... cooling off!

Enjoying the wineries ... by sights, smell and taste!

Passing "The Rock" on our way west.

And when it gets too crowded in the Islands - we escape West ... there are some wineries in our region (http://www.winedining.net/prince.html).

We enjoy visiting them - they have a fantastic view over the bays and anchorages, we never can get enough of sitting outside, looking at our boat in the anchorage, or who is coming in from the lake.

Here we will post some pictures, impression of our weekend breaks.

Enjoy

... and another channel ...

In the 1000 Islands - Admirality Islands ... passing along a channel

In the 1000 Islands - Admirality Islands ... on the way to Gananoque

In the 1000 Islands - Admirality Islands

Our summer sailing region ... one of it. The 1000 Islands, a short run East of Kingston.

The Thousand Islands are a chain of islands that straddle the U.S.-Canada border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. The islands stretch for about 50 mi (80 km) downstream from Kingston, Ontario.

The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario. The U.S. islands are in the State of New York. The islands, which number 1,865 in all, range in size from over 100 km² to smaller islands occupied by a single residence, to even smaller uninhabited outcroppings of rocks that are home to migratory waterfowl. The number of islands was determined using the criteria that any island must be above water level for 365 days per year and support at least one tree or shrub.

The area is rich in history - it was a favourite hunting ground of the Iroquois before European exploration, with immigrants travelling along the river and up to the northern lakes in the 1700s and early 1800s.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007992

And with railways built subsequently, tourism arrived at the shores of the 1000 Islands.
Still, the area is home to both: cargo transport via the St. Lawrence Seaway, and individual exploration; at times, pleasure boaters and cargo vessels join the same waters in very close proximity.

Bye, bye Colorado

And on our last day with our friends, we had a short outing short in the wilderness. Britt trying to catch some fish in the Vallecito creek ... while we were there, he was unsuccessful (but as soon we were safely back in Kingston, his catching skills returned ...?). Blame it on the fast running river!

But we had good fresh dringing water - hand pumped!

And the stories Britt could tell about his days as a ranger, spending 10 days in the wilderness with his horse and two mules, ... loosing his horse down a ravine .... oh man!

old mill tools everywehere ...

People lived and worked here, throughout the whole year, mining.

And us taking a lunch (and chocolate break!) At snow level (see left hand corner ...).

Ghost town - mining (2)

Ghost town - mining (1)

Leaving town, visiting a mine on the way out, we drove up, up and up. At one point, the sign suggested that this road was not recommended for non-4 wheel drive vehicles ... as Britt pointed out, "not recommneded" does not mean: closed to regular cars, and on we drove - slowly. Our Toyota made it - no problem, and we arrived in our "ghost town", at about 11000' elevation (3300m).

And there was a shoot-out, again, who had more fun? The locals, or us?

Right!?

And if we don�t pay our bills, there is always the local prison: