extra Lake Erie's! The lake was formed during the last glacial retreat about 10,000 years ago. There is enough water in Superior alone to cover North & South America under one foot of water. It is one mother of a big lake.
Lake Superior is clean and the average visibility is 27 feet and in some spots over three times that visibility. Over 300 rivers feed the lake and uncountable springs gurgle up water from below. Lake Superior is so big the sun sets 35 minutes later on the western shore than the eastern shore.
Why am I telling you all this. When Lake Superior has lots of water (which it does) it means Lake Huron and Georgian Bay will also have a robust constant supply. As long as there is as much water flowing from Superior from the north as there is flowing out via the St. Clair river to the south Georgian Bay will remain stable. When there is more water flowing into Huron/Georgian Bay (like there is now) then Georgian Bay will rise. Water shed, evaporation, La Cloche Mountain bounce are all important factors in discussions on water levels ... but the overwhelming factor is the water levels in Superior. There is a lag factor of course, because the St Mary's River can only pass so much water. If no more water ever came into Lake Superior it would still take the lake 20 years to empty via the St. Mary's River. Getting the picture ... it's a LOT OF WATER. Water levels on Georgian Bay go up and they go down as they have for more than 10,000 years. Lake Superior is a great big insurance policy that we will always have water in Georgian Bay.
SAILOR KILLED IN ST. LUCIA
St. Lucia police are questioning three men in connection with the killing of a British man aboard his yacht. The Royal St. Lucia Police Force said 62-year-old Roger Pratt was killed when three men boarded his yacht, while it was anchored off the southern town of Vieux Fort. Pratt's wife, Margaret, was wounded during the attack.
The Warwickshire county couple had been sailing their yacht since June to mark Margaret Pratt's 60th birthday. They arrived in the Caribbean in December making it to St.Lucia to celebrate New Year's and later her birthday. On Friday afternoon, Margaret sent a blog post describing their visit ashore to Vieux Fort. They returned to their boat, "Magnetic Attraction," and just before midnight, three armed men boarded the vessel and attacked the couple before fleeing, according to police. Robbery was the apparent motive. "Within minutes of the robbers fleeing, Margaret went in search of her husband and found him floating in the nearby waters," according to a police statement. Investigators have not disclosed how Roger Pratt was killed. An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday.
Tourism Minister Lorne Theophilus assured that law enforcement is working "to bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice speedily" and said that St. Lucia remains a "relatively safe" place for tourists and locals. The Caribbean island of about 180,000 people has been struggling to stem a rise in violent crime in recent years that authorities blame on drug trafficking.
CANADIAN YACHT CHARTERS IN THE NORTH CHANNEL
Canadian Yacht Charters (CYC) has been operating for over 20 years - offering bareboat charters, skippered charters, learn to sail programs and even day excursion sailing. They offer the largest charter boat fleet in the Great Lakes. Their inventory includes 13 sailboats (27' – 50'), a catamaran sailboat (36'), a power catamaran (34') and 5 trawler power boats (34' – 39').
Owners Ken Blodgett & Pam McLaughlin Blodgett are seasoned operators of this charter boat service and run the operation from their docks in Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island right in the heart of the North Channel cruising grounds. The CYC operation has a well stocked marine chandlery and there are also shops and restaurants right in Gore Bay. It's a perfect jumping off point for North Channel cruising.
The North Channel offers unparalleled cruising, and is considered the best fresh water cruising destination in the world. The area has 120 miles of sheltered waterway that joins Lake Huron to the west and Georgian Bay to the east. CYC's base marina is only 12 miles from the spectacular and world famous Benjamin Islands anchorage.
CYC has a yacht management program where boats are maintained for owners and chartered for income with the charter revenue being split equally between the yacht owner and CYC. The owner gets to enjoy the boat while the capital costs of new yacht ownership are effectively paid for by other charter guests. The boat owners pay for only half of the main costs like insurance, dockage and winter storage. CYC covers the other overhead costs of boat operation and maintenance. The charter boats are well maintained and fully serviced by CYC. CYC has a staff of 16 including 2 mechanics and a scuba diver. Down the road, when the boat leaves charter service, it will be in great shape for the owner to sell and repeat the venture with CYC or to be used as an owner only boat.
Charter boat owners can basically just come aboard and enjoy their boat when it comes time for their own vacation or use period. It's as worry free as a charter can get for both yacht owners and charter clients. CYC has a portfolio of certified skippers for those yachts that go out on a crewed basis. These certified skippers can provide instruction and certification aboard any CYC yacht used for bareboat as well. All boats are fully equipped and ready to go for charter and CYC takes care of client provisioning needs, bareboat skipper screening and instruction as required to make sure every boat leaving the dock is well prepared to cruise the North Channel.
Cruising the North Channel is likely on the bucket list of every sailor and power boater, and for many it results in a lifetime of fond memories. The scenery is drop dead gorgeous and the cruising grounds are extensive with endless anchorage opportunities and areas to explore ... while remaining safe and reasonably well sheltered for extended cruising. It doesn't get any better than this when it comes to boating.
Call Ken or Pam at (705) 282 0185 or visit their site at www.cycnorth.com
GEORGIAN BAY'S BURNT ISLAND DONATED TO LAND TRUSTS
Congratulations to the Georgian Bay Land Trust and the American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts. The gift of Burnt Island to the Georgian Bay Land Trust and American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts is a first under the relatively new rules that allow US owners to donate land to Canadian supported land trusts and receive a tax credit. It is the first cross-border ecological gift in Canadian history involving both American and Canadian owners. The Canadian landowners of Burnt Island gave their portion of the property to the Georgian Bay Land Trust and the Americans gave their share to the American Friends of Canadian land Trusts.
Burnt Island is located in the seasonally populated group of islands north of the Ojibway Club in the western Pointe au Baril area. Its large 10-acre size includes small woodlots of White Pine and Red Oak, open rock barrens with patches of shrubs and herbs and some coastal meadow marsh communities. The island contains rock barren and coastal marsh habitat for two rare species: the Eastern Foxsnake and the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake and the Massasauga Rattlesnake species has been spotted on the property by the land donors.
The local area is made up of a network of rocky islands that are mostly privately owned. The protection of the property will allow further important habitat and species protection within this mini-archipelago. The achievement of this Canadian first was a joint effort with the two land trust organizations working in concert with the American and Canadian island donors. Here's hoping the gift will inspire other American and Canadian landowners and families of mixed citizenship to consider making similar donations to Georgian Bay land trusts. For more information on donating property to American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts visit this website www.afoclt.org or call Sandra Tassel at 360-515-7171.
Below is an earlier article we published on Georgian Bay land trusts which will provide more detail:
If you are a boater on Georgian Bay, then you know what a great privilege it is to drop anchor in a secluded cove surrounded by an unspoiled wilderness landscape of windswept pines and sculpted granite landscape. When you see these beautiful undeveloped vacant islands and mainland coves you have to recognize that it's vacant for a reason and being permanently or temporarily protected in some manner:
Private deeded land that has been left undeveloped - there is increasingly less of this every year and in all likelihood it will be developed at some point
First Nations reserve land - which may or may not be developed at some point in time
Federal or Provincial Park lands - which will probably never be developed but may host additional visitor infrastructure over time
Crown Land - will hopefully get converted to Park land over time ... but with no guarantees
Land Trust property that has been donated by deeded land owners to be preserved as conservation land into perpetuity
The Georgian Bay Land Trust www.gblt.org currently manages 28 properties comprising of some 1200 acres. It acquires property mainly by donation but in some instances it will raise money to buy select properties. They are currently working on 76 properties for preservation. For many landowners and the families involved with the property have a multi generational attachment to the land. As families grow and disperse over time it is common that the land owners at some point want to ensure preservation of the property because of their love and attachment to the land and the memories that go with it. That Georgian Bay island or main land acreage may often be the one place on earth over all others that they are grounded to as a family and the place they feel closest to in terms of emotional attachment. They want to see the property live on for many generations just the way they remember it and they want to benefit the flora, fauna and wildlife that were part of their experience with the property.Of course the land donations can also trigger favourable tax treatment and have some financial advantages for the landowner in most cases.
Historically many of the landowners in the Georgian Bay archipelago are US owners. It's just one of those things, that US citizens have been coming to Georgian bay for vacations since the early 1900's and many fell in love with the area and made the move to invest in property. Many of them would come to rustic lodges for the summer season by steamer - after you do that for several seasons you want to own a piece of the Georgian Bay beauty and lifestyle. And chances are friends come to visit and they want the same. Orville Wright was one of those people, however eventually the property left the family. There are many families that couldn't bear the thought of their Georgian Bay property falling into other hands that may over develop the property or have it end up in some future use where the natural surroundings would be disrupted. We think of Georgian Bay as being rugged granite, but everything that takes hold on that granite in unbelievably harsh conditions has to struggle for decades to persevere and survive. It is a very fragile environment in many ways and worth protecting, because there is no where else in the world with the stark beauty and rich history of the Georgian Bay 30,000 Islands.
Recently Canada & the USA facilitated the ability for US landowners to donate their land for conservation. It took eleven years to hammer through the red tape. In the past the tax impediments facing US citizens owning Canadian land prevented them from donating it. Canadian conservation agencies like the Georgian Bay Land Trust found foreign ownership to be an obstacle to preserving the land, other than buying the property outright. This is because if a US citizen donated the land to a US charity they paid the accrued Canadian capital gains tax and if they donated it to a Canadian conservation agency they received no US tax deduction.
A US non profit organization was formed called the American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts (AF) www.nsnt.ca/af hosted by leading conservation professionals from both USA and Canada with the mandate to remove tax obstacles for donated land. Americans can now donate Canadian land by conservation easement over that land and donations are US income tax deductible and are also exempt from Canadian capital gains taxes. The American Friends organizations also gets donations from Canadian and US interests that allows them to operate, craft donation agreements through Canadian partners (like Georgian Bay Land Trust) and promote American donation of conservation properties.The land donations are made through the AF to appease the IRS regulations on tax deductions from foreign property. The transaction fee draws about $3500 in legal/admin costs to the US donor or Canadian partner (whoever assumes the cost). It happens in steps. 1/ qualification 2/ proposed land conservation agreement and then three project phases 1/ Inquiry & Feasibly Assessment 2/ Due Diligence 3/ Closing . All are involved legal processes that are guided by AF and the Canadian conservation partner. The lands must also be free from risk of mineral development and the partner taking the donation must be determined by the IRS to be a publically supported charity under the Canada – US income tax treaty recognizing that qualified Canadian Charities are equivalent to US organizations in some instances.
So here's why you might donate land or cash to the Foundation or Trust:
you are preserving land and wildlife in it's natural state in a fragile environment
cash donations are tax deductible as a donation
land donations are also tax deductible and attract no capital gains for qualified situations US or Canadian
cash donations allow the trust and foundations to function securing more conservation lands
you cannot depend on government to pick up and secure available unique private lands in the public interest if they become available (although it does happen on occasion when Park lands adjoin)
if you are a boater consider that you are preserving wild places you can anchor at and enjoy unspoiled views
most would get some satisfaction in knowing that that their children or their grand children and great grand children will still have unspoiled places to see when they cruise the Bay
If your donating to other worthy causes ... and Georgian Bay is one of your favourite places, consider donating to the Georgian Bay Land Trust. Every bit helps. Boating Georgian Bay will be adding GB Land Trust to the organizations it donates to this year
VISIT US AT THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW Jan 10th – 19th, 2014
Drop by and say hello when your at the Boat Show. We are at booth G315 across from the Boatsmart testing centre in the Industry building.
Here's a brief rundown of what's going on at our booth:
- Enter our BGB contest to win a Learn To Sail Charter with COSMOS Yacht Charters aboard a Hunter 44 sailboat in Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands
- We will be selling discounted Boating Georgian Bay Seriously Great eco friendly BOAT CLEANER for $10 bottle and our Boating Georgian Bay Lime Habanero HOT SAUCE for $5 bottle
- On sale are a limited supply of top quality Boating Georgian Bay embroidered BALL CAPS for $15
- We will be running the Boating Georgian Bay TV episodes at the booth
- Bring us a pic of your boat on Georgian Bay and receive a free membership for Americas Great Loop Cruising Association
- Q&A's on everything related to cruising Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands and the North Channel
- Deep discount (boat show only) advertising packages on the Boating Georgian Bay web site
- Most of our advertising partners will have literature at our booth
- Meet Captain Bill who does the Captain's Rant articles on our BGB website and an expert on Georgian Bay sailing and worldwide yacht delivery
- On Friday the 17th we will be doing two seminars at the Parkbridge Marinas hospitality room on "History and Attractions of Georgian Bay" at 3 PM and "Entering Canada and the Trent Canal System” at 7 PM
... and we are always happy to have you come by and talk boats and cruising on Georgian Bay!
DISTANT SHORES SAILING ADVENTURE SERIES
Since the Cottage Life channel appeared on our satellite service we started watching some episodes of Distant Shores. As previous adventurers by sailboat and current power boat cruisers we really do enjoy the show. In particular we really like the fact that the show has a nice balance of on the water experience combined with land based travel activities ... and interesting characters that they meet during the series.
Canadians Paul and Sheryl Shard co-produce the series and they are the show hosts and adventurers. Nice way to make a living we think! The Shard's started off by building their own 37' sailboat called Two Step and after 6000 hours of labour they set sail in 1989, and they have been on sailing adventures ever since. Their boat is registered in Port Credit Ontario and they live on Lake Simcoe when they are taking a break from cruising at various destinations around the world.
After successfully producing documentaries and sailing series episodes for TV, the Shard's launched the current series called Distant Shores and it has run more than 100 episodes while they have travelled in over 60 countries and covering more than 90,000 nautical miles. Their current boat Distant Shores ll is a 49' Southerly with a retractable keel that allows them to get into interesting shallow anchorages. The Shard's experience afloat has obviously influenced their decision on their requirements for an ideal cruising boat.
We enjoyed the show so much we bought the DVD/Digital Download Superpack with Distant Shores seasons 1 through 9 (117 episodes) for $149. The Superpack was shipped promptly and professionally and arrived in a really nice little zip up carrying case. Season 1 starts with the Western Mediterranean and ends with the Southern Caribbean - with a lot of adventure in between. Even die hard power boaters will find this video series incredibly entertaining and the Superpack is exceptional entertainment value (even if it was twice the price). What we really like is the organic feel of the videos - better than homemade ... but not polished to the point of Hollywood. If you like to travel and you like boats you are going to love this video series. You'll get to experience the good and bad of a long term cruising lifestyle. For anyone thinking about leaving the phone off the hook to go cruising for a year or so, Distant Shores episodes are a must see.
The Shard's are also contributing writers to a number of nautical magazines including Canadian Yachting, Cruising World, Sailing, Latitudes and Attitudes and Practical Boat owner. You can meet them in person at the Toronto International Boat Show January 11th – 19th where they will be delivering cruising seminars. Visit their website www.distantshores.ca to purchase the Distant Shores series.
LATEST ON THE COSTA CONCORDIA COURT PROCEEDINGS
Hundreds of people were aboard the Costa Concordia when the Captain fled in a lifeboat, an Italian Coast Guard official testified. Coast Guard Captain Gregorio De Falco added that rescuers received first word of the seriousness of the shipwreck only after a passenger used a cellphone to call family. Captain Schettino is charged with manslaughter, abandoning ship and of causing the shipwreck by sailing too close to the Italian island of Giglio and running into a reef killing thirty-two people that died in the aftermath. Coast Guard Captain De Falco told the court that the Concordia cruise ship sent out its first distress signal 53 minutes after the Jan. 13, 2012 collision. Until then the ship's officers kept "giving us reassurances about the situation on board'' insisting that the Concordia had only suffered a power blackout according to De Falco. De Falco said he didn't believe Captain Schettino's reassurances.
De Falco testified that police on the mainland informed the Coast Guard that a relative of a passenger called them to say that passengers had been ordered to put on life vests, and that furniture was falling around them as the cruise liner started listing badly to one side. A customs police boat, which had rushed to the scene, also told the Coast Guard the cruise ship was capsized.
The court heard recorded conversations between De Falco and Schettino, including a conversation in which De Falco repeatedly ordered Schettino to get back aboard, at one point saying he is relieving the Concordia Captain of his command. The call ends with an exasperated De Falco's swearing at Schettino. Also played in court was a recording of another conversation in which Schettino is aboard a life boat and mumbles that there are "at most about 10 people'' still on the Concordia. But the Coast Guard had heard that as many as 300 of the 4,200 passengers and crew were still aboard.
In the recording De Falco is also heard asking Schettino if there are women and children in the water and if some are jumping off the Concordia into the sea. He later tells Schettino: "You saved yourself, but I will make a lot of trouble for you”. Many passengers and crew dove into the water to escape the sinking ship when lifeboats could no longer be lowered because of the Concordia's tilt. Autopsies found many of the victims drowned aboard the ship, as water surged down corridors outside cabins and elevator shafts. Captain Schettino could receive twenty years if convicted. He still insists the reef wasn't on the ship's navigational charts and that he helped direct the evacuation after reaching land.
TOO BIG TO DOCK
A Florida firm has designed a floating city called Freedom Ship that would spend its entire time at sea. The ship is a mile long and 25 stories high with enough suites for 50,000 permanent residents.
It will feature schools, hospitals, art galleries, shops, parks, an aquarium, casino and even a small airport on the roof and a boat docking bay at the stern. The ship's shopping centre is expected to cover 1.7 million square feet.
Designed by the Florida-based Freedom Ship International the floating city will weigh 2.7 million tonnes - making it too large to ever dock. The ship would spend the whole time at sea, circling the globe once every two years, powered by solar and wave energy.
Just to compare - the current Oasis cruise ship class vessels are around 225,282 tonnes and carry over 5,400 passengers.
During its time at sea Freedom Ship International claims the ship would spend 70 percent off the shore of major cities and 30 percent moving between countries.
The planned route would begin with a transatlantic crossing from the US east coast into Europe, passing Italy before looping back and sailing around Africa, across to Australia, heading north into Asia before spending the end of the year on the west coast of US and into South America.
In addition to the permanent residents, the Freedom Ship would also have room for an extra 30,000 daily visitors, 20,000 crew and 10,000 overnight guests.
The estimated US$10 billion is needed before the Freedom is ever ready to set sail.
FSI director and vice-president, Roger Gooch said "in the last six months we've been getting more interest in the project and we are hopeful we will raise the first $1 billion to begin construction."
DIAMOND LIL DOES THE RIO DULCE - BOOK REVIEW
This is the third in a series of The Captains Log books written by Melanie Wood who along with her husband Captain John have cruised from Ontario to exotic, less traveled locations in Central/South America aboard their 38' Bayliner - Diamond Lil. What makes the adventure unusual is there are not many smaller power (non sail) production boats going to such remote locations with some long blue water crossings thrown into the challenge. This book provides a detailed account of their journey from Florida to Cuba and on to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Roatan and back to Guatemala during hurricane season.
What makes this book interesting is these folks are just like you and me, and they boated on Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay. Their Bayliner is registered in Midland Ontario. What makes them different is they took the plunge and they have been going to places that you would only find cruising sailboats or high end exploration trawlers like Nordhavn, Fleming, Kady-Krogen etc. I would venture to say that you are not going to find another Canadian power boat under 50' up the Rio Dulce river in Guatemala anytime soon. Seems almost crazy to me that such a small power boat is cruising around in such far flung places ... but humans have no bounds and yes there are plenty of people doing crazier things on the water ... like rowing across the Atlantic or paddle boarding across Georgian Bay.
What makes this book useful is the level of detail that Melanie writes about that can be applied as important information for any boater contemplating or in the process of long distance “vagabond” style cruising. The book deals with the good, the bad and the ugly truths of living aboard a boat when the boat is your home and refuge in beautiful, but sometimes risky, far away tropical paradises where things don't happen the way we would expect them to happen in comparison to the relative predictability of cruising in North America. Half the people reading this book would think “I'd love to do that” and the other half would think “there's no way on God's green earth I'd go long distance cruising now”. Realty is, maybe one in several million might take this kind of plunge. Once you leave Florida and head south from there, it's a whole different world when it's not just a vacation but a long term commitment. The world is still a wild and woolly place once you break the confines of your own backyard.
We received the book from Melanie as a Proof and it will soon be available as a self published book that can be bought online at Amazon.com ... visit her online log as well at www.mytripjournal.com/melandjohn.
I'LL HAVE WHAT HE'S HAVING!
The 2013 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show has come and gone and by all accounts the show was a huge success in terms of attendance, new boat sales, brokerage sales and accessory sales. Allied Marine sold six new yachts at the show and many used boats. Some manufacturers sold all their on site inventory at the show. Others also report excellent sales and we're told you didn't have to walk far to see SOLD signs on yachts of all sizes. For the first time in many years there is a waiting list for some production yachts. Buyers seem to be leaning to the high quality, high end of the boat market and price seems to be a secondary factor on their new boat purchase (even though best of breed fuel economy is on the list of must haves). Buyers also want bright open environments and there is a big shift that living/entertaining space be sedan style on one level with a seamless integration between outdoor cockpit space and indoor living ... rather than the cave like layouts of many older express cruisers.
Fort Lauderdale is the yacht capital of the world and lots of folks were apparently there to do some serious shopping. Some say it's a one time blip of pent up demand from many years of holding back. Who knows for sure - folks are buying and used boat prices in the US are starting to move up on good quality sought after brands. It seems to us that in the USA, the clouds have lifted and the boat industry is back on it's feet. While things are improving on the brokerage side in Canada, we haven't seen anything like the boat and accessory buying resurgence in the USA. We hope we'll soon have some of what the US is experiencing up here in Canada please!
It will be interesting to see if the Toronto International Boat Show also draws bigger crowds and increased sales.
NEWS REGARDING THE TRENT CANAL SYSTEM
This sent to America's Great Loop Cruising Association.
Over the past year you have responded to an online opportunity to voice your concerns about the future of the Trent Severn Waterway and Rideau Canal. Thank you for your previous support which was instrumental in bringing forth to our Federal Government, the direct impact the Waterway Operation has on you. In early May of this year Minister Kent announced a “lockage fee freeze” for the next 3 years. Within his announcement was the following comment….
"During this time, Parks Canada and I will work with local Members of Parliament, community leaders and the tourism industry to develop and implement an improved operating model to ensure the long term financial sustainability of the canals operations. These long term solutions will need to address all aspects of the canals operations."
So ... The Trent Severn Waterway Working Group has been formed to work towards the described goals above. We are pleased to announce the launch of www.trentsevern.ca. The website offers members of the general public the opportunity to find information about, and show their support for, the Trent Severn Waterway Working Group. The Group is committed to working with federal, provincial and local governments to find a solution to the short and long-term issues affecting the Trent Severn Waterway.
The Trent Severn Waterway is an important natural resource which is being underutilized. Our website will be the hub of information about the Trent Severn Waterway, and will give the community the voice it needs in helping to ensure the long-term financial and environmental sustainability of the Waterway. The Trent Severn Waterway Working Group website outlines the Group's goals and mission statement, and provides a sign-up page for those interested in joining the initiative. Key goals of the Group include ensuring that current cutbacks to canal operations do not permanently damage the long term sustainability of the waterway, and addressing the many important issues important to the Canal community, including but not limited to navigation, cultural and historic interpretation, infrastructure, environmental protection, and water management issues.
We invite all members of the community with an interest in the Trent Severn Waterway to visit our website and join the Trent Severn Waterway Working Group. Current members of the Group include Ontario Waterway Cruises, Lift Lock Cruises, Happy Days House Boats, Voices for the Trent Severn Waterway, Mayor John Williams (Quinte West) and Peterborough Community Council.
For those of you living along the Rideau Canal - stay tuned .... We are all following closely, the work presently underway this fall with the Community stakeholder engagement process. We look forward to reviewing the outcome of this initiative.
Thanks again for your ongoing support to our Historic Canals of Canada..
Marc Ackert, Captain
M.V. Kawartha Voyageur
2014 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
Mark your calendar for one of the largest consumer shows in North America. The Toronto International Boat Show runs January 11th through January 19th, 2014 at the Direct Energy Centre Exhibition Place. This is the granddaddy of shows for the average boater. It doesn't have the mega yachts of Lauderdale or Miami and it isn't even on the water ... but it has a huge selection of boats and accessories from dinghies up to sixty foot sail and power yachts.
It's a great respite from the harsh winters here in Ontario and it comes at a perfect time to lift your spirits and dream of warm sunny days in an anchorage with all that great boat gear. The show also features an outstanding line-up of free seminar speakers so you can learn from other cruisers experiences or some of the more basic necessities like boat maintenance. Everybody that's in a boat related business is at this show and you really need a few days to cover the show and take it all in. The other great thing about this show is there is always some new innovative boat gear to check out and if you're in the mood to buy, there is no better place to get discount priced gear than this show.
Boating Georgian Bay will have a booth in the busy Mariners Marketplace hall. Our booth # is G315 right across from the Boat Smart booth. We will have our BGB Seriously Great boat cleaner and our own Boating Georgian Bay brand Habanero Lime hot sauce at the show ... but most all we're there to talk cruising on Georgian Bay with anyone who wants to drop by.
Bring a photo of your boat cruising on Georgian Bay or in the North Channel to our booth and receive a complimentary one year membership ($59. value) to America's Great Loop Cruising Association www.greatloop.org.
The SS Keewatin is Home
Hundreds of boats escorted the SS Keewatin back to her home port of Port McNicoll. With Coast Guard ship escort running in front and Police boats following behind and an armada of old tugs, passenger boats and recreational boats following her down the Bay it was a spectacle that will probably never be repeated in the area. Boating Georgian Bay followed the homecoming both on the water and at the docks. The Port McNicoll harbour was shut off by police boats but we got in by boat before the arrival to photograph the crowds and we had a prime location in front of the crowd barriers not five feet from the stern cleat. The crowds were large and helicopters constantly circled overhead . The two US tugs that brought her in did a remarkable job of gently turning her around in the Harbour and bringing her up to the pier. A choir was on hand, bagpipers, politicians, VIP's, Friends of Keewatin, RCMP and enough OPP officers to rival downtown Montreal policing. It was a well orchestrated and perfectly managed event. Extremely efficient shuttle bus service from Midland, shade tents, good food, portable washrooms, Keewatin souvenir vendors ... it was all there. Skyline Developments and Friends of Keewatin volunteers did a marvelous job. Even the day after the homecoming there were plenty of cars and people wandering in to get a look at the ship. Looks like Port McNicoll has a great tourist attraction in it's midst. IT was nice to see the signs in town welcoming her back and it bodes well for the small town that hasn't seen this much action since the Keewatin left back in 1966. Here is a gallery of the homecoming from both on the water and on the pier below:
COSTA CONCORDIA PLOT THICKENS
A Moldovan dancer who had been on the bridge of the Costa Concordia cruise ship when it crashed into a reef off Italy testified reluctantly that Captain Schettino and she were lovers. Twenty six year old Domnica Cemortan made the admission after being warned by the judge that she risked criminal charges if she did not answer the question truthfully. The ship's former Captain, Francesco Schettino is charged with manslaughter for the 32 people who died in the crash, with causing the shipwreck on the night of Jan. 13, 2012, and with abandoning ship while many passengers and crew were still aboard. He faces 20 years in jail if convicted.
Heads in the courtroom turned Tuesday when Cemortan strode in wearing high-heeled pumps and a sexy black top and skirt. Testifying through a translator, Cemortan said she had worked on the Concordia for three weeks in December 2011. She then re-boarded the ship as a non-paying passenger several hours before the crash near Giglio. "When you are someone's lover no one asks you for any explanations'', she told the court about not having a ticket. As she testified, former Captain Schettino, who is married, sat making a series of hand gestures indicating incredulity.
When the Concordia rammed into the reef the night of Jan. 13, gashing its hull and quickly taking on water, many of the passengers were enjoying a gala supper. Cemortan said she had dined at the captain's table with him, and he told the crew to slow down the ship so he could have dessert before taking the helm near Giglio. They both were on the bridge at the time of the crash. After the crash Cemortan testified that she dashed into Schettino's private cabin to change out of her dinner outfit into more practical clothes. Cemortan told the court Schettino told her immediately after the crash to take good care of a high-ranking crew member who is the brother of the former director-general of Costa Crociere SpA, the Italian cruise line. Cemortan said she and others aboard her lifeboat pulled several people out of the water. Cemortan is among those seeking damages from the captain. "Today I died a second time,'' she told reporters outside the court, contending that she had suffered psychological trauma due to the shipwreck.
Ship maitre d' Antonello Tievoli testified that 10 days before the crash, he had asked the Captain to sail close to the island of Giglio during the Mediterranean cruise because the crewman's family lived there. Tievoli said exactly a week before the collision, the cruise ship sailed closer than usual to Giglio and he thanked Schettino for the courtesy. Tievoli recalled that Schettino was disappointed with that route and ordered his officer to devise a closer approach to the tiny island the following fateful week.
Hours after Captain Schettino left aboard a lifeboat and was seen on Giglio, Italian rescue helicopters were still pulling survivors from the water. Many passengers jumped from the capsized ship into the sea to try to swim to Giglio and some drowned.
NEW OWNERS OF HATTERAS & CABO ANNOUNCED
Hatteras Yachts company has been acquired from the Brunswick Group by Philadelphia-based Versa, an affiliate of Versa Capital Management LLC. Versa is a private equity investment firm with $1.3 billion of assets under management. They tend to focus on investments in special situations involving middle market companies where value and performance growth can be acquired through enhanced operational and financial performance.
John Ward, a 24-year marine executive whose experience includes Boston Whaler and Mercury Marine will continue to lead the Hatteras/CABO team as President and CEO. It is expected that all Hatteras/CABO employees will be retained. "We are very excited to become part of the Versa team, given their financial and operational expertise. The economic downturn affected the entire marine industry. We are proud that Versa has put their confidence into our iconic brands, and that the firm shares our belief in American manufacturing. Since we learned in January that we were being sold, we have been waiting for the right financial partner to support our business. We see that partner in Versa."Ward said.
"Both Hatteras and CABO are cornerstone American brands in their respective luxury marine markets, and both have been affected during the extended economic downturn. Working with the company's seasoned management team, we see great opportunity to build value in these businesses while retaining the expertise in engineering and eastern seaboard production that has given Hatteras/CABO their well-earned reputations as premier yacht and sportfishing vessel builders." says Gregory L. Segall, CEO of Versa Capital.
So it sounds like we can breath a sigh of relief. Looks like Hatteras is in good hands and may even benefit from further capitalization and production efficiency.
DAVIE YARDS
Davie Yards, Canada's oldest shipyard at 188 years has said it has turned itself around and is in a great position to compete and win new coast guard shipbuilding and maintenance contracts that could allow its workforce to more than double in coming years. The previously mothballed operation is busy these days with 750 workers and is preparing to launch its first ship in many years in October. Zafiro Marine bought Davie Yards from a partnership headed by Ontario's Upper Lakes when ownership became too risky for Upper Lakes after Irving Shipbuilding and Vancouver Shipyards were selected over Davie to build Canada's new warships and coast guard vessels.
Chairman Alex Vicefield said in a recent interview that Davie is a different company from when it lost the mammoth federal shipbuilding contract two years ago. It operates under new management and the firm has a broad customer base that includes commercial ferries, navy ships, oil and gas exploration ships. Last month, Davie submitted $1.2 billion worth of proposals and expects to bid in the coming months for several federal contracts for vessels under 1,000 tonnes.The Canadian government plans to spend $2 billion for smaller ship construction over 11 years and about $360 million over the next decade to extend the life of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet. Ottawa recently announced funding of up to $488 million to buy 18 to 21 new vessels for the Coast Guard Fleet.
Davie is Canada's largest shipbuilding yard with four times the capacity of other yards, the most workers and largest dry dock. With Irving and Vancouver excluded from bidding on smaller vessels, Davie has few competitors for the largest of the ships. It has signed a five year agreement with engineering services firm Babcock International. Davie will provide its facilities while Babcock Canada will contribute marine engineering expertise.
CONCORDIA SALVAGE
Salvage efforts continue on the Costa Concordia. One of the two missing bodies has been recovered. Russell Rebello, a waiter from India was recovered while an Italian women, Maria Grazia Trecarchi remains missing. Thirty two lives were lost in the cruise ship accident. The Captain Francesco Schettino is on trial for the deaths. Recently his excuse that the reef was not on his charts was disputed by another crew member who was also charged. Schettino abandoned his ship in advance of many of the passengers.
Since the ship was re-floated, divers and salvage crews have been systematically recovering passenger items from the staterooms and safes to return personal property to survivors and families of those that died. Once the ship is fully offloaded of tons of rotting materials and debris, it will be towed to a port to be cut up for salvage. It may take up to a year to fully prepare the ship to be moved.
THE BILLIONAIRE AND THE MECHANIC - BOOK REVIEW
Author Julian Guthrie writes a riveting insiders account of Oracle CEO and billionaire Larry Ellison's quest to win the America's Cup sail race series. The book covers off some of the dramatic long distance ocean racing and match racing Ellison funds and participates in, as a man driven to win at any cost.
Reading the book makes one feel like they are on the inside, with the Oracle Racing Team ... and part of the action of the many races in difficult character building situations. You get to know a lot about Larry Ellison and what drives the man to extreme measures physically, mentally and financially to field teams to win races. The America's Cup is the gold standard for sail racing and the campaign cost to win an Americas Cup series is up in the hundred million dollar range. Winning an Americas Cup is all about team work and technology but none of it happens without an enormous amount of money and the capability to deal with a political minefield of issues and egos.
After several failed Americas Cup attempts the book leads up to the Oracle Racing Teams victory in 2010 (the book ends as they start their campaign for the 2014 Cup which Oracle also won in a spectacular way, by defending the cup against New Zealand). The story takes an interesting twist when Ellison hooks up with the near bankrupt blue collar San Francisco Golden Gate Yacht Club when negotiations with the stodgy St. Francis Yacht Club break down. Ellison likes to call his own shots and the wealthy opinionated St. Francis Yacht Club wouldn't play by the terms of engagement Oracle Racing was seeking. Ellison strikes up a relationship with the radiator mechanic Commodore Norbert Bajurin of the destitute Golden Gate Yacht Club and mutual respect and cooperation change the history of sailing forever.
A good part of the book deals with racing tactics and blow by blow coverage of various races ... so you have to like sailing and perhaps have done some club racing to really understand the guts of the story. Aside from that, the book allows the reader a unique view into the business and politics of the sail racing industry, as well as a glimpse into the mind of Larry Ellison - one of Americas greatest entrepreneurs.
If you like sail boats or sail racing, you won't be able to put this book down. If you have ever wondered why some of the richest people in the world personally fund the America's Cup for the sake of winning the trophy and the bragging rights, this book is a must read and answers the questions. There is no limit to the technology, human and financial resources spent to win the Americas Cup race and it really is a different world that few would relate to without having Guthrie present the context as well as she does in her book.
GREAT LAKES CRUISE SHIPS
An Ohio port on Lake Erie has walked away from membership supporting an effort to revive the cruise industry on the Great Lakes. A Toledo newspaper reported that Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority has rejected invitations to join the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition, a Kingston, Ontario based group. This Kingston group markets member communities for $3,700 to $7,000 in yearly fees, but Port agency board president Paul Toth said he didn't believe it was getting enough out of their membership. He said the port authority dropped out of the coalition shortly before the financial crisis of 2008 when their budget was reduced. Coalition executive director Stephen Burnett said he sees a bright future for the Great Lakes cruise industry because as many as five cruise lines are expected to offer Great Lakes cruise routes in 2014 including Georgian Bay. All the new ships cruising the Great Lakes will be smaller vessels, holding 100 to 400 passengers with the Great Lakes routes seeing a net increase of 6,000 cruise passengers next year.
Joe Cappel, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority director of cargo development, said the agency's focus has been almost exclusively on cargo shipments in recent years because the cruise industry has never regained the foothold it once had in the Great Lakes region. "With our limited resources at the port, we try to focus on things that have the most bang for the buck, which means cargo. But, no, we haven't been aggressive in marketing Toledo to the cruise-ship industry,'' Cappel said.
Cruise lines are desperate to find new venues and travel itineraries for their customers who often are looking for new port locations to visit. Cruise ship vacationers have a limit on how many times they will visit the same ports and they are looking for new adventures. Many regular cruisers have simply run out of locations that they haven't been to at least once.
ELLISONS USA ORACLE TEAM MAKE DRAMATIC COMEBACK TO CAPTURE CUP
Skipper Jimmy Spithill and his crewmates aboard the Oracle Team USA AC 72 catamaran wrote sailing's ultimate comeback story. The New Zealand Emirates team needed only one win to clench the America's Cup. It looked like the USA Oracle team was doomed. The Kiwi's only needed to win one more race and they had a massive lead. Something changed. The New Zealander's lost their upwind advantage, and the Oracle Defender started finally winning race after race. The team sailed hard and didn't give up, eating away at Emirates Team New Zealand's eight to one lead.
Over the course of these string of wins, skipper Spithill has captured the support of the entire city of San Francisco and many American sports fans also got captivated with with biggest comeback ever in professional sport. Racing onboard alongside Spithill on the San Francisco Bay were tactician Ben Ainslie, grinder Shannon Falcone, off side trimmer Rome Kirby, wing trimmer Kyle Langford, grinder Jonathan Macbeth, jib trimmer Joe Newton, grinder Gilberto Nobili, strategist Tom Slingsby, grinder Joe Spooner and grinder Simeon Tienpont. John Kostecki was tactician for the first five races.
American fans went crazy when the TV broadcasters superimposed an American flag on the waters in front of the finishing line, and there seemed to be a message ... never count the US out, even when the chips are down and it seems all hope is lost. The race 19 victory was Oracle Team USA's eighth consecutive win and 11th overall win. Only a week prior, the score was 8-1 in favour of Team New Zealand. Spithill and his US crew finished with a final score of 11-8, securing the extra two points required for victory due to a penalty imposed by the International Jury.
What made the comeback happen? The Oracle boat and the US team got noticeably faster as the teamwork and focus was honed to a razors edge. According to Spithill it was a combination of factors, rather than a single solution of boat speed. Some say it was Ellison parking the cup out by the boat almost taunting the team to hang on to it. Ellison, the fifth richest man in the world, backed by his company Oracle, put unlimited resources into hanging on and defending the cup and it was his vision that the AC72' high tech catamarans would change sailing forever. The boats just got faster and faster and topped 50 mph sometimes which is faster than most power boats can keep up with. Ellison also had the insight to move the race into the inside harbour and had the technical improvements in electronic media that allowed the race to be an exciting edge of the seat world class spectator sport.
'This was the most magnificent spectacle on the water” said Larry Ellison, Oracle Team USA founder. 'These 40-plus knot catamarans are amazing. By going to catamarans we tried to make sailing a bit more extreme, friendlier for the viewing audience. A lot of people weren't interested in sailing, and now they are. This regatta has changed sailing forever. More people watched the first race of this America's Cup than all of the America's Cups in history, so I think it's a success", added Ellison.
Sailboat racing just got catapulted into the world's biggest boldest sport with this race series.
SCHETTINO BLAMES HELMSMAN FOR COSTA CONCORDIA DISASTER
At the beginning it was the shoal missing on charts, then engineering mechanized failure and now Captain Schettino of the wrecked Costa Concordia has come up with a new defense and is blaming the helmsman for botching emergency corrective manoeuvre that he suggests would have avoided the cruise ship's collision with underwater rocks.
At the trial, Francesco Schettino pushed his request for an inspection of the crippled luxury liner, which was just raised upright in a amazing engineering salvage feat on Italian island of Giglio. The complicated salvage operation floated the Concordia where it had capsized Jan. 13, 2012, killing 32 people. Schettino is charged with manslaughter by causing the shipwreck and with abandoning ship before its 4,200 passengers and crew could all be safely evacuated. He suggests he is being made a scapegoat and that errors by other crew and engineering problems escalated the circumstances that lead to the accident. Schettino told the court that as the Concordia came close to Giglio's rocky coastline, he ordered his helmsman to steer the tiller to the port, but the crewman reacted too slowly, and shifted to the starboard instead.
"In my experience, there wouldn't have been the crash had the helmsman promptly had carried out the proper manoeuvre” according to Schettino. The captain has claimed that by his requested manoeuvre they would have pulled the ship away from its collision on a jagged reef that sliced a 230 foot hole in the ship's hull. A maritime expert told the court the helmsman was slow to react and had indeed erred, but that in the end it didn't matter. "The helmsman was 13 seconds late in executing the manoeuvre, but the crash would have happened anyway,'' said Italian naval Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. Because of a law shaving three years off sentences to reduce prison overcrowding, the helmsman is unlikely to serve any time behind bars.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs are also asking for answers to the ship's reported mechanical failures and they want the responsibility for the tragedy to be placed on more than just Schettino's shoulders. Italian authorities have said that Schettino's maritime navigational license has been revoked, ending his hopes ever again being captain of a ship.
The ship wasn't following its pre-established route allegedly because Schettino wanted to impress the passengers, who were having dinner, with a close-up view of the island's twinkling lights. It has been said the deviation was approved by the cruise line and had been done before on past cruises. The ship will be towed away next year and broken up for scrap.
MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Once again Boating Georgian Bay will be there in Miami Feb 13th – 17th covering off both the Miami Boat Show and the Yacht & Brokerage Show at Collins Ave. It's a tough job but someone's got to do it.
The Miami Boat Show gets staged at three different areas in Miami connected by complimentary transit - Sea Isle Marina, Miami Convention Centre and Miamarina Strictly Sail venue. Comp transportation also connects to the Yacht & Brokerage Show staged on Collins Ave. - which is where all the really big yachts are out on display. If you want to tour the really big brokerage yachts at Collins Ave. you are best to make an appointment in advance as only a limited number of used brokerage yachts allow you to come aboard and poke around. Some of the new big boats also require that you register but that can usually be done on the spot. In the Convention Centre and at Sea Isle you can pretty much go aboard anything.
We really like the Miami show because we love the opportunity to visit the South Beach area in the off time when we are not in the show. The Miami Convention Centre is an easy walk from South Beach Hotels and Restaurants. The other thing we like about Miami is the great variety of boats that are not just in the super yacht category. I find that the Convention Centre has more gadgets and interesting products (especially fishing orientated) than you will find at any other show. The Sea Isle in water boat part of the show was a bit sparse last year ... but Collins Ave Yacht & Brokerage Show makes up for that and more. You can easily spend two full days if you expect to see it all ... and if you're going to tour a lot of boats - better make it three days.
MANITOULIN LEGENDS
Manitoulin Island is home to seven communities of Anishnabe, known as People of the Three Fires: The Odawa, Pottowatomi and the Ojibwe nations. For centuries before European colonization these native groups migrated to Manitoulin Island to experience dreams and visions. Under the Bond Head Treaty of 1836 Manitoulin Island became a refuge for natives wanting to live away from the influence of white civilization. It was known as the Manitoulin Island Indian Reserve. In 1862 the MacDougall Treaty allowed the government to divide the island culturally in order for non-natives to settle there, unfairly resulting in the split of Manitoulin Island into separate reserves ... resulting in the loss of culture for the natives who lived there.
Manitoulin is a sacred island to the Anishnabe first nations aboriginal people. Legend passed down through the years is that when the Great Spirit Gitchi Manitou created the earth, he set aside the bluest sparkling water, the brightest twinkling stars and the most beautiful glistening quartz rocks. The Great Spirit made a special island with the quartz rock called Manitou Minissing and he set it in the inland sea (the Great Lakes) and allowed it to drift north until it stopped at the rocky shoreline. He situated the island turned slightly to the south to protect it from north winds and reserved this place for himself and other spirits as their Island of the Spirits retreat. This is a sacred place where by tradition, the great leaders and warriors and medicine men were buried.
Chippewa elders of the Cape Croker Bruce Peninsula reserve have long repeated legends of their aboriginal ancestors being able to walk from Tobermory, at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula, to Manitoulin Island. Today this topography is covered by 90 km stretch of water. The Chippewa legend tells us that long ago the people could walk north and they eventually met unfamiliar people walking south. Scientists have mapped the underwater geography of the area, and have discovered that the submerged land between Tobermory and Manitoulin was once dry confirming the possibility of the legend being true. The ridge of rock situated between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island is 1750 metres long and 5 metres high. Roots of cedar trees remain more than 9000 years later from when the ridge was once dry land. It seems some of the aboriginal legends that may seem unlikely can be backed up at some level by science.
PIRATE?
Don't forget Sept 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. This is your chance to dress like a pirate and act foolishly and get away with it. Come on now, we all know there is some pirate deep inside all of us. Did you know the term “slush fund” comes from when ships cooks would scrap pickled fat out of the empty meat barrels and sell it ashore for extra cash. Many common terms and sayings today came from the early days of tall ships and pirates.
The only written records recovered from the Adventure after Blackbeard's death ran as follows:
Such a day, rum all out - Our company somewhat sober - A damned confusion amongst us! - Rogues a-plotting - Great talk of separation - so I looked sharp for a prize - found one with a great deal of liquor on board, so kept the company hot, damned hot, then things went well again.
US LAWMAKERS MAY END TAX DEDUCTIONS ON BOATS
U.S. Representative Tim Walz, Democrat of Minnesota, and Mike Quigley, Democrat of Illinois, reintroduced legislation to eliminate what it calls "taxpayer subsidies for luxury yachts".
"Closing this tax loophole is a no-brainer step to cut down on wasteful spending," said Walz. "The Mortgage Interest Deduction was made to help middle class families own a home and achieve the American Dream, not to subsidize yachts for the super-rich."
"There's absolutely no reason why taxpayers should subsidize luxury yachts, especially when the vital education and living assistance programs people rely on are threatened with massive cuts," said Quigley. "As we work to get our fiscal house in order, we have to reform our tax code and put an end to frivolous tax loopholes like these."
Currently, taxpayers are allowed to deduct mortgage interest for as many as two homes from their tax returns. Yachts equipped with bedding, toilet facilities and a kitchen qualify, even if they aren't used as a primary residence. The Ending Taxpayer Subsidies for Yachts Act would limit the tax deduction to those who use their boats as a primary residence.
Jim Coburn, managing partner at Coburn and Associates LLC and a long time member of the National Marine Bankers Association, said the measure won't affect the super-rich, as intended, but middle-class boat owners. "They're touting the fat cat thing, but what I find funny or interesting about the deduction for boats is, those aren't the people using their boats as second deductions," Coburn told Trade Only Today. "The middle class is using them on their 25-footers. These are not live aboard. The cap for the deduction is up to $1.1 million, so this wouldn't apply to those yachts. The wealthy are already using that for second mortgages."
Coburn said the bill would hurt already floundering boat sales if it passes."The industry would be hurt by this because sales would, I don't know if they'd plummet, but it would affect sales in a negative way, and that affects jobs," Coburn said. "This does the opposite of what they want to do." If Congress is against second-mortgage deductions, it should be applied across the board and not just to boats", Coburn said.
As it applies to Canada the million dollar question is ... will stopping tax deduction eligibility in the USA create a flood of used boats on the market depressing resale prices in both the US and Canada? The boat brokerage business and new boat manufacturing industries are just starting to see some modest growth. Will this be a step backwards or an opportunity for Canadians to scoop up US boats at the ridiculously low prices that we saw five years ago during the recession?
ADD ON BIMINI
Tired of getting wet or sun baked in the cockpit of your boat? Here's a neat low cost solution to the problem. While a retractable bimini is a great product ... they are very expensive. Some new boats are coming with them factory installed, but anything more than a few years old won't likely have an electric or manual retractable sun shade.
So we asked JT's Top Shop www.jtstopshop.com to find a solution for the cockpit of our 2008 Boston Whaler 345 Conquest which has a large cockpit for a 36' LOA boat. JT's made one trip to measure and one trip to fit. The fit was perfect by the way. The existing surround on the closed in hard top was Stamoid. Stamoid is a rugged vinyl like product used on many yacht canvas applications. JT's specified double coated Stamoid for our bimini for super strength ... given that it would be exposed to constant wind and sun. The bimini could also have been built from Sunbrella to match any boat canvas colour. Stamoid has a light airy feel and it too comes in various colours.
JT's used Stelnor, a local Midland marine stainless steel fabricator who did an excellent job on the metal poles that hold the stern end of the bimini aloft. These poles are in two pieces and JT's makes a padded Sunbrella bag for them for easy compact storage. The bimini itself folds up very small into a Sunbrella bag that is about 2 feet long, 18 inches wide and a couple inches deep. The poles that support the bimini towards the stern utilize the existing fishing pole holders. The whole set up is simple and effective. Easy to store with a factory look, this set up is invaluable to keep us out of the sun and rain and to make the cockpit area of the boat an extension of our functional living space. We were very pleased with the solution JT's Top Shop created for us and the best part is, it takes only five minutes to put up. You can reach JT's at (705) 527 6363
PRIDE MARINE GROUP BUYS SKYLINE MARINA
Effective July 17th/13 Pride Marine Group now owns Canada's biggest Sea Ray dealer Skyline Marina. Skyline has been a fixture on the Ontario boating scene since 1959. Pride has been in business since 1986 and has close to 100 employees. Pride will acquire the main Skyline 26,000 sq. ft. showroom in Orillia as well as Skyline sub offices leased from Parkbridge Marinas on Lake Simcoe (Bridgeport Marina) and Georgian Bay (Bay Port Marina). This will bring Prides total office portfolio to ten locations and gives it a new presence in the Orillia area. Other Pride locations include Midland (Wye Heritage), Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Dorset, Innisfil, Minnett and Rosedale. The deal gives Pride access to the Sea Ray, Hatteras and Meridian boat lines and lets them expand into the larger boat market over 30 feet. Hatteras builds boats up to 100 feet. Both organizations are considered top 100 boat sales industry leaders.
Cameron Wardlaw, Skyline Marina's President sent the following letter:
"After 54 wonderful years as Owner and President of Skyline Marina, it is with mixed emotions that I let you know that Skyline Marina is changing hands. Since in my twenties, Skyline Marina has been my focus and I have decided the time has come for me to enjoy life without the responsibilities of this fabulous business. I have been assured by the new owners, the Pride Marine Group, that Skyline Marina will continue with the same spirit and commitment as we have provided for all of these years and which made Skyline Marina the NUMBER ONE Sea Ray dealer in Canada. We have always tried to give you the best possible boating experience and have been rewarded by you allowing us to serve you. It is with much thanks and appreciation to you, our loyal customers, that I wish you my very best."
Pride Marine Group's President, Paul Nickel sent the following letter:
“Effective July 17th, we will welcome Skyline Marina, with over 53 years of experience, into the Pride family. Pride Marine Group will add the prestigious brands of Sea Ray, Meridian and Hatteras to our already great line up of boats, which include Nautique, Chaparral, Robalo, Crownline, Edgewater, Chris-Craft and South Bay. Dan Pride will be taking over as General Manager for both Skyline and Pride's current brokerage business. Dan brings a wealth of knowledge of cruisers and yachts as he has worked with Sea Ray and other manufacturers for over 20 years. We will add Skyline's three locations (Bridge Port Marina in Orillia, Bay Port Yachting Centre in Midland and the Orillia showroom) to our seven other locations: Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau/Joe, Lake of Bays, Balsam Lake, Innisfil and Wye Heritage Marina. I want to thank you for your patronage of Pride during the last 28 years. We look forward to being able to service your future boating needs with our broader range of products and services.”
CANADIAN COAST GUARD ADDS NEW SHIPS TO FLEET
Peter MacKay Minister of National Defence and Keith Ashfield Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced $488 million dollars in new funding to purchase about 20 new Coast Guard vessels.
The construction of these ships is open by competitive bid for Canadian shipyards previously not selected under the National Shipbuilding Program and it will provide jobs to smaller shipyards across Canada. The vessels will include search & rescue lifeboats, speciality vessels, channel survey and sounding ships, science vessels and special navigation aid ships.
Minister Ashfield says "Our Government has made it a priority to equip the men and women of the Coast Guard with the vessels they need to do their important work” ... " Renewing the fleet will enable the Coast Guard to continue serving Canadians from coat to coast for future generations". The money is expected to be spread across the country and will increase hiring and work in shipyards significantly.
ONCE UPON A TIME ... CHANTICLEER
As a child Ralph Evinrude was brought to Little Current to avoid the effects of Hay Fever which aggravated his severe respiratory problems. Later in life Evinrude headed Outboard Marine Corporation which included Evinrude & Johnson outboard motor manufacturing. In 1955 a wealthy Ralph Evinrude married celebrity Frances Langford (her second marriage) the famous actress and singer whose entertainment career spanned 1935 - 1954. She was known for her involvement with the Bob Hope USO shows and her most famous songs "I'm In The Mood For Love" and "In Waikiki". She was nicknamed "The Bamboo Blonde" which seemed to fit with her "Tiki Hawaiian" theme. They developed the Outrigger Resort & Restaurant in Jensen Beach on land she owned from her first marriage and the tiki style restaurant continues today as the Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House. It was the place to go in the 60's. (Chanticleer pictured docked at the resort). They had a summer home on an island in Baie Finn - Georgian Bay that they both loved ... and it was decided that they should fully utilize Evinrude's yacht as frequent live aboards and the crew would transport them from their other home & business in Jensen Beach Florida to the seasonal Georgian Bay summer home. In fact Chanticleer's generator powered the cottage at Baie Finn whenever Frances Langford was staying there. Frances Langford loved boats and fishing. Yachting was their common passion. They spent a great deal of time living aboard Chanticleer ... they were not just occasional visiting owners.
The first Chanticleer was a 118' steel Defoe built in 1947. Ralph Evinrude owned it before the Langford marriage. In 1985 I had the opportunity to see this yacht up close when we were docked beside each other in Spanish Wells Eleuthera. The yacht had an assortment of dinghies on deck and a line up of Evinrude Motors on davits. It is said the reason was that Langford liked to have a lot of boat options for fishing, but we were told by crew that the outboards were mostly for testing on various boat motors during their travels. Langford was fishing off the big yacht most of the time. This boat plied the Caribbean, Mexico, California, Atlantic east coast and Great Lakes including summers in Georgian Bay. It was used for many Hollywood fundraisers and many elite industrialists, Hollywood actors and politicians (even Nixon) visited the yacht over the years.
In 1986 Ralph Evinrude died. Shortly after Evinrude’s death Langford bought a 1973 98' Burger that had a cockpit added to 108” and spent a year refitting and decorating. It was also named Chanticleer. Langford continued to frequent the waters from the Caribbean to Georgian Bay aboard Chanticleer even with her eyesight failing as she loved her yacht. Along the way she had another marriage. In 2005 Frances Langford died at the age of 92 and her beloved Chanticleer was sold by the estate in 2006. It was repurchased in 2008 by Marty & Lisa Sutter who recognized the history of the yacht and did extensive renovations to the boat and it lives on to this day.
The original Chanticleer fell into disrepair but was seen at various times in Florida and the north east. In 2001 it was for sale while under restoration in Norfolk Virginia (see pics of original Chanticleer in this article). More recently it was said to have been seen restored and in the Great Lakes but that is not totally clear as people often believe the second Chanticleer was the first and vice versa. One thing is for sure, both yachts experienced a magical time in history and were a joy to many Georgian Bay boaters that saw them in The North Channel.
You can visit the second M/Y Chanticleer at www.chanticleer-yacht.com and the pictures commissioned by the Sutter's in the Gallery by well known adventure photographer Neil Rabinowitz are spectacular. Note the oblong port holes and cockpit which were features Langford commissioned on the purchase of the yacht. And the moral of the story is classic yachts should be preserved and deserve to live on as messengers of the history of times past. The second Chanticleer now spends her winters in BVI and her summers in a boat shed in Virginia. Chanticleers owners have indicated that they hope the yacht can visit the North Channel in the summer 2013 or 2014.
HOPE ISLAND GHOSTS
Hope Island is the most northerly of three Ojibwa islands including Christian Island and Beckwith and collectively they are part of the Beausoleil First Nations Reserve. Hope Island was named by famous surveyor and British naval officer Henry Bayfield. Hope Island is to this day uninhabited and it is said the the Huron historically never settled on the island because of ground tremors and the belief that Hope Island was occupied by God's. The island is a popular anchorage for boaters with a nice sandy beach on it's south shores. There are many snakes on the island including large water snakes and Massasauga rattlesnakes. The old rubber tires along the dock landing near the Hope Island lighthouse are usually teaming with water snakes. Some people call it Snake Island.
The original 57' high Hope Island lighthouse was built in 1884 on the northeast corner of Hope Island. The white tower now rises 40 feet to a flat platform without the beacon that once cast it's light over Georgian Bay. The lighthouse keepers dwelling is attached to the tower, and two small one-story additions are attached to opposite ends of the structure. Despite the lighthouse being built, there are shipwrecks all around the island including: 1867 139' Marquette carrying iron ore (pre dates the lighthouse), 1891 126' Lottie Wolf carrying corn, 1924 350' Mapledawn (nearby) carrying grain and 1924 297' Michigan carrying grain. A small steel skeleton tower now supports a modern beacon, and a tall radio tower rises behind the original lighthouse. Several sidewalks connected the lighthouse with the other buildings. There is a rocky shoreline with the docks located beyond the lighthouse complex.
