Aug 1
Brendan, John and I showed up around 2:00 pm and we were off. Nice reaching conditions with winds around 7 to 9 knots and the boat going 4 to 5. Oh if only the Lake Ontario 300 had been like this! Nice sunny day, a few boats on the lake, no waves, light steady winds. You could not ask for a better day. Of course it's not what we really wanted. Howling winds, large waves, would have been better practice for the big trip but how can you complain on a perfect day like this.
We set the sails, pointed towards Toronto, and it was smooth sailing. The only big event of the whole sail was when the boat gave a bit of a shudder and Brendan noticed the wind had shifted around to our rear port quarter so John came up from his short snooze and put up the spinnaker pole to the jib for a little wing on wing action.
As we got close to Toronto Island
Airport and the Western gap we dropped the sails, started the engine and were motoring into the gap when we noticed a sailboat stopped dead in front of us. As we passed John called over to see if he needed any help. The lone sailer replied that he had lost his gears and was adrift. We circled, he threw us a line, and we towed him a short distance up to National Yacht Club. Good thing we came by because he was starting to drift towards the rocks at Ontario place.
A little excitement after all. We then motored through Toronto Harbour over to QCYC. (Queens City Yacht Club).
After checking in and revisiting the sights from last year,
John got the stove working on the boat and made some excellent snaggers (that's Aussie for sausages). Went for a walk and saw the Islanders Friday night fire parade,
back to the boat, some discussion, and off to sleep with the wind rocking the boat gently (maybe some good wind tomorrow??).
A quick breakfast with the wind still moving the trees around us. Out we motor into the Harbour, though the Western Gap and into the Lake. Up go the sails and down goes the wind. We sail for awhile hard on the light 4 to 5 knot winds, shades of the LO300 but the sun is shining. Not for long as a black cloud builds over us. Brendan is steering while John and I set up some lines for the jib car. We go through a little shower and watch as it builds into a very heavy down pour . Brendan was the only one to don his rain gear and he's elected to roll up the jib in the deluge as the winds die to nothing. (Now it's just like the LO300). We motor back to Bronte and John and Brendan are off to cut the grass.
I'm driving home ready for work in the morning.
