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After a 3:40 a.m. start from
Oakville, Ontario just west of Toronto, Uncle Al took the route
recommended by CAA: 401 east to Cornwall, cross into the States onto
Route 37 and then 11 south of the St Lawrence River, south on I-87
along the west shore of Lake Champlain to the Port Kent exit where the
series of dots across Lake Champlain turned out to represent ...
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... the ferry above..
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Luckily, it
was only a brief 10-minute wait for SHADES ...
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... before
she was ensconced aboard the Champlain ...
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... in time
for the 11:15 departure.
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It was a
lovely morning to be out ...
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... on the upper deck ...
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... of
lovely Lake Champlain.
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Just over
an hour later, we were ready to dock at our destination ...
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...
Burlington, Vermont ...
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... a busy
vacation spot with lots of car traffic in and around the town. A few
miles later however, the traffic thinned right out as SHADES
continued south overland towards Vergennes and Button Bay.
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The early arrivals got the best
launching conditions at the rather rustic ramp, a mile south of the
Button Bay campground. Thursday afternoon saw sunshine and light,
steady breezes as (l to r) Tom Graefe (W9668), his brother
Dave, Tom Erickson (W275) and Tony Krauss with Mary Abel (well off
shore coming in in their Tasar) arrived off the Button Bay beach that
would be home to our boats for the Rally.
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| No
time like the present for single-handing as Tom Erickson (l)
heads out for a little sail, soon to be followed by Tom and Dave Graefe
(9668). Meanwhile, the Tasar team (r) prepares to make a
landfall. |