In 1891 lighthouse keeper Allan Collins traded his location posting with Christian Island lighthouse keeper John Hoare so that Allan Collins' children could attend school on Christian Island without boating across. Disputes between the two arose over who got what with the posting change and eventually their boss stepped in to settle the dispute and sided with Collins. Hoare went crazy with rage and it was thought that he killed two fishermen that went missing. Apparently when he was in a suicidal mood, the two fisherman came to his rescue so he killed them. Hoare was soon replaced by a new lighthouse keeper Thomas Marchildon. Lighthouse keeper positions were coveted back then as good steady work. Hoare did not want to give up his location and shot at Marchildon and in general hung around to challenge Marchildon at every opportunity. By 1906 it was common belief that Hoare had killed the fisherman and buried them in a well or under the lighthouse steps. Despite searches, no one could ever find the bodies. It is most likely that given the rocky nature of the landscape the bodies were weighted and disposed of in the water. Hoare it is said, did confess on his deathbed to the murders.
Folks say the ghosts of the two dead fisherman still haunt the island. Sightings of the two old fisherman in both daylight and night have been reported. They are there for a few minutes and they they seem to just disappear. Some visitors report they had talked to the fishermen. The bodies have never been found.
FORMER BRITISH MARINER HAS BOAT IMPOUNDED
A former British mariner has had his personal gunboat impounded in Tenerife amid fears that he was on his way to fight Somali pirates. Chris Enmarch, 53, raised concern among Spanish government authorities. They had a hard time believing Enmarch's explanation of how his converted heavily armoured warship was intended to be a pleasure boat. The ship was British built and registered as Defender and is said to have been previously owned by the Sultan of Oman's Navy.
On a personal note ... why would it be a bad thing to let this fellow chase down Somali pirates? From the documentary footage I have seen in most cases they let these pirates go after disarming them and they go right back at it with unlimited funding from Somali war lords. And who is to say in those waters how much firepower any ship should carry to thwart pirates. I'm thinking the more firepower you can bring to the defence of your vessel the better.
Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and Spain's most populated island. Main business is tourism so not a bad place to be stranded. Hopefully his lawyers can get the ship released soon, and Defender can be on it's way.
AND THE PARTY'S KEEP ON COMING
Tay Township has a great Canada Day celebration coming up at Victoria Harbour 290 Park St. This is a not for profit event that several service organizations are involved in that benefits Midland Hospital. Both days feature top notch tribute bands.
Friday June 28th 8:30 pm Hotel California ... Eagles Tribute Band
plus lots of other stuff going on including refreshment tent & Lions Club steak on a bun.
Saturday June 29th 8:30 The Bayou Boys ... Creedence Clearwater Revival Tribute Band
plus 1 pm free hamburgers, 2 pm idol contest 5 pm BBQ beef on a bun & 6 pm impersonator contest
FUN for the whole family. Each day is a $10 wristband. Call Harry at (705) 534 4196 for details
PARTY AT THE DOCKS MIDLAND
It's always a great party and a fantastic way to kick off summer. Big date is FRIDAY JUNE 21st starting at 6:30 pm at the Midland Town Dock. Things usually get heated up around 9 pm. Burgers and bars all on site ... but expect long line ups – so best to buy a few brews at a time. This years headline band, The Carpet Frogs – one of the best rock tribute bands in Ontario. $25 advance tickets and $35 at the gate. Your giving to a good cause – Midland Rotary Club. The Rotary Club invests in a lot of positive things to help the community. We had a blast last year. Hope the weather cooperates. For details click HERE.
THE FATE OF THE MARY WARD STEAMER
The Mary Ward, was an 129' wooden steamer built in 1865 in Montreal. It travelled Great Lake system between Montreal and Chicago carrying goods and passengers. She was purchased in 1872 by an Owen Sound group who put the Mary Ward into service on the Georgian Bay to Lake Superior route.
On November 22, 1872, the Mary Ward left Sarnia with a load of passengers, acid, salt and kerosene bound for Collingwood, her new winter port. She was held up by weather and on November 24, 1872 the Mary Ward left Tobermory to Owen Sound to pick up more passengers heading to Collingwood. A catastrophe unfolded whose cause remained a mystery for over a century. It is said that the Captain may have mistaken the lights at a the Craigleith tavern for the Collingwood harbour entrance. Some suggest that the Captain simply didn't know the waters well enough in that area. Others have suggested that there was a bank of fog caused by the warm air that day passing over the cooler Georgian Bay waters. In any event the ship was off course when she hit Miligan's Reef that night and became grounded on the rocks 2 km from shore.
The steamer was found to be for the most part in one piece and those aboard decided to stay aboard and wait for help in the next day. Frank Moberly (a CPR surveyor) and George Corbett (a ships' owners) decided to take a ships lifeboat and row to shore to get help an hour after grounding. The goal was to get a message to Collingwood where Frank's brother had a rescue tug to remove the other passengers. After reaching the shore Frank and George were not able to find help and they continued walking to Collingwood. In the morning they reached Collingwood to discover that the tug had already been put away for the winter.
A gale came in that night and by morning everyone aboard the Mary Ward was in trouble. The Nottawasaga Island Lighthouse Keeper was surprised that morning to see the Mary Ward stuck on the rocks. A lifeboat had been launched from the Mary Ward and those aboard the lifeboat had a hard time getting to shore. The others stayed on the Mary Ward waiting for help.
Later that day George Moberly's winterized tug was running and they went out to save the remaining people on the Mary Ward. The storm was too powerful and they returned to Collingwood. Then Frank Moberly and George Corbett decided to try Thornbury to get the help of some local fishermen from the other direction. On the Mary Ward, eight men decided to launch the last lifeboat to go ashore. The lifeboat did not make it very far and tipped over. Hanging on to whatever they could they eventually succumbed to the icy water.
Frank Moberly was able to get in touch with fifteen fishermen and three fishing boats to attempt a rescue. They were able to tie up to the Mary Ward and help the remaining nineteen people to the safety of the fishing boats. As the gale abated they headed to Collingwood where the survivors found refuge. Eight of twenty-seven drowned. Eventually barrels of kerosene from the Mary Ward started floating to the shore and it was said that Craigleith village had kerosene for a long time. Milligan's Reef, is now known as the Mary Ward Shoal. Frank Moberly was presented a medal for his heroism and the other rescuers were presented with $15 and a reference documenting their contribution to the rescue. The bones of the Mary Ward are still out on Milligan's Reef in 15' of water.
To see a video click HERE. The boiler and props are the main remaining parts marking the tragic location. To see another video click HERE. Location coordinates are N 44.33.655 W 80.19.711 . If you go into Craiglieth Provincial Park near the south end you will find a plaque describing the wreck of the Mary Ward. From that plaque almost straight out about 2 km you will see a large shoal with weeds and some bushes on it. Go to the south end of this shoal and swim out towards the mainland about 100 feet, you should land right on top of it. The water is usually very clear but be careful if coming in by small boat with rock shoals all over.
AMERICA'S CUP NEW SAFETY REGULATIONS
The America's Cup introduced numerous new safety recommendations in response to the suspension of the summer racing series following the death of crew member Andrew “Bart” Simpson. Simpson died on May 9 during training exercises as crew on the Artemis Racing catamaran, an AC72 yacht. The recommendations include structural reviews of the AC72 boats and wings, a reduction of the wind limit to 23 knots maximum and enhanced safety equipment for the racers.
Below is the coverage from the America's Cup web site:
Structural reviews of AC72 boats and wings, a 10-knot lower wind limit (23 knots maximum) and enhanced sailor safety equipment are among the 37 recommendations issued today to increase safety during the Summer of Racing at the 2013 America's Cup.
Many of the recommendations are intended to increase the personal safety of the sailors and they include buoyancy aids, body armour, crew locator devices, hands-free breathing apparatus and high visibility helmets. Other recommendations are specific to the AC72 yachts, additional support equipment and race management.
Regatta Director Iain Murray presented his “2013 America's Cup Regatta Director Recommendations” at a meeting with the four competing teams and the America's Cup Event Authority on Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco.
For reasons of insurance and liability, the Review Committee stopped short of making its own recommendations. Regatta Director Iain Murray has formulated the specific safety recommendations.
These additional recommendations have been incorporated into the safety plan produced by the America's Cup, which was forwarded to the U.S. Coast Guard today.
"Producing and implementing the safety plan is within the scope of the America's Cup, as the sponsoring organization for this summer's racing,” said Stephen Barclay, the CEO of the America's Cup. “This America's Cup safety plan is a necessary component of the permit application submitted to the Coast Guard for their consideration.”
The Regatta Director will now form a number of task forces to bring in experts to define additional technical recommendations for specific safety items such as protective gear for sailors.
Since its first meeting on May 16, the Review Committee has worked diligently interviewing 25 team members including team heads, skippers, designers, engineers, sailors and support boat operators.
“All four competing America's Cup teams have cooperated in an open, helpful and constructive way,” Murray said, “and the Review Committee noted there is a clear desire on the part of the teams to ensure the safety of the America's Cup as much as possible.”
“I want to thank the members of the Review Committee for their exceptional and efficient work,” Murray concluded.
HARPER GOVERNMENT FREEZES RECREATIONAL LOCKAGE FEES FOR THREE YEARS
Parks Canada to work with stakeholders to identify long term sustainability solutions for the historic canals
OTTAWA, May 14, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Peter Kent, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced that recreational lockage fees along Canada's historic canals will remain frozen for the next three years at 2008 levels.
"Since the beginning of our consultation process on canal fees, we have been committed to listening and acting in the best interests of the residents who live, work and visit our canals," said Minister Kent. "We recognize the importance of canals to Canada's heritage, the tourism industry and the thousands of people who use them each year. That is why following consultations with Government Members of Caucus who live along the canals, I am pleased to announce that Parks Canada will freeze lockage fees for three years."
"During this time, Parks Canada and I will work with local Members of Parliament, community leaders and the tourism industry to develop and implement an improved operating model to ensure the long term financial sustainability of the canals operations. These long term solutions will need to address all aspects of the canals operations."
As part of the long-term financial sustainability of the canals operations, Parks Canada is already considering new visitor opportunities that will benefit a broad range of canals users, and create new sources of revenue, all while maintaining support for our tourism operators and industry.
SOURCE: Parks Canada
For further information:
Office of the Minister of the Environment 819-997-1441
Media Relations Parks Canada 819-953-8371 www.twitter.com/parkscanada
LITTLE McCOY ISLAND NATURE SANCTUARY
Little McCoy Island now has permanent protection thanks to the Georgian Bay Land Trust. The 35 acre island lies between West Carling and Pointe au Baril.
The island is part of the Mink and McCoy 12 kilometer strand of islands. The Mink and McCoy island group collectively consist of more than 70 islands.
Little McCoy is a transit point for birds migrating north and south along the Georgian Bay shore. It's also home to many reptile species including two endangered species, the Eastern Foxsnake and Blandings Turtle.The island includes coastal wetlands with interior bog, exposed rock and sheltered pockets of vegetation. It is an ideal home for some species at risk including the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake. Little McCoy is a popular remote hiking destination for those looking to experience Georgian Bay in it's natural state.
The acquisition and protection of the island was made possible through the McCoy family, generous Pointe au Baril community donations, the Georgian Bay Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy of Canada ... all partnering together. Many Georgian Bay islands support unique and fragile ecosystems' that with great difficulty developed over thousands of years. Because they are relatively small, lack the diversity of mainland forest tracts and are subject to extreme harsh weather conditions, many of these islands are deserving of protection as they are unique and beautiful environments unlike any other in the world. Recent changes in tax treatment between Canadian and US land trust donations have enabled some owners to donate and preserve forever, some very special Georgian Bay properties that have been in family ownership for many generations.
GEORGIAN BAY YACHT SALES NEW TO THE BAY
Georgian Bay Yacht Sales attends Toronto International Boat Show
Georgian Bay Yacht Sales was launched in August of 2012. The company also includes Toronto Yacht Sales and Kingston Yacht sales that were previously established. Their first business Toronto Yacht sales opened five years ago in downtown Toronto in the Outer Harbour Marina. They chose Georgian Bay for their new location to ensure they are servicing all the large boating centres in Ontario. "It made sense to locate our services on Georgian Bay to ensure we are reaching as many Ontario boaters as possible. Now with all three locations active, we can be sure to connect clients and marketing efforts across the province" states partner Andrian Philpot.
Georgian Bay Yacht Sales are brokers for both power and sailboats. With so many boaters making the transition either way, they wanted to be sure to cover both category markets. Their focus is local representation with national exposure. Georgian Bay Yacht Sales and their companion companies focus heavily on internet marketing and the resulting high placement of their sites for web search results. They are seeing sales up in both sail and power categories and in general their client base is on the rise as their sales have increased exponentially.
Georgian Bay Yacht Sales suggests that anyone buying or selling a used boat should be using a Broker to ensure the buyer or seller is legally protected, boat properly title searched, proper evaluation of price target, scheduling surveys and sea trials, and in some cases cross border arrangements. Last but not least is their in depth marketing knowledge of boats. Should anything unexpected happen ... the brokers job is to get the problem solved to the satisfaction of all parties. Georgian Bay Yacht Sales has already helped clients purchase or sell hundreds of boats here in Canada.
Looking ahead, Georgian Bay Yacht Sales priorities are to ensure that boaters in the Georgian Bay region recognize their brand name and come to the understanding that Georgian Bay Yacht Sales can offer national market catchment for buying or selling boats through their resources via three different companion companies. Their website is www.GeorgianBayYachtSales.com and telephone # is (613) 985 3600
BGB HOT SAUCE ... WE'RE KIDDING RIGHT?
Nope we're not kidding. When we came back from Geiger Key with a bottle of their house brand hot sauce, we got thinking ... why shouldn't we have our own brand of Hot Sauce? We deserve at least that, considering how hard we work don't we? After all we go through enough hot sauce that we should own shares in a hot sauce company somewhere. We were going to brand our own Tequila, just like Carlos Santana ... but that is a much more expensive proposition for down the road. So HOT SAUCE it is ... and we wouldn't have our name on anything but the best. Pretty hot stuff too, at an 8 out of 10 heat ranking as judged by a panel of experts ... but oh so flavourful with a touch of lime, and not so insanely hot that it burns the skin off your mouth.
Introducing Boating Georgian Bay's Habanero Lime Mayday Emergency hot sauce. Yeah I know what your thinking ... these guys have too much time on their hands AND what does this have to do with boating on Georgian Bay. Answer is we don't have that much time on our hands, we are always busy and we all BBQ on the boat and need a good hot sauce for everything we cook. Nice to be in a Georgian Bay anchorage cooking steaks or shrimp on the barbie and pull out a hot sauce with the Boating Georgian Bay label don't you think? Not convinced ... just take our word for it - this sauce is “supremo” if your a hot sauce lover.
Where can you get it? Well you can't really get it directly at this time. It's kind of like our business card on a bottle. Some people hand out business cards, and some hand out hot sauce right? We will pass it around comp at boat rendezvous and boat events we attend, give it to our friends on the dock, pass some around at anchorages in return for a beer, give it to our valued site advertising sponsors when we run into them, maybe leave some at our favourite restaurants, sell it for $5 a bottle at the boat shows to Joe Public when we have a booth set up and generally distribute it unashamedly (is that a word?) to draw attention to the Boating Georgian Bay brand.
If you are a real hot sauce fiend and can't wait to run across some by accident, drop us a line and we can tell you how to get some. We might even try and find a place in Midland that will stock it so we have a fixed location where you can pick some up. Stay tuned on that one.
ONTARIO MNR ANNOUNCECS FIVE-YEAR COMMERCIAL FISHING AGREEMENT
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources announced a five-year commercial fishing agreement with Saugeen Ojibway Nation which permits native commercial fishermen to set their nets in west/south- west Georgian Bay year round.
"Under the previous agreement, SON had agreed not to fish in the inner waters of Owen Sound and Colpoys Bay year-round and the outer bays during peak times for recreational angling and boating,” said MNR spokesperson Jessica Spindler... “Under the new agreement Saugeen Ojibway Nation will have greater access to these waters and will fish year round,” added Spindler. This change is effective April 26, 2013 and will continue to the agreement's end on Feb. 25, 2018.
New agreement copies are available by calling the MNR Upper Great Lakes Management Unit at 519-371-0420.
HERITAGE CANADA LIGHTHOUSE CAMPAIGN Last year over 500 Lighthouses were declared surplus by the Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans. 348 were eventually stayed from execution by nomination for heritage designation. Now they need money from private support groups to repair and maintain them if they are to be saved. The Federal government does not seem to appreciate the value of these historic structures as part of Canada's maritime history. Lighthouses are beautiful unique structures ... and they have more stories to tell that most historic buildings. The sheer isolation of these structures makes them unique and wherever I have visited remote island lighthouses I always felt like I was on sacred grounds with a foreboding haunted feeling. There were good times living the life of a lighthouse keeper ... but Georgian Bay lighthouse keepers saw plenty of foundering ships and had their own trials and tribulations in manning the lighthouses in treacherous conditions getting pounded by weather and preserving their sanity in some very lonely remote situations (see earlier What's New article Alone In the Night - Book Review).
Heritage Canada Foundation is trying to raise enough funds to save some of these lighthouses from being torn down. As a starting point they have snail mailed a request to all those that participated in the save the lighthouses petition. Donations are 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE. All money collected will go towards preserving Canadian Lighthouses. Visit their web site for details www.heritagecanada.org
LAKE HURON & GEORGIAN BAY OFF ALL TIME LOWS The US Army Corps of Engineers have indicated that lake levels are up ever so slightly from the all time mean low February average recorded in 1926. Levels are up a little over 1/2 foot and things may improve further with an expected average spring run off. Lack of early winter season snow translates to frost in the ground ... and that means as snow melts down, more might find it's way to the lakes rather than most seeping into the ground to the water table. Even with the current water levels getting better than the record lows, folks could be shocked by the levels if we get another hot dry summer as predicted by Environment Canada. There will be lots of dredging going on this season to keep small craft routes open, however much of Georgian Bay is rock which will limit options for marine navigation in some areas.
BRUNSWICK WILL STOP MANUFACTURING AT MERRITT ISLAND Brunswick Corporation has announced it will consolidate boat production for cost savings to it's Palm Coast Florida facility. The Sykes Creek facility near Merritt Island that produces Sea Ray and Meridian yachts from 51 – 61 feet will cease production at that plant. The purpose of the change was to lower production costs and production times. Brunswick claims they will still have capacity to produce 2.5 times current world demand should they need to ramp up. Some of the 205 Sykes Creek plant workers may be able to relocate to the Palm Coast facility. This follows the recent news that Brunswick would sell off it Hatteras and Cabo brand yacht business and ending it's Bayliner cruisers business with the factory closing in Knoxville Tennessee.
LONELY ISLAND ... desolate and uninhabited with a checkered past
Lonely Island was well named. The island is 30 km south east of Manitoulin Island in the northwestern quadrant of Georgian Bay. It's busiest time from a human perspective was prior to 1862 when it was a summer camp for aboriginal fishing. It hasn't seen that much activity since.
In 1870 as steamers began to ply the Bay it was established as a light station. In 1907 a wood octagonal 54' lighthouse with a red lantern was built on the north side of the island somewhat in the island interior, on top of the highest point of land on the island. A path and walkway was build from the keepers house and ancillary buildings from the north cobble beach up the hill to the lighthouse. The island was (and still is) heavily covered in Cedar.
BOATUS WEBINARS FOR MARINAS Here is an event that might be of interest to some Marina Operators:
Hurricane Sandy was the single-largest recreational boating industry loss ever recorded, with over $650 million in damage to boats alone. Not included in that figure are the hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to marinas, boat yards and yacht clubs. Boats that didn't stay put in Sandy's exceptional storm surge caused damage to other boats, marina infrastructure, and private and public property. The Association of Marina Industries (AMI) and the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) are teaming up to offer a series of three online webinars on March 5, 12 and 26, 2013 at 2:00 EST for marine facility operators and others interested in learning about how to secure boats to avoid damage in future storms.
The first in the series, "Sandy Overview: What We've Learned," (March 5), will look at what made Hurricane Sandy so destructive and the types of damage it caused to boats and to marinas, and share some survival stories. It will also try to answer the question: Was hauling boats, as BoatUS has long advocated, the right answer this time?
The March 12 webinar, "Securing Boats on Land," will focus on the challenges of securing boats inside storage structures as well as outside on the hard, and discuss some potential solutions and best practices.
The March 26 webinar, "Securing Boats in the Water," will look at the challenges presented by moorings and by various dock structures such as fixed or floating docks, and also look at solutions and best practices.
Much of the information included in the webinars comes from the industry-leading BoatUS Catastrophe (CAT) Team, which has over three decades of storm salvage and claims experience, and faced its biggest challenge ever with Hurricane Sandy. The team, which hit the ground running just one day after the storm made landfall, was the largest ever assembled in the Association's history and worked in seven states recovering hundreds of boats.
As a thank you for participating in the Cooperating Group Program, BoatU.S. will be covering the cost for you to attend the webinar series. In order to attend the webinars, please fill out the attached registration form. You must submit the attached registration form to attend but you do not have to include payment.
I hope you'll be able to attend.
Thank you,
David Mann
Program Manager
BoatU.S.
703-461-2878 ext. 3227 dmann@boatus.com
MIAMI BOAT SHOW BIG SUCCESS We have attended the Miami Boat Show for the last three years. Aside form Miami being our favourite boat shows – it would be a lie not to admit that part of the attraction is the restaurants, art deco hotels and ambience of the South Beach area. The Convention Centre is an easy walk from the South Beach main drag. The Miami show is also a great show for boat lovers, especially the Convention Centre venue which has all the gear and boats mostly under 45'. The in water sail and power boat show locations are ok too, but not the high point of the show. The shuttles and water taxis are great for getting you around to the different venue locations. Also there are direct connections to the Collins Ave in water Brokerage Show. In fact the Collins location has most of the biggest yachts – both new and used. Bertram, Viking, Hatteras etc. were all displayed at the Collins Ave location. Collins is much more like the Lauderdale Show venue. Miami has a bigger Convention Centre boat and gear display in comparison to Lauderdale but Lauderdale has more 100' + super yachts.
Anyways we always find Miami is a great place to buy boat gear. Lots of new and innovative stuff every year. If you're into fishing it also has a huge amount of fishing gear on the second floor of the Convention Centre and you will find GOOD deals there. I would say on average more than 25% savings on anything boat gear related over retail stores.
Now here's the good news. The place was packed in comparison to the previous two years. The Friday of the show got 2 inches of rain. At the Convention Centre inside and outside tents it was packed. Couldn't find a seat for lunch. On Saturday we visited all four show venue locations and they were very busy too ... even though it was an unusually cold day. If this kind of thing keeps up, I think we have a boat market again. We talked to a number of Brokers and all were feeling the love and selling some boats – even some of the mega yachts had sold signs on them. We visited our friends Bill & Karen at the Strictly Sail venue where their newly purchased boat a Hylas 54 was just delivered from overseas in time for the show. The sail portion of the show was probably the quietest, but busy in comparison to last year.
On our June Boating Georgian Bay TV video we will do a full rundown of the Miami show ... so for those that haven't been you can get a real feel for the show. It is one show you don't want to miss.
THE LEGACY OF KITTYHAWK
It was 1903 when Wilbur and Orville Wright conducted the first manned heavier than air power flight at Kitty Hawk North Carolina. Airplane aviation was born and the world would never be the same again.The Wrights had rock star status and were celebrated around the world. Wilbur died in 1912. In 1915 Orville depressed by his brothers death and unhappy with the constant challenges to the Wright's mechanical airplane patents needed salvation and a place to escape work pressures. That place became Lambert Island on Georgian Bay which Orville, his estate after death and Trustee owned between 1916 and 1953.
Most boats that have cruised up to the Bone Island area (originally named Boine Island) to anchor at Browns Bay, Hockey Stick or Longuissa Bay have passed right by Lambert Island ... perhaps not knowing they had crossed the path of history involving Orville Wright.
Professor William Worthner from Orville's hometown of Dayton Ohio vacationed at the Franceville Inn on Georgian Bay and suggested to Orville's sister Katharine that it could be a place for Orville to visit and recuperate from his stressful life. Arrangements were made by Worthner for Orville to vacation at a Wawbec island cottage/camp in 1916 and Orville so much liked the experience that he bought nearby Lambert Island that fall. By 1918 he had moved onto the island with furniture into the existing small buildings and it became his summer through fall vacation destination for many years.
Gidley Boats of Penetanguishene started in the late 1890's and was was known for building sturdy bay boats up to 110'. Wright purchased a 20’ Gidley runabout and by 1921 he had refitted the engine with his own Wright manufactured engine that he adapted for boat use. In 1928 Orville had received a compass from Amelia Earhart which he mounted on the boat. He also spent some time dingy sailing too ... as an a honorary member of the Minnicog Yacht Club. Wright relished boating in the area and visiting neighbors and his local forays included the islands surrounding Lambert - as well as places like Hope, Beckwith, Pine and Giants Tomb islands.
It was thought that Wright introduced Gidley to Ford (Henry Ford). Gidley Boats started installing Ford engines in some boats and by 1922 a 24' custom Gidley runabout was delivered to Henry Ford. Gidley also built boats for Ford that were marketed under the Ford brand. As an interesting footnote Gidley (then Grew) would later build the Fairmile torpedo boats at Honey Harbour for the navy.
In 1931 Orville decided to buy a new Gidley 26' Two 66 model with hardtop. A recently built 32.6' Gidley Day Cruiser that was to be used for water taxi service came back to the Gidley boat works due to the economic recession. Orville bought this larger boat and it was fitted just as the Two 66 model would have been and he paid $3075 about the same price as he would have paid for the new Gidley 26.
A new boat house was completed in 1932 for the Gidley Cruiser by George France (Franceville Inn). It was friend of Orville, AY Jackson (Group of Seven fame) who came up with Kitty Hawk as a name. Orville's trusted housekeeper Carrie was drafted to convince Orville to adopt the name for the boat.The Gidley workmen who installed the stainless steel letters mistakenly put the boat letters on as one word - KITTYHAWK - and the name stood.
Orville was a gentlemen and always wore a white high collar shirt, cuff links and tie regardless of his daily activities on and around the island. Orville in his Akroyd dingy was a natural sailor as he would understand the principles of wind sheer from his aeronautical exploits. It seems he trusted his neighbors at the Bay and enjoyed visits and he grew to love the area as his oasis from things that troubled him.
In 1940 Orville had an 8 cylinder 110 HP gas engine bought and installed in Kittyhawk via Wilfred France. Labor then was $1.00 per hour. The boat was also re-varnished by the Gidley Boat Company.
At the advent of World War 2 the government in Washington brought Orville back to the USA by military escort concerned that spies could kidnap important scientists during the war. Orville died January 30th 1948 leaving his Canadian assets including Kittyhawk to the children of his brother Lorin. Lorin's daughter Ivonette and husband Harold Miller along with Bus and Sue Wright were the two family heirs that wanted to vacation at Lambert Island. In 1950's the Millers started having Wilfred France pilot Kittyhawk in the waters that were somewhat unfamiliar to them.
Kittyhawk was sold to Wilfred France by the Wright heirs in May 1953 for $1,100. for use as a water taxi and workboat.The Miller's and Wright's also decided to sell Lambert Island in March of 1953.
Over time, Kittyhawk fell into disrepair from wear and tear as well as storm damage. Wilfred France at 70 years of age was unable to facilitate the major repairs. Wilfred died in 1970 and two years later his daughter Katherine purchased Kittyhawk from the estate and gave it to her husband Guy Johnstone as a Christmas present. Kittyhawk was towed to Langley's Marina in Honey Harbour while being pumped continuously to keep her afloat and in 1973 she was sitting on Johnstone property in Midland. Guy and Katherine dreamed of restoring Kittyhawk and understood the historic importance of the venture. Guy and Kathy ran into Bruce Wilson from Greavette Boat Works of Gravenhurst at the 1973 Toronto Boat Show and plans were made for restoration.
By 1975 Kittyhawk had been lovingly restored. An elaborate community celebration was planned by the Johnstone's who had since made contact with the Millers (Wright heirs). Ivonette Wright Miller broke the traditional bottle of Champagne on the bow as Kittyhawk was lowered into the water. More celebrations and visiting ensued including trips with the Millers and Johnstone's to Lambert Island and Franceville. What a special time that must have been with the Kittyhawk reclaiming her place on the water basking in the limelight with such historic importance and all the emotional memories that came flooding back to the time when Orville Wright would have sat at the helm captaining the boat.
To this day Guy and Kathy Johnstone are the owners, custodian and maintainers of this rare piece of Georgian Bay history called Kittyhawk. There were so many times when Kittyhawk could have been abandoned or lost that it is almost by divine intervention that she found her way into the future and has a home in the area that she was first launched. It is hard to imagine another boat with such an interesting pedigree.
Orville loved Georgian Bay as a refuge from the hustle and bustle of business and city life. I'm sure many of our boating readers can relate to that too! Kittyhawk has won many antique boat show awards. But really when you think about it, what act at a show could follow Kittyhawk that was the pride and joy of the man that invented flight?
Guy has done a wonderful job documenting Orville Wright's days on Georgian Bay and the relevance of Kittyhawk and it is an emotional journey to read his book "Kitty Hawk to KITTYHAWK" and to understand the intricate and true nature of a remarkable man Orville Wright who along with his brother Wilbur invented powered human
flight. Please visit Guy's web site at www.kittyhawk-boat.ca for further information.
GEORGIAN BAY WATER LEVELS GETTING SCARY! Well the everyday scientists say do nothing – the problem is cyclical and controlled mostly by Mother Nature. The $17 million dollar International Joint Commission US/Canada group comprised of engineers and scientists also says do nothing, and eventually things will normalize. Sierra Club says dredging of St. Clair River and shore walling wetlands caused the problem. They endorse implanting hollow sills in the St Clair River to slow things down. Some in the Army Corps of Engineers condone putting in concrete speed bumps on the bottom of the St Clair River. The Lake Carriers Association believes also that the problem is a man made one, resulting from dredging of the St Clair River back the late 1960's. However that was over 50 years ago and during that time Georgian Bay and Lake Huron saw flooding water levels during a number seasons. Others blame it on global warming.
No doubt like most accidents there is more than one cause. We know historically water levels have been higher and lower than the range we analyze. In the shorter term, since humans have been paying attention to Great Lakes water levels, it is clear that Georgian Bay water levels are at an all time low – down some 29 inches over their long term average and down 17 inches since January 2012. No doubt the past two hot dry summers combined with mild low snow winters are the major culprit. Will that situation correct itself? Probably, if history repeats itself ... but no one really knows for sure if this is a trend or abnormality.
Meanwhile the low water levels are creating economic hardship, restrictions to shipping, docks left high and dry and marinas lining up to get dredging permits. It is anticipated that a very high percentage of boat slips will be unusable next spring - some say up to 40%. Some navigable channels are down to the point that it is not safe for boats to cruise through. Chart updates are a must.
Around Georgian Bay local Majors have formed a coalition to approach both Provincial and Federal levels of Government to do something to help businesses and the tourist industry to cope with the hardship coming down the pipe due to low water levels - the main objective, money for dredging.
There is no definitive solution for this situation and no one person or organization is to blame. Maybe it's a man made problem, and maybe it's just mother nature ... but most likely it's a bit of both.
So far winter snow looks light. Lots of people are not fond of shovelling snow, but fact is we need it - and lots of it. At the risk of a rotten summer we also need some rainy weather on occasion during the hot high evaporation months. It would also help if government subsidizes and fast tracks dredging applications for the marinas and some critical navigation channels. The dredging needs to be happening this winter and spring if it's going to save the boating season for some of the marinas. Cross your fingers and hope for a wet spring.
YACHT SALES LOOKING GOOD! There have been several optimistic false starts in the past two years regarding boat sales on a recovery path. We are right in the middle of boat show season and things are looking up. Toronto International Boat Show sales and attendance were up about 20%. Some of the weekend show days were downright jam packed.
Power boat sales in the US have increased 10% in 2012. The biggest increase since 2005. While the market is very price driven, big yachts are selling too. Most brokerages are reporting sales up in the 12% - 15% range. Most brokerages report they had a strong start to 2012 and then things fell off through the summer of 2012 and it was only in the later part of 2012 that things started to gel again. Yacht charter companies are reporting sales are up as well. Most of this is not surprising given that real estate and jobs are improving in the US and bond yields have fallen in Europe will GDP is up in China. All strong signals if things continue to track positively. Not bad considering that brokerage market prices fell an average of 30% between 2011 and 2012.
The market is changing dramatically as well, with yacht owners getting younger. There is a widening gap in the middle class and high net population is growing. Their are 82,000 people worldwide with assets averaging over $100 Million dollars. The other side of the coin though, is many lower class consumers are sliding backwards. While the jury is still out ... right now the positives seem to be outweighing the negatives when it comes to boat sales.
BOAT SALES IN CANADA ARE UP
NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) held it's annual meeting at the Toronto International Boat Show and a number of interesting things were talked about. On of the key findings is that in 2012 sales of recreational boat sales rose by 13% ... a good part due to increased sales of pontoon boats and jet boats. Exports by Canadian boat manufacturers also went up dramatically 50% to $479 million as last recorded in 2011. Looks like for the small boat market we may be well on the way to recovery. In 2012 one in five Canadian households owned at least one boat and the survey discovered that the average boater is 31 – 49 years of age making income $44k – $99k per year ... very middle class orientated.
Other speakers touched on things like demographic shift as the population grows older, importance of bringing children into the boating community at an early age and immigrants coming into an urban setting and how the industry leverages that.
GE Capital (CDF) gave an excellent presentation that indicated that marine wholesale volume in Canada is up 17% with Saskatchewan and Manitoba leading the way. Aged inventory at dealers is low and stable. The general outlook poled among marine operators is guarded but positive.
In any event the marine industry in Canada has improved greatly since 2009 when year over year volume plunged 44%.
NMMA represents the marine industry as a voice to government, consumer outreach (Discover Boating), producer of boat shows, industry certification, international marketing and market research. Their web site is www.nmma.ca
TRENT CANAL FEES GOING UP!
Click HERE to see what the Peterborough Examiner has recently reported.
The Latest News
A Reply to Our Letter:
Thank you for your email. Parks Canada has been pleased to receive further input from Canadians regarding the fee proposals related to the national canal lockage and mooring fees.
In listening to Canadians and the information and suggestions provided while taking into consideration operational requirements and costs, Parks Canada has made modifications and added products to both the lockage and mooring aspects of the fee proposal. These include a one day pass for lockage and the addition of a seasonal mooring pass.
Parks Canada invests over $42 million in canal operations every year. With this important investment Parks Canada remains committed to protecting and presenting the canals for the enjoyment of all visitors and for the tourism benefits of the communities along the canal corridors.
Parks Canada is certain you will agree that operators of pleasure craft enjoy some of Canada's most magnificent waterways and historic locks through the places we manage on behalf of all Canadians. The experiences offered through these waterways continue to provide an exceptional value for the fees paid. The following are the proposed products and costs for a 25 ft boat (the average length of craft going through the locks).
Proposed products and costs for a 25 ft boat (average length vessel moving through locks)
Product
Total Cost
Average Weekly Cost
(over the 20 week operational season)
So here is the latest rates that Parks Canada is flying up the flag pole. So some positive changes – they are back to offering Seasonal and Six Day Passes. They have droped Level 3 lock and combined into Level 2. Rate wise things have come down some. By example at Level 2 single pass through for a 40' boat has gone from $48 down to $36. Moving in the right direction but still not cheap. A fair increase might bring the Level 2 single pass through for a 40' boat in at the $24 – $26 range.
Keep the pressure up boaters ... apparently Parks Canada is listening.
Product
Description
Proposed Fee
(per foot)
One-way passage through a Level 1 lock
Single lock chamber
Low elevation
Shorter transit time
(approx. 15 minutes)
$0.60
One-way passage through a Level 2 lock
Single or multi-lock chamber
Medium to high elevation
Longer transit time
(15 to 45 minutes or more)
$0.90
Six Day pass
Paper pass providing unlimited lock passages for the duration of 6 individual days
(not necessary to be consecutive days).
$7.20
Seasonal Pass
Self-adhesive pass adhered to vessel providing unlimited lock passages on all Parks Canada canals and waterways for the entire season.
$7.20
Federal canal use rates are proposed to increase dramatically to pass more of the "true costs" onto boaters and less to the taxpayers. Ok so when can we expect our taxes to go down? ... when hell freezes over that's when.
Unfortunately the model negates the logic that tourism dollars will be lost from boats that cruise and have alternative lower cost routes to enjoy. For example in any given season there are some 600 cruisers doing the Americas Great Loop and they have the option of cutting out the Trent portion of the route to Georgian Bay entirely and doing the Erie Barge Canal route staying south of Canada. These “loopers” spend a great deal of money along their Trent Canal journey on their way to Georgian Bay. They are but a fraction of the cruising boats that use the system (and spend tourist dollars) every season. The tourism dollars lost will dwarf the additional revue these lock fees will bring. It's really going to hurt those towns along the Trent that depend of the tourist dollars that come from recreational boating. It is rumoured that one marina has just gone up for sale anticipating less traffic under the new tariffs. Already we have heard from several delivery Captains that will avoid the Trent due to the new operating hours and if transit costs go up 300 - 400 percent you can bet that will further encourage all of them to stay away.
The "pay per use" fee structure will not include day, 6 day or seasonal passes. Every lock will require tickets. If the lock is multi chamber or higher elevation or longer transit time - it requires more tickets. For example a Level 3 lock that has multiple lock chambers, large elevation change and/or transit time of 45 minutes or longer will require four tickets in comparison to a Level 1 lock with single chamber and less than 15 minutes transit time will take two tickets. Starting to sound like the Panama Canal isn't it?
If you buy your tickets in advance you can save 10% and if you buy 80 tickets at a time for one boat you can save 25%. The new lock fees will take affect in 2014 while mooring fees along lock walls will see a major increase this coming 2013 season.
So here is what the math looks like: If you have a 40' boat. Each ticket is 30 cents per foot. So .30 X 40 ft. is $12 per ticket. For a Level 3 lock you will need 4 tickets ... therefore the single lock transit will cost $48. Now you have to multiply that cost per ticket X tickets per lock X all the locks per Level # of tickets .... that is for all the locks you plan to transit on your journey. Yup, if you plan on going form Trenton to Georgian Bay it's going to be expensive. And commercial rates get a 100% surcharge plus admin expenses. It is likely that many commercial operators (houseboat rentals, canal boats, barges) will exit the Trent venue or go out of business.
Does this make any sense at all when the boating industry is already on it's knees and hasn't fully recovered since the recession ended. The Canadian government doesn't seem to understand the billions the boating industry filters into the economy. It doesn't understand that economically we all still are stuck in an economic funk. It's always easier to raise fees or raise taxes and empty the pockets of taxpayers than it is to reduce wasteful government spending or trim back on government bureaucrats! I'll bet that the study costs and wage costs of the bureaucrats that dreamed this kind of thing up cost the taxpayers more money than the actual revenue increase in lock and mooring fees will generate. To be sure they will achieve a few things – less boating tourists, less tourist revenue for the communities and services along the Trent and points north in Georgian Bay that need the business ... and another kick in the gut to the marine industry at large.
Now as far as the work of the lock masters at the locks go ... they are doing an excellent job. In our experience they keep the lock grounds groomed, garbage free, washrooms spic and span and they are very helpful to the boaters. They work hard and they are efficient. These folks do not need cutbacks ... they are minimally staffed as it is. It's the bureaucrats in Ottawa that don't realize that the Federal Canals are historic treasures and vital to local tourism that need to be cut back. The Trent Canal System doesn't run a a big budget relatively speaking. The net savings on cutting back hours and raising fees is negligible compared to the tourism dollars that will be lost. I get the feeling Parks Canada doesn't think Federal Canals are worthy of the Canadian Parks portfolio. They have already let go of the construction staff and the remaining maintenance staff are a skeleton crew.
Barry Devolin MP is the representative for Haliburton - Kawarthas - Brock and he recently addressed the National Marine Manufacturers Association at their annual meeting at the Toronto Boat Show. He very briefly touched on the lock hours changing but without specifics. He completely forgot to mention that proposed fees are going to drive boaters from Federal Canals. He left without taking questions and before the meeting adjourned so there was no chance for the few in the crowd who knew that this nonsense was going on, to have him answer why he would sit on that committee and let something like this happen, when it is totally detrimental to the economics of the region. Typical of many politicians. we saw sugar coating and the real issues were avoided to keep it under the radar of those this would matter to.
Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment responsible for Parks Canada who operate the waterways: kentp@parl.gc.ca
Alan Latourelle, CEO Parks Canada Information@pc.gc.ca - Send email to attention of Alan Latourelle and they will forward to him.
The proposed ticket system and the resulting 400% fee increase in lock fees to transit the Trent Canal System will create a huge negative economic impact on the communities along the canal system as well as destination targets in Georgian Bay. The cost of administrating such a system would likely exceed any prospect of added revenue potential.
Simply put, boaters for the most part will not pay these fees. A 40’ boat one way through a Tier 3 lock would be $48. They have alternatives. Americas Great Loop Cruising Association members for the most part are saying they are not coming – they will take the Erie Barge Canal and head up Huron to the North Channel and continue south through lake Michigan. They will forgo the Trent and the entire east side of Georgian Bay from Midland to Killarney. The canal operation overhead will remain however.
The economic tourism offset on reduced travel on the Trent System will be far more damaging than the approx. $16 M net it costs to operate the Trent. Our estimates are that some $700 M in economic spinoff benefits will be lost. Extreme transit fee increases of this nature are not a solution and not in the best interests of taxpayers either when all facets of the impact are considered. Real estate values on the Trent will also fall. Already one marina is being sold in anticipation of less traffic and decreased sales.
More reasonable increases of 50% could likely be absorbed. A portion of those dollars should be reinvested in increased promotion of the Federal canal systems which are a very unique national treasure. Increased awareness of the canal systems can be a major additional draw for tourists. Take by example how Europe promotes their canal systems. They are a huge tourist draw and canal boat cruising is a well established industry that spreads great wealth deep into the economy.
Please rethink your strategy and consider that rash drastic decisions in business or in ones personal life, rarely turn out well. Yes the fees need to go up, but do it intelligently and stage increases in over time and you won’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg.
Regards - Boating Georgian Bay
Here is what some commercial operators have said about the proposed changes.
Fenelon Falls Boat Cruises offers waterway cruises on the 65-foot Kawartha Spirit, for more than 25 years. "It’s going to put me out of business and it’s going to put 11 people out of jobs" , "I know it's proposed, but the proposal is making me look at operating the boat elsewhere. I would have to relocate my vessel to where I would not have to use the locks if this comes in. Otherwise I'm totally out of business. In all honesty, it's bad. It is really bad."
Ontario Waterway Cruises Inc., which offers five-day cruises on the 120-foot Kawartha Voyageur, starting and ending in Peterborough. "There is always that straw that breaks the camel's back, and I would say our passengers would not support that extra increase in their fares. You've got to pass on all this stuff, and if we were to look at the cost per passenger to cover those canal fees, well, passengers have choices." He said the proposed fees would mean the end of his 32-year-old business. Under the new structure, the owner estimates their cost for locking and mooring, now $5,200, would skyrocket to more than $111,000.
Here are comments regarding the fee hikes already showing up on forums:
There will be only ONE daily 10 am lock-thru of a "flight" upstream and downstream for each set of locks outlined on the schedule -- during the "shoulder season" ONLY (on-demand during the peak season).
Be at Lock 1 at 10 am, you'll get through locks 1-6 that day (a whopping 7.3 miles), and you'll wait until 10 am the next day to work through locks 7-12 (15.9 miles). Moreover, if you show up at lock 1 at 11 am, you'll need to wait there until the next day. This only applies to the sets of locks outlined in the new schedule.
It's important to note that almost all loopers, and most of the summer "cottagers" do not use the canal much during the "shoulder season" so only the shortened hours would affect most of us (was 8:30 am-7pm daily, now 9 am-5 pm M-Th, 9 am-6 F-Su).
I have created an excel spreadsheet to calculate the approximate rate increase impact for anyone planning on traversing the Trent-Severn or Rideau Canals based on the current and proposed rates. This is for one-way only. If you want to play with this for your boat length and estimated daily and overnight stays on the lock walls, just put those figures in the yellow highlighted cells. This calculator only estimates the cost to move through each canal. It does not include, fuel, food, electricity should you choose, or any other costs you may incur.
My wife and I have spent many of our summer vacations on both canals. We used to trailer our 23' Sea Ray there for 2-3 weeks at a time. I grew up in northern NY and my parents, sister and I boated on the Rideau in the late 50's. Over the years I have spent many weeks on the canals. It is my favorite area to boat. We just purchased a "new to us" 3880 Bayliner and were planning on moving it so we could spend 2 summers on the St. Lawrence, Ottawa Rivers, Rideau and Trent-Severn starting in 2014. I think now, my times in Ontario and that area will just be memories of the weeks spent there in the past.
Canada, you are killing your "Golden Goose"!
Call your MP today and complain that it is ludicrous to raise the cost of using the Trent by 300% - 400% in one season.
FED FUNDING FOR SIMCOE & S.E. GEORGIAN BAY CLEAN UP
Canada's Environment Ministers office announced a five year $29 million fund aiming to restore ecological health on Lake Simcoe and south-eastern Georgian Bay. The objective is improving water quality for residents and the wildlife. The fund will support community based projects that set priorities for reducing phosphorous inputs from urban and rural sources, restoring fish and aquatic wildlife stocks & habitats and correcting near shore toxic and nuisance algae growth. This 2013 – 2018 fund builds on the 2007 - 2012 $30 million Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund.
Around Lake Simcoe much of the problem is caused by agricultural run off and antiquated septic systems. On Georgian Bay some of the problem exists due to storm drain run off from bordering towns, as well as septic run off from systems filtering on solid bedrock and to some extent concentrations resulting from lower water levels.
Preservation of peripheral wetlands and swamps is key to preserving and the natural water filtering process. On Lake Simcoe many new irrigated commercial market garden operations have been implemented in the last few years bordering the lake. Phosphates from fertilizer and pesticide run off can be a by product of these types of operations. Shoreline development is also a major factor. Grey water from boats is thought to be a small factor in the equation, but all boaters should be careful to use no phosphate cleaners and soaps when boat cleaning or for showering or dishwashing. Boating Georgian Bay does sell a very effective environmentally friendly certified multi purpose phosphate and solvent free boat cleaner called Seriously Great Boat Cleaner.
BRUNSWICK CORPORATIONS EXITS HATTERAS & CABO YACHTS
Brunswick Corporation announced January 3rd, 2013 that it would be selling it's premium Hatteras and Cabo yacht businesses. Brunswick will focus on it's Sea Ray and Meridian brands only.
Their goal is to break even in 2013 ... even if the large diesel yacht market does not get back on it's feet this year. Hatteras & Cabo have been Brunswick's luxury high end brands. They bought Hatteras in 2001 and Cabo in 2006. Both brands are built in New Bern, North Carolina.
Brunswick will be selling both plants in operating condition staffed and running. Hatteras had previously downsized from 1400 to 300 employees. The Hatteras brand builds yachts to 100 feet and Cabo builds yachts to 52 feet. Both brands are considered by boaters to be top of market US built state of the art production motor yachts and sport fishing yachts.
The brands both have an excellent reputation and strong brand followings, so it is expected that buyers will be found expediently. The mid range yacht market has been slow to recover post recession and it is likely that entitlement tax code changes in the USA may adversely affect sales further over the next few years even as the economy shows signs of recovery.
TRENT SYSTEM 2013 LOCK TIMES CONFIRMED
Hours of operation for the Trent Canal System are confirmed as follows:
May 17 to June 20: Monday - Thursday 10 am - 4 pm & Friday to Sunday and Victoria Day 9 am - 5 pm June 21 to Sept 2: Monday - Thursday 9 am - 5 pm & Friday to Sunday and Canada Day, August Civic , Labour Day 9 am - 6 pm Sept 3 to Oct 14: Monday to Thursday 10 am - 4 pm & Friday - Sunday and Thanksgiving 9 am - 5 pm
Scheduled Lockage as follows:
May 17 to June 20 and Sept 3 to Oct 14
Trent (south) locks 1-18
Upstream flights starting from:
Lock 1 with travel to lock 6 - 10:00 am
Lock 7 with travel to lock 13 - 10:00 am
Lock 14 with travel to lock 18 - 10:00 am
Downstream flights starting from:
Lock 18 with travel to lock 14 - 10:00 am
Lock 13 with travel to lock 7 - 10:00 am
Lock 6 with travel to lock 1 - 10:00 am
Kawartha locks 22-26
Upstream flight starting from:
Lock 22 with travel to lock 26 - 10:00 am
Downstream flight stating from:
Lock 26 with travel to lock 22 - 10:00 am
North locks 37-41
Upstream flight from lock 37 to 41 - 10:00 am
Downstream flight from lock 41 to 37 - 10:00 am
Lock 33
Upstream and downstream - 10:00 am
Last Lockage:
At most locks, boaters must arrive at or before the last lockage time.
At locks 11/12, 16/17, 20, and 21, boaters must arrive at least 15 minutes before the last lockage time.
At swing bridges, the last bridge swing will be 20 minutes after the last lockage time.
Note: station opening and closing times, as well as first and last lockage, are not guaranteed and may be affected by water management duties, maintenance activities or other types of navigation interruptions.
HMS BOUNTY HURRICANE SANDY SINKING
The 180' HMS Bounty replica was built in Canada in 1960 for use in the movie Mutiny on the Bounty and later Pirates of the Caribbean. It left New London, Connecticut bound for her winter home in St Petersburg, Florida. She foundered on the edges or Hurricane Sandy 90 miles off of Cape Hatteras North Carolina in 1300' of water.The heroic efforts of the US Coast Guard managed to pluck 14 crew members from the boiling ocean. Captain Robin Walbridge (63 years old) was never found. A second crew member Claudine Christian (42 years old) was recovered deceased. She was a descendent of Fletcher Christian, the sailing master of the original Bounty.
The Bounty replica was used for non profit tourism touring and most of her crew were volunteer. She was thought to be in excellent condition but she was overwhelmed by 24 hours of storm and her pumps could not keep up with the constant onslaught of massive waves. The videos tell the story. The US Coast Guard time recorded video is a must see. Maneuvering a helicopter in a hurricane and sending rescue swimmers into the ocean is heroic work to say the least.
BOATING GEORGIAN BAY PLANS VIDEO SERIES
Boating Georgian Bay will be doing a monthly series of four videos beginning in June 2013. The four 20 minute Boating Georgian Bay TV videos will be featured on the site and syndicated widely as web tube videos, including YouTube distribution. The June video will be taped in May. The last video for September will be filmed in August.
The segments for each video are as follows:
JUNE
How to select the right insurance coverage for your boat with Robertson Insurance
Boat Yoga with instructor Gail Holness
Miami Boat Show with Allied Marine – Bertram & Ferritti
Importance of Marine Surveys with Barry Goodyear – Rakon
JULY
Preparing your boat for trade or sale
Americas Great Loop Cruising Association
Chartering a Sailboat with Bill Everitt – Cosmos
Party on the Docks Midland
AUGUST
Parkbridge Rendezvous with Ken MacDonald Parkbridge Marinas
Aquapalooza
Caribbean North – Beckwith, Hope & Christian Islands
SS Keewatin History Tour with Eric Conroy, Ships Master
SEPTEMBER
Fall Cruising in Georgian Bay
Fishing Pointe Au Baril with Pleasant Cove Resort
Buying a brokerage boat with North South Nautical Group
Cruising the North Channel with Pam & Ken Blodgett – Canadian Yacht Charters
TRENT SEVERN WILL OPEN FULL SEASON 2013
Environment Minister Peter Kent who is responsible for Parks Canada has announced that the Trent Sever Waterway and the Rideau Canal will be open the full season in 2013 from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving. There will be a one hour reduction to 7 hours per day during the spring and fall shoulder seasons and a 2 hour reduction in summer to 9 hours per day. Adjustments to lockage and mooring fees are being made as they have been unchanged for decades (that means they are going up in cost).
Nothing has been committed to beyond 2013 and it is thought that further study will determine the outcome beyond 2013.
VICTORIA BC APPROVES MEGA YACHT MARINA
Transport Canada has approved a very controversial mega yacht marina for the busy Inner Harbour in the city. Many environmental and resident groups organized and tried to stop the marina. Initially even the city opposed it.The approval included requirements such as Safety Management Plan, kayak lanes skirting the marina and specialized lighting. The original plan called for 46 slips but it was downsized to 29 slips to appease those in opposition. The marina will offer permanent docking for yachts up to 140'. The two symmetrical buildings that will ground the marina are designed to look like a yacht setting out to sea.. The marina will include a coffee house, restaurant, lounge, marine chandlery and yacht services. It is thought that the marina slips will be in high demand from luxury waterfront condo owners that have nowhere to permanently dock large yachts.
MIAMI BOAT SHOW FEB 14 - 18, 2013
It's too frigin cold here in lake country Ontario! So we're off to the Miami Boat Show in February. The Miami Boat Show is one of the greatest boat shows in the world. The weather is almost guaranteed to be hot as Miami sits below the threshold of the cold fronts pushing down from Canada. In addition to the hundreds of boats & yachts for viewing, they run the Discover Boating Resource Centre where you can take clinics on topics ranging from navigation to docking. It's also a great place to see the the latest in yacht gadgets and gizmos. The other nice thing about Miami is the great restaurants and local flare - like the South Beach area where you can see the Miami art deco revival architecture. We'll give a full report with video and pics when we get back.
TOP 100 BOAT DEALERS
Canada is holding it’s own when it comes to new boat sales. Each year Boating Industry magazine sends out applications to more than 3,000 boat dealers with a series of 75 qualitative and quantitate questions. After evaluation 3 Canadian dealers ranked in the top 10:
#4 M&P Mercury Sales Ltd. - BC #8 Buckeye Marine - ON #9 Pride Marine Group - ON
Also ranked in the Top 100 are:
Georges Marine & Sports - ON
Rayburns Marine World - BC
Paris Marine - ON
Town & Country Marine - ON
Payne Marine - ON
Port Sandfield Marine - ON
Hurst Marine - ON
Dockside Marine Centre - BC
Performance Marine - SK
Marine Fortin - QC
Skyline Marina - ON
DIAMOND LIL DOES THE BAHAMAS - BOOK REVIEW
The second book in The Captains Log series written by Melanie Wood. The book recounts Mel and Captain John Wood who cruise to the Bahamas in 2006 aboard their 38' Bayliner MY, Diamond Lil. They like it so much they do it a second time the following winter of 2006/2007 after a return trip to Canada. That is a lot of boat miles friends ... and they are still on that boat somewhere to my best knowledge. (Roatan I think where Mel wrote this second book). You will learn a lot by reading this book. Primarily you will learn about being resourceful but for anyone contemplating long term cruising, the book will give you an unvarnished version which no guidebook can deliver.
Their first trip goes as far as the Eleuthera Islands and the second winter as far south as the Exumas Islands. If you have ever cruised the Bahamas in a small boat you will recognize the many anchorages and towns along the way that is sure to bring back fond memories. If you are contemplating your first cruise to the Bahamas, this is a must read because the book deals with the daily routines of cruising ... both good and bad. It has a very personal flavor that is entertaining, uplifting and sometimes you will share their frustrations when things don’t go as planned. I read it all the way through in a day and only put it down once to eat lunch. If you love boats and traveling by boat my guess is you’ll read it cover to cover in a day as well.
Melanie and John Wood are from Keswick ... Lake Simcoe boaters. Diamond Lil the Bayliner 38 is registered Midland Ontario. They sold everything and live aboard full time. Many of us dream of doing that, but few take the plunge long term. The part that got me was when they were leaving the Bahamas after the first season, and wondering if they would ever return by boat. Not really wanting to leave and not wanting the journey to end for fear that there would never be the opportunity to repeat the experience again. Been there, done that. For most there isn't a second chance - you get back to work and life's responsibilities take over. Canada is a long way by small boat from the Bahamans. To repeat the experience a second time, back to back, takes courage and a leap of faith.
Long distance cruising is a funny thing. Some people plan to go out forever and return inside the year ... and some people go for a winter and stay forever. In any event it is a deeply rewarding experience and this book will make you feel like you were there during the journey.
