Bonus!

Living on the hard continues. We are the nearest boat to the clubhouse and washrooms - bonus!  Mark helps Harald install our new water pump - so very quiet.  Now the first one up can make coffee without disturbing the other - bonus! The hole does not need to be cut in the aft cabin - bonus!

Jim makes the necessary repairs and willingly crawls into the cockpit locker to reinstall the auto helm pieces.  He is also there when the boat is raised, ready to reinstall the centreboard.  No banging this year - bonus!

Our suppers are prepared in the clubhouse, with at least four or five other “boats”. Funny how we maneuver around each other in the kitchen, sharing if needed. “Oh, darn. I forgot the ginger.” “That’s ok. I have some.”  Bonus!

Dinner conversation is all about our day’s work or repairs and our upcoming launch and travel plans.  Nobody stays up very late. There is more to do tomorrow.

The weekend will be our last time until the fall to enjoy dinners and visits. It’s our honour to be present to celebrate with Mike on his birthday and so appreciated the BBQd chicken dinner provided by Craig, as a thank you to all of us for our assistance and shared knowledge. We all raise our glasses to each other. A special night as tomorrow we will be leaving for places north and east.

Departure day begins wet and foggy.  Mark left before 6am.  We are all rooting for him, hoping he makes it to Labrador this year, but also have our concerns as he sails solo to parts unknown.  We are in no rush as our first stop is at Knight’s Island, just 11nm out the bay.  We have showers, fill our spare water jug and make sure we have everything from the car.  Kinden’s Bakery is the perfect lunch spot, next to the marina and the Montreal smoked meat sandwich is delicious.

Ann is there to see us off at 3:50pm - bonus. We motor all the way as the little wind there is, is on our nose.   It is a bit foggy so Harald checks the AIS.  There are three freighters anchored in the vicinity but clear of our path.

By 6:00 we are in the Western Harbour where we find the three mooring balls belonging to the yacht club.  Mooring balls are not something we are very familiar with, having only used one once in Ontario.  After some fun trying to position the boat at the actual ball, Harald reaches the metal loop on top of the ball with the boat hook, but then he can’t get it out!  Almost an hour has passed after we successfully anchor instead.  It is a narrow harbour so are thankful we are alone.  (Also so nobody had to watch the spectacle of us trying to secure the boat.  Bonus. We did have a good laugh.)

I prepare pasta with zucchini, tomatoes and feta cheese while Harald lowers the dinghy and rows over to retrieve our docking hook.  We know it’s our first night out - there’s always “something” at our first anchorage.

We do not bother putting up the enclosure as we plan to leave in the morning.  There is still a north wind blowing so we install the boards in the companion way and head to bed.

The cruise has begun early - bonus!

P.S. We get word that Mark has arrived in La Scie - 60 nautical miles his first day. Cheers to Mark - double bonus!