The Clausen's Boating
2004 E-mails

WELCOME ABOARD

The Summer of 2004
We do a 2400+ mile cruise, traveling across four of the Great Lakes.

Summer of: 2004

Thursday 6/10/04,

MV Summer School left Winter Harbor this AM and did one lock on the Erie Canal then 8 on the Oswego River to end on Lake Ontario, the weather is a bit overcast and 57 degrees, yesterday it was 95 and humid...
I called Colin my Canadian boating friend to find out where he ended up, as he was "stuck" in Petersboro CN when bringing his boat down from Lake Simco because of high water on the Trent Severn waterway. Well Colin was headed to Niagara on the Lake, so we decided to head for him and skip Sodus, NY. We got as far as Oak Orchard, NY about 40-45 miles away, and did about 1/2 of the lake Ontario's width. We were running out of daylight and Marinas close @ 5.00PM, also Canadian Customs prefers business hours, and "Niagara on the Lake" is in Canada just down from the falls. The weather today was pleasant 1-3 foot seas, dropping to 1-2 later in the day. And guess what! We all saw a mirage, we all saw what looked like a crop of clam bed markers in the water with birds sitting on them in about the 35' depth contour line offshore and out 3 miles, but when we tried to cut inland of it , it just disappeared. Yes it shimmered, very cool. Not the Green Flash but a very good second. Jim Clausen

6/11/04 Niagara on the Lake, Canada
We got up @ 4:25AM to have breakfast and then run West 45 miles to Niagara on the Lake. The seas were forecast a bit higher today and we wanted to get out and in before the lake had a chance to build, yes we were up before the sun and watched it rise on lake Ontario. Well, Colin and Judi and here, and I cough Colin just getting up, he scrambled to get dressed and he helped us to dock. We should be here for 2 day during which we will ride the jet boats that do the Niagara rapids, they are docked just 100 feet away from us, the plan is also to rent a car see the falls again. The Vintage Inn is here, it is a AAA 4 diamond award restaurant so Patti and I have no choice but to have dinner there.
We are preparing for the Welland Canal, our passage from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie on Sunday or Monday. Passage is from 7 to 14 hours for the 26 mile canal, that's once you are in the system, they do not make their money on pleasure boaters and we may have to wait up to 12 hour for a "slot" to transit. We also need to supply two 80' lines and pay $20 per lock x 8 locks, CN or US $ are par in the canal so we will exchange our US for CN $ here before entering. Due to the turbulence in the locks, boats under 20', or under one ton, are not permitted. Jc

6/11-12/04 Niagara on the Lake, Lake Ontario Canada
Well, we had dinner at a 4 diamond restaurant, and a nice visit breakfast with Colin and Judi, and met Colin's dad and step mom, and their friends Sherry and Ron.
Patti the kids and I went jet boating on the Niagara Rivers rapids, very cool. Then there is the Shaw Festival which the town is famous for, so Patti and I went to see Pigmalion, Bernard Shaw's 1912 comedy, which was made into My Fair Lady. Very Cool again. And in the evening Patti took the kids to to see the falls. Very cool and quiet time for me.
6/13/04 Sunday, a Travel Day, Welland Canal, between Lakes Ontario and Erie, it only took 7 hours to pass between the Lakes, no the horror show at all. Piece of cake. Jc

6/14/04 Port Colborne, Lake Erie CN
When you can't see a 13 story grain Elevator from 300' away that a 5 star fog, and that's exactly what we have today. There are days that we would travel in a fog like this, but we are in no need to get anywhere this early in the trip, and the risk vs reward is too great to try. Monyana, (tomorrow) is good enough for me. Time to catch up on a bit of boat work and maintenance.
Perhaps Ashtabula, OH on Tuesday, and Sandusky, OH on Wednesday if all goes well. Jc

OK, here's a quickie of a quiz question, ready? How many states touch Lake Erie? No cheating now.
The weather was wonderful, just a light overcast to keep the sun from really making it unbearable, and small seas, 1-2 foot. So we did our 107 mile trip in record time! All systems A-OK. The bridge behind us opens every 1/2 hour and has this siren thingie that I want to send to "Fun Spot." Bart could think up a use for it. Not much to say but all's well, we checked in @ INS and Customs, they have a local reporting phone, and I suspect a camera on the phone booth. The quiz answer is below.