BOMBARDIER TO SHUT DOWN BOAT PLANT
Bombardier Recreation Products Inc. of Valcourt Quebec will be shutting down it's sport boat plant in Illinois and will be exiting the sport boat business eliminating 350 jobs according to CEO Jose Boisjoli. Bombardier has been in the sport boat business for the past 18 years. It inherited the plant in 1995 in it's acquisition of Celebrity Boats. The sport boat business is only 3% of company sales. In 2011 the company was hopeful that annual sales would recover the lost ground during the recession back again to $2.8 billion but this was not to be. BRP revenues dropped 40% after the Lehman Brothers collapse. Word is that the sport boat group did make a profit and had relatively low inventories of available boats - problem was the sport boat business just didn’t have the critical mass for them and they wanted greater growth potential. They were unable to find a buyer for the sport boat division so decided to shut it down rather than gear up for 2013 models. Last May BRP moved it's Sea Doo assembly from Valcourt Quebec to Mexico. BRP will also stop making it's own accessories and clothes and contract out distribution of spare parts. BRP will continue to manufacture SeaDoo and will focus on the growing Spyder 3 wheel motorcycle market.
PELICAN SPOTTED AT KILLARNEY
Cameron Hopp spotted this American White Pelican at Pine Channel in Killarney Bay on September 2nd. Apparently they are venturing further north on occasion. This pelican will be in for a rude surprise if he doesn't start to head south soon. Spring and summer ramps up slowly in these parts, but winter can come on with a vengeance by November and he's along ways from home. The Farmers Almanac is predicting early heavy snow in November this year - yuck.
TRENT SEVERN & RIDEAU MERGE STAFF
A single administrative unit of management has been established to run both canal systems. Thirty-seven positions included that of the TSW Superintendent Dawn Bronson are being eliminated (surplus) in the reorganization. Basically the two management teams are turned into one at Parks Canada. Twenty percent of the canals workforce has been laid off since March 2012 and more layoffs are expected. As part of this years Federal budget $3.5 million was cut from the budget. In all it is expected that some 140 jobs could be affected.
It is likely that next boating season there will be modifications to trim out slow times during the boating season. The TSW currently requires $300 million in capital upgrades although it looks “gold plated” in comparison to USA’s Erie Barge Canal by example. The canal TSW & Rideau systems are both big tourist draws to the respective regions.
It has been suggested that an agency separate from Parks Canada be set up to run the system to be more "business minded" than "parks focused". This would shift the emphasis to economic development. Many businesses in town centers along the TSW are concerned about loosing business if limited hours are implemented. It almost goes without saying that the rate structure for boaters using the system will change over time.
Upstream from the TSW, waterfront home and cottage owners on feeder lakes are very upset. With a drought summer many of the feeder lakes in the Haliburton & Kawartha regions are at all time lows. Folks on these lakes have their dock and boats stranded on dry land in many cases. Some have removed their boats and some have moved them out to deeper waters and moored them. It is frustrating for those land owners when they see lockmasters locking through single small recreational fishing boats with just a few people and dumping an entire lock full of water in the process. Procedurally there needs to be a balance and the TSW has to become sensitive to wasting water or perhaps managing the resource with more efficiently. Everyone understands that the feeder lakes were historically dammed for the benefit of the TSW navigation along with some power generation contracts but nobody wants to see waste when the lakes upstream are running low on water very early in the season.On the other side of the equation they don’t want to be flooded with spring water storage either. It all points to efficiency of lock use ... making sure locks are reasonably full of boats before locking through and scheduling hours of operation daily and seasonally so that dead times are eliminated.
The TSW is the major corridor for boats cruising from the USA and other far off destinations on their way up to Georgian Bay and eventually on their way through the Great Lakes or to Chicago on the route down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. It is a required route to move recreation marine tourist traffic from A to B and the only other option is the commercial shipping orientated Lake Erie, Welland Canal System and Lake St Clair route which realistically bypasses Georgian Bay for recreational boaters. Georgian Bay and the North Channel are recognized as one of the top cruising destinations in the world.
DODGE'S DELPHINE
Horace Dodge of Dodge car fame loved boats and was very mechanically inclined. He started off in 1904 with a 40' yacht and shortly after started Dodge Marine Division which would power his own boats as well. In 1913 he took a big step up to a 180' yacht and in 1917 ordered a 243' yacht. Talk about hooked on boats!
In 1920 he had a 258' yacht commissioned to be named Delphine, after his only daughter. www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxO4wIEF7Fk The yacht was built by Great Lakes Engineering near Detroit and had a 15' draft. It was launched in 1921 sadly after both Dodge brothers had died. It spent most of it's time cruising the Great Lakes. The yacht could travel at 15 knots powered by quadruple expansion steam engines designed by Horace Dodge. During World War 2 it was called into service as a Navy Flag Ship. Over time the yacht became derelict but in 1998 a wealthy Belgian women did a $60 million dollar restoration which brought Delphine back to original condition which included re-commissioning of the steam engines.
Today the yacht is berthed in the Port of Monaco for charter and she will cruise in style with 28 guests and 24 crew. It has been for sale for $70 million and more recently was marked down to $53 million for quick sale! www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzKYtX75zDs
CANADIANS CRUISING TO THE USA
There is a lot of confusion regarding cruising permits and reporting while boating from Canada to the US. And don't count on that confusion being cleared up any time soon because it has been screwed up for 30 years pretty much in the same fashion it is now. Err on the side of caution as CBP (Customs & Border Protection) officials and USA immigration officials can be very stern and overreact if you don't node your head in acceptance and humble yourself ... even though you may be given conflicting information that you know is incorrect don't challenge it. CBP seems to have some long standing issues with communicating standard procedures when it comes to Cruising Permits.
So 30 years ago we were told we didn't need to report in daily at one point of our journey (had to find a pay phone in those days) which was the official inconvenient protocol and then along the way we were chastised and threatened with fines at one of our stops in New York State on the way home from Florida.
The Cruising License is issued for the vessel and not the boat occupants. Persons on board are subject to USA immigration laws.The Cruising License is issued for one year. You are required to report to CBP every 72 hours if you move the boat OR every 25 miles OR every time you leave one CBP zone office and move to another. Reporting numbers are usually going through to the nearest CBP airport office location. These numbers are not readily published and hard to find so you might want to do some digging before you head off on your journey. You would think there could be a info sheet with this kind of stuff issued with each cruising permit.
Note that CBP officers are on different pages when it comes to enforcing the rules so when you are told no need to report until you get from A to B we suggest you ignore that and just report in every time you move the boat from one location to another. It's a pain ... but better to be safe than sorry. If you leave your vessel unattended while you travel outside of the USA the vessel documentation is supposed to be turned over to the nearest CBP office ... so they can contact you for any reason or to charge sales tax in the event that the boat gets sold at some point. That usually means renting car and a drive to the airport. CBP web site is www.cbp.org but don't count on getting the info you need off the web site.
If you are one of our US friends reading this, I encourage you to tell your House Representative member to lighten up on Canadians boats cruising to the USA and that they are choking off cross border economic activity. If our US friends wanting to cruise in Canada had to go through the uncertainty and bureaucracy Canadians have to go through to cruise in the USA I doubt many would come up to Canada.
In any event Canadians cruising to the USA should be prepared with all forms of documentation and do your own research and follow the rules and document your call in's to CBP offices regardless of what you might hear from other cruisers.
TALL SHIPS COMING TO GEORGIAN BAY 2013
As part of the War of 1812 - 200 year anniversary celebrations Tall Ships America has entered commitments to have the tall ships visit Georgian Bay. Participating communities so far include Penetanguishene (Discovery Harbour), Midland, Collingwood, Wasaga Beach and Owen Sound. The tall ships attract thousands of visitors. The tall ships visit was made possible by a $880,000 Ontario Ministry of Tourism contribution. Each community must also contribute and communities along Georgian Bay have committed $155.000 in total. Penetanguishene just signed on Sept 2012 and their cost was $29,000.
Tall Ships America is a not for profit youth education organization offering learning programs aboard tall ships that teach youth leadership skills and traditional sailing methods and responsibilities. The side benefit is that these ships along with tail ships from other countries occasionally do Challenge tours to various regions worldwide. The tall ships will be visiting Owen Sound, Collingwood & Wasaga August 16 – 19, 2013 and Pentanguishene & Midland August 23 - 26, 2013.
TUG FEST 2012
Midland hosted the 2012 Tug Fest. Tugs came from all around Georgian Bay and further afield to show their stuff. Some of these tugs are still active work boats and some are retired to recreational pleasures. Everyone likes to see the tug boats and they always draw a good crowd.
GEORGIAN BAY'S CARIBBEAN NORTH
Hope, Beckwith and Christian islands are referred to by some as Georgian Bay's Caribbean islands. On sunny hot days it's easy to see why. The hard pack sand beaches, blue sand bottom waters, wade out from shore 50 yards without going over your head, some boulder outcroppings and low profile silhouette with dense green mixed vegetation bare more than just a striking resemblance to many Bahamas Islands. If you were blind folded and flown from the Abacos to Beckwith you would be hard pressed to realize you had left the Caribbean until you notice the absence of salt air and that some of that green vegetation is pine trees, not palm trees.
The three islands are owned by the Beausoleil First Nation Chippewa people and 700 year round residents make their home on Christian Island. The islands have many interesting species including the forked three-awned grass which is a species of grass at risk that is common on the islands. Unfortunately not all visiting boats respect the splendor of the islands and some leave garbage behind when they leave ... which the residents must pick up and boat back to Christian for disposal. If you visit these beautiful islands PACK YOUR GARBAGE OUT please.
The water is crystal clear and it is also discouraging to see empty beer cans lying on the bottom here and there. Many require a diver in 15' of water to go around and pick them up. Hard to understand why anyone would do this, but if you have ever spent a few nights anchored at Beckwith east beach on a long weekend you start to realize there are some troubled boaters who for some reason think it's normal to get so drunk they can't reason and spend half the night screaming at each other and dropping things overboard with music blaring ... while others try and sleep. The world has inconsiderate people and these islands get their fair share ... unfortunately.
Because inexperienced boaters can easily find their way there, just a short cruise from Pentanguishene or Midland area, you will also see strange things like someone dropping a bow/stern anchor set up right out among large cruisers swinging free at anchor. Rather that following the lead of the boats already out in the harbour swinging free, they drop a stern anchor as if they were one of the boats lining the shore in the shallow waters. A very dangerous situation if the winds come up at night. Not much you can do as if you go over and tell one, another dozen will show up over the course of the afternoon. Most experienced cruisers just pick up anchor and move further out from shore before nightfall.
Choose your anchorage based on wind direction. Of the four beach anchorages among the islands there is protection from at a least one, in most wind conditions. Be wary of wind shifts that may come up in the night though, as none protect from ALL directions. Visit these islands midweek or off season and it will truly be a Caribbean like getaway anchorage that you can really enjoy.
MORE FUN THAN A BARREL OF MONKEYS!
These two light amphibious planes landed in Hockey Stick anchorage Bone Island and drove right up a small beach head and had a lunch break. They really land at a step angle and in a short distance. The fuselage of the planes are the landing gear in the water. They also have flip up wheels for land landings. Note the mini pontoons under the wings to keep the wing from dipping in the water. Looks like the small single engine prop planes are air cooled. They did a bunch of loops around the boats in the anchorage to warm the engines up and took off again and circled the anchorage. The second time we have seen them in Hockey Stick in a couple of years ... I guessing the beach head is a perfect stopover point. They sure do look like FUN.
PORT CREDIT BOAT SHOW 2012
The Port Harbour Credit Marina in Mississauga is once again hosting the Port Credit Boat Show www.portcreditboatshow.ca. The year will be the shows 22nd year in operation as one of Canada's largest new and used boat sales events.
The event will be running from August 24th through 26th, and will feature a variety of both power and sail boats. Many of the major boating brands, such as; Jeaneau, Four Winns, Centurion, and Sea Ray among others, will be showing off both new and used boats.
The sale features boats both in the water and on land. The boats being displayed on land, or on "the hard", will have sales reps there to talk to you about the boats and go over any questions that you may have, and also general boating information, including the best type of equipment and services for your style of boating.
There will once again be many exhibitors showcasing boating products and services to help make your time on the water more enjoyable with everything from insurance brokers and yacht brokers to canvas sales and repairs and boating lessons. This is Ontario's biggest in water boat show, and highlights the best of the Ontario boating industry. The venue will also have a refreshment tent, which will be serving beverages from the Great Lakes Brewery, and will feature music from local musicians Bill Springate and Virgil Scott.
COBBLE BEACH NEW WATER ACCESS
Grey Bruce has shorelines reminiscent of the East coast, and breathtaking horizons over Georgian Bay. It is one of the most remarkable areas in Ontario.
Nestled in Grey Bruce just north of Owen Sound is the Cobble Beach Golf Resort. This premiere resort is home to luxury accommodations, top rated golf and a resort community lifestyle. People come not only for the resort accommodations and fine dining, but also to play at their award winning golf course, which offers gorgeous views overlooking the water. There are US Open-style tennis courts available for guests to play on, and the Sweetwater Restaurant, with award-winning onsite dining. The Cobble Beach Inn & Spa also provides guests a place to relax and rejuvenate. All of this makes Cobble Beach one of the most prestigious resorts in the province.
Cobble Beach has almost two kilometers of shoreline on Georgian Bay, but before now it has never been water accessible.
The new 260' day dock accommodates those who want to visit by boat or seaplane. Many people yacht on Georgian Bay, and look for their vacation stops based on water access. Boaters on Georgian Bay are always on the lookout for new destinations to visit and these docks can accommodate yachts to 120' long, and the dock depths range from 5.5' to 11.5'. These are day docks only, and boaters wishing to stay overnight can stay at Owen Sound and get transportation to the resort.
PARKBRIDGE MARINAS 2012 POWERBOAT RENDEZVOUS
Some 50+ boats took part in the Parkbridge Marinas Rendezvous and by all accounts it was great time. The event kicked off on Friday July 13th with a wine and cheese party hosted at Bay Port Marina and sponsored by Crates Landing Orillia. Crates Landing took the trouble to truck in a new Pursuit 315 for party guests to board and check out. Without a doubt Pursuit builds a very high quality boat but I digress. So at the wine & cheese function you get to meet your fellow cruisers and you go over the plan for the week ahead. The nibbles were great but we headed for a late night dinner at MC Sushi in Midland.
On the Saturday morning boats from all the Parkbridge Marinas joined the fleet from either the mouth of the Midland or Penetanguishene harbours. It worked amazingly well and eventually all the participants fell into a line that stretched for many miles down the small craft route. Our first day on the water had a destination of Killbear near Parry Sound. Some stayed at the Killbear Marina and had dinner there ... and others like us, anchored at the beautiful Killbear Park to enjoy the beach. The weather was hot and everyone enjoyed the sand beach and frequent dips in the water.
Sunday we had a long trip to the Bustard Islands. Once we left Pointe Au Baril inlet the trip was offshore out of sight of land and over time all of the boats trickled in to a small protected harbour in the Bustards and were marshaled by the incredible volunteer Tony into huge rafts stern tied to the shore. Only with boats all rafted could everyone fit in this small harbour. We stayed over a day in the Bustards and took the opportunity to have some fun and do some exploring. A dingy tour went out to the beautifully scenic Bustard Island light houses and two of the older light houses were open so you could climb to the top. Hard to imagine the remoteness of those lighthouses when they were manned at one point. The larger centre lighthouse is still a unmanned working lighthouse.
We departed the Bustards for Killarney on Tuesday July 17th and had a shorter offshore trip to arrive at the beautiful marine town of Killarney which essentially is the gateway to the North Channel. No fuel in the Bustard Islands so at least one of the smaller boats ran out of fuel and was expertly brought into Killarney strapped to the side of fearless leader Ken McDonalds Bertram 45. Other boats did some fuel sharing along the way and were able to make port.
For a little town, Killarney is a happening place and has great east coast flavor to it. We were all docked at the facility owned by the Sportsman Inn right across the water from the Inn. Docking 50 boats is somewhat of a logistical challenge and volunteer Tony and the Sportsman staff were up to the task. Many fueled across at the main docks before their dock assignment and it took a while to get to the gas dock so we had to circle in the channel for about 45 minutes before there was space to gas up. In Killarney there are many boats coming and going from far flung regions of Georgian Bay and I'd say more than 50% of visiting boats were from the USA. Fishing boats, charter boats and work boats are in abundance in the Killarney cut too and it really makes for interesting viewing. I never tired of sitting on the boat bridge and watching the boats come and go. Many boats are just making their way through the harbour cut on their way to Little Current to start their North Channel cruising explorations. A pontoon shuttle runs constantly between our docks and the main dock at the Sportsman Inn. The family that runs the Sportsman has a lot on the go and work very hard at accommodating their boat guests. Even the children have a great work ethic and the young son is an expert at piloting the shuttle boat. The Sportsman Inn itself has undergone major renovations and it really is a beautiful facility with fine dining, pub, marine chandlery, dockside bar, spa and beautiful rooms. We will do a separate article on the Sportsman Inn new Spa.
There are also several other marinas to dock at and get services in Killarney ... the most noteworthy is Killarney Mountain Lodge which has a sprawling historic property with marine facilities. Killarney Mountain Lodge caters to boaters but also land based tourism visitors - many who come for package tours for outdoor adventure in the LaCloche Mountains and Killarney Provincial Park. The lodges octagon lounge bar is a must see and the ambiance will take you back to the sixties. For a small town, Killarney is fortunate to have two large accommodation facilities and several other smaller accommodators including bed & breakfasts. It is a short season though - after Thanksgiving in this town only the locals remain and the town slips into a period of sleepy hibernation over the winter months.
In Killarney everyone has to have one meal at Herbert Fisheries where you can pick up fresh fish or cooked fish from their school bus famous for it's fresh fish dinners. Every morning the commercial fishing boat goes out at 5 am to fish and bring back the days catch. We had dinner on their dockside picnic tables one night and picked up one of their cool Fisheries T shirts.
We liked Killarney so much we stayed over an extra day. Skyline Marina's Jay Sproule hosted a wonderful reception at the Sportsman Inn new dining room and after feasting on delicious hors d oeuvres we had dinner there and my steak with peppercorn demi glaze was delicious. One thing for sure you won't starve in Killarney there are plenty of good places to dine.
On our second day in Killarney we went by dingy to Covered Portage anchorage and hiked up the LaCloche Mountains for an hour to get beautiful views of the bay looking towards Killarney. There are many trails so be forewarned you should leave some kind of marking system as you navigate your way through the mountains. Killarney museum was one of our other stops and the town is worth a tour (we will do a separate article on the Town Of Killarney).
On Friday the 21st we reluctantly said goodbye and left Killarney offshore and headed down through the Pointe Au Baril inlet all the way down to the Port Rawson anchorage. Port Rawson anchorage is a large anchorage and there were several rafts with boats also swinging free in the centre of the anchorage. We explored by dingy and relaxed. Some dingied over to the Moon River falls. We had great time relaxing at the anchorage and were wishing we didn’t have to go back to the rat race so soon.
On Sunday the 22nd we pulled anchor and headed for our home port at Wye Heritage in Midland. Thanks to Parkbridge Marinas Ken McDonald and his volunteers for making this annual event a great success!
Heading up small craft channel
Enjoying the sun
Raft at Killbear Park
Sunset at Killbear Park
Leaving Pointe Au Baril
Bustard Islands anchorage
Master chef BBQ Bustards
Rafting in Bustards
Bustard dingy water fight
Bustard lighthouses
Bustard lighthouse tour
View from lighthouse
Fun in bustards
Sportsmans Inn Killarney
Herbert Fisheries Killarney
Killarney Mountain Lodge lounge
Killarney harbour
Sportsmans Inn boat in theatre
Sailboat passing Killarney harbour
Covered Bay Portage anchorage
View from LaCloche Mountains
The closest we ever got to rain
Killarney sunset
Port Rawson sailboats
Relaxing Port Rawson
Port Rawson raft
Scenery along the way
PARADISE FOUND - Killarney Mountain Lodge Excursions
You've seen lots of beautiful places in the world right? Well feast your eyes on Killarney as a destination vacation you'll not soon forget. Whether you arrive by car, float plane or boat, there are few places in the world as beautiful as the Killarney wilderness surrounding Killarney harbour. Killarney Mountain Lodge prides itself in offering exceptional packages both on the water and on land in the mountainous wilderness regions of Killarney.
Killarney Mountain Lodge was originally built in 1950's as a private facility with boat and float plane access only. In 1962 the first road came to Killarney and new owners Maury and Annabelle East opened the lodge to the public. Fast forward to 2010 and Maury along with his well trained staff are still busy docking, accommodating and touring people who come from all over the world to visit Killarney.
Now lets say you're yacht cruising Georgian Bay and the North Channel and you plan to stop at Killarney to overnight on your way north or south. That would be a mistake - because one night is just not enough. In Killarney you need to stop and smell the roses and that means you're taking some Lodge excursions both on the water and into the mountains. You have to do this because you only live once and this is as good as it gets for remote beauty. The Lodge offers day trips, outpost retreat camp and shorter guided hiking excursions. There are many different excursion options and you should check out the Guided Trips section of their web site www.killarney.com. The way to do this properly is bring the boat in for a week and book a number of excursions and get a real backcountry Georgian Bay wilderness experience. This just isn't any area to hike around the forest ... this is "drop dead beautiful ... I think I died and went to heaven" top ten bucket list kind of stuff.
New this year at Killarney Mountain Lodge is an afternoon motor cruise through the "inside passage" to Collins Inlet and the Fox Islands. Known only to the locals this intricate route snakes through a maze of channels, coves, islets and rocks awash in waters so clear that both yachtsman and landlubbers alike will be astonished. This is a photographers' dream and serious cruisers will enjoy it too, because you wouldn't want to navigate your own boat on this route.
If you want something solid under foot there are plenty of mountain wilderness guided excursions with breath taking views and there are once in a lifetime experiences like elegant dining on a pristine island in the Philip Edward archipelago bordered by windswept pines with an island view surrounded by crystal blue turquoise water. Enough said ... a picture says a thousand words so take a look at some of these pictures supplied by Killarney Mountain Lodge and one of Canada's leading outdoor photographers' - Rob Stimpson.
DESTINATION KILLARNEY
Killarney is a beautiful 1654 square km municipality located in the North-Eastern corner of Georgian Bay (south of Manitoulin Island) that includes the Town of Killarney and the ghost towns of French River and Key Harbour. The Killarney town was first settled in 1820 to be established as a fur trading post by a French Canadian named Etienne Augustin de Lamorandiere. It was originally named Shebahonaning in Ojibwe meaning "canoe passage".
For its first century as a town, Killarney relied mainly on water transportation along Georgian Bay and the North Channel for access. The tradition of boating has continued in the area, as it is one of the most popular boater destinations in Ontario. In 1951 electricity came to town. It was in 1962 that Highway 637 was built from Hwy 69 out to Killarney. This has opened the town up to much more travel and tourism from visitors, and has lead the tourism industry to be the main economic driver for the town. Killarney is also home to the Killarney Provincial Park, which brings many tourists to the area. It is a very popular destination for nature walks and wilderness observation in the 3.5 billion year old LaCloche Mountains. The LaCloche range is at the highest altitude in Ontario and it is believed that they once stood higher than the Rocky Mountains. The Killarney town has a gorgeous setting on a harbour cut from Georgian Bay and provides tourists and locals alike with a unique destination, making it one of the most popular vacation spots on Georgian Bay. Killarney municipality has a population of 505 residents in 400 dwellings.
Killarney is a boaters town and as the gateway to the North Channels prime cruising grounds, the town gets visits from boats from all over the world. More than 50% of the boats are from USA destinations. It is a logical stop for yachts heading north to refuel and pump out as part of their journey to and from the North Channel. The town also has commercial marine services including Herbert Fisheries small fleet. It is a busy port and a fascinating place to dock and watch the steady flow of boat traffic coming through the harbour.
The town has a traditional maritime flavour and is a joy to explore for an afternoon or more. Many of the buildings have historical perspective and stories to tell. During the summer months the town booms and in the off season it settles back to a very quiet pace. Killarney is home to two major seasonal accommodation properties - Sportsmans Inn and Killarney Mountain Lodge. Both offer marine services and docking. The Sportsman Inn was recently renovated and improved including a lovely Georgian Dining room and spa and is a beautiful well run property. The Killarney Mountain Lodge will take you back to the traditional lodge settings of the 60's and has a large comfortable dining room and a very unique octagon lounge bar. The lodge offers many packages by water and land including remote hiking tours to the LaCloche Mountains, island picnics and both sail and power boat trips to Georgian Bay destinations. There are also other smaller accommodation properties in town including bed and breakfasts.
We always joke about Killarney time as most stores do not open until 11 am. There are no box stores or franchises in Killarney. But you will find some great shops in town including an Pitfields old general store, Herbert Fisheries & school bus that serves up fresh Georgian Bay fish caught daily, Paul Simon Fine Art Photography www.paulsimonphotography.com who does very beautiful framed photos on canvas of Georgian Bay scenes including the town of Killarney. You will see some of Paul's work at various town locations. There is a great bakery in town that has butter tarts to die for and a store that specializes in Manitoulin Island food products www.hawberryfarms.com including the famous Hawberry jams and hot sauces. They have ice cream cones btw that I can say from experience are really nice on hot summer days. Need charts or marine parts? - try Gateway Marine & Storage. Everything is easy to get to on the main street including the beautiful stone Catholic church. Just across the channel beside the Sportsmans Inns cross channel docks on George Island is a Lourdes grotto shrine. This shrine was inspired by 1858 visions of the Virgin Mary experienced by Bernadette Soubiroux of Lourdes France and in 1947 a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was transported to the site. There is also a nice little museum in town that boasts much local history - open every day but Wednesday in peak season.
If you are a boater and you haven't sailed into Killarney yet ... it should be on your bucket list of to do's. We had a fabulous time and will be back again for sure.
Sportsman Inn
The Pines Inn
Stone church
Bakery & Gateway Marine
Herbert Fisheries
Local house
Killarney scenary
Dock activity
Pitfield General Store
Private residence
Killarney Mtn. Lodge bar
Killarney Mtn. Lodge chandlery
Local house
Famous Hawberry jelly
Busy harbour
Sportsmans Inn spa
Sportsmans docks
Killarney sunset
CANADA DAY 2012
The weather was perfect for the Canada Day long weekend. As usual boaters were celebrating at anchor in their favorite harbour somewhere on Georgian Bay. From our anchorage we had an excellent view of the many rafted boats and the comings and goings in the anchorage. Sunday night some good hearted boaters tendered over to an exposed point and put on a spectacular fireworks display. This of course triggered an eruption of horn salutes.
Someone got bit by a large snapping turtle dangling their digits and a couple of guys netted it and moved it safely out of the harbour to a more remote location. The interesting thing about snapping turtles is they generally will avoid humans in the water unless you are wiggling fingers, toes or other precious body appendages that dangle. Skinny dippers be forewarned ... don't tempt a big old snapping turtle.
In the mean time one group of boaters had the patio lantern lights and Canadian flags strung along the beach and their theme was 50's & 60's rock ... I think. Sunny and Lori dropped by on their Sea Doo to say hello with Sunny sporting a red Canada cowboy hat and the beautiful Lori showing off her very nice Canadian maple leaf tattoo all in celebration of Canada's special day. Sunny and Lori hail from Brandy Island Marina and Sunny is known by many as the Mayor of Honey Harbour. Personally I think Lori should run for the position of Admiral of Honey Harbour and I could be her campaign manager. Anyways ... folks had a great time and were very respectful of each other and by midnight things were all quiet on the home front after an exciting day in the harbour. Below is a sampling of pictures (Sunny is the one with the red hat and Lori is the good looking one in the white bikini).
CPS BOATING COURSES
CPS, or Canadian Power and Sail Squadron, programs are designed to help leisure boaters (both power and sail) to improve their boating skills and boating safety knowledge. You can learn navigational skills as well as how to handle boats of different sizes. The CPS programs are made available to anyone who wishes to participate, the classes are available in class rooms or online for those who cannot make the trip in.
One of the most important skills to have while piloting a boat is navigation. It can be easy to get lost on the water if you are far enough out to not see shore, so it is imperative to know how to properly use your charts or plotter to navigate the waters. The CPS program for navigation takes place over 8-10 weeks, with classes happening on only one night per week.
When you are out on the water there is often very low cell signal, and your only lifeline to the mainland is your VHF marine radio. To properly use your VHF radio, you must have a Restricted Operator’s Certificate (Maritime), otherwise you can be fined. CPS has a program designed to prepare boaters for the ROC(M) exam. This course goes over the basics for marine radio, like operating techniques, frequency choices, VHF radios, phonetic alphabet, procedural words and phrases among other skills. The prep course is one day only, lasting 8 hours.
When out boating, weather plays a key part in any trip. A trip can easily be ruined by bad weather; even worse, bad weather may leave you stranded or out on control of your boat. Having knowledge of the weather and how to properly read meteorologist's forecasts is an important boating proficiency to have. CPS offers a program to help boaters prepare boat trips around weather events and how to properly navigate if ever caught in an unpleasant storm. The Fundamentals of Weather course takes place over 8 weeks, and is only one night per week.
Piloting a boat can be a difficult task. Momentum can keep a boat moving forward in the water with very little directional control making docking difficult. Knowing how to properly pilot through waves and navigate narrow rock channels also takes some skill, and can be quite hazardous. To help prepare a boat owner's seamanship, the CPS offers a course over 10-12 weeks, one night per week.
Taking an extended cruise is one of the main goals of most skippers. Leaving for weeks at a time to live on your boat and travel around the waters. Although this is a fantastic experience, it can also be a dangerous one. There is a lot of planning required for trips such as these, as well as required skills. What if the engine breaks down out at sea? What if the weather takes a sudden turn for the worse? The CPS Extended Cruising course teaches you how to prepare for these situations, to make sure that you can handle any situation, and most importantly enjoy your cruise without worry. The course is 9-10 weeks long, with classes one night per week.
Navigating GPS and digital charts is an important step in driving a boat. Knowing how to properly use these instruments is crucial when out on the water. Chart programs can now be found on many different smart devices, such as tablets, laptops and smartphones. Because of this, boaters need to be capable in the use of charts, so that they may have the ability to use them on all different platforms. The CPS offers a program for GPS and chart reading, teaching how to view charts in many different forms. The course runs for 6-8 weeks, and runs only one night per week.
The CPS programs are designed to help boaters and prepare them for any and all scenarios when they are out on the water. From basic boating techniques to more advanced and specific training, these courses could prove to be very useful to all boaters. For more information, please visit their website at www.cpsboat.ca
LIFEJACKET SURVEY SAYS ...
Our survey to date shows 60% of respondents do not wear their lifejacket on their boat all the time. 40% sometimes wear their lifejacket on the boat ... and no one never wears their lifejacket on a boat. 80% said that their boat size is a factor in whether they wear a lifejacket on board or not. This is about what we expected, as many of our viewers are on bigger cruising boats and frankly unless you are moving around exposed decks in rough weather, there are not many that want to wear a lifejacket sitting up on the bridge or socializing in the cockpit. Yes most of us are guilty as charged. Interesting that not one person who participated in the survey has ever had someone accidently fall off their boat.
MIDLAND ROCKS
Once again Midland had a full house for the Party on Docks June 15th event. The event is sponsored by the Minden Rotary Club in support of special community causes. Most of the workers at the event are volunteers.
This was our first time at the event and when we showed up at opening time it looked pretty dead. We went out for some appetizers at the Riv Bistro and returned around 9 pm. Northern Harbour, the Jimmy Buffet clone band that anchors the event every year was playing and the place was jammed and rocking. What a difference an hour makes. It was a sea of people - probably a couple of thousand on the docks anyways. Very well run and well staffed. Loved the band and the vibe. Everyone had a good time dancing the night away. Food was good and bar was was packed. You have to like crowds to be there though ... as people moving around and dancing are sloshing drinks all over the place.
Getting a cab back to the marina from the Central Taxi company just up the street was a bad experience. The dispatcher took names in order for the crowd to take their turn, but many drunk young people just pushed through and jumped into cabs as they arrived - and the dispatcher wouldn't do anything about it. After a half hour of chaos he just said there is no list anymore and it turned into a free for all ... nasty situation. I observed a inebriated young teen trying to take over a cab from a couple with a baby that had waited their turn and were already in the back seat of the cab while she was trying to force her way by Dad into the front seat. Gutless cab drivers in the mean time are saying nothing and they don't respect the list either and just let the aggressors pile on in. I was embarrassed as a Canadian to see this boorish behavior and I hope that there were no out of country tourists in the crowd that experienced this. MIDLAND CENTRAL TAXI totally DROPPED THE BALL and it was pure luck that no one was injured. Town of Midland should be pulling their cab license in my opinion. Next year Midland police could serve the community well by sending a few cops up the road to the cab stand to keep law and order when the event ends. Otherwise a great event and we will be back.
GEORGIAN BAY WRECKS AND LIGHTHOUSES
Georgian Bay is well known for its unparalleled beauty on top of the water… but what about under the water? There are a vast number of amazing shipwrecks to be explored underneath the clear waters of Georgian Bay. These wrecks present unique and spectacular diving adventures for beginner to expert divers. There are many dive shops around Georgian Bay to facilitate beginner dive trips to help people learn the ropes, and to guide more advanced divers and show them new wrecks to explore. These wrecks in Georgian Bay are one of the many features that make it such a desirable cruising destination. Another beautiful feature that people come to see in Georgian Bay is the light houses. The lighthouses have served as shoreline navigation reference points for many years, and now attract visitors from all over North America. Visitors come to see the fantastic scenery of the lighthouses, whether it is a local out for a boat ride, or Loopers making their way through the Great Loop, it is impossible to not marvel at the sheer splendour of the lighthouses on islands and along the shoreline.
Georgian Bay Wrecks is a company that makes maps highlighting wrecks and lighthouses in the Georgian Bay area. They have separate maps for different areas of Georgian Bay, and offer not only the location of wrecks and lighthouses, but also information giving a background and historical relevance of the destinations. For more information and to see where you can purchase these maps, please visit their webpage at: www.georgianbaywrecks.ca.
FEDS TURN OVER MIDLAND DOCK LANDS TO TOWN
It's official - in short ceremony at the Midland Harbour docks on June 9th 2012 Mayor Gordon McKay announced that the Canadian Federal Government has turned over the responsibility of Midland Harbour to the Town of Midland. It doesn't change anything in the short run but it does give the Town of Midland autonomy over it's future use of the Harbour area.The ceremony was also attended by Garfield Dunlop MPP for Simcoe North. The announcement was tied into the "shakedown" cruise of the arrival of the replica British HMS Badger which sailed from Penetanguishene to Midland to draw attention to the upcoming War of 1812 Georgian Bay Bicentennial celebrations. The Badger and reenacting shore troops exchanged cannon fire before the vessel landed at the docks accompanied by bagpipers. Huronia Museum opens it's War of 1812 exhibit on June 22nd at 7 pm.
MIDLAND OPENS NEW CULTURAL CENTRE
Downtown Midland has a new building on the corner of Kin & Elizabeth streets. The new Cultural Centre officially opened the morning of June 9th/2012 with a program of music, speeches, tours and art exhibits. Well known Architect Howard Rideout did a beautiful job on the building and it really is a showpiece featuring theatre, gift shop, multiple galleries, restaurant and generous public gathering space. The building was made possible by a 7 million dollar donation from local industry entrepreneur Reinhart Weber (Weber Foundation).
What does this have to do with Boating on Georgian Bay? The centre is walking distance from the town marina and it's a great place to spend a few hours viewing the works of local artists including various depictions of Georgian Bay. They have a full agenda planned for concerts and theatre. Huronia Players will call it home, as will Quest Art School & Gallery. Food services will be provided by Chef Ivars Rasa and will focus on local food and Ontario wines.
FUEL PRICE SURVEY SAYS
Boating Georgian Bay conducted a survey on the affects of fuel prices on boating and here are the results.
Apparently sailors are not concerned at all by fuel prices as not one single sailor responded – all power boaters!
Will rising fuel prices mean less cruising on your boat?
Yes 30.8%
No 53.8%
Not sure 15.4%
How many days do you cruise away from your home marina in a boating season?
0 –7 days 7.7%
7-14 days 15.4%
14 – 21 days 15.4%
Over 30 days 53.8%
Live Aboard 7.7%
Do you choose your marina stops based on fuel price?
Yes 23.1%
No 53.8%
Sometimes 23.1%
Would you sell your boat if fuel gets too expensive?
Yes if any higher than current price 7.0%
Yes if more than 25% higher 8.0%
Yes if more than 50% higher 7.5%
Yes if it doubled in price 23.1%
No fuel cost is not a big concern 52.4%
Other 2%
DORAL MARINE INTERNATIONAL FILES NOTICE UNDER BANKRUPTCY ACT
Doral Marine International of Grand-Mere Quebec has filed a notice of intention to it's creditors April 24th/2012 via trustee Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton in Montreal. The company is not yet bankrupt, but seeks offers for the purchase of the assets or investment during a 30 day window. Doral Marine International may have up to six months to make an offer to it's creditors which if accepted could allow the company to survive.
Doral's Grand-Mere plant has been shut down for the past month. According to Jean Gagnon a Partner at the trustee firm "There are boats on the line but no work is being done right now. There were some open orders but we haven't spoken to the clients yet". Doral Marine International owes creditors more than $5.4 million dollars.
The company also filed for bankruptcy protection in the fall of 2009 and it was subsequently purchased by Montreal area businessman Denis Poliseno in June 2010. Poliseno bought Doral Boats from Erwin Zecha in 2010, who at that time also owned Wye Heritage Marina near Midland. Wye Heritage Marina was recently bought by Parkbridge Marinas who successfully run many marinas and recreational properties across Canada. Poliseno Marine was also Doral Boats largest Canadian dealer when Poliseno bought the boat manufacturer under notice from Zecha in 2010. Doral Marine International produces boats from 23' to 51' in length and and at one time had a plant in Midland Ontario prior to moving the entire production process to Quebec. It is thought that about 60 staff may be affected while the boat manufacturer is shut down.
2012 PARKBRIDGE MARINAS RENDEZVOUS
The Parkbridge Marina group including Bay Moorings Marina, Bay Port marina, Beacon Bay Marina, Bridge Port Marina and the recently acquired Wye Heritage Marina will all be participating in one of the biggest yacht rendezvous on Georgian Bay. Parkbridge offers both power and sail events and have a limit of 50 boats for each. Last season, Parkbridge even had cold craft beer and hot pizza flown in by float plane to an island anchorage for an evening meal. How will they top that this year? See how Parkbridge plans to run their large scale rendevous in the video attached.
PARKS CANADA STAFF GET LAYOFF NOTICES
1689 Parks Canada staff have been notified of job cuts as part of an overall plan to cut 19,000 government jobs to save 5.2 billion dollars. 600 of the Parks Canada jobs will be eliminated entirely and there will be no one doing those specific jobs any longer. Some of the job cuts include staff on the 386 kilometer Trent Canal System. Even engineering staff that control water levels from feeder lake sources are affected.
Hours on the Trent Canal System are under study and will change but the Trent system will still reopen May 20th/2012. Hours of operation on the Trent have only been cut back by one hour daily in 25 years ... although boat traffic has dropped by 1/3 during that period. Businesses along the Trent are concerned by the impact this may have, although it is not certain what the shortened hours will mean. It has been suggested that in 2012 the Trent system may close down one month earlier than normal. In 2013 it has been suggested it would run an 8 week shorter season overall. Normally the locks stay open until a few days after the Canadian Thanksgiving. In general the concept is to shift canal hours to those "periods of the highest requirements". Fees boaters pay to use the Trent Canal locks have been frozen for the last four years. House boat operators and cruise companies are estimating that their businesses could decline 60% with the hours and closing dates trimmed back.
At this time it is not known how Parks Canada staff might be affected in Georgian Bay but it is safe to assume there will be cutbacks there as well – however nothing likely that could affect cruisers who anchor or dock at Park Islands with the assumption that onshore garbage pickup services would continue at landings.
WAR OF 1812 AFFECT ON GEORGIAN BAY
Many readers may be aware of some of the War of 1812 Bi Centennial events and celebrations ramping up for the summer season. Certainly there is an entirely different perspective from a historical point of view from American sources vs. Canadian/British sources. Most Canadians believe the war was won by the British because the US objective of annexing was Canada not achieved and their efforts thwarted. Many US historians believe it was a draw with no losses or gains. Some say it was never the US intent to annex Canada and that other objectives, related to control of aboriginal interests were met. Many US academics do accept that Canada at the very least emerged stronger from the event to the point that it provided the footing for what would become the Canadian nation. Some would go so far as to say that yes Canada did clearly win the war. It seems in general the the US consensus evolved right after the war that the Canadians would join the US at some point on their own accord and it was no longer possible to take Canada by force of arms.
One thing is clear, that the War of 1812 shaped the area and was a major influence on how history unfolded and the area developed. In fact if the outcome were different and the British, aboriginals & settlers had not secured what would become Canada from the US advances ... or simply if the War of 1812 had never happened, the Georgian Bay area would have evolved in a very different manner both geographically and economically. This video puts some perspective on the 200 year bicentennial and it talks about some of the projects that are going on in remembrance of this window in time that defined the history of Canada. CLICK HERE to view the video.
WATER LEVEL REPORT ADVISES - TAKE NO ACTION
A Canadian/USA advisory group reporting on Great Lakes water levels with particular concern for Lake Huron & Georgian Bay levels has recommended no action be taken by use of major engineering projects to manage water flow. Dams and other structures have been under consideration on the St Clair River. The $14.6 million dollar study suggest costs (up to $130 million) and potential environmental damage from such ventures would make such projects to manage water flow prohibitive. The five year study involved 200 engineers and scientists from both sides of the border. In the end the recommendation was to leave mother nature alone to do her thing, and allow water levels to rise and fall, as they do with natural fluctuations.These recommendations were submitted to the International Joint Commission which advises both USA and Canadian governments on Great Lakes issues.
The study group considered the implications of raising the water levels in Lake Huron/Georgian Bay by means of structures in the St Clair River to offset past natural and human related erosion changes, and although technically feasible, with positive wetland affects in Georgian Bay, the offset would be adverse to the spawning habitat of the Lake Sturgeon, which is an endangered species. It would also have a negative impact on the Lake St Clair fisheries. Furthermore man made measures would most likely increase extreme high water situations at unpredictable fashion that could cause widespread flooding during peak water years. Here is a link to some useful research on Great Lakes water levels http://greatlakeswetlands.ca/learn/wetland-inventories/
SKYLINE MARINA ANNOUNCES MERIDIAN YACHTS ADDITION
Skyline Marina has announced that they will be adding Meridian Yachts to their lineup along with their existing Sea Ray and Hatteras. Meridian is manufactured by Brunswick Group and is a leader in the sedan bridge segment of the boat market. The Meridian lineup consists of 341, 391, 441 and 541 sedan bridge models. Meridians are known for their spaciousness and European styling. All models have available joystick pod docking. The 341, 391, 441 come standard with patented "Total Command" joystick technology and the 441 and 541 can be optioned with Zeus Pod Drive systems.
Skyline has already sold their first Meridian and has new 2013 models inbound to the showroom. Skyline will provide an open house on April 14th & 15th at their Orillia facility to view their new product line. Call for more info (705) 327 2002
UNITED STATES NEW SMALL VESSEL REPORTING SYSTEM
US customs and border patrol have just recently launched a new reporting system for vessels entering US jurisdiction. This new system is being called Small Vessel Reporting System, and is being used to make the process of entering the USA via boat a much more efficient process. The new system is free to sign up for, though registration does require a face to face interview. This interview may be avoided if you are already a member of some existing CBP programs, such as; Local Boater Option Program, Trusted Traveler Program (Nexus), or a Canadian Border Boat Landing Permit. What this means is that before going on a boating trip where you will either enter or re-enter the United States, you will be able to register a “float plan” online, and instead of having to have a face to face interview with a CBP official, they will only have to have an interview over the phone, and you will then be clear to enter the States. Currently the system is being implemented across the US/Canada border and as well along southern borders and ports. The program will be in effect nationwide within months.
2012 MIAMI BOAT SHOW REPORT
Well first I must say that we arrived in Miami on a record weather day with the temperatures rising to the 90's F and boy did that feel good coming down from Ontario. Doing the southern boat shows in the winter is a treat and once again we stayed at the W Resort Hotel in South Beach Miami right on the ocean and about a 10 minute walk to the main show convention centre. We spent most of a day in and about the convention centre and there was lots of interesting new products and boats for the most part under 40' at the centre and outside the Convention building. Traffic was moderate but certainly lighter than last year at the Convention Centre. It was easy to get onto boats with no wait times.
We took the air conditioned shuttle bus to the MiaMarina in water power boat portion of the show (at the Marriot Hotel on the inter-coastal waterway) and I must say for a Saturday afternoon the crowds were very light - almost shockingly light ... as if something had scared them away. We talked to a few vendors there and they too conveyed that the show was lightly attended in comparison to the past few years. We don't have the Miami show official final numbers but it's fair to say attendance was down. We expected (based on our experience at other shows and previous broker feedback) that attendance would have been up. At the docks themselves, boats were kind of sparse with lots of empty dock space. Easy to get onto any boat though, so that was nice - but I was perplexed and concerned for the marine industry, given the light attendance.
We didn't spend too much time at MiaMarina because frankly there wasn't that much to see and it kind lacked the buzz and excitement we expected - so off we went by air conditioned shuttle to the Miami Yacht & Brokerage Show which is an in water show on Collins Avenue on the island. This show features the bigger yachts and larger yachts being brokered. This show was busy and the docks were crowded. Both gawkers and folks who seemed seriously interested in yachts for sale were cruising the docks. And there was some great deals there on pristine late model low hour used yachts that made me wish I had the cash on hand to jump in. I came to the conclusion that 1/ people are shopping best value larger used yachts that have money ... and 2/ folks want to look at the excess and excitement of luxury yachts and can't be bothered to look at the 30' - 50' boats that they can't afford to buy in any event, during this economic climate.
I talked to a new boat sales rep who also brokers used boats and he was telling me that boat buyers have been divided and the middle class has been somewhat lost. The smaller new runabouts are selling because the bottom line is the investment is relatively small. The large yachts are selling moderately because there are people who are wealthy and have more than a million (or many millions) of disposable income to purchase a new or used yacht. The market that dropped out is in the 30' to 45' range which is traditionally upper middle class territory. They can't give boats away in this range - which might run $300k to a million. That market range has dried up for the most part. Those folks either got whacked economically with real estate and stock market devaluations and feel down financially to lower middle or lower class economics or the lucky few were able to rise above from upper middle to upper class if the doubled up on the markets when they were at the bottom and were if they were not too heavily invested in real estate. Obviously the US got whacked the hardest and Europe will be feeling something very similar soon. That's another observation pointed out to me by several vendors - few Europeans at the show. More South Americans than Europeans. So I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that may be why the MiaMarina in water portion was so light on traffic. The Annapolis Show last fall was busier I'm guessing because it had a more northern attendance and folks in the north east didn't get hurt as badly as the folks down in sun and sand territory.
I can't fault the organizers as the show was well marketed and well run – just less participation by some manufacturers and the crowds were light. Blame the economy I guess. Anyways, here's some pics and a video clip of the shows.
This just in - according to the released information from the show organizer they are reporting "a stronger show overall than the past several years with the number of exhibitors and boats on display both up 9 percent over 2011". They go on to say that attendance based on concession sales and number of people using the show transportation at the free to the public event was up more than 7 percent.
That's an interesting spin - what about paid ticket sales for the paid parts of the show? Anyways what we saw is what we saw ... and the last Saturday of the show was very lightly attended in comparison to our previous years experience. We love the Miami show because it's right by South Beach and the lack of crowds makes for easy viewing but for this particular show I think it would be a stretch to suggest it is a harbinger of good times ahead for the yachting industry.
PERMANENT BARRIERS TO THWART ASIAN CARP
Whenever there is an invasive species entering a balanced ecosystem, there is inevitably disaster for the current species. This is the situation that is being faced in the Great Lakes ecosystem at the Mississippi river entrance. There is currently an initiative to create a barrier into the Great Lakes from the Mississippi river in an attempt to keep out the invasive population of Asian Carp. These Asian Carp present a great threat to the ecosystem within the Great Lakes and could create a permanent shift in the population of various species already existing in the ecosystem. The invasive species would find a place within the Great Lakes food chain, and be very disruptive. The ecological disruption would not just stop at the Great Lakes either, but continue through to the adjoined St. Lawrence River. It is because of this severe ecological threat that steps are being taken to ensure a long-term solution to the problem of the invasive species and the protection of the current species.
A report has come out from the Great Lakes Commissions and the Great lakes and St Lawrence Cities Initiative that outlines the strategy of creating a permanent physical barrier between the Mississippi River basin and the Great Lakes. This barrier is seen as the most efficient long term solution, having the greatest overall effect of keeping the invasive species out, while maintaining a small ecological footprint.
The barrier will still allow access for shipment carriers and small craft boats, using different systems such as lifts to move the smaller boats from one side to the other. The bigger craft will be unloaded at the barrier and reloaded to another craft on the opposite side of the barrier, where the cargo will continue its journey. The action plan does not take effect immediately, but will be taking place over the next few decades. There are plans to have a barrier with limited transport for 2022, with the barrier being fully operational by 2029.
SAVE OUR LIGHTHOUSES!
There is a fascinating rich history that embodies the generations that have fallen in love with local lighthouses. Georgian Bay has more than a few historic lighthouses that are threatened. The history of the lighthouse keepers is just as riveting as the lighthouses themselves (read book review Alone In The Night below). In fact if you start searching around the stories that revolve around the operation of many lighthouses is so strange and under the most extreme conditions that almost every lighthouse on an island in Georgian Bay could be it's own blockbuster movie – murder, mayhem, politics, shipwrecks, history, lives saved, lives lost, mystery, deception and the ravages of mother nature all rolled together. Some of the stories are to weird to be true – but most are true!
Georgian Bay has a number of historic lighthouses that are threatened and so does the rest of Canada. They are among the most important historical structures that we have, and they are essential to understanding the culture and realities of the harsh living conditions and remoteness that settled many communities around the lakes, bays and oceans of Canada. We have to do something to preserve these monuments of a different time.
2012 TORONTO BOAT SHOW SALES & ATTENDANCE UP
Well that's a wrap for the 54th annual 2012 Toronto International Boat Show. The official final attendance for this show was 76,253 - up 5% from 2011. Over 550 exhibitors were represented at the show. The show featured the worlds largest indoor lake and had hourly programing like wakeboard show's, powerboat handling and free boat rides. The show also offered over 140 seminars that attendees could take advantage of. We attended the Americas Great Loop presentation and it was very interesting and well received.
Most vendors report that in booth sales were up from last year and the general consensus is that consumers were positive and confident this year. Several exhibitors had commented that this was the best show in 25 years. "There's been considerable pent-up demand for our products as people determined how to deal with the economy over the last couple of years, and I think we're seeing new sales now as a result" says Rai Mannu Eastern Ontario District Sales Manager for Yamaha Canada. We talked to the crew at Skyline – Sea Ray's largest Canadian Dealer, and they were so busy on the weekends that it was hard to separate the tire kickers from the qualified potential purchasers. During the weekdays things were calmer, and serious boat shoppers could spend quality time with sales agents.
Recreational boating in Canada is a 26 billion dollar business and half of that money generated into the economy comes from Ontario. It is estimated that $80 million gets generated as a result of the Toronto International Boat Show. In any event, it's nice to see that the boat business seems to be back on track and moving in the right direction. Mark your calendar for next years show January 12th - 20th, 2013.
MEET THE SAMWAYS
The Samway family are AGLCA member "Loopers" based out of Miami Florida. The Samway family cruised the Bahamas down as far as Exuma Islands and then returned to Florida to begin their adventure around the loop aboard their 48' Kaddy-Krogen North Sea Trawler. What makes the years journey in 2011 somewhat unique is the learning experiences along the way for the kids – 13 year old Keenan and 11 year old Daria. Dad - Michael and Mother - Jennifer gave the kids a lifetime of experiences on the water ... and some very interesting on land adventures along the way as well. Jennifer contrived and served many vegetarian recipes during the cruise that look good enough to convert almost anyone away from meat. Keenan focused on photography and has an excellent gallery on the website. Daria pursued her interest in making beautiful jewelry and the family has written one of the most detailed blogs with pics pertaining to the Great Loop Adventure that I have ever laid eyes on. Their Blog web site is at www.samwayadventure.com ... and an excellent blog it is for anyone already on the loop or contemplating the adventure. The kids were home schooled along the way but of course no classroom could provide the knowledge that these kids would absorb along the way. They spent a good part of August 2011 in Georgian Bay and the North Channel and like most they really enjoyed the rugged beauty of the area.
One of my regrets is that we did not not undertake a similar adventure with our own kids before they went off to university and grew up to be adults. There are many life lessons that may help to form a child's character while cruising - certainly attributes like a sense of curiosity, self dependence, seeing variations in lifestyle & geography, helping other people, sharing experiences with others, increased awareness of mother nature and perhaps even a dose of bravery all come to mind. For any family contemplating long term cruising with their children the Samway Blog is a must read. In fact the quality of Blog's writing is so eloquent and comfortable to read that once you start into the blog, it's hard to stop. If your not convinced that taking a year or two out of your busy lives and traveling by boat with children is a good idea, then read this blog and you will be converted. Congrats to the Samway family in completing the loop and thanks for sharing your experiences with other Loopers and on the water adventurers.
AT THE OJIBWAY - BOOK REVIEW
At The Ojibway – "100 Summers on Georgian Bay" is a magnificent account of the 42 acre island based Ojibway Resort near Pointe Au Baril that opened it's doors June 1906. The resort was the vision of Hamilton Davis a railway agent from Rochester, New York. Davis at 38 years of age, purchased the island in 1903 for $5. The theme of the resort had it's inspiration from the popular Henry Longfellow book "The Songs of Hiawatha" and there was a true native cultural interest in the USA, coupled with the need to get away from the busy industrialized cities in the north east and southern Ontario.
Rustic holidays came fully into fashion and Davis seized the opportunity by investing his own capital along with that of other investors he rounded up. It was a huge success and upper middle class folks came by train and then steamer to the island where they would spend the summer fishing, socializing and relaxing in the beauty of Georgian Bay.
Famous Canadian artist Lawren Harris was a guest in the 30's. As the summer ended in 1939 Canada joined in with Britain to fight World War 2. Rationing coupons were required by the Objibway to purchase food staples and gas at Pointe Au Baril. In 1942, at 78 years of age Davis retired and his wife's nephew took over management of the resort hotel. In 1943, to preserve the hotel, shares were sold to local island families who raised the money to purchase the hotel and hired various managers over the years to run it. By 1951 it was clear the hotel was a money loser for the investors and they hired a young girl of 21 with a hotel degree from Cornell to operate the property who cleaned the property up. The steamer boat service to the resort ended in 1952 and steamer travel throughout the Great Lakes was winding down at that time. The resort experienced somewhat of a renaissance for a few years, but by the end of the 1950's demographics had shifted so much so that the resort hotel was not viable on it's current path.
Ojibway had remained largely unchanged since it's last major expansion in 1913. In 1959 the resort was incorporated and the shift began from a public resort to a recreation property owned and operated by families who owned islands in the area anxiuos to preserve the hotel as the recreational hub of the islands community. In 1966 the Ojibway stopped taking hotel guests and made the full transition to a recreation centre for Pointe Au Baril's summer community. In 2001 the Ojibway became a registered charity under the Ojibway Historical Preservation Society and $2.6 M was raised and invested in the hotels restoration and preservation. Unlike many historic resort hotels, the buildings are largely preserved as they were and never suffered fires that plagued many of the other resorts of the era. The Ojibway Club achieved full restoration and preservation by 2006 and today remains the hub for area cottagers to gather, socialize and hold events. There are four original resort cottages on the island that can be rented during the summer which include access to the Ojibway Club activities (email: dafandrews@hotmail.com).
Publisher Nancy Lang and Author David Macfarlane have done a wonderful job collecting old photos and piecing together the history of Ojibway. For anyone who has an interest in Georgian Bay, this book is a must read. It is a testament as to how like minded people can come together in the interest of preserving both buildings and the many emotions and historical happenings that are attached to the Ojibway Island resort property.
WYE HERITAGE MARINA BOUGHT BY PARKBRIDGE
Wye Heritage Marina (formerly Doral Marine Resort) in Midland on Georgian Bay is being purchased by Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities Inc. Parkbridge currently owns a number of other marinas based on Georgian Bay in Midland and Penetanguishene - namely Bay Port Yachting Center, Bay Moorings and Beacon Bay.
Wye Heritage is the largest freshwater marina in Canada boasting approx. 1000 slips and hosting both large yachts and small boats ranging from 12 to 70 feet. Parkbridge is familiar with the Wye Heritage operation with staff moves both ways that go back many years. Nearby Parkbridge owned Bay Port Yachting Center is of similar size and scope to the Wye Heritage marina property. Parkbridge has invested heavily in it's own marinas and it is anticipated that growth potential could be accelerated with further capitalization of the Wye Heritage property.
