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Terry And Randy Clarke
Terry And Randy Clarke

Terry And Randy Clarke

Since retiring we are trying to explore as many places as possible without rushing through any of them. Czytaj więcej🇨🇦Bright's Grove
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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Randy's prizes from Turners. Everything is really nice.
    We are docked beside a boat from Port Elgin. We've met them at anchorages over the years.That big blue building in the distance is Hogsbreath's new winter home.

    And More Changes

    8–11 sie 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    It was a windy ride back to Little Current from Covered Portage Cove, and we traveled a little quicker to flatten out the ride. We arrived at the bridge a little earlier than needed, so we checked out Harbour Vue by water. Once we were through the bridge, we arranged a slip on the west side of A dock. Between the winds and the current, it's going to be a wild few days. We had Paul and Deb over for happy hour and enjoyed catching up. Tug lost patience with us by 7:30 and insisted on having his dinner. We went for a walk, but it was chilly, so we headed back to the boat and watched YouTube. Friday, I did some laundry, and Randy started organizing the boat. Randy dropped into Turners for the Friday contest, and he was the winner. His prize was awesome, two sweatshirts, a ball cap, and a toque. As the question was about Baie Fine, so were the prizes. We took Tug for a walk to check out where we would park the car and decided to stop in at Boyles Marine. What a great decision. Randy asked if they had room for our boat in their inside storage, and Pat said yes. What! We've been asking about inside storage for years and haven't even been put on a waiting list. It's quite a bit more expensive and it's not heated but what a great opportunity. We told Pat we'd be back Saturday morning to let him know. Roy was hosting the Cruisers Net Happy Hour at the Anchor Inn, so we headed over. There was a big crowd. Deborah Ann was in town dropping off their guest, and they came bearing gifts. They used to have a green 32 Nordic Tug. Someone had given them a hat from Nordic Tug with a red tug on it. They also had a hand towel with a red 32 tug on it. That was so nice of them. We met a lot of new people and enjoyed the pizza and birthday cake. We took Tug for a walk and listened to the music downtown. The docks and wall were full, and there were lots of boaters out for a stroll. After we took Tug back to the boat, we decided to go to the Legion for a beer. There were four people at the bar and four boaters at a table. The four boaters were the ones we suggested the Legion to, so we joined them. They shared some great stories. Saturday morning, we went to Boyles and signed up for inside storage. They can accommodate us on August 19th, and now we won't have to come back to put the winter cover on. We let Jill at Harbour Vue know we won't be storing there, and she was very gracious. It was windy, cool, and wet for most of the day. We spent some time checking out the shops, and whenever the rain stopped, we would get outside. We had a nice dinner at the Anchor Inn, then watched a movie onboard. The wind howled, and it rained most of the night. Tomorrow will be an interesting day. I'm heading home, and Randy is staying onboard with Tug. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    The Indian head at the entrance to the inner bay at Covered Portage Cove.

    Back In 50 Cove

    7–8 sie 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We were pleasantly surprised to find 50 Cove empty when we arrived at Covered Portage. There was only one boat in the outer bay, and it didn't look crowded in the inner bay either. We set the anchor, took Tug to shore, and had a late lunch. We joined Bob and Karen on Hunky Dory for happy hour and had a great time catching up. We made plans to go to Kilarney by dinghy the next day. Yeah, I'm finally going to get some ice cream. We had great cell service, so we checked our weather apps for the next few days. Oh no, strong wind warnings starting Friday through Sunday night. We were planning on heading into Little Current on Saturday but decided to head back early. We let Bob and Karen know we weren't sticking around. It was rainy and cool, so they decided not to go to Kilarney on Thursday either. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Randy being interviewed by Roy Eaton on the Cruisers Net
    Randy Roy and Terry. Roy has been a positive influence on the boating community for over 20 years.Our walk to the marina. I didn't take any pictures.I borrowed this picture of the marina since I didn't take any myself.

    Change In Plans

    6–7 sie 2024, Kanada ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    It was a bit of a bouncy ride from our anchorage at Heywood into Little Current, which was a surprise. According to both weather apps, I use the wind was supposed to diminish in the early morning. While we were underway, I reached out to Paul and Deb on Nadura. They are friends from our yacht club who have been keeping their boat up here for several years. We will need to get our car if we are going to leave our boat here. Paul was heading to Brights Grove on Sunday and was happy to give me a ride if needed. That was a huge hurdle taken care of. We tied up to the west wall by the pavilion. Typically, we like the wall rather than a finger dock as it is easier to dock and leave when the current is strong. It was a beautiful sunny day with enough breeze to make it comfortable even though it was really hot. The marina was a bit of a walk, but it was nice to get off the boat and stretch our legs. Jill, the marina manager, was wonderful. She answered all our questions, and we felt confident that the boat would be well cared for. We arranged a haul out date of August 19th. We could empty and winterize everything and still catch the last ferry off the island later that day. We would have to come back in October with the winter cover and to take care of anything we missed. Jill offered to drive us back to town, so we had her drop us off at Manitoulin Brewery for a celebratory craft beer. We enjoyed the company of the bar staff and some other travelers. It's hard to believe we have finalized this change so quickly. I let Paul know I'd be joining him on Sunday and booked a ticket for myself on the ferry. I will do what I need to do on Monday and then come back on Tuesday. We talked to the dock staff and reserved a week at the town docks. We can use the 7 days when we need them. I'd prefer Randy to be at the dock while I'm gone, so that should work well. While taking Tug for a walk, we met up with Paul and Paula. Randy worked with Paul in the 90s, and the last time we saw them was years ago in Titusville, Florida. We had a nice visit and then met up with them at Elliots for dinner. The next morning, we were at the vets when it opened and bought a bag of dog food. We stopped into the Cruisers Net Broadcast, and Roy interviewed Randy about our trip last fall on the narrowboat. Randy did a great job. When we got back to the boat, Glen from Last Resort told us Tug had been crying the whole time we were gone. That's unusual, and we thought it may have to do with all the people walking by the boat. Maybe the wall isn't such a good idea. We decided to head to Covered Portage for a few days. Karen and Bob on Hunky Dory are there, and we haven't seen them in years. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Leaving Little Current when the bridge opens.
    Our anchorage in the east end of Hotham Island.Last Resort was anchored ahead of us. Their dog is such a characterOur view from the bow.Our view from the sternOur view from the port side

    Decisions Decisions

    5–6 sie 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We headed to Spider Bay Marina in Little Current for a pumpout and water. The marina wasn't busy, so we were out in time to make the 10:00 bridge heading east. Heywood Island was our destination, and we were hoping to tuck into the small bay at the west end of Browning Cove. Unfortunately, there were already two boats anchored there, so we headed to the east anchorage. There was lots of room there for us, so we tucked into the back end. If the weather cooperated, we would head to Cove Island on Tuesday and then Kincardine on Thursday or Friday. According to the long-range forecasts, after that, the winds may pick up, so we may have to stay somewhere to wait out the winds. This part of the trip is never a lot of fun. We wait and watch the weather always a little apprehensive even when we are not sailing to a schedule. I noticed our bag of dog food was getting a little light. Tug's appetite has been really good this trip, and he hasn't been sick. I think we underestimated the amount of food we needed. I figured out we had about 5 days of food left. That wasn't going to be enough if we had to wait out any weather. There was a vet in Little Current who carried his food, but they didn't open until Wednesday. There was no vet in Tobermory, so Kincardin may be the next spot we could purchase his food. We decided to head into Little Current Tuesday and pick up the food first thing Wednesday morning. If the weather forecast was correct, we could then head for Cove Island at the 10:00 bridge opening. Randy had reached out to Harbour View Marina in Little Current to get details on storing the boat for the winter. It's something we've discussed over the last couple of years. Now that we have our home in Brights Grove, we don't really use the boat before and after our North Channel adventures. Neither of us really enjoy the trip up and down the lake. We thought it may be worth looking into options since we had an unplanned day in town. We liked the information and decided we would visit the marina while we were there. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Tug decided this was a good place to hide from the deer flies.
    Deborah Ann at anchor in East Rous, it was nice to catch up with Jeff and Deb.Since we stayed inside to hide from the deer flies. The boys decided a nap was in order.

