Great Loop Cruise Video

The boss is hooking up to a Canadian plan today. Still dear, but not as shocking. So we'll be turning the camera back on while we cruise, but just while we cruise. Tomorrow: Cobourg, about 87nm from here. Casting off about 0830 and docking between 1600 & 1700.

I thought they were talking about me for a second, because I as a bit grumbly with the power situation when I first pulled in here. lol. In fact I may bite someone pretty soon if I can't figure out the weather here. We stayed put today because the winds are up out of the west and seas are 3'-5' (OK for the boat but not for keeping the pleasure in "pleasure boating"). Similar forecast for tomorrow until about 1500 today. When I noticed the seas lay down I checked NOAA, and the forecast is now for less than 1' and NW-SW winds 5-10 kts. So the plan is now to get off the dock at 0730. Then, about a half hour ago I feel the boat rock, and look out to see 3' and all white caps. That means 3'-5' after the point 4 hours away. I won't be happy if I get up at 0500 and end up sitting on the dock all day, nor if I go out and give the boss a thrill ride. So if you read about someone diving into Kingston Harbor tomorrow and kicking the c--- out of that shark, you'll know what happened. Gotta say that weather is much easier to predict on the coast.

No. Straight to, then Toronto and into the Welland Canal.

P.S. Flat calm this morning. Guess the shark is safe.

You've quoted our plan Cap. Won't comment on the waitress though since my wife follows the thread. I'll just mention that the Grand Hotel in Kingston is a nice place for lunch also.

Cobourg, Ontario

Beautiful harbor and marina, only 2 blocks from the heart of a very nice town. Wonderful people here, and I was even able to find a hearing aid repair (free although I did buy fancy muffins for the girls as a thank you). I like it here.

I read in the local paper that there's talk of expanding the marina, which would be good, except for one thing. My pet peeve, only worse. 175v electric, but worse because they only have rickety old pedestals containing (2) 30 amp plugs on each. These things look as old as me. Since my dock is mostly empty (and I have (2) "Y" adapters) I was able to cover my electric needs. But there's a larger (crewed) yacht in tonight. and it appears that they're spending the night on their gen. If anybody has connections with this town, please explain to the city fathers that these type boats can spend a lot of money in their towns. But if you leave them running their gens, they won't come back.

Bow Cam

Just occurred to me that some of the Newbies here may not know how to follow our trip unless they back-track through 20 something pages of posts, and the next few days should be fairly interesting.

If you go to Marinetraffic.com you'll be able to find Valhalla by name, or just go to the map in Lake Ontario between Cobourg & Toronto today and look for the pink pleasure craft icon. Once you find it, click on it and you'll see where to hit for 'show track', which shows the track we've been following. Enter the vessel as "My Fleet" and it'll be easy to find in the future.

To see what we're seeing off our bow in real time, go to:

Valhalladoestheloop.com.

The camera is currently on during our cruising legs from 0800 to 2000 EST daylight saving (although we may shut it while on the dock if the Canadian costs are prohibitive).

Enjoy. Today we'll be cruising from Cobourg to Toronto, tomorrow to the mouth of the Welland Canal. For those who wonder who Roger is, he'll probably be popping up on camera Sunday as we cruise through the Welland Canal. Next week we'll be making our way through Lake Erie out to Detroit.

Quiet ride across Lk. Ontario to Pt. Dalhousie today. A bit boring and gray, but short. Met up with Roger for a burger after we arrived. He had a place lined up with the perfect atmosphere for a sea dog, and great food. He and the waitress gave me a strange look when I asked for it well done, and then he explained that's the only way they serve it up here. So those of you who like to hear "Mooo" when the plate is served be prepared. lol. He even stopped at Walmart so I could pick up a pin for my watchband Good man. He gave me a bit of the local history and about the Welland Canal. I'm not the kind that likes tourist stuff or fancy restaurants. Much rather see the local area and spend some time chatting with guys like him. One disappointing thing I find as I travel around is how homogenized every place has become. Walmart, Costco, HD, Pizza Hut, etc. I swear that if you were taken anywhere on this continent blindfolded and dropped off you'd never know if it was Florida, Virginia, NY or Canada except for the trees and people in the smaller towns.

Tomorrow Roger will be joining us as our 3rd man as we transit the Welland Canal. We'll pull out of here about 0800 tomorrow. Roger says it could take anywhere from 5 or 6 hours up to 10 or 12, depending on traffic, but he expects closer to the former than the latter. For those of you curious about the Welland Canal stay tuned to our bow cam.