June 5:  PCYC to Kingston

Tikaani is on the move! We aimed for the first week of June and just made it! Despite weeks of planning and preparing, it always seems like a rush to depart.

The frig repair was the last, so we thought!, until our ‘reliable’ outboard motor, decided to flash the check engine light (despite purring like a kitten). Klaus Marine rushed the ‘repair’, so we got it back the next day. Apparently, the Suzuki 9HP is programmed to tell you to do an annual overhaul – yup… it’s a “time to pay your mechanic” light.

Once again, our departure was the first sail of the year (oops) but, forever hopeful, and knowing our boat, we eased into a great sail at 11am June 5th, with a West wind building through the day. Thankfully, winds freshened to a solid 20 knots and we enjoyed a gorgeous beam reach averaging 8 knots down the lake.

True to form, anytime we seem to sail the length of Lake Ontario, we get a little bit of everything from the weather menu. By midnight the wind had softened so we motor sailed (only Main up), then the rain came; then the wind died.

It was only as we rounded Amherst Island just before dawn that the wind came back with force. By the time we pulled into Portsmouth Harbour in Kingston at 9 am, it was blowing a healthy 28 to 30 knots off the lake, making for a very sporty landing on the dock. Off to Wheat Kings Bakery for breakfast and then a nap!

June 7:  Kingston to Montreal

Two crew, Bob & Pat, joined us and we departed Kingston on Sunday, June 7th with sunny skies, calm seas, and little wind.

Picturesque Thousand Islands, sunny skies – all good from Kingston to then overnight in the Brockville Marina. We completed the first three locks of the Seaway System ( the Iroquois lock and the Eisenhauer and Snell locks on the US side) and anchored on the south shore of Lake St.Francis – we were well off-shore, it’s quiet (quieter than the Valleyfield Marina), about 5m depth, and well out of the Seaway. Long days of motoring, but we took advantage of the weather and long daylight.

Next stop Montreal, with lift bridges and locks timed for the day. We pulled anchor at 7:30am the make the 9 am scheduled Valleyfield lift bridge. The Canadian lock system through to Montreal operates on a once-a-day, book-in-advance, fixed schedule for pleasure craft. If you miss one of the bridge/lock schedules you are stuck there until the next day, so there is a strong incentive to be on time. We had a catamaran join us – from the UK, boat bought in Florida, left their mast there and they were doing the Great Loop!

Tikaani behaved perfectly, working against the 7 knot current, and getting us safely into Port D’Escale Marina. This is right in the Old Town, between Cirque de Soleil and the Science Centre. We were the only sailboat. Two days wandering Montreal – beautiful city with great food. Bob & Pat had been there ~20 years ago so had lots to explore. Mary Ellen and David Leask (davidleask.com) came down for lunch and we caught up with his music ventures and were gifted his new CD “One Ray of Light at a Time” ! Hooray! Check it out!

Cirque de Soleil ECHO was a fantastic show – highly recommended!

June 13: Montreal to Quebec City

To arrive in Quebec City at low tide in the daylight, we decided to take 3 days to get there. So anchoring in the islands before Trois Rivieres is the plan; then onto Trois Rivieres Marina then to Quebec City – all in daylight! We will post on arrival!