One Thousand Islands Invasion 2010 -The return

We were in a hurry to get back home from Gananoque. We did it in two sprints. The first Gananoque to Cobourg. We were planning to stop over on Duck Island, but with unfavourable winds reaching it before dark would not have happened. So we endured over night, me in bed and my dad at the helm, LOL. The next day we set sail for Oakville. The day started with out any sign of wind. Then as soon as we got fed up, kicked the engine, the winds started blowing from the east pushing us to our destination.

It was already night when we sailed past Toronto with the wind and waves steady increasing all day long with the eastern wind. The waves were the size of your average house. It was the first time were were sailing into our marina at night, its totally a different experience then the day. The approach was not looking too pleasant with the waves beating the breakwall. On the positive side I noticed I could enter the marina with a half wind. I had the engine running, but the diesel leak was worse then ever despite the extensive network of rescue tape, foam, cork, wire, and clamps holding the fuel filter together. I knew that to get into the marina I would have to throttle pretty hard. Putting that kind of pressure on  the fuel system would have surely increased chances of the whole thing exploding, shutting down the engine without fuel. My folding prop didnt help either. My dad was quite nervous so i didnt want to stress him out by telling him we are going to do something new. My boat does not have a furling sail and the sails dont come down effortlessly.

Anyway, we begun to make our move by first getting closer, then making a quick tack to get into position. Then my dad went out on the foredeck to prepare to get the sails down as we normally do. I kept on saying just wait a minute more as long as I could before finally saying; we are going in on sails and once we pass the mouth we are dropping the sails. He was against it, but my plan worked. Despite the enormous waves blasting away sailing with support of the half wind we sailed in smoothly. To our surprise a group of people were out on the tip of the mouth taking pictures of us going in. as soon as we passed the mouth the wind died and the sails dropped down like never before. It had also just started raining as we were going in so the sails just managed to get wet before having to put them away. But at this point we were thrilled getting back home safe and sound having completed our first long distance voyage.