Entry # 45: (Whitby Marina with WiFi access)
Sunday, May 26th: The forecast called for good weather in the morning and inclement weather in the mid-afternoon predicted coming from the WNW. That’s if you believe in the accuracy of the forecast. And at this point my confidence was more hopeful and wary rather than one of high confidence. Never the less, I left my slip around 6 am under clear skies and light winds from the ESE with temperatures around the mid-40’s. As I sailed I kept a vigil lookout to the west.
About two hours out, I periodically had been looking towards the disappearing coastline to the east when I chanced saw to my surprise a monarch butterfly flying north alongside me. Beautiful and amazing – all the way from its winter home in Mexico, now flying across Lake Ontario. Such stamina. How could I complain about the conditions.
By mid morning fog came in and with it the (now) light winds shifted coming from the west. The waves continued to come from the west but seemed to slowly be picking up. I became wary from previous sailing experiences and furled my jib 25% and reefed my main sail one level. My instincts and patience paid off. After about two hours later simultaneously as the fog began to clear a brisk 18-20 knot wind hit healing NTL about 20 degrees to starboard before settling comfortably. I shifted to the leeward side in my cockpit under the protection of my dodger – away from the cold wind.
Though the skies were now blue and the warm sun felt good, I continued to keep a vigil lookout on the western skies. So far good and I was making good time as well. I hope the monarch butterfly was OK.
It was early afternoon and I was about halfway to Kingston. As I began thinking it would be close, when inexplicably the winds began to die down to under 4 knots and the seas became flat. Good for the monarch, not good for making Kingston. I was in the middle of nowhere with no marinas close by. These conditions prevailed well into the early evening. With storms and strong windows forecast for the late evening and night I began to seek a safe place to anchor. Around 8 pm I anchored on the leeward side of Grenadier Island about 4 hours shy of Kingston. I had a yummy can of tuna, a swig of Canadian Club (thanks George) and turned in. Not surprising, the storm forecasted never came through the night.
Never Too Late For 