This anchorage is as remote as it gets. We aren't really close enough to anything to re-provision in the dinghy, and there aren't many people around. There is one other boat on the north side of the cove, but they stick to their side and we stick to ours. There have been a few pontoon boats that have come in for a couple of hours and then moved on. It is quite different from Converse Bay, which was much larger and accommodated more boats, so instead of the peace and quiet we have been enjoying here, we had to deal with the screams of small children playing in the water and yappy dogs on big boats.
It is so tranquil here. We are surrounded by rocks and trees and two families of ducks, who seem to take turns coming to the boat to check if there is any food to be had. The younger family likes to dive under the boat, and we can hear their little feet slapping the bottom of the hull. It takes a lot of will-power not to feed them. They are quite adorable.
Our days have mostly been idle. We have both gotten through the books we bought in Vergennes. I was reading The Boleyn Inheritance, and the problem with historical fiction is that you always know how it's going to end (spoiler alert: things never go well for the wives of Henry VIII).
We have made a point of going for a hike every day and exploring different parts of the Island (and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes while we're at it). Each day has shown us something a bit different. Today we explored the area just south of us, with its striated rock formations, like little steps of history.
Other anchorages are closer to civilization, like when we anchored in the Burlington harbour. Grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops were just a short dinghy ride away, yet we were still somewhat isolated from the city.
In Westport, we docked in a marina, with all the amenities at the end of the dock: restaurants, ice, electricity, groceries, washrooms, and most importantly, showers. When we sailed Lake Ontario, we stayed in marinas the entire time, since there aren't too many places to anchor. We ended up rating each marina based on the quality of their shower facilities. Presqu'Ile, near Brighton, was one of our favourites.
This time around, our favourites have been the anchorages. Wilsboro Bay and where we were this week, Smuggler Harbor (note spelling since we are in Amerrrrica) were the nicest ones we found. We also appreciated the food truck lot and Leunigs Bistro in Burlington.
We are heading back to Lacolle today, bringing this adventure to a close (though as we've seen, getting the boat demasted and out of the water is always an adventure in itself!). I have to go back to work on Monday, and I am not looking forward to that. But that is a normal reaction after a holiday. The post-vacation blues. The worst is when you get to work and it feels like you never left. But at least I have this blog, and a few more pictures than usual, so that our experiences are not forgotten in the hustle and bustle of "real life". Plus there is a pretty amazing carrot keeping us going: our year abroad sailing the Mediterranean in 2017. Only three more years! Fear not, I expect there will be more blog posts before then.
No comments:
Post a Comment