There are four states on Lake Erie, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, AND Michigan.
And by the way, just FYI, Ashtabula is in Ohio. Jc

Wednesday finds us in Vermilion, a beautiful town for a boater, if there a heaven for boaters this might be it. We had Diesel fuel under the Starboard engine, it was dripping down the inboard side and from the front. So I got out the tools and called the Diesel mechanic, my skills are good when there's no one else, but when the Diesel mechanic in 100 yards away and can come right over, I know who's going to do the job. We had the injectors changed out in the beginning of the season, 12 of them with 12 injector pump connections, 12 high pressure connections and 14 return line connections, along with the seating of the 12 injectors. Well, #1 high pressure connection on the Starboard engine was 1/6 of a turn loose, and that fixed it, and were on the road again in 25 minutes.
Cedar Point, Ohio - Thursday the 17th.
Home of the most roller coasters in the world. We're at the Cedar Point Marina, and the gate is 1/8 of a mile away. WOW. Plenty of slips, great food and the boat next to us said "this is the first nice day this year" so we're right where we should be. Patti and the kids went, I'm here in the marina, "life is great" tm John Arie. This is the Western end of Lake Erie, and we should start heading north, to pass by "Put-In-Bay," on south bass island, where Perry beat the British Navy. Then to Detroit, Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron.

No "great" distance runs, just pleasent cruising, while the kids are usually good, I don't believe I've ever seen them so good as this morning, they did not not want anything to queer their day at Cedar Point. Smiles were everywhere when they came back for lunch onboard. The park closes @ 10 PM, I'll expect them back around then. I gave credit to uncle Tom Pirro for them being able to go here today. Jc

We did the Welland a few days back, it took 7 hours and was not a problem in any way. I have heard and read of 7 to 14 hour passages and numerous problems. We encounter none of that. Also we had our 80' lines all ready but they no longer require that you supply your own lines, they drop them to you. You will want gloves thought, their lines are polypropylene and burn your hands. We used two sets of our heavy dishwashing gloves. Passage was $20 per lock X (8) locks Canadian or American $ payable @ lock #3. And yes you really need three people to handle the boat, our 4 children were allowed to handle the lines for us. No, the wearing of life jackets was not strictly inforced except by us. We ended @ Port Colburne on Lake Erie, a very friendly town and @ a dollar Canadian a foot for dockage power and hydro, and then deduct 25% for a Boat US discount and that's real deal, they even drive you around town to the market and restaurants @ N/C, just tip the driver. Fuel prices in Canada are about $3.50 a gallon for diesel after all the conversions. We had Canadian Customs visit our boat once a days in the last 4 days checking that we properly checked in. Be prepared. Don't cheat, do it right. 1-888-CAN-PASS is easy and quick. Anyone coming this way can feel free to E-mail us about Clearing Customs and INS and fuel prices, as we have recrossed into the US for fuel.
PS: The season hasn't really started up here yet.

Captain Jim Clausen
Orlando FL



6/19-20/04

Well, we don't belong here, but in many ways we do...

First this is not us, but boy is it nice. Here's the story, we were at Cedar Point, Ohio and had the docking lines singled up and were ready to leave. And the man across the finger pier that I had spoken to the day before says, "Were are you heading to today?" I say Detroit Yacht Club, being in the Great Lakes Cruising Club we are a reciprocal with them and they are allowing us into the club for the night. He says "You can do better than that" why don't you stay ay the Gross Point Yacht Club? I say, I don't know anyone at the Gross Point Yacht Club. He say "you know me." And he proceed to give me his card and tells about the clubs new 6 million dollar pool, and tells me to call Alex the dockmaster and to have him put us into his slip. I'm stunned, and thank, who I find is Sam M. (Last name omitted for a reason) And we leave. Well, we've been here two nights and the kids love the pool, we love the restaurant, 90% of the members are boaters and we get along just fine, 10% are too good for each other and we avoid them.
And now just FYI. Gross Point is one of the Wealthiest Communities in the entire United States, and that how its been since the age of the auto. Think Edison, Ford, and the Fishers, of body by Fisher, and an assortment of CEO's. This is not a place for sightseers, the city parks are private and are fenced in. If you don't live here, do not enter. Signs at the entrance of the city state, "Transients not Welcome." Need a Taxi? They must be called in from Detroit!
But, here we are @ 6:30 AM, the magic is almost over. We head north for Lake Huron today, it went down to 53 degrees overnight, and we, that is Karyn and Laura, are cleaning may fly's off of the boat, all of the boats and docks are just covered with them. We must have had over a thousand on the boat. We mad good time and did a fuel stop in Port Huron, Diesel @ $1.58 a gallon a new low price on the trip! Then onto the Lake Huron, Take your left hand and turn it so the back of it faces you and keep your fingers together, that's Michigan, were on the left of the thumb nail @ Harbor Beach. The Lake was perfect, winds 10 to 15 mph, waves 1 foot or less, cool, but clear and dry. Very pleasant.
Father's Day and the RI Air show today, enjoy it. Jc