Parkbridge, a publically traded company, was purchased through Acquire Co. by British Columbia Investment Management Corporation in 2010 for about $489M. Parkbridge is the owner operator of land lease communities across Canada including marinas, residential communities, cottage & RV resorts.
US LANDOWNERS IN CANADA NOW ABLE TO DONATE CONSERVATION PROPERTY
If you are a boater on Georgian Bay, then you know what a great privilege it is to drop anchor in a secluded cove surrounded by an unspoiled wilderness landscape of windswept pines and sculpted granite landscape. When you see these beautiful undeveloped vacant islands and mainland coves you have to recognize that it's vacant for a reason and being permanently or temporarily protected in some manner:
Private deeded land that has been left undeveloped - there is increasingly less of this every year and in all likelihood it will be developed at some point
First Nations reserve land - which may or may not be developed at some point in time
Federal or Provincial Park lands - which will probably never be developed but may host additional visitor infrastructure over time
Crown Land - will hopefully get converted to Park land over time ... but with no guarantees
Land Trust property that has been donated by deeded land owners to be preserved as conservation land into perpetuity
The Georgian Bay Land Trust www.gblt.org currently manages 28 properties comprising of some 1200 acres. It acquires property mainly by donation but in some instances it will raise money to buy select properties. They are currently working on 76 properties for preservation. For many landowners and the families involved with the property have a multi generational attachment to the land. As families grow and disperse over time it is common that the land owners at some point want to ensure preservation of the property because of their love and attachment to the land and the memories that go with it. That Georgian Bay island or main land acreage may often be the one place on earth over all others that they are grounded to as a family and the place they feel closest to in terms of emotional attachment. They want to see the property live on for many generations just the way they remember it and they want to benefit the flora, fauna and wildlife that were part of their experience with the property.Of course the land donations can also trigger favorable tax treatment and have some financial advantages for the landowner in most cases.
Historically many of the landowners in the Georgian Bay archipelago are US owners. It's just one of those things, that US citizens have been coming to Georgian bay for vacations since the early 1900's and many fall in love with the area and made the move to invest in property. Many of them would come to rustic lodges for the summer season by steamer - after you do that for several seasons you want to own a piece of the Georgian Bay beauty and lifestyle. And chances are friends come to visit and they want the same. Orville Wright was one of those people, however eventually the property left the family. There are many families that couldn't bear the thought of their Georgian Bay property falling into other hands that may over develop the property or have it end up in some future use where the natural surroundings would be disrupted. We think of Georgian Bay as being rugged granite, but everything that takes hold on that granite in unbelievably harsh conditions has to struggle for decades to persevere and survive. It is a very fragile environment in many ways and worth protecting, because there is no where else in the world with the stark beauty and rich history of the Georgian Bay 30,000 Islands.
Recently Canada & the USA facilitated the ability for US landowners to donate their land for conservation. It took eleven years to hammer through the red tape. In the past the tax impediments facing US citizens owning Canadian land prevented them from donated it. Canadian conservation agencies like the Georgian Bay Land Trust found foreign ownership to be an obstacle to preserving the land, other than buying the property outright. This is because if a US citizen donated the land to a US charity they paid the accrued Canadian capital gains tax and if they donated it to a Canadian conservation agency they received no US tax deduction.
A US non profit organization was formed called the American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts (AF) www.nsnt.ca/af hosted by leading conservation professionals from both USA and Canada with the mandate to remove tax obstacles for donated land. Americans can now donate Canadian land by conservation easement over that land and donations are US income tax deductible and are also exempt from Canadian capital gains taxes. The American Friends organizations also gets donations from Canadian and US interests that allows them to operate, craft donation agreements through Canadian partners (like Georgian Bay Land Trust) and promote American donation of conservation properties.The land donations are made through the AF to appease the IRS regulations on tax deductions from foreign property. The transaction fee draws about $3500 in legal/admin costs to the US donor or Canadian partner (whoever assumes the cost). It happens in steps 1/ qualification 2/ proposed land conservation agreement and then three project phases 1/ Inquiry & Feasibly Assessment 2/ Due Diligence 3/ Closing . All are involved legal processes that are guided by AF and the Canadian conservation partner. The lands must also be free from risk of mineral development and the partner taking the donation must be determined by the IRS to be a publically supported charity under the Canada – US income tax treaty recognizing that qualified Canadian Charities are equivalent to US organizations in some instances.
So here's why you might donate land or cash to the Foundation or Trust:
you are preserving land and wildlife in it's natural state in a fragile environment
cash donations are tax deductible as a donation
land donations are also tax deductible and attract no capital gains for qualified situations US or Canadian
cash donations allow the trust and foundations to function securing more conservation lands
you cannot depend on government to pick up and secure available unique private lands in the public interest if they become available (although it does happen on occasion when Park lands ajoin)
if you are a boater consider that you are preserving wild places you can anchor at and enjoy unspoiled views
most would get some satisfaction in knowing that that their children or their grand children and great grand children will still have unspoiled places to see when they cruise the Bay
If your donating to other worthy causes ... and Georgian Bay is one of your favorite places, consider donating to the Georgian Bay Land Trust. Every bit helps. Boating Georgian Bay will be adding GB Land Trust to the organizations it donates to this year.
MARINA FIRE PORT LAMBTON
A marina fire in a large storage facility near Sarnia claimed 75 boats including antique and collectable boats. There were also some antique cars stored in the building. The fire broke out around 7 am December 20th and by 10 am the building was fully engulfed by flames. Millions of dollars in damage is reported.
CLICK HERE to view a video of the fire. It is reported that the smoke was toxic from the burning fiberglass and fuel and area residents were warned to stay away from the drifting smoke. To our knowledge no one was injured but it will be a sad Christmas for many boat owners.
2012 GEORGIAN BAY TUGFEST
Boating Georgian Bay is pleased to announce it's Gold level sponsorship of the Georgian Bay Tug Fest.
Georgian Bay TugFest is a maritime tugboat festival that is held once a year in different coastal towns on Georgian Bay. The event assembles various workboats throughout the Great Lakes to join and compete in a parade to generate support for local charities. The festival provides locals and tourists with a large variety of fun filled activities including the tug boat parade, a tug run, pancake breakfasts, a parade of lights as well as a TugFest dinner event. This annual event attracts thousands of visitors to the Georgian Bay area and has proven to be unmatched by any other event in its ability to produce such large numbers of historic and remarkably unique boats. The most recent TugFest in Parry Sound, Ontario was a huge success with over 23 vessels partaking in the event.
Tugfest 2012 will be held in Midland, Ontario on the weekend of August 24th and 25th. For more information about Georgian Bay Tugfest 2012, visit www.tugfest.net
and www.tugfestgeorgianbay.com
ALONE IN THE NIGHT - BOOK REVIEW
Alone In The Night by Lynx Images Inc. documents the history of all the Georgian Bay & Manitoulin lighthouses, past and present. There are fabulous well researched accounts of sinking ships, lighthouse keepers peril, survival and the transition from manned lighthouses to the automatic beacons of today. The isolation and danger of manning a lighthouse becomes apparent in this book. Some keepers went crazy, some hermit and some just loved the isolation and harsh conditions.
Imagine being a Keeper on Lonely Island (referred to as "one big graveyard from one end to the other") – a rock 50 miles from land with direct exposure to Georgian Bay and Lake Huron running in lighthouse service from 1870 to 1986. This was the island that some of the Asia ship sinking victims washed ashore on. It was an Indian burial ground as well and more than one keeper, assistant or family member died there. Populated by hundreds of rattlesnakes, buffeted by storms and documented as a location where mermaids congregate in gale force weather, one would have to question the saneness of Keepers who had to find there way back to the mainland at the end of shipping season in December by small sailboat before they were trapped by ice over the winter months. And this is just one lighthouse story.
Each lighthouse historically and architecturally is well documented along with the mysteries, murder and mayhem that ensued on some lighthouse manned islands. A fascinating read for anyone interested in Georgian Bay or for those that think they have it tough in their own jobs and want to see what the grass (or rock) looks like on the other side. The book can be ordered through your library or purchased at Huronia Museum in Midland.
WIND, WATER, ROCK & SKY – BOOK REVIEW
This is the story of Cognashene area of Georgian Bay. It is a hardcover bound and beautifully illustrated coffee table style book. If you cruise or cottage in the Midland/Penetanguishene area of Georgian Bay you’re going to relate heavily to the documented history, stories, legends and reflections of the area. All historical experiences, lumber industry, tourist visits and human history are tied to specific places you will know well, like Longuissa, Brown Bay, Franceville, Minnicognashene, Arthur Island and many more islands and anchorages.
It is a delight to understand the fascinating history of these areas we take for granted as pristine settings with the odd cottage here and there. In reality there were many cycles affected by economy, wars, trends and resource availability that altered the landscape and inhabitants of the area. You'll learn about the historic ships that plied the area shipping cargo and eventually homesteaders, tourists and cottagers. You'll recognize some of the historic attributes that still remain today like Blarney Castle. Most of all you’ll come to understand some of the ebbs and tides that happened over time and that impacted the area with the only constant being the water and the granite which is steadfastly uninfluenced by man.
The books carefully crafted Forward written by the Hon. William Davis is a wonderful summary and testament to the beauty of the area and the colorful characters who made it their home. My only misgivings in reading the book was a better understanding of how poorly the aboriginals that made the area their home were treated by government in the process of managing land on their behalf and herding them from island to island while taking their ancestral homes away from them in the process with very little reward or adequate compensation.
This is a special book and you'll want to read it at least twice. The Parry Sound Library has a copy or you can search it by ISBN 0-9681895-0-4 There are also some local marine chandleries that have it in Honey Harbour.
JOHN GUIDER GREAT LOOP PHOTOS
Douglas Pohl, Captain of Grey Goose and one of the regular posters on Americas Great Loop Cruising Association forum passed this along.
Photographer John Guider has spent two months a year, for the last three years, following the Great Loop in a small boat he built back in 2009. Guider photographs capture images of the the people, scenery and wildlife he meets along the way. The Rymer Gallery in Nashville Tennessee has many of this images on display in an exhibition titled "View From a Small Boat."
The Show runs through to November 26th.
BIRDS OF GEORGIAN BAY POSTER
Georgian Bay Land Trust has a new full size poster available, highlighting some of the different bird species that call Georgian Bay their home. The new Birds Of Georgian Bay poster complements the existing series of Trees of Georgian Bay & Rocks of Georgian Bay. Any or all of these posters would look great on your wall. They come rolled for $20 or plaqued for $50. These posters make great gifts for those that love Georgian Bay and the revenues go towards preserving unspoiled lands, flora and fauna around the Georgian Bay region. For more information visit their web site at www.gblt.org or give them a call at (416) 440 1519 ext #3 to order.
CRATE'S LAKE COUNTRY BOATS NAMED EXCLUSIVE PURSUIT BOAT DEALER
Crate's Lake Country Boats in Orillia has been named the exclusive dealer for Pursuit boats in Ontario. Pursuit manufactures boats from 20' to 37' and although they are known for rugged offshore fishing boats they also have a line of luxury cruising and sport utility boats. According to Pursuit Regional Sales Manager, Ron Burkdoll they made the decision to team up with Crates Lake Country based on their facilities, service and customer satisfaction history. Crates Lake Country Boats currently has some in stock Pursuit inventory with more 2012 models on their way. More information can be found on www.crateslakecountryboats.com website.
THE CAPTAINS LOG - BOOK REVIEW
The Captains Log - Diamond Lil Does The Loop is a fairly new book written by Melanie Wood who along with her husband Captain John has done the Great Loop cruise and more aboard their well loved 38' Bayliner Motor Yacht registered in Midland ON. The book provides a very interesting heartfelt unsterilized account of the good times and bad experiences (mostly good) as they leave their home in Keswick to head south and eventually back up north and around the loop via the Trent, Georgian Bay, Michigan, Mississippi River and back to Florida to cross their wake. What makes the book especially interesting is the characters they meet along the way and the emotions of cruising and being away from family for extended periods of time. Reading the book it's easy to imagine yourself in the same situations and fall into their daily adventures and routines.
This book is a must read for those contemplating doing the Great Loop or for that matter anyone who is considering long term cruising as a way of life.
The adventure takes place between September 2005 through Dec 2006 but Mel & John are still out there cruising and the book was just written in 2010/2011 from Roatan - Honduras Bay Islands.
Mel has collected quite a journal of information for this book and if you want to follow their exploits and adventures on the web including their more current cruising destinations like Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras & Caribbean, visit her online log at www.mytripjournal.com/melandjohn.
The book hits close to home and brings back memories of our own trip from Simcoe to the Bahamas and back. It sobered me up from dreaming of a cruising retirement ... as long distance cruising is not for the faint of heart and you must be resourceful and resilient in all aspects to make it work. It also takes a great relationship to keep it together on a boat for the period of time that these folks have been cruising. I picked up my copy at a local library but the self published book can be bought online at Amazon.com . We also understand there may be a new book coming in the future that provides details of their other cruising destinations.
NATURALLY OCCURRING BOTULISM KILLS BIRDS
Up to 2,000 waterfowl and some fish have washed ashore primarily in the Wasaga Beach area of Georgian Bay but as far north as Parry Sound. The cause of death has been confirmed to be Type E Botulism. Botulism can occur naturally as part of a cycle and happens from time to time in the fall. There was an outbreak on Lake Erie years ago where 25,000 birds will killed.
Botulism can take hold in lake bottom sediment when a nutrient rich source (like a dead animal) combined with total lack of oxygen and specific water temperature range combine to spawn the harmless spores. When mollusks like mussels filter the sediment they can pick up Botulism and the fish that eat mollusks can spread it through the food chain to birds. Outbreaks are short lived and end once the conditions change that allow Botulism to reproduce spores.
Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources has indicated that it is safe to eat fresh caught fish as long as they are cooked well. However, until the outbreak ends, pet owners should keep their dogs away from dead birds and fish as they could get sick from eating raw affected game. Dead birds are being removed from shore and homeowners who find a dead bird or fish should bury it or dispose of them in the garbage wrapped in a plastic bag.
RUS BOAT NORTHWEST PASSAGE ORION EXPEDITION
Talk about adventure on the high seas! A home made boat named RUS is circling the globe via the North West Passage. The 25 foot boat made of duct tape and bamboo has four determined Russian sailors onboard.
It left St Petersburg Russia and sailed through the Baltic Sea and across the north Atlantic. It is now crossing from Nunavut to the North West Territories.They are relying on a backup engine for now, but need to repair the main engine to cross the Bering Strait to return to Russia. The journey is to end at Anadyr Russia in November.
LIKE BOATING & FLYING? TRY THIS
So you're a boater and a flyer. Combine the two passions! Click HERE to check it out
ANNAPOLIS POWER BOAT SHOW
While the Annapolis Power Boat Show is much smaller than both the Lauderdale or the Miami boat shows it is certainly a very worthwhile show to attend. In addition to being located in the historic town of Annapolis that is dripping with nautical tradition it is the only large boat show that you can walk out if the show and be right in the heart of the downtown boutique shopping district which is teaming with fine restaurants, many featuring fresh crab, oysters and shrimp. While the show has more dealers representing manufacturers than the actual manufacturers' - and typically not all of anyone manufactured boat line is represented ... it makes up for selection and size with the energy of having all those Chesapeake Bay cruisers in attendance while they wait out hurricane season before heading south to warmer climes.
Make no mistake, this is a busy show and even during the rainy downpours, unusually high tides that flooded some areas and high winds on opening day the show was comfortably crowded and the bars and local eateries near the show were packed. From what I observed attendees were having a blast and unlike many boat shows the vast majority were clearly serious boaters and not just locals looking for a trade show to wander.
It took a full day to wander the show and inspect boats. There was no logical layout
to the show and his contributes to covering the same area multiple times and having some fun doing it. It is also an easy show to get onto boats and the yachts that required appointments were few and far between and for the most part even registration was not required come aboard most boats. The other really nice thing about this show was there was a sense that things were looking up and the bad years of poor sales were behind us and optimism and interest were high. Last but not least, because this show is heavily attended by cruisers on-route, there was a very good selection of serious expedition boats to check out which I really enjoyed like Grand Banks, Marlow, Fleming, Selene, Outer Reef etc. We'll be back again. You should book it for next year - sail or power show or both back to back as they are also great excuses to visit and experience the Chesapeake Bay.
CHESAPEAKE BOATING
Once Ontario cruisers sadly have put their boat away for the season, there is a place not too far away where the boating season lives on well into November. In October and November cruising yachts from around the world congregate to wait out hurricane season in the Chesapeake before heading south. The Chesapeake Bay area, while home to big cities like Baltimore is also known to be one of the better cruising areas of the world and has many sheltered anchorages and interesting small towns are all around the Bay. One could easily spend a month in the Chesapeake and never visit the same anchorage more than once. We haven't cruised the Bay for many years, so we wanted to go back as tourists to reacquaint ourselves with the area. It is only a two hour flight from Toronto to Baltimore and you can rent a car in Baltimore and get to the best places on the Bay in an hour.
We timed our trip to take in the Annapolis Boat Show. Annapolis hosts a sailboat show followed by a powerboat show - back to back. The shows are well worth attending, but just being in Annapolis is a treat you won't forget. Fabulous nautical history and architecture await and the shopping in the historic downtown is fabulous. Great restaurants are everywhere and you can have your fill of oysters, clams, shrimp and crab for very little cost if you hit the happy hour dining spots (and it's almost always happy hour there). The Naval Academy is in Annapolis so you will see many Navy recruits and officers around town dressed in uniform, spit and polish. Annapolis is a great nautical town and easy to get hooked on.
Across the Bay are some quant tourist/fishing based towns where crabbers and oystermen still ply their trade. It is unusual in this day and age to be able to step back into time and see towns that are comprised almost entirely of historic homes and businesses. St Michaels is one such town that you'll want to visit that has a Maritime Museum and a downtown lined with historic unique shops - most with a nautical flavor. We stayed at anchor in St Michaels harbour with some friends on their beautiful sailboat for a few days and tendered into town to wander around doing some shopping and wine tasting along the way.To see the Museum and the history of the Chesapeake and to take in the town of St Michaels you need at least a day. It helps if you read Michener's Chesapeake novel before you go to give you some perspective on the history and get you in the mood.
Just down the road from St Michaels and a short ferry ride across the creek is Oxford. Oxford is one of those places where time stands still. It hasn't changed much since we last visited by boat thirty years ago. Also, fishing orientated Oxford also features some famous custom boat yards (including Hinckley and Cutts & Case) and the historic residential architecture of the town is spectacular with very little commercial development. Not a lot to do there "if" you are looking for shopping ... but if you want the laid back Chesapeake feel, you'll experience it here. We stopped by the Robert Morris Inn where Michener wrote much of the Chesapeake novel and we enjoyed spicy mussels and excellent crab cakes for lunch. We also dropped into a few of the boat yards where craftsman were restoring or repairing classic boats. It's a quiet town ... but that's just the way folks like it there and you'll love it if you take the time to wander around a bit and soak up the ambiance. To put it into perspective Yachting Magazine readers voted Oxford "Best Town in the World".
Next time your feeling depressed about the boating season ending in Ontario, jump on a plane for a extended weekend visit at the Chesapeake and you’ll come back rejuvenated and wanting to go back again and again.
MURDOCH YACHT FOR CHARTER
Rosehearty is a 183' ketch owned by Rupert Murdoch and you can charter it in the Mediterranean or Caribbean for just over $200,000. a week. Murdoch has had some issues to deal with lately, so perhaps he doesn't have as much time to spend on the yacht while taking care of business.The yacht is listed for charter by www.charterworld.com and has room for 10 guests in 5 luxurious suites. The yacht was built in 2006 by Perini Navi at a cost of over $40 million. Interior design was by French designer Christian Liagre and yes ... there is a gym so you can work out in the morning.
"SERIOUSLY GREAT"
Boating Georgian Bay has just introduced it's own brand of "Seriously Great" eco rated all purpose boat cleaner. The cleaner will be available wholesale by the case and retail by the bottle from this web site Click HERE to view the press release.
Boating Georgian Bay will donate 10% of all profits from the sale of this eco rated boat cleaner to:
ANNAPOLIS BOAT SHOWS
The Chesapeake in the fall is one beautiful area! Next to Georgian Bay it is arguably one of the best cruising locations in the world. If your looking for marine history the Chesapeake has plenty of it. Annapolis Maryland is a historic town most famous for the US Naval Academy officers centre established in 1845. The Academy is the main source for college trained Navy & Marine officers in the USA. Annapolis itself has a very nautical feel to the town and there is much history to be seen. It is also a good place to scout out used marine equipment. Visiting the Chesapeake in the fall allows you to take in the beauty and history of the area and at the same time visit two back to back in water boat shows that are one of a kind. Over 100,000 boat enthusiasts visit these two shows so plan ahead and book your accommodation early. www.usboat.com
United States Sailboat Show October 7th to 11th
The oldest and largest in water sailboat show in the world established 41 years ago. The show features everything from dinghies to mega yachts and lots of seminars, gear and accessories are there to browse.
United States Powerboat Show October 14th - 17th
America's oldest powerboat show (39 years) featuring motor yachts, trawlers, cruisers, electronics, cruising workshops, antique boats etc. While not as big as the Lauderdale Show it has more selection of smaller yachts under 50 feet that may be of interest to the average boater.
MISS SCARLETT GRANDE DAME OF THE 20's This story perhaps should be on a What's Old page rather than What's New because it's all about a unique piece of Georgian Bay history. Miss Scarlett is a unique custom 1929 57' Gidley Motor Yacht that was originally built by Gidley Boats in Penetanguishene Ontario. The Gidley Boat company was established late 1890’s and by 1903 Gidley was building government survey boats for use in the St Lawrence River. Orville Wright bought his first Gidley launch in for his island summer home on Georgian Bay in 1918 and later purchased the 32' Gidley "Kittyhawk" in 1931. Wright refitted his first Gidley boat with a more reliable Wright factory built engine. In 1922 Gidley began using Ford engines through the connection of Orville Wright and Ford had boats made by Gidley at one point under their brand. Gidley built launches and runabouts in the 20' - 40' range and also larger cruisers up to the 110' range.
The Miss Scarlett yacht, originally known as Mona IV, underwent a multi million dollar full restoration that began in 1993 and was completed by 2000 by the last owner Lynne Hindmarsh (of Scarlett Investments Inc. – name clue). The restoration included significant interior and exterior work including re-planking and the task was accomplished by many skilled tradespersons who recreated plans and had to deal with remanufacturing parts and accessing exotic materials like hand selected Honduras Mahogany, keel Oak, Teak and custom fabricated steel & brass parts. While maintaining the historical integrity of the yacht, for safety and comfort reasons some modernizing took place including the transition from a traditional carvel planked water absorbing hull to the planking being coupled with cold molded West Epoxy using vacuum bagging rather than fasteners to pressure apply the epoxy. Electrical, electronics and mechanical systems were modernized as well.
Recently the yacht was purchased by Rob Reddick of Alexandria Bay, New York (via Brenda Flower at Westwind Yacht Sales www.westwindyachtscanada.com) where she plies the waters of the 1000 Islands at her new home. Rob has continued to make improvements on Miss Scarlett while maintaining the original character and craftsmanship of this one of a kind hand made yacht. Miss Scarlett is powered by a rebuilt 220 horsepower single 671 Detroit Diesel and being a keeled boat ... we are told she handles very predictably like a dream. It's battery banks and at anchor electrical is handled by a 10 kilowatt Vetus generator. She carries 300 gallons of water and 170 gallons of fuel. Miss Scarlett is built to ABYC standards compatible with US Coast Guard requirements and the charter trade. She is winter stored in a heated pole barn constructed for her by the new owner.
Miss Scarlett has a special place in Georgian Bay history and she is more than a show piece. Her current owner plans to bring her back to Georgian Bay for a visit and she recently completed a 600+ mile cruise to Quebec. For more on Miss Scarlett visit her website at www.missscarlett1929.com
2011 WYE HERITAGE & QUEENS COVE RENDEZVOUS This year a larger group of 18 power boaters got together for the 2011 Rendezvous and as usual the event started out with a Saturday evening wine & cheese and a chance for participants to mingle and discuss the game plan before the Sunday morning departure. Sunday nights anchorage was Beckwith Island but due to windy weather and choppy seas, many of the group moved over to nearby Hope Island for some shelter. Everyone enjoyed the clear blue water and sand beach at Hope and an onshore beach party started under hot sunny skies that stretched into starlight skies by a bonfire. Many tales and lies were swapped on the beach It was a rolling beam sea across to Parry Sound from Hope. The first night in Parry Sound, Wye Heritage sponsored a catered outdoor buffet dinner which was delicious. Rather than heading further north from Parry Sound in very windy weather, most of the group elected to stay put in Big Sound Marina for a second night and we got together for dinner at Kudos Kuisine which did a great job with our table of 18.
Most boats got fueled up and pumped out in Parry Sound and we planned to head south down the inland route towards Port Rawson in the Moon River area. It was an interesting exercise getting some of the boats off the dock in the heavy wind. Recovery Room's last words off the dock were "I'm loosing it boys" but catastrophe was averted and no damage was done. We raced for the 10 am Parry Sound bridge opening and just got there in time where we waited on the other side for those boats that could slip under the bridge. A gusty morning again, but the scenery to Port Rawson is second to none. Once in the Port Rawson basin the wind settled down and we spent a few nights there, with an excursion to the Moon River Falls and a shore campfire at night accompanied by Gordon Lightfoot tunes to set the mood ... and it went very late into the night for some. All manner of politics and world affairs were resolved at this campfire so it was a very worthwhile exercise at a fraction of the price of the G20 Summit. Most folks headed back to home base on the Saturday wrapping up a week of fun.
Many thanks to Jim, Sheila & Tara of Wye Heritage Marina who organized this shindig. I suspect the event will grow even larger next year.
PENETANGUISHENE BUILDS NEW TOWN DOCKS
Penetang's Harbour West Marina has new T Docks that officially opened June 18th/11. To build the new docks as part of the turnover from Federal to Town jurisdiction forty four tractor trailer loads of old decking, supports and pilings had to be demolished and trucked away. The new T docks were floated across the bay to their permanent home. The 1.4 million dollar newly refurbished marina upgrade boasts 23 new slips totaling as follows:
56 seasonal
10 designated shopping visitors
8 transient
13 spots on the cement pier
The docks have updated hydro pedestals (some 50 amp), dock lighting and a pavilion. The T docks can accommodate boats to 45 feet and the cement pier can accommodate bigger boats.
BOATERS CELEBRATE CANADA DAY AT ANCHORAGE
Anchorages within an hour of Midland & Penetanguishene were busy for the Canada Day long weekend ... but not over crowded. There was still room for a few more boats at most of the sheltered harbours even though the weather forecast delivered on excellent weather for the whole weekend. Based on the advance forecast we expected boats would be turned away at many locations. Beckwith Island area seemed to be the busiest. Beausoleil anchorages were busy as usual. We also visited Browns Bay which had lite traffic, Longuissa Bay which was busy with rows of boats (but not packed) and we anchored in Hockey Stick Bay which was near capacity but still had space for six or so boats. In the smaller anchorages like Hockey Stick many of the boats were bow stern anchored to allow for more boats. A number of large groups were rafted.
Hockey Stick had a creative group of boaters that set up their own private beach front tiki bar and several participants were wearing grass skirts. Canadian flags were everywhere and I'm sure the one US cruiser at anchorage must have got a good impression of patriotic Canadians ... that I might add, were very well behaved and respectful of other boaters. Folks had a good time - but it didn't get out of control and turn into a loud all night celebration. It was a family friendly atmosphere of celebration. Dingy & kayak touring was a popular activity. One relaxed cruiser was observed kayak tethered to an anchor buoy, reading a novel for an hour or more. A few from the Tiki bar toured the basin on PWC's to show off their costumes and a couple of small amphibian float planes landed in the bay for a visit before taking off later in the day. The temperature was hot and the water was perfect for cooling off. Lots of kids in the anchorage spent more time in the water than out. It was a great relaxing weekend enjoyed by all.
HURONIA MUSEUM
If you are a fan of Georgian Bay history including shipwrecks and boating memorabilia then Huronia Museum is a must see. There are ship and private yacht artifacts in addition to hundreds of historic pictures and models of various commercial and private boats that plied the waters of Georgian Bay. It is a formidable collection and a great place to spend a rainy day poking around the history of Georgian Bay. I addition to the historic aspects of shipping and ship building there is great deal history associated with the military, commerce and the Huron Ouendat Village recreated on the property. Visitors can take a self guided tour of the first nations village.
It is amazing to touch a ships wheel or anchor chain of some of the great ships that were wrecked during their tenure on Georgian Bay. Lots of detail in letters, logs and postcards – almost sensory overload for boat history aficionados. It reminds recreational boaters that Midland and other Georgian Bay Ports were power houses of economic activity in their time and were central Ontario’s most important hubs for the transportation of grain and lumber. Compared to the sleepy tourist orientated town of today, Midland port was bustling and booming with heavy industry centered around the commercial movement of goods and materials by rail and ship.
The Huronia Museum is open 7 days per week 9 am to 5 pm May 1st to October 31st. It is located right in Midland near Little Lake on 549 Little Lake Park Road
(705) 526 2844. Entrance is $8.60 per adult and wealth worth the visit.
INTERESTING TRIVIA
Not far from Georgian Bay, America's Great Loopers will be travelling through Balsam Lake on the Trent Canal System. Balsam Lake is the highest body of water in Canada from which a boat can circumnavigate the world at 256.3 metres above sea level. The site has been named Canada's Fresh Water Summit. There are two locations in the world that are higher in elevation – one on the Mississippi River and one on the Danube River in Germany. Coboconk the town nearest Balsam Lake celebrates on June 19th beginning 11 am the Summit by offering a boat parade, live entertainment and pig roast at the town wharf. The boat parade called "Boats Through the Ages" includes a flotilla of historical regional and national unique watercraft including Trent Severn Waterways 45' Celebration tug boat. The event ties in with the 100th anniversary celebration of the Trent Canal System.
BOATING GEORGIAN BAY BILLBOARD ADVERTISING
Boating Georgian Bay has secured a highway sign billboard location on Hwy #93 between Midland and Penetanguishene. Our objective is to remind the thousands of boaters that use that corridor that Boating Georgian Bay is a great resource for cruising, weather and marina services information. We are also in the process of investigating an FM licenced mini radio station transmitter to broadcast the #93 corridor between Midland & Penetangiushene and downtown Penetang that will broadcast an one hour loop of Boaters News that will be advertised at the sign location and through other media sources. The sign is confirmed while the Boating News radio will be announced if everything comes together.
TEQUILA AND THE PERFECT MARGARITA
First time I drank tequila was in college at a party and I nearly died. I swore I would never touch the stuff again if I was blessed with a full recovery. The second period I was reintroduced to Tequila was in my 40's where it was used as a substitute for Demerol & Codeine (which I didn't like) during a time when I had my leg and ankle plated on both sides after snapping them both slipping down a rock face. I know Tequila is 40% - 55% alcohol by volume and I have no explanation as to why Tequila kills pain in a very mellow and comfortable way that rum, scotch, whisky or drugs cannot do. I just know it works.
Over the years I began collecting Tequila on various trips to Mexico. The very drink I swore off is now my drink of choice in moderation once the boat is tied to the dock or the anchor is set. It is the only alcoholic spirit I will drink other than good red wines. You can buy Tequila in Mexico from $5 per bottle to $4000 per bottle. Boutique Tequilas are something to be respected and you will not find them at your LCBO. In Mexico you can tour the Tequila region and buy from the growers just as you might tour wine regions in Napa or Niagara to buy fine wines. There are also Tequila retailers in most towns that sell a variety of quality Tequilas – oddly enough none of the brands you would recognize as sold in Canada.
Tequila was first distilled in the 1500's in the state of Jalisco Mexico. Guadalajara is the capital of Jalisco and the city of Tequila established in 1656 is where the Weber Blue Agave plant grows best. Blue Agave is not cactus it is a member of the lily family. It takes more than 8 years for Weber Blue Agave to reach maturity. Sadly several years back much was uprooted to make way for corn that was in high demand for ethanol production and more immediate to grow. During production the leaves (pincas) are cut off the Agave leaving the pina heart which looks like a 300 lb. pineapple. It is chopped up and cooked before the alcohol distillation from the fermented juice takes place.
There are two basic types of Tequila 100% Blue Agave Tequila and Mixto. Mixto can be distilled from as little as 60% Blue Agave. Real Tequila comes from the Tequila region of Mexico and know where else. Nothing wrong with Mixto Tequila but lets stick to 100% Blue Agave Tequila for the purposes of purity and medicinal value. Mezcal - the stuff with the worm in the bottle is not Tequila (although there are some excellent Mezcals). Mezcal is fermented from the Manguey plant which is a form of agave but not Blue Agave. Mezcals can be aged for up to 12 years and are often 55% alcohol by volume and has more of a smoky taste.
The 100% Blue Agave grades of Tequila are Blanco (un-aged and untreated with additives), Reposado (rested in oak for 2 to 12 months) and Anejo (stored in oak for more than a year). Tequila becomes smoother and oaky as it is aged and takes on a golden colour ... and good boutique Tequilas are often aged a long time.
A Margarita cocktail is NOT the fluorescent green beverage that looks like a slushy most commonly mixed and sold as a Margarita in North America. Although there are many variations of Margarita, the perfect Margarita requires Curacao liqueur ... which the proper stuff only comes from the Senior Distillery on Curacao Island and it is distilled from the Laraha citrus fruit which was developed from the fermented peel during the 19th century when the imported Valencia orange plants morphed into the inedible sour Laraha plants due to soil and climatic conditions. You will not find Curacao in Canada ... you will find a sugar laced orange & blue liqueur going by the same name that is a close to Curacao as a Pontiac is to an Aston Martin. When you go on holidays go to Curacao and bring back as much as you can – orange (coloured with bark) or clear it's all the same stuff that has that unique bitter sweet orange taste. So if you can't wait for vacation use Cointreau which is distilled from orange peel. I suggest you stay away from Triple Sec or Grand Marnier if you are looking for authentic taste. The authentic colour of a Margarita made with real orange Curacao is a light muddy brown - or clear with a yellow tinge if made with clear Curacao. I can't tell you how many bartenders say they can make a good original Margarita that don’t have clue. It can be frustrating and in my experience you pretty much have to be in Mexico or San Diego, California and even then there are no guarantees. Best Margarita I've ever had was in a hotel bar in a town called Loreto on the Baja Mexican coast. It was a masterpiece ... the holy grail ... and we were the only ones there on their second floor patio.
So take approx. 2 oz. of good Tequila and add a good drizzle or oz.of Cointreau (or ideally Curacao) with 1.5 oz. of fresh squeezed lime juice in a rock glass over ice (not crushed ice God forbid). You may wish to salt on the side on the back of your clean hand or coarse salt the rim of the glass. If you find it too bitter it is not heresy to add an ounce or two of lime bar mix to sweeten it a little. There you have it – a limit of two per customer please ... and I promise you you’ll never go back to one of those green snow cones in a glass.
CANADIAN BOATER EXAMS ADOPT STRICTER STANDARDS
Transport Canada has moved to standardized testing and Canadian Boaters as of April 15th face stricter exam standards. The new approach is learning focused and sets a higher standard for boaters to obtain their Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC card). The hope is to reduce preventable boating related accidents. 100 people died in boating accidents in Canada last year and 6,000 suffered injuries. Standardized questions have increased from 36 to 50 questions. Boaters who take their exam online will also be required to complete an online study guide. Failure for boaters to present a PCOC card while operating a boat can result in a $250 fine. Boaters with existing PCOC cards will not be affected by this change. It is estimated that up to half of the boaters in Canada still do not have their PCOC card.
CYA & SKIPPERS’ PLAN JOIN FORCES
Beginning on May 1, 2011, The Canadian Yachting Association and Robertson & Robertson's Skippers Plan join forces to offer CYA members a number of exclusive unique feature benefits including a one-stop source for home, auto and commercial insurance.
"Our alliance with Skippers Plan creates an unprecedented opportunity to provide our members with a full spectrum of insurance services, not just on their boats but also on the rest of their insurance needs," notes the CYA's Executive Director Paddy Boyd.
"As an active sailor, club member and CYA supporter, I am very excited about this exclusive partnership with Canada's national sailing authority," adds Drew Robertson, President of Robertson & Robertson.
Now that the CYA has made R&R's Skippers Plan its exclusive provider for Insurance services... CYA members will now have access to a wide range of advantages including:
Upgraded marine insurance
Preferred rates on personal, home and auto insurance
Commercial insurance
Robertson & Robertson Yacht Insurance Ltd., owned and operated by The CG&B Group Inc. - servicing the boating community for over 60 years.
CRUISING TO KILLARNEY?
When your docking at Killarney Mountain Lodge this season newcomers Gord & Ginny Kerr will be your dock masters. Like Tom & Liz Morkin before them Gord & Ginny are world cruisers. Tom & Liz will be taking over the skipper duties aboard the lodges 46' charter sloop “Stormy Night”. Both couples will return to cruising at the end of the Georgian Bay boating season. If you have questions about cruising in far off regions of the world both these couples would be happy to talk with you. It is really interesting to know that there are still some people who are so incredibly adventurous left on our planet that they cruise the waters of the world for most of their adult life. What a fantastic way to experience life and the many different cultures of the world - I'm jealous!
Fans of crooner Andy Lowe will be happy to know he's back for the 12th season performing Tuesday to Sunday 9pm to midnight during July & August. Andy brings new concepts to his music every time he returns to his loyal following.
When visiting Killarney, the lodge is a stop not be missed. They offer the most incredible variety of outdoor adventure packages - both on the water and in the mountains. Every cruiser should take an extra day and take a guided trek up into the mountains. The photos that you get will be as spectacular as any you will find in your cruising destinations. It’s also a great place to recharge and use the pool and have a nice dinner in the dining room.
GEORGIAN BAY WATER LEVELS EXPECTED TO STAY LOW
Southern Georgian Bay is showing very low water levels now that the ice has vacated April 11th. There has been a fair amount of south winds that have pushed about 1.5 feet of water out of the southern regions of the Bay towards the north. When things settle back down and equalize the spring levels will still be about be down about a foot below last year. Last winter wasn't a very heavy snow winter but neither was the frost to deep, so a lot of the melt went right into the ground and never made it to the Bay as runoff. Georgian Bay won’t see peak water levels usually until the beginning to middle of June and spring rains could be factor that would help to gain back some of the loss. If the water levels stay down a foot or more and if we have a very hot dry summer it could make some of the waters and especially uncharted anchorages tricky to navigate.
The Trent system looks in not to bad of shape with the feeder lakes about normal to slightly below normal. Lake Simcoe looks about normal and the good news is there is not a lot of flooding in the area this spring. Entering Georgian Bay through Port Severn from the Trent deeper draft boaters should use caution and stay in the centre of the channel whenever possible. For more information on Georgian Bay water levels check out our Weather page and take the NOAA link for water level charts and also our Bay Bio page has some water level theory on it.
BEAUSOLEIL CABIN RENTALS
Georgian Bay Islands National Park now offers rustic cabin rentals on Beausoleil Island. These are brand new cabins that have beds, table, chairs, lights and cooking gear (no running water in cabin).
The Cedar Springs cabins are two bedroom and can accommodate a maximum 5 people. They are close the water with shared washrooms nearby. These cabins are $160 per night.
The Christian Beach cabins are 1.8 km from Cedar Springs and more remote. These cabins are for 2 people and are $140 night.
Boat transportation and baggage handling by Park staff is included from Honey Harbour. They also supply some firewood and drinking water, BBQ, picnic table, fire pit and small fridge and utensils are at the cabins.The cabins are not heated and no smoking is allowed. There is a total of 8 cabins (4 at each location) and advance booking is required - 1 877 737 3783. Now there is a place for the extra guests that can't be accommodated on your boat.
COSMOS YACHT CHARTERS Offer Luxury Crewed Sailing Adventures On Georgian Bay and the North Channel.
COSMOS Yacht Charters was started in 2006 and operates out of the prestigious Bay Port Yachting Centre in Midland, Ontario. The yacht charter company offers a variety of cruise packages ranging from Sunset Cruises with gourmet dinner, wine and dessert to Week-Long (or longer) cruises to remote anchorages with interesting Ports of Call along the way.
Itineraries are custom designed for guests and the yachts are fully crewed with an experienced Captain and Chef who will insure your vacation on the water is trouble free, yet adventurous ... and will include some gourmet dining to go along with your Georgian Bay sailing experience.
Captain Bill Everitt has twenty five years of boating experience on Georgian Bay and the North Channel and offers ‘All-Inclusive’ charters in the winter months in the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Midland was chosen as the COSMOS home base because it is only a 70 minute drive from Toronto and Bay Port Marina is a full service high end marina that is close to the heart of Midland. Midland is a historic Port town with lots of interesting architecture and it offers its own attractions, including fine dining and theatre which allow cruising guests to extend their vacation by a day, or so, on shore. You don't need to know navigation or be an experienced sailor as your Captain will expertly transit you to the best anchorages and Ports of Call on the Bay.
You also have the option of getting involved as a member of the crew and gain some "hands on" experience. It's your choice - you can lounge and enjoy the beautiful scenery and be pampered or you can work off some of the fine dining by grinding a winch or taking a turn at the helm.
For their 'All Inclusive' cruises, they welcome your input for your itinerary and menu plan so they can exceed your expectations!
For those guests who prefer to do their own provisioning and cooking, their 'Skipper Plan' is ideal and they welcome your input for itinerary planning.
COSMOS pride themselves on flexibility and personalized adventure cruises – the hallmark of their success!
Visit the COSMOS Yacht Charters web site for details on their various packages and availability.
PLAN TO VISIT TOPAZ LAKE
Many of you may have visited Topaz Lake. Most boaters on Georgian Bay may have heard about it at some point. Here is some background on this jewel of a lake located on the La Cloche mountain in Killarney Park. If you haven't been to Topaz Lake it is a must see and the journey down Baie Fine fjord is also spectacular.
Bay Fine is as close to a Scandinavian fjord as you will find anywhere in North America. Just north of the town of Killarney you would travel down about 8 miles with quartzite cliffs along both sides of the fjord. At the base of the fjord you come through a narrow section and then into the Pool. Many yachts anchor in the Pool but it is weedy when the water levels are low. Giant turtles and bait fish can be seen swimming in the Pool. Some elect to anchor in the little bays off the fjord where there is less weeds and better anchoring. However the surrounding quartz mountains around the Pool make for a beautiful scenic anchorage.
The Evinrude family (the original owners of Evinrude Marine now owned by Bombardier) owns a cottage there and the family yacht during the summers would be located there. During the winters it could be seen in the Caribbean with it's full compliment of Evinrude outboard motors lined up on davits across the deck. It goes without saying – do not trespass on this private property.
So once you've set your anchor in the weedy bottom of the Pool it is common to tie off to the shore Mediterranean style. This affords more boat density in the anchorage which can get busy during the summer weekends.
You can access Topaz Lake by trail which has yellow blazes to follow. Topaz Lake is officially in Killarney Park. The trail from the Pool runs uphill about a mile to the lake. Topaz Lake is sometimes referred to the “lake on the mountain” and it is at a higher elevation than Georgian Bay. The deep lake is named for it's crystal clear Topaz coloured water. Prolific blueberries and the occasional bear can be seen around the lake. Topaz Lake can also be accessed via a trail which is part of the Killarney Park La Cloche Mountains Silhouette Trail, a rugged 100 km loop in the Park. There is also a Park campsite on the south shore of Topaz Lake.
Famous Canadian Group of Seven Painter Arthur Lismer painted this Lake in 1938 and the painting is titled "Bright Land". AY Jackson also painted in the area. These days your more likely to see cliff divers plunging into the clear aquamarine water. Topaz Lake is also listed as one of the top skinny dipping locations in North America. For most it would be a good idea to bring a bathing suit and some water. Pack out what you bring in. It’s postcard scenic beauty demands respect and visitors equate the experience of the Lake as Zen like on an emotional level ... and fortunately it is not commonly used as a party location - because it is so remote it is not crowded. People take pictures of the lake and cliffs and go about their business of swimming in the aqua water which is completely devoid of weeds and is as clear as the Caribbean on a still day.
HISTORIC POINTE AU BARIL LIGHTHOUSE
Ever wonder about that breathtaking beautiful lighthouse that you pass going up the inland waterway at Pointe Au Baril north of Parry Sound. Early settlers placed a barrel on the rock point and set a kerosene lantern on top of the barrel as a beacon to mariners entering the inlet. Later they turned the barrel on it's side and put the lantern inside creating a range maker that could only be seen when facing the opening of the barrel. In 1889 the 35 foot high front range lighthouse was built with a heavy stone base. A one story lighthouse keepers dwelling was built beside it with connecting walkway. The lighthouse is square but the front range lantern room is six sided with a 43 foot focal plane displaying a red range light.
Still owned by the Canadian Coast Guard the white buildings with red roofs have the last lighthouse keeper and her husband offering tours during the summer months and they have a bakery and gift shop on site. Btw by now you probably realize Pointe Au Baril was named after the original light on the barrel and a replica barrel still stands today in front of the lighthouse on the rock point. Hence point with barrel - one of only a few towns named after their lighthouse. Current and historic postcard picture shown with story.
SPORTSMANS INN OPENS NEW SPA IN KILLARNEY
Sportsman Inn has opened a new spa across the channel from the main inn called Sportsmans Inn Island Spa. The full service spa offers facials, manicures, pedicures, waxing and massage therapy. Packages are available at the new facility. The spa has a great view of the Killarney harbour and the reflective glass allows clients to look out from the second floor while outsiders can’t see in.
We visited the spa to have a look and it is very nicely done with light wood stone and glass. Rachelle McConnell the owner of the Sportsman Inn did all the design work and decorating herself and she did a very nice job. When we were there they were just bringing in new equipment to their 4th treatment room.
Boating Georgian Bay interviewed Faith Lupia on of the many ladies on the Parkbridge Rendezvous (from yacht Scionara) that took advantage of the spa service and she had a 60 minute Lavender aromatherapy massage ($90) by Sandra Bailie a Swedish massage practitioner with 12 years experience. Faith said it was one of the best massages she has ever had and she loved the Zen feeling with the light and airy feel to the treatment rooms.
So when you get into port after a long day slogging it up to Killarney you know where to go to relax now.
US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY LAUNCHES CLEAN BOATING INITIATIVE
The EPA is about to begin stakeholder hearings that will be the first stage leading to new clean boating regulations in the USA. The purpose of the initiative is to look at broad categories of boat discharges and determine management practices that would improve discharge into the waterways and oceans. The study and resulting requirements of which some or all recommendations could be mandatory and will address gray water, bilge water, antifouling paints, zincs, cleaning products, fishing waste and invasive species.
In Canada it's worth keeping an eye on this. As the saying goes "what goes around comes around". In Canada we already have some very strict laws governing invasive species and bilge water. Fishing waste is more of a commercial ocean fisheries issue that is unlikely to impact recreational boaters. Gray water, antifouling, zincs and cleaning products will be areas that no doubt will impact recreational boaters. Hopefully the EPA will come up with reasonable and practical practices and solutions that the industry can address and adjust to and not something off the wall like a complete ban on zincs and antifouling paints.
PARK MOORING BUOYS? - SURVEY SAYS...
It seems the majority of boaters would appreciate and even pay for the ease of grabbing a mooring buoy rather than anchor with ground tackle in the many anchorages around the Georgian Bay Park islands. So it looks like the federal government was on to something when they implemented mooring fields in some of their marine park anchorages on coastal BC.
Only 12.5% of respondents said we don't need park mooring buoys
62.5% would use them if they were $10 or less per night
25% would still use them if they were $20 or less per night
No one suggested it should be free!
Most felt if mooring buoys were implemented it should be first come first serve
Only a small percentage felt that mooring buoys should be by reservation
About 25% thought a combination of first come first serve and reservations would work
Frankly I'm kind of surprised by the results. I thought it would be fairly evenly split but the majority clearly favour some system of mooring buoys in Georgian Bay Park anchorages. When you think about it - it might be nice to pull into Frying Pan Bay, pick up a buoy and go for a swim in clear water undisturbed by anchors being set and unset all day long. I have noticed that in all the smaller harbours the water never really clears completely during the summer season as the considerable boat traffic coming and going from anchor is enough to cause at least some impairment of clarity in the water (NOTE: the underwater pic is summer mid afternoon in Frying Pan Bay). If mooring fields were to happen the preferred price point for maximum adoption as shown in the survey would be $10 per night. FOR FURTHER PROS & CONS OF MOORING FIELDS READ THE EDITORIAL ON THE "MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE" PAGE.
BOAT PRODUCTS MAY CLEAN BUT MANY ARE NOT GREEN!
Clean is not necessarily green. A few years back a thesis's study was done by a couple of doctorate students on marinas effect on Georgian Bay water from an environmental perspective. Surprisingly the samplings and testing over time for many factors brought the authors to the conclusion that the marinas in the sample size studied were not creating an appreciable affect on the environment. That is good news however Lake Huron and Georgian Bay are large bodies of water and it's easy to forget that declining water quality is something that happens very gradually and insidiously. We are blessed with one of the greatest water resources in the world and we should do everything we can to ensure that we sustain it as such for ourselves and future generations. Now that doesn't mean you sell the boat, car and move to a log cabin without electricity. It does mean that you do what you can that is reasonable and that you avoid contributing to a potential problem when other choices that do the job and don't cramp your lifestyle are available.
We all know about the obvious things like recycling and holding tank laws that insure sewage is not going into the water. But what about grey water and external water used for washing the boat by example? The biggest potential contributor to water problem issues from a boaters perspective is cleaning products. What goes down the sink, shower drain or washed off the surface of your boat is especially important when that gray water is not going through any kind of treatment process. Yes it may be a drop in the bucket but it all counts over time.
My assumption, which I think is valid, is that all boaters love the water or they wouldn't spend so much time on and around it. My second assumption is that given a choice with all things being equal (price and effectiveness) boaters would choose products that are friendly to the water. After all, most boaters swim in that water when they cruise, may eat fish from the water and their pets may drink that water. The notion of clean pure water is one that everyone who loves the water probably embraces. Over the years there has been a plethora of the so called green products that have come into the market and many do not work very well ... and many also may say green on the label but not be certified eco friendly at all. Like many, I am always skeptical of how effective a green product is in comparison to non green competitors. If you have to use twice as much green product to make it work, it may not be that green anymore.
Lately there has been some very effective eco friendly cleaning products that have come into the market. Some are competitive in price. Best way to determine if they work is to use them after checking with other boaters as to their own experiences. I recently came across an eco certified product that was not marketed to the marine market per say that worked better at cleaning fiberglass stains than any other product I have ever tried. I contacted the manufacturer to see if they had considered white labeling the product for the marine industry. Turns out they were not interested and wanted to focus on building the brand strictly as household cleaner. It lead me on a quest though in the US and Canada to find a formula that worked very well and that could be certified eco friendly without costing an arm and a leg to produce. There were several other important qualities in addition to EcoLogo or Enviro Global certification in that the cleaner could not be a solvent based formula that would readily strip existing wax from the boat, it couldn’t be so abrasive that it would scratch the finish and last, but not least, it should be multi purpose ... because most boaters are tired of a dozen cleaners for every job including the inside jobs like galley and head cleaning.
So we found a product formula that meets all the criteria and the formula will be fully eco certified. It will be announced and on the market soon under the Boating Georgian Bay brand name as Seriously Great! - All Purpose Boat Cleaner. It will also be offered at a price that is very competitive with all the none eco rated products ... and in this case, profit is secondary to providing a good product that works without impacting the environment. We are trying to do our part and we hope this product will be the green choice for those that boat or live on the water that are looking for products friendly to the environment and THAT WORK BETTER than solvent and phosphate based products. So stay tuned.
Here are the main things to keep in mind when it comes to pure lake water management:
Phosphorus levels - High phosphorus levels reduce fish populations and promote algae growth and low oxygen levels. Buy phosphate free cleaning products.
Oxygen levels - Lack of oxygen in the water due to high nutrient levels that promote excessive algae and weed growth can choke the water of life.
Metals & Chemicals - These are introduced by man made products including pharmaceuticals that go down the drain and they build up over time in the flesh of lake creatures in the feeding chain. By the time the fish at the top of the feeding chain are full grown the metals and chemicals are concentrated in the species.
What Can You Do:
Buy less toxic alternatives in your personal care products - ideally ones that are certified by the Natural Products Association.
Always choose biodegradable shampoos and phosphate free cleaning products.
Choose truly green cleaning products that have the third party certified EcoLogo or Enviro Global stamp on them.
Phosphorous is the most common harmful pollutant to the lake that creates excessive plant growth in the lake and lowers oxygen levels that are required to keep other aquatic species alive and it throws the overall acidity balance of the water makeup out of whack as the vegetation decomposes. So if it is not phosphate free don't buy it - there are lots of good alternatives.
DON'T PROCRASTINATE - GO CRUISING
This passed on from Loopers Jim & Nancy Tracey from Florida cruising their Albin 36. In the Sea of Cortez there is a beautiful anchorage on the Baja Peninsula called San Juanico. A cruiser shrine on the shore offered this hand painted wooden sign:
Now is the time you own
And no man knows the hour
Just when the clock of life will stop
At late or early hour
The futures just a dream of hope
The past a distant link
Go cruising now my brother
It's later than you think
Food for thought and sober consideration.
EXPANDED NOAA WEATHER SERVICE BENEFITS GEORGIAN BAY
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is lengthening it's forecasting abilities from 36 hours out to 60 hours. NOAA is under the umbrella of the US National Weather Service and their forecasting maps - including weather radar ... show Georgian Bay. With the National Weather Service and National Ocean Service working together on one massive computer system, boaters will be able to access more weather information and for almost the double the forecast period. Now you will be able to look ahead accurately over a whole weekend. We have found NOAA's weather radar to be an especially valuable forecasting tool. Go to our WEATHER page to view NOAA weather radar over the Lake Huron/Georgian Bay Region. If you use all the resources on our weather page in concert, you can come to very reliable conclusions even with changing fronts etc. Be your local marinas weather expert by studying the BGB WEATHER page - once in the morning and once in the evening and we guarantee you will sleep better at night. BTW the Rogers Rocket Stick will work anywhere from Midland to Britt ... even in most of the most remote anchorages (Bone Island, Henrys, Moon River area, Port Rawson, Parry Sound, Porte Au Barrel, Britt anchorages by example), We take our laptop on every cruise and go online for weather and catch up on email.
SOUTHERN GEORGIAN BAY BICENTENNIAL
The War of 1812 was a military conflict between the USA and the British Empire. In 1812 the USA declared war on Britain and their were many skirmishes in North America but for the most part the British adopted a defensive strategy repelling the US invasions in Upper Canada. In 1814 after the British defeat of Napoleon, Britain got aggressive with the US and even captured and burned Washington DC. There were also battles fought in south western Ontario and at one point the USA held territory in Ontario. A great book that provides the naval history side of the war is "Fighting Sail On Lake Huron and Georgian Bay" by Harry Gough. Penetanguishene did not see active combat but the British naval base was pivotal as a defensive strategic position to protect Upper Canada near the end of the war. It also was a convenient base that the British war ships could stand by at a distance consistent with the end of the war settlement with the US. Both sides indecently claimed victory in the war.
The outcome of the War of 1812 paved the way for Canada to become a nation in 1867. We exist today as a result of the war. There are many organizations planning to participate in the 200 year 2012 Bicentennial anniversary celebrations. The programs will go on for two years between 2012 and 2014. For details on some on the history of the war and how it affected Georgian Bay region - and to see how some organizations are planning their related Bicentennial events check out this web site and watch the video www.1812bicentennial.com
MAN FINED $50,000 FOR BRINGING ASIAN CARP INTO ONTARIO
As per our earlier story on Asian Carp most people are aware that the carp pose a serious threat to the natural fishery in the Great Lakes including Georgian Bay. The US government is spending millions and going to great lengths to halt the carp south of Chicago. Measures include electric barriers in the water, netting and at times canal closures. If Asian Carp take hold in the Great Lakes the Trout, Salmon, Perch, Walleye, Pickerel, Bass and other species would be wiped out as the carp starve off the young native species by removing food at the bottom of the food chain. Asian Carp can eat 3 times their body weight in one day.
It has been illegal to possess live Bighead, Black and Silver Carp (broadly referred to as Asian Carp) since 2005. Asian Carp can survive long amounts of time out of the water. There is a ready Asian cultural market for the fish in Toronto and other city centres. A Markham fish importer Feng Yang was ordered to pay a $50,000. fine for importing 4,000 pounds of carp. It is the second time he was charged. In 2006 he paid a fine of $40,000. Two other loads have been stopped in 2011 already with charges pending. Carp are easy to catch, monstrous in size and profitable.
