After listening to a final recap of the Cruisers Net and before Karel and Mila leave for Covered Portage Cove, we put the kayaks in the water and paddle with Karel and Mila out into Baie Fine, around the point and through the rocks and shallow waters. We decide to stay for another day so we can climb Casson Peak plus there is going to be a Happy Hour on Mystic at 16:30 (a coincidence maybe). After lunch we rest from our morning exercise before we join Cakaro for a visit in the afternoon and have a great time on Mystic. (Toucan, Windless and Cakaro are there.)

The next day, on our anniversary, we pack a lunch and with Cam, from Cakaro, scale Casson Peak. We planned on leaving earlier than noon but Tom and Cathy from Windless drop by with boat cards and we have an enjoyable visit. Cam had helped mark the original trail and gave us lots of interesting information about the hike as well as a history of the area. While we are on the top of Casson Peak we can see the entrance to McGregor Bay plus it was easy to see the path through the rocks you have to avoid. We return around 15:30 and, on Cakaro, celebrate a toast to our 37th anniversary. A bald eagle flew over the south side of the anchorage and sat in a tree and just watches us while we watch him/her with our binoculars. While on Cakaro, we also watch a sailboat attempt to head into Marianne Cove by going over a shoal. Craig and Cam go out and lend some assistance and the sailboat is off the shoal in about 15 minutes. They do not join us in Marianne Cove.

We weigh anchor and head out early for us as we want to get to Killarney for lunch (Fish Bus for fish and chips). Day does a load of laundry during lunch then joins Cam, Karen, Ted and Venetia at the swimming pool (included with our dock fee -- electricity was extra). After swimming, Day has a long shower and then makes Craig take a shower and "dress up" (a shirt with a collar and nice pants). We ave cocktails on shore then join Cam and Karen to celebrate Karen's birthday (August 29), Ted and Venetia to celebrate Venetia's birthday (September 4), and to celebrate our 37th anniversary (September 2) in the dining room at Killarney Mountain Lodge. We close the dining room then go to the bar for an after dinner drink and listen to musical entertainment. A great way to celebrate an anniversary.

We have breakfast at Gateway Restaurant/Bakery with the usual suspects including Tom and Cindy from Windless. We polish off 3 carafes of coffee and, with great restraint, enjoy the freshly baked bread, but pass on the cinnamon rolls and fruit pies (mumbleberry pie was the most common). As we go to pay the tab, a couple we met the night before from Traverse City is reviewing the weather. It is predicted to be sunny with a few clouds, great. After a little discussion and a check of the printed weather, it is noted that the forecast is for July 28, a week ago. A little dated maybe but probably as accurate as a more current one. Then we head back to the lodge to check out, pump out and head somewhere. Cakaro is heading to Mill Lake on their way home and Fairy Tale thought they were heading for Heywood. We are heading west but don't know where. We go south of Georges Island so that we might be able to sail but no luck. We then head west to Beaver Island Harbor -- motoring all the way. Fairy Tale decided to join us in Beaver Island Harbour (rather than Heywood) for cocktails. It is closer to their next destination, Manitowaning.

Fairy Tale heads out for Manitowaning, Ted thinks he can sail, ho ho. We stay at Beaver Island and veg. We have been way too active lately. We are now the only boat there and we do nothing.

We are going to join Fairy Tale in Manitowaning but wake up to pea soup fog -- a quarter mile visibility if that. We decide to wait until the fog lifts and we can see the rocks. The fog finally lifts, and with the wind on the nose and all of 2 knots, we motor south to Manitowaning. When we are 10 minutes from the dock, the wind increases to 10 plus knots but still on the nose -- Oh well, we are there. We join up with Fairy Tale and head up town to do a little sightseeing but it is Sunday (and Labor Day weekend to boot) and only the LCBO, bakery/gift shop and grocery store are open. We have a great hamburger at the Muskie Widow Restaurant -- with lots of large mounted muskies on the walls -- and then head to the Burns Wharf Theatre for a night of country music by Down Yonder with a guest appearance by Jim Beech -- a noted singer from the area. They are great and most are in the Ontario Country Music Hall of Fame. The theatre is packed and some of the audience sit on stage.

