Head-Shakin' Moments

Excellence is an elusive quality that can be hard to attain, but when it is achieved it is remarkable and inspiring, especially when achieved by young (or younger than I) people.  The Olympics are an excellent example of achieving excellence.  It is so exciting to watch the athletes compete.  My excitement ratchets up with them as they excel and my heart breaks with them as fall short of whatever goal they had set for themselves. 

Last night's women's gymnastics all-around qualifying competition is a good example of a head-shakin' moment when excellence is over-looked or ignored and mediocrity is rewarded.  The new rule from the IOC that only two members of each team can go on to the finals is ridiculous and best and insulting at the worst.  When the number-four qualifier is denied the opportunity to move to the finals but the twenty-fourth is allowed to compete because of the two-per-country rule, then the system is broken.  Mediocrity should not be rewarded in any way.  This reminds me of some of the current thoughts in education that all children must feel good about what they accomplish, regardless of effort, skill, or achievement.  Real achievement, effort, skill, and accomplishment must be acknowledged if we desire to raise children, and, therefore, the next generation, to be leaders, goal-setters and goal-achievers.  Rewarding mediocrity serves no purpose and serves no one.

Lastly, the Penn State debacle is wrong, no matter how you want to look at it.  Those in charge wronged those who trusted them, took advantage in unspeakable ways that is wrong at best and morally reprehensible at worst.  However, I totally disagree with the punishment passed down that is affecting the players in the current Penn State program.  Players, if possessing no knowledge of the abuse, should not have to suffer the punishment of having future career-possibilities ruined or shattered.  Punish the adults, punish those who covered up the abuse, but not those innocents who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I have never been a fan of punishing a group because of the poor decisions made by one or a few.  I do not purport to know what the answer should be.......I'm just shakin' my head.

Ancora imparo

Pie and Ice Cream

Pie and ice cream.  Who knew it would be such a human attractant?  Just a simple idea from someone who said they thought there should be two pie nights instead of the one pie night started three years ago.   

It's official.  People love pie. 

Last night's get together began as a gathering of about eight or nine people - tops we thought.  At first, I thought I'd order just two pies - cherry and apple.  Then the count grew by four more so I ordered three pies.  Cherry, apple and mixed berry.  By yesterday morning, we thought we might be up to nineteen people so I called ahead and added yet a fourth pie - one more cherry.  By the afternoon, the number of people had grown to twenty nine so I contacted another couple who was headed out and asked them to pick up one more pie.........Pie number five.  Messages were sent out to those who were bringing extra stuff - like ice cream, plates, napkins, plastic cutlery, and coffee - to increase the number and amount of whatever they had said they would bring. 

It was a fun and easy way for people to gather, with not much muss nor fuss to prepare for or clean up afterwards.  And, the Aqua RV had this great aroma with four pies sitting around for seven hours.  Living with four pies that close to me was the hardest part of the day.  Just knowing those pies "were on the street where I live".  (My Fair Lady lyrics)  The most entertaining part of "Pie Night" was watching the five children that came with their grandparents.  We had plenty of pie, ice cream and Redi Whip and did those children ever enjoy the desserts!  The youngest, a six-year old, packed away more pie and ice cream than I thought was humanly possible. 

After we had sated ourselves with pie and ice cream, the adults sat around with large coffee mugs and just talked.  Conversations went on between people whose paths rarely cross and it was rewarding to see the camaraderie.  Everyone left with smiles and too-full bellies, I'm certain. 

All because of pie...........and ice cream. 

Who knew?

Ancora imparo

"What's It Like To Be Back?"

The question, "What's it like to be back?", has been asked of us over and over since returning from our Lake Huron North Channel trip.  This is a hard question to answer because, on the one hand it is good to return "home" and on the other hand, it is not so fun to simply leap back into all the familiar routines and expectations.  A little longer segue would have been preferable but it was not to be.

