12 Mile Bay to Parry Sound

Sunday 3^rd August.

The alarm did indeed go off at 6am, but we didn’t rush to get up. The day looked overcast at first glance, but the sun wasn’t yet up, so it was hard to tell. Lots of moisture in the air, so all the plastic upstairs was foggy…will wipe that later….

I had decided that scones for breakfast again didn’t sound very appetizing. Coffee was made and I finally decided to make a ‘good’ breakfast of pan fried banana, tomato and chopped spam in the scrambled eggs. It was delicious, and we knew it would last us all morning.

The normal routine was followed getting ready to leave, and we finally brought the anchor in just after 7.30am. The sun was low in the sky yet, but the light was gorgeous. No wind to speak of, just calm water and a rising sun.

 

The neighbors.

 This crowd was all rafted together.

 The gorgeous rocks, off to our starb'd side.

 You could almost eat the tranquility, on this morning. Stunning!

 Isnt the light fantastic? Making our way out of the bay into 12 mile bay.

 My usual 'looking back' photo, as we came through the narrow opening into 12 mile bay.

 Waz took us through the narrow opening and then went back out to clean the mud off the anchor by lowering it back into the water to wash it off. This photo shows us leaving 12 mile bay, but we will turn right just before those rocks on the right hand side.

 Another large boat anchored ina different serene bay.

 and the lone kayaker out enjoying the early morning.

 

Being the only ones on the water at that hour was fantastic, and the very reason we were out so early. This being a long weekend and all. We had a couple of small channels to get through where there would be NO room for another vessel to pass.

 

We made our way out of the bay past all the sleeping occupants of the many rafted boats…all except a golden Lab in the cockpit of one of the motor boats. Poor thing, out in the cool morning! Lining the boat up for an easy pass through the narrow mouth of the bay, we made it out unscathed and into the long 12 Mile Bay. Not far to our first red marker, take a right and settle into the rhythm of going through the first of the skinny channels.

 

In our wake...

 Yes, we have to get between those two markers...our first challenge of the day.

 and another couple...even skinnier!

 Stunning rock formations with windswept trees and other low growing foliage.

 and as the sun climbed further in the sky...

 we made our way through the skinny channel.

 

I was very relaxed through here, as we had done this as a trial run yesterday. I chose to stay by the window taking photographs instead of sitting on the end of the pilot seat and staring at the narrows on the screen…and driving both of us crazy. It was a good strategy, and I made it through there while still breathing.  Plenty to take photos of this morning. Apart from the gorgeous light, there were plenty of stunning rocky islands with cottages and not so cottagie homes.

 

 

Some of them defy the description, and we wondered aloud if it would be possible to stay in these huge homes, year round. Probably not! This is why Florida is full of Canadians, in the winter months. All the RV Parks down there fly the Canadian and American flags, lol. Now we know why! Seriously….so many isolated places…islands with lovely homes on them…and a few windblown pines…that’s all! Well, also a dock for the boat, as that is the only way to get to these places.

 

We finally got out of the small boat channel and into the normal shipping channel. It doesn't by-pass all the islands by any means, so we were able to enjoy the rocky outcrops while negotiating some more slightly tight spots (only slightly!) and making our way to Parry Sound. We were at the entry to the Sound by just after 10am…not bad! Motoring up the sound we saw more and more large homes in precipitous places…some of them outstanding, as the photos show.

 

 This house was extraordinary. The roof angles were daring and obviously served a purpose (snow run-off), but the fabulous glass everywhere warmed and let so much light into the main open area.

 The smaller structure on the left looks like a very glamorous 'Bunkie'.

Now into Parry Sound, rounding the corner of the light house..note that we have 122 feet under us:) It is a very deep sound, and at one stage we had 340+ feet under us!

 and behind this little island, we parked. Still early in the day, but a chance to enjoy the location.

 and on shore....

 We have the rest of the day!! yay!

 Marshes not far away from the boat.

 

Waz identified our anchorage on the chart and we slowed our girl in order to negotiate our way into the little bay. The depth slides suddenly from 100+ft to 21ft and then to 13ft….the shoreline is rather skinny, and some places have white markers out where it is safe for children to swim, without dropping into those great depths.

Lots of tents on rocky outcrops….not sure where their toilet facilities will be???ever wondered that?

 

 

We dropped anchor in this idyllic spot, made a cup of tea and put the deck chairs out back on the fly deck. I have to admit that we were rugged up in sweat pants, hoodies and scarf, on the way here, but of course we were making our own wind at 8 knots or more. Once we stopped, we peeled everything off and sat in the sun to thaw out. Phew! The water was still glassy until about lunch time when the wind came up. We have been swinging around for a while…it is now 4pm. Waz informed me that this actually isn’t the bay he intended…that is around the corner in the next bay. If the wind doesn’t drop after dinner, we will up anchor and move into the more protected bay. Winds are out of the south right now, which leaves us a little exposed. Not sure I ever get used to the sound of the slap slap on the hull, when the water is choppy…especially going to sleep!

