A CRUISE TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE

We set off in the morning for a cruise to the far side of the lake. 

It was around 10:00 am as we left the harbour and the west shore started to disappear off our back deck. 

Our boat has 10 mph top speed so, we left early and Sharon and Casey said they would catch up with us later. 

When we were about half way across the lake, there comes Sharon and Casey right on schedule.  She had given me the co-ordinates earlier, so we took pictures of each other as they passed us and said we will meet you later at 50'47.37 N     96'31.39 W    and they carried on to get anchored. 

As we rounded the last large point on Elk Island there was Loafhaven, at anchor waiting for us.  Sharon's enthusiasm for this spot was absolutely contagious, so we had to see it.   

We hooked up the re Boarding ladder we made for Sea-Enna, as this is the first time we have been out of the harbour since we finished building it. 

Sea-Enna took one look at it, barked and would not go near it again.  We are obviously going to have to work on this.       But, not today. 

Casey and Sharon climbed the huge sand hill that backs this beach.  They challenged Dan & I to do it, but we declined.    I did give Sharon my camera when she climbed up again and she got some great pictures for me. 

The is one I took of "The Bird", at anchor. 

We all relaxed on the Beach.  Even Sea-Enna relaxed and enjoyed the swimming and chasing her floater. 

Here is Sharon and Casey with Loafhaven in the back ground. 

Then Sharon climbed that big hill and took these great pictures. 

This time Sea-Enna followed her all the way up,  We never would have gotten all of these great shots of our dog and our boat  from such a great perspective. 

I think Sea-Enna liked the perspective too. 

She also loved the in and out of the water at her leisure.  

It was a wonderful day of Sun, Surf and Cruising.  Sharon's descriptions were not overstated.  Beautiful sand beach, no sand flies, the water was lovely an clean and no horse flies either.  We relaxed and had drinks and snacks on the beach,  all in all it was ideal. 

But as 4:00pm approached we know it was time to call it a day and head back across the lake.  It took us 3 hours to get here, there is no short cut to get home.  So we upped anchor and headed west. 

It was so calm and sunny on the lake you could hardly tell where the sky ended and the lake began.  As Elk Island disappeared in our wake. 

So with an hour under our belts and 2 more hours of travel to go, Dan started the new Bar-B-Q for me and I put a roast on to cook as we crossed the lake.    

Then I took over the helm so Dan could stow the anchor. 

When it's clear but has that sun haze out on the lake, you really have to rely on your instruments. And of course just like happened to Sharon & Casey last weekend, our GPS went out in the middle of the lake.  We do have a good compass though so we just carried on and in about 20 minutes it came back on.  But it's eerie when you can't see the normal things that tell you where you are, like the familiar shoreline etc.  But when the GPS came back on there we were right on course. 

Then our familiar landmark came into view right on cue. 

It's that little stick, sticking up on this horizon picture. 

The good old Winnipeg Beach water tower,  familiar to all us boaters.  It's what we head for from anywhere on the lake.  It means home to us. 

So, that was our wonderful day on the lake.  The only full day we have had on the lake this year.  But then again we were rather distracted early in the summer, with our out of town guests, and Anniversary Party.  We are still thinking about a fall cruise on the Red River, but haven't made up our minds yet.