Anchored in Big Tub Bay, Tobermory!

On our last evening in Goderich, we checked all of our various sources of weather information (the weather channel on VHF, general weather websites and websites with wind and wave height info). For the following two days, wind would be coming from the south and wave height would be modest to manageable. On Monday, winds would be light; on Tuesday, winds and wave height would build until mid-day and then decrease. It sounded like a go to us. The next day we set out, bypassed Kincardine and went straight to Port Elgin (some motoring, some sailing - 57 nm); on Tuesday, we motor-sailed to the top of the Bruce Peninsula, around the tip, through the Hurd Straight and into Tobermory where we anchored in Big Tub Bay for the night (56 nm). I can remember the days when a marathon sailing day for me was 40 nm: 56 and 57 nm may not sound like much but by sailboat it's a more than respectable distance to travel in a day.

Looking back as we round the corner into Big Tub Bay.
Here at last!

We've phoned into the marina at Tobermory. They're full - likely due to poor weather predicted for today. We're happy to hang on the hook for another night as we're well protected in this long and narrow bay - the scenery is pleasant - in spite of tour boats passing by to the site of an underground wreck at the end of the bay - and we're enjoying the fresh smell of evergreens on each side of the water. This afternoon we'll take our dinghies into town (weather permitting!), have a look around and talk about our plans for the next few days. The Goodyears are going into the North Channel for a week or so. We intend to start south into the Thirty Thousand Islands of Georgian Bay. As part of our "wintering over" package, we have the use of a dock at the Beacon Cove Marina in Penetanguishene and we'll be meeting our kids there in a couple of weeks.

Goderich

Karen and city planted flower triangle sitting in the middle of a Goderich residential street.

 Our last night in Bayfield, we not only discussed how far we would go the following day, but would we leave at all. Yesterday was predicted to be sunny with moderate NW winds. The problem was wave height - 1 to 1 1/2 metres. We paused to convert that into feet - kinda high! We resolved to start out for Goderich, about 10 miles north, and if the conditions were more favourable than predicted (better wind direction, smaller waves), we would keep going the 40 miles to our preferred destination, Kincardine.

When we started out, it immediately became clear that the ride was too uncomfortable to continue for 40 miles - Goderich it would be. Bob called the Goodyears on the VHF and asked them whether or not they thought we should continue to Kindardine. "We want to stop at Goderich," said Warren. Bob had a smile a mile wide on his face when he asked Warren, "Did you say that you want to keep going?" "No," said Warren - now in a definite very articulated voice "We do not want to keep going". "Oh," Bob went on, "I'm kind of tempted to go on. You get used to the wave action - it kind of lulls you to sleep."  There was no reply to that. Then it was back to channel 16 for both. (For the non boaters, channel 16 is the calling channel. Conversations are conducted on other channels.) A few minutes later, we heard Karen calling us. Bob switched up one to 17 as requested and the conversation continued,  "We don't want to hold you back," said Karen, "It's OK with us if you keep going but we won't be going on."  "No," said Bob, reverting to one of his favourite lines when teasing, "we'll be going to Goderich too, but Carole, she's kind of tempted to keep going."

As pretty as Bayfield is, we're glad to be in Goderich. We've cut 2 hours off the "jump" to Kincardine and there's lots to do here - a town centre within walking distance where there's a farmer's market on Saturday, a great used book store, a good meat shop and a place for Bob and Warren to get their hair cut. Maitland Valley marina, where we're staying, is a well protected oasis of calm. The sailors and cruisers on the dock have been exceptionally welcoming and friendly and are a great source of information about the lake and the North Channel. Yesterday afternoon we borrowed the 2007 Suburban truck available for visitors. If no one else is using it, they give you the keys and off you go. Warren and Karen took the Suburban this morning to attend the Sunday Fireman's Breakfast. This afternoon we're to going to the Sunday flea market and then, following a tour pamphlet, we'll go walk around to see historic homes and buildings. Goderich is an attractively designed and vibrant town.

We came up the river on the right to get to the marina; the Sifto Salt Plant is on the left.

About now - what we've learned about Lake Huron: the prevailing winds are from the NW. How did we not know this? Waves are at their highest on the east side of the lake (where we are): they build as the west winds move across the lake. Since we're going north, frequent north winds are not advantageous, to say the least, but more significantly, winds out of the west have translated into lumpy seas. When we were sitting at picnic tables lined up for dinner last night and visiting with resident boaters, one of them told us that on Lake Huron, we wouldn't see the calm seas with the fair winds that we sometimes experience on Lake Ontario.  (Oh ---- well, that puts a different light on things and will have to be factored into our decisions hence forth!)

Tomorrow we set out again - to Kincardine - I think.  ;-)

Lake Huron Sailing

The beach near our boat. Lake Huron's water is a lovely blue.

At the Sarnia Yacht Club we sat down with the Goodyears to discuss the next day's destination. 32 miles would bring us to Grand Bend; 45, to Bayfield. Later when Bob went to have a shower, he talked to someone who used to belong to the Grand Bend Yacht Club (the only place to stay there). The water is usually shallow, he told Bob, and is too often less than the 6 feet they claim. Since our keel is 5'10", that wasn't encouraging news. The recommendation was to go to Bayfield - "a straight shot" from Sarnia. So even though we'd had a rather long and tiring day the day before, Bob and I decided that it was best to go the 45nm to Bayfield - weather permitting. We weren't sure if the Goodyears would want to go so far so soon but we offered to wait at Bayfield for them if they wanted to do the shorter sail.

It was fairly bumpy out there but a NW wind from 15 to 20 knots allowed us to sail and make good time for the first few hours until it dwindled and then died. Karen and Warren had decided to follow and so joined us in another less than comfortable sail. The going was easier than on the day we left Put-In-Bay but, even so, I have to say that 8 hours of being tossed around is tiring and leaves us worn out. Is it our age? Couldn't be!


Our reward for making the longer sail was arriving in beautiful Bayfield. I think that this is one of the nicest ports that we've been in anywhere. The marina's river location is picturesque and peaceful and the main street of the village, which is a short walk from our boat, is wide and lined with tall old growth trees. There are quaint little stores and good restaurants - many just a little "unique". There's also a quite beautiful sandy beach just around the corner from where we're docked. We've staying for two nights and we'll definitely stop on our way back in 2015.


Not sure how far we'll go tomorrow. It all depends on what it's like when we get "out there".