His honor is having a nap beside me. We came inside where it is cooler, but I might have to go upstairs again in a minute and sit in the sun…it is getting just a little toooo cool down here in the salon. We will have the left over ribs for dinner tonight. I like instant food!:)

Well, I’m going to get my book and go put my feet up…literally. Talk to you later…………………

 

Seriously…we don’t understand these Canadians who play in the water while we are all rugged up in sweaters and scarves! I guess we just aren’t acclimated, or something, lol. It amazes us to see people out taking a dip in the bay in the early morning…say 9am (yes, THAT’S early in these parts)…when the water temperature is supposed to be 18C. There is no way it is that warm…I swear! Waz and I sat on the duck board the other day…the sun was hot and we thought we might…MIGHT be brave enough to go for a swim, so we sat and put our feet in the water to test it, as you do…Aieee!!! Our tootsies were frozen within seconds!

For once, we didn’t take the dinghy off the back of the boat to go for a tiki-tour. Somehow we got waylaid doing nothing…oh yes…a book will do that to youJ . We aren’t good at doing nothing, so this was a bit extraordinary for both of us. I'm re-reading a Patricia Cornwall novel…The Scarpetta Factor…and not really enjoying it, but I cant be bothered looking for another one in the small library we have. The other books all look a bit serious, to be frank.

I have to say we were well rested at the end of the day. Tis a good thing!

We could hear voices all around the little horseshoe shaped bay we were anchored in, and watched as some of the young folks, who were from the beach house opposite the boat, came out to wave at us on their way kayaking around the corner into the next bay. They all came back a couple of hours later.

We could also hear dogs and people on another shore…this one rocky…where there were a number of tents. …then we heard a chainsaw, and hoped they were only sawing an already fallen tree, for the fire they built as the sun was going down. We could see the fires in the dusk and again when it was finally dark. They were noisy for a long time, and sounds carry so well in the stillness.

Another thing that interests us is that the trees are only yay high. There are no significantly taller or larger trees anywhere…all about the same size. It is a low forest that we observe. There are about 12 different species of tree that we can recognize from other parts, but the further west we go, the smaller the variety of trees. Interestingly, there are small Liquidambar growing along the waterline in between cracks in the rocks. Their color is quite distinctive. We love the wild flowers that pop up everywhere…God’s little gardensJ

The rocks are fascinating too. Great folds of pink and grey granite and sometimes whorls too. There are grey rocks streaked through with white quartz and many of the rocks have a bright orange lichen on them, which makes for great photography J

It is a bit addictive, photographing these rocks…Just when you say something like “ ..another bloody rock!” you find another bloody rock to photograph, because the light is fantastic at that moment, or the trees and other foliage (perhaps) growing on them is gorgeous in the light, but mostly because it is impossible NOT to like the rocks.  I think I’m sounding a little loopy here!

So, here I am waxing poetic about rocks, when I really don’t want you to get the impression I am not OVER rocks completely….We will miss them…and the lovely clear water that goes with this area, and the ability to see the bottom if it is shallow enough, and…well, you get the idea!

So, dinner tonight was a chicken wrap. Waz has been freezer diving in the lazarette and found some wraps...the chicken was in the fridge already, waiting to be cooked.

We have been told that if we have meat products that aren’t labelled from the store, they may well be confiscated at Drummond Island, our point of re-entry into the USA. He went into the freezer ostensibly to find any meat that we should eat in the next week for this very purpose. Nice that he came up with some wraps, a couple of English muffins and a couple of ciabatta and …oh joy…his favorite….Cooked Roast Port. Good for lunches on the moveJ

He didn’t find any beef, which is something of a mixed blessing…we have been craving a good steak…it will have to wait for the USA.

So, we have been analyzing the food we have in the fridge and cupboard and making up our minds about what needs eating and what we can do without should the customs people get silly about things. We won’t be starving, one way or the other!

So, as I said…wraps made with chicken pieces, spinach, cheese, mayo (on the bottom, of course) and chunks of tomato and avocado. Very yummy and filling too.  We sat on the fly deck (the observation lounge J ) and enjoyed the sights and sounds of summer vacationers all around us.

Parry Sound is larger than 12 mile Bay…I think Waz told me it was about 6 miles wide by 6 long. The town of Parry Sound is on the opposite side of the bay to where we anchored. We weren’t tempted to go there.

Very few mozzies tonight, so we showered off the back of the boat J Hot water, cold air! Fantastic way to prepare for bed.

 

 ..and so the sun goes down.