The Journey from Toronto to Presqu'ile Bay (AGAIN?!!!)

We had a beautiful downwind run all the way from Toronto to Port Whitby, using our asymmetrical spinnaker. The winds were low, 5-8 knots. We’ve come to realize how efficiently the spinnaker works in these light winds. Incredulously, oftentimes we were flying very close to the same speed as the wind.

It was at Port Whitby that we saw a most riveting sunset. It was one of those sunsets that uncontrollably transports us into another dimension.  Everyone at the dock, suddenly transfixed, stopped their usual evening activities and drank in the glory of nature at her finest.

(Unenhanced)

From Port Whitby to Presqu’ile we motored most of the way but when the winds picked up to 5 knots we hoisted the spinnaker again. There was a point where the winds died to 2 knots and our trooper of a spinnaker still stayed filled and pulled us a whopping .9 knots, no whisker pole needed! While moseying to our next destination we were closing in on a mass in the water just off our starboard beam. Our chart showed 65 feet of water. We were confounded. Were we approaching a sandbar?  As we cautiously glided closer we realized that what we were seeing was a mass of hundreds of Cormorants settled on the water… apparently this is part of their daily fishing routine.

Doesn't it look like the birds are settled on a sandbar?! 

We again came upon a multitude of the social Cormorants, this time on an actual tiny island uninhabited but for a lighthouse marking our way into Presqu’ile bay.  

PRESK EEL AGAIN!!!!

So here we are anchored at Presqu’ile (presk eel) Bay. Ontario, CN. The wind is howling and the waves are six feet out in the lake so we’ve decided to stay put another day before making our 54 nm journey across the lake back to the states to Sodus Bay, NY.

You may be asking WTFR you? Weren’t you already in Presqu’ile twice before? Are you sailing in circles? No siree bob, this is yet another locale with the same name. But at least this Presqu’ile is distinctive in that while it’s pronounced exactly the same way, it’s spelled the French way. I just learned that the translation of Presqu’ile “almost an island” really means “Peninsula” to our French compatriots. Okay so they name three locations, “Peninsula”, where’s the distinquishing adjectives?! Granted, each one is on a different lake and way back when they probably seemed worlds apart. Maybe each lake had a whole different set of explorers. It’s not like they had speedy communications so they could discuss a good naming convention. Or maybe the same explorers thought, ah these lakes are so far apart, nobody will notice… and if they do, it will drive them batty (HA HA)! It makes you wonder, how many Presque Isles are there? Maybe we can chart a course just on "Presk eels" alone!

Be that as it may, this Presqu’ile looks exactly like the Canada of my imagination.  It harbors a small quaint unpretentious port town nestled against lush green rolling hills and flanked by a dense coniferous forest, dunes and open sandy beaches. We sit in the cockpit and watch Swans floating like ballerinas across the water

while the Double-breasted Cormorants are flying low, within inches of the water, before making swift and graceful dives... I now understand how “Swan Lake” was inspired. To top this show off, loads of quite spectacular Dragonflies abound and seem to take quite a liking to our cockpit and Jeff's leg. I never realized how colorful, varied and, shall we say, exuberant, they are …

A wondrous journey to all,

Pam

P.S. There is only one week remaining to join our "Sail on Grace" drive in fighting against Leukemia. Any dollar contribution is most welcome. 

http://il.lcr.llsevent.org/ng/index.cfm/af2a69a/regPages/pledge/SAILONGRACE/