Several mornings of very early risings (early, as in 4:30 or 4:45 a.m.) have finally taken their toll, although none of them could have been avoided, nor would I have chosen to get up any later on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday.  Sunday was, of course, our day to cross the Big Pond, so 4:30 a.m. was a given.  Monday, back at slip, an early get-up was essential in order to command the marina's two washing machines so the mountain of dirty clothes and towels could be dealt with.  Yesterday, Tuesday, was early by choice, as we drove southward for one hour and fifteen minutes, to attend a 6:45 a.m. mass for healing, for our friend who is fighting the battle of his life.  Just as the mass was to begin, I spied an old teaching friend walk in the parish doors.  She attended the healing mass and CSO and I ate breakfast with her afterwards.

The healing mass was moving and powerful and I do pray that the man for which it was held could feel the power being assigned away from the attendees and to him.  I felt as if I was a personal warrior in his army against the ugly aggressor, cancer.

So, what's it like to be back?

Real.  That's what.  There are people like Bob, who are fighting a war against an unseen enemy.  There are people who go to movies, intending to to be entertained for one brief moment in time, and find themselves among unspeakable terror and carnage.

Tonight CSO and I share pie and ice cream with Aqua RV friends.  Seems kind of trite, doesn't it?

CSO and I have much to be thankful for.

Ancora imparo

North Channel Adventure, Day 12, 2012

This is the day that we motored back into U.S. waters and headed for a U.S. Customs check-in point, one of which is located at Drummond Island's (Michigan Upper Peninsula's farthest eastern point) Yacht Haven Marina.  (Readers should not get excited at the name "Yacht Haven".  The marina has few slips for long boats, has hardly any dredged depth beyond four feet, and is no haven.  But, for whatever reason - probably political pull - Yacht Haven has been designated one of the only U.S. Customs check-in points in all of the U.S. part of the North Channel.)

We gassed up the Aqua RV, got the all-important pump-out, and even got a visit from a very nice U.S. Border Patrol Agent early, which was good because the weather radar screen showed we were going to be sandwiched in between two large storm systems as we raced westward toward Mackinaw City's Straits State Harbor Marina.  Our three-hour race was a lumpy and bumpy one, which got even lumpier and bumpier as we entered the Straits of Mackinaw where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron's waters mix it up big time.  We had rain, four-to-five footers, water splashing over the bow and onto the windshield, lots of little fishing boats out in the poor visibility (they do not show up on radar screens), the kamikaze island ferry boats roaring to and fro, and one very stupid kayaker who is lucky that we (or any other boat, for that matter) HAPPENED to see him paddling off our starboard side. 

The current was raging as we entered the Straits State Harbor Marina, as was the wind but CSO got us expertly into our slip, where we spent the night in preparation for our Lake Michigan run the next day. 

The next morning's 5:30 a.m. departure delivered zero wind, decent visibility, and calm conditions under which we made our eight-hour run to "home" for Das Boot.  We saw nary a ferry boat or a Chicago-Mack Race boater. 

We arrived safe and sound back in our slip, with a dinner invitation for that night awaiting us.  Yes, it was very hard to come home to "civilization" after having eleven amazing days in the North Channel of Lake Huron.  We came home to the high heat and sweltering humidity that we had briefly left behind.  Perhaps we should take an extended second North Channel trip yet this year?

Ancora imparo

North Channel Adventure, Day 11, 2012

Precious jewels, as a rule, are not discovered in the sparkling state that the consumer purchases them in.  Often, gems are discovered roughed up, scratched (perhaps), dusty and, even dirty.  CSO and I discovered a jewel in Ontario, Canada, called the PepperMill Restaurant in Thessalon, Ontario, southern shore of mainland Canada, northern shore of the North Channel, just north of Michigan's Uppper Peninsula's Drummond Island.  Thessalon is purported to have about 2,400 residents, many of whom are First Nation members and their descendents.  The town, once housing a bustling sawmill business, is now a shadow of its former self, albeit a  recovering town.  When CSO and I docked at the Thessalon Town Marina, we struggled with hooking up the proper electrical current, but after changing slips to a 50 amp box, we were set for the night AND the all-vital air-conditioning so we took off on our marina and town look-a-bout to see exactly why the chicken crossed the road.