6/20/04 - 6/23/04 Ramblin' On
Jean, We've taken the port book and the chartbook for each lake and made notations on them as to where there was diesel fuel, and if they had dockage for us, length and depth. We then translated that to the chart so we had a quick and mostly accurate foul weather hidie hole resource. We plan on about 100 miles a day. Sometime we get farther, some time a bit less. We have no pre planned list of ports this year, Patti wanted to "wing it." When multiple choices for fuel exist at a port, we call and price them, Port Huron was $1.84 at the seawall before the bridges, but just inside two "open on demand" bridges it was $1.58, this adds up when you have 418 gallons of fuel on board and you burn .72 gallons per mile. On Lake Huron we are now heading almost due north, The Lake temperature was 55 degrees as we entered Lake Huron, and it has dropped to 52 degrees here in Harbor Beach some 63 miles due North, which by the was is the largest man made harbor on the Great Lakes.
The digital air system has switched seamlessly from AC to heat pump mode last night.
Tom and Doris, please tell John that our forward bilge is still dry! This is the first time in 4 years that we are without water there. Bravo! If Jeff still has the old injectors I would like to keep them as spares for the boat. Is "Bob Smith from Guardian Angel" at your place? No Piston Signs on the Detroit River.
6/23/04 Alpena, MI
Across the thumb and up onto the mitten, nice run Patti and I had the gaul to say to each other that we have been having GREAT weather. Knock on the Wooden Steering wheel, I hope it lasts. Alpena even shows up on the weather channel map, were in a big town today. They had their harbor feast yesterday, they had two boat come into the marina for it. Yes, two. To date they are down 90 slip rentals over last year. We got lunch at the Owl Restaurant, and saw the Terminal with Tom Hanks in the local theater. Then came back and did boat maintenance, batteries, oil and a good look around. Patti and the kids did the walk to the Dairy Queen, and found a tame bunny, which they left thank you.

6/24/04 Drummond Island, The last British Possession (Canadian) turned over to the US when the border was established.
The trip up was again pleasant until we go about 15 miles away, we were following a laker, (lakers are what you call the big ships up here, built to exactly fit into the locks) we spotted on the horizon doing the same course as us. I put the radar on her and we were gaining, of course! We came up to a mile behind her and then the seas and wind built, we were 15 miles out of protected waters and they went from a pleasant 10 to 15 mph wind to 17 to 22. (White caps start at about 17) so the spray started and it was sheeting the whole bow and bridge of the boat, no speed adjustment was helping to reduce it, that a lot of water hitting 14 feet off the surface, now add that the water temperature was down to 43 degrees, so we're talking COLD sheets of flying water and low visibility. Low visibility means we have to have more eyes on the water so we don't run into a, "just floating tree" and ruin our whole day, or more precisely at these water temperatures our lives.
We'll we got in with no damage and buy using Patti's charts and the Karen's electronic C-map charts picked our way into the North side of Drummond. And here we sit in Drummond Yacht Harbor, I missed commin' here the last time we cruised by. We are still technically in Lake Huron, but more accurately we are in The North Channel, this along with Georgian Bay, and its 30,000 Islands, are GODS COUNTRY to the cruiser, a destination to match British Columbia in all respects save this is fresh water, and there is a bottom that you can anchor to. Drummond Island actually should have been Canadian, but when surveying the border, Ben Franklin got his Canadian counter part drunk and arranged with the captain to pass by during the night and did a bit of chart doctoring. Hence, Drummond is a US Island. We rented a car at the Marina, $7 a day. Good choice Patti, bikes were $35. a day and $7. an hour. We had an excellent lunch @ L&M Bait and Tackle/The Gourmet Galley. I kid you not. They had and excellent menu, and finally there is a great selection of food to buy.
We are just a shot hop to the SOO, as locals call it, Sault Ste. Marie on the maps, and Lake Superior lies just past the locks, this years goal. As they say, SOO today Superior tomorrow. Pretty bad eh?