Craig is up early but no wind so we wait until we get some. Yeah!! We finally leave at around 11:30 and motor north planning to go with the wind, if there is any. Finally, at 13:30 we set the jib and we are sailing at all of 2 knots but we are sailing. We decide to forego Covered Portage Cove. It wouldn't have much of a sail and we would have to motor a lot more. So Day, who is driving at the time, does a U-Turn and heads northwest toward Frazer Bay, no spinnaker -- too much work. We hear there are no boats in Heywood and we can sail all the way so we go to Heywood. Day wanted to drop anchor under sail but Craig decides the engine will be a better option so he turns on the motor and we anchor. Unusual! Craig is not the conservative one. Fairy Tale comes over for a few drinks and hot dogs.

The anchor is holding, we are by ourselves and there is no wind. We decide to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

The weather turns the nicest it has been all summer so off we go. Day should have practiced motoring more this season. She starts the engine but she leaves it in reverse (she says she triple checked but ???). We don´t notice the anchor dragging nor that the stern is heading to shore until we are within a boat length of shore. She finally gets the engine out of reverse and no harm is done. She should stay out of the cockpit and keep to her foredeck duties. After the anchor is on board, we leave the anchorage, make the 12:00 bridge and head west. No float plan, as usual, except we knew we want to be west of the bridge. After passing through Little Current, we raise the sails (yes plural) and Craig receives permission to raise the spinnaker. It is a great sail until Day realizes that the Clapperton Channel is dead ahead and we really don't want to sail through it, let alone sail through under spinnaker. After convincing Craig that the land mass ahead is really the north shore of Manitoulin Island, we jibe the spinnaker and head north between Bedford and Clapperton Islands. Since we are having one of our better sails, we decide to prolong the day and head to Eagle Island. Before we head north we are sailing at on average 6 knots in 12 to 17 knots of wind and use the spinnaker for all but 30 minutes of our 5 hours of sailing. Nearing the passage between Freschette and Eagle Islands, we decide that we would continue to sail under main but take the spinnaker down. The fastest passage into Eagle Island Anchorage is narrow with lots of depth but you don't stray. Day's only comment is that Craig has to suffer the consequences (to his pride) if we run aground and need help. We have no problems but Day is ready to bail if necessary. We get to Eagle and there is only one boat in the anchorage.

It’s time to go exploring. Day wants to see if she can get the dinghy on plane and go fast, so she puts Craig in the bow and drives to Fox Island. It´s a sunny yet windy day and we enjoy the ride. First, the wind is to our stern and we have a fairly dry ride to Fox Island. Then we head to the east side of Fox and explore the nooks and crannies. Heading back we brave the wind, the waves and the cool temperature to reach Toucan. It still isn't too bad so Craig suggests we head to the west end of Eagle Island and check out another small anchorage we love. It turns out to be too far away and it´s wavy so we turn around and head back to the calm waters of the anchorage.

We had planned to stay at Eagle; it was peaceful and we could explore, but Fairy Tale calls and says she us making spaghetti. Who can pass up a free meal? We weigh anchor at around 14:00 (with a good meal as an incentive, it takes only 6 minutes to get the anchor up), motor into the wind until we can head north, get a sail up and manage to sail for 30 minutes. The first time and second time we set the anchor Day felt we are too close to shore and was very unhappy. The third time we finally get the anchor down in a spot where everybody is happy. We then relax and watch Ted and Venetia get Fairy Tale ready for haul out. We still have plenty of time (2 days). Dinner is great.

We were settled in and relaxing but the wind switches to the west and continues to build. Because we are on the lee shore with the wind building, we decide to move over to the west end of Oak Bay to get out of the wind. The anchor sets on the first try and we spend a comfortable night at anchor.

Today is a fitting end to the sailing season. We exit Oak Bay, sail south between the Benjamins and Eagle Island and south of the Rous Islands. At first, the wind is light and fluky but we tack until we are able to get the spinnaker up -- Craig said he needs to fly it to make sure it is dry. We even catch up to a sailboat motoring, tsk, tsk. Just before we reach the channel into Little Current, Day suggests we take the chute down. Craig wants to wait but Day thinks we might need extra time to get the sail in. Craig gives in and down it comes. The chute is down and just stowed by the time Craig had originally wanted it down, it pays to plan ahead.

