Sail & Canvas Weekend Racing - June 2013

To advertise the weekend events one could find sails hanging all around town. Most of the sails are old sails from C&C 24' Shark's. The sails are from the collection of  Dave MacLaren....Dave now owns 3 Shark's and they all are for sale if one is interested.

 Sail & Canvas Regatta

Bayfield, Ont.

This past spring I participated in the Sail & Canvas race weekend held in Bayfield. Unfortunately due to the late launching of the fleet, the turnout for the race was poor. Actually out of the 7 boats participating in the races three where boats docked at GBYC in Grand Bend last season. A fourth was an ex-GBYC member. A good GBYC turnout. Three races where held on Saturday. Sunday was rained out. For once I had a good size crew. Five of us in all. My son in law Devin, Brad and my daughter's in laws Murray and Nancy who came all the way from California to sail with us......well truth be known they are also visiting family for a couple of months. There was a nice BBQ on Saturday night at Dave MacLaren's home. A fun time all in all...George

GBYC member Bill Morrison and crew heading down wind during the last race of the day.

Our crew from right to left is Brad, Murray, Nancy and I. Devin is the photographer for this event.

GBYC boat Nautilus is seen near the start of the first race. I believe the boat in the background is Summer Heat another ex-GBYC sailboat.

Most of our crew for some reason is hanging around the bar at the BBQ. Brugal was the rum of choice for this event. Nancy took this photo of the boys.

Pioneer Park - Bayfield

I am looking at the sunset through the bicycle rack in Pioneer park.

Mid September I decided to watch the sunset once again from Pioneer park, in Bayfield. It is located high up on a ridge which gives one a nice vantage point for photos along the lake.....enjoy.....George

One can find a lot of trees in the park to help frame photos. Sept 16th 2013.

Another view framed with the trees on the ridge. One thing I forgot to do was remove the clear lens filter....it gave me the sun spot below the sunset.

Up and Down - Pioneer Park

The "Down" at Pioneer park. The stair case that one takes to access the beach.

My friend Brad joined a camera club in Goderich recently. His first piece of homework was to photograph an up and down subject. His thought was to shoot a group of sailboat masts. I mentioned I had took a few shots back in July of the stairway from Pioneer park to the beach...these two photos could make a up and down entry....a little photo editing could couple the two photos together....enjoy....George

This is the "UP" staircase at Pioneer park leading from the beach to the park. I took the photo near sunset with the camera down low.

Moving the CPR station

The CPR train station in Goderich, Ont. has been slid off its foundation. Wheels will shortly be added to the underside of the building.

Over the Spring and Summer I visited the CPR station location in Goderich on a regular basis to view the progress being made. It was interesting to see how such a large building could be moved. The station was to be moved only 250 meters to the lakefront...or waters edge. It will eventually become a restaurant. The station is a heavy all brick structure. A video was made of the move which shows over 2 months of work plus the move in 158 seconds...the move and rebuild will cost a total of 2 million dollars...I hate to think the cost of the burgers and beer there next summer...George

▶ CPR Station Move - YouTube

The artist concept on the stations new location billboard.

 

Full Moon September

Full moon night in the lake basin

A couple of weeks ago we had a full moon again. I was once again at Bayfield on that night and took the following views...George

I lined up the moon as my mast light.

I was out on the pier watching the sunset when I looked back down the river and noted the full moon.

Another Bayfield Sunset

Back in July I decided to photograph the sunset from the cliffs at Pioneer Park found at the end of the business area of town. There is a viewing platform next to the stairs that leads to the beach. On this particular pleasant evening I found a young lad playing his guitar and singing while perched on the viewing platform's railing. I could not resist adding him to one of my photos. He actually played and sang quite well...adding to the evening's main event another great sunset...George

Mystic, Ct. Moment

Two years ago this October I visited Mystic, Ct. and in particular the Mystic Seaport area. On this particular morning I watched a gentleman and his dog leisurely motor through the harbour. It was one of those neat to see moments, a man and his dog...George

Pioneer Village After Dark

A&B Party Rentals tent which was used for the wedding reception.

I had taken my tripod along to get a few night shots of the tent at my daughters wedding held at the Pioneer Village. I decided to take a few other views of the nearby building. The following photos are a few that I took...enjoy...George

The Denfield general store.

The barn where the wedding ceremony was held.

The pathway through the village was lighted by lanterns hung on metal hangers.

Michelle and Devin Wedding Day

One of the vintage home's front porch's made a nice backdrop for photos.

Last Saturday our daughter Michelle's wedding was the main event. We are lucky to now have another great son-in-law. The day was a nice fall day and the evening was a great clear night. We all gathered at Fanshawe's Pioneer Village. Devin and A&B Party Rental's did a really nice job...Susanne has posted a lot of photos on her Facebook page but here a few that I really liked...I took over 500 photos that day and evening...George

Michelle awaits the big moment outside the barn were the main event took place.

Devin and the boys were getting there group photos at the general store as I arrived.

I spent sometime walking around taking some night shots. This is the tent supplied by A&B Party Rental's...aka Devin.

Nicole's, Nathan's photo of us all.

I took this photo of the bridesmaid's prior to walking down the isle.

The Pioneer Village had many great  locations for photos. I followed along behind the photographers to get my own view.

Last Weekend

On the beach the waves are crashing onto the beach. The wind was blowing  15-18 knots from the NW. I did get out for a great sail that day.

