We had anticipated a windy night. It was. The tents held up, the walls were shaking furiously, but everything remained in its place: tents, kayaks, tarps, and… we nearly stayed there ourselves!
In the early morning, 15-18 knot winds were sweeping Georgian Bay. It was as if a whole herd of sheep was prancing around our island. What were we to do? Face the choppy waters or remain a little longer on Pancake Island?
First, what better way to honour our island than a delicious breakfast of Nutella-Banana pancakes? We will need all the energy we can get to face this unstable sea. As the youths savour their breakfast, the guides are hard at work. The winds are strong all right, but they are constant and predictable. The visibility is excellent and there are no clouds in the sky. In addition, there is only one kilometre between Pancake Island and Snug Harbour, a short crossing. So, the decision is made to proceed. Teams are revised to match one adult and one youth per kayak, and off we go!
It was an epic crossing! Sea kayaking at its best! There is a warm wind in our faces to soften the splashing waters of Lake Huron as we dip in successive waves. It’s hard work to keep on course, so, we keep a tight formation and eat plenty of chocolate! In no time we have arrived. The youngsters are very proud of their success, and so are we.
We then follow the coast and take in the majesty of the tall white pines. Most impressive is the colour and limpidity of the water. The golden sunlight enhances the unsuspected emerald shades of the water. It’s just like a tropical sea. The older members of our group scan the horizon hoping for Brooke Shields to emerge from her blue lagoon.
In mid-afternoon we reach Franklin Island. This gigantic island will be the hub of our circumnavigation for the next few days. We set up camp and then we go swimming, we play Frisbee and just relax. Our nurse sets up shop: our psycho-educator, Robert, and Richard, a cameraman from TVA who travels with us, both “nurse” blisters. Of course, I assured them I would not mention it in the blog…
In closing, I invite you to leave your comments on the blog. Having done this blog in previous expeditions, I know the youngsters LOVE reading the comments of those who follow them on the blog. The ball is in your camp…