    Deer Fly Invasion

    4–5 sie 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    East Rous is a well protected anchorage just to the west of Little Current. It's not the prettiest spot, but it has great holding and is very convenient if you are planning to go into town. We spoke to Deborah Ann, a beautiful Nordic Tug 32 on the radio, and Jeff said there was plenty of room, so we headed in. We anchored in the east end in about 7 feet of water. Jeff and Deb came over to chat once we were settled, and the deer flies were crazy. We both had our fly swatters working overtime. Deborah Ann was heading into Little Current to pick up company so it was a quick visit. We took Tug to shore and then decided to try our hand at fishing. We watched a small fishing boat with five people aboard catch fish after fish, but we had no luck and finally gave up. Greg and Jen on Huzzah from SYC came in later in the day. Greg had raced the Bayview Mackinaw race and placed second. He then went on to the North American championship and came in first. Congratulations. We spent more time inside than usual because the deer flies were so bad. The next morning, we were up and pulling anchor early to put those flies behind us. We both managed to only get a couple of bites, but they are super itchy. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Hard to believe we have the whole anchorage to ourselves.
    Another view of the empty cove. Those are the La Cloche mountains in the distance.Beautiful day for floating. It was hot and the water was refreshing.There is a nice beach in one corner. Great place for Tug to wander.Saturday we had company. Three sailboats and two trawlers.Gord and Marge Beaton from SYC joined us for a night. It was great to catch up.It was a little more challenging rowing home after happy hour.1Beautiful sunsetsGreat places to go ashore.Colours are beautifulThe boys enjoying the sunset.

    Third Time's a Charm

    2–4 sie 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We didn't have a clear plan for the next few days, so we decided to head to Mosquito to hide from the winds coming our way. We had already been there this year, and we knew the holding was good. It was close by, so it was a quick trip. When we arrived, there were a couple of boats already anchored. One was tied to shore with tons of scope, so we couldn't get as close as we like to. The anchorage was rolly from passing traffic, and we weren't comfortable, so we pulled anchor and set off for Louisa. Again, it was a very short trip. There were about 8 boats already at Louisa, so we decided to head to Sturgeon Cove. The entrance is a little tricky, but it's a large anchorage, and if we could get in the bottom, we would have great holding and good protection. Unbelievable, we were the only boat in Sturgeon Cove. It's definitely a first for us. We chose our spot and settled in for a couple of nights. We dinghied over to Bell Cove and found only one boat there. We looked for blueberries, we found lots of bushes but no berries. We did see three eagles, one juvenile and two with full colours. The largest kept a very close eye on us, so we kept a very close eye on Tug. It was really hot so we spent a lot of time in the water. The next morning, we were joined by two sailboats and two trawlers. Later in the day, Gord and Marge Beaton from SYC came in on On Beat. We had a nice visit and a fun happy hour. The following morning, the winds were changing direction, so we decided to move on. We need to head into Little Current for services but are waiting till Monday. It's the Haweater Weekend there and it is really busy. They host a beautiful fireworks display on Sunday night, which we have to avoid because of the dog. We decided to head to East Rousse and the Beatons on to Hotham or Fox. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Our point of reference to drop the anchor. Good depth to shore and great holding.
    Alternate means of transportation.Nice anchorage behind Middleton Island.These small islands provide some additional protectionLots of cool places to explore in the dinghyTwo bays over was a beautiful beach.Someone left us a heartTrumfanger and Evalina at anchor.

    Amadroz Island

    31 lip–2 sie 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    It was a short trip from Croker to Amedroz Island. We anchored there one night last year on our way east with Sticks and Trumfanger and really liked it. There was only one sailboat in the anchorage, and we were able to get in close to shore and drop anchor in about 12 feet of water. It's deep until about 3 feet from shore, and there was a really cool dead white birch tree we could use as a reference point. While setting the anchor, we saw about 4 big bass swim by so figured there may be good fishing. After we were settled we went over to the sailboat and introduced ourselves. My Girl is a 30-foot Grampion, and the owners are from Bay City Michigan. We tried a little fishing but no catching. We explored in the dinghy, and I used my kayak for the second time. We heard from Trumfanger, and they are heading our way tomorrow. There are hundreds of little fish in this bay. That may explain why the bass weren't interested in our lures. We kept trying, but still no success. We did a little laundry, and the little fish were very interested in our clothes as I rinsed them behind the boat. We spent quite a bit of time in the water, it was really hot out and the water was really refreshing. My Girl left early the next morning, and we had the anchorage to ourselves until Trumfanger and Evalina joined us in the late afternoon. We took the dinghy to a really nice beach two bays over and then around the northeast corner of the island to the other anchorage. Later that afternoon, Evalina dropped anchor with two blocks of ice for our cooler. Shortly afterwards, Trumfanger joined us with a third block of ice. Cold drinks all round. It was great to see Ann, Jim, and Dan as they made their way back west. Hopefully, we will see them at their home in Indiana while we are traveling in the RV. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    We had a great spot to anchor at Croker Island.
    There are a few beaches to explore on Croker IslandCroker is part of the Benjamin group of islands so has the beautiful pink rock1Mike from Sacagewa shared a drone shot of the anchorage. Can you spot us?A drone shot of the potluck.Beautiful sunsetEast side of the island had cool features.There are lots of places to take Tug to shore. This one was just behind the boat.Lots of blueberries hidden in this spot. Close to the boat and easy to get ashore.The anchorage cleared out on our second morning.

    Crocker Island

    29–31 lip 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We'd forgotten how beautiful Croker Island was as it's been a few years since we've anchored there. The small bay we usually go to had a few boats tied to shore and didn't appear to have room to swing at anchor. We went to the back of the big rock and found enough depth and swing room for us. It was a beautiful spot and was a little more private. There were more boats anchored near the beach than we'd ever seen. As we were getting settled, two dinghies stopped for a visit and invited us to a potluck on the big rock that evening. Both were loopers, and they assumed we were as well. There were three other Nordic Tugs in the anchorage who were doing the loop, so they thought we were one more. A catamaran came into the little spot we were in, but they went in further and tied to shore, so we still had some privacy. We took Tug to the beach and chatted with two boats anchored beside the beach. Both were loopers but were considering finding a place to store for the winter close by so they could spend lots of time in our area. They said of the 6000 miles of the loop, the North Channel was the most beautiful. One boat had a blog written from the perspective of their dog Lily. The potluck was a lot of fun. Everyone but us were loopers and had some great stories. They were all interested in our local knowledge. Mike and Elaine on Sacagewa, a 48-foot Ocean Alexander, were from the Pacific Northwest.
    They took their previous boat a 32 Nordic on a 3 month trip to Alaska. What a great adventure. A few had sold their homes and were living full time on their boats. The next day they all left but we stayed. The forecast was for rain all day, but it ended up being a beautiful day. We picked blueberries and explored the southeast coast of Croker Island in the morning. After lunch, we took the dinghy over to the Benjamins. Wow. There were 43 boats anchored in the main anchorage, and only 6 were sailboats. On our way, over 8 center console dinghies passed us, so we were expecting to see some big boats. There were a number of boats rafting together. One had 12 boats anchored, rafted, and tied to shore. Hopefully, the storms in the forecast don't materialize. I can't imagine the chaos of high winds with all the boats tied together. It looked like everyone was having fun but not what we are looking for when we come north. We took a walk on some of the beautiful rocks but were glad to head back to Croker. It was so busy at the trailhead that we didn't even attempt to walk across South Benjamin Island. There was a beautiful sunset we watched from the bow oh Hogsbreath and we had a quiet night. We were glad we stopped in Croker, and we will definitely be back.     Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    I didn't take many pictures so I borrowed this from their website.
    This is the spot campers were allowed to park overnight. Such a shame it's prohibited now.Tug was hot so he found a place to cool off.1Our view from Split Rail Brewery.Very common sight in Gore Bay. I borrowed this from the town website.