I spent most of last week at the lake. This week I am home for my daughters wedding on Saturday. I got out sailing almost every day last week other than Saturday due to the on and off rain and Thursday due to really high winds out of the North. The air temperature with high north winds was really cool even in the basin. I was glad to be sailing in Bayfield rather than Grand Bend that week. I noted on line the gang at the GBYC debated if they could get out most days. Well I was out getting the last sails of the season in. Brad and I even ventured out for a great sail in 15-18 knots of NW wind, a day one would never consider going out through the harbour piers at the Bend. We were not the only ones out...there where 3-4 other sailboats out also. Sailing out of Bayfield has been a totally different experience this year.

Friday night sunset at Bayfield.

I also got a few great sunset photos that week. On a calm evening I found a few sailboats ghosting along. Two of these I was able to capture in my photo. The weekend finished with the annual Harbour Lights Marina BBQ...George Dutka

In our basin some of the boater have made a table out of a tree stump. They have carved their boat names into its side. On top one can see some driftwood that was shaped into a great image of a goose.

I took this photo about 30 minutes after the sun had set...the same day as the two sailboats seen above. It is kind of the blue hour of the day. There was still a lot of light reflecting up into the sky and into the clouds.

A Grand Bend Sunset

A July sunset scene during a warm summer eve.

I took this photo during my second season of boating out of Grand Bend. I normally would walk out to the beach or pier on the south side of the river each evening I was staying over. It was a great July 2002 evening and a typical scene of a great sunset on Lake Huron....enjoy....George

Hard to Believe....only at the Bend

This home made raft of questionable seaworthiness is near the rear of Bill Gray`s boat in Grand Bend.

I was heading out for a sail alone during the last week of August 2008 when these guys passed by me near the lighthouse in Grand Bend. I had to stop my boat and scramble for my camera. I could not pass up a shot of what I just saw pass me by. The photo did not turn out to be the best but sure worth having. These young guys had two barrels held together with planks. They appeared to have paddles, and a small electric motor aboard for power. I never seen them again...I wonder why...George

Wordless Wednesday No. 1

Labour Day 2008

Last Lady out for a Labour Day Monday sail.

Back in 2008 I was anchored out off the beach in Grand Bend on Trekker with most of my family on board. It was Labour Day Monday. Mark and sister-in-law Laura  had Home Two cleated off our stern for the afternoon. I remember that day clearly. We enjoyed a great afternoon swimming on a warm sunny end to the summer. I always have my camera aboard and caught the following images of Bill Newton as he sailed by on Last Lady. The wind was light and with almost no chop. Bill a long time member of the GBYC  passed away last summer and these photos are some of the ways I remember him...George

Bill is out off the beach in Grand Band for an afternoon sail.

Sunday Visit

Future son in law Devin at the wheel and his brother Phil.

On Sunday of the long weekend my friend James came up to the lake with his daughter Sarah. My daughter Michelle and Devin, his brother Phil and his wife Jessica returned from a night at a cottage near Goderich. The dock lines came off and I took them all for a tour of the river followed by a nice sail north up the coast in a nice breeze. I only handled the boat in and out of the harbour, letting Devin, Phil and James all helm the boat (a turn at the wheel). By mid afternoon it started to look dark and heading our way. The winds were getting light also. At the docks the guys finished off the last of the Tequila bottle with a few rounds of shots along with some other treats. The pain killer's became the next round. I think there was some beers emptied along the way. The Pusser's bottle became empty along with the coconut rum bottle at some point. I believe James finish off the Sailor Jerry spiced rum...A-r-r-r seemed to be his answer to everything by then. Devin stayed over that night. Once everyone left (glad the girls stayed sober so someone could drive) the two of us did have a few more pain killers with supper, but that required dipping into my other rum stock for that. The night finished off with a fire on the beach...George

James and his daughter Sarah.

James and I...I am keeping a good eye on his boat handling...his first time at the wheel.

The newly weds Phil and Jessica.

Shots with what is left of the Tequila.

My daughter Michelle and Lexi out on the lake. This was Lexi`s first time out and did really well.

Long Weekend Night Photos

Two stick people are found walking around the lake basin in Bayfield harbour.

On Saturday evening Brad came over for a coffee in my boats cockpit. We were looking out at the berm that divides the inlet from the beach when two neon figures appeared onto the hill. They walked the length of the hill then headed down to one of the sailboats. Brad and I grabbed our camera's and headed over for a photo. We got a few interesting photos. After that we decided to do a night photo session. Neither of us had a tripod but a self timer and picnic tables would work just as well. The night was moonless with a ton of stars. I just set my camera on its back and shot up into the sky. I decided to take a few photos looking into the marina from the hill also. We moved over to the pier after that. A campfire on the beach made for a great photo along with the red  marker light on the opposite pier...what a great night for photos which all began with two stick people...George

This is the scene Brad and I viewed on Saturday night from the berm above the beach. I just laid my camera on its back on the picnic table and took this night shot...amazing what one can see in the sky when there  are no lights around.

From the same location I normally view the daily sunsets I took this photo looking down into the lake basin.

One can see in the middle of this view the transom of my boat Trekker and my dock partner's Chris's Hunter 29 on the left. The red mast boat in the foreground is a nice looking J24.

I took this photo from the pier looking back at a group from our basin having a campfire. I just set the camera on the edge of the pier setting the timer so I could push the button with out shaking the camera. I had to be really careful that I did not drop my camera into the lake. One can see our sailboat masts behind the berm.

Looking across the river from the pier I was standing on I too this photo looking south towards the marker light on the other side. There are a group of large concrete blocks restricting vehicle access to the pier that I used to set my camera on.