OUR PLAN

We are writing this blog for one reason and one reason only. To provide a vehicle to make it easier to remain in touch with our family and friends back home.



Our plan is simple. Depart our home port of Goderich, Ontario in the Summer of 2011. Cruise Georgian Bay and the North Channel of Lake Huron while visiting some of the ports and anchorages we have missed over the years. As well as revisiting some of our favourite haunts hopefully with some of our very good friends with whom we have cruised with many times before. All the while adding up the miles and gaining experience with our new trawler. Our first and only self imposed deadline is to be in the Chicago area around Labour Day. South of Chicago, weather and circumstances will guide us!



Saturday, July 16, 2011

JULY 13 - JULY 16, 2011 - WIARTON, ONTARIO

Wow, I am exhausted. It must be all of this fresh air as it is only 1700 hrs. and I am ready for a catnap. What did we do today? Well I of course I cooked the other ½ of the bacon that was left over from yesterday. I tried a blend of different coffee today because we did not enjoy yesterday’s blend. Terri did sleep in as she deserved. However, my age old habits die hard and I am awake and ready to take on life after a coffee of course.  I am now typing this edition of the blog on Saturday morning at 0700 hrs. After a few day’s rest. I have been tardy writing for a number of reasons. The main one is that I have been busy or the computer has been unavailable. Even when I have time in the evening this lap top has been in use, as it doubles as a PVR with which we have a number of videos recorded on. I will have to rectify this situation. It seems every time writing comes to mind the interruptions guide me elsewhere. Regardless, I am here now.
I must maintain silence and not wake up Terri and our first guests of the journey. Candice and Brad arrived last evening and picked us up at Danielle and Al’s place to return us to the boat, after we had all met for a BBQ. They will be sleeping on board in the guest room. While Janine and Jason who have also made the trek down from Pembroke for the weekend will stay with Al and Danielle. The plan is for Janine and Jason to baby sit Lauren while Danielle and Al go to work today. This should be an interesting and valuable experience for the young couple. Actually things should go smooth as Lauren is an easygoing first lesson. She is cooperative and is able to communicate quite effectively her needs and wants. Basically keep her fed and occupied and she is a happy trooper.

LAUREN CHECKING OUT THE DAVITS

On the first day that we arrived, which was last Tuesday, this is now Saturday, Terri and I were surprised by Danielle and Lauren who paid us an unexpected visit. Danielle came bearing a gift of her very own home made Potato Salad. We hadn’t seen Lauren in person in a number of months and she wasn’t quite sure who we were at a distance. She did of course recognize us as the funny people on Skype, but there was a definite disconnect as she struggled to put two and two together. It wasn’t long after Terri and I started talking that she recognized our voices and all seemed to make sense to her. Man has she changed. She is becoming quite a going concern to Danielle and Al. Her speech has improved and conversations can now be a two way street. We shall enjoy the next few days with her and the rest of our family.