    Happy Early Anniversary

    28–29 lip 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We pulled anchor after listening to the Cruisers Net at 9:00 am. It was a bit of a challenge getting Tug to take his sedative, but finally, success. It really makes a difference for us all when he is calm. It took about 2 and a half hours to reach Gore Bay, and he was okay for about half of the trip. We had to wait a short time to get our services, but it wasn't as busy as we expected. We anchored in 6 feet of water close to the permanent docks to make it easier to take Tug to shore. The first stop was the grocery store, and the second stop was the LCBO. One thing we love about Gore Bay is the deer population. I think there are more deer than people. We saw the first ones before we left the boat. While walking from the grocery store to the LCBO, we saw a couple in people's yards. When we came out of the LCBO, there was one across the street, and Tug was so focused on it that he missed the one on our side of the street that was about 10 feet away from him. The young man in the LCBO said deer hunting season is pretty funny. Hunters spend hours in the bush and come back empty-handed. Once they are back in town, the deer are everywhere. Smart deer no hunting in town. We chatted to a lady who was reading on her veranda, and she said the deer eat her gardens. We went back to the boat and put away our supplies before heading out to celebrate our anniversary. Fun piece of Randy and Terry trivia, 19 of our 29 wedding anniversaries have been spent in the North Channel. We stopped to say hi to Ruby and Jake Haasnoot, who spend summers on their 28-foot Doral. Randy went to school with their kids, and Jake just celebrated his 90th birthday. Jay from Ks and Jay's was helping fix one of their davits. We last saw him in Carla's office in Tobermory. We went to Split Rail brewery and tried a couple of their beers. I had a flight then ordered the lager. We chatted with a nice couple on a Mainship 39, Three Rings. They summer on the boat and winter in an rv, so we had lots in common. We went to dinner at Bouys, beautiful evening on the patio with entertainment. On the way to the restaurant, we stopped where there used to be a spot for 3 rvs to spend the night. Sadly, there is a sign that says no overnight parking now. Years ago, we met Paul and Mariska from the Netherlands who were parked there. We still keep in touch after spending time with them in Gore Bay. After dinner, we visited with Ks and Jay's before heading back to the boat. It was a very nice early anniversary celebration. The next morning, we couldn't get Tug to take his sedative, so it was a stressful 2 and a half hour trip to Croker. Poor little guy shook and cried most of the way. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    My favorite lure and the star of this tale.
    In addition to lots of reeds the northwest end of our anchorage has beautiful water lillies

    The Tale of Ted Diltz

    25 lipca 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Ted Ditlz was a jeweler in London Ontario who had a small shop at the base of the TD Tower at King and Wellington streets. While I had an office in the tower, he was my go-to guy for family gifts. In addition to a nice selection of estate jewelry, he always had a great inventory of interesting stories. Ted was an avid fisherman, and on one of my visits to his store, he presented me with a fishing lure. I added this lure to our tackle box, and it quickly became my favorite. I think its first trip north with us was in 2005 and I have used it on every trip since. It's a little rusty and well used, but it has attracted the attention of many bass and pike. Experienced anglers have made fun of Ted and cautioned that I wouldn't catch anything, but I always bring it out at least once a season. I have a tendency to lose lures on a regular basis but never Ted. Randy and I were out the other day around Hotham Island, and we couldn't find any fish. We were heading back to the boat, but I asked him to try the northwest corner of our anchorage. It's a marshy area, shallow and warm. I was trolling when my line caught on a reed. Before we could stop the dinghy my line went slack and my leader and lure was gone. Oh no, it was Ted. We looked around for a while but couldn't see where I had lost it. The next day was really windy, so we were sticking close to the boat. After taking Tug to Shore, Randy headed to the place I lost Ted. There is a resident eagle there, and a couple of years ago, I saw a momma bear with two cubs, so I thought we were just exploring. No, Randy was on a mission. While I looked for wildlife, he checked every reed until he found one with a fishing lure wrapped around it. Ted is now back in our tackle box ready for action. I wish the real Ted Diltz was still around so I could share this story with him. Thank you, Randy, for bringing Ted home. You are the best. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Hogsbreath looking pretty anchored by Norm and Elaines cottage.
    The cottage is in the background. It's such a beautiful spot and totally off grid.Cool and rainy so I baked more bread.Tango is close by so baked cookies. Bob has helped everyone. Cookies are a good way to say thanks.Rain held off but cool and windyOut fishing but not catching. We remembered the net but didn't have to use it.Laurie and Dave fishing.1Tug loves his dinghy ridesHappy hour at the cottageA morning of kayaking while Randy and Norm are fishing.Another happy hour.Happy hour number 4 I believe.A very good morning of fishing. Norm was the guide, Randy and Bob fished.On our way back to the boat after happy hour.Ed and Ruth on FacetimeMeal time is never boring with Tug

    2 Nights in Hotham Turned Into 5 Nights

    23–28 lip 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We woke up to stronger winds and some chop in the anchorage. Since we were not tied to shore it wasn't bad for us as our bow swung into the wind and waves. High Five and Lucia were tied to shore and were taking the wind and waves mid ship, so it was definitely time to leave. Toy Chest was the first to leave. Their windlass wasn't working and they had 150 feet of chain out. Terry really struggled, so Randy offered to give him a hand. He declined, and after about 20 minutes, he was on his way. Don did an amazing job dropping his shore line and hauling his anchor on his own. He made a few trips from the bow to the stern and appeared to have full control of the boat. Dave and Laurie were good, lots of practice, and two onboard, which makes a difference. Since we were the only boat with a windlass, we hung back till everyone else was on their way. It was a short trip to Hotham, and there was lots of room to anchor. The small cottage was empty, and the docks were pulled onshore, so we went further in than we normally would. We dropped in about 8 feet of water and were well protected. Traumfanger and Evalina came in, and there was still plenty of room for High Five and Lucia. I think there were 11 or 12 boats at anchor. Elaine came over to say hello and let us know happy hour was on their deck at 4:30. We timed our visit perfectly. Their family left a few days ago, and they were looking forward to boating visits. Jim came by in his dinghy for a quick visit, and at 4:30, we all headed to the cottage. It was a large group, and Elaine impressed everyone with her introductions. After dinner, the crews of Traumfanger, Evelina, High Five, and Lucia joined us on Hogsbreath for a few hours. It was great to catch up and share stories and laughs. The next morning, the wind had picked up, and it was overcast. Elaine and Chaylie went out for a paddle, but way too windy for me. Traumfanger and Evelina were off to Kilarney, so just a quick visit with Jim and Ann. We heard Tango was the next bay over, so it was time to bake cookies for Bob. Oh no, I didn't have all the ingredients for chocolate chip, but Chaylie gave me a simple recipe for peanut butter cookies. I also baked another loaf of bread. 4:30 and another happy hour at the cottage. Harold and Chaylie invited us onboard Redimix after dinner, but we had plans to join the SYC group so had to decline. Lots of laughs before High Five and Lucia headed east on Thursday morning. The wind has switched, so we moved to a better spot in the anchorage. Bob and Helen came for a visit and they decided to move to our anchorage the next morning. We did a little fishing but no catching that afternoon. It was a very small happy hour that evening, which gave us a chance to chat more with Norm and Elaine. Norm invited Randy to go fishing with him the next morning, and Elaine and I decided to go for a paddle. Tango came into the anchorage early enough that Helen was able to join us on our paddle. Randy and Norm caught some nice bass, so we had fresh fish for dinner. We were planning on leaving, but Norm convinced us to stay a little longer. Saturday morning, he, Randy, and Bob went out and caught two huge pike and about 7 bass. We still had fish from the first trip, and the freezer space is limited, so we shared our fish with another boat in the anchorage. While the guys were fishing Helen, Holly, her Chesapeake retriever, Elaine, and I hung out at the cottage. We FaceTimeed Ed and Ruth from Carosel, who are no longer boating. They are an amazing couple we met years ago, and we really miss them. We spent time with them for a few years, and they shared so much with us. From great anchorages to safe shortcuts to the best way to clean and cook a pike. They were considerably older than us but still so active. They spent winters in Colorado as ski instructors and had spent a couple of years in the Bahamas on their sailboat. It was good to see their faces and catch up. Norm and Elaines cottage is so beautiful, and we really enjoyed our time with them. We had to leave Sunday morning. We've been out for 8 days and really need services. Also, Monday is our 29th anniversary, and we wanted to go out for dinner. Most places are closed on Mondays, so we headed for Gore Bay on Sunday Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Mosquito Bay was calm and the wind was light.
    The reflection on the water was beautiful.1The rocks were so colorful and the water so clear. Taking Tug to shore gives us a chance to exploreThere are so many small islands it's definitely not a place you want to travel after dark.An other beautiful spot to take Tug ashore.1Thousands of small rocks and one dead tree made this an interesting spot. Can you see Tug?1Tug blends right into this area too.Randys first fish this summer. His second one was 4 casts later.Dinner was delicious.Don was on his own, so Randy went out to give him a hand anchoring and tying to shoreBeautiful anchorage and so calm. Winds did build overnightLucia and High Five anchored beside us.1Toy Chest anchored behind us.Getting ready for rocktails1Great place to gather for happy hour.Tug entertained himself while we all shared tall tales.Transportation while at anchor.Such a pretty spot I wish we had more time to explore.