6/25/04 - 6:17 AM and it's 43 degrees, so much for an early start...
Well, we're still at the SOO, I had hoped to check the weather and make an early run before the predicted afternoon showers, but 43 degrees, I think not, so we all went back to sleep.
Well at 8:30 the temperature rose to a balmy 50 degrees and the weather radio had no small craft advisories on Lake Superior so we went for it, 93 miles of it that is. Patti was talking to one of the local ladies and she was speaking of Whitefish Bay as if it was not part of Lake Superior. I begged to differ with Patti when she told me about it. But after crossing Whitefish Bay, over 40 miles from the SOO to Whitefish Point, I have to agree with the locals. Completely different weather, and a completely different feel. It was good we left later in the day as the Lake settled down in the early afternoon just before the shower. Winds were about 10 mph, if they rose today we would have been in for a wild ride as we were heading into the wind. And the water is a freezing 38 degrees! Yes, 38 degrees.
We made Grand Marais, MI about 2:30 PM, deep water docks, gas and diesel, a pump out, lots of room to anchor out, 3 restaurants, and two grocery stores. A very nice town. We even saw Rob Meli's twin. Yip Yip YOUPER.
There have only been 10 to 12 boats here so far for the season, mostly in the last 7 to 10 days, BIG SURPRISE. Grand Marais, MI, worth the stop.

Ready for your first real quiz of the season?

In what city and on which Great Lake hosts the Coast Guards largest station?
One point for the city, one point for the lake.

Which Great Lake is the deepest?
One point for the answer.

If you took the water held in this one Great Lake was spread across all of the United States evenly, how deep of a pool of water would it make?
Two points for the answer.

What was the cargo of the Edmund Fitzgerald?
Two points for the answer.

The Great Lakes are all charted as to their depths, but they are lakes and their depths depend on snow, rainfall, etc. Therefore their depths are constantly changing. To accurately plot the depths of the lakes, hydrographers from the US and Canada chose a "plane of reference" in 1985 and established a "low water datum" to which the charts are accurate. Charts of the Great Lakes often also include a monthly graph showing the typical high, average, and extreme low water levels. The local marine forecasts often include the daily water levels. With that said, what is the agreed low water datum for Lake Superior? (how high is it above sea level) for one point.

We are presently in Houghton County Marina, in Hancock on the Kewee-naw Peninsula, Michigan. How far did we travel to get here is worth 2 points, the closest answer gets all of the points. Any exact answer wins a boat of you're own!

The quiz ends in about two days or when we find another phone line.
Prizes to the winner?
Of course!

Enjoy, Jim Clausen

6/30/04 - Bayfield Wisconsin,
"The Apostle Islands National Seashore"

Well, this is as far as I had hoped to get this year. We could go another 50 or so miles and get into Minnesota, but who would believe that you could get a boat this size to Minnesota? It hard enough to believe that were at the very top of Wisconsin, except when we are in the restaurants, where cheese dishes rule. Bayfield is for sailors, and its just beautiful water for sailboats, the weather has gotten into the 70's during the day, and there is only surface fog offshore beginning at about 12 or so miles, we ran through 60 miles of this on the way here using radar, a C-map chart plotter and three sets of eyes looking forward. So life here is good, we had though about spending a night at Madeline Island just across the way but, we're in the lee here and if we moved to Madeline Island we would be unprotected by the bluff just above the marina. (The wind was in gusts up to 30 mph today, seas 2-3 feet.)
7/1/04 Canada Day, We're 120 miles back to the East, of Bayfield, the weather was just mill pond flat, so we decided to go while the going was good. Just a beautiful crossing.

We plan to be back at the SOO on July 4th, not a firm date but still a hopeful one.

Captain Jim Clausen
Orlando Fl 32819

Here are the answers to the first quiz.
The winner, Pat Osterhout! Nice Job.

In what city and on which Great Lake hosts the Coast Guards largest station?
Sault Ste Marie, Lake Superior.
But since the station is on the St. Mary's River just East of the locks, I would have taken, Lake Huron also.

Which Great Lake is the deepest?
Lake Superior, @ 1,279 feet.

