Trip to Covered Portage

August 4, 2008

After three days at Thomas Bay, we needed to move again to give the batteries a decent charge. Since we hadn't gotten to any of the anchorages off the Lansdowne Channel, we thought we'd give Covered Portage Cove a shot. (After the first weekend in August, things quiet down a little in the channel as the windy weather starts to be a factor.) Getting to Covered Portage Cove meant passing through Killarney again. With thoughts of cinnamon rolls, butter tarts, and that great fresh whitefish in our heads, we thought we'd be daredevils and attempt a quick tie-to-a-dock to get some baked goods and fish. Almost all of the Killarney businesses, you recall, have courtesy docks just for this purpose. We had taken pictures of the docks on the way out of Killarney and referred to them to see which ine might work the best. It wasn't a difficult choice! The sturdiest courtesy dock in Killarney: The LCBO (liquor store) dock!

Bernie set up the lines and the fenders and Phil coasted Meridian close to the dock, jumped off, caught the lines, and secured Meridian. Onlookers were quite impressed and never would have known that we've only pulled into a dock unassisted three times in the last year. It would have been rude to use the dock without a purchase, so while Bernie ran to the bakery (Gateway marina) and Herbert's Fishery, Phil hit the LCBO (liquor store) for some rum and to Pitfield's General Store for some Diet Coke.

Since the fishing boat had just come in (after we docked), they didn't have any filets available yet. So we enjoyed fish and chips from "The Bus" while waiting for them to clean and filet the fish that the boat just broought in. Then with butter tarts, cinnamon rolls, fish, rum, and diet coke safely stored away, we threw off the lines, lifted the fenders and set our course for Covered Portage Cove.

This meant another trip down the dangerous and treacherous, shoal-strewn, narrow and winding Lansdowne Channel (cue the scary music -- again).