    Mosquito and Matheson

    20–23 lip 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    It was a short trip to Mosquito Bay, and we were pleased to see only one boat there when we arrived. They were close to the beach and looked like they were just there for the afternoon. We dropped anchor and waited for them to leave so we could move in closer. Four sail boats came in during the afternoon, but there was plenty of room for everyone. We were exploring in the dinghy and saw a bunch of bass on the east side of the anchorage. We decided we should spend an extra night so we could try our hand at fishing tomorrow. Constellation, our dock neighbor from Little Current, was in the anchorage, and they stopped by with a bottle of Irish whiskey. It was Alan's birthday, and he wanted to have a shot with us. They recently celebrated their sons wedding in Dingle Ireland, so they also had some good information to share with us. Glen from Last Resort also came by to chat. He is a wealth of information and loves to share. It was a quiet night, and we slept well. The next morning, everyone but us and Glen headed out. Randy and I went fishing in the morning, but all those bass had moved on. We trolled slowly along shore towards the fish farm and saw so many small fishing boats. I had one nice sized bass on my line but failed to land it, so we decided to go back to the boat for lunch. After lunch, we packed our cooler and headed out for more fishing and a little exploring. We followed the coast, trolling and stopping to let Tug onshore till we found a good spot to stop and fish. The wind was picking up, so we decided not to go all the way to Bell and Sturgeon Cove. Randy caught a couple of nice bass. We stopped outside our anchorage to clean the fish when Glen came out in his dinghy. We were gone so long he thought we may be in trouble, so he was checking on us. That was nice of him. It was after 6 when we got back to the boat. Time goes by so quickly when you are enjoying yourself. The fish was delicious. We watched a little YouTube and had a really nice evening. We heard from High 5 and decided to meet them and Don on Lucia at Matheson the next day. It was only a short trip so we took our time. As we got close to Matheson, we could see five boats anchored. It looked like two were leaving, so we let High Five and Lucia know there was room. While we were looking for a spot to drop our anchor, two more boats were getting ready to leave, so we waited a few minutes, and we had lots of room. We would prefer not to tie to shore, so we chose a spot with room to swing. The other two boats joined us, and both tied to shore. Now there were 4 boats in Matheson, and all 4 were from Sarnia. We did a little exploring and then met at the north end of the anchorage for rock tails. There is a beautiful spot with flat rocks that is perfect to gather. Toy Chest, a Nonsuch 36 from Bridgeview, joined us as well. We had plenty of shared acquaintances, and it was fun sharing stories. It was Don from Lucia's first time in the North Channel since he was with his parents when he was 14. He is alone on the boat for a week until his son and family meet him on Friday in Kilarney. The weather forecast changed, and was calling for strong west winds over the next couple of days. Matheson is not a good anchorage in west winds, so we had to adjust our plans. We will head to Hotham tomorrow. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    We love the brewery in Little Current. Randy at the bar and our groceries in the shade.
    Downtown Little Current. It's the biggest town we see in the North Channel.The Anchor Inn. A nice place to eat and they provide space for Roy to broadcast the Cruisers Net.We enjoyed listening to the band while we had dinner.Roy Eaton the host of the Cruisers Net. He broadcasts every morning in July and August.

    A Night in Town

    19–20 lip 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We enjoyed our motor out of McGregor Bay. The seas were relatively calm, so the ride was smooth. We made good time and were going to arrive early at the swing bridge, so we slowed down and enjoyed the scenery. We went through the 11:00 bridge opening and secured a place on the east breakwall. The dock hands were all busy, so a couple who were out for a walk grabbed our lines for us. The wind and current were pushing us on the dock, so we put out additional fenders to avoid damage. The wind and current diminished throughout the day, so we had a nice quiet stay. We had lots to do and started with long hot showers. I defrosted the fridge, and then we went to the grocery store. We stopped at the brewery before returning to the boat. I tried a new beer which I really enjoyed. I think it was called Ten Mile Point Pilsner. We went inside the retail store and bought a few cans to take back to the boat. Tug was so happy to see us when we got back. We don't leave him much while we are traveling on the boat. I put the groceries away while Randy started a couple of loads of laundry. We wanted to get our chores done so we could go to the boaters' happy hour, which we thought started at 5. We told our neighbors on the dock about the gathering, and we walked together to the west pavilion just before 5. Everyone was leaving when we arrived, we had the time wrong. Deb and Paul from Nadura stuck around as did our boat neighbors, so we had a second happy hour. We decided on dinner out at the Anchor Inn and had a table on the patio. It was a beautiful evening and there was a band playing at the park across the street. After dinner, we chatted with the boaters who were docked on the breakwall before watching a couple of YouTube shows. The next morning, we stopped at the farmers market and then headed back to the Anchor Inn for the morning broadcast of the Cruisers Net. It's always a pleasure to see Roy and I like to help out by recording the name and location of the boats that call in. We took Tug for a nice long walk before we headed out. We stopped at Spider Bay Marina for services and then headed west. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Yummy baked goods from the Gateway in Kilarney. They were gone before we crossed Frazer Bay
    We remembered to give Tug his sedative so he was relaxed even during the storm.We were glad the storm hit while we were in open water.Once the rain stopped the skies cleared. McGregor Bay is so beautiful.Our first nights anchorage was beautiful. The loons called all night.The back of the anchorage had a marsh and a small river.Hogsbreath at anchor our first night in McGregorThere was a great place to take Tug to shore. He loves exploringOur second anchorage. Great protection and so beautiful.These tall rocks kept us safe from the winds.It's been the best year we can remember for blueberries.This was our spot for cell signal and blueberries. Here's Randy doing his daily duolingo lessons.One of the many bays where we tried our luck fishingFound this little guy enjoying the sunshine.Wednesday evening we had a brief storm and we're rewarded by this beautiful rainbow.While it stormed I made bread. I have to admit it tasted even better than it looked.Our dinghy trip with friends. It was the first time in McGregor for some so we enjoyed being guidesThere is a small settlement on McGregor Bay that's fun to explore. The graveyard is interesting.It's hard to leave this beautiful spot.

