Boating Requires Flexibility in Plans

My last post, I was planning on being out of touch for several days and then heading into Little Current. 
WELL, it continued to blow for a couple of days, and when I finally pulled out of Gore Bay after four days at the dock, I planned to return to Clapperton Harbor and then move toward Little Current.
Ma Nature had other plans.  It blew like stink -- a technical sailors' term meaning that even the most fool hardy don't go out.  So, I spent five days and four nights in Clapperton -- hoping that the anchor would hold.  It blew, it rained, it turned cold and grey -- and then it blew more.  My only contact with the outside world was the Cruisers' Net where I learned that many of my buddies were tied to the docks in Little Current for the same period of time.  And, every-once-in-awhile I could talk with them on the VHF.
Finally on the fifth day, I learned that the Little Current contingent was heading toward Clapperton Island, but to an anchorage on the eastern side of the island.  I jumped at the chance to have human company -- Sophie is a dear, but her side of conversations lacks for interest.  So, I pulled up the anchor and a yard of mud, and motored to Logan Bay -- only 7 nautical miles around the corner, but a nice new harbor for me -- and buddy boats to visit with.
We spent one night there, then pulled anchor again to head north into the McBean Channel and into an anchorage on the north shore of Eagle Island (one of the larger islands in the area).  A great open, and well protected anchorage -- those terms are frequently contradictory -- but the opening is horse shoe shaped, and the open side on the north is sheltered by nearby islands.  The area is heavily forested, and the shore is not the most desirable for walking Sophie, but it is beautiful.
The second day there, we took a little dinghy ride with three other boats to an open sandy beach on the northwest shore of Eagle.  Sophie ran and ran, played in the water, and generally enjoyed herself while the humans relaxed on the rocks and soaked up most welcome sunshine.
The next morning, I left before any of the others, and headed back to Gore Bay -- another stretch of bad weather was coming in.
And, in it came.  As I sit here on Friday, we've had one day of heavy rain and winds blowing 20 plus knots from the south -- and today, the winds have clocked around to the west and are blowing the same strength. Winds from the west build sizable waves in the North Channel -- reported about 5 - 6 feet with a few bigger ones just thrown in for the fun of it. 
Tomorrow isn't supposed to be much better -- so another day at the dock and then on Sunday I'll leave to begin working my way west toward the open waters of Lake Huron.
I'll meet up with my friends on Class Act on Sunday afternoon, probably at Turnbull where we'll hole up for a couple of days, then onto Thessalon, and eventually clearing customs at Drummond Island, MI.
I'll be out of touch until Thessalon -- and then only a short post to update cruising plans.