One really cool visitor

In mid July, while eating brunch one fine Saturday morning a surprising visitor came into the harbour...

It doesn't look that impressive from here, but the boat that came around St. Patricks Island is called the Kiyi, it is a USGS (United States Geological Service) research vessel that travels on Lake Superior taking part in a variety of research projects, mostly on the American shore.

The ship came within about 50 feet from our swimming rock, and blew a loud horn as the kids waved.  It spent about an hour in the bay, making a few circular passes before heading out towards the Slate Islands.

This is a relatively new ship, built in 1999 costing over three million dollars.  It sleeps nine, and is approximately 107 feet long; one of the larger non-freight vessels on Superior.  More information about the Kiyi can be found at http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/mdc/fs12.htm

I discovered later that this American boat has a reserach contract through the Lake Superior Binational Forum to travel to all remedial action plan sites on Lake Superior every two years.  There is an "area in recovery" site at the far northwestern end of Jackfish Bay, that was delisted from an "area of concern" in 2011.

Photo:  US army corp of engineers

As well, another research vessel, the Everett H, passed through Jackfish the day before, travelling along the west coast of the bay.  The Everett H is owned and operated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.  It is commonly docked out of Keefer Terminal in Thunder Bay.  I'm assuming both vessels were taking creel samples of Lake Trout.

Photo: Great Lakes Association of Science Ships

For more information about the Everett H, you can go to:  http://www.canamglass.org/online/shipdetails.php?intShipId=102

Fun with friends

Hi all, perhaps the most important thing about the cabin is having the opportunity to share with friends. We've had a great time this summer with everyone who has come to enjoy the place.

Some came to help with the work, others with the play...

Painting the board and battons

On the steps of the old school

Lots of time around the kitchen table

(I really need to write a new blog about this.)

Grandmas.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made the summer a memorable one!

Pictures from this summer

Well, it seems like summer has moved along past that halfway point...  We spent the majority of July at the cabin and had the opportunity to share it with many great friends.  Thanks to everyone we now exist pretty comfortably in the cabin.

It has full insulation, heating, walls and even doors!  Surprisingly I somehow even got most of the trim installed, except the back windows.  Much of the outside has been finished, a much larger job than expected, that still went relatively smoothly.  The outside just now needs its second coat of paint/stain.

Heres the before, during and after...

finally... We're back!

Okay after almost an entire year we are finally getting around to posting on the blog again.  Apologies to all of you who were hoping we would do a better job updating the blog.  Well for those of you who were curious today is your lucky day.

Well as you can see we have a little bit of a kitchen now, complete with Mexican blanket counter tops.  We also have running water (blue jug on right), green stove on the left, and a kitchen sink under the window).

Darrell spent many an hour cutting and placing 1 x6 pine on all of our walls.  They look fabulous if he doesn't say so himself.

 Samantha's room was the first to receive a door.  Fancy double mirrored doors were donated to us by Erin and Will and had been stored in our basement (for many dance performances) up until now.  The great thing about these is that you can sit at the kitchen table and look out at the lake even with your back to the windows.  Samantha looks forward to using it to cheat at cards.

Well after 3 lovely July weekends spent with friends (more about those later) we have fantastic new board and batton and now lovely cedar shakes.  Things are starting to look gorgeous around there.  Too bad Kim took the weekend off or we might have had painted trim too.  There is always next time, lots of work to be done and as my mom says the work isn't going anywhere - it will wait.
Stay tuned for updates now that we are back in business.