    McGregor Bay

    14–19 lip 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We hauled anchor by 9 Sunday morning and made a quick pit stop at the Sportsman Inn in Kilarney. We needed fresh water, gas for our dinghy, and a pumpout. While Randy was taking care of all that, I took off our trash and recycling and went in search of blocks of ice. As luck would have it, the Gateway was a short walk, and they carried blocks of ice. They also had some amazing baked goods that were made earlier this morning. We had a quick breakfast, so I picked up a couple of treats. The Landsdowne Channel was not busy, and I think we only passed two boats. The skies were really threatening, and there was a thunderstorm forecasted for the area. As we were crossing Frazer, the skies opened, and it just poured. Visibility was limited, but the rain flattened the chop. There weren't many boats travelling, and we were crossing open water, so all was good. By the time we entered McGregor Bay, the storm had passed, and the skies were looking much better. We checked out a couple of places in the East West Channel and then settled in a new spot at the end of the channel that leads to the East West. It was deep, had beautiful tall cliffs on the west and east sides, a marsh and small creek to the north, but was open to the south. There was a pair of loons with a nest in the anchorage and a couple of beavers. There is a rock ledge at the entrance that does show on the charts. We had a great night but decided to move the next day because there were strong wind warnings with wind from the southwest. We took the dinghy with our depth sounder and range finder to check out a few spots. Commodores Cove was empty, so we quickly moved there. We had a great spot with protection from the forecasted winds. We had a welcoming committee, about a dozen small fish were hanging out at our swim platform, and a large turtle kept coming around too. I decided not to swim here. We found a great blueberry patch and filled a zip lock in no time. We didn't have service, so had to take the dinghy in search of cell signal. We found friends in the bay at the east end of the main channel. Tuesday High Five joined us in the anchorage to hide from the winds. We did a dinghy tour to the Anglican church and then on to Blasted Rock. We enjoyed a happy hour on Quintessential, but we're glad to return to our more protected spot. The winds were blowing 20 knots from the west, but we didn't feel it. Wednesday, we found another great blueberry patch and cell service when we climbed a small hill. We have two bags in the freezer and another to give to Roy when we go to Little Current. We tried our hand at fishing but had trouble landing anything. We lost a few lures and two really nice pike. We landed one bass, but Randy didn't feel like cleaning it, so we gave it away. I had lots of provisions so we didn't go hungry. Our last night at the anchorage, Dave and Laurie had a fire, and we joined them. It was lovely until the mosquitos tried to take us away. Friday morning, we hauled anchor and headed to Little Current. It was a wonderful 5 days in McGregor and we really enjoyed Commodore Cove. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    Our floating home anchored in Fifty Cove
    The western entrance to the bay was a perfect spot for Randy to take Tug ashore 4 or 5 times a day.A man his dog and his boat. Life is good.Our first blueberry patch. We picked twice and almost filled a zip lock sandwich bag each time.First haul of berriesDrinks in the bar at the Kilarney Mountain Lodge.It's a really cool bar built around a fireplaceOne night this beautiful tall ship anchored in front of us. It's a sail training vessel.Beautiful sunset on Kilarney Bay.The big paddle located outside Canada House at the Kilarney Mountain Lodge.Being goofy on a wet ride back to the boat from town.Riding in style with Jamie and ChicoSteve and Nancy heading back to their boat after dinner.Another beautiful sunset on Kilarney BayOur surprise neighbor. This was their second spot and was out of our swing radius.As we were pulling anchor a family of wood ducks visited. One momma and so many babies.These fish eggs were on our anchor chain. Had to get a picture for Barb.

    Full Week in Fifty Cove

    8–15 lip 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We had a wonderful week in Fifty Cove. We had a little rain, but for the most part, it was sunny and warm. When the wind picked up, we didn't feel it as the bay was so protected. We did get the occasional wake from a passing power or fishing boat. Otherwise, it was so calm. We were close enough to Kilarney that we could run in with the dinghy for ice and supplies. As long as we were patient since we only brought our 4 horse power outboard motor. If we push it, we make 4 knots. We met friends Andrea and Paul on Tuesday for dinner at the Kilarney Mountain Lodge. They live quite close but because there is only one road in it takes them almost an hour by car. The Lodge is beautiful, and their conference center Canada House is the largest log structure in North America. We found a really good blueberry patch in the inner bay of Covered Portage and went picking a couple of times. We had happy hours on Rita James and on Atlas. Atlas is Rob and Melissa's 41 Tarten that is stunning. We went fishing a couple of times, but no luck. We had the bay to ourselves until Saturday morning. Early Saturday, a small fishing boat with two adults, a toddler, and two large dogs pulled into the bay. They tied to shore and set up camp on one of the rocks. It was entertaining watching them set up their tent and realize they'd forgotten something. Off dad went in the boat after a few tense words trying to determine who did what. The toddler was crying and the dogs barking, which got Tug barking. Dad came back, and things calmed down, Randy found out they were only here for the day, which was a bit of a relief. I didn't get any pictures. I felt bad enough watching them, but it was entertaining. Just after lunch, we saw a Nordic Tug 26 heading our way. We were very surprised when it came into our bay and dropped anchor very close by. He indicated he would tie to shore and proceeded to jump in the water with a line to tie to a tree. We let him know that if the wind switched as predicted, we would swing and hit him. He suggested we also tie to shore, but we were anchored in the middle and did not want to pull out our shoreline. It wouldn't be long enough to double back to the boat and would make leaving Sunday morning more of a challenge. We ended up helping him move his anchor so he was out of our swing radius. It was the first time we had to share the bay. Our last night, we joined a group of friends to have dinner at Heberts Fish and Chips and drinks in the octagonal bar at the Kilarney Mountain Lodge. It was a fun evening with great entertainment at the Lodge. We caught a ride with Jamie and Chico in their fast dinghy, and they joined us onboard for night caps when they dropped us off. It was a really wonderful week, but it's definitely time to move on. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    The Chi-Cheemaun return to Tobemory from Manitoulin Island.
    Initially the water was nice and flat as we pointed the bow north east.Tug was not a happy boy. Two hours into a six hour journey, he calmed down.Running along the bottom of Manitoulin Island.A much calmer Tug.Randy did a much better job steering than our auto helm. More white caps than we like to see.Coming into KilarneyFloat plane tied to the liquor store dock. All the LCBOs are closed due to a strike.2View from the pilot house once we were anchored. It was a beautiful evening

    50 Cove, Our Favorite

    7 lipca 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Our trip across the top of Georgian Bay started out well. The sun was shining, the winds were light and it was a perfect temperature. As we cleared the harbour, a fully loaded tour bus passed in front of us and threw a huge wake. Randy turned the boat and steered into the wake, but wow, things went flying. We forgot to give Tug his happy pills before we left so he wasn't too happy. It's better late than never, and the pills kicked in a couple of hours into the trip. The Chicheemaun went by heading back to Tobemory. Its a pretty impressive ship. Once we were out in open water, we started seeing white caps, and the ride got a little bouncy. Randy hand steered for a couple of hours, and we were very happy to see Red Rock and the entrance to Kilarney. We love this little town, we decided to take the long way to our anchorage so we could cruise through town. As we were getting close to town, we saw a float plane getting ready to land. It was tied to the dock at the liquor store when we passed by. The Kilarney Mountain Lodge built some beautiful new cabins, and the log conference center is just gorgeous. The town was pretty quiet, a few boats at the Mountain Lodge, but only three at the Sportsman. One at the Sportsman was almost 80 feet, though. Mike Ranta, a character Randy follows on Facebook paddled by us in his canoe with his dog Spitzi. He and Randy greeted each other like old friends. As we approached our anchorage, one of the cottagers was leaving in their float plane. It took off right in front of us, very cool. I tried to take a video, but I didn’t hit the correct button. Oops. We were really excited when we saw 50 Cove was empty. The water is down this year, so we went in super slow. We have 6 feet of water, which is a little less than what we'd like, but the bottom is mucky with really good holding, so we dropped our anchor. It is so beautiful here we are going to stay until our water tanks are empty and our head is full. We took a dinghy ride and said hello to Jamie and Chico, who are in the next anchorage. We had a nice dinner onboard and watched a couple of YouTube shows. The stars were amazing, and we fell asleep to the sounds of the water and woods. We love being on anchor. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    The lake was flat and the wind calm as we left Cove Island and headed to Tobemory
    Our spot for the night.This little guy was sound asleep oblivious to the crowds passing by.A little while later he woke up but couldn't be bothered moving.The tour boats were busy and there are so many of them.We walked over to see the Chicheeman loading. We heard it arriving and leaving.Beautiful day for walking and a pretty town to explore.Tug has his own chair and a bowl of ice water at the Crows Nest.We could see the top of our boat from the street level. We were docked across from some tour boats.2Randy practicing a yoga pose.We wore Tug out, so he caught up on his rest while we went out for dinner.Di's friend Doug came by for a visit.You can just make out Hogsbreath in amongst some of the tour boats.

