July 21 - The Village of Winston Park

We're still sweltering in a heat wave and Gerry volunteered me to help out at the retirement/nursing home Cruise Night. Yep, just what I wanted to do - work in the fry truck when the outside temperature is 38 and with the humidex it's about 200! Fortunately I don't know how to actually cook the fries so I didn't have to stand in front of the fryers, I got the cooler job of chipping the potatoes and filling the buffet trays with cooked fries. I don't know when I drank so much water in so little time. On the positive side there was a good breeze blowing, which I stood in whenever possible, and we got free T-shirts and they fed us hamburgers (and fries LOL), salad and make your own sundae. Even got a bag of cotton candy when we left.

Now that's a spud!

Told you that tater was too big for the chipper!

                    

"Mr. Ken"

more fun

We did manage to get out on the lake but not with much more wind than the last time. Of course the day after they left we had gale force (almost) winds and also the day after I got a text from Sally claiming it was 12 degrees at the cottage back in Saskatchewan and here we're still sweltering at 34.

Took Abby kayaking - she sat perfectly still and didn't complain about wearing a hot bulky life jacket like someone else did.

2 in a 1-person kayak does work

Cheese!!!

Abby is lucky to have 2 Moms who aren't afraid to be silly.

McKenzie is a natural born sailor

Playing

July 16 - Rum Runner Race

Another race day, and another day with very little wind, but more than last time. We decided to mix it up, Gerry and Les in the Edel and Chris and me in the Matilda. I find getting lined up at the start line very stressful and especially today since neither Chris nor I have much experience in 'hovering' without accidentally crossing the line ahead of time. Apparently I was fretting for nothing – we had a fantastic start and actually were in the lead for a short time, employing the wing on wing tactic. And what of the boys? They were totally out of position and they were the last ones across the start line (ha ha ha ha). Hans soon passed us and got around the first marker, we caught up, twice, and then he went off in a different direction. And what of the boys? Unfortunately we heard this horrible noise behind us, the noise of a faster, bigger boat bearing down on us – I just knew it was them and sure enough they whizzed past us.

The wind was fickle and one minute we're heeled over and the next we're almost dead in the water, sometimes I hate that lake. We rounded the 2nd marker and just like everyone else (I think) we soon came to a screeching halt – and just as we were trying to pick up speed in a whisper of wind, along came a whole batch of power boats, screaming past us in all directions and knocking the scant wind we had out of our sails and (from our perspective) almost swamped Hans! Long story short – the boys won the race (he who laughs last, laughs best), Steve & Anita came in 2nd we finished a quite respectable 3rd.  The 2 of us had a great time, Hans even remarked after the race that we seemed to be having a lot of fun – and we did, laughing our way around the lake, so I guess we laughed last and definitely laughed best.

July 15 - The Kids are HERE!

Sally, McKenzie and of course Abby have arrived in Ontario and yesterday the big kids went out sailing with us. Unfortunately winds were light, I had really wanted to scare them but we didn't have the opportunity. Was a little dismaying that soon after we set off Sally's comment was “this is what you do every day?” translation: OMG this is so boring, I can't believe you think this is fun. I replied that once you mix in beverages, snacks and WIND it's a lot of fun. Fortunately (for us) the wind picked up a bit, beverages were served and it got to be more fun. They moved up onto the bow, lying under the jib sail and it actually got exciting when we unexpectedly heeled and they weren't hanging on. Hopefully next week we'll have more wind and give it another go – this time with Abby along as well.

McKenzie & Sally

Note: mystery scoundrels struck again and left these flags on our boats – I could have sworn we had asked for chocolate next time!

Note 2: thanks to Les & Chris we have a kayak at the trailer for the summer!

July 10 - Conestoga Sailing Club

Three of us decided to check out the open house they were having, Chris mainly to try out the Hobie Adventure. She fell in love, threatened to steal it and refused to bring it back to the dock so someone else could have a turn. We decided she needed to buy the tandem one - 2 reasons: with only one person it would go like a bat out of hell; if she managed to get it to the Bahamas we don't want her out on the ocean alone - it's no fun getting lost at sea without at least one friend to share the experience.

Chris getting instructions.

Gerry at the helm, Chris behind us.

Saving Chris from the weeds.

This is the Topaz Topper we took out - I think the water should be outside the boat, not inside.

Gerry having a go.

 















and then back to Wildwood in time to take the Bayfield out to see what it would do against the Edel.  Winds were, as usual, temperamental but we did manage to stay ahead of them once in a while.

Pretty black bottom.

When we're heeled over in this boat it seems like a long climb up from the low side.

Les hates this photo which shows us pulling away from him - apparently he doesn't like looking at the back of our boat!

Bye bye Les!

Until we get the engine back in, docking will be tricky – Les rowed out to help but we managed to get in on our own, with Chris catching us and keeping us off the posts till I could get off and help.

July 6

Out for a sail, minding our own business, taking a look at the swans that have returned to the lake when a small disaster struck. During an intentional soft jibe the piece of hardware that connects the main sheet to the boom let go.  Not to be deterred Gerry jury-rigged it and we continued to sail. Only 10 days till the next race - will it be repaired? I'm betting not.