Earlier in our North Channel trip, we had been advised of the delicious food at Thessalon's PepperMill Restaurant.  What better reason to visit a marina?  The marina worker graciously made 6 p.m. reservations for us so all we had to do was wait for several hours, in which time we could check out the local shops (CSO's idea - NOT mine!) and shower away the grime that heat leaves stuck all over the body. 

At 6 p.m. we were seated at a small table sporting a "reserved" sign and we checked out the interior while we waited for our waitress to come for a beverage order.  The restaurant's interior was very much "mom and pop" style, complete with a plywood floor, but the furniture, including tabletops and every other surface was spotless.  Even our tableware appeared to have polished to a military "spit shine" gloss.  Nary a water spot on a knife, fork, spoon or glass.  The service was slow but only because the kitchen was not fast.  Nearly every seat was filled......and for good reason.  All food items are "scratch" cooked - and to perfection.  What a meal.......in little Thessalon, Ontario. 

My only "hmmm" moment came when I excused myself to use the restroom.  Little did I know (CSO would kindly tell me AFTER I returned to my seat.) that most or all of Canadian restroom light switches are placed outside the room, not inside the room as most American restroom light switches are located.  Unfortunately, I was not aware of this detail and closed the door first, even managing to lock it as soon as it closed.  At first, my hands calmly patted down common surface areas where I thought the light switch might be - but to no avail.  I must admit that the rapidity with which I searched increased exponentially with each passing second, stopping only when I ripped open the door and happened to feel to the left of the door jamb - on the outside.  Who knew?

Canada, O Canada, I really like your country, but I do wish you'd redesign where you place your public restroom light switches!

Ancora imparo 

North Channel Adventure, Day 10, 2012

North Channel Great Adventure, Additional Installment

Thursday, July 19, 2012

I had not intended to compose another posting today, but this idea is staying in my head and the generator is running so I could fire up my laptop.  All conditions are a “go” to type!

I have come to the conclusion that I am in love with Canadian granite.  CSO and I kayaked this afternoon, again in Beardrop Harbour, Whalesback, North Channel, Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada, where the granite – as in many North Channel anchorages – can be seen up close and personal.  There is a book that many boaters use as an anchoring and motoring guide while in the North Channel.  It is titled Well-Favored Passage, A Cruising Guide, dedicated to Marjorie Cahn Brazer and written by Pixie Haughwout and Ralph Folsom.  The book writes about most of the possible anchorages beginning with the western side of Lake Huron at the Mackinac Bridge, north and westward all the way through the Georgian Bay section of Lake Huron.  Thorough to a “t”, it is one of the Bibles boaters use to avoid the pratfalls and pitfalls that can befall boaters; i.e. prop damage, hull damage, or even worse.  The book describes the North Channel, geologically, as being two to three BILLION years old.  “Erosion of pre-Cambrian sedimentary rocks and Paleozoic limestone were mixed by volcanic action with white quartzite, granites and rich, rid rocks to create a rainbow geology………….The glaciers, whose meltwaters filled the North Channel as they retreated, had earlier scraped the land clean of topsoil in their advance south.  To this day, the basement rocks on either side of the North Channel are clothed in the skimpiest of soil cover.  Yet so remarkable are the forces of life that even this shallow soil supports a great variety of trees, grasses, shrubs, and flowers.  Indeed, both side of the Channel have been farmed for over a hundred years.  On many of the offshore islands, plants and trees seem to spring directly from bare rock.”  