    Special Delivery in Tobermory

    6 lipca 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We had a nice relaxing morning before hauling anchor to head into Little Tub harbour. Before leaving, we met the delivery crew from Painkiller, a 41-foot Beneteau that was anchored beside us. One of the crew was interested in Hogsbreath but she isn't for sale at this point. Jamie and Chico stopped by to say goodbye and I'm sure we will see them again in our travels. We took our time and made it to the fuel dock in an hour. It's always a pleasure to see Carla the Harbour Master. She shares great stories, and her staff are always well trained and so friendly. We figured we may need 90 gallons of fuel since we ran at 2000 rpms for 14 hours, and we were pretty close. Before heading to our slip for the stay, we took on 94 gallons. Diesel was .20 per liter less than at the yacht club, so a bit of a savings there. We had a slip on the east side of the harbour just below the Princess Hotel. Randy spun the boat around and docked, facing the exit so it would be easy to leave the next day. He parked our 32-foot boat in 36 feet of open dock without breaking a sweat. After securing the lines, he said he didn't realize how tight the spot was. The only downside was we couldn't lower our dinghy, so no exploring by water. Di and Tug arrived a few hours later, and Tug was pretty excited to see us. Di came bearing gifts, wine, butter tarts, fresh green beans, a tomato, and a bag of chip nuts. She is definitely spoiling us. We wandered around town and stopped in at the Crows Nest for a cold drink and some people watching. The town was busy with multinational tourists, and it is fun to watch everyone. Our dock wasn't secured, so we had tons of people interested in our floating home. It was a floating dock that creaked loudly whenever someone walked by, so it was pretty noisy. We went to Coconut Joe's for dinner and enjoyed sitting outside with a great view of the harbour. The tour boats were really busy, and they kept running till dusk. Back at the boat, we played a few games of rumicub, Randy and Di were the winners. We had an early morning, partly because the dock walkers started by 7 but also because Di's friend Doug was going to drop by for a breakfast beer. He has a cottage nearby and knows the town so well. He is a musician and a great storyteller, so it was a fun visit. He also went back to his cottage and brought us ice for our cooler. Such a thoughtful thing. We went to the Princess Hotel for breakfast based on a recommendation from Karla and had an amazing breakfast. The food was great, prices were very reasonable and the service was excellent. Di and I checked out a few shops, and then it was time for her to head out and for us to get ready to cross the top of Georgian Bay. It was a really nice stop in Tobermory. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    1The Rita James at anchor.
    Hogsbreath from the bow of Rita JamesGeorgian Mist from Bayfield. 36 foot CS Traditional.Happy hour on the bow of Rita James. Happy Birthday ChicoDrinks and appetizers on the bow. There was plenty of room for 4 deck chairs and a table.An example of the shoreline of Peter Island. The winter storms have carved interesting noches.

    First Night At Anchor

    5 lipca 2024, Kanada ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    It was such a beautiful night at anchor. The only noise we heard was the frog chorus. We both slept soundly and didn't hear the power boat leave, so we had the anchorage all to ourselves. Once we were up and finished breakfast, we decided to move the boat a little closer to the middle of the bay. We dropped in 14 feet, and we were further from the shallow spots and rocks. We don't often have an anchorage to ourselves, so Randy took advantage of the privacy and washed the boat with very little on. After lunch, we decided to go fishing in our favorite spot, but as we were getting ready to leave, a sailboat came in. We recognized the boat, and once they were settled, we stopped by to say hello. They were new owners from Bayfield. We knew people in common and had lots of stories to share. While we were talking, Rita James came in, and we knew it was Chicos's birthday, so there would be some fun to be had. We did get a little fishing in, but unfortunately, there was no catching. We also did a little tour around Peter Island. It is just too pretty here. We joined Chico and Jamie on the bow of Rita James for drinks, appetizers, and laughs. It was such a fun afternoon and evening. Such a beautiful boat, she is a 57-foot flag blue center cockpit, Bristol. Jamie and Chico are very talented at boat restoration, and they have done an amazing job. The mosquitos found us, and it was time for a late dinner, so we headed back to Hogsbreath. I made some really good chicken lettuce wraps with Margo cookies for dessert. Cell coverage was good, so we watched Jepordy and Delos before calling it a night. It was another great day on the tug. Tomorrow, it's off to Tobemory to meet Dianna and Tug. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeNorth Channel 2024Podróżnik
    It was still dark as we prepared to leave the dock.
    It's not often the crew of Hogsbreath is up before the sun.Dawn was breaking as we left our dock.The sun was coming up over the Cove.Beautiful sunrise and a calm lake.The captain setting out. Once we cleared the shipping lanes auto took over and we stood watch.The weather window we waited a week for.Beautiful sunrise as we set off.Sarnia behind us for a few weeks.A few rock islands and submerged rocks mark our course for Cove Island.After 13 hours of open water it is strange to be heading so close to shoreOur view for the night. As the boat swings the view changes. I can't capture the water clarity.Tug comfy at home not missing us at all.Our location.

    Throw Off The Dock Lines

    4 lipca 2024, Kanada ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We have been watching the weather apps closely since last week. We thought we may be able to leave last Friday but the lake wasn't ready for us. We need 14 or 15 hours of low wind and waves for a comfortable ride to Cove Island. The boat will take waves and wind, but we look for comfort and don't mind waiting. Dianna is going to drive Tug to Tobemory on Saturday so we can do the trip to Cove Island in one leg. The entrance to the Cove Island anchorage is tricky, so it's important to arrive before dusk. It was still dark as we got ready to leave at 5:20 a.m., but the yacht club is well lit, so it was easy to cast off. The sky to the east was turning a lovely shade of pink as we left the club, and we were treated to a beautiful sunrise as we pointed our bow north. The waves were about a foot, and the wind was light, so it was a nice ride. We needed to make 10 knots of boat speed to make Cove Island in daylight, so we were running at 2000 rpms. Our next fuel stop will hurt, but it's definitely worth it to make the miles. We had a light breakfast while underway, and we settled in for a long day. Randy listened to an audio book, I read a paperback book, and we took turns napping. We lost sight of land after a couple of hours and didn't see anything but water for most of the day. It was overcast and quite hazy at times, but we were comfortable inside the pilot house. There were no other boats in sight, and except for a couple of mylar balloons, we didn't see anything until the Bruce Peninsula came in sight around 5:00 pm. We followed a previous track on our chart plotter into the anchorage to find only one boat there. It was a huge power boat with a generator running, so we went to the far end of the harbour. We dropped anchor in 10 feet of water at 7:40. There were a few logs on the bottom and shallow areas close by. The water is so clear you can see everything on the bottom. The anchorage was very calm. Our anchor really grabbed in a sandy spot, and there were no high winds in the forecast, so we were comfortable with our spot. Best of all, we could barely hear the other boats generator. We sat outside until the mosquitos came out and thoroughly enjoyed our first night at anchor. We love this spot. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeCarnegie Hall DebutPodróżnik
    Our first stop in Times Square was the M&M store.
    A quick stop at Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall.The Lego Store was next. It's amazing what you can build. The taxi was coolEveryone found things they just had to have. Never to old for legoThis one's for Graham he is a big fanWe lit candles in St Patrick'sSuch a beautiful cathedralSomething for everyone at the Lego store. Baby grand $600Such a beautiful cathedralAlexis made a new friend. We could have used him to get into our room.This is for Sean we saw it while hanging out at the Nintendo StoreOne last picture on our way out of town.

