Yes it sounds like a sneeze but it is a lovely town deep inside Penetang Bay where we have stopped to spend the day.
We departed Midland where I spent the kids inheritance and steered one bay over to this nice little town where everything is so handy. The only problem is that the advertised WIFI does not exist so we went to the library and theirs was less than worthless. I continue to write blog entries but cannot publish or add pictures so my readers fall further behind. But sooner or later I will get them all to you and you will have some bedtime reading.
There was a nice sized yacht already parked when we got here and six guys aboard were sitting out at a picnic table enjoying adult beverages. This they did for the rest of the afternoon and when we ran into them at dinner they were in fine spirits and we had a good conversation. One of them fell asleep at the table. He is the last guy on the right and they woke him up to take the picture. The owner is first on the right and his captain is middle left. Not sure what he does to blow several million on that ship and haul his entourage around but I like it.
Tomorrow we will point north toward the 30,000 Islands that were formed when some giant Huron Indian was angry and threw a handful of rocks into the bay. That is why the place is loaded with uncharted submerged rocks to this day. At least that is what it said on this statue.
We have finally made contact with Seabiscuit and they are less than 25 miles away. All boats in the area seem headed for Honey Harbor so there should be a reunion soon.
7/20/12- We decided to hang around Penetanguishene long enough to visit the Discovery Center at the headlands of the peninsula. This was the location of both a naval and military base for the British in the early 19th century. There are two restored ships here and many buildings with interpretive costumed people hosting each area. You can see much of what it must have been like. We even watched them make a rhubarb pie over an open hearth. I would not eat that stuff but they really seem to like it up here.
Here is the mystery plant of the day. Jan knew what it was right away. Let’s see if any of you are up to date on your botany. If we find one that is not in a park I will buy it and Jan will cook it. If I can obtain some seeds perhaps Dr. Bell will attempt to grow it in his garden.
After our tour we went back aboard for lunch and then shoved off in a brisk wind. The trip up to Honey Harbor was mostly uneventful though the guidebooks make you think you could crash at any moment.
As we neared the turn for South Bay Cove we were uncertain as to how we might enter since the charts showed less than 3 feet of water anywhere. As we pondered what to do a dinghy came roaring up and shouted. I did a double take. It was Dean and Beth from Kismet and they were laughing at us. They offered to lead us in through a privately marked channel and we ended up at one of the nicest marinas we have ever found. A thoroughly modern facility with female attendants catching lines and offering to take care of everything. They were the most efficient dock personnel we have seen.
Our slip was two down from old Seabiscuit and on the other side was Brown Eyed Girl fresh from the repair yard and Kismet plus Passport. We decided to all have dinner at the gourmet restaurant with gourmet prices.
They have a coffee bar open to boaters from 7-11 am and deliver a newspaper to the boat every morning. Golf carts run up and down the dock and ice is free. They will even deliver it!
The dinner for 10 was excellent. I started to order the duck but was afraid it would not match up to my standards so I had chow mien. Bill had the duck and said it was very moist and tender. I keep missing my chance.
7/21/12- A morning of put off chores. We pulled all of the chain and rope out of the anchor locker, all 350 feet of it to clean the locker and desalinated the chain with a Kool-Aid bath. Our last pack of Invisible Kool-Aid wouldn’t you know. This time I had Jan to sit and hold that hatch over the bed so I did not knock my brains out again. I did later catch my right hand between a 40 lb anchor and a fiberglass edge and was lucky it was more crush and less cut so very little blood. It is all pooled under the skin and hurt like the dickens.
Jan rinsed the boat while I prepped the dinghy for a trip to the farmer’s market at another marina. The engine fired right up after sitting since Half Moon Bay when Alex was here.
A caravan of four dinghies set out for lunch and vegetable shopping. We were the slowest because our motor is the smallest. A 3.3hp compared to 9.9 and up for the rest. Naturally most Canadians have no idea what a NO WAKE zone is and we bounced around a good bit but had fun. We would enjoy lunch and return with tomatoes, corn, cherry jam and cheese bread that smells wonderful.
Tonight we are planning a cookout on the grills here with roasted corn and everyone brings their own meat. We are having steaks.
Yesterday Jenny, the brown eyed girl herself, fell on the dock. I turned to look and fell myself. Apparently where they constantly run these golf carts over the metal plates between sections of wood it has worn off the anti skid covering and is as slick as a cat’s behind. I am consulting my barrister, Mr. Rumpole, even as we speak.
Postscript for Alex. Today as we returned by dinghy we passed a small ski boat just sitting in the water with a blonde lady sitting in the bow and two men in the back. Nothing unusual except the lady was bare chested! Sorry I could not get to my camera as she would have made a fine figurehead on a ship’s prow.
