the 2007 North American Rally
Monday 23 July - 1
photos: Dave/Carol Hansman, Julia/Al Schonborn, Bill Harkins, Alan Asselstine, Andy Douma
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Julia and I left the cottage in plenty of time on that glorious Monday morning with enough time in hand to gas up and liberate breakfast from the drive-through at the Huntsville McDonalds. Alas, as we neared Parry Sound coming up Hwy 69, we saw a Wal-Mart waving to us: Julia had thought of some items we could use, and I remembered last Thursday when I had decided I just had to have a pair of swimming trunks ...
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... exactly like the ones bought at Wal-Mart for Ron Reading at the Rebel Nationals by his daughter, CeCe (l) and grand-daughter, Catie. So, in we went - just for a quick shop before continuing on the the Skippers' Meeting. When I had not returned half an hour later, Julia became suspicious, knowing I never shop for longer than five minutes. She found me trapped in my change room, whose out-of-order sign I had failed to notice. Soon, a lovely young store manager (as I discovered afterwards) had called an assistant from hardware who levered the door open with a crowbar. And they didn't even have the exact same trunks, but I did purchase a reasonable facsimile with which I've been very happy, and then we were finally off to Killbear. I think this may also have been the day we had to wait at the railway tracks just after our turn-off to Killbear from Hwy 69.
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Be that as it may, we arrived after the meeting, but ...   - click here for full-size pic
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... not too late to ascertain the day's destination. We would be ...
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... heading west, out into Georgian Bay, quite possibly to the Pancake Islands.   for full-size chart image, click here
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In just a whisper of a breeze, Blue Mist leads the way.
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Today, Dick will be sailing with Lisa Nelson and Joan.
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Finding a nice little breeze off Kilcoursie Bay are ...
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... Lori and Andrew.
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Anyone getting too far ahead - like Tony and Mary above - has been invited to wait for laggards like ...
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... Uncle Al who had to rush back to his "tent" to ...
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... change into his new swimming trunks.   (click here to return to the top of this page)
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By the time Julia and Al got back to the beach, it was already beginning to fill up for what promised to be a hot day.
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In a matter of seconds, we got our sails up, cast off and got off the beach just in time to follow Bill Harkins who above, does a brief demonstration of how you should never oversheet the main in such very light winds, before ...
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... getting the proper trim by easing his main a bit.
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Today, Bill and Margie have company: the lovely and lively Krystal Nelson.
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As Bill and I head out towards Georgian Bay, we meet several boats heading towards the town of Parry Sound.
- click here for full-size pic
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These keelboats remind me of the definition of a Georgian Bay keelboat that Doug Gilchrist and I came up with during our 1999 cruise out of Killarney: keelboat - a motor boat with a mast.   - click here for full-size pic
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(l to r) Margie, Krystal and Bill enjoy the light breeze as they prepare to leave Cousin Island to starboard.
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Meanwhile, Al and Julia tootle on past the lighthouse for which our point is named.
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Perhaps still a tad traumatized by his Wal-Mart experience, Al looks a bit grim here.
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It's hard to envy the keelboaters, isn't it?
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It's unanimous: we are having fun!!!
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Life is good.
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Bill still has his main leech hooked well to windward due to excess mainsheet tension,
but who would be heartless enough to comment and risk spoiling those beatific smiles we just saw??!!
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Way ahead of us, most of our flotilla stands into Kilcoursie Bay on port tack.   - click here for full-size pic
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Alas, it's a short sailing day for ...   - click here for full-size pic
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... Kit and Patsy who ...   - click here for full-size pic
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... now must pack up and head for the Worlds in Denmark.   - click here for full-size pic