Trip To Grand Bend Cancelled

Our daughter Erin works for the St Clair Region Conservation Authority and she chose to spend some of her precious vacation time volunteering at the Pinery Provincial Park; where they are conducting a study of turtles through the University of Toronto. Erin, of course is in her element with this type of thing and doesn't consider if work. Using a canoe, the researchers go from sun up to sun down catching the reptiles and notching their shells with a coarse file. The notches are configured to represent numbers. After photographing and noting the turtles' physical features, they are then released back into the river. Erin plans to learn the ins and outs of this study and possibly conduct similar research for the Region of St Clair when she returns from her vacation or at some later date.

File photo of Grand Bend Harbour

We had originally planned to take the Phoenix to Grand Bend and visit Erin at the Pinery after picking up Andrew in the Bend. In spite of the fact it was a holiday weekend for both Canada and US, I was able to secure a slip for Sunday night at the Grand Bend Municipal Marina. I know the harbor-master Bob Roney and he had saved me a special, prime slip by the lawn near the office. I had even purchased a bottle of Crown Royal as a token of my gratitude to Capt. Bob. 

As we were getting the Phoenix ready for Sunday's forty-six mile journey on Friday, Erin arrived at the condo. She had been camping since Wednesday and was already longing for a hot shower and real food. In fact she decided to stay the whole weekend since a storm was in the forecast for Saturday night and a tent was not a good place to weather a storm, especially all by yourself, since the other researchers had already left for the long weekend. 

Erin loves all things outdoors so we spent some time fishing in our dinghy and Wendy and her went exploring nearby ponds and creeks. This development, of course negated the purpose of our voyage, which was to visit Erin at the Pinery. 

 Jake and Andrew came down on Sunday afternoon and we took the Phoenix out on Lake Huron for an enjoyable afternoon of fishing, drinking and eating. We really missed seeing John and Linda in Grand Bend. Oh well, nothing is etched in granite around here. Our summer plans are as variable as the July breezes.

Returning home, we pass condo neighbour Gary Stephenson's boat under the Bluewater Bridge. Click to enlarge.

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