Setting Records, Setting Sail!

It’s been so long I can barely contain my excitement!  I’m currently sitting on a giant boat that we drove on!  The last ferry I was on was 15 years ago, and that was in Newfoundland.  This is so cool!

Ok, ok I’ll back up a little.  The gang all arrived at our house at various times last evening, with the last arriving around 11:15, at which point Clare and Robin dove into “leader mode” and begin going over various boring things that I really don’t care about, so I have no idea what they were.  I’m sure they were very important things to someone.  

The only thing I really remember was that much joking was made about how quickly they would go off topic.  At one point Clare didn’t even get out a full sentence before someone went off on a tangent and then Pop held up her phone and said “not even 30 seconds!”  She had actually turned a timer on.  A few minutes later, they managed to get to ALMOST three minutes before the conversation veered off topic.  Sad to admit, but I believe that is the current record to beat!

It was 1 am before everyone found a corner to fall asleep in, and then 8 am came way to early for everyone.  They were efficient though, had breakfast, made their lunches, cleaned up and completely loaded the car by 10!  They were worried it wouldn’t fit, but even this little bear was impressed with how neatly it all fit together like a 3D puzzle (no roof bag required - yay)!

So this trip was aptly named the “Giant Sleeping Tour” for the destination of Sleeping Giant in Thunder Bay, and the many hours the teens would likely sleep.  This was quickly proven, as they all were asleep within half an hour of getting in the car!

Our first stop was Sauble Falls Provincial Park (the first of about 14 provincial parks we will be visiting).  We had a picnic lunch and explored the park, and soon set another record (how quickly it would take Snap to need first aid - apparently 2 hours in).  Nothing serious, she just disrupted a wasp’s nest and learned how much they really don’t like being disturbed!  She’s fine.  Thanks for asking.

Another hour up the road to Tobermory to get our car lined up for the Chi-Cheemaun, the ferry that would carry us across Georgian Bay to Manitoulin Island (cutting approximately 8 hours off the drive).  Nice.  We then had 2 hours to explore the great metropolis of downtown Tobermory, which, if you haven’t been there, can be done in about 15 minutes, less if you stand in one spot and do a 360.  Pretty village, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not big.

The highlight for me was watching the ship come in as it was opening its giant mouth (bow) to let all the cars off and then us on.  We were so early in line that we were third on, and had to drive up a very narrow ramp to the second floor, a rather steep ramp to be sure, and Clare started making the sounds of a roller coaster incline, and then we heard Robin squeal as she reached the top (couldn’t see the floor of the ramp due to the angle) and felt like she was about to do the long drop on the other side.  Definitely worth making the sound effects for that reaction.

I learned that there is this obligatory pose you must do whenever you are a tourist on a ship, so naturally I did it, with some help from Pop (although my arms don’t go as high, I got the idea of the wind in my face).   THEN I was told the reference for this pose, and now I must ask, why, WHY would anyone want to mimic a scene from a ship that SINKS!  Sometimes you humans really baffle me.

This may be all you get tonight.  As we had to book the last sail of the day (blame Clare for not booking our ride earlier… yeah 2 weeks ahead was apparently not enough time to get the time slot we wanted).  Anyways… as a result of this, we will not be getting to our first hotel in Sault Ste Marie until after midnight, and as much as I try, I’m guessing my scribe is not going to want to write more of this wonderful blog at that point.  You, dear reader will have to wait until tomorrow to find out if there were any other noteworthy adventures today.

Slight addition, it’s now 11:30pm and we are still at least a half hour from our hotel so my dear scribe has been trying to finish this and get it posted while Robin drives.  I don’t think it’s because she’s feeling any deep devotion to me of course, but because she’s bored and trying to stay awake!

Until tomorrow my friends,

Whatever