Port Dover, Ontario August 14, 2015

There was no doubt we were staying another day. The wind in this protected harbor was strong and the forecast was saying not to go to Port Stanley today. I exchanged emails with Jim and he confirmed he was staying in Ashtabula today. The forecast is good for travel tomorrow. We will leave when I wake up, probably between 6 and 6:30. Kerry said not to unmake the salon bed as two people will be using it.

The photographer from Passage Maker Magazine was here today. I spoke with him as he was between boats. He had been here 7 years ago to photograph a particular boat. When he saw all the locally built steel boats he wanted to come back, but it has taken this long to get an editor who would let him do so. He is a long time sailor, turned power boater, turned single handed small boat sailor when his wife became unable to boat.

Once the ladies got up we had blueberry pancakes for breakfast. We took a nice bike ride, cutting it short because of a nasty blue cloud, and just making it back to Annie in time. While the ladies were sleeping in I chatted with some of the Skippers here and was filled in on local history, boats and gossip - all pretty interesting. For example, there is a converted wooden mine sweeper that was covered in fiberglass, and at one time owned by Howard Hughes, sunk in the boat grave yard across the river.

Another example, Alexis is one of the boats to be featured. It has been built by one man, John, over a 16 year period. John is super nice. His son, also John, is being married next week. It is his third try. He always chooses the same type of woman, tall and very thin.

John, on Alexis, being interviewed by Passage Maker Magazine.

I took a picture of some of the steel boats that will be featured. Here are some of those pictures, and also one picture of some boats that will not be featured. Can you tell which is which?

We had a delicious dinner at the Erie Beach Hotel. They are famous for their perch and for their salad bar. They bring 6 delicious salads to your table in addition to their renowned celery bread. This could be you whole meal. In fact, it almost was. I think we brought home 12 pieces of perch and we left absolutely stuffed. 

Jim had a very nice day in Ashtabula. I received the following email and picture from him.

"Ashtabula, an overlooked gem! Today started with breakfast on Liberty, then boat cleaning. We had a very nice lunch at Riddicks Meat Market. The original building built in the late 1800,s was "Riddicks Meat Market, much of the original interior remains. We then visited the Ashtabula Maritime Museum, very nice with an amazingly detailed model of a Hulett unloader. Then on to the shops as nice as any in the towns we have visited so far. I asked one shop keeper what the building was first built for she responded Brothel. There was a balcony where customers could view the goods. Most of the buildings had plaques outlining the buildings history. We rounded out our town outing by visiting the Goodwill store."

We will leave early tomorrow for Port Stanley. This voyage will take us about 1/2 the remaining distance to Vermilion. The members of the PDYC could not have been any more welcoming to us. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here.