If you took the water held in this one Great Lake was spread across all of the United States evenly, how deep of a pool of water would it make?
Five feet deep. The lake hold three quadrillion gallons, that 10% of the world fresh water. Just a side note, aliens will arrive here in 2007 and trade technology for all the water in Lake Superior, it will take 199 years for the lake to again reach the level it is at today.

What was the cargo of the Edmund Fitzgerald?
Taconite pellets, they are about the size of a nickel, rose colored and roundish, they are processed 30% pure iron ore.

The Great Lakes are all charted as to their depths, but they are lakes and their depths depend on snow, rainfall, etc. Therefore their depths are constantly changing. To accurately plot the depths of the lakes, hydrographers from the US and Canada chose a "plane of reference" in 1985 and established a "low water datum" to which the charts are accurate. Charts of the Great Lakes often also include a monthly graph showing the typical high, average, and extreme low water levels. The local marine forecasts often include the daily water levels. With that said, what is the agreed low water datum for Lake Superior? (how high is it above sea level) 601.1 feet

We are presently in Houghton County Marina, in Hancock on the Kewee-naw Peninsula, Michigan. How far did we travel to get here. One Thousand One Hundred and Seventeen Miles, 1,117 miles.

Any exact answer wins a boat of you're own!
Sorry Pat, no Pacific Seacraft this time.

And for all that hard work what does Pat get?
Knuden's Caramels, from Red Wing Minnesota. These are to die for, we found a shop 30 miles away from the candy factory and they just came in fresh. These are worth going into diabetic shock over!
They are world class, enjoy, they will be there soon.

Jim Clausen

7/3/04 - The Great Tugboat Race, a five day party. July 1st to 5th.
The Great Tugboat Race on the St. Mary's River, up to the SOO locks, three heats, the final being unlimited class.
The big boys, 5,600 hp, going all out, picture multiple 9' wakes,
Picture a bow wave so high, it almost buries the bow of a 148' tugboat. Yeah!
And the pancake barge, it was serving on the Canadian side from the 1st to the 3d, then moved to the American side for the 4th and 5th. A nice time was had by all. If your looking for drinking and loud music it the Canadian side for you, if you want quiet the American side should be your choice.

7/4/04 The SOO, and the Great Lakes Ship Wreck Museum.
We saw more people at The Great Lakes Ship Wreck Museum at Whitefish Point than at any other Maritime Museum save Mystic Seaport. The Whitefish point light was the first light on Lake Superior and there have been over 6000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes since the white man has used them. We even got to go through Perfection, MI. to get out to Whitefish Point. No comment on Perfection, MI.
Parade today in town, Shriners in tiny cars, etc., but no fireworks over the locks, its overcast.
Not bad use of a rain filled and overcast day.
We're off tomorrow for the North Channel.

7/5/04 Hilton Beach, St. Josephs Island, CN.
No John Henline, not Hilton Head. Its a nice Marina, and there's two restaurants and a small grocery. If there wasn't small craft warnings, and we weren't a bit ahead of ourselves, we may have passed it by.

Here's the upcoming plan.
Gore Bay, Spanish, and our secret stop, arrive at Killarney, CN early on the 10th. Its the 101th year of operation of the Sportsman Inn, big tent, 8 piece band and BBQ. Then stay for the Great Lakes Cruising Clubs rendezvous from the 11th to the 15th. Then onto the Trent Severn Waterway and Lake Ontario.

Captain Jim Clausen
Orlando Fl 32819

7/6/04 Thessalon, Ontario CN.
We made 18 miles today, and had the snot knocked out of us.
Stiff 25 mph wind, 3-4 footers, heavy chop, and the lovely 5-6 footers coming in sets of three at three-second intervals. Sheets of water over the bow, but we did not nose dive under them.
Nothing helped, loose all the trim first, NG, adjust the speed, NG, adjust the heading, NG.
The wind we can live with, the 3-4 footers, not great but still ok.
But the 5-6 footers in sets of three coming at three-second intervals, smashed us.
For those who have never quantified waves, its the interval between the crests that change unpleasant to dangerous.
Therefore we visit Thessalon, thunderstorms are coming this afternoon anyway.
The heat is on again. Were in a pocket of 15 to 20 degrees colder than average.

Theres a noise though the hull, I'm in the living room facing forward, I ask Aaron does he see anything coming in to the docks. He say "how about a 50' tugboat right next to us". We jump to help with his lines, but he's got it all taken care of. He said he was going to Cockburn Island, but turned around and came back because of the weather. He said the weather forcast isn't always right, they are still saying 10-15 mph winds on the marine radio. He picked up a 17' boat floating free, and had it on his stern. He's also glad to be back in.

