Return to (from) Valcour

South Burlington, VT

We just returned from four more days on Valcour Island.  (That's my excuse for not blogging for so long.  Internet on the island is extremely limited.)  We wanted to stay two more days.  We had plenty of food.  But alas, the light-and-variable wind conditions went away, and the wind was expected to pick up Sun-Tue.  

Oh well, we have to live with our limitations.   Blog reader Don pointed out that with so much gear, our canoe would have very little freeboard.   That's true.  Even without that gear, there isn't much freeboard.  A canoe is no match for the waves on Champlain when the wind blows 15 or more.  Therefore, we must plan our lake crossings for light winds periods only.

The irony is that exactly the days we loved most on Champlain with Tarwathie here, were those when the wind blew 15-25.  The days we liked least were those with little or no wind.  Now with Tarwathie Junior, our preferences are completely reversed. :-)

Libby in particular seems more relaxed and happy on Valcour than at any other place.  Here at Jen's she is a whirlwind of actvity working in the garden and making dinner.   Ditto at Daves.  In Marathon, she also has a long list of planned activities.  But out at Valcour, she is very content to just sit and look out over the water at the beautiful views. 

That applies to me too.  On Valcour, I'm satisfied by only once-a-day checking of the Internet.  To get reception, I have to walk four miles to the other side of the island.  I do that first thing in the morning at 0530.  That morning walk is delightful.

We had a visit from Bob & Carol, friends who live nearby but who have never been to Valcour before.

We hiked with Bob&Carol to the Bluff Point Light House.  It was beautifully restored just last year.

See what I mean about Libby relaxing.  Look closely, her face is sticking out.

Gardener Island lies just south of Valcour.  We never visited it before.  It is about 50 yards in diameter.  The verdict after this visit: "Boring.  There is nothing interesting there."