What fascinates me is the difference in surfaces of the granite.  Many of the rocks, boulders – if you will, are smooth and taper off into the depth of the water.  Other boulders are sheared on sides with such calculation that it looks as if a mechanical saw of some sort created the sharp and right angles.  As we paddle along the shores of these great, granite behemoth hills and mountains, the word “awesome” truly comes into play.  The Grand Canyon is awesome – so is the North Channel.   Add the American Bald Eagle that calls this area home and more awesomeness is evident.  The forces of nature are evident everywhere my eye can roam here in the North Channel.

These majestic rocks, so stark in nature, yet so beautiful in their starkness, deserve to be seen by the naked eye, not just descriptions in books or blogs.  Words can barely do them justice, so I will cease to try.

Ancora imparo 

North Channel Adventure, Day 9, 2012

North Channel Great Adventure, Day 9 Away From “Home”

Thursday, July 19, 2012

 Yesterday’s idyllic anchorage and last evening’s quiet reflective moments were somewhat scuffed up by last night’s wind-direction change and the legion of mosquitos that tried to gain access to the Aqua RV’s cabin. 

CSO and I had enjoyed several American Bald Eagle sightings on the shore’s surrounding our anchorage in Beardrop Harbour, Whalesback-North Channel, Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada.  Our last sighting was after showers as we sat on the upper deck, waiting for the inevitable descent of mosquitos.  Heretofore, the nightfall’s mosquito population had, while annoying, seemed to be scant.  Not last night.  CSO and I retired to the cabin below, read for a bit (by headlamps so as not to encourage bugs to congregate on the hatch screens) and then decided it was time for dreamland.  We had just nicely settled our heads upon our down pillows when the wind changed direction – rather strongly – and CSO began the anchor-alarm “watch” for the next hour or so.  In the meantime, this odd hum – coming from outside the cabin – began to increase in volume.  Upon investigation by CSO, he discovered, what appeared in the dusky night glow, to be hundreds of mosquitos just looking for a way to gain egress into the cabin for a little night snack – us.  In the meantime, it looked as if CSO might have to go out to the bow pulpit to do some anchor adjustment, which also meant MOSQUITOS IN THE CABIN.  Fortunately, the anchor held, even while going through its flip-flop of 180 degree wind-direction change, the anchor alarm performed as it should, showing the new track of the boat as it swung in a large arc with the wind, and the mosquitos MOSTLY disappeared with the upsweep in wind.  I say MOSTLY because CSO decided, about midnight, that our Canadian courtesy flag, which flies on the bow, was creating too much noise to sleep with and that he needed to go out on deck to tie it up for the remainder of the night. 

Out into the night he went and back in he came, moments later, accompanied by a few mosquitos, unfortunately.  After a brief battle with those courageous mosquitos who gave their lives in search of some human food, we settled into sleep, secure – MOSTLY – that the anchor would continue to hold and keep us off the big rock not too far away from Das Boot.

Now that a new dawn has arrived and our coffee has been drunk, we are off  to find some elusive fish that might be willing to sacrifice themselves in order to become human food.

Ancora imparo

North Channel Great Adventure, Day 8, Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Day 8.......has begun early.  We leave our slip here in Little Current, Manitoulin Island, North Channel, Ontario, Canada in an hour or so and head out looking for the perfect new anchorage.  CSO is up on deck reading and re-reading the charts and books, to see where there might be the fewest boats in a secluded place that protects us from the most wind........but not too much or you set yourself up for bugs, bugs, and more bugs.  Little Current has been mostly devoid of bugs, knats, mosquitos, and dragon flies.  How we fared with spiders will not be known until I pull in the lines and fenders and see what comes speedily crawling out.  (My least-favorite part of being the First-and-Last Mate)

This is my last chance at any meaningful wi-fi until who knows when so I'm making the best of my laptop and time and creating one last posting online.  On my other days I'll go back to composing in Word and then later copying and pasting. 

Little Current has been a delightful change of pace and I'm certain we'll visit here again on our next God-willing North Channel trip.  For the most part, other boaters are very friendly and will readily stop to chat with strangers.  Your floating dock then becomes a miniature, albeit temporary "community", with faces that you recognize, can greet, and dogs that you can pet, kind of like "rent-a-dog". 

