Today was Dad’s last day here so after the mandatory boat work (fixed the starter battery charging system and changed the engine belt), Stella, Dad and I took the dinghy out to explore the Toronto Islands. I expect that most Canadians who haven’t visited Toronto probably don’t know about the islands, but they are truly amazing. Ana took a pass on the trip as she had some work to catch up on for our yacht club. She started as the Director of Marketing and Volunteers at the end of last year and it has turned into a substantial role that requires a great deal of time, so most nights at home she is tapping away on the laptop long after I’ve gone to bed. It’s good to have overachievers on the Board!
We wound our way through the island at slow speed, enjoying the bird traffic, watching the people on shore, passing paddleboarders and kayakers, then stopped at Centre Island for a long walk. Midweek is the best time to visit as weekends on the islands are packed full of people. We walked along the pathways and trails, to the beach, then to the amusement park there where we found a young lad serving ice cream cones so we asked for three. They were the tiniest ice creams I’d ever seen, and Stella’s even had a big hole through what little ice cream was there, so I sent that one back for retooling. Five bucks doesn’t get you much of an ice cream on Centre Island.
My dad was really impressed with these islands just a stone’s throw from the biggest city in Canada. It’s not what you would expect and is just one of the surprises this incredible city has to offer.
We returned to the boat and Ana had finished her work and was ready to do something so her and Stella went out to pick up some groceries while Dad and I stayed back to prepare late lunch and do more damage to the red wine in a box.
Lunch was magnificent – grilled potato packs with mushrooms, peppers, onions, and fresh herbs then sirloin steaks, corn, and salad. We ate slowly, had wine, and enjoyed our final time together until it was time to go. Instead of taking a low class Uber or dirty public transit or walking in the heat, Dad and I jumped in the dinghy and within 7 minutes I had dropped him off on shore just a short walk from Union Station where he would catch a train to Pearson airport.
Which left three.
But not for long.
Daryl and Lydia came over for dinner and were happy to eat up the lunch leftovers. We also had a surprise – our buddy Sharon from Newport, who was hanging out in Toronto for the day while her husband Greg (of Greg’s Island fame) was working in Pickering. We had a jolly time in SeaLight’s cockpit, then later moved over to National’s cozy fire pit, where there was not just a roaring fire, but we also got to see a drone show taking place somewhere around Ontario Place, as did Stella, but from on the water as she had taken the dinghy out for a nighttime solo ride. There must have been a thousand drones in the sky to create the lighted spectacles we saw – words spelled out in the sky, images, patterns, faces, and everything moving in perfect synchronicity. I had never even heard of drone light shows, but I’ll be watching for them now.
Greg made a brief appearance then he and Sharon left for Newport, Daryl and Lydia returned to their boat at Alexandria, and we retired to SeaLight for the night.
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