Jc

7/3/04 - The Great Tugboat Race, a five day party. July 1st to 5th.
The Great Tugboat Race on the St. Mary's River, up to the SOO locks, three heats, the final being unlimited class.
The big boys, 5,600 hp, going all out, picture multiple 9' wakes,
Picture a bow wave so high, it almost buries the bow of a 148' tugboat. Yeah!
And the pancake barge, it was serving on the Canadian side from the 1st to the 3d, then moved to the American side for the 4th and 5th. A nice time was had by all. If your looking for drinking and loud music it the Canadian side for you, if you want quiet the American side should be your choice.

7/4/04 The SOO, and the Great Lakes Ship Wreck Museum.
We saw more people at The Great Lakes Ship Wreck Museum at Whitefish Point than at any other Maritime Museum save Mystic Seaport. The Whitefish point light was the first light on Lake Superior and there have been over 6000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes since the white man has used them. We even got to go through Perfection, MI. to get out to Whitefish Point. No comment on Perfection, MI.
Parade today in town, Shriners in tiny cars, etc., but no fireworks over the locks, its overcast.
Not bad use of a rain filled and overcast day.
We're off tomorrow for the North Channel.

7/5/04 Hilton Beach, St. Josephs Island, CN.
No John Henline, not Hilton Head. Its a nice Marina, and there's two restaurants and a small grocery. If there wasn't small craft warnings, and we weren't a bit ahead of ourselves, we may have passed it by.

Here's the upcoming plan.
Gore Bay, Spanish, and our secret stop, arrive at Killarney, CN early on the 10th. Its the 101th year of operation of the Sportsman Inn, big tent, 8 piece band and BBQ. Then stay for the Great Lakes Cruising Clubs rendezvous from the 11th to the 15th. Then onto the Trent Severn Waterway and Lake Ontario.

Captain Jim Clausen
Orlando Fl 32819



7/11/04 Killarney, Ontario CN

We're at the Great Lakes Cruising Clubs 70th Rendezvous here in Killarney, 1934 to 2004, with just over 100 boats. This is where Herbert Fisheries is, and the home of the "Red School Bus" their restaurant, yes its a old school bus pained red. They have the finest fish here, and we have the reason why on video. I also asked about them shipping their fish out "next day air" but the lady just said there no fed ex, or any other one day service out of anywhere anywhere near here, nor any dry ice. So its been fish for dinner for two day now, and I also plan on having fish from the red school bus every day I'm here. I've thought about since we were here a couple three years ago. Everyone and everything is holding up well, but I am running out of books to read. Jc



07/16/04 Midland, Ontario, CN
Great Lakes Cruising Club Rendezvous in Killarney is over. At the rendezvous and during a GPS seminar put on by Boaters World, Patti won a hand held GPS, you go girl. Killarney has no cell coverage, along with some other places we've recently been, so if you were calling we weren't able to hear you. We're entering the Trent Severn Waterway today, 240 miles of it, "most likely" and cell coverage should be good. I say most likely because Petersboro CN got 7-8" of rain yesterday and flooded the town with 3' of water. Petersboro is on the TS waterway. Early information is the system is still up and working, but boy that a lot of water to dump. TS headquarters phone # is 705-750-4900 for up to the minute information of the system. The run across Georgian Bay from Killarney was 110 miles and the weather, while behind us, allowed us to broach, (surf) a dozen times coming across. We took on some water during the trip, our winter to do list called out for redoing the bead of silicone between the rub rail and the hull. It wasn't done, and when we smashed through and up and down onto the oncoming waves, that 1/64th opening acted like the tip of a pressure washer and the water entered the seal. But, I don't know if the silicone would have held 30,000 LBS of boat coming down from 8 feet hard into waves. Well, were still using the wet vac this morning on the bow rugs. And this is a first, we sloshed most of the water out of the toilets. Yes, small craft warning were up. Aaron did not like the broaching a bit. At first the waves were under one foot, and we had the autopilot on, as they grew the auto pilot had to be turned off and we steered 70 miles by hand. We were even required to slow to 10 mph while making a course corrections, and the waves were on our stern quarter. But enough of that, we're here, Midland is a boaters dream, especially after some of the places we've been. They have a nice marina, a paved main street, many restaurants, large grocery, cell phone coverage, an LCBO, (Liqueur Control Board Ontario) and a bank with an ATM that works. The water on the dock is excellent in quality, and we are filling our water tank as I write this. Midland is 10 miles from the entrance of the TS and "on the way" so were not leaving the beaten path too much. Welcome home Alcorns, nice trip EH!



