Wonders in Windsor

Windsor never disappoints us! Two events make it happen again....a sailboat race and a trip to Peche Island.  After cooking and dining on the docks at Lakeview Marina the first night, we watched the end of a local club night race featuring a wonderful spinnaker finish right in front of Windsor Yacht Club next door.  The Jam boats finishing behind were just as exciting!

check out our wine covers to keep the bees out

first to finish

reaching up to the finish

another tight race

 great looking T10 

don't let go Dad

fight to the finish

awesome J boat

paddling hard to get home before dark

next class too close to call 

hold on!

Day #2
Our legs got stretched out on a great bike path that took us through residential neighborhoods which followed the waterline. We cut off the path when we got to the grocery. After dropping the goods back at the boat we went in the opposite direction so that Ron could pick up some flares to replace the soon to be expired ones. Soon after, the dinghy got dropped into the water and we were off to explore the island across the river. I am quite nervous that our 2.5 HP motor will not cross the river with the current running so hard...but if the kayaks can make it...

Of course we check out Windsor Yacht Club before heading over to the infamous Peche Island, now belonging to The City Of Windsor and utilized as a daytime park and picnic grounds.

 A treaty signed between 4 local Indian tribes and the forming government of what is now Ontario allowed the island to be kept a fishing grounds back in  1700.

 It is said to be cursed by a descendant of the original french settlers whose family lived their for over 100 years starting 1812 or earlier.. The curse would stop development of the island  that began with a try by Hiram Walker in the early 1900's through to this day. Although it is commonly referred to as his summer estate, it is believed to be an attempt at a resort that would rival the popular Belle Isle just south. Mr Walker built a 54 room mansion, stables, carriage house and greenhouse. He added hundreds of trees and planted an orchard. The golf course and an electric generator came next until he became ill and signed the property to daughter Elizabeth. This all took place in less than 15 years.

(click here to enlarge)

There have been 5-6 different owners with multiple development plans since those early days and they have all failed. 

stone bridge from early 1900's

dirt road leads  to opposite sides of the island from stone bridge

petrifying tree

large mushrooms

stable ruins?

foundation ruins

original initials?

checking to see what the view might have been

scarier at night

windswept

the search for sun

old tree holding the dinghy shows it's age rings

The bugs are staring to come out and our stomachs are growling, so, we depart from the dinghy dock to get back "home". Tomorrow we'll reach down the Detroit River into Lake Erie.