Little Current July 8, 2016

It was a beautiful evening in the anchorage. There were light winds that diminished overnight, and we experienced beautiful vistas as we gazed out toward the horizon. The sound of a loon in the distance completed the scene. Hear a loon at this link: Hear the sound of a Loon

Kerry was up early and made bacon, eggs and a bagel for me. We enjoyed breakfast on the top deck.

The windlass had to work to pull the anchor out of the mud again, but we were off at about 8:15. So far it is much different anchoring in the North Channel verses the Thousand Islands - mud verses weeds. Mud is much superior holding, and far easier to get off the anchor. We have not needed the machete yet, although I keep it handy.

Don washing mud off anchor chain.

We arrived at the Little Current Swing Bridge (picture below) a little before 9:00. The bridge only opens on the hour. The trip was 5.5 miles and took us less than 1 hour. Peter and Marianna were already there waiting for the opening. We waited for awhile, but then decided that we may be able to fit under the bridge before it opens. Slowly we approached the bridge with Kerry on the top deck. She made the call that we could clear it, so we went under it with about 1 foot to spare. Normally there is a 17' opening but, with the water being much higher than Low Water Datum, the bridge bottom was much closer to Annie's 13'8" top.

We pulled in at Wally's for fuel and a pump out. Wally's has been a Little Current institution forever it seems. We have been going slow while in the NC, and only used 1.6 gallons of fuel per hour on this tank. Charging up the Detroit and St Clair Rivers against the current we used 3.8 gallons an hour.

Wally's World

Kerry rinsed the bugs off Annie while I registered. We always have a good laugh thinking of Kip and Little Current. This is where he got mad at me for "Using all the clothes pins and not sharing". (Remember that Kipper?) We walked the downtown area and visited the grocery. In one store Kerry found a bargain table where everything was $1. She found 2 shirts! I took the time to get a much needed haircut. I always like going to barber shops in small Canadian towns. Doug the barber has been in his shop in the basement of the Anchor Inn just 1 1/2 months short of 54 years. He gives a good haircut too.

On Friday's there is a cocktail party for sailors in the Anchor Inn. It is hosted by Roy Eaton who runs the Cruisers Net. The Cruisers Net is a VHF radio program broadcast daily at 9:00 AM on channel 71 for sailors in the North Channel. We met Roy, and we are going to help him with his broadcast tomorrow morning and are really excited about it. Here is Peter, Marianna and I speaking with Roy.

We met so many nice people this afternoon - too many for me to list. We even met one sailor who had been run into by a tugboat in Little Current! He did keep his distance I noticed. One couple had a Portuguese Water Dog named Tyke. Kerry totally spoiled Tyke by slipping him treats when his daddy was not looking. He is so cute and came to visit!

We had a delicious whitefish dinner at the Anchor Inn. It was so good! Afterwards we spent a very pleasant hour and 1/2 on Brillig eating M&M peanut chocolates and sipping liquors.  We all had a spirited debate about our leaving time tomorrow. Peter and I want to bike to the hardware store after the Cruiser's Net program.. Marianna and Kerry want to shop. So who is it that wants to leave early?

We had a pump out today and I noticed that the holding tank monitor did not reset. It is showing that it is 1/3 full when it is actually empty. Bummer. One "shitty" job ahead of me. We will be anchoring out for the next 4 evenings so I may or may not have internet service. I'll catch up the blog in Gore Bay if not able to do so daily.