When we left in 2007, we said that we have no plans and if we really enjoy an area, we'll stay. True to our word, we are still in the North Channel and likely to stay through 2009.

We had hoped to leave home in mid May but the best laid schemes of mice and men oft go awry especially for us. We finally leave Deer Park on June 6 at 16:26 for Harbor Vue, going up through Michigan and make it as far as a deserted rest area just north of Grand Rapids, Michigan before we quit. It's spooky being the only one there but we survive.

Sunday we stop in Mackinaw City for an early lunch with John and Cindy from Fet-Esch who are doing the reverse Loop. When we stopped, it was a very cold and windy day (47 degrees and 20-25 knot winds) but as soon as we leave for Sault Ste. Marie the skies start to clear and it turns into a nice day. There was little backup on the International Bridge and we sailed across to Canadian Customs where Craig got tongue-tied talking to the new customs agent. This caused all kinds of problems. He finally had to get out and walk over to the main office to discuss bringing the Saab into Canada for the summer and our liquor supply. Ten minutes later we are on our way, no charge. Toucan here we come.

We arrived at Harbor Vue at 19:00, parked IRV next to a trailer, checked on Toucan and then sat back and enjoyed the warmth and sunshine. Monday we started to work on Toucan but it wasn't all work. Wednesday, we were welcomed back to Canada by Roy and Margaret Eaton at their lovely home overlooking the North Channel and Friday we joined Roy and Margaret, Dave and Sandy of Paradise, Elliott, and Ted and Venetia of Fairy Tale at the Canadian Legion for a delicious buffet. On many evenings we join Ted and Venetia on Fairy Tale for Happy Hour. After a very hot day working on Toucan, we went to get some ice cream and ran into Brian (from the Port of Little Current docks -- now manager at Spider Bay and the Port of Little Current) and his girlfriend, Nicki, and heard the latest scuttlebutt. Then John and Cindy arrive in Little Current and we join them for supper on Fet-Esch, dinner out and cocktails on the pier. In spite of all this activity, we did get some of our projects completed but not all of them.

Launch day is finally here and most of our land-based projects are "completed". The hull is waxed, the prop is greased and we are ready to go. Day finishes up her business, taking an hour and a half to make some calls and participate in a conference call for the National Rosacea Society. Irv is driven south and emptied of unwanted fluids and prepared for the summer -- ultimately residing in Toucan's spot for the summer. Toucan is launched at 15:00.

Craig, a mechanic at Harbor Vue, learned at 16:30 that we need the engine coolant changed. He almost finishes the job before he has to leave to attend a banquet honoring his mother. Leaving Toucan in the well at Harbor Vue for the evening, we have happy hour with Fairy Tale and, after stopping by Fet-Esch to invite them to join us, go to the pizza parlor for supper. Coming back to Toucan we unload gear from Irv throwing it into Toucan. We finally finish at 0100.

We sleep in sleeping bags for a few hours before Craig, the mechanic, comes by to finish up the job of changing the coolant. He finishes up and we make the 09:00 bridge. All the gear is a mess down below but at least we are in the water so we spend the rest of the day trying to make Toucan semi-livable. Hot day.

On Thursday we continue stowing stuff but we have to take time off to have cocktails on the dock with Fet-Esch and Almost There (who is doing the Loop starting from Jacksonville, FL).

We send Fet-Esch on their way towards Killarney and the Trent-Severn and then say goodbye to Almost There as they head west. We pick up our homemade wine from Roy, drop the Saab off at Spider Bay, talk to Greg (head of parks and recreation at Little Current), get on Toucan, cast off, motor to Rous Islands, drop the hook and dinghy over to Fairy Tale for happy hour. Such a life.

This is getting old but we spend the whole day stowing more gear. That evening, Ted and Venetia join us for happy hour, making it all worthwhile. We have a late supper and endure the heavy mosquito and deer fly population. Heavy winds from the south and west.

Sunday, Fairy Tale leaves and Dahlfin joins us. Everything finally has a place. Craig has his first swim. Day dips her toes.

Rounding the southeast end of East Rous Island, we put up the sail and have a nice but short sail up the Waubuno Channel passing between Halfway Island and Mosquito Island then turn right at the top of LaCloche Peninsula to Sturgeon Cove anchorage. Sturgeon Cove is a navigational challenge to enter. Line up the triangle range and steer a course of 156 degrees until the diamond range lines up, turn to follow the diamond range until you can line up another range into the harbor. Once in, it is a beautiful anchorage. With no other boats there, we have our first au natural swim -- water temperature above 70 degrees. It is a very hot day with temperatures of 27 to 31 degrees and mucho deer flies and horse flies. The mosquitoes are not as bad as in Rous Islands. The electric swatter works well swatting horse flies.

We spend a restful day with more swimming but no fishing (fishing season doesn't open until 4th Saturday in June). Cell phone coverage in the North Channel is challenging. We have to motor out of the anchorage just to get enough coverage to check messages but not enough to make a call.