7/21/04 Bobcaygeon, Ontario CN - Trent Severn Waterway

Well, we have been unable to find a cell site or phone for quite a while it seams. We're on the Trent Severn Waterway, 240 miles of it, with 45 actually, 44 locks, which includes the Big Chute railway. Bobcaygeon is at lock 32, and were about 100 miles into the waterway, and were over the top and are now locking down to Ontario. People go to Europe for this, renting barge boats, we just boated north. This is our second time on the "TS," but our first going northwest to southeast. Our timing is great, and everything is working. We've had the AC on and the boat has dried out again. We're at Gordon West''s Marina, actually Gordons Marina here in Bobcaygeon, and have just the right mix of services and location. The name Bobcaygeon is from an Ojibaw Indian word which means, "narrow place between two rocks where water rushes through" a lot of information for just one word, EH! The lock and town are above us, about 600 feet away. Lord our needs are small, but our boat is big, give us the credit to buy the fuel we need to bring us home. Amen. Just a bit of Jim humor there. We should be back in the big "O" in two weeks or so. The kids start school on the 8th of August.


7/25/04 - Campbellford, CN Trent Severn Waterway
We're just under lock 13 in the town, at the town docks. One more day should get us out of the TS, we plan on spending the night is Trenton, Colin told us where to eat there and made a bold claim as to how good it was. How could we not go, Colin and Judi have done 1000 lockings on the TS, they should know about where to stop by now. A report will follow, I'm sure.
Another first, and who would think of this. We were doing our 8-10 mph shuffle down stretch of water and I was doing my looking for deer and other animals thing, but when I looked to my right, I saw exactly at my level a seaplane. Yes, right next to me about 20' away from the wingtip. I checked with the kids as to my estimate, they all agree. And he was landing. We have the end of it on video, quite the surprise, and quite the pilot. We had a cleaning elf onboard today, elf Patti oiled the woodwork and did a intense cleaning of the inside while we were underway, nice job Patti. Jc


7/27/04 - Peterboro Flood, Trenton and Pickton
Peterboro Flood
We left Trenton, and entered the Bay of Quinte this morning, but while in Trenton I spoke to a couple who were in Peterboro during the flood and traveled South as soon as the waterway opened up again. They described the water rising and the continuos rain, 7-8 inches in 24 hours, the sewers backing up and the garbage from the streets flowing down the street and into the lake, along with fuel and all of the other pollutants that might be found in a typical basement, or business, many, many basements flooded in Peterboro. There appears to have been some construction sites that were also washed away, as there was quite a bit of lumber with spikes and nails in them floating hitting the sides and bottoms of the boats at the marina all day and all night. One of their biggest questions was, is there something stuck in the underwater running gear, the wife refused to let the husband dive to find out, to the husbands relief, he didn't really want to go over the side into that mess. As it turned out the running gear was clear.
They described their trip down Trent River as a trip through trash and debris where the foam on the water grew from a puffy light white, to gray, to finally and all inclusive green yellow, (from the pollen). It was so thick at the last stretch they actually had to cut through it, (it was 1 foot thick) entering the last lock.
Also during the flood they were out of power, but would not run their generator for fear of having the intake water blocked and thereby causing a long term generator failure.
No, I do not feel bad that I missed it. Not at all.
Our trip down was non eventful, we saw bits of gray foam, usually at the dams and locks, which is very unusual for the TS, but nothing to the extent that it was. Today is very overcast, light winds and 62 to 65 degrees. Too bad because I was looking forward to seeing the Bay of Quinte again, on our trip from Trenton to Pickton, it is truly breathtaking on a clear sunny day. Thank you Colin for your surprise that Craig gave us in Trenton. And yes, Tomasso's in Trenton has the best Pizza in Canada.
"Top of the world mom."

Captain Jim Clausen
Orlando Fl 32819


7/30/04 - Brewerton, NY Winter Harbor
Done!

Stats and photos to follow.
Back in Orlando next week.

Captain Jim Clausen
Orlando Fl 32819