    Its A Wrap

    28 maja 2024, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Monday was such an unbelievable day with the concert and harbour tour. We thought we may sleep in, but we were up bright and early. We had a good breakfast and packed our bags for a 1:00 pm. check out. We met with our students who had a list of places they wanted to visit in Times Square. We headed out at 9:30 and spent a little over 3 hours checking places off their list. It was so much fun watching them explore each place. We were back to the hotel with 15 minutes to spare. We went to our room to grab our bags and wait for our bus. The plan was that buses would leave at 1:30 and with stops and border crossing we should be at Beale by 11:00. You know what they say about the best laid plans. I used my card to open our door, but no luck. Alexis tried her card, but no luck. The elevators were so busy that I decided to walk down the 7 flights of stairs to get a new card. The lobby was crazy busy with our group checking out and another big group checking in, but I finally had my card reprogrammed, and I was lucky to get an elevator. Tried to open the door again, but no luck. Alexis took the stairs and explained to the front desk that the new card didn't work and that there were no lights on the card reader. She was told they would send someone up. We waited the longest 10 minutes, and I walked down the stairs again. The buses were loading, and we were starting to panic. A porter named Harrison came up with me and tried his master. No luck. Hmm, he said it's not lighting up. I can't help you. Alexis walked down the 7 sets of stairs, and she was told we needed an engineer. The engineer finally showed up and said it needs a new battery, and he left to get the proper tools. By this point, the buses had to leave because they can only block traffic for so long before they get ticketed. The two buses were driving around the Times Square area while we waited to get into our room. It took over an hour and a half for that to happen. We then had to try and meet the buses somewhere they could stop long enough to load our luggage while blocking traffic. We waited on the corner of Broadway and West 54th Street and jumped on our bus as it pulled over as best it could. Unbelievable. Our bus drivers were amazing, and the group was so supportive. The hotel staff were unbelievable as well, but not in a good way. Instead of arriving at 11, we pulled into Beale at 1:30 on Wednesday morning. It was an absolutely amazing trip overall, and I am very grateful for the experience. Especially the time I had with Alexis and Charity, what a wonderful gift. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeCarnegie Hall DebutPodróżnik
    Lots to see on our morning walk.
    Our hotel was really close to The Late ShowWe saw a mansion for sale close to the MOMA. We looked online at the listing and the photos.The lobby was busy as the choir gathered for the walk to Carnegie HallGreat group shot across the street from Carnegie Hall.It was difficult to get a clear shot of my singersOur choir with the orchestra in dress rehearsalThe performance. Orchestra now in formal wear.Good friendsWaiting to board our cruise shipThe Brooklyn Bridge from the top deck of the Spirit of New YorkGordo and the Brooklyn BridgeSo close to the Statue of LibertyThe reflection in the clouds was so cool.The Staten Island Ferry went by a couple of times.Getting ready for the performance outside Carnegie Hall.Great spot to watch New York go byNot sure a photo was high on the priorityTaking a break from the dance floor.

    Its Show Time

    27 maja 2024, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    We were scheduled to arrive at Carnegie Hall's stage door at 1:30 for dress rehearsal, but our morning was free. The students were asked to remain in the hotel to rest up for the performance so Lex and I were on our own. We had a nice breakfast then took a walk. The weather forecast was awful, but the rain held off for our walk to Carnegie Hall. We stopped across the street for a group photo. The choir was in their formal atire for dress rehearsal, so it was a nice picture. We all collected our backstage passes and had time to hang out in dressing room 5. I made a trip to Walgreens for forgotten items, and it was pouring. We had made it inside just in time. I was allowed to sit in the audience for dress rehearsal, and it was so amazing. First of all, to get to the hall, I was able to go back stage, I had to stop and wait while a large harp was wheeled off stage. The hall itself was beautiful. There was a full orchestra, and the acoustics were unbelievable. I was fortunate in that I saw the performance twice. The full performance started at 7:00 pm and was for 3 hours, there were two other choirs. I was so proud watching Alexis and Charity on stage at Carnegie Hall. After the performance, our buses were waiting to take us to Chelsea Pier to board the Spirit of New York for a cruise. The weather cooperated, and the rain had stopped. Alexis and I headed to the top deck and found seats at the rail, and we spent the entire cruise there. The skyline was so beautiful. The boat was very impressive. 4 decks, a number of bars, a lighted dance floor, and a dj. There was a hot and cold buffet that we didn't even check out. The students loved the dj, and the dance floor was packed. It was after 2:00 am when we made it back to the hotel. What a wonderful day. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeCarnegie Hall DebutPodróżnik
    We were really looking forward to seeing Wicked and it didn't disappoint.
    The students were really excited to see Wicked we sat with an enthusiastic groupThese were the students we hung out with. A really great group of young peopleIt was a beautiful theater and the sets costumes and special effects were awesomeDinner at AppleBeesThere was a photo op at Rockefeller Center that recreated a famous pictureThere's not a lot to see with the clouds, but still a crowdJust before closing the clouds lifted and there was a viewMaking our way home Sunday evening.Keep your eyes open mom well not that open. Looking a little crazedLots of service men and women enjoying the big cityGreat seats for WickedThe play was awesome and the company even better.

    A Wicked Good Day

    26 maja 2024, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We had another full day with lots of adventures. The choir had practice from 8:30 till 12:00 and they are sounding so good. We had a quick lunch at the Shake Shack with the group of students we have been hanging out with. After lunch, we had a short break to freshen up and get ready for our matinee. Wicked was a short walk away, and we arrived early enough to check the theater out. The play was so good and although we had seen it before we really enjoyed it. After the play, we had reservations at AppleBees. Although we had pre-ordered, it was still mass confusion. Dining with 100+ people is so challenging, but we enjoyed getting to know everyone as we waited for our dinners. We had tickets for the top of Rockefeller Center at 8:00. Unfortunately, the clouds came in as we were in line for the elevator, and they gave us the opportunity to reschedule. That wasn't an option for us, so up we went. The crowds were crazy and visibility was limited. Some of the group didn't do well with heights, and we had to split up to take some down early. The weather cleared for our walk home, and once the students were back in their rooms, Lex and I decided to go out for a drink. It was such a great way to relax after a very busy day. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeCarnegie Hall DebutPodróżnik
    A short clip from rehearsal. Nothing to see but the singing is amazing.
    Off to lunch with our 9 students. I walked at the back of the group,ensuring we didn't lose anyone.Their choice, Margaritaville Times Square. A few of them visited the gift shop for souvenirs.We were bad influences Lex had a Margarita and a Landshark for me.Times Square was a mad house. A show was being filmed, which added to the chaos.People were everywhere, and it was a challenge keeping the group togetherHere is our Jimmy Buffet fan. He led us on a very quick walk to Margaritaville.Our walk after lunch was even quicker since we were running late. Not the best photos.The Beale Choir and London Singers after 6 hours of rehearsals. All still smiling.The area around the Lincoln Center and Metropolitan Opera House was beautifulPassing Julliard with a group of musical performers was interesting. Everyone knew this place.The Metropolitan Opera House was very impressive.A very grand entrance.Orfeo de Euridice was the opera we saw. Set design and dancing was really wonderful.Tried to behave but lots of giggles and some inappropriate comments.Great seats