We'll request help getting out of the slip this morning and pray to the water Gods that the current is not beastly and that we have no departure drama. 

Until we meet again,

Ancora imparo

North Channel Great Adventure, Day Five, Sunday, July 15, 2012

North Channel Adventure, Day 5

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Perhaps our last day in Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island, North Channel, Ontario, Canada.  Depending on weather and slip availability, we may move tomorrow to a town called Little Current, a little farther east in the North Channel.  We haven’t been visited Little Current since our first trip to the North Channel in 2007. 

It is hot and sultry here in Gore Bay.  The humidity is high and, if you are outside for any length of time, your skin begins to feel like Velcro,  with everything attaching to it, including your clothing, spiders, spider webs, and tiny flying knats.  Sweat comes readily, easily, rapidly, and profusely.  If you are out for a walk-a-bout and are lucky enough to find the combination of shade and breeze, then you are in for a treat.  Otherwise, you’d best head for the A/C’s indoor comfort. 

CSO and I were oot and aboot several times today and, to show for it, have a full refrigerator, some delicious Canadian chocolate, a new (real) Thermos coffee mug for moi, a new potable-water hose,  more Aqua RV toilet paper, and our last servings of world’s best frozen yogurt. 

Since the weather report has had boaters on alert, the boats have been rolling in today.  Many of the boats are Grand Banks, pointed eventually at the Georgian Bay and a Grand Bank’s rendezvous in Parry Sound, which is a looooong way east from here.  Most of these beauties run at chug-chug speed so it is not a quick run from Gore Bay to their final destination.  I suspect that there will be many stops in-between here and Parry Sound.

My interior cleaning is done.  Yesterday I was the exterior teak cleaner, which meant that I had to get on my hands and knees and wash the teak floors………twice, they were so dirty.  I’m glad that task was accomplished yesterday when the temps were only slightly lower.

Now my iced tea and I can retire to the upper deck – the shade and breeze. 

Until tomorrow.

Ancora imparo 

North Channel Great Adventure, Day Four, Saturday, July 14, 2012

North Channel Grand Adventure – Day Four

July 14, 2012

Birds.  Boats.  Cooking-ban. 

We left our idyllic spot in Beardrop Harbour this morning and headed back to Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada.  Wow, what a mouthful!  CSO looked at Sirius Weather and determined that the chances of thunderstorms had moved up from thirty to fifty percent, so we pulled up anchor and chose the safety of a real bay and a marina’s stable, floating dock.  Of course, as soon as we were tied up, hooked up, and signed up, we headed to the village’s “downtown” and a serving of the world’s best frozen yogurt.  CSO and I both chose peach.  We did a walk-a-bout whilst we enjoyed our frozen treat, then did some necessities shopping – such as a food-basting brush, batteries, small propane canister, Band-Aids and Moleskin for my persistent heel blister, a thank-you gift for some friends, and a pair of new eye-shades for moi.  My nieces would be proud of my new shades!

After lunch, which consisted of a dehydrated but resurrected Idaho potato, Southwestern style, CSO is now washing Das Boot and I am waiting for the knock-knock to alert me that it is time to go help dry off the Aqua RV.  It always seems a little oxymoronic to wipe water spots off a boat, but – hey – those are the captain’s rules and I have to follow the captain’s rules (to a point, I’ll have you know) if I want to ride around on the boat.

I just looked at my email on my fifteen minutes of free marina time, discovered that I had over 200 emails and decided that trying to read any of them was pretty pointless with just fifteen free minutes on the marina’s hotspot. 

I listed birds at the top of my posting.  Seagulls must be the most annoying-but-protected birds on the face of the earth.  They also are the most optimistic and patient birds I’ve ever observed.  One bird will sit for hours, either on a rock or float on the water, in the event that something edible will either float by or be tossed overboard by a boater. 