A number of years ago while on a photography shoot I had seen for myself a tanker truck in the wee morning hours in Toronto's China town delivering huge live carp. The restaurant owners come out and pick the two or three that they want right from the tank. While one could argue an Asian Carp on the menu is one that won't get into the Great Lakes, never the less they are illegal, and cannot be imported live into Ontario. Several Asian Carp have already been caught in Lake Michigan.
AMERICAS GREAT LOOP CRUISERS ASSOCIATION RADIO STATION GOES LIVE
AGLCA has launched an online radio station for cruisers and Loopers seeking information on the Great Loop cruising adventure. Each episode will air on Fridays at 10am EST. Interested listeners can hear the broadcast on the BlogTalkRadio.com website in the Travel section or they can hear
re-broadcasts on the AGLCA website.
Hosts Janice & Steve Kromer will interview guests on the show who have varied expertise on cruising the loop, boat maintenance etc. Listeners can also call in with questions and get immediate answers. Boating Georgian Bay is a Lieutenant sponsor of AGLCA and has offered to be an information source for Georgian Bay cruising.
MIAMI BOAT SHOW REVIEW
We have just returned from the Miami Boat Show and it has been our favorite show to date. We only took in the last day of the show on the holiday Monday and we were surprised at how light the attendance was. Now maybe earlier in the week the show may have been packed but that last day when we compared to midweek Lauderdale was very lite. And for us that was good because we could easily walk on to any boat, the docks weren't jammed with people and folks at the booths could actually talk to you and quite frankly were anxious to find someone to talk to.
we were able to stay at the beautiful waterfront W Hotel in South Beach and it is just a short walk to the Convention Centre
the food and art deco ambience at Miami South Beach is fabulous
shuttle buses between show venues were frequent and clean
the Convention Centre displays were fabulous and tucked all over the place with all kinds of interesting boat products and ten times the Convention Centre based displays than Lauderdale had
while there were a dozen or so mega yachts in Miami, what we liked was the tons of boats in water that were under 80 feet that could be boarded without appointment (some required quick registration) and without intimidation or a major screening of your net worth
without question Lauderdale has more "mega" yachts, but Miami I think has more easily accessible yachts for the average boater that doesn't have 10 million to spend (Miami has way bigger boats than the Toronto show but generally smaller than the Lauderdale show)
the many unique vendor products, gizmos and gadgets that are new to the market and being introduced at the show
we got to talk to Russell Newberry Crew Boss of Time Bandit from Deadliest Catch TV series
it felt more relaxed than Lauderdale but perhaps that was a product of fewer crowds on our particular day at the Miami Boat Show
We only had one day to do the show and it was a rush job. You really need two or three days to do the show properly. Lots of boats with SOLD signs on them so things must be looking up.
My embarrassing moment was as follows:
I always wanted to take a good look at the quality of a Bertram. We went on to the Bertram Island dock and were quickly registered. A salesman came out and asked us what we would like to see. We went aboard a beautiful 60 footer than didn’t look like it was solely outfitted for fishing. It was one of the smaller Bertram's at the show. The boat was sold and it was registered, so I assumed it was lightly used even though it looked pristine new. So we have a good look around and our host goes through all the boat features and answers a few questions. I did not know that Bertram has no coring below the waterline and their major competitor Viking does. I did not know the Bertram fuel tanks were all centre line of the hull for optimum handling. The Bertram boat drips understated quality and workmanship. So I popped the question - What's this yacht worth about 1.8 million? He pulls out his price schedule and says "actually about 3.6 million". To his credit he didn’t just blow me away and go searching for a more serious lead ... we talked for a while about kids and economy and he was a really nice guy who was not just focused on selling a boat to a qualified buyer. In my head, I vowed that if I ever won a lottery I would go back to that Bertram salesman.
So that's it on the Miami Boat Show but my advice is if you are only going to attend one boat show Miami would be the one - but then again I have never been to the Annapolis Boat Show so what would I know.
BGB MEETS RUSSELL NEWBERRY FROM "DEADLIEST CATCH" TV SERIES
Guess who we ran into in Miami! Russell Newberry has been crew on three crab boats that are featured on the "Deadliest Catch" hit TV series on Discovery Channel. Russell is best known as the Crew Boss of Time Bandit. Russell's a down to earth cool guy who will likely be back on a crab boat fishing again when the season starts. In Russell's own words "the easiest day is yesterday". Crab fishing off Alaska in the Bering Sea is as dangerous a profession as one could ever pick. Fisherman work on a commission share basis and you get paid for what gets caught. Russell also owns his own salmon boat and fishes salmon outside of crabbing season.
This is hard work, days from shore, work that goes on around the clock in freezing temperatures while getting constantly drenched with salt water in waves that can be mountainous with massive steal cages flying around the decks.You think you can't get seasick because you crossed the Gulf Stream 40 times in rough weather - then think again, as almost all of those on board a crabber have tossed their cookies at some point and newbies can be so sick they have to be returned to port as they'd rather die than stay out on the water. So why do these "dangerous deckhands" do this work and live life on the edge? Well for one thing the pay is not bad when the catch is good and for another when you grow up on a boat in Alaska that's what you do, because that’s what you know that pays. If you don't have thick skin, stamina, agility, eyes in the back of your head and an appreciation for risk taking then you can't do this job. You also need to have your Last Will in order before you board ship because you are 66 times more likely to die crab fishing off Alaska than in the average in US job.
Some of the crew in the off season (including Russell) are out and about at events and raise some of the proceeds for charitable causes, and they are trying to get more organized in this regard.
So I must say, I really like the show and if you watch one episode you will be addicted. More than once I found myself binging on Deadliest Catch marathon episodes. Everybody that watches this show wonders if they could do it and why those that do - do. Very few could actually do this job. I got the chance to ask Russell a few dumb questions like:
Q/ What happens if you can't get back out to pick up the pods do all those crabs die or do they eat themselves?
A/ They are ok for a week out there and they don’t eat themselves.
Q/ What if you can't recover the pot trap?
A/ The cages are designed to denigrate in one area so the crabs can get out if the pot is lost. This is required by Fisheries.
Q/ What if someone is sick or hurt, do you do your own doctor work like intravenous for sea sick dehydration?
A/ Well there have been cases where someone is really sea sick gets tied in a bunk and gets fluids forced in but we don't do intravenous, but sometimes nothing stays down and you have to make a trip 36 hours or more to port and back to get them off. Coast guard is a last resort for serious injuries only as they risk life to get someone off a fishing boat too. We have a doctors book we can flip through and you can get medical advice over sat connection.
Q/ Will you be fishing next season?
A/ Of course that's how I survive.
Q/ Do the fishermen get paid to be on the show?
A/ No they do not - they just get their commission from the crab haul.
Q/ Are the boats owned by Captains or Corporations?
A/ Most are owned by Corporations that hire a Captain who in turn hires a crew.
I asked Russell some detailed questions about sea sickness but I can't remember all of it ... but essentially it goes something like this. Almost all people can be seasick and almost all people can get over it eventually. The ones that get over it quickly tend to survive and get used to it and the ones that take a long time want to die rather than continue on. There is only a very small percentage of humans that can never be sea sick and only a very small percentage that die from sea sickness even though most are sure they will die when they are very sick. A very small percentage might jump overboard and end it, if they could, rather than continue on.
What's the wet gear he uses? - Grundens of Sweden. Russell was kind enough to autograph a hat and pose for a pic (that's me in the yellow shirt). Look forward to seeing him on TV next season and hope he stays safe and the catches are large.
LOBSTER PUFFS
These little appetizers are terrific for lounging around the sun deck with a chilled bottle of wine. You only use 2 six ounce lobster tails, but your guests will think that you have splurged.
Begin with
2 cups water
1 cup butter diced
1/2 tsp salt
Heat these ingredients almost to boiling.
Add 2 cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour and stir fast to work it in.
Once the mixture starts to stick to the side of the pan, remove from heat.
Put in bowl and whip to cool it down.
When cooled, add 7 eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated. The mixture will fall apart and come back together.
Fold in 2 6-ounce lobster tails, cooked and minced
1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
1 tsp shallots, minced
Fresh-pressed garlic
Fresh dill
Salt and pepper
Using two spoons or a large tip on a pastry bag, drop mounds on a non-greased baking sheet.
Bake at 400F for 25 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve immediately.
BIGWIN FERRY
The Bigwin Ferry was never on Georgian Bay. Never the less, most of our readers are boaters ... and the history of the boat provides great insight as to the importance of recovering and restoring classic boats and yachts to preserve our marine heritage. Bigwin ferry is the perfect example of how a community can come together and reclaim a valuable artifact of marine history that has become an important tourist attraction in the Muskoka region.
You cannot tell the story of the Bigwin ferry without understanding the bigger picture of Bigwin Island and it's place in society in the 1920's. Bigwin Island was host to the Bigwin Inn that opened in 1920. It was developed by a Huntsville businessman Charles Orlando Shaw. He founded Bigwin Inn Company in 1915 and went about hiring an architect by the name of John Wilson from Collingwood to design the resort. Construction took place mostly in winter when materials could be hauled across the ice by horse. The architectural design elements were a mix of Craftsman, Mediterranean, Tudor and Victorian. The buildings were connected with covered lit walkways and it blended very well with the natural shoreline environment. The hotel had 350 guest rooms, The main buildings were the 750 seat Indian Head Dining Room, the Dance Pavilion and the Rotunda. A nine hole golf course was added in 1922 and expanded to 18 holes in 1930. In the 1930's the smaller Marine Dining Room and the Tea House were built along with the ferry house which housed many boats that provided service to the island.
Bigwin Island was named after Chief John Bigwin and the indian burial grounds are preserved on the island to this day (although some graves were flooded when lake levels changed way back when dams were added to the lake chains for logging). During it's heyday in the 1930's the Bigwin Inn attracted the biggest name bands, stars, heads of state and royalty. Think Clark Gable, Ernest Hemingway, John D Rockefeller, Carole Lombard etc. It was "THE" place to go for a summer holiday and the rich and elite flocked from around the world.
Shaw died in 1942 and Bigwin Inn declined until 1949 when it had a bit of a renaissance until the 1960's when it was resold and finally closed in 1966. For many years the resort was abandoned and over time the west lodge, ferry house, kitchens, golf clubhouse, staff quarters, horse stables and rotunda all were demolished. In 2001 the island began redevelopment. The island is now home to a redesigned golf course and private waterfront residences and includes the Marine Dining Room which lives on serving lunch and dinner. Some of the other historic buildings also have survived and still lend ambiance to the island.
The Bigwin ferry was first commissioned as steam ship for James Kuhn of Pittsburg PA in July of 1910. It was completed by Polson Iron Works in Toronto and was named Ella Mary after the owners wife. It was 42 tons and 66 feet in length and was used by the owner for transportation to his island called Belle Isle on Lake Muskoka. In 1925 the Kuhn’s lost the island and the boat was sold to the Lake Simcoe Navigation Company for $3500. It was moved to Lake of Bays - by rail to Huntsville and then towed and winched to it’s final home on South Portage lake in the Dorset area. Her name was changed to Bigwin and for the next 45 years she ferried tourists from Norway Point to the Bigwin Resort. She was left to rot when the resort ceased operating in 1966. It was stored for many years in the ferry house supported by cross beams with the bow, bridge and stern above the water. Over the years the boat was stripped of parts and fittings and eventually it sunk in it’s berth. In the 1990’s it was first thought that the boat would be scuttled in the lake but fortunately it was transported to the mainland in 1991 by volunteer firefighters where it was dry docked at a place on Hwy #60. Cheers to the volunteer firefighters!
A savior who cottaged in the area by the name of Jeff Gabura came to the rescue in 2000 and even though the formerly graceful lady was a wreck, Gabura had the insight of a wise man and was determined to see her sail again. Through a variety of fund raising and donations and hard work the Bigwin is now fully restored and sitting right in her berth along the wharf in the beautiful town of Dorset. It does not yet go out for tours but it may start group tours soon. There is a marine centre right beside the boat and you will find lots of historic information on site. In the winter time, the boat is craned up onto solid ground and in spring it is set back into the water. It is a magnificent site to see and well worth the trip to Dorset ( www.dorsetcanada.com ). If you appreciate old boats and history you surely will appreciate the Bigwin. She has transported the wealthy dignitaries and stars of the world, nearly came to her end - and now she has reclaimed her place in history, on the water for everyone to appreciate.
FIRE SAFETY AT THE MARINA
There was a dramatic fire on January 6th 2011 at McCotters Marina in Beaufort County North Carolina. Three people were injured and twenty five boats were burned. Only a week before there was another marina fire in Florida where a boat was burnt to the waterline and sunk. Fires in marinas are an all to common occurrence. Usually the source is on unattended boats that have heaters left on, or sometimes electrical faults. More common lately in the recessionary economy, it has been insurance fraud. Most fires in marinas happen at night. Boats are docked so close together that fires spread very quickly and can rage out of control in minutes.
In most marinas there are some boats that have people living or sleeping aboard. Fires at night are especially dangerous as it's not unusual that gas tanks start exploding before people start waking up. In the interest of safety every boater in a marina has a responsibility to do everything possible to minimize the chance of a fire starting and getting out of control.
your boats wiring/electrical systems should get a good look over once per year to minimize the chance of short circuits
have your electrical work done professionally
if you must do your own electrical work, do not over fuse or use under gauge wire for the task at hand
no heaters should be left on unattended
propane should never be stored on the boat in any unvented space not designed for propane storage
when you sleep over in a marina make sure others know someone is on the boat
no fuel outside of the boats manufactured fuel tanks should be stored inside the boat
run your bilge blowers from time to time when your boat has been sitting at the dock for weeks on end
always run your bilge blowers before starting your boat
take the obvious safety precautions when fueling ... including everyone off the boat except the marina attendant
keep fire extinguishers on your boat as required by law and keep some extra oversized extinguishers at hand
have your extinguishers and engine room fire suppressant system checked and serviced yearly
if you don't have a carbon monoxide detection system on your boat get one
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW REPORT
It's always a pleasure to step out of the cold Canadian winter into the proverbial oasis of one of the largest boat shows in North America. As soon as you see that massive landscape of colourful boats all thoughts of winter melt away and pleasant memories of summer boating rush in to fill the gap. We attended the Monday opening until 6pm and it was surprisingly busy all through the day. Not rubbing shoulders everywhere like Lauderdale, but there were lineups for many of the bigger yachts and some waits of 10 or 15 minutes. There were also areas of the show where the traffic was very light. The main small vendor area on the north end was crowded at times. However the food vendors had light traffic through most of the day. Now we understand from our interviews that the past Saturday & Sunday were about the same as last year and of course the big vendor concern was the snow storm Saturday - but folks still showed up.
We talked to many vendors and some said traffic was up, some said traffic was down ... but most said it was about the same as last year. More important, we polled a number of our Boating Georgian Bay advertisers that had booths at the show and universally no one came across as pessimistic about the show or the general condition of the boating industry. In fact everyone was optimistic about the show and most either guardedly optimistic about the renascence of the marine industry at large or very positive about boat sales when comparing this year to last. While the dollar is hurting Canadian used boat sales (unless you are bringing up boats from the US), it is helping new boat boat sales ... and there is a real window of buying power that purchasers can use to their advantage.
We saw lots of vendors writing deals and we spent quite a bit of time in the Sea Ray area and they were busy negotiating sales in the booths that surrounded the display. One of the weak sides of the industry is yacht financing is still tight and hard to come by, unless you have a significant equity stake in the boat.
As you might expect, Sea Ray, Carver and Meridian had the big yachts of the show. But this show is one where every boat in every size can be found somewhere at the show. Henrys Restaurant was back again with their Pickerel sandwiches. We saw kinds of neat one off accessory products featured and most of the marine chandlery's were their with some good specials. It takes a day to see everything the show has to offer and if your shopping you might want to spend one day looking and the next day running around picking up things.
The Toronto International Boat Show comes just once a year and like Christmas you don't want to miss it.
MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY
When you need help on the water even seconds can count. The Coast Guard will be on their way, but if you are on South East Georgian Bay and a member of Ontario Boating League - Dave Holding will also be on his way within seconds, day or night, 24/7, May 1st to October 31st. Nice to know someone's got back whether the call is life threatening serious, a sheared off prop, you've run out of fuel, snagged your anchor or perhaps run aground ... Dave will get you going or tow you to safety.
Dave started the Ontario Boating League (OBL) in 1989. He actually lived aboard his 35' Roamer year round in Penetanguishene harbour with his son Stephen between 1986 and 1991. In April 1989 Dave had his first major rescue when the 110' yacht "Radel" struck ice and started rapidly sinking near Midland. All 12 people aboard were saved within a half hour (including a baby). Since then, the OBL has updated and expanded it's specialized rescue fleet and has assisted hundreds of boaters on the water in emergency situations.
Btw OBL will also assist non members but it makes more sense to join ahead and save, as it is very cheap insurance and peace of mind at only $69 per season.
The Coast Guard does excellent rescue work, but it is also comforting to know when your in trouble that Dave is monitoring VHF 16 and has an emergency line to call. Just as important Dave knows the Bay like the back of his own hand and he can find you fast with his specially equipped rescue boats. When I moved my boat to Georgian Bay I acquired an OBL membership even before the boat arrived in Midland. Keep in mind that OBL will assist for any boating mishap, not just emergency Mayday situations. They also do underwater recovery services, boat training courses, boat inspections and operator cards. To contact the OBL call (705) 549 6500.
If you need OBL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE call (705) 528 9927
WEATHER RESOURCE
Boating Georgian Bay has a practical and important feature for the cruising boater. While various web sites have weather some information on Georgian Bay (if you want to hunt around for it) Boating Georgian Bay has many weather resources all from one page - making it a one stop source for those that want to be weather experts.
NOAA live weather radar
Environment Canada weather conditions for every Georgian Bay & North Channel port
Four weather warning locations
Two marine weather condition locations
NOAA National Weather Service maps with wind speed, water temperature, water levels with both existing and forecast conditions
Georgian Bay weather buoy readings
Beaufort Scale & Mafor Code chart
With a Rogers Rocket Stick you can usually get 3G wireless for your laptop from Tobermory around the Bay to Britt and some other ports north. In addition you can usually pic up a free wireless signal in most of the ports around Georgian Bay & The North Channel. I check the BGB Weather page every morning before getting under way and every evening after setting the anchor. I especially find the NOAA Weather Radar and wind speed maps to be great weather predictors. So bring your laptop along and use www.boatinggeorgianbay.com as your weather station.
SHIPWRECK TREASURE IS WAITING
This past few years a number of valuable finds of vintage wines have been discovered and retrieved from shipwrecks. The most publicized recovery of vintage wine was from a 1907 Swedish shipwreck Jonkoping, with 200 bottles of Heidsieck red wine from the Champagne district of France that was destined for the Russian Imperial family in 1916. This particular bottle was 300 years old and matured further for 91 years at the bottom of the sea. Bottles were auctioned at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Moscow and fetched up to $275,000. bottle.
Another 200 year old wreck from the Baltic Sea produced bubbly Champagne worth $70,000 a bottle. A wreck off the coast off Savannah Georgia produced a 1800 vintage bottle of Madeira that sold for $4210. One must remember that quality old world wines from France and Spain can last a long time at cool temperatures. The wealthy bought and shipped good quality wines and if the ship went down, so went the wine. Because the wine was packed and crated to survive the rigors of the sea voyage, it would often survive the demise of the wreck.
Now do you think Georgian Bay holds some of this treasure? It most certainly does. There are hundreds of wrecks in Georgian Bay and many of them remain undiscovered. Cold fresh water is ideal for preserving wine. Many wealthy industrialists cottaged on Georgian Bay and transported sizeable quantities of wine to their island mansions which were seasonal destinations where the family would spend June through October at the cottage. These wealthy summer residents also did some entertaining, so wine was a requirement for the well heeled. In fact if you search around in photo archives you can see pictures of some well known cottage owners sitting on long tables with family and friends with large quantities of wine bottles out on the table. In addition the merchant ships that transported people to their summer destinations also transported goods for resale to the various port towns around the Bay.
So how much do you think is down there? Know one knows but it would surely be hundreds of bottles. Almost every wreck transporting passengers would have some wine on board and in some situations there would be many case lots. What would it be worth. The mystique of a shipwreck and the bragging rights adds further value to any vintage wine. Vintage wines recovered like that are auctioned in Europe and the highest bidder establishes the price but a documented mid 1800’s Rothchild Chateau Lafite would likely buy you a new 40 foot boat. A case of it would procure a sizeable yacht. So if you come across an intact wine bottle diving a wreck don’t open it for your dinner!
THE NICE THING ABOUT GEORGIAN BAY!
I once ran into a large Bull shark snorkeling off an isolated off shore reef on the Atlantic (north) side near Man O War Cay in the Abaco Islands. Spearfishing back then was almost a daily activity and I had seen some small sharks and many Moray eels and Barracuda before. The tides were running in and I was hunting for my dinner – and so was he. He came in from no where even though the water was very clear. He was very big and just glided by and disappeared into the indigo water outside the reef. I think my heart stopped but I didn’t freak out. I was too scared to panic – like a bad dream. I did feel very insignificant and in awe. He went about his business and I got back in the Zodiac pronto. I love sharks but not while I’m in the water - unless it’s one of those touristy well feed semi trained shark excursions.
The nice thing about Georgian Bay is you have that almost turquoise Caribbean like water at many locations ... without the dangerous critters. So the waters ten degrees colder – suck it up!
So here is a demonstration of why Georgian Bay is "nicer than the Caribbean"
Girl Ready To Dive Off Yacht
Whoops ... What's That Coming Out Of The Water?
Hey Look At The Cool Whale Breaching
Geez I Didn’t Think He Would Land On Us!
So did I prove my point how nice and safe it is to swim in Georgian Bay? What's that you say? – Muskies can grow very big in Georgian Bay! Suck it up - it's only 60 lbs. and it couldn't swallow more than your leg!
Georgian Bay Muskie
SHIPS FIGUREHEADS
Although earlier ships had often had some form of bow ornamentation (e.g. the Viking ships of ca. A.D. 800-1100), the general practice was introduced with the galleons of the 16th century.
As with the stern ornamentation, the purpose of the figurehead was often to indicate the name of the ship in a non-literate society and demonstrate the wealth and might of the owner. At the height of the Baroque period, some ships of the line boasted gigantic figureheads, weighing several tons and sometimes twinned on both sides of the bowsprit.
A large figurehead, being carved from massive wood and perched on the very foremost tip of the hull, adversely affected the sailing qualities of the ship. This led to figureheads being made dramatically smaller during the 18th century. After the Napoleonic war, figureheads made something of a comeback, but were then often in the form of a small waist-up bust rather than the oversized full figures previously used. The clipper ships of the 1850s and 1860s customarily had full figureheads, but these were relatively small and light.
Figureheads as such died out with the sailing ship. The vogue for ram bows meant that there was no obvious place to mount one on battleships. An exception was HMS Rodney which was the last British battleship to carry a figurehead. Smaller ships of the royal navy continued to carry them. The last example may well have been the sloop HMS Cadmus launched in 1903. Early steam ships did sometimes have gilt scroll-work and coats-of-arms at their bows. This practice lasted up until about World War I. The 1910 German liner SS Imperator originally sported a large bronze figurehead of an eagle (the Imperial German symbol) standing on a globe. The few extra feet of length added by the figurehead made the Imperator the longest ship in the world at the time of her launch.
Why are so many figureheads female? For one, ships were always referred to in the female context. Secondly, the figureheads were often of the owner's wives - to guide the ship safely home. Figureheads were always the ship's owner's decision. In addition to the female carvings, figureheads were also often mythological characters, patriotic themes or children of the owner.
BOATING GEORGIAN BAY'S "LOW COUNTRY BOIL" RECIPE
This dish has many variations but it all got started with an African American Gullah (African Creole culture) from South Carolina that put it together. It became well known with it's use in the militia during the American Revolution. Richard Gay of the Gay Seafood Company also claims the invention of their variation called Frogman Stew (Richard was from Frogmore) about 50 years ago while serving with his fellow National Guardsmen. The Steamer Restaurant at Beaufort's Lady Island in South Carolina was the first restaurant known to offer the dish on a commercial menu. In any event a Low Country Boil is a delicious group event that you eat with your hands that is very popular in the Carolina’s and Georgia. Best shared on hot summer days with friends and cold beer on ice. This is our version of the Low Country Boil.
4.5 quarts of water
4 lbs. of baby red new potatoes halved (Little Gems)
3 lbs. of Kielbasa sausage cut into 2" pieces
6 cobs of corn cut into thirds
5 lbs. of jumbo fresh shrimp (peeled)
5 lbs. of crab legs
2 cloves of garlic
3 lemons halved
4 rough chopped onions
1 bottle of beer
Old Bay Seasoning to taste (1 tbsp. bay leaves, 2 tsp. celery salt, 1.5 tsp. Keens dry mustard, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. ground celery seeds, 1/2 tsp. white pepper, 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon red peppers flakes, 1/8 tsp. ground mace, 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
Boil potatoes in Old Bay Seasoning for 5 minutes, add sausage and corn pieces, boil 10 minutes more, add all other ingredients except shrimp and boil another 5 minutes, add shrimp and continue boil for 3 minutes. Total cooking time is 23 minutes. Drain off liquid and pour onto a table covered with newspaper and dig in.
LYME DISEASE & BOATING
Are there ticks around Georgian Bay that could give you Lyme Disease? You bet-cha! While Lyme disease is most common along the rural north shore areas of Lake Ontario and Erie you can catch it anywhere in Ontario. It is spread by animals and migratory birds via infection from the Black Legged Tick. Basically the ticks wait on blades of grass and low shrubs waiting for a host to come along. If you doubt that tics have moved to central Ontario in greater numbers then check with any veterinarian as they are seeing a increase in pets that are coming in and being diagnosed with Lyme Disease.
What does this have to do with boating? Fact is many boaters at anchorages dingy ashore and explore islands and other brushy or grassy areas that can harbor tics. Lots of folks and pets like to explore the trails on many of the Park islands among the 30,000 Islands. If your walking around the trails or the bush you should not be wearing shorts or bathing suits - long pants and full foot/ankle protection will protect you from tick bites.
The Black Legged Tick that spreads Lyme Disease is most dangerous in the nymphal stage which is most common in July & August. This is the second smallest stage and the tick would be about the size of a letter on a dime – very hard to see. The tick bites are painless and not itchy. When the tick latches on they take 3 to 7 days to fill up on a full blood meal. Infection can be transmitted most often after 24 hours of tick attachment. As the tick consumes a blood meal the tick enlarges and becomes easier to see. Flu like symptoms and sometimes a bulls eye reddish rash are the most common symptoms that manifest in 1 to 2 weeks after the bite.
Lyme Disease untreated can be debilitating and even life threatening for some people. In the early stages it can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Many doctors overlook Lyme Disease when patients come in not feeling well. There are tests for Lyme Disease and there are also false negatives so multiple tests are sometimes needed for proper redetection.
If you have been bitten by a tick pull it straight out from the head with sharp tweezers. Do not crush the tick. Save it and take it to the doctor for testing. Not every tick carries Lyme Disease. Check your pet for ticks after a romp in the forest and visit your vet to get tick control products and medication. More info at www.ontario.ca/lyme
CRUISING TO THE BAHAMAS?
The Bahamian Government has changed the fees for yachts cruising to or stationed in the Bahamas. The old entrance fee of $150 (35 feet & under) and $300 (35 feet & over) with up to four persons onboard is now and additional $20 for each person (over 6 years old) when there is more than three people on the boat. Departure tax has also increased from $15 to $20. If you reenter inside 90 days there is a $30 transportation fee payable to Customs. There is some confusion over the length of allowable stay with some Customs offices offering up to three months only and others offering up to six months without renewal. Check ahead based on where you are making landfall. It is likely that this will get sorted out quickly and six month cruising stays will universally available.
The Duty for leaving your boat permanently in the Bahamas is now a flat 10% of value for all vessel sizes (it used to be 6% for boats over 30 feet & 27% for boats under 30 feet). In 2006 yachts were flocking to the Bahamas due to shortage of docking space in Florida. Now this is not the case and there is plenty of available docking in Florida so this fee adjustment should attract smaller boats that will just be stationed in the Bahama islands permanently ... and along with the boats comes tourist dollars as folks visit their boats for extended periods.
LAUDERDALE BOAT SHOW COULD BE THE HARBINGER OF GOOD TIMES FOR BOATING INDUSTRY
The Fort Lauderdale Boat Show featured over 3 billion dollars in yacht inventory. The largest vessel featured was "Cakewalk" a 281 foot 2950 ton yacht ... the largest built in the USA since the 1930's. Exhibitor contracts for the show were up. Exhibitors were selling some boats for a change, and there seems to be a consensus that folks are comfortable again about buying and the lead quality of traffic was higher than vendors have seen in years. Particular interest and sales were strong in the 30 – 60 foot range which is a sign that the middle class are getting back to business. Several reasons could be considered responsible for the positive shift towards yacht purchase interest.
Florida tax on boat purchases has now been capped at $18,000 maximum regardless of the total capital cost. For USA located buyers this is a huge incentive to buy bigger boats and there are a lot of builders and sales outlets in Florida.
Even though there is still high unemployment, the general feeling is now is the time to get back into the market because the worst is over and inflation will be coming down the pipe.
Politically it seems the Democrats loosing control over the House to the Republicans is seen (at least in yacht manufacturing circles) as being a positive thing for the boat industry and business at large. At the time of the show it was almost a certainty that the Democrats would loose their majority.
There is pent up demand. Just like cars, boats wear out ... and owners want newer model features. For the past few years owner made due and avoided trading up but now they are ready to move to newer model boats with the features that they want like IPS and fuel saving technologies.
What does this mean for Canada. Well ... our dollar has excellent purchasing power for US boats new or used. Canadians are feeling pretty good about how the country came through the recession with flying colours. In general there is pent up demand here as there is in the US and there are lots of folks with money that are doing just fine. If the US is feeling better about yacht purchases then as the saying goes "what goes around comes around".
I was surprised to see a number of new high end boats over 40 feet come into the marina even in the tail end of the summer boating season. Things are looking up, but to be sure brokers and new boat outlets are not yet bogged down with business - but better times are certainly right around the corner.
HORS D OEUVRES AT THE DOCK
So you have a bunch of friends dropping by the boat and you need something nice to serve as finger food to go with the wine. Word gets around and before you know it there’s twenty boat buds socializing on the dock. Here is a simple recipe that is sure to please that goes great with chilled Chardonnay.
36 slices of prosciutto
4 jars of sundried tomatoes in oil (approx. 140 pieces)
1/2 cup plain goats cheese
1 bunch of basil
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Drain oil from sundried tomatoes. Slice prosciutto in half lengthwise. Place a tomato half on the prosciutto and add a dollop of goat cheese. Top the cheese with a piece of torn basil leaf. Then add the other half of the sundried tomato on top. Roll the tomato package up in the prosciutto. You can freeze these now to cook later. To serve let them thaw at room temperature and then cook about one minute per side in an open frying pan with 1 tsp. of olive oil. Makes 72 pieces.
EVERY YACHT NEEDS A WINE CELLAR
Your at anchor in a secluded protected little bay and the sunset is to die for. Time to break out a bottle of wine from the ships wine cellar (a plastic bin with bubble wrap between the bottles stored in a cool dry bilge compartment will suffice). Here’s a suggested starter list of international wines to have on board that won’t break the bank but will impress fellow wine lovers. Cheers!
Mirassou Pinot Noir – California
Wildass 07 Red – Ontario
Mille Lire Montepulciano – Italy
Mud House Pinot Noir – New Zealand
McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon – Australia
Belle Vue Haut Medoc - France
Nero D’Avola – Italy
Flourish Merlot Pinot Noir – California
Enzo Vincenzo Valipolicella – Italy
Tour St. Bonnet Medoc – France
Villars Fronsac - France
COMFORT FOOD
Here is a vey simple BEER BREAD recipe that we used daily to bake fresh bread when we sailed to the Caribbean in the early 80’s. The bread to this day reminds me of a fall day on the Chesapeake Bay. The best thing about this recipe is it is really easy to make and has a unique yeasty beer taste that you’ll enjoy.
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. sugar
1 egg (optional)
1 12 ounce can of beer
Mix all ingredients together and put into greased bread pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.
Variations:
Onion bread - add 1/2 cup of onions
Herb bread – add 1 tsp. caraway seeds, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. sage
SERVICE CANADA CHANGES BOAT REGISTRATION PROCESS
As of November 1st 2010 Service Canada will no longer offer the over the counter pleasure craft licenses. You have new options; the first is to go online at www.boatingsafety.gc.ca and use the Pleasure Craft Application kit OR complete the application form, provide proof of ownership and a valid signed copy of your government issued ID (Drivers License, Health Card) and snail mail it to the Pleasure Craft Licensing Centre. Those buying used boats now have 90 days to transfer the ownership. There is no charge for the Pleasure Craft License.
GHOSTS OF THE BAY - BOOK REVIEW
Ghosts Of The Bay is a guidebook to the history of Georgian Bay written by Russell Floren & Andrea Gutsche. The book comes with a full length companion video which is essentially a visual summary of the book. As a guidebook I did not have a high expectation of what was to come, but the book in fact is very well researched and written. This book is a must read if you want a fairly detailed account of the history, culture, commerce and characters of the area.
The book is divided geographically into Georgian Bay regions of the southern shore, east shore, north shore, Bruce Peninsula & Cabot Head to North Channel - Graveyard of the Bay. This book is sprinkled with interesting pictures and map graphic locators. It is rich with shipwreck information including the lesser know wrecks on the east shore away from the main diving centre of Tobermory. In most cases the map graphics show the location of the wrecks and the author offers cautions regarding the exposure and difficulty of the dive or snorkel.
The book really gives the reader a glimpse into the earliest recorded settlers in the area, the hardship, perseverance and of course puts it into perspective with the aboriginals who roamed the land long before Europeans arrived on the scene. Most important the authors did the field research and exploring around the remote ghost towns on the Bay and this gives the book a huge credibility boost with this combination of research and practical experience. Pick up a copy - you'll enjoy the read.
FAVOURITE ANCHORAGE ADDITIONS
If you haven't been on the Favourite Anchorage page lately it's worth taking a look. We have added a number of new anchorages to the list of must visit places to drop the hook. We have also started taking Flip video of these anchorages and uploading them to You Tube so you can get an idea of what the harbour looks like. When we don't have our own video we try and find a link on You Tube to other posted video footage of the anchorage so that as you read about the location, you can get some perspective of the surroundings.
We have also heard the argument that anchorages should be kept secret from others to minimize use but the other side of the coin is many boaters frequent the same anchorage over and over because they haven't experimented with other locations. So our roll is to build up a portfolio of great anchorages so that folks will cruise around and try different locations and get into the habit of being adventurous. In fact if people learn many anchorages they get comfortable and challenged to find more and that spreads the load for everyone ... and there are hundreds to be sure all around Georgian Bay and up into The North Channel. If you have an anchorage you want to share with others send it along with a description and photo (if you have one) to info@boatinggeorgianbay.com and we will try and include it.
AGLCA CARDBOARD BOAT RACE AT BAY MOORINGS
We couldn't resist showing you these pictures that come from the American Great Loop Cruisers Association Rendevous organized at Bay Moorings Marina and sponsored by Parkbridge Marinas. AGLCA Loopers from all over North America attended the Rendevous for Georgian Bay cruising information sessions, opening reception and the cardboard boat race which was just one of the many events that were hosted. So take a look at these pics. Everyone of these boats were constructed with CARDBOARD ... and yes they all float - at least for a while they did. Cardboard boat building is a real art and in terms of water proofing and longevity and any expert cardboard boat builder knows the secret is the use of the handyman's favourite - Duct Tape.
Obviously weight is an issue so the wise used young boat captains that weren't packing a lot of pounds. We attended the opening reception and a number of Loopers told us this was the warmest welcome they had experienced since leaving their home ports. They felt very welcome in Canada .... and Georgian Bay & The North Channel is their highlight for the the year or two it takes to do the entire loop. Anyways the participants in the cardboard boat race and the Loopers in general had a blast and Parkbridge Marinas looks forward to introducing a new group of cruisers to Georgian Bay next season.
PARKS CANADA GULF ISLANDS STUDY
Parks Canada has contacted Boating Georgian Bay to round up power & sail boat representatives familiar with various aspects of Parks Canada - Georgian Bay Islands National Park to join a Focus Group who will be studying and discussing how the attributes and operations of the Georgian Bay Islands National Park could be applied to the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve in British Columbia. To this end Boating Georgian Bay along with three other individuals will relate their experiences from a boaters/cruisers perspective along with the opinions of other stakeholders during upcoming Focus Group sessions.
While the BC Gulf Islands are a long ways from Georgian Bay they share many similarities and some of the same challenges in managing remote Canadian Parks accessed primarily by water. They also share a unique topography and graphic beauty that makes them both top cruising destinations for visiting yachts from around the world and popular with provincial boaters as well. As the Gulf Islands plan becomes further established it is thought that the process could benefit from the Georgian Bay experience. Obviously how Canada Park resources are managed to their best possible use with minimum impact to the natural environment on the islands is always the balancing act. Parks Canada by most standards has done a pretty good job of this on Georgian Bay, but as always they seek out user feedback from a diverse mix of stakeholders. Stay tuned for more info on this.
GEORGIAN BAY ECO MUSEUM
Did you know that Georgian Bay is Canada's only Fresh Water Eco Museum (the Georgian Bay Eco Museum)?
The Ecomuseum (Eco Museum) concept was introduced in 1971 by the French musicologist Hugues de Varine. There are only 300 designated in the world and 200 of them are in Europe.
An Ecomuseum is a museum focused on the identity of a place, largely based on local participation and aiming to enhance the welfare and development of local communities.
With the Georgian Bay Eco Museum, the common ground of a geographic boundary of water identifies the area. One additional component of the Georgian Bay Eco Museum incorporates the watersheds feeding into Georgian Bay.
The objective is to strengthen and improve the presentation of the region's culture and nature in order to provide the local people and the many guests to the area with the best possible experiences and possibilities. One could consider this eco area to be Ontario's equivalent to the Galapagos Islands with its own unique geography, history, flora and fauna.
COSMOS Yacht Charters familiar with the features and attractions of this living museum and they offer sailing excursions on a private luxury yacht to witness this watershed in a manner that will assure you of a unique eco experience! Enjoy the splendour of Fall colors that adorn the islands and shorelines in September & October and the spectacular sunsets! www.cosmosyachtcharters.com (905) 715 8795
FIRST DORAL & QUEENS COVE RENDEZVOUS A BIG SUCCESS
Participants in Doral/Queens Cove first annual rendezvous by all accounts had a great time. The event started off with a meet and greet wine and cheese on the Saturday night August 7th and the boats departed Monday morning for Big Sound Marina in Parry Sound. A shore BBQ was supplied by Doral that night and the next morning the group departed for the Hopewell Bay anchorage. Hopewell Bay is a beautiful serene anchorage with good sand/clay holding and spectacular scenery. Swimming off the boats in near 80 degree water was great as was the exploring by dingy. Maureen from Carpe Diem came by and served excellent appetizers from a kayak.
The next day on the way up to Britt via the Bying Inlet the rendezvous group encountered some serious fog which eventually lifted as the flotilla entered the inlet. Most boats fueled up and pumped out at this stop. The Pickerel dinners at St Amant's Waterfront Inn were delicious. On Thursday the group headed south again for docking and more Pickerel at Henry's on Frying Pan Island. Canoe Passage on the way was interesting for the bigger boats. We did some dingy exploring and swimming from rocky islands while based at Henry's.
The last stop was a short ride from Henry's up to the Port Rawson Bay anchorage where the group went by dingys over to the Moon River waterfalls. Other than the morning fog the weather was spectacular during the entire trip. To be honest, I don't thing anyone really wanted to come back but commitments and changing weather meant pulling anchor and heading for home port. The whole trip was breathtaking and around every turn there was postcard quality pictures to take. The group all plans on doing it again next year. Thanks to Tara Baumgardner, Sheila Baxter and Jim Ball for organizing the event.
FANCY A LIFE AT SEA?
If you've ever thought about a second career after early retirement or if you have a lot of general boat experience maybe working on a private yacht would be up your alley. To be sure the crew are not guests on the boat - they are there to work ... and hard work it is. But if sea water runs in your veins and you can't afford your own yacht why not crew on someone else's. Most of the crew jobs are not high paying by professional standards, but if you like the lifestyle and want to see some beautiful parts of the world by water it may be worth investigating.
Job postings can vary from specialized skilled trades like Mechanics and Carpenters to accredited requirements like Captains and Chefs. But there are also many deckhand positions that may require a minimum of experience. Boat owners and Captains are looking for crew members who show initiative and it is usually the hired Captains that do the recruiting. Boat owners in many cases are not actually on the yacht a great deal, so the the role of the crew under the Captains direction is to keep the yacht ship shape and move the boat to the owners preferred destinations at various times of the year.
Boats can range in size from mega yachts to yachts down into the 50 foot range. There are cases where as owners become older, they loose the motor ability and agility to be running their own boat ... but they still are not ready to give up yachting so they hire a Captain to manage the boat for them. If you want to pursue this further here's a few sites that will be of interest. This one www.jobs-at-sea.com posts available yacht crew positions. You can also walk into almost any Atlantic coast marina where large yachts congregate and see job postings on the bulletin boards. To get a better feel feel for the yacht crew lifestyle check out this site www.thetriton.com which is a online communications directory for yacht crew.
ASIAN CARP BATTLE
Chicago locks are moving towards closure to stop the spread of the invasive Asian Carp. This could could have a major impact on Great Loop Cruisers and on all shipping up the waterway between Mississippi and Chicago. The Carp are a threat to the other fish species in Michigan and in fact in all the Great Lakes. A Carp Act Bill was put forward May 6th requesting immediate closure while they look for long term solutions. They have already tried electrical barriers in the waterway. The Governor of Illinois and many other politicians do not support this Bill because of the economic impact of the reduction in shipping and flood concerns with closing locks on an ongoing basis. Washington is not anxious to close the river either, but a number of Senators and neighboring States that could have there fisheries harmed do support the Bill.
WHAT IS THE "WITCH OF NOVEMBER" The 'Witch of November" is an old saying that goes back to the 1800's when sailors believed in a literal sense that during the month of November witches would have there way with unsuspecting ships & crew and take them to their doom by creating gale force weather that gets conjured up very suddenly. So much so, that even experienced crew and well built ships got caught off guard and were not able to manage ... they would be overcome or run aground. The phrase applied to all the Great Lakes but especially Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay where commercial traffic by sail was frequent and the lakes very exposed to early winter storms that could come up quite unexpectedly due to shifts in the jet stream and clashes with cold air from the north and fronts from the south that just seem to commonly meet in the Lake Superior & Georgian Bay regions.
Fact of the matter is, as the weather turned colder and fronts were colliding, this type of unpredictable weather used to carry on into December until the lakes froze over (they did use to freeze over way back then) and the lake affect winds and snow subsided to a degree as dryer, less humid air took hold ... and of course shipping would cease as the ice came.
It's a good lesson though. If you go to our Shipwrecks page and study the table you will note that the vast majority of ships went down in November and early December. Captains were under immense pressure and pushed the limits to haul the last shipments of grain, that would otherwise not get to markets in the south. As was typical of the sailing ships, there was always a mixed bag of other things on board including cattle, consumer goods and passengers. Historically many lives were lost and their were not many to survive - even when ships ran aground close to shore. Because of the extremely cold water, many of the sailors and passenger bodies that perished never floated to to surface for recovery ... and that added to mystic. Stolen by witches!!! In warmer waters bodies naturally float up to the surface at some point - usually in spring as the water warms up.
Same thing holds true right to today in terms of predicting weather - it is not a perfect science. Even with modern weather forecasting and robust ships - there is no man made match or room for error when the gales of November scream across Huron and Georgian Bay. If you go on YouTube, there is no shortage of videos of modern "laker ships" exiting the St Clair River and running into weather that they anticipated but really weren't prepared for in the severity and brutality of the onslaught. We're talking waves that can lift the screw of a freighter right out of the water staling forward momentum and risking breach of a ship. November gales often include sleet. snow and significant ice building on decks. It goes without saying that November is no time to be repositioning pleasure boats. Most of the "lakers" get buffeted but live to tell the tail - but every now and again the witch comes stealing and claims her prize.
GEORGIAN BAY WATER LEVELS Water levels throughout the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay have been a hot topic for a number of years now. In the Georgian Bay region the problems of low water can be more than an inconvenience. Low water levels cause real economic hardship and affect property values due to the fact that many areas are rock bottom and have marginal deep water access at the best of times. For marinas dredging is expensive and not practical when required on a large scale (and not that environmentally friendly either). In some cases dredging has been the only option to stay in business. However you can't dredge granite and many of the navigable passages are just that - pure granite or limestone base. Many are a calling for something to be done by holding back more water flowing from Huron down the St Clair River. Some studies have claimed that the river is scoured deeper over the years by an amount allowing 11% more water flow from Lake Huron. Other water volume studies indicate that from the historic measurements the water flow down the St Clair have increased only 5% from historic levels. One thing is for sure, I don't think they will be controlling water flow from Lake Huron down the St Clair anytime soon with all the major shipping and commerce going on. We're also not alone on the problem. Lake Ontario and in fact all the Great Lakes are suffering from low water problems with year to year variations. Even the Trent watershed had unusually low water levels this spring - the lowest in 20 years. Lake Ontario is down about 14 inches this spring but is expected to gain back 7 inches before summer evaporation begins in earnest.
Last year water levels in Georgian Bay were up over previous years and this year in early spring there was mixed reporting from normal levels on some of the east shore inlets to down a foot around most of the Georgian Bay. One thing is for sure, we haven't had much rain this spring and other than a few lake affect snow pockets there wasn't much snow this past winter. Considering the lack of snow ... oddly enough there wasn't much frost either. Low snow and low frost years create a double whammy because what melt there is goes right into the water table through ground filtering rather than washed into the lakes and rivers from runoff.. That's not really a bad thing either because the underground aquifers need replenishing too from time to time, seeing as that’s where the majority of humans draw their water from.
So who is really to blame? Probably no one in particular. Every time Georgian Bay gets really low water levels ... so goes Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes - we just feel it more on Georgian Bay because of the rocky shallow shorelines in many areas of the Bay. What can we do? Probably not a lot. The major factor is ... Mother Nature's natural outcomes of precipitation, snow melt, frost, and summer evaporation that affect water levels. Of course there is latent cause and affect, so we see these things year by year but in reality there are long cycles in weather and ground water filtering that are less measureable and harder to reconcile that also affect water levels. It fits right in with the bigger debate over global warming and it's causes and effects. Some suggest the recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland have a greater net affect on global warming than anything man made over the last twenty years. In the vast interior forested regions of Ontario an unusual amount of water being held in large tracts of swamp by beaver dams and this is a major factor of flows to our waterways. There are no water shortages in the interior swamplands and the beaver ponds are everywhere and countless roads and trails that were open for decades are now under twenty feet of water. It really becomes obvious when you fly over and this has been building gradually for decades. But these swamps are our natural filters as well and support a rich diversified eco system. Some municipal politicians on the Trent water shed regions have suggested beaver culls as a way to bring water levels back to normal in Ontario. Yet only a few years ago they couldn't open the Trent system on schedule because of torrents of water flowing through. One thing is for sure, this is not something that there is a clear answer to that will get solved anytime soon by any single solution or group of bright minds. It is a complex issue and I for one don't believe that we should fool around with Mother Nature more than we already have. These things do correct themselves given time as has been proven time and time again - although it's hard to be patient when your dock is sitting on bare rock.
INDIA OPENS IT'S FIRST MARINA
It's a sign of the times. As wealth grows in emerging manufacturing economies like India and China so does the individual wealth of entrepreneurs that search out expensive recreational leisure products like yachts. Accordingly India has opened it's first marina with the introduction of the 37 berth Kochi International Marina located in the south western state of Kerala for the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation. The marina can birth yachts up to 75 feet and offers full marine services. It is situated as part of the Bolgatty Palace Heritage Hotel. A number of yacht owners have already signed up for dock space.
FUNGUS ATTACK Many boaters experience a pinkish tinge that shows up on their marine vinyl after a few years. Unless you can put up with pink spots on your vinyl for most the solution is replacement of the upholstery. Most boat owners think that these are wine stains, dye from bathing suits or someone is sabotaging their boat. Vinyl cleaners, magic eraser, upholstery cleaner, bathroom cleaners etc will not touch these stains. Most marina operators will try, but don't have a clue how to remove these stains.
The pinkish stains are caused by an airborne fungus. The pink is actually the byproduct or poop of the fungus as it digests oils and dirt embedded in the porous vinyl. These are the conditions that allows the fungus to take hold on vinyl that is as new as just two years old:
storage above 60 degrees F (this includes outdoor wrapped boats in the fall or spring sun)
lack of air circulation
dark conditions
lack of fresh vinyl protector before storage
You do not need much moisture to have this fungus take hold - heat and lack of air circulation is the main catalyst but moisture can accelerate it. Enough moisture (rain) and it cannot take hold. Most of the problems with this fungus become apparent after winter storage. On pre 90's vinyl this did not often happen, unless the vinyl was really old and dried out. Why? The marine vinyl manufacturers claim that the fungus has become immune to the fungicides put into the vinyl formula. Boat pundits claim that the manufacturers are using less fungicide in the formula to save on costs or intentionally accelerate replacement on vinyl upholstery. Who knows for sure!
Now if the fungus gets too imbedded, replacement is the only option. If you catch it early enough there are two cures:
Direct hot sunlight over a number of days will gradually fade it out
Oxi 10 or any Acne Cream with 5% or more peroxide spread on the stain and left overnight to do it's magic
Be careful to avoid stitching as peroxide will weaken it. Also be aware that simply wiping the stain with peroxide (or bleach for that matter) will not remove the stain.
Here's how you avoid the problem to begin with.
keep upholstery away from heaters in storage that would allow the temperature to achieve 60 degrees
make sure there is some air circulation and do not drape anything or leave anything on the seats that would reduce circulation
use a vinyl protector after every cleaning and do not clean and store without vinyl protection
if your boat is wrapped get some air circulation going as soon as the sun is strong enough and the outdoor temperatures get high enough to allow for 60 degrees under the shrink wrap
And remember, give Mother Nature some credit - oxidization and breaking down natural and manmade products is something she does very well given some time and the right conditions ... and you know what they say "you can't fool mother nature"
BEST TIME TO BUY BOAT ACCESSORIES In Canada we came off in pretty good shape given the depth of the worldwide recession. Thanks to our natural resources and fiscally sound banks we weathered the recession as well as any country in the world. Our major trading partner is the US. America got clobbered in this recession and they are still reeling from the zero subprime meltdown, government debt and depressed real estate prices. The marine industry was also hit hard. Much of our boat accessories come from the US. National boat product retailers have dropped their prices on many items and sale pricing is the norm. In Canada we have a very strong dollar against the US currency and it is making boat products a bargain. This won't last forever as the US comes out of recession things are likely to fall back into line. So next time you see that trick boat product that you always wanted on sale snap it up because 2012 and beyond may be a different situation and the US dollar will rise along with inflation costs, prices and demand.
HOW TO CHOOSE A MARINA
This may sound like a no brainer but many new boat owners struggle with where to dock their baby. This might help.
decide on the geographic region of Georgian Bay you want to boat in most frequently
rates are all over the place so decide on the services you want and have each marina quote you on those services so you are sure you are comparing apples to apples
get a few examples of repair costs and compare
talk to other boaters and ascertain if there are any down sides to particular marinas
look closely at the upkeep of the marina, friendliness of staff and their willingness to answer your questions directly
compare what is included in terms of recreation facilities at the marina
consider how much time you will spend out boating vs. cottaging at the dock as the physical location of available dock space may be also be an issue
consider how far the drive is from your home to the marina and take into account that boats burn more fuel than cars so if you plan to spend most of your time on the water in a certain area of the Bay take driving time vs. boat access time to the area into account
some boaters like more remote marinas and some want their marina to be right in town with access to restaurants, supplies and entertainment ... take this into consideration
last but not least this is one of those situations where you want to trust your gut feelings ... if the marina feels like a home for your boat and feels like a yachting community that you fit in well - then you are probably going to be happy there and cost of docking and services may not be the overriding factor in your decision making.
BBQ RULES
Here's one I came across that I couldn't help but share with you.
BBQ RULES
We are about to enter the BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refreshyour memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
Routine...
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.
(4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman...
Here comes the important part:
(5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine....
(6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he flips the meat
Important again:
(8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine...
(9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table..
(10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all:
(11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed 'her night off' and, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women!
INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD) is a parodic holiday created in 1996 by John Baur (Ol' Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap'n Slappy), of Albany, Oregon, U.S., who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like a pirate.
According to Summers, the day is the only holiday to come into being as a result of a sports injury. He has stated that during a racquetball game between Summers and Baur, one of them reacted to the pain with an outburst of "Aaarrr!", and the idea was born. That game took place on June 6, 1995, but out of respect for the observance of D-Day, they chose Summers' ex-wife's birthday, as it would be easy for him to remember.
At first an inside joke between two friends, the holiday gained exposure when John Baur and Mark Summers sent a letter about their invented holiday to the American syndicated humor columnist Dave Barry in 2002. Barry liked the idea and promoted the day. Growing media coverage of the holiday after Barry's column has ensured that this event is now celebrated internationally, and Baur and Summers now sell books and T-shirts on their website related to the theme. Part of the success for the international spread of the holiday has been attributed to non-restriction of the idea or trademarking, in effect opening the holiday for creativity and "viral" growth.
Seamen in the days of sail (as well as today) spoke a language so full of technical jargon as to be nearly incomprehensible to a landlubber. For example, few could follow these instructions:
Lift the skin up, and put into the bunt the slack of the clews (not too taut), the leech and foot-rope, and body of the sail; being careful not to let it get forward under or hang down abaft. Then haul your bunt well up on the yard, smoothing the skin and bringing it down well abaft, and make fast the bunt gasket round the mast, and the jigger, if there be one, to the tie. —Richard Henry Dana, Jr., The Seaman's Manual (1844)
These phrases date back to the 17th century:
If the ship go before the wind, or as they term it, betwixt two sheets, then he who conds uses these terms to him at the helm: Starboard, larboard, the helm amidships... If the ship go by a wind, or a quarter winds, they say aloof, or keep your loof, or fall not off, wear no more, keep her to, touch the wind, have a care of the lee-latch. All these do imply the same in a manner, are to bid him at the helm to keep her near the wind. —former pirate Sir Henry Mainwaring (see Harland (1984) p.177)
From Lt. Robert Maynard's report of Blackbeard at the Battle of Ocracoke:
He styl'd us 'young puppies' and shouted 'May the Devil take my soul if I ever gives quarter or asks it of ye!'
"Damn ye, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, I'm a better man than all of ye milksops put together" - Blackbeard
The only written records recovered from the Adventure after Blackbeard's death ran as follows.
Such a day, rum all out - Our company somewhat sober - A damned confusion amongst us! - Rogues a-plotting - Great talk of separation - so I looked sharp for a prize - Such a day found one with a great deal of liquor on board, so kept the company hot, damned hot, then things went well again.
FAMOUS NAUTICAL SAYINGS Over the Barrel -
The most common method of punishment aboard ship was flogging. The unfortunate sailor was tied to a grating, mast or over the barrel of a deck cannon.
Footloose -
The bottom portion of a sail is called the foot. If it is not secured, it is footloose and it dances randomly in the wind.
Booby Hatch -
Aboard ship, a booby hatch is a sliding cover or hatch that must be pushed away to allow access or passage.
Pipe Down -
Means stop talking and be quiet. The Pipe Down was the last signal from the Boson's pipe each day which meant lights out and silence.
Chock-a-block -
Meaning something is filled to capacity or over loaded. If two blocks of rigging tackle were so hard together they couldn't be tightened further, it was said they were Chock-a-Block .
Leeway -
The weather side of a ship is the side from which the wind is blowing. The Lee side is the side of the ship sheltered from the wind. A lee shore is a shore that is downwind of a ship. If a ship does not have enough leeway it is in danger of being driven onto the shore.
Windfall -
A sudden unexpected rush of wind from a mountainous shore which allowed a ship more leeway.
Groggy -
In 1740, British Admiral Vernon (whose nickname was Old Grogram for the cloak of Grogram which he wore) ordered that the sailors' daily ration of rum be diluted with water. The men called the mixture grog. A sailor who drank too much grog was groggy.
Three Sheets to the Wind -
A sheet is a rope line which controls the tension on the downwind side of a square sail. If, on a three Amsted fully rigged ship, the sheets of the three lower course sails are loose, the sails will flap and flutter and are said to be in the wind. A ship in this condition would stagger and wander aimlessly downwind.
As the Crow Flies -
When lost or unsure of their position in coastal waters, ships would release a caged crow. The crow would fly straight towards the nearest land thus giving the vessel some sort of a navigational fix. The tallest lookout platform on a ship came to be known as the crow's nest.