We sail to Little Current to pick up mail, do laundry, transfer unwanted gear to IRV, pay spring charges at Harbor Vue, check email, etc. Verry hot!! -- 32 degrees plus. Shower and spend the night.

We splurge on breakfast at the Anchor Inn, do one last check of email and shop for more stuff -- you never have enough stuff. Craig picks up a new solar powered lantern at Tim & Co. Rona Hardware (he broke his old one at Rous) while Day searches for a long distance phone card (finally getting one at the post office). We pick up a new Georgian Bay chart at Turners as well as a candy thermometer and other stuff Day can't find on Toucan.

Enough already, we motor to Wally's for 5 liters of dinghy gasoline and pump out the holding tank and have enough time to make the 13:00 bridge. We sail for an hour to Browning Cove, anchor and are all alone until 18:00 when we are joined by Aeron and Rangatera. It is a beautiful starlit night hindered only by the Cubs third straight loss to Detroit. (Day had to have a XM radio so she could listen to the Cubs).

The anchor is up at 10:37 and we head east. After passing Shoal Island, we set the jib, sailing between Heywood Rock and Split Rock and south of Partridge and Badgeley Islands. Then the wind goes north as we round Georges Island, so it is decision time -- follow the wind to Odjib Island or turn on the engine and motor to Thomas Bay. Thomas is closer and the wind is dying so we start the engine and motor to Thomas Bay. As always happens, the wind picks up once we start trying to negotiate all the rocks around the entrance to Thomas Bay. With Day on the bow, we head in on the 81° 26' meridian, keeping the sun on our backs to better see the rocks all around and using our, hopefully, accurate GPS. When we arrive in quiet, peaceful protected Thomas Bay there is only one other boat -- Vision from Midland, Ontario. After anchoring, we have a cool one, take a short nap, and dinghy over to Vision for a "short" happy hour. We see our first loon (actually two) and learn about the resident black bear with a brown nose.

The next day, the resident bear shows up and walks along the western shore as a sandhill crane flies by. It is nice and sunny, with no wind to sail, so we decide to stay put and go kayaking but first we have to inflate them. We tell Harold and Sue, from Vision, that we will be padding by the time they return. We are overly optimistic with our new kayaks but we finally make it into our kayaks an hour or so later without getting wet and explore the surrounding area for an hour or so.

The next day Vision left. We wave goodbye to them and soon are alone in the bay. We recuperate from our strenuous kayaking activity the day before, watch the wind come up and ponder -- should we leave? Nah, it is 30 miles to the Bustards and we have the bay to ourselves.

We should have left. The next day the wind is from the south and is building, the sky is dreary, and it starts to rain at 0800. Environment Canada predicts 10-20 mm of rain and winds to 20 to 25 knots. We stay inside and don't move.

Since the day is sunny, it seems as though there might be some wind later and there are no waves to hinder our winding our way out through the rocks, it seems like a good day to continue our journey down Georgian Bay. We think about going through Collins Inlet and taking the Small-Craft Route but decide that we would try to sail to the Bustards. We have the radio on as we leave Thomas Bay and, lo and behold, Roy announces the Cruisers Net a couple of days early. It is just a heads up that the net was starting on Wednesday, July 1, but at least 6 boats call in and announce their location.

We head south passing Red Rock to the starboard, continuing on passing Alexander Rock and the Triangle to port, Scarecrow Island to starboard and then finally head toward the Bustards (so complicated, so many rocks). We are almost in the Bustards anchorage, going through the Gun Barrel with Day on the bow looking for rocks and Craig trying to miss them, when the telephone rings. It is Corey about the mail, such timing. We take the call, circle and, after talking to Corey, head into the anchorage. Fortunately, we are all by ourselves in the anchorage, because, right in the middle of supper preparation, we start to drag and have to reset the anchor. Later, a couple from San Francisco (Marin County) on Scout, a 28' Bayliner, come by. They are heading to Chattanooga and we chat for awhile discussing various anchorages they shouldn't miss.

We, once again, wake up to a rainy, dreary morning and decide to spend the day with projects (which includes Day making bread). Even though we have the best of intentions, we get the kayaks out when the sun shows itself . To make things interesting, Craig tips over while trying to sit down in the kayak (one way to wash his jeans) but the water is warm and we finally get the kayaks moving. The Bustards are a wonderful place for kayaking -- lots of nooks and crannies with protected water. But after an hour or so we decide that we need to use the dinghy to get further afield. During the day, 3 other boats join us but it is still not crowded.

The next day is Canada Day!! A powerboat entered the anchorage and before Day saw the name, she recognized the type (it was one of our favorite powerboats). Following close behind was the boat we knew, Invictus (Invictus and Huron North were sister ships and traveling together). We were too far away for any Canada Day celebrations but we joined Peter and Evelyn (Huron North) and Jack and Barb, on Invictus for Happy Hour. Both Jack and Peter were former sailors, Peter and Jack raced the Carib 1500 as well as sailed the Hook Race in 1995, before they crossed over to the dark side and bought their powerboats. A 52' Sea Ray and another powerboat came into the anchorage at the end of Happy Hour.