Through the Murray Canal to PYC!

The May long weekend was finally upon us, and I was ready and so very exited to spend it on my boat! To leave all the creature comforts and modern conveniences of my home, that is fully equipped, complete  with central air and all the gizmos and gadgets that modern kitchens and bathrooms have to offer....not to mention a SHOWER and an endless supply of water and electricity, to happily cram myself, my husband, and our two "thankfully small" dogs aboard our 25 foot Bayfield.
Yes, I said happily! :)  
To those of you that think a 25 foot sailboat sounds big...well... It's not. It may feel big if you are trying to sail her for the first time, or manipulate her through a busy marina into a small slip, but trust me....living on her comes with some challenges...

Anchored just outside of Trenton, Ontario on the Bay of Quinte on our waterfront property, we are only about 20 min motoring to the entrance of the Murray Canal which is part of the Trent-Severn Waterway.


    

The trip through the canal is wonderfully relaxing and very beautiful! There is a 10-km/h speed limit in the canal. With the throttle maxed out, I doubt we ever got close to that with our Yanmar YSB8...
A snails pace was all we were looking for anyways.

It took us about an hour and a half to make it through the 8 kilometer canal from the Bay of Quinte to the Northern shore of Lake Ontario. Upon our exit of the canal, we were greeted with a beautiful scene of swans gathering in front of a gorgeous waterfront home. I wondered to myself if the people that owned the home had enough "off-time" to actually enjoy it and its surroundings... Breathtaking isn't it!?     

Being how we left late, and were already exhausted from a week of working and packing, we decided to spend our first night at the Presqu'ile Yacht Club in Brighton. What a BEAUTIFUL and well kept club they have, and not surprisingly everyone was so friendly and welcoming. We didn't call ahead, or make arrangements but as we pulled into the club, there were a few people there to direct us and help us dock as well as give us a tour of the splendid facilities they had to offer. Luckily we have a reciprocal to be able to spend time here.
I really don't mind "roughing it." I can rough it with the best of them, but this was a real treat and is my new favourite destination for a weekend getaway!   

We were all eager to get off the boat for a bit, especially Harley and Lucy!  We happily stretched our legs (paws) and explored our new surroundings and made some new friendships! The Presqu’ile Yacht Club is considered one of the most scenic, tranquil and friendliest clubs on Lake Ontario and I have to agree. They had everything you could want here, including an intimate little fire pit for two overlooking the marina and although I love cooking and dining on our boat, I was more than happy to set the table up on the patio this time and let Joe do the cooking of the Lamb, lemon roasted potatoes, and asparagus I had prepared on the clubhouse BBQ.  Yum yum yum!!   
  

We enjoyed a late supper and a long relaxing evening and were ready to call it a day. We were looking forward to leaving this pretty little spot to be able to finally set our sails and explore Lake Ontario in the morning! Luckily, we are close enough to return to this little gem on an ongoing basis!