Buoyed Up -
Using a buoy to raise the bight of an anchor cable to prevent it from chafing on a rough bottom.
Cut and Run -
If a captain of a smaller ship encountered a larger enemy vessel, he might decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and so he would order
the crew to cut the lashings on all the sails and run away before the wind. Other sources indicate Cut and Run meant to cut the anchor cable and sail off in a hurry.
Skyscraper -
A small triangular sail set above the skysail in order to maximize effect in a light wind.
The Bitter End -
The end of an anchor cable is fastened to the bits at the ship's bow. If all of the anchor cable has been paid out you have come to the bitter end.
Toe the Line -
When called to line up at attention, the ship's crew would form up with their toes touching a seam in the deck planking.
Slush Fund -
A slushy slurry of fat was obtained by boiling or scraping the empty salted meat storage barrels. This stuff called slush was often sold ashore by
the ship's cook for the benefit of himself or the crew. The money so derived became known as a slush fund.
Bear Down -
To sail downwind rapidly towards another ship or landmark.
Under the Weather -
If a crewman is standing watch on the weather side of the bow, he will be subject to the constant beating of the sea and the ocean spray. He will be under the weather.
Overreach -
If a ship holds a tack course too long, it has overreached its turning point and the distance it must travel to reach its next tack point is increased.
Gone By the Board -
Anything seen to have gone overboard or spotted floating past the ship (by the board) was considered lost at sea.
Above Board -
Anything on or above the open deck. If something is open and in plain view, it is above board.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea -
The devil seam was the curved seam in the deck planking closest to the side of the ship and next to the scupper gutters. If a sailor slipped on
the deck, he could find himself between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Rummage Sale -
From the French arrimage meaning ship's cargo. Damaged cargo was sold at a rummage sale.
A Square Meal -
In good weather, crews' mess was a warm meal served on square wooden platters.
Son of a Gun -
When in port, and with the crew restricted to the ship for any extended period of time, wives and ladies of easy virtue often were allowed to live aboard along with the crew. Infrequently, but not uncommonly, children were born aboard, and a convenient place for this was between guns on the gun deck. If the child's father was unknown, they were entered in the ship's log as son of a gun.
Taking the wind out of his sails -
Sailing in a manner so as to steal or divert wind from another ship's sails.
Let the Cat Out of the Bag -
In the Royal Navy the punishment prescribed for most serious crimes was flogging. This was administered by the Boson's Mate using a whip called a cat
o' nine tails. The cat was kept in a leather or baize bag. It was considered bad news indeed when the cat was let out of the bag.
Start Over with a Clean Slate -
A slate tablet was kept near the helm on which the watch keeper would record the speeds, distances, headings and tacks during the watch. If there were no problems during the watch, the slate would be wiped clean so that the new watch could start over with a clean slate.
Taken Aback -
A dangerous situation where the wind is on the wrong side of the sails pressing them back against the mast and forcing the ship astern. Most often this was caused by an inattentive helmsman who had allowed the ship to head up into the wind.
At Loggerheads -
An iron ball attached to a long handle was a loggerhead. When heated it was used to seal the pitch in deck seams. It was sometimes a handy weapon
for quarreling crewmen.
Fly-by-Night -
A large sail used only for sailing downwind and requiring rather little attention.
Give (someone) a Wide Berth -
To anchor a ship far enough away from another ship so that they did not hit each other when they swung with the wind or tide.
Cut of His Jib -
Warships many times had their foresails or jib sails cut thinly so that they could maintain point and not be blown off course. Upon sighting thin foresails on a distant ship a captain might not like the cut of his jib and would then have an opportunity to escape.
Touch and Go -
This referred to a ship's keel touching the bottom and getting right off again.
BAY STREET BOOKS Rainy day ... nothing to do? Take a trip into Bay Street Books in downtown Midland and browse their collection of over 3,000 used nautical books, magazines and charts (they clam the largest selection in Simcoe County). The store is just off the main King St. drag at 483 Bay St. There have a lot of naval history and detailed books on seamanship. I suppose because they are in a historic shipping port and surrounded by many other shipping ports they get a lot of retired captains and marine stuff passed down from families that gets turned in. I picked up three charts including one out of print chart of the whole Lake Huron, Georgian Bay & North Channel for $15. They also have other books of course that are not nautical themed. They can be reached at (705) 526 0362.
WHAT ARE LOOPERS? No ... "loopers" are not sailors who have been into the rum. They are cruisers following the America's Great Loop waterway adventure from various starting points along the continuous route that includes Trent Severn Waterways on both sides of Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay, Lake Michigan, south from Chicago down the Mississippi and around Florida and back up the inter-coastal east coast waterway through the Chesapeake, out the Delaware, up to New York and then back to Lake Ontario to Oswego via the Hudson River & Erie Barge Canal.
There is an association that loopers can be a part of called the Great Loop Cruisers' Association and they rendezvous a few times during the year along the route and share information, attend seminars and generally have a good time. There are several thousand members and the colour of the burgee on the boat signifies their level of involvement. A White burgee signifies membership and doing the route, Gold burgee means route has been completed, Platinum means the route has been completed more than once. I believe there is some looper who has done the loop five times ... and they must have won a lottery at some point. The boats come in all shape, sizes and colours but the majority tend to be trawlers due to their economical operation under power. There are watercraft as small as PWC's that do the route and sailboats too with mast down for a good part of the journey. One common element is that maximum draft to do the whole loop is about five feet.
Loopers are a growing group thanks to demographics ... with all the baby boomers retiring and packing up their boats to cruise. This Great Loop is also known as the Great Circle Loop and is considered one of the safest long distance boat cruising routes in the world. Having done one half of the route from Florida to Georgian Bay/Lake Huron I can say the cruising is spectacular and a life altering experience that should be on the top of any boaters bucket list. Loopers are a tight knit group and help each other out along the way and often travel in pods or meet up at designated locations along the way. Many loopers take breaks between sections and many take side trips along the way to places like the Caribbean (to kill some time over the cold winter months) before journeying back north, up the east coast. There are also variations on the route which can mean sacrificing the Trent and Georgian Bay for the Erie Barge canal and Lake Huron (who would want to miss the the Trent and Georgian Bay?). The loop runs counter clockwise because the currents run south from Chicago. The association offers all kinds of benefits, discounts on services and merchandise to it's members. At www.boatinggeorgianbay.com we support LOOPERS!
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Over the years, she perfected her own recipe and finding herself living on the shores of Georgian Bay amongst cottagers, she decided to share her baked treats with friends and neighbours. The response was overwhelming and moved her to start Buns on the Bay with her friend Kim Potter. The two handmake and hand-bake Chelsea Buns and a delicious, spicy Kookie-with-a-Kick, and then deliver them to boaters, cottagers and campers in and around Franklin Island, near Parry Sound, out on the bay.
She says people get pretty excited when they see the “Bun Runner” coming up to their boat or dock, a bright red and pink tinny loaded up with warm-from-the-oven loaves of Chelsea Buns. The buns have become so popular that they have expanded availability, now selling at the Parry Sound Summer Market, the Carling Market and select marinas and tourist spots in the area. I can't wait to try these sticky treats! For more information about Buns on the Bay! and how you can get yours, visit their website 
Divers found the ship on June 30, 2018 and also uncovered a 1927 Chevrolet Coupe still parked inside. The car belonged to one of the passengers who happened to have survived the shipwreck. John McKay the ship's captain attempted to steer the ship to a nearby island but it sank before it reached the island. Only 5 of the 21 passengers survived and around 100 cattle onboard also perished. The ship's name was changed only months before it sank supporting sailor superstition that it's bad luck to change the name of a vessel.
Toronto’s 2019 Redpath Waterfront Festival, presented by Billy Bishop Airport, will once again launch the TALL
SHIPS CHALLENGE® Great Lakes Series. During Canada Day weekend, June 29th to July 1st, Toronto’s
waterfront will be transformed into a nautical wonderland with a fleet of tall ships docked from Harbour Square
Park to HTO Park West. In Toronto, the Bluenose II will be joined by Picton Castle, a tall ship that has travelled
the world and also calls Lunenburg, N.S, home. The 179-foot, three-masted vessel is currently on her way to
Bali, Indonesia on its seventh voyage around the globe. Other tall ships in the tour include U.S. Brig Niagara,
Pride of Baltimore II, Denis Sullivan, Fair Jeanne, Playfair and St. Lawrence II.
North American Safe Boating Awareness Week will take place across Canada from May 19th to May 25th, 2018. The purpose of this initiative, managed by the CSBC (Canadian Safe Boating Council) and its partners, is to promote safe and responsible boating practices to the estimated 15 million recreational boaters in Canada. 
A 119-year-old shipwreck has been found at the bottom of Lake Erie. The wooden steam barge Margaret Olwill sank in 50 feet of water during a nor'ester in 1899. Eight people died, including the captain, his wife and their 9-year-old son. Reporting in the Toledo Blade newspaper said "It was a major disaster back in 1899 when it sank," according to shipwreck hunter Rob Ruetschele. "I dove in the night I found it," Ruetschele added.
The wreck of a steamship that went down in Georgian Bay during a storm 136 years ago has been found, with what could be human remains onboard.
Famous for it's Pickerel dinners and a must stop for boats heading north among the 30,000 islands ... Henry's has to be one of the most unusual restaurants in Canada. Accessible only by water or air its also a Federal airport served by five commercial airlines (float planes). Henry's has been a fixture on the channel near Sans Souci Island for 44 years, owned for the last 25 years by Paul and Joanne Elliott.
So I bet you thought the biggest fishing derby's are coming out of Hatteras or some port in Florida? You'd be wrong. Right next door to Georgian Bay on Lake Simcoe the annual Orillia Perch Festival takes place April 22nd to May 13th. This fishing tournament has been going on for 37 years! Over 60 tagged Perch worth $500 each! plus thousands of dollars in daily, weekly and grand prize draws are up for grabs at this festival. Opening ceremonies take place Friday April 17th at 7 pm at Orillia's ODAS Park on Fairgrounds Road. The LIVE RELEASE program is put on by Orillia Fish & Game Conservation Club. Adult cost is $20. and children under 16 are $5.00.
What is the world coming to? This poor guy already paid a six figure ransom to Somalis who grabbed them as hostages from their sailboat. Then Philippine terrorists shot his wife dead and kidnapped him for ransom and decapitated him when the $600,000 ransom was not paid. The link in the SailFeed provided article 
In August 2010 the Clipper Adventurer crashed into an uncharted rock shelf in the Coronation Gulf near Kugluktuk, Nunavut. The Canadian coast guard rescued 128-grounded passengers and 69 crewmembers. Through the federal government, the coast guard issued a lawsuit, seeking half a million dollars in damages from the cruise liner and a Federal Court judge has now ruled in their favour. The lawsuit said the damages were to prevent, repair or minimize pollution from the ship's grounding. 13 tanks aboard containing fuel, freshwater and sludge were breached with the impact. It took four tugs to remove the ship from the shoal whereupon it was taken to Poland for repairs.
Marquis Yachts LLC the makers of Marquis and Carver Yachts has partnered with Toyota Motor Corp.'s Marine Department to engineer and build a prototype concept boat that applies the Lexus design to boat design/engineering. The result is a 42 foot sport yacht built in the Marquis Yachts Wisconsin plant. The project used the in house capabilities at Marquis including engineering, modeling, mold making, composite structure layup, metal shop fabrication, upholstery, paint and other applications. The Lexus Sport Yacht concept made its global debut at a Lexus hosted media event in Miami.
On December 17, 2014, the Port of Orillia building was destroyed by fire. To continue operations and maintain the level of service previously provided by Chamber of Commerce staff, temporary facilities were put in place to accommodate immediate boater needs. Orillia City Council retained the services of Urban Strategies Inc. to examine future development opportunities for the Port of Orillia and its immediate surroundings in context with the goals and objectives of the City's Downtown Tomorrow Plan. The Downtown Tomorrow project calls for design approaches that will strengthen the links between the downtown and the Lake Couchiching waterfront. The Primary Focus area includes the existing downtown and waterfront areas, will lead to short and medium term action items over the next two to five years. The Secondary Focus area will lead to suggested action items over the longer term, between 10 and 20 years. At an Open House held at the Orillia Public Library in June 2015, Urban Strategies Inc. presented their 4 conceptual draft plans for the public's review and comment. Council, at its meeting held in August 2015 passed a motion to utilize a "design build" process for the replacement of the Port of Orillia Building. Council adopted recommendations and passed a resolution which directed staff to release a Design/Build tender with a total construction budget of $2.3 million. A Request for Proposal for a Design/Build project was released in January 2016. At its meeting in April 2016, Council ratified its decision to move forward with local firm, Bradanick Construction Services Inc.
The Canadian federal government will spend $2.3 billion to replace the Canadian Air Force ancient search and rescue planes with 16 new aircraft from European aerospace manufacturer Airbus. Public Procurement Minister Judy Foote and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan made the announcement at CFB Trenton. The replacement of the existing search planes (some of which have been flying since the 1960's) has been delayed for more than a decade. Sajjan says the new C-295 planes are a game-changer when it comes to the military responding to distress calls and other emergencies around the country. Foote says the contract will also benefit Canadian industry as Airbus has paired with a number of Canadian companies to provide the planes' engines, simulator trainers and long term maintenance.
Brunswick Corp. has bought the assets of Payne's Marine Group of Victoria, British Columbia, a wholesale marine parts & accessories distributor in Canada. Payne's had sales of about $17 million in 2015. Payne's marine distribution business will become part of Brunswick's global P&A distribution business, which is operated by Brunswick's Mercury Marine division augmenting the presence of Mercury's Land 'N' Sea Canadian channels in western Canada, where Mercury Marine has made other investments like a new distribution center in Langley, British Columbia. With distribution facilities in British Columbia and Ontario, Payne's Marine provides broad geographic coverage as well as timely delivery services, technical expertise and support to customers across Canada.
Through August wholesale shipments of outboard engines in Canada for the National Marine Manufacturers Association's group of manufacturers were up 18 % over year on a rolling 12-month basis. NMMA said outboard motor expenditure dollars were up 28.7 % . In the last few years there has been a trend for boat buyers to seek out outboard engines over inboard engines ... even to power boats up to 50 feet with up to four 350 HP engines.
HMS Terror was constructed for the Royal Navy in 1813. She participated in several battles of the War of 1812 and was converted into a polar exploration ship. She participated in George Back's Arctic expedition of 1836–1837, the Ross expedition of 1839 to 1843, and Sir John Franklin's ill-fated attempt to force the Northwest Passage in 1845, during which she was lost with all hands along with HMS Erebus.
Georgian Bay Land Trust just announced that the 35 acre northern section of Pointe au Baril's MacKenzie Island is now protected. Known locally simply as "Steamboat" after the channel whose southern shore it borders, this property is both highly ecologically significant and historically treasured by the Pointe au Baril community.
The world's highest hydraulic lift lock in Peterborough Ontario will soon be a dining venue. Peterborough plans to unveil 'Under Water Dining at Lock 21' where dinner guests are seated at tables right beneath a raised lock chamber. Lock 21 on the Trent-Severn Waterway opened in 1904 and provides the lifting and lowering of boats to a height 65'. The lift locks function by gravity, where two water filled basins, 43 meters by 10 meters . The technology is based on the counter weight principle, that when one basin ascends, the other descends. The last lockage is 7:00 pm in the high season and to 5:00 pm in low season and Tourism officials want to utilize the grand space after hours. Kelly Jessup of the Kawartha Tourism remarked, "Nobody ever goes in there. It's not a public space. They don't tour inside the lock on a regular basis, so it will be a very exclusive experience."
The Georgian Bay Regatta (GBR) is one of the most unique sailing events in Ontario. On an annual
basis for the past 30 years, a fleet of 35 to 50 boats have participated in this adventure of racing and
cruising various areas of Georgian Bay. As the itinerary of the GBR encompasses a combination of
daily distance races, course races, nightly anchorages and visits to the various ports-of-call on the
shores of Georgian Bay, it draws the interest of all levels of sailors to this yearly summer event.
The Regatta began with the Georgian Bay International Challenge Cup in 1986 and continues the
tradition of safe, friendly racing and competition that is emphasized as our primary interest over the
years. Organized by the Georgian Bay Sailing Association, our goal is to promote the sport of sailing
to both resident sailors of Georgian Bay as well as those who have joined us from outside the area.
By altering the venues, ports-of-call and anchorages, we expose our participants to the many areas of
interest around Georgian Bay.
Celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary with free lockage along Parks Canada's historic canals. See a brief message 
Despite lots of talk to the contrary, yacht sales in the fresh water market of Central Canada are extremely strong and poised to continue this upward trend for the foreseeable future. Aside from the Canadian Pacific coast and to a lesser extent, our Atlantic coastal salt water yacht markets, the inland fresh water market for yachts, arguably but generally agreed to be liveaboard boats over forty feet in length, is mostly concentrated within our Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River Basin.
There are new owners at Killarney's Sportsman's Inn Resort & Marina. Holden Rhodes bought the Sportsman's Inn in his strategy to further help the community with their tourism efforts and boost economic benefit to the area. Rhodes also bought Killarney Mountain Lodge last year and is spending an estimated $18 million in renovations at the historic lodge property. Rhodes grew up in Killarney and has a close attachment to the area.
The Georgian Bay In-Water Boat Show has a huge selection of new and used brokerage boats at the docks. In addition, the show venue offers many land based displays including boat accessories and services, hot new products, Mariners Market Place, live fishing demos and boat demos. Food vendors are on site and the parking is FREE. Best of all ... the show admission is FREE for all those that want to attend! There are boat rides for the kids and a chance to get out on the water on SUP's and kayaks. It's a great opportunity for the whole family to come out and have a fun day checking out the show.
Parks Canada seems to be really on the ball these last few seasons. Their projects have been completed on or before scheduled dates and they are doing some innovated things like the platform tent site rentals at some locks. Here is their press release:
Feadship built M/Y Venus was built for the late Steve Jobs but he died before the yacht was completed. In 2012 when the yacht was delivered it was thought to cost 100 million EUR. The yacht was designed by Jobs and yacht designer Philippe Starck. Steve Jobs was aware he might not live to see the boat commissioned but he stayed involved with its design to the end. The yacht is currently owned by his widow Laurene Powell Jobs. The two upper decks, somewhat resemble the back of an iPad. Click 
Yacht Length: 78 m (257 ft)
Most people just think of a Captain as a figurehead in charge of a boat, yacht or ship. But in reality a Captain has serious responsibilities and liability that goes with the position. There are many things that can go wrong piloting a boat ... and quite frankly most boat Captains aren't paid that well, even though they carry a huge weight of responsibility and often operate in perilous marine conditions.
The Redpath Waterfront Festival is an annual summer event providing on-land and on-water programming for people of all ages and interests, with the goal of promoting Toronto locally and internationally as a premiere waterfront destination. With music, food, nautical programs and entertainment, the festival offers something for everyone to enjoy. Every three years, the event welcomes majestic tall ships to Toronto. 
If you are planning a trip on the Trent Canal System this 2016 season there are early bird discounts before March 31st 2016. If you purchase seasonal lockage you get 10% off seasonal overnight mooring and if you purchase 6 day lockage you get one free overnight mooring permit. Go to .jpg)
Parks Canada has introduced oTENTik platform tent accommodations at two of their locks. oTENTik is a a cross between a rustic cabin and a tent. It is ideal for boaters who are travelling with more people than accommodations allow or simply folks cruising in open run about boats or PWC's. On the Trent Severn they have oTENTik at Lock 35 at Rosedale and Lock 24 at Douro and they are planning more as the market grows. They also have three oTENTik's on the Rideau Canal System. These units are basic but quit comfortable with a covered front deck and accommodations inside for six people. To reserve visit this 
Things were busy on show opening weekend. Very busy in fact. It seems even with the roller coaster ride in the Canadian economy folks are still interested in acquiring boats and accessories. We've seen it before. With our ultra low Canadian dollar Canadian built boats and brokerage boats are a bargain. Canadians are also travelling less lately because our dollar doesn't go very far in the USA ... and that means Canadians are staying home and looking for local recreation like boating. When 9/11 happened in the US, and Americans stopped travelling out of the country, boat sales spiked in the US, as people looked for ways to entertain themselves in their own backyard.
I came across this beer over the holidays. It's from Midland Beer Works in Tiny Township BUT it's looks like it's part of Hockley Valley Brewery in Orangeville where they also produce Georgian Bay Dipper. At this stage, Midland Beer Works just has a placeholder for a website. Not bad beer ... and you can find it in the local LCBO beer section. Orillia has it for sure. Anyways, it's kind of nice to have a beer with your favourite boating area featured isn't it?
Safehaven Marine's Barracuda II is a stealthy (radar invisible) bullet proof interceptor boat with high-level ballistic protection. See her do her thing in Force 9 weather 
Scientists are saying the Pacific Ocean El Nino could bring big changes to the winter weather patterns in Ontario and it could result in a memorable season ahead.
The top dealers were named for the Boating Industry's Top 100 awards at a recent gala in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo.
Pride Marine Group announced that they have been awarded the Centurion and Supreme boat lines for all of Ontario beginning the 2016 season. The addition of Centurion Boats and Supreme Boats will complement their Nautique Boats line-up and provide a wide range of options in the ski/wake/surf categories in the marketplace. Paul Nickel, President and CEO of Pride Marine Group states "The addition of Centurion Boats and Supreme Boats represent continued growth for Pride Marine Group and ultimately provide us with more opportunities to better serve our customers." We will have a vast inventory of Centurion and Supreme boats moving into 2016, and will formally debut the line-ups at the 2016 Toronto International Boat Show. We couldn't be more thrilled to align ourselves with these brands moving forward as they embody our mission, vision and values full-heartedly”. 
The online New York auctioneer Lion Heart Autographs offered the Titanic's last lunch menu that came from Lifeboat 1. The Titanic's last lunch menu was saved by a first class passenger who climbed aboard a lifeboat whose crew was said to have been bribed to row away instead of rescue more people and the menu just sold at auction for $88,000.
Let us introduce you to the new Boating Georgian Bay boat. You probably have never heard of a Jupiter boat. 
"With over 35 years of boat building experience, the Jupiter Team is committed to building the finest, most technologically advanced offshore sport fishing boats available today. Every Jupiter yacht is individually built to the exacting specifications of the sportsman who demands the very best in offshore performance, styling and reliability. Jupiter boats are built under the direction of Carl Herndon, Jupiter's President. Herndon is best known as the founder and CEO of Blackfin Yacht Corporation and former president of Bertram Yachts where he earned the reputation for building some of the world's best and most respected sport fishing yachts. The Jupiter team includes many of the same experienced managers and skilled craftsmen who have worked with Carl over the years in a proven tradition of providing maximum offshore performance, superior quality, and meticulous craftsmanship in the boats they build. If you are looking for the finest center console this planet has to offer "one with great looks, fantastic seaworthiness, speed, quality construction, and a resale value second to none" take a ride on a Jupiter Boat.
For the first time in America's Cup history, cup boats will race on freshwater in the Great Lakes as part of the qualifying event in Chicago.
Both the prosecution and defense legal teams are appealing the case of the Italian Captain Francesco Schettino who was convicted for the 2012 shipwreck of the Costa Concordia cruise liner off the Italian coast.
Overall new boat sales were up 6.2% in the USA. By size, the big gainer was boats 41' – 62' up 17%. Boats 31' – 40' only went up 1% and boats 63' – 99' went up 3%.
So basically folks were buying small boats under 30' and those in the 50' range.
Crates Lake Country in Orillia has a new stand alone paint and fiberglass building under construction. "We needed to expand our boat service areas and separating the fiberglass and paint side of the business from the mechanical side made a lot of sense from both a work flow point of view and to allow for cleaner environmental air handling methods for paint services" says Dan Crate.
One of the new locks in the Panama Canal has cracked and leaks. The leaks appeared during testing of the new Cocoli Locks on the Pacific side.Workers began filling the new lock with water in June but the barrier separating the new lock from the Pacific Ocean was just removed at the end of August. A core sample pulled from the lock shows the concrete riddled with air pockets.
US Marine archaeologists are exploring Lake Huron's past with 3D images of the shipwrecks resting at the bottom of Lake Huron.
The researchers have begun mapping shipwrecks in the 11,000 square-kilometre (4,300 square-mile) Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary with the state of Michigan with imaging technology by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration creating 3D images of the underwater ships by utilizing groups of photos interfacing into a software program. Researchers have been photographing the ship wrecks for years, but until recently did not have the ability to accurately create the 3D images.
Boating Georgian Bay now has a Boatdealers.ca widgets installed on both the Yacht Brokers and New Boats Sales pages. Most Canadian brokers and many new boat sales dealers advertise their listings on Boatdealers.ca . Most of our viewers are shopping for Canadian boats and most of those boat searches are under 40 feet so we thought it might be more convenient for them and with the right boat selection. Yacht World used to be on the Brokers page but it is much broader internationally targeted and skewed towards larger yachts. We know it's all relative to the search parameters the viewer sets up ... but we found that when it comes to smaller Canadian boats are lot are not listed on Yacht World. So overall we thought Boatdealers.ca would provide a better boat search experience for our viewers.
The Georgian Bay Regatta is the premier event for racing or cruising sailors on Georgian Bay. This year is the 30th anniversary of the event. The event combines port to port distance races and course racing. The emphasis is on “fun sailing” and this series is suitable for both families and expert racers. All Regatta Skippers are required to be members of the Georgian Bay sailing Association and the membership fee of $5 is included in the registration.
The Nottawasaga Lighthouse Preservation Society is delighted to announce our official launch.
A Calgary couple said armed pirates boarded their sailboat and demanded money, then stranded them on a remote Honduras coastline.
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued nine people from the 85 foot steel hulled disabled Canadian tall ship schooner “Liana's Ransom” early on March 30th about 93 kilometres east of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The Boston Coast Guard were notified at 12:35 a.m. that the engines and generator on the 26 metre tall ship were disabled and its sails tangled around the mast. The ship was en-route to St Maartin in the Caribbean with planned stops along the way.
Just in time for the boating season, new management is in place to re-open Krates Marina on April 6th. While many boaters essentially had their boats under embargo while waiting for resolution of bankruptcy issues, we understand that some boats that were sold or had planned moves to other locations will soon be free to go and they have made arrangements with delivery Captains and yacht trucking firms for their transit.
Killarney Mountain Lodge in Killarney Ontario is an iconic, historic property that almost every boater on Georgian Bay holds near and dear. The lodge has something about it that transports you back to another time when bush planes and passenger boats delivered guests to what started out as a corporate fishing/hunting lodge before there was a road built into Killarney. Built in the 40's the lodge has a unique character and serenity that only a few properties in Ontario possess. The East family has run the lodge for 53 years and it was time for them to retire.
The lodge is planned to open for the season the first week of May and it will run seasonally until October 3rd. But first there are improvements to be made like replacing beds, linens and furniture as well as installing new roofs and extensive painting, new signage and bringing a lot of systems up to code. They will be completely replacing all the marina finger docks and providing more dockage for larger boats. The boat house marina building and boater facilities will be renovated. In the future they will be adding guest rooms and improving facilities to draw in new clients. They want to increase awareness by using some new advertising channels, promotions and charitable events.
They will continue to offer sailing, fishing charters and cruising excursions at the lodge. Georgian Bay boaters can look forward to reinvigorated marina facilities and lets face it - there are few places in the world as interesting as the Killarney channel to dock your boat and sit back and relax to watch the amazing variety of cruising boats from various destinations coming through the channel heading up to the North Channel or heading south down the bay or across the bay to Tobermory or Lake Huron destinations. 
A number of years ago we started coming across Georgian Bay photos by Ethan Meleg. Photography and video are an important element of our business ... so when you see the emotion that comes across in Ethan's photos, it stops you in your tracks and you take notice. We took notice and wanted to find out who this guy is, and we tracked him down on the web from the watermarks on his published photography.
Francesco Schettino, the captain of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia, was convicted in the deaths of 32 passengers and crew in the January 2012 sinking in addition to causing the shipwreck and abandoning ship. He has been sentenced to 16 years in jail.
Crate's Lake Country Boats, a fourth generation boat dealer based in Orillia and started in 1971, has formed a new long term sales and service agreement with KCS International, owner of Cruisers Yachts.
Engineering students from the University of British Columbia are launching a 5.5-metre-long boat that will sail into the history books as the first boat to successfully traverse the Atlantic entirely solo – without humans. The team plans to launch the still un-christened sailbot off the coast of St. John's, N.L. on it's 2,900 kilometre programmed journey to Dingle, Ireland. It has never been done before. While the university's sailbot team has officially existed since 2006, this recent project has been in the works only since 2012, following three successful 1st place finishes in international sailbot regattas.
You don't want to miss this show. FREE PARKING and FREE ADMISSION !!! Great selection of in water and on land new and used brokerage boats. Boats from 12' to 50'+ are open to view. Lots of activities for the kids too ... so bring the whole family! Onsite food vendors and a refreshment tent are available. The show is at Bay Port Yachting Centre right in Midland. This is the show's second year ... and it had a great presentation last year. Enough boats so that you can spend the entire day doing what you like to do best – checking out boats and boat gear! More details are 
Italian prosecutors have asked the court to convict the captain of the Costa Concordia and sentence him to 26 years in prison. They said the term is not excessive given that 32 people died in the 2012 shipwreck off Tuscany.
First off .... CRATES LAKE COUNTRY in Orillia is not bankrupt and is not involved in any way with CRATES KESWICK.
Mark May 29th - 31st on your calendar for the Port Credit Spring Boat Show. This in water boat show is staged at the Credit Village Marina. It is Toronto's only spring boat show. Adult tickets are $8 and seniors & youth $5. Parking is free. The show features new and brokerage boats with both land based and in water boats. 
So we just spent two full days at the show. We talked to lots of our client vendors. Show numbers were up in the 6% range the opening weekend but down about 10% the first few weekdays. We did notice the show was noticeably busier on the Tuesday afternoon compared to the Monday afternoon.
The Canadian federal government is investing $134 million to improve the quality of weather forecasts and weather warnings for Canadians. Environment Minister Leon Aglukkaq says the money will allow Environment Canada to make significant upgrades to monitoring networks and to weather warning and forecast systems. Aglukkaq says weather warnings will be more accurate and faster to give more lead time to the public and weather sensitive business sectors such as agriculture, tourism and transportation and the changes are required to warn Canadians of weather hazards and to allow individuals and businesses to plan properly. There will also be an upgrade at the Canadian Lightning Detection Network. This money is in addition to $78.7 million for weather monitoring announced in 2011.
Preamble: In the fall of 1980 and the summer of 1981, five wooden Newfoundland ships set out on voyages for Georgian Bay. One came heartbreakingly close to completing the voyage, ending her days on the rocks of Cape Hurd Channel. Three vessels made it to Owen Sound Harbour. Only one survived to continue fishing in Alaskan waters. The fifth vessel, prepared for the journey, never left Newfoundland but she is an important piece of the amazing story of hopes, dreams, shipwrecks, love found and vessels lost told by Patric Ryan in his memoir, Closing the Newfoundland Circles: The Wreck of the Avalon & the Voyage of the Naaman J Humby.
Skipper Peter Dean, at the helm of his diesel fish tug, W. A. Spears, was trying hard to keep the two vessels from slamming together. We had one survivor on board; the kid Brian Cutting had jumped for the ladder as soon as the Spears came alongside. Only quick action by Rod Anderson spared him from injury or worse. I was in the water waiting for the remaining passengers to jump for the raft. My crew mates, Rod and Jim Dillworth, were holding my tether line, ready to pluck me from the waves. When Hank deployed the raft I climbed in to assist the jumpers but was rudely spit out of the canopy like a watermelon seed when the two vessels were driven apart. The raft was tied to the rail of the freighter. I was tethered to the tug and decided to stay in the water. It was marginally safer.
Another Avalon passenger made a desperate lunge for the opening in the raft, missing as the raft leapt away. I helped him aboard and waited for the next sequence of crests and troughs. The engineer plunged head first off the rail, sprawling across the rubber tube. I pushed from behind and he was dragged in by his mates. The raft was still tethered to the rail of the Avalon Voyager but there was enough slack for me to swim the raft to the closing tug. Rod and Jim pulled the escapees aboard. I swam the raft back to the Avalon Voyager's side and called for Hank to untie the tether and jump. He jumped, landing squarely in the raft's opening, but the raft was still tethered to the mother ship and the tug was drifting out of range. Too many collisions with the rolling freighter had convinced Pete to back off and my tether line was too short. I untied and swam free.
Closing The Newfoundland Circles is actually a collection of three books – The wreck of the Avalon Voyager, Newfoundland Beckons and The Voyage of the Naaman J Humby. The writer Patric Ryan has an interesting background as an artist and generally speaking grew up with a keen interest in work boats and the fishery that translated down the road into professional endeavours as commercial fisherman, fish tug skipper, dive boat Captain, steamship Captain, cruise ship Officer, High School teacher, boat builder, traditional paper maker, writer and painter.
Building on the recognized success and performance of the classic Rocna anchor, the new anchor design from Canada Metal Pacific BC based Rocna Anchors is called Vulcan® and offers greater anchor compatibility across a wide range of vessels with enclosed bow roller assemblies.
Shank strength is supported by a unique design, with great resistance to bending because of the unique I-beam geometry. This innovation also improves setting performance with the lower V edge minimizing resistance to a deep set into the bottom of the anchorage.
To further develop the marine economy in China, the Chinese National Tourism Administration and the National Development and Reform Commission has come out with a bunch of policies to aggressively support and encourage the development of the yacht industry in China.
Well we just got back from our annual trip to Mexico. We love the vibe in Mexico and the Mexican people are wonderful caring respectful and family oriented people. It is too bad that all of Mexico gets a bad wrap from the few areas that have cartel initiated violence problems. Like most areas of the world if you go looking for trouble in Mexico you can find it. Yes the cops are somewhat corrupt and yes there are lots of military soldiers cruising around with machine guns. but don't come to Mexico if you want a vanilla Florida vacation. Natural selection is alive and well in many areas of Mexico and you have to be aware as there are just not the warning and safety type considerations we are accustomed to in Canada or the US.
We have travelled many areas of Mexico on both coasts and the Baja. For the last two years Puerto Vallarta has been our base. We love the old town and the fabulous views from the mountain overlooking Banderas Bay and the old town. The influence of the Catholic church is fascinating. We happened to be there when the continuous Lady of Guadalupe (Mother of God) parades were taking place 24/7. Thousands of people from little towns from all over the Jalisco region would walk or bus to the iconic Lady of Guadalupe church, and they arrive at any time (including the middle of the night) where the church welcomes them with bells and cannon fireworks followed by a blessing with holy water.
Crossing over with these beliefs is that many Mexicans make promises to God for granting certain prayers and it is not unusual to see religious Mexicans doing penance to honour their promise to God. Believers make different types of promises that are wide ranging like "if you save my child I will walk barefoot for two years" ... or "I will crawl on my hands and knees with the holy cross through the streets to the church alter". I talked to or watched three female Mexicans that did penance - one who crawled up to the church with her afflicted child in arms, one who walked for a day with a heavy cross hunched over in a position that doesn't allow standing and one who crawled on her hands and knees up the church aisle to the alter. It's different for sure. 
One of the best things about Puerto Vallarta is the Bay of Banderas ... a very deep (up to 3000 feet deep) sheltered harbour that attracts boats from all over the world. It is great place to to charter a fishing boat because the Bay is spectacular for 
The community of Britt is located on the north shore of Byng Inlet, approximately four kilometres west of Highway 69, at the end of Highway 526. Byng Inlet is also the name of the community across from Britt on the south shore of the water body, Byng Inlet.
At one point the mills in Byng Inlet grew to become the second largest in Canada and the biggest in Ontario. Because the lumber industry was booming in Byng Inlet, additional housing for mill workers was built adjacent to the Byng Inlet mill. Byng Inlet had a theatre, hotels, post office, bakery and a school. The Byng Inlet Post Office opened July 1, 1868. In 1875 enough children were living in the south shore community that a school was built called the S.S. #1 Wallbridge. The school was given the #1 designation because Byng Inlet North (today's Britt), already had a school. S.S.#1. & S.S. #2 which closed in 1950. A young lady school teacher drowned while skating home across the river to Byng Inlet in 1883. During the non winter months boats were used to ferry workers between Byng Inlet and the community on the north side of the river. When a another post office was opened on June 10, 1885 in the community north of Byng Inlet, it was given the simple name of Byng Inlet North. The lumber industry peaked prior to the building of the CPR railway between 1903 and 1908. In 1911 the community on the north shore was further established as a port for receiving coal for the railway's steam locomotives (and later diesel fuel). A train station was built in Byng Inlet North and it was called Dunlop while the Byng Inlet train station was built in 1908, the year the C.P.R. tracks first crossed the Byng Inlet water body.
Byng Inlet and Britt were essentially one industry towns. At it's peak, the communities had a population of about 4200 but when the mill finally closed down for good in 1927 the majority of workers left as there was no work except at the coaling facility. But the reality was that once a lumber person, always a lumber person ... so those young enough to work, headed to northern Ontario and western Canada.. The mill was demolished shortly afterwards ... but there are still some remains lying along the shoreline on private property. After the lumber mills closed, the Britt train station sat empty for many years. The CPR company had decided to demolish the Britt station (built 1912) just as they had done to the Byng Inlet station (built 1908). Some folks from southern Ontario that were former area residents wanted to preserve the station and approached the CPR company. CPR agreed to allow the family to move the train station to private property. CPR covered the cost of transportation and the station was sold for a dollar. Due to impassable bridges at both the northern and southern sides of Highway 69 it didn't get very far and the Britt train station can be found along Station Road just north of Byng Inlet.
Crates Marina Keswick (not to be confused with Crates Lake Country in Orillia, (which is a 
The next free Boating Georgian Bay online digital magazine is just around the corner. We expect we will launch it December 21st ... or sooner if we can manage it. Once again thanks to our advertisers who make it possible to offer the magazine for free. This issue has all of the advertising sold out and we have the Toronto International Boat Show and Lefroy Ranger Tugs coming onboard for the first time.
Marine retailer West Marine will close all ten stores in Canada during the next few years ending its presence here.
Contender has announced a new agreement whereby purchasers of Viking sport fishing yachts will have the option of purchasing a Contender for use as a bait boat or tender.
Many of you may have already read this book, as it is a best seller by Giller Prize winning author Joseph Boyden. The story is clearly set in the Georgian Bay region although the author uses different geographic descriptions to tell the story of the Huron conflicts with the Iroquois and the interjections of the Jesuit missionaries trying to assert their role in the conversion of aboriginals to Christianity, some 400 years ago. The story is very granular and gets into great detail in the everyday lives, conflicts and brutal conditions the aboriginals endured to survive. If you don't appreciate the detail of violence and the lengths that the Huron and Iroquois go to to avenge hundreds of years of seething hate, then you won't want to read this book because there is a great deal of gore vividly described. It must be said though, that the author uses the brutality of the situation to provide the context necessary to portray the day to day struggles and traditions of the warring tribes.
The Jane Miller went down on November 23rd 1881 somewhere between Spencer's Landing and Cameron's Dock near Wiarton just inside of Colopoy's Bay close to White Cloud Island. It is thought there were 46 people on board but no one will ever know for certain, because they didn't have a passenger or crew manifests back then.What is known is that she left Cameron's dock and had taken on some wood for fuel and was getting close to Spencer's Landing just a few miles away where she was to take on much more wood. So her below decks fuel bay was somewhat empty. She was fully loaded on the decks out of Owen Sound (top heavy) and she took on another 30 tons at Meaford. It is thought that the 59 iron farm ploughs (destined for Manitoulin Island) on her hurricane deck shifted and got caught up in the iron railings and pulled her over. It was a raging gale on Georgian Bay with heavy snow coming down. The steamer would have had all the gangway doors shut tight and she likely went down fast with no chance of escape for those inside.;)
I have had lots of different anchors on boats over the years. Some are anchors I have bought, and some came with boats. I have had the extremes of a heavy duty English forged plow anchor with poured lead weighted tip and I have had a light weight aluminum Fortress style anchor. The anchors I have owned on boats ranging from 35' - 52' are as follows: Danforth, Fortress, CQR, Plow, Bruce (claw), Rocna. Danforth was my first anchor I ever owned and I inherited one on a 52' Sea Ray I bought as well. I have never been a fan of Danforth or Fortress anchors. I end up using them as backup stern anchors and use a replacement for the main anchor. I used a CQR on a 36' sailboat from Lake Simcoe down to the Bahamas and back and unless you have an inordinate amount of chain laid down at say 15:1, they tend to break free and bump along the bottom in windy conditions. Same goes for the forged plow ... although it's weighted tip performed somewhat better than the CQR. Now I don't have any technical data to back these findings up but I do have practical experience in a lot of different conditions that made my mind up for me.
I imagine that the Ultra and Manson Supreme would perform like the Rocna because they are very close in design. I am anxious to try the Mantis because I have heard good things about it ... BUT I'm not keen on the bolt together parts and it seems to me that although similar to the Rocna it might lack a bit of surface tension with the narrower spade portion. Anyways I am not a scientific anchor tester and I see so called impartial data all the time that different manufacturers and hired supporters put out showing their product is the best. It certainly is a competitive industry.
There are a number of really good drone copters for sale now in the thousand dollar range that have some amazing features like gimballed cameras, built in GPS, auto “follow me” and go-home failsafe retrieval. If your copter is programmed in go home mode – if it were to get out of sight and out of range or the batteries got low it heads back to a pre programmed location, lands and waits for you. The better products just snap together and have ranges of a half mile away and 1000 foot height ceiling. You don't need a license to fly these if under 35 kilograms (yet) and they go perfectly with a Go Pro camera.
Furuno won four National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) awards at the 2014 NMEA Convention for a total of 212 wins with NMEA. Over the past 40 some years Furuno has received the honour of being the most awarded company in the marine electronics field by NMEA. Furuno also received the Manufacturer of the Year - Support Award for the 9th consecutive year.
We came into a cove to anchor this Fall and noticed a sailboat with really nice lines already at anchor. Shortly is was joined by another sailboat that rafted, and soon it seemed there was a menagerie of four legged friends scurrying about, happy to see each other. We got to talking to the owners of these two beautiful sailboats and we wanted to find out how they coped with the dogs (and cat) and when they cruised.
so they sold their house and pushed aside their land based lifestyle and moved aboard the Hylas with their West Highland Terrier dogs Barley & Sugar ... and their cat Chloe. They plan to be cruising long term, and they will over winter in Pentanguishene and resume their explorations of Georgian Bay and the North Channel in the spring ... and then head south next fall via the Atlantic coast, spending some time in the Chesapeake and visiting the Annapolis Boat Show before continuing south to the Bahamas and other Caribbean Islands. They have no fixed address no fixed schedule and no fixed plans to return to Canada. They will be taking it a day at a time and their "ark" with all their worldly possessions is the appropriately named "Exit Stage Left". Most folks dream of this kind of adventure and Tony and Deborah are turning their dream into reality.
"Ceiba II" is a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49 owned by partners Brett Colville and David St Amand and she hails out of Midland. Brett and David both work in Toronto, but they wanted a boat that could take them to far off destinations once they retired down the road. They traded in their old boat, a Catalina 36 and in the Fall of 2013 trucked the Jeanneau up to Georgian Bay from Port Credit. Brett & David had visited Georgian Bay three years earlier and they wanted to do some sailing in the worlds best fresh water cruising destination. They knew Tony & Deborah from the Mimico Yacht Club, and like Tony & Deborah they too are avid dog lovers. Their furry friends are Bosun & Ensign. Their plans are to use Georgian Bay as base for their boat for the next five or six years. For Brett & David and the pups, it's like going to the cottage whenever they can get away.
The Makayabella sailing yacht was seized by the Irish Navy some 200 nautical miles off Ireland's most southerly point. The yacht was tracked across the Atlantic by authorities in several countries as it left Venezuela, stopping off in Trinidad, before it was boarded and seized off the south coast. Under armed guard on Thursday, the one tonne haul of cocaine was unloaded off the yacht onto the docks at the Haulbowline naval base in Cork Harbour. 
And this from another yacht charter site: The Crew: The combination of John's Yachtmaster and Divemaster experience and Sue's imaginative culinary skills together with their delightful sense of fun and adventure is certain to ensure that your holiday will be one to enjoy and remember.
John was born in Greenwich, England and has sailed for many years progressing from dinghies to yachts before buying his own boat which he sailed across the Atlantic to the Caribbean in 1991. Here he successfully chartered whilst continuing to explore much of the area including many fascinating and little known uninhabited islands in the Caribbean and Venezuela. Having decided tha Caribbean and continue chartering. This he has done together with his 2 sons who now carry on running the highly successful cabinet making company.
The US Coast Guard in Long Island Sound will be contacting ships's crews that have recently been to Ebola affected countries to determine whether passengers or crew have symptoms of the virus, before they are allowed into port. The US Coast Guard sector, which includes parts of New York and Connecticut issued a bulletin to the maritime community outlining the protocols due to the Ebola outbreak. The Coast Guard will specifically ask whether anyone on board is experiencing symptoms of Ebola, such as fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, cough, hiccups, sore throat and other symptoms. If any symptoms are present, the Coast Guard will ask how many people are sick, when the symptoms started, whether they have been treated, if they have arranged for medical care and if they have been around anyone else who is ill. It will also determine whether any crew will be getting on or off the ship once it gets to port.
Jimmy Buffett made a surprise visit to the Fort Lauderdale site of the new Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort. After a walk about with the resort's developer Buffett gave the property a positive endorsement with a thumbs up.
At the recent 2014 Cannes International Boat Show representatives from Boston Whaler introduced the new 420 Outrage.
Apparently orders for this boat are coming in sight unseen. It's one of those boats that plays down the glitz but will turn heads wherever it goes. The boat has a look that says it means business, and the four 300 HP turbo Verado's hanging off the stern leave no doubt that it's the new bad boy in town. It's nearest competitor would be the well respected See Vee 42 with quad outboards.
Hatteras Yachts has just announced that they will unveil a 45' Express Cruiser. The 35' - 50' range down-east style express cruisers are on fire right now as boater prospects look for all the creature comforts in a quality package, with great fuel economy and ease of handling. It's not only about big anymore ... but rather more about quality, manageability and great use of space. As boaters get older many are downsizing to something more practical ... but they want the very best in quality construction and amenities. Hatteras has heard the call and is responding to the market. 
The mystery of two British ships that disappeared in the Arctic in 1845 has perplexed historians and lead to many searches through the decades. More than 160 years later Canadian divers have found the wreck of one of these British Navy ships. Searchers used remotely operated underwater drones to find the ship although it is currently unclear which of the two vessels it is. Photography shows the wooden vessel has remained intact, with only the main mast sheared off. The ship was resting upright in only eleven meters of water below the surface.
Boating Georgian Bay has an article published in Great Lakes Scuttlebutt 
On a recent trip to Gore Bay we were amazed at the hustle bustle of the small Manitoulin Island community. Some big boats are visiting Gore Bay these days including a 163' Amway family yacht that we mentioned in a earlier article on BGB.
Well we headed off from Midland for what we expected would be our last late August window to cruise. The first day was a scorcher ... one of the best we have seen all summer ... and we spent the day swimming at Beckwith Island and anchored overnight. The next morning was supposed to bring thundershowers, so we deemed it a travel day and weighed anchor early in the morning to head for Parry Sound. As it turned out, we had nothing more than a few drops of rain when we were on the way north. We took our time enjoying the scenery. Not too many boats out and about. We took the south channel to Parry Sound. Along the way we came upon a big barge with a dump truck on it heading south in Five Mile Narrows (see pic above). We wisely radioed the skipper and got right off to the side of the channel to let him push on through. Big responsibility manoeuvring that kind of load through such narrow passageways. Learned that the bridge leading into Parry Sound is not obligated to open for just one boat ... unless you are commercial traffic. 
We arrived at Big Sound Marina (see pic) and the staff were very courteous, and were there to assist with docking. George Stivrins the new operator of the marina is on top of his game and he will treat you right when you're in town visiting. We try to get to Big Sound once or twice every season because it is a great base to explore Parry Sound from. After filling up with fresh Parry Sound town water at the docks, we walked into town to Wellingtons Pub and Grill for lunch (see previous review on Restaurant Review page). Once again they did not disappoint and I had my favourite Tiroler Snitzel washed down with Steam Whistle on tap and my wife had the Whitefish with Pino Grigio. The wife says it is the best whitefish she has ever had the opportunity to partake in. We had a chance to talk a bit with Owner Mike Reeves who has a passion for collecting historic Georgian Bay memorabilia. Below is a short video of some of Mike's Georgian Bay memorabilia collection.
The next morning I had a wing hang over but we departed Parry Sound heading south to Browns Bay. It was a gusty day and the clouds were amazing. At anchor that evening the sky colours were spectacular (see pic) and then overnight the sky opened up crystal clear as a cold front enveloped us. The stars were spectacular that night. The winds died off that night but came up again the next morning. About 3 pm the next afternoon we weighed anchor in 25 knot winds and headed for Midland satisfied our suicide wing mission in Parry Sound had been accomplished.
So, if you were going to buy a boat that had real pedigree and history what would it be? Perhaps something owned by Royalty or a Presidential yacht? No thanks ... Queens, Kings and Presidents come and go. Want something really unusual owned by a one of a kind person? How about Albert Einstein's boat? Hmm to my knowledge he didn't have a boat. Well then how about Orville Wright's boat - you know the guy who invented manned flight? Guess what ... it's for sale.
Killarney was originally called Shebahonaning the native Anishnaabek term for "safe passage". It was established as a fur trading post in 1820 by a French fur trader and his aboriginal wife. The first steamer the "Penetanguishene" arrived in 1836. In 1854 the village was renamed Killarney. In 1867 the Killarney west lighthouse came into operation to begin operating after Canada's confederation. This makes it the first official Canadian lighthouse. Shortly after the east lighthouse was built, both were rebuilt in 1909. Between 1949 and 1961 it was essentially a fish camp owned by Fruehauf Trailer Company with the main base being what we now know as Killarney Mountain Lodge. In 1962 a 70 + km road finally came into Killarney and public tourism started in the area. Fishing is still a big part of it's economy (Herbert Fisheries).
This Fall, Georgina Bay Land Trust annual Bayscapes Art Auction will be held on November 14th at the St. James Event Centre in Toronto. The auction will feature work from a variety of artists who love Georgian Bay. It's a great opportunity to find special Bay themed pieces for your cottage or home, such as the stunning painting by Ed Bartram shown above. Don't miss this exciting event!
We just returned from a trip up to Killarney, Little Current and Gore Bay. We were up there filming for Boating Georgian Bay TV. The weather for the three days we filmed was the best we've seen this summer. Killarney was a little quieter than it was last summer or the summer before that. The marinas were fairly full, but not at capacity ... especially the docks across the channel from Sportsman's Inn had lots of space. Killarney Mountain Lodge Marina is much smaller than the Sportsman but it seemed full. The Lodge's mooring buoys out in the channel were all in use. It helps when cruisers paying for dockage or moorage at Killarney Mountain Lodge get full use of the resort facilities including the pool. The Killarney Mountain Lodge resort accommodations seemed almost at capacity. We had a delicious dinner and breakfast in their dining room (and we had good pizza over at the Sportsmans Inn for lunch). I love the traditional rustic quaintness of the Killarney Mountain Lodge. I can see why Killarney Mountain Lodge attracts a lot of European visitors.
Shades of Killarney's boaters drive in theatre Batman ... boaters can now enjoy the Toronto Port Authority's free 'Sail-In Cinema' movie festival, August 14-16. Viewable by land or boat, the movies will be projected onto a floating, two-sided, 700-pound, four-story screen placed atop a barge anchored in Toronto's Harbour. Sail-In Cinema is being held at Sugar Beach (25 Dockside Drive) and will offer Torontonians and guests the unique chance to enjoy classic feature films beneath the stars along Toronto's waterfront. 
Boating Georgian Bay will launch it's first online boating magazine this Fall. We will be issuing a new magazine every season (4 times per year). The digital magazine will be available to our substantial website audience, to our mailing list and in the Apple and Android stores. It will be FREE to readership.
So who knew Paul McCartney loved boats. He could have owned a super yacht if he wanted one ... but instead he opted for an ex navy DICKENS CLASS motor yacht built by Groves & Gutteridge, Cowes, Isle of Wight built and launched in 1956. Paul has decided to part with the boat after 27 years of ownership.
Tens of thousands of tons of plastic garbage float on the surface waters in the world's oceans, according to researchers who mapped giant accumulation zones of trash in all five subtropical ocean gyres. Ocean currents act as "conveyor belts," researchers say, carrying debris into massive convergence zones that are estimated to contain millions of plastic items per square kilometer in their inner cores.
Michie & Company carried an inventory that included such exotic items in the 1800's as Valencia oranges, figs, spices and imported cognac. The company's creed, that service was as important as quality, led to Michie & Company becoming the most important retail destination in all of Toronto and the surrounding area. This was the golden age of customer service where the sales clerk signed each hand written bill with "your most faithful servant." 
There were many wealthy Canadians and Americans in camps, resorts, lodges and cottages in Southern Georgian Bay. George Michie had some friends and Toronto customers summering up on Georgian Bay and he saw a retail niche opportunity. They began shipping pre ordered goods by train from Toronto to Midland where it went by steamer (SS Midland City was one) right to the doors of those hospitality properties and private cottages that could afford their services. This went on for over 100 years and future orders were posted and sent back the same way the orders came in. For decades it really was the only way to get luxury goods and exotic foods brought to remote locations in Georgina Bay. Other steamers came by but unless you were transporting the goods yourself, their fair would be pretty standard stuff ... including livestock still very much alive. 
Beginning in September, BGB will launch the first online issue of our new seasonal boating magazine. The magazine will have interesting stories on marine history, attractions, cruising destinations as well as lots of editorial, videos and pictures. The magazine will be published quarterly for each season. All those on the Boating Georgian Bay mail list will be emailed the magazine and there will also be links on the website. Although the magazine is called Boating Georgian Bay ... there is enough general boating feature content that it will be of interest to all boaters in North America. The magazine supplements our efforts for the website and the BGB TV webcast series.
American Great Loop Cruising Association members are rendezvousing at Wye Heritage Marina between July 19th and July 23rd. This is a chance to stopover and outfit as they continue their journey north through the 30,000 Islands to the North Channel and then back to the US on their way south via Chicago. For most it is their first time arriving in Georgian Bay. Wye sends a boat to escort them to the marina from Lock 45.
California based Applied Weather Technology (AWT) has launched Bon Voyage System for Yachts (BVS) moving for the first time into the private yachting sector. BVS for Yachts is an on board software system for voyage planning that provides up to date weather forecasts and ocean data for yacht Captains, owners and charterers.The company is known as a leading commercial provider of fleet optimization services and onboard voyage management software. BVS for Yachts is an easy-to-use on board software system for voyage planning coupled with onshore resources to help make yacht journeys predictable and trouble free. BVS for Yachts uses high res data, making it easy to plan and optimize routes for time, safety or cost. BVS for Yachts also provides 15-day forecasts and custom forecast parameters to enable yacht owners to find the best weather window for their journey and the best route for their voyage. BVS for Yachts also includes safety features such as severe motions or resonance alerts to reduce severe rolling and dangerous vessel motions, detailed rogue wave forecasts, wind speed, sea height, swell height, and global pirate attack information provided by the IMB Piracy Reporting Center. All data is automatically downloaded via the Internet so the latest information is always available. AWT is partnering with KVH Industries to deliver AWT's BVS high-resolution weather data via the KVH MobileCast & WeatherLink services. For yachts without Internet access data is delivered via email.
Two and a half years after the Costa Concordia struck a reef and sank, the operation to move the Costa Concordia finally got underway in the waters off the island of Giglio, Italy. If all goes according to plan, the once sunken ship where 32 people died will be towed to Genoa to be disassembled for scrap.
Sometime last winter we made the decision that we needed a female co-host for our Boating Georgian Bay TV videos. No one likes to look at an old dude spouting off about boats all the time. It needed a softer touch and someone who is interested in boats and has fun on boats but NOT someone who is a walking boat encyclopaedia. So who did I know that would fit the bill? I racked my brain and eventually a little light came on.
She's very comfortable talking to anyone and she's learning to love boats. She is also pretty fast on her feet with conversation and grasps issues quickly. While she is long time kayaker she is just a few years new to the bigger boats and has been out and about with her husband Mike on our boat ... and let's face it who doesn't like hanging out on yachts!