Lastly, I listed a Cooking Ban.  I informed CSO that I will not be cooking onboard tonight, even if it means walking over to the nearby restaurant with my raincoat on.  If he wants to eat, he can either fix his own meal onboard or walk over in the rain with me. 

His choice.

Ancora imparo

North Channel Great Adventure, Day Three, Friday, July 13, 2012

North Channel Great Adventure – Day Three

Friday, July 13, 2012

Gee, I hardly know where to begin. 

We moved anchorages this morning and have just dropped a “proper” anchor in a place called Beardrop Harbor, which is on the mid-northern shore of the North Channel, Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada.  This is our first time in Beardrop, which is known to be a very popular anchorage, WHICH could prove to be very interesting come morning, tomorrow, when we try to leave.  I have never lost my sense of anxiousness when moving through crowded boating conditions and, come tomorrow – when we leave to head back to Gore Bay for one or two nights, I’ll probably be the one at the helm as we weave through the maze of boats that may (or may not) have collected over the next twelve hours.

As Al’s boating instructor, Jim Kenyon taught him (and me), “Slow, crisp maneuvers.!”   This mantra comes to mind for CSO every time he finds the necessity for close-quarter maneuvers. 

It was hard to leave the tranquility of John Island this morning.  We really do get the sense of “living” somewhere when we are on anchor.  From the time we first arrived at John Island, there were four boats in our area.  As of yesterday afternoon, there were two – us and a sailboat.  The sailboat left early this morning and, for our last two hours at John Island – save for a fishing boat trolling the rocky banks, we were alone.  For breakfast, we dined on sautéed morel mushrooms, scrambled eggs with bacon bits, and, for CSO, toast.  Of course, there was the requisite coffee.  I remarked to CSO, as we ate, that this would be the perfect setting for drinking coffee all morning and reading the Chicago Times.  Alas, though, no newspaper delivery in the North Channel.  Since we turned off the data feed to my phone, I can’t even access the electronic newsfeed from our hometown newspaper.  I don’t know what I am missing more – the newspaper’s news or the comics that I received on a daily basis through Google Reader. 

Beardrop promises to have spectacular kayaking so I know what we’ll be doing this afternoon.  EXPLORING!  Tonight, we’ll dine on one more package of CSO’s spareribs. 

I know, I know…………I’m very lucky.

Ancora imparo

North Channel Great Adventure, Day Two, Thursday, July 12, 2012

North Channel Great Adventure Day Two

Thursday, July 12, 2012

The first morning to awaken at anchor. 

There is just nothing like going out to do Yoga on the back deck, looking out over slightly-rippled, pristine water, a tiny island in the distance and open water beyond that.  Even waking up without the aid of an alarm is such a treat, I can really feel as if I might be on some sort of vacation.

We ate a simple breakfast on the upper deck, watching two other kayakers from a neighboring boat slip silently through the water.  Capt. SO put up a can drop curtain to keep the sun from us, at least while we have breakfast.  If the breeze doesn’t pick up soon, it promises to be a warm day above and below decks.  Our freezer is not working on battery power so in order to keep the frozen food from thawing and our ice cubes in some semblance of ice, we are having to run the generator about three hours both morning and night.  A pain, but a necessary pain.  We do like our ice and we do like our frozen foods to be frozen.

Capt. SO (who does a lot of work on our Aqua RV) just brought the kayaks down and soon we’ll paddle off to explore places that only kayaks can venture.  I’ll put on my water shoes just in case we decide to get out of the kayaks and do a walk-a-bout.  I’m certain we will not tromp around on John Island because there are too many reports of black bear sightings.  I like my bears but only at a safe distance.

It is breathtakingly beautiful here, in a severe, granite sort of way.  The water is so clear one would swear you should be able to drink it but reality says “nay”.  I’ll sign off for now and get my kayaking clothes on.  I’ll start with sun clothing but take “reality” clothing with me to cover up with. 

I wish you all could experience this first-hand.  Wishing you the best health and happiness this day.

Ancora imparo