Days 347 and 348 - Beardrop Cove — Captain Father John

Miles cruised 21, fuel purchased 100 gallons fuel purchased $343, slip fee $0 (on anchor) daily high temperature 70°f

It was very blowy all afternoon and evening with winds north at 15 – 20 mph with higher gusts. The wind finally died down early in the morning. A trawler came in and tied up next to us this morning and mentioned they rocked and rolled all night on anchor in the Benjamin’s. Once again we used good judgement and were safely tucked into the Gore Bay Marina on that windy Thursday night.

The forecast for the next several days is for light winds from the west. I took a long walk in the morning and stopped at the farmer’s market and bought banana bread with chocolate chips. Our plan is to anchor out for one or two nights so I wanted something simple for breakfast,

We calculated our fuel requirements to get back to the USA and decided to put 50 gallons in each tank. While at the fuel dock we realized that the Split Rail micro brewery was open. We left CL at the fuel dock and bought four packs of pint bottles. One of the craft beers is brewed with the essence of hawberries. We might not be haweaters but we can sure be haw drinkers.

Our plan is to drop anchor in Beardrop Cove. We have stayed there in the past on both Blue Heaven and CL. It is a well protected cove with granite ledges and pine trees all around. The name Beardrop comes from the Indians that would chase bears up the cliff and force them over the edge to kill them. This area is part of the Serpent River Indian Reserve.

We arrived at Beardrop Cove at 3:00 pm. There was one other boat in the anchorage. It is a Canadian sailboat named Heimat. They were probably thinking what a nice opportunity they had with this anchorage all to themselves until we showed up.

The couple on Heimat immediately invited us over for sundowners. Kevin and Lise are from Midland, Ontario which is near the Queen’s Cove Marina where we stayed. They are eight days into a one month cruise of Georgian Bay and the North Channel. Heimat is a 2011 Jeneau 45′ sailboat that they bought new. She is a magnificent boat with a huge galley because they both like to cook. The name Heimat is a German word that roughly translates to mean “the place where my soul is most happy.” Kevin and Lise had lived in Germany for five years. They learned the word Heimat and decided that would one day become the name of their boat even though they did not own a boat at that time.

Kevin and Lise

Kevin and Lise mentioned they saw the northern lights last night around 10 pm. We will be watching for the northern lights tonight. It is a very clear sky with a new moon and no lights for many miles.

Beaver hutch in the cove. We are close to nature.

Winds were light overnight and the cove was flat as glass in the morning. I took the dingy to go fishing and pulled into a small cove and hooked a whopper. By far the biggest fish I have caught in Canada. I got the hit on the first cast. That fish almost spooled me until I was able reel it in. I got a good look at it right next to boat. If I had a net I would have put it in the boat but I had to lift it on the line and the line broke. Away swam that monster with my chartreuse Rapala.

We hauled anchor at 1:30 pm and cruised to Meldrum Bay on Manitoulin Island. This is the location of our favorite restaurant the Meldrum Bay Inn. We pulled into the marina and once again are the only boat. Another reminder that the boating season ends early up north.

This is our last night in Canada. On Sunday we will clear US Customs at Drummond Island and anchor out for the night at Harbor Island. We have been in Canada for one month. We will use all of our Canadian money tonight at dinner so we do not have any residual cash to sit in our dresser drawer for years to come.

Carl (Chef) Wooden – quote of the day.

“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.

Susan Heller

Susan Heller (born 1956) is a painter, currently living and working in Brooklyn, New York. Born in New York City and raised in Montreal, she studied art in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was a landed immigrant in Canada until 2006. She exhibits her work regularly in New York and in Toronto. She is known equally in Canada and the United States for her contributions to contemporary art as a painter. Her work is most well known for depictions of cities, primarily New York City.