So by now if you are one of our many fans who visit this site, you're probably thinking we are totally out of our minds. You wouldn't be far off there ... but don't think of us as totally crazy – just a bit eccentric. So really soon ... we are starting a Mermaid of the Month feature. Yes ... wonderful ladies that have a second dimension to their lives as Mermaids. Now if you've read our blog way back in 2011, we touched on the historic Mermaid sightings sworn by an Assistant Lighthouse Keeper on remote Georgian Bay's Lonely Island. In that article we promised you Mermaids ... and after all, a promise is a promise, There is much controversy regarding Mermaids, since the Animal Planet aired it's Mermaid documentary TV show several years ago, documenting lots of Mermaid evidence and several videos including 
Hurricane Arthur is the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. In records dating to 1851, this hurricane declared on July 3rd was the first to make landfall in North America this early in the season. The earliest previous hurricane was on July 11, 1901. Arthur brought flash flooding and power outages resulting in widespread road closures. In Atlantic Canada more than 200,000 people lost their electricity as heavy rains and winds passed through the region. Members of the Charlottetown Yacht Club on Prince Edward Island were gathered to defend their boats with south-westerly winds reaching 60 knots. By early evening a boat was already sunk in the Yacht Club and many were damaged. Looks like this could be a busy hurricane season in contrast to last years below average hurricane season.
Parks Canada says it is enhancing visitor service on the Trent-Severn Waterway with extended operating hours to support tourism and economic development. 
So you have some guests coming out for a weekend on your boat and one of them has marijuana used for medication. The fact is that more than 20 U.S. states have legalized marijuana in some manner and although a controlled substance and not legal in Canada (yet) Canadians can and do rather easily get a prescription for medical marijuana. Think twice about letting it come aboard your boat though. Whether medicinal or recreational, natural or synthetic marijuana or more commonly called cannabis is not allowed under law to be transported on your boat while underway.
The new Bluenose II will miss the rest of the summer tourist season while the rebuilding costs climb according to the man in charge of the project after a sea trial of the ship. David Darrow, deputy minister to Premier Stephen McNeil, said the ship passed all of its tests except with regards to steering. The problem is the new rudder is solid steel and as the 3,150-kilogram rudder turns the weight in effect is like lifting the rudder. It is difficult to manoeuvre the vessel due to the slow steering that takes great effort to turn the boat. The rudder on the previous Bluenose was wood. So it's back to the drawing board on the rudder issues.
The newly launched Pearl Mist runs between Chicago and Toronto with stops in Holland, Mackinac Island, Little Current, Parry Sound, Midland, Windsor and Niagara Falls. The cruise ship runs July and August on either 10 or 11 night venues. The Pearl Mist has six decks and is the perfect size to provide a luxury experience ... almost a private yacht feeling. Open sun decks offer plenty to do between ports admiring the Georgian Bay view. The ship is equipped with viewing balconies, a library, a fitness area, six lounges, a spacious glass-enclosed dining room, and elevators between every deck.
The large well appointed staterooms aboard the Pearl Mist range from cozy private cabins to large luxury suites and all have balconies. Every stateroom is fully stocked with everything needed to relax on the cruise. Wireless internet access keeps you connected to the outside world. The Pearl Mist officially launches June 25th. The ship will carry over 200 passengers in rooms ranging from 300 - 580 square feet. 
Length 335'
The ship has three stops on Georgian Bay and the North Channel and there are speakers on board that can talk to local history and attractions of the various port towns. Nice to see some cruise ships back on the Bay. Michael Reeves owner of Wellingtons Pub in Parry Sound sent this pic along (right) to remind us of a time when cruise boats frequented the Parry Sound docks.
A popular option is to have your boat or yacht professionally transported by freighter, then fly over for your holidays to start cruising. Sevenstar Yacht Transport is one of the world's leading providers of yacht shipping services, with a global network of destinations and a fleet of over 120 independent carriers. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam and runs a network with offices in the United States, UK, Australia and Turkey. Sevenstar acquired DYT Yacht Transport, and two semi submersible vessels designed to float-on float-off yacht transport to fit with Sevenstar's existing lift on & lift off yacht transport.
Want to know who has the the nicest marina washrooms on Georgian Bay? Wye Heritage put in a bunch of brand new private washrooms over the winter and they are very generous in space and designed with a nice ambiance similar to what you would find in your own home. South Bay Cove also has really clean nice washrooms ... but it's hard to beat Wye's brand new set up. They didn't miss the details like the whole bathroom tastefully ceramic tiled and grouted and tiled showers that are really big and deep so you can step in and turn on the water and adjust the temperature rather than reach in and get soaked with cold water when turning the showers on. Lots of slope on the floor and your not standing in inches of soapy water. Four stainless steel clothes hooks on the wall just outside the shower so you can grab the towel rather than walk across the bathroom to get it. Your getting our drift? ... boaters appreciate details like this. Many marinas (but not all) on the Bay have decent washrooms ... a few are an insult to boating tourists. My worst washroom experience ever, was the Windsor City Marina. I went in for a shower in the morning turned on the lights and looked before the mirror and I could see huge spiders coming down on their webs behind me reflected in the mirror. I looked up and giant spiders were hanging all over the place. Obviously no one had done anything about the spider population for a long time. Hopefully it's not still like that. Anyways good work Wye Marina!
New owners are running the municipal Big Sound Marina business on a long term lease in Parry Sound. Big Sound has long been a stopover point for cruisers visiting the 30,000 Islands. It is also a popular Rendezvous base because the marina has walking access to plenty of restaurants, shopping and attractions. The new operators are experienced in the marine trade and also operate the Chief Commanda II boat tours in North Bay on Lake Nipissing and formerly the M.V. Chippewa boat tours out of Parry Sound. George Stivrins is heading up the team and they are making many positive changes to the marina.
Joshua Slocum was the first man to sail single-handed around the world. Slocum was born on February 20, 1844 in Mount Hanley, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, overlooking the Bay of Fundy.
Slocum yearned for a life of adventure at sea, away from his demanding father and his increasingly chaotic life at home among many brothers and sisters. He made several attempts to run away from home and finally succeeded at age fourteen by hiring on as a cabin boy and cook on a fishing schooner. He soon returned home. In 1860, after the birth of the eleventh Slocum child and the subsequent death of his mother, Joshua at sixteen Slocum left home for good. He and a friend signed on at Halifax as ordinary seamen on a merchant ship bound for Dublin, Ireland.
In 1865, he settled in San Francisco, became an American citizen, and, after a period of salmon fishing and fur trading in the Oregon Territory of the northwest, he returned to the sea to pilot a schooner in the coastal trade between San Francisco and Seattle. His first blue-water command, in 1869, was the barque Washington, which he took across the Pacific, from San Francisco to Australia, and home via Alaska. He sailed for thirteen years out of the port of San Francisco, transporting mixed cargo to China, Australia, the Spice Islands, and Japan. Between 1869 and 1889, he was the master of eight vessels, the first four of which he commanded in the employ of others. Later, there would be four others ships that he himself owned, in whole or in part.
Much like an auto club for boaters, TowBoatUS offers on-the-water towing plans for freshwater boaters and anglers for $67 a year that includes BoatUS membership. Some West Marine Card members have this service included with their membership. Without a towing plan, boaters could face costs that average $600 per incident although many insurance policies do cover a towing service (if there is one available in the area).
TugFest offers both Midland residents and visiting tourists exciting activities including the parade of lights, tug parade, tug races, the entertaining Tug Push, tug boat tours, homemade tug boat race and the popular tug demonstrations. TugFest will offer visitors over 25 historic and interesting tugs from around the Great Lakes. Boaters can get a great vantage point from the water.
Sunseeker just launched it's new 155 foot flagship yacht. This is the biggest Sunseeker yacht ever built. The yacht already has a new owner as it was built for Formula One racing personality Eddie Jordan (commissioned by the Jordan family trust). Eddie a former race car driver was the founder and owner of Jordan Grand Prix a Formula One constructor which operated from 1991 to 2005. He is currently the lead analyst for F1 coverage on BBC. A second Sunseeker 155 has already been commissioned for a buyer in Dubai.
The Port Credit Village Marina is hosting the Port Credit Spring Boat Show 
In 2014 Boating Georgian Bay will produce two new episodes (episodes #5 & #6). The principle sponsors for the episodes are ESTERLINE CMC ELECTRONICS and RANGER TUGS/LEFROY HARBOUR MARINE RESORTS. Filming for the first episode will begin May 30th. Episode #5 will be completed by mid June and Episode #6 will be completed by August 10th.
For those of you who attended the sold-out Commodore's Dinner last year, you will remember an outstanding gourmet dinner paired with exceptional wines, both enjoyed while overlooking the historic grounds from Restaurant Sainte-Marie. The event this year kicks off on Friday June 6th with a private tour of the Martyrs' Shrine from 5:30 - 6:30 pm, followed by a fire-side welcome reception on the terrace of Restaurant Sainte-Marie.
Parkbridge Marinas is the principle sponsor behind the Welcome To The Water Boat Show which will be staged at the Bay Port Yachting Centre at Midland Ontario. The show starts on Friday May 30th with a preview night and continues on through to Sunday June 1st.
The show expects to draw boaters from around Georgian Bay and other boating regions in the Great Lakes basin. "While the show will be of great interest to boaters in our own back yard of Georgian Bay, our goal is to bring both new boaters and seasoned cruising enthusiasts from central Ontario up to Midland for a fun weekend doing what they like to do most ... checking out the latest in boats and boat gear" says Ken McDonald, Director of Parkbridge Marina Operations.
Boston Whaler announced a major facilities expansion is underway at its Edgewater, Fla., headquarters. Isn't it nice to see a boat manufacturer back on top growing rather than the contractions and bankruptcies we've been seeing for the last 6 years? The project also will result in the addition of 46 full time jobs. The factory expansion is more than 58,000 square feet. Whalers expansion will significantly increase manufacturing capabilities and expand capacity at a time when the company has their boats in high demand and is experiencing strong growth.
Performance Boat Club Events Inc. is a group of avid performance power boat enthusiasts who hold various poker run style events in southern Ontario and donate the considerable proceeds to charity. Money is raised from advertising sponsors and event participants and they have been doing this since 1972. To date the club has raised more than $350,000. for various charities. Some of the charities include Children's Wish Foundation, Lions Club of Canada, Orillia & Rama Fire Departments and the North Bay Association For Disabled Youth.
The events are well planned and conducted in safe manner with participants following the rules. Breaking the rules means disqualification from the event. Poker runs are not races. Poker runs are an organized event where participants using their boats visit four checkpoints, drawing a playing card at each one. The object is to have the best poker hand at the end of the run. The event has a time limit, however the participants are not timed - winning is purely a matter of chance. 
The event schedule is put together over the winter and announced in January at the Toronto International Boat Show. Events each year generally include Georgian Bay, Lake Simcoe, Rice Lake (Kawartha's), Lake Nipissing and the St Lawrence River.
One of the frequent posts I see on the Americas Great Loop Cruising Association forum is the issue of how do I get my live aboard boat from A to B to cruise a specific area, or to reposition the boat. There are very few trawlers that have comfortable living space that can be moved with less than a tractor trailer equipped professional boat hauler. Ranger Tugs are the exception to that rule, and that is what makes them very unique. No other boat that we know of has this kind of good looks and live aboard space, that can be put on a trailer behind a pickup truck and trailered anywhere in North America without breaking a sweat. The ranger Tug 31' by example is only 10,500 lbs. dry ... even though the tug is constructed very ruggedly. The Ranger is built of solid fiberglass with no coring. On the trailer the 31 sits at only 13' 2" so it can be trailered almost anywhere.
The interior layout of the R-31 features two staterooms - one large island berth forward with ensuite head and a mid-ship berth and day head. Those who are familiar with Ranger Tugs models will know how well the Ranger galley layout, staterooms and lower helm station maximize interior space. A starboard side door provides easy access from the lower helm to the side decks so crew can get to the bow for line handling. This boat is well thought out. It's a real cruising boat and very capable.
Now the big thing is flexibility. Just imagine the Toronto weather is getting cold in November and you hanker for some heat and a getaway. Just hook the trusty Ranger Tug up to the back of the Ford pickup and away you go. Three days later your at the dock in Fort Lauderdale enjoying the sunshine and contemplating your departure date for the Bahamas. A few months later and it's time to get back to Ontario and away you go. You can cruise this boat all around the LOOP but if you decide you want to get to sun and sand in a hurry you have that option and ultimate flexibility. And like heavier trawlers, it holds it own and handles very well in bad weather. You can stay comfortable and dry at the inside helm when conditions get rough.
Francesco Schettino, the former Captain of a luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia that capsized off an Italian island went back on board late February 2014 for the first time since the 2012 shipwreck killed 32 people. The last time Schettino was on the cruise ship was during it's sinking when he boarded a lifeboat leaving behind passengers behind after the ship ran aground at Giglio Island, Italy on January 13th 2012.
We had a great time at the Miami Boat Show but I think next year we'll take a pass after four years in attendance - here's why.
The Sea Isle in water power boat portion of the show we found disappointing and I think most show attendees would feel the same. Crowds were very light there, even though this is a free portion of the show. Honestly it was ridiculous to get in and out of there. We parked our car at the stadium and took a shuttle to Sea Isle which took the better part of an hour to get there. Then when we went to leave Sea Isle the line up for the shuttle bus to the Convention Centre was a full hour to get on a bus and a full hour to go from Sea Isle to the Convention Centre because it is a transfer point to the other show locations and satellite parking lots. On top of that, Sea Isle had none of the bigger boats in the water – only Marlow was represented there. The rest were all mostly fishing boats and a few other boats mostly under 40'. Ranger Tug was the only trawler company represented at Sea Isle (last year there were many). Now don't get me wrong ... if you want to go out on a pre arranged demo on a fishing boat, they have some of that. The one boat I did want to go aboard to check out was by invitation only and this was a 40' production boat – GIVE ME A FRIGGIN BREAK. I can understand wanting to qualify folks for 100'+ yachts but not this crappy little boat. There was no one already on the boat or even interested in the boat except for the lazy salesman sprawled out in the cockpit gripping his coffee. This is no way to sell boats. Trust me folks, take a pass on Sea Isle if you decide to visit the show in 2015. It's not worth the time.
Reprinted with permission from Ray Bilsky: 
Most large privately owned yachts are also under charter. They are just too expensive to be left at the docks when owners are not aboard. More important these yachts need to run. Not good to be parked gathering barnacles and letting seals dry out. It's also hard to keep a crew on board and focused if a yacht sits too long in one place. Better to keep them roaming around with professional crew in the groove, maintaining an upkeep schedule. The rule of thumb for mega yacht annual maintenance is about 10% of the yachts value so keeping these floating hotels in top shape can cost a bundle ... like in the range of 10 million a year for a 300' super yacht.
Google has been ordered to remove the barge it has floating off San Francisco Bay because it does not have the permits to meet local regulations. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission that launched an investigation into the barge says Google documentation does not meet their guidelines. The commission told Google they can resolve the issue by moving the barge to a construction facility in San Francisco Bay that has proper paperwork. Fact of the matter is, with Google's money, they could gold plate the barge and buy up half of downtown San Francisco to dock the barge if they wanted to. 
Canadian shipping firm Algoma Central has taken delivery of the first in a line of eco friendly Great Lakes freighter.
A young doctor has recounted how he fended off a shark attack and stitched up his own wound on the beach before enjoying a pint of beer at a nearby pub. James Grant was spearfishing with friends near the base of New Zealand's South Island when he was attacked by what he believed was a Seven Gill Shark.
Well first let me say, this is the first time we've had a booth at the Toronto International Boat Show. We have been attending it and covering it for many years, and this was a chance to get involved and talk to a lot more boaters about the benefits of cruising in Georgian Bay. It was a pleasure to attend the show and we talked to many boaters planning on visiting Georgian Bay and also those who were already seasoned cruisers with home ports on the Bay. Lots of folks were drawn to our booth like a beacon saying "we boat on Georgian Bay" and they were always excited to share stories. Lots of them knew our site well and were regular visitors.
We requested and received official attendance numbers from the show administration. Show attendance was down 11% over last season with 72,289 visitors. That was our perception and most booth owners were telling us the same thing even before show numbers were released. It seems the chandlery type booths did very well and people were in a boat gear buying mood ... but the higher ticket new boat seller businesses did not fair as well.;)
St. Lucia police are questioning three men in connection with the killing of a British man aboard his yacht. The Royal St. Lucia Police Force said 62-year-old Roger Pratt was killed when three men boarded his yacht, while it was anchored off the southern town of Vieux Fort. Pratt's wife, Margaret, was wounded during the attack. 
Canadian Yacht Charters (CYC) has been operating for over 20 years - offering bareboat charters, skippered charters, learn to sail programs and even day excursion sailing. They offer the largest charter boat fleet in the Great Lakes. Their inventory includes 13 sailboats (27' – 50'), a catamaran sailboat (36'), a power catamaran (34') and 5 trawler power boats (34' – 39'). 
CYC has a yacht management program where boats are maintained for owners and chartered for income with the charter revenue being split equally between the yacht owner and CYC. The owner gets to enjoy the boat while the capital costs of new yacht ownership are effectively paid for by other charter guests. The boat owners pay for only half of the main costs like insurance, dockage and winter storage. CYC covers the other overhead costs of boat operation and maintenance. The charter boats are well maintained and fully serviced by CYC. CYC has a staff of 16 including 2 mechanics and a scuba diver. Down the road, when the boat leaves charter service, it will be in great shape for the owner to sell and repeat the venture with CYC or to be used as an owner only boat. 
Congratulations to the Georgian Bay Land Trust and the American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts. The gift of Burnt Island to the Georgian Bay Land Trust and American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts is a first under the relatively new rules that allow US owners to donate land to Canadian supported land trusts and receive a tax credit. It is the first cross-border ecological gift in Canadian history involving both American and Canadian owners. The Canadian landowners of Burnt Island gave their portion of the property to the Georgian Bay Land Trust and the Americans gave their share to the American Friends of Canadian land Trusts. 
Drop by and say hello when your at the Boat Show. We are at booth G315 across from the Boatsmart testing centre in the Industry building.
Here's a brief rundown of what's going on at our booth:
Since the Cottage Life channel appeared on our satellite service we started watching some episodes of Distant Shores. As previous adventurers by sailboat and current power boat cruisers we really do enjoy the show. In particular we really like the fact that the show has a nice balance of on the water experience combined with land based travel activities ... and interesting characters that they meet during the series.
Hundreds of people were aboard the Costa Concordia when the Captain fled in a lifeboat, an Italian Coast Guard official testified. Coast Guard Captain Gregorio De Falco added that rescuers received first word of the seriousness of the shipwreck only after a passenger used a cellphone to call family. Captain Schettino is charged with manslaughter, abandoning ship and of causing the shipwreck by sailing too close to the Italian island of Giglio and running into a reef killing thirty-two people that died in the aftermath. Coast Guard Captain De Falco told the court that the Concordia cruise ship sent out its first distress signal 53 minutes after the Jan. 13, 2012 collision. Until then the ship's officers kept "giving us reassurances about the situation on board'' insisting that the Concordia had only suffered a power blackout according to De Falco. De Falco said he didn't believe Captain Schettino's reassurances.
A Florida firm has designed a floating city called Freedom Ship that would spend its entire time at sea. The ship is a mile long and 25 stories high with enough suites for 50,000 permanent residents.
This is the third in a series of The Captains Log books written by Melanie Wood who along with her husband Captain John have cruised from Ontario to exotic, less traveled locations in Central/South America aboard their 38' Bayliner - Diamond Lil. What makes the adventure unusual is there are not many smaller power (non sail) production boats going to such remote locations with some long blue water crossings thrown into the challenge. This book provides a detailed account of their journey from Florida to Cuba and on to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Roatan and back to Guatemala during hurricane season.
What makes this book useful is the level of detail that Melanie writes about that can be applied as important information for any boater contemplating or in the process of long distance “vagabond” style cruising. The book deals with the good, the bad and the ugly truths of living aboard a boat when the boat is your home and refuge in beautiful, but sometimes risky, far away tropical paradises where things don't happen the way we would expect them to happen in comparison to the relative predictability of cruising in North America. Half the people reading this book would think “I'd love to do that” and the other half would think “there's no way on God's green earth I'd go long distance cruising now”. Realty is, maybe one in several million might take this kind of plunge. Once you leave Florida and head south from there, it's a whole different world when it's not just a vacation but a long term commitment. The world is still a wild and woolly place once you break the confines of your own backyard.
The 2013 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show has come and gone and by all accounts the show was a huge success in terms of attendance, new boat sales, brokerage sales and accessory sales. Allied Marine sold six new yachts at the show and many used boats. Some manufacturers sold all their on site inventory at the show. Others also report excellent sales and we're told you didn't have to walk far to see SOLD signs on yachts of all sizes. For the first time in many years there is a waiting list for some production yachts. Buyers seem to be leaning to the high quality, high end of the boat market and price seems to be a secondary factor on their new boat purchase (even though best of breed fuel economy is on the list of must haves). Buyers also want bright open environments and there is a big shift that living/entertaining space be sedan style on one level with a seamless integration between outdoor cockpit space and indoor living ... rather than the cave like layouts of many older express cruisers. 
This sent to America's Great Loop Cruising Association.
Mark your calendar for one of the largest consumer shows in North America. The Toronto International Boat Show runs January 11th through January 19th, 2014 at the Direct Energy Centre Exhibition Place. This is the granddaddy of shows for the average boater. It doesn't have the mega yachts of Lauderdale or Miami and it isn't even on the water ... but it has a huge selection of boats and accessories from dinghies up to sixty foot sail and power yachts.
A Moldovan dancer who had been on the bridge of the Costa Concordia cruise ship when it crashed into a reef off Italy testified reluctantly that Captain Schettino and she were lovers. Twenty six year old Domnica Cemortan made the admission after being warned by the judge that she risked criminal charges if she did not answer the question truthfully. The ship's former Captain, Francesco Schettino is charged with manslaughter for the 32 people who died in the crash, with causing the shipwreck on the night of Jan. 13, 2012, and with abandoning ship while many passengers and crew were still aboard. He faces 20 years in jail if convicted.
When the Concordia rammed into the reef the night of Jan. 13, gashing its hull and quickly taking on water, many of the passengers were enjoying a gala supper. Cemortan said she had dined at the captain's table with him, and he told the crew to slow down the ship so he could have dessert before taking the helm near Giglio. They both were on the bridge at the time of the crash. After the crash Cemortan testified that she dashed into Schettino's private cabin to change out of her dinner outfit into more practical clothes. Cemortan told the court Schettino told her immediately after the crash to take good care of a high-ranking crew member who is the brother of the former director-general of Costa Crociere SpA, the Italian cruise line. Cemortan said she and others aboard her lifeboat pulled several people out of the water. Cemortan is among those seeking damages from the captain. "Today I died a second time,'' she told reporters outside the court, contending that she had suffered psychological trauma due to the shipwreck. 
Hatteras Yachts company has been acquired from the Brunswick Group by Philadelphia-based Versa, an affiliate of Versa Capital Management LLC. Versa is a private equity investment firm with $1.3 billion of assets under management. They tend to focus on investments in special situations involving middle market companies where value and performance growth can be acquired through enhanced operational and financial performance.
Davie Yards, Canada's oldest shipyard at 188 years has said it has turned itself around and is in a great position to compete and win new coast guard shipbuilding and maintenance contracts that could allow its workforce to more than double in coming years. The previously mothballed operation is busy these days with 750 workers and is preparing to launch its first ship in many years in October. Zafiro Marine bought Davie Yards from a partnership headed by Ontario's Upper Lakes when ownership became too risky for Upper Lakes after Irving Shipbuilding and Vancouver Shipyards were selected over Davie to build Canada's new warships and coast guard vessels.
Salvage efforts continue on the Costa Concordia. One of the two missing bodies has been recovered. Russell Rebello, a waiter from India was recovered while an Italian women, Maria Grazia Trecarchi remains missing. Thirty two lives were lost in the cruise ship accident. The Captain Francesco Schettino is on trial for the deaths. Recently his excuse that the reef was not on his charts was disputed by another crew member who was also charged. Schettino abandoned his ship in advance of many of the passengers.
Author Julian Guthrie writes a riveting insiders account of Oracle CEO and billionaire Larry Ellison's quest to win the America's Cup sail race series. The book covers off some of the dramatic long distance ocean racing and match racing Ellison funds and participates in, as a man driven to win at any cost.
A good part of the book deals with racing tactics and blow by blow coverage of various races ... so you have to like sailing and perhaps have done some club racing to really understand the guts of the story. Aside from that, the book allows the reader a unique view into the business and politics of the sail racing industry, as well as a glimpse into the mind of Larry Ellison - one of Americas greatest entrepreneurs.
An Ohio port on Lake Erie has walked away from membership supporting an effort to revive the cruise industry on the Great Lakes. A Toledo newspaper reported that Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority has rejected invitations to join the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition, a Kingston, Ontario based group. This Kingston group markets member communities for $3,700 to $7,000 in yearly fees, but Port agency board president Paul Toth said he didn't believe it was getting enough out of their membership. He said the port authority dropped out of the coalition shortly before the financial crisis of 2008 when their budget was reduced. Coalition executive director Stephen Burnett said he sees a bright future for the Great Lakes cruise industry because as many as five cruise lines are expected to offer Great Lakes cruise routes in 2014 including Georgian Bay. All the new ships cruising the Great Lakes will be smaller vessels, holding 100 to 400 passengers with the Great Lakes routes seeing a net increase of 6,000 cruise passengers next year.
Skipper Jimmy Spithill and his crewmates aboard the Oracle Team USA AC 72 catamaran wrote sailing's ultimate comeback story. The New Zealand Emirates team needed only one win to clench the America's Cup. It looked like the USA Oracle team was doomed. The Kiwi's only needed to win one more race and they had a massive lead. Something changed. The New Zealander's lost their upwind advantage, and the Oracle Defender started finally winning race after race. The team sailed hard and didn't give up, eating away at Emirates Team New Zealand's eight to one lead.
What made the comeback happen? The Oracle boat and the US team got noticeably faster as the teamwork and focus was honed to a razors edge. According to Spithill it was a combination of factors, rather than a single solution of boat speed. Some say it was Ellison parking the cup out by the boat almost taunting the team to hang on to it. Ellison, the fifth richest man in the world, backed by his company Oracle, put unlimited resources into hanging on and defending the cup and it was his vision that the AC72' high tech catamarans would change sailing forever. The boats just got faster and faster and topped 50 mph sometimes which is faster than most power boats can keep up with. Ellison also had the insight to move the race into the inside harbour and had the technical improvements in electronic media that allowed the race to be an exciting edge of the seat world class spectator sport.
Once again Boating Georgian Bay will be there in Miami Feb 13th – 17th covering off both the Miami Boat Show and the Yacht & Brokerage Show at Collins Ave. It's a tough job but someone's got to do it.
Manitoulin Island is home to seven communities of Anishnabe, known as People of the Three Fires: The Odawa, Pottowatomi and the Ojibwe nations. For centuries before European colonization these native groups migrated to Manitoulin Island to experience dreams and visions. Under the Bond Head Treaty of 1836 Manitoulin Island became a refuge for natives wanting to live away from the influence of white civilization. It was known as the Manitoulin Island Indian Reserve. In 1862 the MacDougall Treaty allowed the government to divide the island culturally in order for non-natives to settle there, unfairly resulting in the split of Manitoulin Island into separate reserves ... resulting in the loss of culture for the natives who lived there.
Manitoulin is a sacred island to the Anishnabe first nations aboriginal people. Legend passed down through the years is that when the Great Spirit Gitchi Manitou created the earth, he set aside the bluest sparkling water, the brightest twinkling stars and the most beautiful glistening quartz rocks. The Great Spirit made a special island with the quartz rock called Manitou Minissing and he set it in the inland sea (the Great Lakes) and allowed it to drift north until it stopped at the rocky shoreline. He situated the island turned slightly to the south to protect it from north winds and reserved this place for himself and other spirits as their Island of the Spirits retreat. This is a sacred place where by tradition, the great leaders and warriors and medicine men were buried.
Chippewa elders of the Cape Croker Bruce Peninsula reserve have long repeated legends of their aboriginal ancestors being able to walk from Tobermory, at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula, to Manitoulin Island. Today this topography is covered by 90 km stretch of water. The Chippewa legend tells us that long ago the people could walk north and they eventually met unfamiliar people walking south. Scientists have mapped the underwater geography of the area, and have discovered that the submerged land between Tobermory and Manitoulin was once dry confirming the possibility of the legend being true. The ridge of rock situated between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island is 1750 metres long and 5 metres high. Roots of cedar trees remain more than 9000 years later from when the ridge was once dry land. It seems some of the aboriginal legends that may seem unlikely can be backed up at some level by science.
Don't forget Sept 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. This is your chance to dress like a pirate and act foolishly and get away with it. Come on now, we all know there is some pirate deep inside all of us. Did you know the term “slush fund” comes from when ships cooks would scrap pickled fat out of the empty meat barrels and sell it ashore for extra cash. Many common terms and sayings today came from the early days of tall ships and pirates.
U.S. Representative Tim Walz, Democrat of Minnesota, and Mike Quigley, Democrat of Illinois, reintroduced legislation to eliminate what it calls "taxpayer subsidies for luxury yachts".
Tired of getting wet or sun baked in the cockpit of your boat? Here's a neat low cost solution to the problem. While a retractable bimini is a great product ... they are very expensive. Some new boats are coming with them factory installed, but anything more than a few years old won't likely have an electric or manual retractable sun shade.
JT's used Stelnor, a local Midland marine stainless steel fabricator who did an excellent job on the metal poles that hold the stern end of the bimini aloft. These poles are in two pieces and JT's makes a padded Sunbrella bag for them for easy compact storage. The bimini itself folds up very small into a Sunbrella bag that is about 2 feet long, 18 inches wide and a couple inches deep. The poles that support the bimini towards the stern utilize the existing fishing pole holders. The whole set up is simple and effective. Easy to store with a factory look, this set up is invaluable to keep us out of the sun and rain and to make the cockpit area of the boat an extension of our functional living space. We were very pleased with the solution JT's Top Shop created for us and the best part is, it takes only five minutes to put up. You can reach JT's at (705) 527 6363
Effective July 17th/13 Pride Marine Group now owns Canada's biggest Sea Ray dealer Skyline Marina. Skyline has been a fixture on the Ontario boating scene since 1959. Pride has been in business since 1986 and has close to 100 employees. Pride will acquire the main Skyline 26,000 sq. ft. showroom in Orillia as well as Skyline sub offices leased from Parkbridge Marinas on Lake Simcoe (Bridgeport Marina) and Georgian Bay (Bay Port Marina). This will bring Prides total office portfolio to ten locations and gives it a new presence in the Orillia area. Other Pride locations include Midland (Wye Heritage), Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Dorset, Innisfil, Minnett and Rosedale. The deal gives Pride access to the Sea Ray, Hatteras and Meridian boat lines and lets them expand into the larger boat market over 30 feet. Hatteras builds boats up to 100 feet. Both organizations are considered top 100 boat sales industry leaders.
Peter MacKay Minister of National Defence and Keith Ashfield Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced $488 million dollars in new funding to purchase about 20 new Coast Guard vessels.
As a child Ralph Evinrude was brought to Little Current to avoid the effects of Hay Fever which aggravated his severe respiratory problems. Later in life Evinrude headed Outboard Marine Corporation which included Evinrude & Johnson outboard motor manufacturing. In 1955 a wealthy Ralph Evinrude married celebrity Frances Langford (her second marriage) the famous actress and singer whose entertainment career spanned 1935 - 1954. She was known for her involvement with the Bob Hope USO shows and her most famous songs "I'm In The Mood For Love" and "In Waikiki". She was nicknamed "The Bamboo Blonde" which seemed to fit with her "Tiki Hawaiian" theme. They developed the Outrigger Resort & Restaurant in Jensen Beach on land she owned from her first marriage and the tiki style restaurant continues today as the Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House. It was the place to go in the 60's. (Chanticleer pictured docked at the resort). They had a summer home on an island in Baie Finn - Georgian Bay that they both loved ... and it was decided that they should fully utilize Evinrude's yacht as frequent live aboards and the crew would transport them from their other home & business in Jensen Beach Florida to the seasonal Georgian Bay summer home. In fact Chanticleer's generator powered the cottage at Baie Finn whenever Frances Langford was staying there. Frances Langford loved boats and fishing. Yachting was their common passion. They spent a great deal of time living aboard Chanticleer ... they were not just occasional visiting owners.
The first Chanticleer was a 118' steel Defoe built in 1947. Ralph Evinrude owned it before the Langford marriage. In 1985 I had the opportunity to see this yacht up close when we were docked beside each other in Spanish Wells Eleuthera. The yacht had an assortment of dinghies on deck and a line up of Evinrude Motors on davits. It is said the reason was that Langford liked to have a lot of boat options for fishing, but we were told by crew that the outboards were mostly for testing on various boat motors during their travels. Langford was fishing off the big yacht most of the time. This boat plied the Caribbean, Mexico, California, Atlantic east coast and Great Lakes including summers in Georgian Bay. It was used for many Hollywood fundraisers and many elite industrialists, Hollywood actors and politicians (even Nixon) visited the yacht over the years.
The original Chanticleer fell into disrepair but was seen at various times in Florida and the north east. In 2001 it was for sale while under restoration in Norfolk Virginia (see pics of original Chanticleer in this article). More recently it was said to have been seen restored and in the Great Lakes but that is not totally clear as people often believe the second Chanticleer was the first and vice versa. One thing is for sure, both yachts experienced a magical time in history and were a joy to many Georgian Bay boaters that saw them in The North Channel.
Hope Island is the most northerly of three Ojibwa islands including Christian Island and Beckwith and collectively they are part of the Beausoleil First Nations Reserve. Hope Island was named by famous surveyor and British naval officer Henry Bayfield. Hope Island is to this day uninhabited and it is said the the Huron historically never settled on the island because of ground tremors and the belief that Hope Island was occupied by God's. The island is a popular anchorage for boaters with a nice sandy beach on it's south shores. There are many snakes on the island including large water snakes and Massasauga rattlesnakes. The old rubber tires along the dock landing near the Hope Island lighthouse are usually teaming with water snakes. Some people call it Snake Island.
In 1891 lighthouse keeper Allan Collins traded his location posting with Christian Island lighthouse keeper John Hoare so that Allan Collins' children could attend school on Christian Island without boating across. Disputes between the two arose over who got what with the posting change and eventually their boss stepped in to settle the dispute and sided with Collins. Hoare went crazy with rage and it was thought that he killed two fishermen that went missing. Apparently when he was in a suicidal mood, the two fisherman came to his rescue so he killed them. Hoare was soon replaced by a new lighthouse keeper Thomas Marchildon. Lighthouse keeper positions were coveted back then as good steady work. Hoare did not want to give up his location and shot at Marchildon and in general hung around to challenge Marchildon at every opportunity. By 1906 it was common belief that Hoare had killed the fisherman and buried them in a well or under the lighthouse steps. Despite searches, no one could ever find the bodies. It is most likely that given the rocky nature of the landscape the bodies were weighted and disposed of in the water. Hoare it is said, did confess on his deathbed to the murders.
A former British mariner has had his personal gunboat impounded in Tenerife amid fears that he was on his way to fight Somali pirates. Chris Enmarch, 53, raised concern among Spanish government authorities. They had a hard time believing Enmarch's explanation of how his converted heavily armoured warship was intended to be a pleasure boat. The ship was British built and registered as Defender and is said to have been previously owned by the Sultan of Oman's Navy.
Tay Township has a great Canada Day celebration coming up at Victoria Harbour 290 Park St. This is a not for profit event that several service organizations are involved in that benefits Midland Hospital. Both days feature top notch tribute bands.
It's always a great party and a fantastic way to kick off summer. Big date is FRIDAY JUNE 21st starting at 6:30 pm at the Midland Town Dock. Things usually get heated up around 9 pm. Burgers and bars all on site ... but expect long line ups – so best to buy a few brews at a time. This years headline band, The Carpet Frogs – one of the best rock tribute bands in Ontario. $25 advance tickets and $35 at the gate. Your giving to a good cause – Midland Rotary Club. The Rotary Club invests in a lot of positive things to help the community. We had a blast last year. Hope the weather cooperates. For details click 
The Mary Ward, was an 129' wooden steamer built in 1865 in Montreal. It travelled Great Lake system between Montreal and Chicago carrying goods and passengers. She was purchased in 1872 by an Owen Sound group who put the Mary Ward into service on the Georgian Bay to Lake Superior route.
The steamer was found to be for the most part in one piece and those aboard decided to stay aboard and wait for help in the next day. Frank Moberly (a CPR surveyor) and George Corbett (a ships' owners) decided to take a ships lifeboat and row to shore to get help an hour after grounding. The goal was to get a message to Collingwood where Frank's brother had a rescue tug to remove the other passengers. After reaching the shore Frank and George were not able to find help and they continued walking to Collingwood. In the morning they reached Collingwood to discover that the tug had already been put away for the winter.
Later that day George Moberly's winterized tug was running and they went out to save the remaining people on the Mary Ward. The storm was too powerful and they returned to Collingwood. Then Frank Moberly and George Corbett decided to try Thornbury to get the help of some local fishermen from the other direction. On the Mary Ward, eight men decided to launch the last lifeboat to go ashore. The lifeboat did not make it very far and tipped over. Hanging on to whatever they could they eventually succumbed to the icy water.
The America's Cup introduced numerous new safety recommendations in response to the suspension of the summer racing series following the death of crew member Andrew “Bart” Simpson. Simpson died on May 9 during training exercises as crew on the Artemis Racing catamaran, an AC72 yacht. The recommendations include structural reviews of the AC72 boats and wings, a reduction of the wind limit to 23 knots maximum and enhanced safety equipment for the racers.
OTTAWA, May 14, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Peter Kent, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced that recreational lockage fees along Canada's historic canals will remain frozen for the next three years at 2008 levels.
Little McCoy Island now has permanent protection thanks to the Georgian Bay Land Trust. The 35 acre island lies between West Carling and Pointe au Baril.
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Last year over 500 Lighthouses were declared surplus by the Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans. 348 were eventually stayed from execution by nomination for heritage designation. Now they need money from private support groups to repair and maintain them if they are to be saved. The Federal government does not seem to appreciate the value of these historic structures as part of Canada's maritime history. Lighthouses are beautiful unique structures ... and they have more stories to tell that most historic buildings. The sheer isolation of these structures makes them unique and wherever I have visited remote island lighthouses I always felt like I was on sacred grounds with a foreboding haunted feeling. There were good times living the life of a lighthouse keeper ... but Georgian Bay lighthouse keepers saw plenty of foundering ships and had their own trials and tribulations in manning the lighthouses in treacherous conditions getting pounded by weather and preserving their sanity in some very lonely remote situations (see earlier What's New article Alone In the Night - Book Review).
The US Army Corps of Engineers have indicated that 
Brunswick Corporation has announced it will consolidate boat production for cost savings to it's Palm Coast Florida facility. The Sykes Creek facility near Merritt Island that produces Sea Ray and Meridian yachts from 51 – 61 feet will cease production at that plant. The purpose of the change was to lower production costs and production times. Brunswick claims they will still have capacity to produce 2.5 times current world demand should they need to ramp up. Some of the 205 Sykes Creek plant workers may be able to relocate to the Palm Coast facility. This follows the recent news that Brunswick would sell off it Hatteras and Cabo brand yacht business and ending it's Bayliner cruisers business with the factory closing in Knoxville Tennessee.
... desolate and uninhabited with a checkered past
Here is an event that might be of interest to some Marina Operators: 
We have attended the Miami Boat Show for the last three years. Aside form Miami being our favourite boat shows – it would be a lie not to admit that part of the attraction is the restaurants, art deco hotels and ambience of the South Beach area. The Convention Centre is an easy walk from the South Beach main drag. The Miami show is also a great show for boat lovers, especially the Convention Centre venue which has all the gear and boats mostly under 45'. The in water sail and power boat show locations are ok too, but not the high point of the show. The shuttles and water taxis are great for getting you around to the different venue locations. Also there are direct connections to the Collins Ave in water Brokerage Show. In fact the Collins location has most of the biggest yachts – both new and used. Bertram, Viking, Hatteras etc. were all displayed at the Collins Ave location. Collins is much more like the Lauderdale Show venue. Miami has a bigger Convention Centre boat and gear display in comparison to Lauderdale but Lauderdale has more 100' + super yachts.
It was 1903 when Wilbur and Orville Wright conducted the first manned heavier than air power flight at Kitty Hawk North Carolina. Airplane aviation was born and the world would never be the same again.The Wrights had rock star status and were celebrated around the world. Wilbur died in 1912. In 1915 Orville depressed by his brothers death and unhappy with the constant challenges to the Wright's mechanical airplane patents needed salvation and a place to escape work pressures. That place became Lambert Island on Georgian Bay which Orville, his estate after death and Trustee owned between 1916 and 1953.
It was thought that Wright introduced Gidley to Ford (Henry Ford). Gidley Boats started installing Ford engines in some boats and by 1922 a 24' custom Gidley runabout was delivered to Henry Ford. Gidley also built boats for Ford that were marketed under the Ford brand. As an interesting footnote Gidley (then Grew) would later build the Fairmile torpedo boats at Honey Harbour for the navy.
At the advent of World War 2 the government in Washington brought Orville back to the USA by military escort concerned that spies could kidnap important scientists during the war. Orville died January 30th 1948 leaving his Canadian assets including Kittyhawk to the children of his brother Lorin. Lorin's daughter Ivonette and husband Harold Miller along with Bus and Sue Wright were the two family heirs that wanted to vacation at Lambert Island. In 1950's the Millers started having Wilfred France pilot Kittyhawk in the waters that were somewhat unfamiliar to them.
To this day Guy and Kathy Johnstone are the owners, custodian and maintainers of this rare piece of Georgian Bay history called Kittyhawk. There were so many times when Kittyhawk could have been abandoned or lost that it is almost by divine intervention that she found her way into the future and has a home in the area that she was first launched. It is hard to imagine another boat with such an interesting pedigree.
Well the everyday scientists say do nothing – the problem is cyclical and controlled mostly by Mother Nature. The $17 million dollar International Joint Commission US/Canada group comprised of engineers and scientists also says do nothing, and eventually things will normalize. Sierra Club says dredging of St. Clair River and shore walling wetlands caused the problem. They endorse implanting hollow sills in the St Clair River to slow things down. Some in the Army Corps of Engineers condone putting in concrete speed bumps on the bottom of the St Clair River. The Lake Carriers Association believes also that the problem is a man made one, resulting from dredging of the St Clair River back the late 1960's. However that was over 50 years ago and during that time Georgian Bay and Lake Huron saw flooding water levels during a number seasons. Others blame it on global warming.
There have been several optimistic false starts in the past two years regarding boat sales on a recovery path. We are right in the middle of boat show season and things are looking up. Toronto International Boat Show sales and attendance were up about 20%. Some of the weekend show days were downright jam packed.
NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) held it's annual meeting at the Toronto International Boat Show and a number of interesting things were talked about. On of the key findings is that in 2012 sales of recreational boat sales rose by 13% ... a good part due to increased sales of pontoon boats and jet boats. Exports by Canadian boat manufacturers also went up dramatically 50% to $479 million as last recorded in 2011. Looks like for the small boat market we may be well on the way to recovery. In 2012 one in five Canadian households owned at least one boat and the survey discovered that the average boater is 31 – 49 years of age making income $44k – $99k per year ... very middle class orientated.
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Canada's Environment Ministers office announced a five year $29 million fund aiming to restore ecological health on Lake Simcoe and south-eastern Georgian Bay. The objective is improving water quality for residents and the wildlife. The fund will support community based projects that set priorities for reducing phosphorous inputs from urban and rural sources, restoring fish and aquatic wildlife stocks & habitats and correcting near shore toxic and nuisance algae growth. This 2013 – 2018 fund builds on the 2007 - 2012 $30 million Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund.
Brunswick Corporation announced January 3rd, 2013 that it would be selling it's premium Hatteras and Cabo yacht businesses. Brunswick will focus on it's Sea Ray and Meridian brands only.
Hours of operation for the Trent Canal System are confirmed as follows:
The 180' HMS Bounty replica was built in Canada in 1960 for use in the movie Mutiny on the Bounty and later Pirates of the Caribbean. It left New London, Connecticut bound for her winter home in St Petersburg, Florida. She foundered on the edges or Hurricane Sandy 90 miles off of Cape Hatteras North Carolina in 1300' of water.The heroic efforts of the US Coast Guard managed to pluck 14 crew members from the boiling ocean. Captain Robin Walbridge (63 years old) was never found. A second crew member Claudine Christian (42 years old) was recovered deceased. She was a descendent of Fletcher Christian, the sailing master of the original Bounty.
Environment Minister Peter Kent who is responsible for Parks Canada has announced that the Trent Sever Waterway and the Rideau Canal will be open the full season in 2013 from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving. There will be a one hour reduction to 7 hours per day during the spring and fall shoulder seasons and a 2 hour reduction in summer to 9 hours per day. Adjustments to lockage and mooring fees are being made as they have been unchanged for decades (that means they are going up in cost).
Transport Canada has approved a very controversial mega yacht marina for the busy Inner Harbour in the city. Many environmental and resident groups organized and tried to stop the marina. Initially even the city opposed it.The approval included requirements such as Safety Management Plan, kayak lanes skirting the marina and specialized lighting. The original plan called for 46 slips but it was downsized to 29 slips to appease those in opposition. The marina will offer permanent docking for yachts up to 140'. The two symmetrical buildings that will ground the marina are designed to look like a yacht setting out to sea.. The marina will include a coffee house, restaurant, lounge, marine chandlery and yacht services. It is thought that the marina slips will be in high demand from luxury waterfront condo owners that have nowhere to permanently dock large yachts.
It's too frigin cold here in lake country Ontario! So we're off to the Miami Boat Show in February. The Miami Boat Show is one of the greatest boat shows in the world. The weather is almost guaranteed to be hot as Miami sits below the threshold of the cold fronts pushing down from Canada. In addition to the hundreds of boats & yachts for viewing, they run the Discover Boating Resource Centre where you can take clinics on topics ranging from navigation to docking. It's also a great place to see the the latest in yacht gadgets and gizmos. The other nice thing about Miami is the great restaurants and local flare - like the South Beach area where you can see the Miami art deco revival architecture. We'll give a full report with video and pics when we get back.
Canada is holding it’s own when it comes to new boat sales. Each year Boating Industry magazine sends out applications to more than 3,000 boat dealers with a series of 75 qualitative and quantitate questions. After evaluation 3 Canadian dealers ranked in the top 10:
The second book in The Captains Log series written by Melanie Wood. The book recounts Mel and Captain John Wood who cruise to the Bahamas in 2006 aboard their 38' Bayliner MY, Diamond Lil. They like it so much they do it a second time the following winter of 2006/2007 after a return trip to Canada. That is a lot of boat miles friends ... and they are still on that boat somewhere to my best knowledge. (Roatan I think where Mel wrote this second book). You will learn a lot by reading this book. Primarily you will learn about being resourceful but for anyone contemplating long term cruising, the book will give you an unvarnished version which no guidebook can deliver.
Bombardier Recreation Products Inc. of Valcourt Quebec will be shutting down it's sport boat plant in Illinois and will be exiting the sport boat business eliminating 350 jobs according to CEO Jose Boisjoli. Bombardier has been in the sport boat business for the past 18 years. It inherited the plant in 1995 in it's acquisition of Celebrity Boats. The sport boat business is only 3% of company sales. In 2011 the company was hopeful that annual sales would recover the lost ground during the recession back again to $2.8 billion but this was not to be. BRP revenues dropped 40% after the Lehman Brothers collapse. Word is that the sport boat group did make a profit and had relatively low inventories of available boats - problem was the sport boat business just didn’t have the critical mass for them and they wanted greater growth potential. They were unable to find a buyer for the sport boat division so decided to shut it down rather than gear up for 2013 models. Last May BRP moved it's Sea Doo assembly from Valcourt Quebec to Mexico. BRP will also stop making it's own accessories and clothes and contract out distribution of spare parts. BRP will continue to manufacture SeaDoo and will focus on the growing Spyder 3 wheel motorcycle market.
Cameron Hopp spotted this American White Pelican at Pine Channel in Killarney Bay on September 2nd. Apparently they are venturing further north on occasion. This pelican will be in for a rude surprise if he doesn't start to head south soon. Spring and summer ramps up slowly in these parts, but winter can come on with a vengeance by November and he's along ways from home. The Farmers Almanac is predicting early heavy snow in November this year - yuck.
A single administrative unit of management has been established to run both canal systems. Thirty-seven positions included that of the TSW Superintendent Dawn Bronson are being eliminated (surplus) in the reorganization. Basically the two management teams are turned into one at Parks Canada. Twenty percent of the canals workforce has been laid off since March 2012 and more layoffs are expected. As part of this years Federal budget $3.5 million was cut from the budget. In all it is expected that some 140 jobs could be affected.
Horace Dodge of Dodge car fame loved boats and was very mechanically inclined. He started off in 1904 with a 40' yacht and shortly after started Dodge Marine Division which would power his own boats as well. In 1913 he took a big step up to a 180' yacht and in 1917 ordered a 243' yacht. Talk about hooked on boats!
There is a lot of confusion regarding cruising permits and reporting while boating from Canada to the US. And don't count on that confusion being cleared up any time soon because it has been screwed up for 30 years pretty much in the same fashion it is now. Err on the side of caution as CBP (Customs & Border Protection) officials and USA immigration officials can be very stern and overreact if you don't node your head in acceptance and humble yourself ... even though you may be given conflicting information that you know is incorrect don't challenge it. CBP seems to have some long standing issues with communicating standard procedures when it comes to Cruising Permits.
As part of the War of 1812 - 200 year anniversary celebrations Tall Ships America has entered commitments to have the tall ships visit Georgian Bay. Participating communities so far include Penetanguishene (Discovery Harbour), Midland, Collingwood, Wasaga Beach and Owen Sound. The tall ships attract thousands of visitors. The tall ships visit was made possible by a $880,000 Ontario Ministry of Tourism contribution. Each community must also contribute and communities along Georgian Bay have committed $155.000 in total. Penetanguishene just signed on Sept 2012 and their cost was $29,000.
Midland hosted the 2012 Tug Fest. Tugs came from all around Georgian Bay and further afield to show their stuff. Some of these tugs are still active work boats and some are retired to recreational pleasures. Everyone likes to see the tug boats and they always draw a good crowd.
Hope, Beckwith and Christian islands are referred to by some as Georgian Bay's Caribbean islands. On sunny hot days it's easy to see why. The hard pack sand beaches, blue sand bottom waters, wade out from shore 50 yards without going over your head, some boulder outcroppings and low profile silhouette with dense green mixed vegetation bare more than just a striking resemblance to many Bahamas Islands. If you were blind folded and flown from the Abacos to Beckwith you would be hard pressed to realize you had left the Caribbean until you notice the absence of salt air and that some of that green vegetation is pine trees, not palm trees.
These two light amphibious planes landed in Hockey Stick anchorage Bone Island and drove right up a small beach head and had a lunch break. They really land at a step angle and in a short distance. The fuselage of the planes are the landing gear in the water. They also have flip up wheels for land landings. Note the mini pontoons under the wings to keep the wing from dipping in the water. Looks like the small single engine prop planes are air cooled. They did a bunch of loops around the boats in the anchorage to warm the engines up and took off again and circled the anchorage. The second time we have seen them in Hockey Stick in a couple of years ... I guessing the beach head is a perfect stopover point. They sure do look like FUN.
The Port Harbour Credit Marina in Mississauga is once again hosting the Port Credit Boat Show 
Grey Bruce has shorelines reminiscent of the East coast, and breathtaking horizons over Georgian Bay. It is one of the most remarkable areas in Ontario.
Some 50+ boats took part in the Parkbridge Marinas Rendezvous and by all accounts it was great time. The event kicked off on Friday July 13th with a wine and cheese party hosted at Bay Port Marina and sponsored by Crates Landing Orillia. Crates Landing took the trouble to truck in a new Pursuit 315 for party guests to board and check out. Without a doubt Pursuit builds a very high quality boat but I digress. So at the wine & cheese function you get to meet your fellow cruisers and you go over the plan for the week ahead. The nibbles were great but we headed for a late night dinner at MC Sushi in Midland.
You've seen lots of beautiful places in the world right? Well feast your eyes on Killarney as a destination vacation you'll not soon forget. Whether you arrive by car, float plane or boat, there are few places in the world as beautiful as the Killarney wilderness surrounding Killarney harbour. Killarney Mountain Lodge prides itself in offering exceptional packages both on the water and on land in the mountainous wilderness regions of Killarney.
Now lets say you're yacht cruising Georgian Bay and the North Channel and you plan to stop at Killarney to overnight on your way north or south. That would be a mistake - because one night is just not enough. In Killarney you need to stop and smell the roses and that means you're taking some Lodge excursions both on the water and into the mountains. You have to do this because you only live once and this is as good as it gets for remote beauty. The Lodge offers day trips, outpost retreat camp and shorter guided hiking excursions. There are many different excursion options and you should check out the Guided Trips section of their web site 
New this year at Killarney Mountain Lodge is an afternoon motor cruise through the "inside passage" to Collins Inlet and the Fox Islands. Known only to the locals this intricate route snakes through a maze of channels, coves, islets and rocks awash in waters so clear that both yachtsman and landlubbers alike will be astonished. This is a photographers' dream and serious cruisers will enjoy it too, because you wouldn't want to navigate your own boat on this route.
If you want something solid under foot there are plenty of mountain wilderness guided excursions with breath taking views and there are once in a lifetime experiences like elegant dining on a pristine island in the Philip Edward archipelago bordered by windswept pines with an island view surrounded by crystal blue turquoise water. Enough said ... a picture says a thousand words so take a look at some of these pictures supplied by Killarney Mountain Lodge and one of Canada's leading outdoor photographers' - Rob Stimpson.
Killarney is a beautiful 1654 square km municipality located in the North-Eastern corner of Georgian Bay (south of Manitoulin Island) that includes the Town of Killarney and the ghost towns of French River and Key Harbour. The Killarney town was first settled in 1820 to be established as a fur trading post by a French Canadian named Etienne Augustin de Lamorandiere. It was originally named Shebahonaning in Ojibwe meaning "canoe passage".
The weather was perfect for the Canada Day long weekend. As usual boaters were celebrating at anchor in their favorite harbour somewhere on Georgian Bay. From our anchorage we had an excellent view of the many rafted boats and the comings and goings in the anchorage. Sunday night some good hearted boaters tendered over to an exposed point and put on a spectacular fireworks display. This of course triggered an eruption of horn salutes.
CPS, or Canadian Power and Sail Squadron, programs are designed to help leisure boaters (both power and sail) to improve their boating skills and boating safety knowledge. You can learn navigational skills as well as how to handle boats of different sizes. The CPS programs are made available to anyone who wishes to participate, the classes are available in class rooms or online for those who cannot make the trip in.
Our survey to date shows 60% of respondents do not wear their lifejacket on their boat all the time. 40% sometimes wear their lifejacket on the boat ... and no one never wears their lifejacket on a boat. 80% said that their boat size is a factor in whether they wear a lifejacket on board or not. This is about what we expected, as many of our viewers are on bigger cruising boats and frankly unless you are moving around exposed decks in rough weather, there are not many that want to wear a lifejacket sitting up on the bridge or socializing in the cockpit. Yes most of us are guilty as charged. Interesting that not one person who participated in the survey has ever had someone accidently fall off their boat.
Once again Midland had a full house for the Party on Docks June 15th event. The event is sponsored by the Minden Rotary Club in support of special community causes. Most of the workers at the event are volunteers.
Getting a cab back to the marina from the Central Taxi company just up the street was a bad experience. The dispatcher took names in order for the crowd to take their turn, but many drunk young people just pushed through and jumped into cabs as they arrived - and the dispatcher wouldn't do anything about it. After a half hour of chaos he just said there is no list anymore and it turned into a free for all ... nasty situation. I observed a inebriated young teen trying to take over a cab from a couple with a baby that had waited their turn and were already in the back seat of the cab while she was trying to force her way by Dad into the front seat. Gutless cab drivers in the mean time are saying nothing and they don't respect the list either and just let the aggressors pile on in. I was embarrassed as a Canadian to see this boorish behavior and I hope that there were no out of country tourists in the crowd that experienced this. MIDLAND CENTRAL TAXI totally DROPPED THE BALL and it was pure luck that no one was injured. Town of Midland should be pulling their cab license in my opinion. Next year Midland police could serve the community well by sending a few cops up the road to the cab stand to keep law and order when the event ends. Otherwise a great event and we will be back.
Georgian Bay is well known for its unparalleled beauty on top of the water… but what about under the water? There are a vast number of amazing shipwrecks to be explored underneath the clear waters of Georgian Bay. These wrecks present unique and spectacular diving adventures for beginner to expert divers. There are many dive shops around Georgian Bay to facilitate beginner dive trips to help people learn the ropes, and to guide more advanced divers and show them new wrecks to explore. These wrecks in Georgian Bay are one of the many features that make it such a desirable cruising destination. Another beautiful feature that people come to see in Georgian Bay is the light houses. The lighthouses have served as shoreline navigation reference points for many years, and now attract visitors from all over North America. Visitors come to see the fantastic scenery of the lighthouses, whether it is a local out for a boat ride, or Loopers making their way through the Great Loop, it is impossible to not marvel at the sheer splendour of the lighthouses on islands and along the shoreline.