LAUREN AND GRANDMA SINGING NURSARY RHYMES

On Wed. morning as scheduled the 3rd in a parade of Cummins mechanics has arrived as scheduled. I have had a nagging issue with the engine computer signals. Don’t get me wrong, the engine performance has been great as advertised but there is a perceived error code issue. Said issue has been dogging them, and I since the boat was new. What we have here is a failure to communicate. A failure in electronic signals between the engine computer and the receiving computer at the helm stations. There is an error message that simply states “Check Engine” However the troubleshooting indicates no such error. Three different mechanics, multiple parts swapped out and many phone cell minutes later we still have an error code. Now this is not all bad as I can be a very chatty person when it comes to schmoozing mechanics knowledge. I am gaining wisdom regarding many things about the engine that otherwise I might not ever have learned. Trevor, the builder of this yacht ensures me that there will be a solution at some point. This of course is warranty work and Cummins has already signed off on this engine. I have faith in Trevor. The mechanics vow to follow me where ever I go from Port to Port if necessary. They have had one year to solve this issue and they know that I vow not to let said issue tie me down now. I will endeavor to accent the “mobile” in Cummins Mobile Service. That’s all I have to say about that.
Now this blog is the Blog of Terrmar and of course that might mean either Terri or myself could be writing it. Terri has been invited to write this and she should be writing this excerpt because it happened to her and I am only relaying her story. But Lauren and her girls are much more interesting. We have been sleeping in sleeping bags until we reach Wiarton. Terri did not want to use the new duvet and bedding until we reached Wiarton. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know. But now she has ok’d the upgrade to new bedding. But in order to complete the swap she wants to take the sleeping bags to the Laundromat in order to put them into storage all nice and fresh smelling. Now, as I was otherwise occupied with Mr. Cummins she sets out to complete her task. She has more than one load to wash and is very happy to see that they have a commercial machine available. She checks it out and the lady that was just finishing up with the machine primes her on the use of it. Great, Terri reasons and she loads it up with one sleeping bag and inserts her 16 quarters. So far so good! Minutes later! Bang, slosh, swish and holy flood batman. The door on the washing machine bursts open and out comes a torrid of water suds and quickly the sleeping bag follows. Terri is flummoxed! Where are the hidden cameras? Is this a joke? Not funny she thinks! Now picture this! Terri, lacking another line of attack, rushes the machine like a linebacker in a peewee football game. Terri and all of her 5’2” frame started stuffing the sleeping bag back into the machine while trying to close the door. All the while the machine is still puking water, suds and bag. She is successful. The door closes, but the latch will not latch. After 10 minutes of leaning against the door while the cleaning cycle finishes Terri can now relax and re-group. The floor of this place now resembles a cheap Hollywood re-enactment of a bad “three stooge’s movie”. The water that was in the machine is now not. The floor is getting a sudsy cleaning regardless of whether it needs it or not. Terri now spy’s two other people at the other end of the Laundromat. They have missed the show. The clueless now clue in and direct Terri to the Car Quest down the street. Car Quest owns this joint and to explain to the unaware, Car Quest is a dealership in Ontario that can be locally known as Car Quest or a private auto parts company that is a Car Quest dealer but known as “Something Else Auto”. Thus while the lady in the Laundromat was correct in telling Terri about Car Quest she should have said Pinkerton's Auto Supply which is literally just a half block to the south. Terri, all suds up and wet, traipsed all up and down the street looking for the elusive Car Quest. Soon her relaxed memory kicked in. She remembers viewing a sign in the Laundromat indicating change is available at Pinkerton's. Ding, Ding, Ding the light go on and off she goes to Pinkerton's. She walked in to the store and a lady behind the counter, after hearing of Terri’s tale of the latest Pinkerton calamity at Pinkerton’s other part time and unmanned location seems unfazed. Terri did hear from other patrons later in the day that this was not an isolated case and in fact might have become a regular occurrence. The lady behind the counter at Pinkerton's obviously had heard of this drama before when she quickly offered Terri her 16 quarters back and no other compensation, explanation, or anything else. Terri asked for a mop to clean up the mess but was told that they are all locked up and that was all she could do. Terri took her 16 quarters, sleeping bags and retreated to the safety of the good ship Terrmar and a very healthy wine spritzer supplied as only a captain can do. I deeply regret missing this.
Thursday was supposed to be a work day before noon, and then play after that. Work today consisted of a thorough washing of the boat. I remember when I used to be able to wash our boat in less than an hour, while doing a very good job of it as well. But not anymore! Wonky knees and a bigger boat with more surface area to clean are taking longer. Nevertheless I did get it done and now it is time to go shopping downtown. This is “the fun” Terri explains. No problem as I will assume the position of finding seats suitably positioned in between stores equipped with shade and within eyesight of the store that Terri is in or the next store in the queue that I think she might go in. Always scoping the next seating location as Terri works her way from store to store. It was a hot humid day downtown and Terri needed a laugh. Queue Mark! It seems lately I have been able to make her laugh at least once a day through misfortune on my part. Case in point!  As I follow Terri from one store to the other the sun is bright. Blinding some would say. Well of course the peak of my hat was down as normal to shade the sun from my eyes. This has not been a problem for over 40 years, until Wiarton that is! It seems one of the merchants is a little short in stature and expects the rest of the world to be challenged with the same affliction.  Well a long story short. The store front unrolling umbrella was hung at an unrolled height of about 5’10”. Not totally devastating unless you are 6’2” blinded by the sun and hitting it from the end. Get the picture? A quick reaction on my part prevents a penetrating occurrence. Terri has had her belly laugh and I feel a sense of calm as it is over and I don’t have to worry for the rest of the day.
As in any small town anywhere there is a Volunteer Fire Service. I usually keep my eye out for any action on their part. Well I got some today. There was an alarm and we had a nice parade of 4 shiny new trucks. Not unusual, but what was unusual was that there was only 5 men manning the 4 trucks. This was taboo back in the days I was a volunteer. But talking to Al later he suggested that some members will respond to a call directly from their present location in their own vehicles thus saving and lowering response time.
On one of Terri’s daily dog walking exercises she returned looking for the camera. She saw a lady in the park armed with a chainsaw performing fine surgery on a tree trunk. Of course Wiarton Willie was taking shape from the old tree trunk. I did not see this particular exercise but I have witnessed the same thing before. I have always admired talented people, whom can envision a sculpture from a raw piece of material.

SCULPTING WIARTON WILLIE

LAUREN IN THE MASTER CABIN

LAUREN AND DANIELLE SUITING UP

Saturday afternoon and I find myself alone with my computer and my thoughts. For some reason my mind alters course as I write this blog, our Sarah is front and center. I've often heard from my Mom and Dad that a parent worries most about the child that is not present or the one that needs them the most.  Sarah was not able to make the trip to visit this time and is in Toronto, hopefully sheltered from the Sun. Terri and I both miss her dearly, for she was our first crew as we travelled from Toronto to Trenton and up the Trent-Severn Waterway last summer. Her teamwork with her mother in locking though was a great experience for all. Sarah, sometimes we wish we had you aboard in some iffy docking circumstances. Our thoughts and prayers like always go out to you as you journey through life in the big smoke.
Terrmar back to 16 out.

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