The JOURNEY Resumes

Approaching MBI

We have finally resumed our journey of the Great Loop on 3 August. It was 1600 when we got the boat ready to leave. It was late, but Barbara and I agreed that it was best to get started. We got into the river at 4:20 after removing our permanent dock lines and power cords. We cleared the Portage River Bridge at 16:32. We motored to the Middle Bass Island State Park Marina, arriving at 17:57. We tied up at our assigned slip given to us when we called and made reservations upon arrival. The staff was gone home, but the facility is still nice. Ohio has a nice Marina here.

Middle Bass Island State Marina, Ohio

We got up on Thursday morning and walked to the MBI village. A town hall, post office, and general store. We mailed some bills at the PO, a room on the back of a house, and had lunch at the general store. The "Italian" sub was great, and Barbara scarfed her Reuben down. We departed at 12:30 headed to Canada.
       The ride across Lake Erie on 4August was nice. The wind was just strong enough to make some ripples and keep it cool on the fly bridge. We passed Pelee Island by, as Barb reading the guide, pointed out it was mostly an agricultural island, producing great wines. We arrived in Leamington, Ontario at about 16:15. Very pretty marina. Lots of flowers hanging in baskets at the offices, and in the adjacent park. The staff was quite helpful in getting us registered, and pointing us in the direction to check in with Canada Customs. The phone wait was longer than the actual approval process.

Leamington Municipal Marina, Ontario, Ca

We thought from talking to the friendly staff at the marina, we would catch the bus downtown to a restaurant recommended by a friend. But alas, we were at the bus stop after the weekday runs were made. We walked down the street and ate at Ray's Ribs, Bar, & Grill. Barbara had ribs, and I ordered the jambalaya. The food was great, and we had a pound of chicken wings for appetizers as that was the Thursday night special.  Our sleep was not so good, but not from the spicy food. The harbor while it has breakwaters, gets swells with winds coming in from the SW. The wind changed during the night, ground swells rolled into the harbor, and SummerTime spent the balance of the night rubbing on the pier. We got up  on Friday morning, and caught the bus downtown. There are a lot of shops there, and we only touched a few. Barbara bought some new shoes for walking in. There was a "Ten Thousands Village Store" where the bus let us off, and we bought some small items in there. We caught the bus back to the marina. We departed Leamington shortly after 12, thinking of making an anchorage in the Detroit River.
       Our afternoon on Lake Erie was not so pleasant. The TS forecast in the morning for late afternoon appeared at early afternoon. The alternator for the Perkins main engine went up in smoke during the rain. Barbara went off of the flybridge to go inside, and the sliding glass door rolled across and hit her left forearm, badly bruising it. We made a decision to go into Colchester Harbor for the night after pulling into Cedar Creek during the rain to access our situation. Cedar Creek had no space at any of its marinas. Colchester Harbor turned out to be nice, a small entrance to come through, but we did not spend the night rocking and rolling. And they had Koi, or goldfish, or whatever you wish to call them swimming around in the grass. Someone apparently let their aquarium fish loose. A couple of them were big enough to eat if you were so inclined. I wondered how they fared in the winter when the harbor freezes.   
      We got up Saturday morning and headed for an anchorage on the Detroit River. The weather was much nicer.