It's official - in short ceremony at the Midland Harbour docks on June 9th 2012 Mayor Gordon McKay announced that the Canadian Federal Government has turned over the responsibility of Midland Harbour to the Town of Midland. It doesn't change anything in the short run but it does give the Town of Midland autonomy over it's future use of the Harbour area.The ceremony was also attended by Garfield Dunlop MPP for Simcoe North. The announcement was tied into the "shakedown" cruise of the arrival of the replica British HMS Badger which sailed from Penetanguishene to Midland to draw attention to the upcoming War of 1812 Georgian Bay Bicentennial celebrations. The Badger and reenacting shore troops exchanged cannon fire before the vessel landed at the docks accompanied by bagpipers. Huronia Museum opens it's War of 1812 exhibit on June 22nd at 7 pm.
Downtown Midland has a new building on the corner of Kin & Elizabeth streets. The new Cultural Centre officially opened the morning of June 9th/2012 with a program of music, speeches, tours and art exhibits. Well known Architect Howard Rideout did a beautiful job on the building and it really is a showpiece featuring theatre, gift shop, multiple galleries, restaurant and generous public gathering space. The building was made possible by a 7 million dollar donation from local industry entrepreneur Reinhart Weber (Weber Foundation).
Boating Georgian Bay conducted a survey on the affects of fuel prices on boating and here are the results.
Apparently sailors are not concerned at all by fuel prices as not one single sailor responded – all power boaters!
Doral's Grand-Mere plant has been shut down for the past month. According to Jean Gagnon a Partner at the trustee firm "There are boats on the line but no work is being done right now. There were some open orders but we haven't spoken to the clients yet". Doral Marine International owes creditors more than $5.4 million dollars.
1689 Parks Canada staff have been notified of job cuts as part of an overall plan to cut 19,000 government jobs to save 5.2 billion dollars. 600 of the Parks Canada jobs will be eliminated entirely and there will be no one doing those specific jobs any longer. Some of the job cuts include staff on the 386 kilometer Trent Canal System. Even engineering staff that control water levels from feeder lake sources are affected.
Many readers may be aware of some of the War of 1812 Bi Centennial events and celebrations ramping up for the summer season. Certainly there is an entirely different perspective from a historical point of view from American sources vs. Canadian/British sources. Most Canadians believe the war was won by the British because the US objective of annexing was Canada not achieved and their efforts thwarted. Many US historians believe it was a draw with no losses or gains. Some say it was never the US intent to annex Canada and that other objectives, related to control of aboriginal interests were met. Many US academics do accept that Canada at the very least emerged stronger from the event to the point that it provided the footing for what would become the Canadian nation. Some would go so far as to say that yes Canada did clearly win the war. It seems in general the the US consensus evolved right after the war that the Canadians would join the US at some point on their own accord and it was no longer possible to take Canada by force of arms.
A Canadian/USA advisory group reporting on Great Lakes water levels with particular concern for Lake Huron & Georgian Bay levels has recommended no action be taken by use of major engineering projects to manage water flow. Dams and other structures have been under consideration on the St Clair River. The $14.6 million dollar study suggest costs (up to $130 million) and potential environmental damage from such ventures would make such projects to manage water flow prohibitive. The five year study involved 200 engineers and scientists from both sides of the border. In the end the recommendation was to leave mother nature alone to do her thing, and allow water levels to rise and fall, as they do with natural fluctuations.These recommendations were submitted to the International Joint Commission which advises both USA and Canadian governments on Great Lakes issues.
Skyline Marina has announced that they will be adding Meridian Yachts to their lineup along with their existing Sea Ray and Hatteras. Meridian is manufactured by Brunswick Group and is a leader in the sedan bridge segment of the boat market. The Meridian lineup consists of 341, 391, 441 and 541 sedan bridge models. Meridians are known for their spaciousness and European styling. All models have available joystick pod docking. The 341, 391, 441 come standard with patented "Total Command" joystick technology and the 441 and 541 can be optioned with Zeus Pod Drive systems.
US customs and border patrol have just recently launched a new reporting system for vessels entering US jurisdiction. This new system is being called Small Vessel Reporting System, and is being used to make the process of entering the USA via boat a much more efficient process. The new system is free to sign up for, though registration does require a face to face interview. This interview may be avoided if you are already a member of some existing CBP programs, such as; Local Boater Option Program, Trusted Traveler Program (Nexus), or a Canadian Border Boat Landing Permit. What this means is that before going on a boating trip where you will either enter or re-enter the United States, you will be able to register a “float plan” online, and instead of having to have a face to face interview with a CBP official, they will only have to have an interview over the phone, and you will then be clear to enter the States. Currently the system is being implemented across the US/Canada border and as well along southern borders and ports. The program will be in effect nationwide within months.
Whenever there is an invasive species entering a balanced ecosystem, there is inevitably disaster for the current species. This is the situation that is being faced in the Great Lakes ecosystem at the Mississippi river entrance. There is currently an initiative to create a barrier into the Great Lakes from the Mississippi river in an attempt to keep out the invasive population of Asian Carp. These Asian Carp present a great threat to the ecosystem within the Great Lakes and could create a permanent shift in the population of various species already existing in the ecosystem. The invasive species would find a place within the Great Lakes food chain, and be very disruptive. The ecological disruption would not just stop at the Great Lakes either, but continue through to the adjoined St. Lawrence River. It is because of this severe ecological threat that steps are being taken to ensure a long-term solution to the problem of the invasive species and the protection of the current species.
There is a fascinating rich history that embodies the generations that have fallen in love with local lighthouses. Georgian Bay has more than a few historic lighthouses that are threatened. The history of the lighthouse keepers is just as riveting as the lighthouses themselves (read book review Alone In The Night below). In fact if you start searching around the stories that revolve around the operation of many lighthouses is so strange and under the most extreme conditions that almost every lighthouse on an island in Georgian Bay could be it's own blockbuster movie – murder, mayhem, politics, shipwrecks, history, lives saved, lives lost, mystery, deception and the ravages of mother nature all rolled together. Some of the stories are to weird to be true – but most are true!
Well that's a wrap for the 54th annual 2012 Toronto International Boat Show. The official final attendance for this show was 76,253 - up 5% from 2011. Over 550 exhibitors were represented at the show. The show featured the worlds largest indoor lake and had hourly programing like wakeboard show's, powerboat handling and free boat rides. The show also offered over 140 seminars that attendees could take advantage of. We attended the Americas Great Loop presentation and it was very interesting and well received.
The Samway family are AGLCA member "Loopers" based out of Miami Florida. The Samway family cruised the Bahamas down as far as Exuma Islands and then returned to Florida to begin their adventure around the loop aboard their 48' Kaddy-Krogen North Sea Trawler. What makes the years journey in 2011 somewhat unique is the learning experiences along the way for the kids – 13 year old Keenan and 11 year old Daria. Dad - Michael and Mother - Jennifer gave the kids a lifetime of experiences on the water ... and some very interesting on land adventures along the way as well. Jennifer contrived and served many vegetarian recipes during the cruise that look good enough to convert almost anyone away from meat. Keenan focused on photography and has an excellent gallery on the website. Daria pursued her interest in making beautiful jewelry and the family has written one of the most detailed blogs with pics pertaining to the Great Loop Adventure that I have ever laid eyes on. Their Blog web site is at 
One of my regrets is that we did not not undertake a similar adventure with our own kids before they went off to university and grew up to be adults. There are many life lessons that may help to form a child's character while cruising - certainly attributes like a sense of curiosity, self dependence, seeing variations in lifestyle & geography, helping other people, sharing experiences with others, increased awareness of mother nature and perhaps even a dose of bravery all come to mind. For any family contemplating long term cruising with their children the Samway Blog is a must read. In fact the quality of Blog's writing is so eloquent and comfortable to read that once you start into the blog, it's hard to stop. If your not convinced that taking a year or two out of your busy lives and traveling by boat with children is a good idea, then read this blog and you will be converted. Congrats to the Samway family in completing the loop and thanks for sharing your experiences with other Loopers and on the water adventurers.
At The Ojibway – "100 Summers on Georgian Bay" is a magnificent account of the 42 acre island based Ojibway Resort near Pointe Au Baril that opened it's doors June 1906. The resort was the vision of Hamilton Davis a railway agent from Rochester, New York. Davis at 38 years of age, purchased the island in 1903 for $5. The theme of the resort had it's inspiration from the popular Henry Longfellow book "The Songs of Hiawatha" and there was a true native cultural interest in the USA, coupled with the need to get away from the busy industrialized cities in the north east and southern Ontario.
Wye Heritage Marina (formerly Doral Marine Resort) in Midland on Georgian Bay is being purchased by Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities Inc. Parkbridge currently owns a number of other marinas based on Georgian Bay in Midland and Penetanguishene - namely Bay Port Yachting Center, Bay Moorings and Beacon Bay. 
If you are a boater on Georgian Bay, then you know what a great privilege it is to drop anchor in a secluded cove surrounded by an unspoiled wilderness landscape of windswept pines and sculpted granite landscape. When you see these beautiful undeveloped vacant islands and mainland coves you have to recognize that it's vacant for a reason and being permanently or temporarily protected in some manner:
A marina fire in a large storage facility near Sarnia claimed 75 boats including antique and collectable boats. There were also some antique cars stored in the building. The fire broke out around 7 am December 20th and by 10 am the building was fully engulfed by flames. Millions of dollars in damage is reported.
Boating Georgian Bay is pleased to announce it's Gold level sponsorship of the Georgian Bay Tug Fest.
Alone In The Night by Lynx Images Inc. documents the history of all the Georgian Bay & Manitoulin lighthouses, past and present. There are fabulous well researched accounts of sinking ships, lighthouse keepers peril, survival and the transition from manned lighthouses to the automatic beacons of today. The isolation and danger of manning a lighthouse becomes apparent in this book. Some keepers went crazy, some hermit and some just loved the isolation and harsh conditions.
This is the story of Cognashene area of Georgian Bay. It is a hardcover bound and beautifully illustrated coffee table style book. If you cruise or cottage in the Midland/Penetanguishene area of Georgian Bay you’re going to relate heavily to the documented history, stories, legends and reflections of the area. All historical experiences, lumber industry, tourist visits and human history are tied to specific places you will know well, like Longuissa, Brown Bay, Franceville, Minnicognashene, Arthur Island and many more islands and anchorages.
Douglas Pohl, Captain of Grey Goose and one of the regular posters on Americas Great Loop Cruising Association forum passed this along.
Georgian Bay Land Trust has a new full size poster available, highlighting some of the different bird species that call Georgian Bay their home. The new Birds Of Georgian Bay poster complements the existing series of Trees of Georgian Bay & Rocks of Georgian Bay. Any or all of these posters would look great on your wall. They come rolled for $20 or plaqued for $50. These posters make great gifts for those that love Georgian Bay and the revenues go towards preserving unspoiled lands, flora and fauna around the Georgian Bay region. For more information visit their web site at 
Crate's Lake Country Boats in Orillia has been named the exclusive dealer for Pursuit boats in Ontario. Pursuit manufactures boats from 20' to 37' and although they are known for rugged offshore fishing boats they also have a line of luxury cruising and sport utility boats. According to Pursuit Regional Sales Manager, Ron Burkdoll they made the decision to team up with Crates Lake Country based on their facilities, service and customer satisfaction history. Crates Lake Country Boats currently has some in stock Pursuit inventory with more 2012 models on their way. More information can be found on 
The Captains Log - Diamond Lil Does The Loop is a fairly new book written by Melanie Wood who along with her husband Captain John has done the Great Loop cruise and more aboard their well loved 38' Bayliner Motor Yacht registered in Midland ON. The book provides a very interesting heartfelt unsterilized account of the good times and bad experiences (mostly good) as they leave their home in Keswick to head south and eventually back up north and around the loop via the Trent, Georgian Bay, Michigan, Mississippi River and back to Florida to cross their wake. What makes the book especially interesting is the characters they meet along the way and the emotions of cruising and being away from family for extended periods of time. Reading the book it's easy to imagine yourself in the same situations and fall into their daily adventures and routines.
The adventure takes place between September 2005 through Dec 2006 but Mel & John are still out there cruising and the book was just written in 2010/2011 from Roatan - Honduras Bay Islands.
The book hits close to home and brings back memories of our own trip from Simcoe to the Bahamas and back. It sobered me up from dreaming of a cruising retirement ... as long distance cruising is not for the faint of heart and you must be resourceful and resilient in all aspects to make it work. It also takes a great relationship to keep it together on a boat for the period of time that these folks have been cruising. I picked up my copy at a local library but the self published book can be bought online at Amazon.com . We also understand there may be a new book coming in the future that provides details of their other cruising destinations.
Up to 2,000 waterfowl and some fish have washed ashore primarily in the Wasaga Beach area of Georgian Bay but as far north as Parry Sound. The cause of death has been confirmed to be Type E Botulism. Botulism can occur naturally as part of a cycle and happens from time to time in the fall. There was an outbreak on Lake Erie years ago where 25,000 birds will killed.
Talk about adventure on the high seas! A home made boat named RUS is circling the globe via the North West Passage. The 25 foot boat made of duct tape and bamboo has four determined Russian sailors onboard.
While the Annapolis Power Boat Show is much smaller than both the Lauderdale or the Miami boat shows it is certainly a very worthwhile show to attend. In addition to being located in the historic town of Annapolis that is dripping with nautical tradition it is the only large boat show that you can walk out if the show and be right in the heart of the downtown boutique shopping district which is teaming with fine restaurants, many featuring fresh crab, oysters and shrimp. While the show has more dealers representing manufacturers than the actual manufacturers' - and typically not all of anyone manufactured boat line is represented ... it makes up for selection and size with the energy of having all those Chesapeake Bay cruisers in attendance while they wait out hurricane season before heading south to warmer climes.
Make no mistake, this is a busy show and even during the rainy downpours, unusually high tides that flooded some areas and high winds on opening day the show was comfortably crowded and the bars and local eateries near the show were packed. From what I observed attendees were having a blast and unlike many boat shows the vast majority were clearly serious boaters and not just locals looking for a trade show to wander.
to the show and his contributes to covering the same area multiple times and having some fun doing it. It is also an easy show to get onto boats and the yachts that required appointments were few and far between and for the most part even registration was not required come aboard most boats. The other really nice thing about this show was there was a sense that things were looking up and the bad years of poor sales were behind us and optimism and interest were high. Last but not least, because this show is heavily attended by cruisers on-route, there was a very good selection of serious expedition boats to check out which I really enjoyed like Grand Banks, Marlow, Fleming, Selene, Outer Reef etc. We'll be back again. You should book it for next year - sail or power show or both back to back as they are also great excuses to visit and experience the Chesapeake Bay.
Once Ontario cruisers sadly have put their boat away for the season, there is a place not too far away where the boating season lives on well into November. In October and November cruising yachts from around the world congregate to wait out hurricane season in the Chesapeake before heading south. The Chesapeake Bay area, while home to big cities like Baltimore is also known to be one of the better cruising areas of the world and has many sheltered anchorages and interesting small towns are all around the Bay. One could easily spend a month in the Chesapeake and never visit the same anchorage more than once. We haven't cruised the Bay for many years, so we wanted to go back as tourists to reacquaint ourselves with the area. It is only a two hour flight from Toronto to Baltimore and you can rent a car in Baltimore and get to the best places on the Bay in an hour.
We timed our trip to take in the Annapolis Boat Show. Annapolis hosts a sailboat show followed by a powerboat show - back to back. The shows are well worth attending, but just being in Annapolis is a treat you won't forget. Fabulous nautical history and architecture await and the shopping in the historic downtown is fabulous. Great restaurants are everywhere and you can have your fill of oysters, clams, shrimp and crab for very little cost if you hit the happy hour dining spots (and it's almost always happy hour there). The Naval Academy is in Annapolis so you will see many Navy recruits and officers around town dressed in uniform, spit and polish. Annapolis is a great nautical town and easy to get hooked on.
Across the Bay are some quant tourist/fishing based towns where crabbers and oystermen still ply their trade. It is unusual in this day and age to be able to step back into time and see towns that are comprised almost entirely of historic homes and businesses. St Michaels is one such town that you'll want to visit that has a Maritime Museum and a downtown lined with historic unique shops - most with a nautical flavor. We stayed at anchor in St Michaels harbour with some friends on their beautiful sailboat for a few days and tendered into town to wander around doing some shopping and wine tasting along the way.To see the Museum and the history of the Chesapeake and to take in the town of St Michaels you need at least a day. It helps if you read Michener's Chesapeake novel before you go to give you some perspective on the history and get you in the mood.
Rosehearty is a 183' ketch owned by Rupert Murdoch and you can charter it in the Mediterranean or Caribbean for just over $200,000. a week. Murdoch has had some issues to deal with lately, so perhaps he doesn't have as much time to spend on the yacht while taking care of business.The yacht is listed for charter by www.charterworld.com and has room for 10 guests in 5 luxurious suites. The yacht was built in 2006 by Perini Navi at a cost of over $40 million. Interior design was by French designer Christian Liagre and yes ... there is a gym so you can work out in the morning.
Boating Georgian Bay has just introduced it's own brand of "
The Chesapeake in the fall is one beautiful area! Next to Georgian Bay it is arguably one of the best cruising locations in the world. If your looking for marine history the Chesapeake has plenty of it. Annapolis Maryland is a historic town most famous for the US Naval Academy officers centre established in 1845. The Academy is the main source for college trained Navy & Marine officers in the USA. Annapolis itself has a very nautical feel to the town and there is much history to be seen. It is also a good place to scout out used marine equipment. Visiting the Chesapeake in the fall allows you to take in the beauty and history of the area and at the same time visit two back to back in water boat shows that are one of a kind. Over 100,000 boat enthusiasts visit these two shows so plan ahead and book your accommodation early. 
This story perhaps should be on a What's Old page rather than What's New because it's all about a unique piece of Georgian Bay history. Miss Scarlett is a unique custom 1929 57' Gidley Motor Yacht that was originally built by Gidley Boats in Penetanguishene Ontario. The Gidley Boat company was established late 1890’s and by 1903 Gidley was building government survey boats for use in the St Lawrence River. Orville Wright bought his first Gidley launch in for his island summer home on Georgian Bay in 1918 and later purchased the 32' Gidley "Kittyhawk" in 1931. Wright refitted his first Gidley boat with a more reliable Wright factory built engine. In 1922 Gidley began using Ford engines through the connection of Orville Wright and Ford had boats made by Gidley at one point under their brand. Gidley built launches and runabouts in the 20' - 40' range and also larger cruisers up to the 110' range.
The Miss Scarlett yacht, originally known as Mona IV, underwent a multi million dollar full restoration that began in 1993 and was completed by 2000 by the last owner Lynne Hindmarsh (of Scarlett Investments Inc. – name clue). The restoration included significant interior and exterior work including re-planking and the task was accomplished by many skilled tradespersons who recreated plans and had to deal with remanufacturing parts and accessing exotic materials like hand selected Honduras Mahogany, keel Oak, Teak and custom fabricated steel & brass parts. While maintaining the historical integrity of the yacht, for safety and comfort reasons some modernizing took place including the transition from a traditional carvel planked water absorbing hull to the planking being coupled with cold molded West Epoxy using vacuum bagging rather than fasteners to pressure apply the epoxy. Electrical, electronics and mechanical systems were modernized as well.
This year a larger group of 18 power boaters got together for the 2011 Rendezvous and as usual the event started out with a Saturday evening wine & cheese and a chance for participants to mingle and discuss the game plan before the Sunday morning departure. Sunday nights anchorage was Beckwith Island but due to windy weather and choppy seas, many of the group moved over to nearby Hope Island for some shelter. Everyone enjoyed the clear blue water and sand beach at Hope and an onshore beach party started under hot sunny skies that stretched into starlight skies by a bonfire. Many tales and lies were swapped on the beach It was a rolling beam sea across to Parry Sound from Hope. The first night in Parry Sound, Wye Heritage sponsored a catered outdoor buffet dinner which was delicious. Rather than heading further north from Parry Sound in very windy weather, most of the group elected to stay put in Big Sound Marina for a second night and we got together for dinner at Kudos Kuisine which did a great job with our table of 18.
Most boats got fueled up and pumped out in Parry Sound and we planned to head south down the inland route towards Port Rawson in the Moon River area. It was an interesting exercise getting some of the boats off the dock in the heavy wind. Recovery Room's last words off the dock were "I'm loosing it boys" but catastrophe was averted and no damage was done. We raced for the 10 am Parry Sound bridge opening and just got there in time where we waited on the other side for those boats that could slip under the bridge. A gusty morning again, but the scenery to Port Rawson is second to none. Once in the Port Rawson basin the wind settled down and we spent a few nights there, with an excursion to the Moon River Falls and a shore campfire at night accompanied by Gordon Lightfoot tunes to set the mood ... and it went very late into the night for some. All manner of politics and world affairs were resolved at this campfire so it was a very worthwhile exercise at a fraction of the price of the G20 Summit. Most folks headed back to home base on the Saturday wrapping up a week of fun.
Anchorages within an hour of Midland & Penetanguishene were busy for the Canada Day long weekend ... but not over crowded. There was still room for a few more boats at most of the sheltered harbours even though the weather forecast delivered on excellent weather for the whole weekend. Based on the advance forecast we expected boats would be turned away at many locations. Beckwith Island area seemed to be the busiest. Beausoleil anchorages were busy as usual. We also visited Browns Bay which had lite traffic, Longuissa Bay which was busy with rows of boats (but not packed) and we anchored in Hockey Stick Bay which was near capacity but still had space for six or so boats. In the smaller anchorages like Hockey Stick many of the boats were bow stern anchored to allow for more boats. A number of large groups were rafted.
Hockey Stick had a creative group of boaters that set up their own private beach front tiki bar and several participants were wearing grass skirts. Canadian flags were everywhere and I'm sure the one US cruiser at anchorage must have got a good impression of patriotic Canadians ... that I might add, were very well behaved and respectful of other boaters. Folks had a good time - but it didn't get out of control and turn into a loud all night celebration. It was a family friendly atmosphere of celebration. Dingy & kayak touring was a popular activity. One relaxed cruiser was observed kayak tethered to an anchor buoy, reading a novel for an hour or more. A few from the Tiki bar toured the basin on PWC's to show off their costumes and a couple of small amphibian float planes landed in the bay for a visit before taking off later in the day. The temperature was hot and the water was perfect for cooling off. Lots of kids in the anchorage spent more time in the water than out. It was a great relaxing weekend enjoyed by all.
If you are a fan of Georgian Bay history including shipwrecks and boating memorabilia then Huronia Museum is a must see. There are ship and private yacht artifacts in addition to hundreds of historic pictures and models of various commercial and private boats that plied the waters of Georgian Bay. It is a formidable collection and a great place to spend a rainy day poking around the history of Georgian Bay. I addition to the historic aspects of shipping and ship building there is great deal history associated with the military, commerce and the Huron Ouendat Village recreated on the property. Visitors can take a self guided tour of the first nations village. 
Not far from Georgian Bay, America's Great Loopers will be travelling through Balsam Lake on the Trent Canal System. Balsam Lake is the highest body of water in Canada from which a boat can circumnavigate the world at 256.3 metres above sea level. The site has been named Canada's Fresh Water Summit. There are two locations in the world that are higher in elevation – one on the Mississippi River and one on the Danube River in Germany. Coboconk the town nearest Balsam Lake celebrates on June 19th beginning 11 am the Summit by offering a boat parade, live entertainment and pig roast at the town wharf. The boat parade called "Boats Through the Ages" includes a flotilla of historical regional and national unique watercraft including Trent Severn Waterways 45' Celebration tug boat. The event ties in with the 100th anniversary celebration of the Trent Canal System.
Boating Georgian Bay has secured a highway sign billboard location on Hwy #93 between Midland and Penetanguishene. Our objective is to remind the thousands of boaters that use that corridor that Boating Georgian Bay is a great resource for cruising, weather and marina services information. We are also in the process of investigating an FM licenced mini radio station transmitter to broadcast the #93 corridor between Midland & Penetangiushene and downtown Penetang that will broadcast an one hour loop of Boaters News that will be advertised at the sign location and through other media sources. The sign is confirmed while the Boating News radio will be announced if everything comes together.
First time I drank tequila was in college at a party and I nearly died. I swore I would never touch the stuff again if I was blessed with a full recovery. The second period I was reintroduced to Tequila was in my 40's where it was used as a substitute for Demerol & Codeine (which I didn't like) during a time when I had my leg and ankle plated on both sides after snapping them both slipping down a rock face. I know Tequila is 40% - 55% alcohol by volume and I have no explanation as to why Tequila kills pain in a very mellow and comfortable way that rum, scotch, whisky or drugs cannot do. I just know it works.
Transport Canada has moved to standardized testing and Canadian Boaters as of April 15th face stricter exam standards. The new approach is learning focused and sets a higher standard for boaters to obtain their Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC card). The hope is to reduce preventable boating related accidents. 100 people died in boating accidents in Canada last year and 6,000 suffered injuries. Standardized questions have increased from 36 to 50 questions. Boaters who take their exam online will also be required to complete an online study guide. Failure for boaters to present a PCOC card while operating a boat can result in a $250 fine. Boaters with existing PCOC cards will not be affected by this change. It is estimated that up to half of the boaters in Canada still do not have their PCOC card.
When your docking at Killarney Mountain Lodge this season newcomers Gord & Ginny Kerr will be your dock masters. Like Tom & Liz Morkin before them Gord & Ginny are world cruisers. Tom & Liz will be taking over the skipper duties aboard the lodges 46' charter sloop “Stormy Night”. Both couples will return to cruising at the end of the Georgian Bay boating season. If you have questions about cruising in far off regions of the world both these couples would be happy to talk with you. It is really interesting to know that there are still some people who are so incredibly adventurous left on our planet that they cruise the waters of the world for most of their adult life. What a fantastic way to experience life and the many different cultures of the world - I'm jealous!
Southern Georgian Bay is showing very low water levels now that the ice has vacated April 11th. There has been a fair amount of south winds that have pushed about 1.5 feet of water out of the southern regions of the Bay towards the north. When things settle back down and equalize the spring levels will still be about be down about a foot below last year. Last winter wasn't a very heavy snow winter but neither was the frost to deep, so a lot of the melt went right into the ground and never made it to the Bay as runoff. Georgian Bay won’t see peak water levels usually until the beginning to middle of June and spring rains could be factor that would help to gain back some of the loss. If the water levels stay down a foot or more and if we have a very hot dry summer it could make some of the waters and especially uncharted anchorages tricky to navigate.
Georgian Bay Islands National Park now offers rustic cabin rentals on Beausoleil Island. These are brand new cabins that have beds, table, chairs, lights and cooking gear (no running water in cabin).
COSMOS Yacht Charters was started in 2006 and operates out of the prestigious Bay Port Yachting Centre in Midland, Ontario. The yacht charter company offers a variety of cruise packages ranging from Sunset Cruises with gourmet dinner, wine and dessert to Week-Long (or longer) cruises to remote anchorages with interesting Ports of Call along the way.
Midland was chosen as the 
Many of you may have visited Topaz Lake. Most boaters on Georgian Bay may have heard about it at some point. Here is some background on this jewel of a lake located on the La Cloche mountain in Killarney Park. If you haven't been to Topaz Lake it is a must see and the journey down Baie Fine fjord is also spectacular.
The Evinrude family (the original owners of Evinrude Marine now owned by Bombardier) owns a cottage there and the family yacht during the summers would be located there. During the winters it could be seen in the Caribbean with it's full compliment of Evinrude outboard motors lined up on davits across the deck. It goes without saying – do not trespass on this private property.
You can access Topaz Lake by trail which has yellow blazes to follow. Topaz Lake is officially in Killarney Park. The trail from the Pool runs uphill about a mile to the lake. Topaz Lake is sometimes referred to the “lake on the mountain” and it is at a higher elevation than Georgian Bay. The deep lake is named for it's crystal clear Topaz coloured water. Prolific blueberries and the occasional bear can be seen around the lake. Topaz Lake can also be accessed via a trail which is part of the Killarney Park La Cloche Mountains Silhouette Trail, a rugged 100 km loop in the Park. There is also a Park campsite on the south shore of Topaz Lake.
Famous Canadian Group of Seven Painter Arthur Lismer painted this Lake in 1938 and the painting is titled "Bright Land". AY Jackson also painted in the area. These days your more likely to see cliff divers plunging into the clear aquamarine water. Topaz Lake is also listed as one of the top skinny dipping locations in North America. For most it would be a good idea to bring a bathing suit and some water. Pack out what you bring in. It’s postcard scenic beauty demands respect and visitors equate the experience of the Lake as Zen like on an emotional level ... and fortunately it is not commonly used as a party location - because it is so remote it is not crowded. People take pictures of the lake and cliffs and go about their business of swimming in the aqua water which is completely devoid of weeds and is as clear as the Caribbean on a still day.
Ever wonder about that breathtaking beautiful lighthouse that you pass going up the inland waterway at Pointe Au Baril north of Parry Sound. Early settlers placed a barrel on the rock point and set a kerosene lantern on top of the barrel as a beacon to mariners entering the inlet. Later they turned the barrel on it's side and put the lantern inside creating a range maker that could only be seen when facing the opening of the barrel. In 1889 the 35 foot high front range lighthouse was built with a heavy stone base. A one story lighthouse keepers dwelling was built beside it with connecting walkway. The lighthouse is square but the front range lantern room is six sided with a 43 foot focal plane displaying a red range light.
Still owned by the Canadian Coast Guard the white buildings with red roofs have the last lighthouse keeper and her husband offering tours during the summer months and they have a bakery and gift shop on site. Btw by now you probably realize Pointe Au Baril was named after the original light on the barrel and a replica barrel still stands today in front of the lighthouse on the rock point. Hence point with barrel - one of only a few towns named after their lighthouse. Current and historic postcard picture shown with story.
Sportsman Inn has opened a new spa across the channel from the main inn called Sportsmans Inn Island Spa. The full service spa offers facials, manicures, pedicures, waxing and massage therapy. Packages are available at the new facility. The spa has a great view of the Killarney harbour and the reflective glass allows clients to look out from the second floor while outsiders can’t see in.
The EPA is about to begin stakeholder hearings that will be the first stage leading to new clean boating regulations in the USA. The purpose of the initiative is to look at broad categories of boat discharges and determine management practices that would improve discharge into the waterways and oceans. The study and resulting requirements of which some or all recommendations could be mandatory and will address gray water, bilge water, antifouling paints, zincs, cleaning products, fishing waste and invasive species.
It seems the majority of boaters would appreciate and even pay for the ease of grabbing a mooring buoy rather than anchor with ground tackle in the many anchorages around the Georgian Bay Park islands. So it looks like the federal government was on to something when they implemented mooring fields in some of their marine park anchorages on coastal BC.
Frankly I'm kind of surprised by the results. I thought it would be fairly evenly split but the majority clearly favour some system of mooring buoys in Georgian Bay Park anchorages. When you think about it - it might be nice to pull into Frying Pan Bay, pick up a buoy and go for a swim in clear water undisturbed by anchors being set and unset all day long. I have noticed that in all the smaller harbours the water never really clears completely during the summer season as the considerable boat traffic coming and going from anchor is enough to cause at least some impairment of clarity in the water (NOTE: the underwater pic is summer mid afternoon in Frying Pan Bay). If mooring fields were to happen the preferred price point for maximum adoption as shown in the survey would be $10 per night. FOR FURTHER PROS & CONS OF MOORING FIELDS READ THE EDITORIAL ON THE "
Clean is not necessarily green. A few years back a thesis's study was done by a couple of doctorate students on marinas effect on Georgian Bay water from an environmental perspective. Surprisingly the samplings and testing over time for many factors brought the authors to the conclusion that the marinas in the sample size studied were not creating an appreciable affect on the environment. That is good news however Lake Huron and Georgian Bay are large bodies of water and it's easy to forget that declining water quality is something that happens very gradually and insidiously. We are blessed with one of the greatest water resources in the world and we should do everything we can to ensure that we sustain it as such for ourselves and future generations. Now that doesn't mean you sell the boat, car and move to a log cabin without electricity. It does mean that you do what you can that is reasonable and that you avoid contributing to a potential problem when other choices that do the job and don't cramp your lifestyle are available.
Lately there has been some very effective eco friendly cleaning products that have come into the market. Some are competitive in price. Best way to determine if they work is to use them after checking with other boaters as to their own experiences. I recently came across an eco certified product that was not marketed to the marine market per say that worked better at cleaning fiberglass stains than any other product I have ever tried. I contacted the manufacturer to see if they had considered white labeling the product for the marine industry. Turns out they were not interested and wanted to focus on building the brand strictly as household cleaner. It lead me on a quest though in the US and Canada to find a formula that worked very well and that could be certified eco friendly without costing an arm and a leg to produce. There were several other important qualities in addition to EcoLogo or Enviro Global certification in that the cleaner could not be a solvent based formula that would readily strip existing wax from the boat, it couldn’t be so abrasive that it would scratch the finish and last, but not least, it should be multi purpose ... because most boaters are tired of a dozen cleaners for every job including the inside jobs like galley and head cleaning.
So we found a product formula that meets all the criteria and the formula will be fully eco certified. It will be announced and on the market soon under the Boating Georgian Bay brand name as Seriously Great! - All Purpose Boat Cleaner. It will also be offered at a price that is very competitive with all the none eco rated products ... and in this case, profit is secondary to providing a good product that works without impacting the environment. We are trying to do our part and we hope this product will be the green choice for those that boat or live on the water that are looking for products friendly to the environment and THAT WORK BETTER than solvent and phosphate based products. So stay tuned.
This passed on from Loopers Jim & Nancy Tracey from Florida cruising their Albin 36. In the Sea of Cortez there is a beautiful anchorage on the Baja Peninsula called San Juanico. A cruiser shrine on the shore offered this hand painted wooden sign:
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is lengthening it's forecasting abilities from 36 hours out to 60 hours. NOAA is under the umbrella of the US National Weather Service and their forecasting maps - including weather radar ... show Georgian Bay. With the National Weather Service and National Ocean Service working together on one massive computer system, boaters will be able to access more weather information and for almost the double the forecast period. Now you will be able to look ahead accurately over a whole weekend. We have found NOAA's weather radar to be an especially valuable forecasting tool. Go to our WEATHER page to view NOAA weather radar over the Lake Huron/Georgian Bay Region. If you use all the resources on our weather page in concert, you can come to very reliable conclusions even with changing fronts etc. Be your local marinas weather expert by studying the BGB WEATHER page - once in the morning and once in the evening and we guarantee you will sleep better at night. BTW the Rogers Rocket Stick will work anywhere from Midland to Britt ... even in most of the most remote anchorages (Bone Island, Henrys, Moon River area, Port Rawson, Parry Sound, Porte Au Barrel, Britt anchorages by example), We take our laptop on every cruise and go online for weather and catch up on email.
The War of 1812 was a military conflict between the USA and the British Empire. In 1812 the USA declared war on Britain and their were many skirmishes in North America but for the most part the British adopted a defensive strategy repelling the US invasions in Upper Canada. In 1814 after the British defeat of Napoleon, Britain got aggressive with the US and even captured and burned Washington DC. There were also battles fought in south western Ontario and at one point the USA held territory in Ontario. A great book that provides the naval history side of the war is "Fighting Sail On Lake Huron and Georgian Bay" by Harry Gough. Penetanguishene did not see active combat but the British naval base was pivotal as a defensive strategic position to protect Upper Canada near the end of the war. It also was a convenient base that the British war ships could stand by at a distance consistent with the end of the war settlement with the US. Both sides indecently claimed victory in the war.
It has been illegal to possess live Bighead, Black and Silver Carp (broadly referred to as Asian Carp) since 2005. Asian Carp can survive long amounts of time out of the water. There is a ready Asian cultural market for the fish in Toronto and other city centres. A Markham fish importer Feng Yang was ordered to pay a $50,000. fine for importing 4,000 pounds of carp. It is the second time he was charged. In 2006 he paid a fine of $40,000. Two other loads have been stopped in 2011 already with charges pending. Carp are easy to catch, monstrous in size and profitable.
AGLCA has launched an online radio station for cruisers and Loopers seeking information on the Great Loop cruising adventure. Each episode will air on Fridays at 10am EST. Interested listeners can hear the broadcast on the 
We have just returned from the Miami Boat Show and it has been our favorite show to date. We only took in the last day of the show on the holiday Monday and we were surprised at how light the attendance was. Now maybe earlier in the week the show may have been packed but that last day when we compared to midweek Lauderdale was very lite. And for us that was good because we could easily walk on to any boat, the docks weren't jammed with people and folks at the booths could actually talk to you and quite frankly were anxious to find someone to talk to.
I always wanted to take a good look at the quality of a Bertram. We went on to the Bertram Island dock and were quickly registered. A salesman came out and asked us what we would like to see. We went aboard a beautiful 60 footer than didn’t look like it was solely outfitted for fishing. It was one of the smaller Bertram's at the show. The boat was sold and it was registered, so I assumed it was lightly used even though it looked pristine new. So we have a good look around and our host goes through all the boat features and answers a few questions. I did not know that Bertram has no coring below the waterline and their major competitor Viking does. I did not know the Bertram fuel tanks were all centre line of the hull for optimum handling. The Bertram boat drips understated quality and workmanship. So I popped the question - What's this yacht worth about 1.8 million? He pulls out his price schedule and says "actually about 3.6 million". To his credit he didn’t just blow me away and go searching for a more serious lead ... we talked for a while about kids and economy and he was a really nice guy who was not just focused on selling a boat to a qualified buyer. In my head, I vowed that if I ever won a lottery I would go back to that Bertram salesman.
This is hard work, days from shore, work that goes on around the clock in freezing temperatures while getting constantly drenched with salt water in waves that can be mountainous with massive steal cages flying around the decks.You think you can't get seasick because you crossed the Gulf Stream 40 times in rough weather - then think again, as almost all of those on board a crabber have tossed their cookies at some point and newbies can be so sick they have to be returned to port as they'd rather die than stay out on the water. So why do these "dangerous deckhands" do this work and live life on the edge? Well for one thing the pay is not bad when the catch is good and for another when you grow up on a boat in Alaska that's what you do, because that’s what you know that pays. If you don't have thick skin, stamina, agility, eyes in the back of your head and an appreciation for risk taking then you can't do this job. You also need to have your Last Will in order before you board ship because you are 66 times more likely to die crab fishing off Alaska than in the average in US job.
Some of the crew in the off season (including Russell) are out and about at events and raise some of the proceeds for charitable causes, and they are trying to get more organized in this regard.
Q/ What happens if you can't get back out to pick up the pods do all those crabs die or do they eat themselves?
I asked Russell some detailed questions about sea sickness but I can't remember all of it ... but essentially it goes something like this. Almost all people can be seasick and almost all people can get over it eventually. The ones that get over it quickly tend to survive and get used to it and the ones that take a long time want to die rather than continue on. There is only a very small percentage of humans that can never be sea sick and only a very small percentage that die from sea sickness even though most are sure they will die when they are very sick. A very small percentage might jump overboard and end it, if they could, rather than continue on.
These little appetizers are terrific for lounging around the sun deck with a chilled bottle of wine. You only use 2 six ounce lobster tails, but your guests will think that you have splurged.
The Bigwin Ferry was never on Georgian Bay. Never the less, most of our readers are boaters ... and the history of the boat provides great insight as to the importance of recovering and restoring classic boats and yachts to preserve our marine heritage. Bigwin ferry is the perfect example of how a community can come together and reclaim a valuable artifact of marine history that has become an important tourist attraction in the Muskoka region.
You cannot tell the story of the Bigwin ferry without understanding the bigger picture of Bigwin Island and it's place in society in the 1920's. Bigwin Island was host to the Bigwin Inn that opened in 1920. It was developed by a Huntsville businessman Charles Orlando Shaw. He founded Bigwin Inn Company in 1915 and went about hiring an architect by the name of John Wilson from Collingwood to design the resort. Construction took place mostly in winter when materials could be hauled across the ice by horse. The architectural design elements were a mix of Craftsman, Mediterranean, Tudor and Victorian. The buildings were connected with covered lit walkways and it blended very well with the natural shoreline environment. The hotel had 350 guest rooms, The main buildings were the 750 seat Indian Head Dining Room, the Dance Pavilion and the Rotunda. A nine hole golf course was added in 1922 and expanded to 18 holes in 1930. In the 1930's the smaller Marine Dining Room and the Tea House were built along with the ferry house which housed many boats that provided service to the island.
Bigwin Island was named after Chief John Bigwin and the indian burial grounds are preserved on the island to this day (although some graves were flooded when lake levels changed way back when dams were added to the lake chains for logging). During it's heyday in the 1930's the Bigwin Inn attracted the biggest name bands, stars, heads of state and royalty. Think Clark Gable, Ernest Hemingway, John D Rockefeller, Carole Lombard etc. It was "THE" place to go for a summer holiday and the rich and elite flocked from around the world.
The Bigwin ferry was first commissioned as steam ship for James Kuhn of Pittsburg PA in July of 1910. It was completed by Polson Iron Works in Toronto and was named Ella Mary after the owners wife. It was 42 tons and 66 feet in length and was used by the owner for transportation to his island called Belle Isle on Lake Muskoka. In 1925 the Kuhn’s lost the island and the boat was sold to the Lake Simcoe Navigation Company for $3500. It was moved to Lake of Bays - by rail to Huntsville and then towed and winched to it’s final home on South Portage lake in the Dorset area. Her name was changed to Bigwin and for the next 45 years she ferried tourists from Norway Point to the Bigwin Resort. She was left to rot when the resort ceased operating in 1966. It was stored for many years in the ferry house supported by cross beams with the bow, bridge and stern above the water. Over the years the boat was stripped of parts and fittings and eventually it sunk in it’s berth. In the 1990’s it was first thought that the boat would be scuttled in the lake but fortunately it was transported to the mainland in 1991 by volunteer firefighters where it was dry docked at a place on Hwy #60. Cheers to the volunteer firefighters!
A savior who cottaged in the area by the name of Jeff Gabura came to the rescue in 2000 and even though the formerly graceful lady was a wreck, Gabura had the insight of a wise man and was determined to see her sail again. Through a variety of fund raising and donations and hard work the Bigwin is now fully restored and sitting right in her berth along the wharf in the beautiful town of Dorset. It does not yet go out for tours but it may start 
There was a dramatic fire on January 6th 2011 at McCotters Marina in Beaufort County North Carolina. Three people were injured and twenty five boats were burned. Only a week before there was another marina fire in Florida where a boat was burnt to the waterline and sunk. Fires in marinas are an all to common occurrence. Usually the source is on unattended boats that have heaters left on, or sometimes electrical faults. More common lately in the recessionary economy, it has been insurance fraud. Most fires in marinas happen at night. Boats are docked so close together that fires spread very quickly and can rage out of control in minutes.
When you need help on the water even seconds can count. The Coast Guard will be on their way, but if you are on South East Georgian Bay and a member of Ontario Boating League - Dave Holding will also be on his way within seconds, day or night, 24/7, May 1st to October 31st. Nice to know someone's got back whether the call is life threatening serious, a sheared off prop, you've run out of fuel, snagged your anchor or perhaps run aground ... Dave will get you going or tow you to safety.
The Coast Guard does excellent rescue work, but it is also comforting to know when your in trouble that Dave is monitoring VHF 16 and has an emergency line to call. Just as important Dave knows the Bay like the back of his own hand and he can find you fast with his specially equipped rescue boats. When I moved my boat to Georgian Bay I acquired an OBL membership even before the boat arrived in Midland. Keep in mind that OBL will assist for any boating mishap, not just emergency Mayday situations. They also do underwater recovery services, boat training courses, boat inspections and operator cards. To contact the OBL call (705) 549 6500.
Boating Georgian Bay has a practical and important feature for the cruising boater. While various web sites have weather some information on Georgian Bay (if you want to hunt around for it) Boating Georgian Bay has many weather resources all from one page - making it a one stop source for those that want to be weather experts. 
This past few years a number of valuable finds of vintage wines have been discovered and retrieved from shipwrecks. The most publicized recovery of vintage wine was from a 1907 Swedish shipwreck Jonkoping, with 200 bottles of Heidsieck red wine from the Champagne district of France that was destined for the Russian Imperial family in 1916. This particular bottle was 300 years old and matured further for 91 years at the bottom of the sea. Bottles were auctioned at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Moscow and fetched up to $275,000. bottle. 
Although earlier ships had often had some form of bow ornamentation (e.g. the Viking ships of ca. A.D. 800-1100), the general practice was introduced with the galleons of the 16th century.
As with the stern ornamentation, the purpose of the figurehead was often to indicate the name of the ship in a non-literate society and demonstrate the wealth and might of the owner. At the height of the Baroque period, some ships of the line boasted gigantic figureheads, weighing several tons and sometimes twinned on both sides of the bowsprit.
This dish has many variations but it all got started with an African American Gullah (African Creole culture) from South Carolina that put it together. It became well known with it's use in the militia during the American Revolution. Richard Gay of the Gay Seafood Company also claims the invention of their variation called Frogman Stew (Richard was from Frogmore) about 50 years ago while serving with his fellow National Guardsmen. The Steamer Restaurant at Beaufort's Lady Island in South Carolina was the first restaurant known to offer the dish on a commercial menu. In any event a Low Country Boil is a delicious group event that you eat with your hands that is very popular in the Carolina’s and Georgia. Best shared on hot summer days with friends and cold beer on ice. This is our version of the Low Country Boil.
Are there ticks around Georgian Bay that could give you Lyme Disease? You bet-cha! While Lyme disease is most common along the rural north shore areas of Lake Ontario and Erie you can catch it anywhere in Ontario. It is spread by animals and migratory birds via infection from the Black Legged Tick. Basically the ticks wait on blades of grass and low shrubs waiting for a host to come along. If you doubt that tics have moved to central Ontario in greater numbers then check with any veterinarian as they are seeing a increase in pets that are coming in and being diagnosed with Lyme Disease.
The Bahamian Government has changed the fees for yachts cruising to or stationed in the Bahamas. The old entrance fee of $150 (35 feet & under) and $300 (35 feet & over) with up to four persons onboard is now and additional $20 for each person (over 6 years old) when there is more than three people on the boat. Departure tax has also increased from $15 to $20. If you reenter inside 90 days there is a $30 transportation fee payable to Customs. There is some confusion over the length of allowable stay with some Customs offices offering up to three months only and others offering up to six months without renewal. Check ahead based on where you are making landfall. It is likely that this will get sorted out quickly and six month cruising stays will universally available.
The Fort Lauderdale Boat Show featured over 3 billion dollars in yacht inventory. The largest vessel featured was "Cakewalk" a 281 foot 2950 ton yacht ... the largest built in the USA since the 1930's. Exhibitor contracts for the show were up. Exhibitors were selling some boats for a change, and there seems to be a consensus that folks are comfortable again about buying and the lead quality of traffic was higher than vendors have seen in years. Particular interest and sales were strong in the 30 – 60 foot range which is a sign that the middle class are getting back to business. Several reasons could be considered responsible for the positive shift towards yacht purchase interest.
What does this mean for Canada. Well ... our dollar has excellent purchasing power for US boats new or used. Canadians are feeling pretty good about how the country came through the recession with flying colours. In general there is pent up demand here as there is in the US and there are lots of folks with money that are doing just fine. If the US is feeling better about yacht purchases then as the saying goes "what goes around comes around".
Your at anchor in a secluded protected little bay and the sunset is to die for. Time to break out a bottle of wine from the ships wine cellar (a plastic bin with bubble wrap between the bottles stored in a cool dry bilge compartment will suffice). Here’s a suggested starter list of international wines to have on board that won’t break the bank but will impress fellow wine lovers. Cheers!
As of November 1st 2010 Service Canada will no longer offer the over the counter pleasure craft licenses. You have new options; the first is to go online at 
Ghosts Of The Bay is a guidebook to the history of Georgian Bay written by Russell Floren & Andrea Gutsche. The book comes with a full length companion video which is essentially a visual summary of the book. As a guidebook I did not have a high expectation of what was to come, but the book in fact is very well researched and written. This book is a must read if you want a fairly detailed account of the history, culture, commerce and characters of the area.
If you haven't been on the Favourite Anchorage page lately it's worth taking a look. We have added a number of new anchorages to the list of must visit places to drop the hook. We have also started taking Flip video of these anchorages and uploading them to You Tube so you can get an idea of what the harbour looks like. When we don't have our own video we try and find a link on You Tube to other posted video footage of the anchorage so that as you read about the location, you can get some perspective of the surroundings.
Parks Canada has contacted Boating Georgian Bay to round up power & sail boat representatives familiar with various aspects of Parks Canada - Georgian Bay Islands National Park to join a Focus Group who will be studying and discussing how the attributes and operations of the Georgian Bay Islands National Park could be applied to the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve in British Columbia. To this end Boating Georgian Bay along with three other individuals will relate their experiences from a boaters/cruisers perspective along with the opinions of other stakeholders during upcoming Focus Group sessions.
Did you know that Georgian Bay is Canada's only Fresh Water Eco Museum (the Georgian Bay Eco Museum)?
With the Georgian Bay Eco Museum, the common ground of a geographic boundary of water identifies the area. One additional component of the Georgian Bay Eco Museum incorporates the watersheds feeding into Georgian Bay.
The objective is to strengthen and improve the presentation of the region's culture and nature in order to provide the local people and the many guests to the area with the best possible experiences and possibilities. One could consider this eco area to be Ontario's equivalent to the Galapagos Islands with its own unique geography, history, flora and fauna.
Participants in Doral/Queens Cove first annual rendezvous by all accounts had a great time. The event started off with a meet and greet wine and cheese on the Saturday night August 7th and the boats departed Monday morning for Big Sound Marina in Parry Sound. A shore BBQ was supplied by Doral that night and the next morning the group departed for the Hopewell Bay anchorage. Hopewell Bay is a beautiful serene anchorage with good sand/clay holding and spectacular scenery. Swimming off the boats in near 80 degree water was great as was the exploring by dingy. Maureen from Carpe Diem came by and served excellent appetizers from a kayak.
The next day on the way up to Britt via the Bying Inlet the rendezvous group encountered some serious fog which eventually lifted as the flotilla entered the inlet. Most boats fueled up and pumped out at this stop. The Pickerel dinners at St Amant's Waterfront Inn were delicious. On Thursday the group headed south again for docking and more Pickerel at Henry's on Frying Pan Island. Canoe Passage on the way was interesting for the bigger boats. We did some dingy exploring and swimming from rocky islands while based at Henry's.
If you've ever thought about a second career after early retirement or if you have a lot of general boat experience maybe working on a private yacht would be up your alley. To be sure the crew are not guests on the boat - they are there to work ... and hard work it is. But if sea water runs in your veins and you can't afford your own yacht why not crew on someone else's. Most of the crew jobs are not high paying by professional standards, but if you like the lifestyle and want to see some beautiful parts of the world by water it may be worth investigating. 
Chicago locks are moving towards closure to stop the spread of the invasive Asian Carp. This could could have a major impact on Great Loop Cruisers and on all shipping up the waterway between Mississippi and Chicago. The Carp are a threat to the other fish species in Michigan and in fact in all the Great Lakes. A Carp Act Bill was put forward May 6th requesting immediate closure while they look for long term solutions. They have already tried electrical barriers in the waterway. The Governor of Illinois and many other politicians do not support this Bill because of the economic impact of the reduction in shipping and flood concerns with closing locks on an ongoing basis. Washington is not anxious to close the river either, but a number of Senators and neighboring States that could have there fisheries harmed do support the Bill.
The 'Witch of November" is an old saying that goes back to the 1800's when sailors believed in a literal sense that during the month of November witches would have there way with unsuspecting ships & crew and take them to their doom by creating gale force weather that gets conjured up very suddenly. So much so, that even experienced crew and well built ships got caught off guard and were not able to manage ... they would be overcome or run aground. The phrase applied to all the Great Lakes but especially Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay where commercial traffic by sail was frequent and the lakes very exposed to early winter storms that could come up quite unexpectedly due to shifts in the jet stream and clashes with cold air from the north and fronts from the south that just seem to commonly meet in the Lake Superior & Georgian Bay regions.
It's a good lesson though. If you go to our Shipwrecks page and study the table you will note that the vast majority of ships went down in November and early December. Captains were under immense pressure and pushed the limits to haul the last shipments of grain, that would otherwise not get to markets in the south. As was typical of the sailing ships, there was always a mixed bag of other things on board including cattle, consumer goods and passengers. Historically many lives were lost and their were not many to survive - even when ships ran aground close to shore. Because of the extremely cold water, many of the sailors and passenger bodies that perished never floated to to surface for recovery ... and that added to mystic. Stolen by witches!!! In warmer waters bodies naturally float up to the surface at some point - usually in spring as the water warms up.
Water levels throughout the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay have been a hot topic for a number of years now. In the Georgian Bay region the problems of low water can be more than an inconvenience. Low water levels cause real economic hardship and affect property values due to the fact that many areas are rock bottom and have marginal deep water access at the best of times. For marinas dredging is expensive and not practical when required on a large scale (and not that environmentally friendly either). In some cases dredging has been the only option to stay in business. However you can't dredge granite and many of the navigable passages are just that - pure granite or limestone base. Many are a calling for something to be done by holding back more water flowing from Huron down the St Clair River. Some studies have claimed that the river is scoured deeper over the years by an amount allowing 11% more water flow from Lake Huron. Other water volume studies indicate that from the historic measurements the water flow down the St Clair have increased only 5% from historic levels. One thing is for sure, I don't think they will be controlling water flow from Lake Huron down the St Clair anytime soon with all the major shipping and commerce going on. We're also not alone on the problem. Lake Ontario and in fact all the Great Lakes are suffering from low water problems with year to year variations. Even the Trent watershed had unusually low water levels this spring - the lowest in 20 years. Lake Ontario is down about 14 inches this spring but is expected to gain back 7 inches before summer evaporation begins in earnest. 
It's a sign of the times. As wealth grows in emerging manufacturing economies like India and China so does the individual wealth of entrepreneurs that search out expensive recreational leisure products like yachts. Accordingly India has opened it's first marina with the introduction of the 37 berth Kochi International Marina located in the south western state of Kerala for the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation. The marina can birth yachts up to 75 feet and offers full marine services. It is situated as part of the Bolgatty Palace Heritage Hotel. A number of yacht owners have already signed up for dock space.
Many boaters experience a pinkish tinge that shows up on their marine vinyl after a few years. Unless you can put up with pink spots on your vinyl for most the solution is replacement of the upholstery. Most boat owners think that these are wine stains, dye from bathing suits or someone is sabotaging their boat. Vinyl cleaners, magic eraser, upholstery cleaner, bathroom cleaners etc will not touch these stains. Most marina operators will try, but don't have a clue how to remove these stains. 
In Canada we came off in pretty good shape given the depth of the worldwide recession. Thanks to our natural resources and fiscally sound banks we weathered the recession as well as any country in the world. Our major trading partner is the US. America got clobbered in this recession and they are still reeling from the zero subprime meltdown, government debt and depressed real estate prices. The marine industry was also hit hard. Much of our boat accessories come from the US. National boat product retailers have dropped their prices on many items and sale pricing is the norm. In Canada we have a very strong dollar against the US currency and it is making boat products a bargain. This won't last forever as the US comes out of recession things are likely to fall back into line. So next time you see that trick boat product that you always wanted on sale snap it up because 2012 and beyond may be a different situation and the US dollar will rise along with inflation costs, prices and demand.
International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD) is a parodic holiday created in 1996 by John Baur (Ol' Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap'n Slappy), of Albany, Oregon, U.S., who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like a pirate. 
Rainy day ... nothing to do? Take a trip into Bay Street Books in downtown Midland and browse their collection of over 3,000 used nautical books, magazines and charts (they clam the largest selection in Simcoe County). The store is just off the main King St. drag at 483 Bay St. There have a lot of naval history and detailed books on seamanship. I suppose because they are in a historic shipping port and surrounded by many other shipping ports they get a lot of retired captains and marine stuff passed down from families that gets turned in. I picked up three charts including one out of print chart of the whole Lake Huron, Georgian Bay & North Channel for $15. They also have other books of course that are not nautical themed. They can be reached at (705) 526 0362.
No ... "loopers" are not sailors who have been into the rum. They are cruisers following the America's Great Loop waterway adventure from various starting points along the continuous route that includes Trent Severn Waterways on both sides of Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay, Lake Michigan, south from Chicago down the Mississippi and around Florida and back up the inter-coastal east coast waterway through the Chesapeake, out the Delaware, up to New York and then back to Lake Ontario to Oswego via the Hudson River & Erie Barge Canal.