    Long Rehearsals and A Night at the Opera

    25 maja 2024, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We were up early and had a nice breakfast in our hotel. The rehearsals were at the Sheraton Times Square, which was a short walk from our hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn. There are four choirs performing together; our two, one from Ohio and one from Alberta. They have all been practicing the two pieces; Mozart's Vesperae Solennes and Mozart's Coronation Mass, but this is the first time they will be performing together. It's incredible how beautiful it sounded so very quickly. There are two conductors leading practices, and its interesting watching their different styles. There is also a very talented pianist, so I feel very fortunate to listen in. A commitment had been made to the parents of our student choir to ensure the students were always accompanied by adults so Lex and I joined a group of Charity's friends for lunch. One of them really wanted to go to Margaritaville in Times Square, so off we went. It was a wild 15-minute walk and a bit of a challenge, ensuring we kept all 9 of them together in the crazy crowds. There was so much to see, but we made it back to rehearsal just a few minutes late. After rehearsal, we had a short break before a group dinner at the Empire Steakhouse and then back on the bus to the Lincoln Center and Metropolitan Opera House. Both buildings were impressive. We had great seats for the production of Orfeo ed Euriduce. The orchestra was wonderful, the sets were really well done, and the chorus and dancers were so good. I'm not sure Opera is my thing, but I'm so glad I had a chance to experience it. We really enjoyed people watching, especially those who really dressed up. It was a very full but wonderful day. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeCarnegie Hall DebutPodróżnik
    We thought this fountain at the front of the met was from Friends. It wasn't but still so cool.
    About half of our group waiting for tickets. It was so nice to hang out after the long bus ride.The Met is such an impressive place. The diversity in the crowds was amazing.We spent so much time in the Egyptian area.These pieces were ancient yet we could get so close. She wasn't touching though.These statues had female lion faces. Very terrifying.So hard to imagine how much time this statue has been on earth.These were moved from Egypt and reconstructed as they were found. So impressiveThere was a European area with rooms moved from grand estates. Loved the fabrics and furnitureTapestry so beautiful it's worth a very bad picture of me.This staircase was moved from a grand estate. The detailed carving was so impressiveWe both loved the stained glass.More stained glass, this was by Tiffany and was donated from private homes.Three walls of beautiful tapestries. Artisans would spend years on these pieces.There were rooms of armor from around the world.Most of these suits weighed over 65 pounds. Unbelievable and we were so close to them.This is Hercules. There were rooms of Roman and Greek marble statues.The museum was beautiful after dark. It was a warm evening and there was so much going on.When we checked in, this message was on our TV. The pictures changed, but all were iconic NY shots.

    A Night at the Museum

    24 maja 2024, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    The buses dropped us off at the Metropolitan Museum, and we enjoyed the beautiful weather and amazing people watching as we waited for our tickets. The organization required is pretty impressive. There are 47 people on our bus and a similar number on the student bus. We all have numbers, I'm 42, and we are required to count off when boarding the bus or starting an event. It's not as easy as it sounds. It's actually kind of funny. The museum was so impressive and I think in our 2 and a half hours we saw about two-thirds of the main floor. Overall, maybe less than half of the whole museum. There was so much to see. At 9, we gathered outside and waited for our buses to return. It was a beautiful night, and we enjoyed the wait. The hotel was close, but it was after 10:30 when we got into our room. I am so glad it's just Lex and I sharing, 4 to a room would be a little too crowded. We went for a short walk before calling it a night. All in all, it was a wonderful first day. Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeCarnegie Hall DebutPodróżnik
    It was very quiet and very dark when I left the house.
    1Milestone number one, we made it to the pick up point by 6 am.Beautiful full moon but I didn't get a picture until we were ready to board our busMass confusion as we tried to figure out which bus was oursAll settled for the long drive. We had one bus for the adult choir and one for the school choir.Charity and friends at our first stop outside Grimsby.Our first view of New York City from the George Washington BridgeJust like Mexico, an alley for fixing flat tires. We were on Amsterdam St as we came into the city.

    Early Morning Start

    24 maja 2024, Kanada ⋅ 🌩️ 12 °C

    I can't remember the last time I was up at 3:30 in the morning, and I was amazed I woke up before the alarm. I was even more amazed that I was able to get some sleep. I was up and on the road by 4:00 am, and it was a beautiful start to the day. Traffic was light, and I was in Strathroy in about 40 minutes. Lex and Charity were ready, and we drove into London. Sean came with us, and he drove the van back home. We actually beat the buses to our pick-up point. A little mass confusion as we boarded and set off for New York. The ride was long, but uneventful and clearing customs wasn't challenging. Lex and I chatted most of the way. Charity was on the student bus, but we saw her at our stop for breakfast and lunch. We arrived in New York City around 5:30 and went straight to the Metropolitan Museum Czytaj więcej

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  • Terry And Randy ClarkeCanals and Camper VansPodróżnik
    The staff at the rail station feed the ducks every morning. They did not want to get out of my way.
    Pictures from the train don't do the scenery justiceViews from the trainJust stunning1Look what we've come home to. Love love love our beautiful Lake Huron and our neighborhood beach.

    We Made It Home

    10 października 2023, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We were up early to get to the train station. We checked before going to bed and the expectation was the trains would be running but at reduced speeds in some areas. They were also honoring tickets from Saturday and Sunday on a first come first serve basis. We were going to be on that train even if we had to stand all the way to Glasgow. When we stepped out the front door of the guest house, the sun was shining, and the mist was gone. I saw a mountain on the islands I'd never seen in the five days we've been here. It was beautiful. We arrived at the station at 7:30 for an 8:50 train. The clerk said the train was running on time, and we headed outside to wait. There was one other person there ahead of us. An 82 year old man from Arkansas who was in Scotland with his son for a meeting of his clan. I can't remember which clan, but he told me the MacDonalds had killed their Laird 400 years ago, so we weren't his favorite people. He had some interesting stories to share. There were a few empty seats on the train, but not many. The trip was as beautiful as advertised, and we enjoyed sitting back and watching. We let Garry and Judy know we didn't need a ride, but we sure did appreciate their kind offer. We decided we would go to a travel agent to book our return flight, but after visiting two, we found out they can't do last-minute tickets. We went back to the rail station and used their free wifi to book our flights. What a fiasco, two one-way tickets Glasgow to Toronto were going to cost approximately 3400 Canadian. When I bought the original tickets back in January, I paid 800 for the two. I read on one of the booking sites to try a throw-away ticket. Basically, you book a return trip with no intention of using the return portion. Two return tickets 1700. I'm hoping our travel insurance covers the replacement tickets, but even so, I couldn't bring myself to spend the 3400. Once we had our tickets we booked the Holiday Inn at the airport. It's a great location you can walk to the airport in a couple of minutes. We found the airport express bus and headed for the airport. We checked into the hotel and decided to explore the airport. That didn't take long it's a small airport. We went to the hotel bar for a light dinner and met some people from Grand Bend. One of them was retired from TD, and we knew so many people in common. It was really hard to fall asleep. I was so worried we would sleep through our alarm and miss our flight. We even set alarms on both phones. I checked my fitbit in the morning 2.5 hours sleep. I was so relieved when we dropped our duffle bag off, made it through security and found a seat at our gate. It was a good flight, we breezed through Customs, our bag was on the conveyor belt when we walked up and there was a Park n Fly bus waiting when we walked out the doors. The drive home wasn't too busy and Di had a beautiful dinner in the fridge when we got home. Tug was so happy to see us and we are so very happy to be home. What an amazing trip. Czytaj więcej

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