How Can SO MUCH TIME have passed?

Actually, it's easy to figure out.  I'm in the wilderness most of the time, so no internet let alone cell service (that's another issue to be addressed below).  It's now the first of August, and all the boaters are beginning to think about the end of another summer.  Sad, but still a couple of weeks left before I have to make tracks.

The Rendezvous was lots of fun -- getting to visit with old friends and meeting new.  I even was able to get my cell phone restored to a phone.  One of the GLCC boaters figured out how to down load a new operating system, and I have phone and message service again.  I'm afraid to try to add any apps, just in case I somehow screw up, and go dark again.

After the Rendezvous, I traveled to Mill Lake (about the middle of the Collins Inlet) with Home Free and Spirit of Aloha.  We had a delightful three days anchored and taking the dogs to a little island.  Joined by Adagio 1 and Deborah Ann for happy hour on Sonador one evening.  Two mornings woke to the strong smell of smoke -- now we are surrounded by Provincial forest, so you wonder about these things.  Turns out there is an enormous fire south and east of where we were anchored -- it's still out of control and the small craft channel in the Georgian Bay has been closed because of the fires.  

We then headed to a new anchorage -- Gord Blake in the far eastern end of Frazier Bay -- nice protected bay with good places to take the dogs and a great afternoon of dinghy rides to the Rat Portage (takes one from Frazier to the Landsdown Channel) and to Blueberry (which I've heard boats mention for years, but never got to.  Three nights there, and it was time to head into Little Current.

Luckily picked a day when the current was "little."  The dock hands found me a clip facing west, straight in without having to duck and twist.  The next night Roy Eaton hosted the Cruisers' Net party (a pot luck for about forty boats) at the west end of the docks.

Then the next morning headed off to Amadroz -- another new harbor -- to hide out from the west winds.  The travel there was a little rough, especially when I had to turn north up the Waubuno Channel and had large beam seas for several minutes.  Sophie wasn't a happy camper -- and neither was I.  But pulled into the harbor -- directed by Teem Zooma toward a sandy beach, and dropped anchor awaiting the other boats (Home Free and Spirit of Aloha)

Two days later, Class Act and Gunkholer joined us -- along with Deborah Ann.  Everyone hiding from the strong west winds that built almost every day by noon.

Finally decided it was going to be quiet enough that we could leave -- but not before Sophie managed to escape her collar -- which now rests somewhere near the beach at Amadroz.  Leaving that behind, went to the Benjamins for two nights.  Anchored near the cottage (which still never seems to be occupied).  Two great shore party happy hours, and a morning of hiking all over and up and down Benjamin Island -- both Sophie and I were really tuckered out after that.

Left yesterday morning, but not before I had to call for assistance from Spirit of Aloha -- I managed to wrap my anchor chain around a twenty foot dead head!  Only me!  There are rocks and other traps at the Benjamins, but I've never hear of deadheads.  Two hours later I pulled into Gore Bay for a four night stay.

And, here I sit -- a light rain -- two loads of laundry done.  Even a hot shower.  Life is GOOD!