We motor into Picnic Cove and anchor in the perfect spot for once, there are no other boats around. We then dinghy to the Little Current docks where Fairy Tale is tied up; Craig and Ted walk to Spider Bay to pick up the Saab and then Craig and Day in the Saab and Ted in their car (Venetia was resting her ankle -- she chipped a bone in Manitowaning) drive to Harbor Vue, move Irv to provide a place for Toucan for the winter and drive back, leaving Ted's car in Harbor Vue so they would have transportation after they haul out Monday -- transportation is one of the most difficult parts of hauling a boat.. By the time we return to the town dock, Venetia has Happy Hour drinks and snacks ready. We are Back to Toucan early as we have a lot of hard work ahead. To think we pay for this.

We motor over to the Little Current town dock by 08:15 and treat ourselves to breakfast at the Anchor Inn. Then back to Toucan to work and get her ready for the winter. When we needed a break, we head to Harbor Vue to make sure everything is ready for haul out and to arrange to have the mast unstepped; we want to work at the top of the mast and Day won´t climb the mast to do the work. Back at the town dock, we have some excitement when a charter boat comes really fast into the dock behind Toucan. Day isn't sure that he could stop and tries to help. He stops but really crunches the dock. It turns out he is very experienced and helps take care of the charter boats. His excuse was that the current was pretty fast out in the channel but not near as fast near the dock and he misjudged his approach; it happens.

Since we can't park in the well until after Harbor Vue closes, we wait to leave for Harbor Vue until the 17:00 bridge. As always happens, the wind and current increase just as we leave the dock but we are to be lifted out at 08:00 tomorrow and off we go. As we near the breakwater entrance to Harbor Vue, we note that there is a boat in the well but luckily there are some empty slips. Ted and Venetia direct us to a suggested slip and Craig does a great job in the narrow quarters and heavy broadside wind but Day goes brain dead and screws up the docking. No harm done but to her ego. After we are docked Day sees that we had wind speeds of 34 knots on the beam while we were docking. We go out for pizza with Ted and Venetia before getting things ready to go to Irv.

The wind is still very brisk and unstepping the mast a concern so we stay put and unload everything we don't want to leave for the winter -- most of it anyway. At about 14:00, Chris and Tom decide that they can unstep the mast so we leave the slip and head to the well and make it without any problems. With Chris, Tom and Craig occupied with the mast, Day lets out a screech. She has seen a snake (with a bulge half way down) sunning next to her. She doesn't get too badly startled and gets a picture. Chris and Tom decide not to haul Toucan until Wednesday so we decide to be comfortable and sleep in Irv. Haul out goes smoothly and after loading Irv, we vote for comfort and spend 3 days at Batman's Campground ;stowing gear, filling IRV with water and charging batteries. We also do some Manitoulin Island sightseeing heading to South Baymouth to check out the ferry (taking a side trip onto the First Nation reservation which made us miss seeing the ferry). We go back to Harbor Vue on Sunday to finish up before leaving Canada. We take our empty wine bottles back to Roy, have a great dinner at the Anchor Inn with Roy and Margaret, spend a day in Espanola doing laundry then prepare Toucan for the winter. Jack and Barb from Invictus stop by before they leave the island.

After a week of work, we head home but not by the shortest route. We head east and south towards Toronto planning on stopping in Midland to see Karel and Mila at their home harbor. At Midland, we find a campground and then scout out the area. We find the Midland Bay Sailing Club but can't find Quintessence. Friday we visit the last lock of the Trent Severn Waterway and watch a couple of power boats lift through the hand operated lock and another lock that puts boats on a train car and lifts them up 17.7 meters (57.53 feet) before putting them back in the water. There is a dinner at the MBSC that evening so we head back to the Club to see if Karel and Mila might be around. We did not find them but run into George from Lucretia and Gerry from Aerie. They are getting the parking lot ready to haul out the club's boats the next weekend and invite us to join them at dinner that evening. They also tell us that Quintessence has her mast down and is ready to be hauled but Karel and Mila are not around. To our pleasant surprise Harold and Sue from Vision are sponsoring the meal and we have a great visit with them along with everyone else at the club. George and Dorothy live near the campground so we stop by their house for an after dinner beer.

We finally get in touch with Mila at home but they are heading out for the weekend -- Day has decided that we really should plan ahead. Since they won't be back until Monday and we really need to get back home, we don't stop by and head home via Sarnia stopping at Watertowner Town Park in Lapeer, Michigan.