Boldt’s Castle on Heart Island in the Thousand Islands

The Power House, electric generators and an apartment for the engineer that ran it.

Amazing, 137 room castle, complete with Yacht House, Play House and Power House. To house, Boats, Toys, and it’s own electric generation. This the boat house for the castle, or should I say Yacht house by its proper name. Mr. Bold had a fleet of 60 boats, as you can see here it can even [Read More →]

Sailing The Thousand Islands, St. Lawrence Seaway in Ontario.

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The St. Lawrence Seaway was even busier than we thought it might be. – But more so with recreational power boaters. They were more of nuisance than the large container ships. In the St. Lawrence Seaway around the Thousand Islands, the container ships seem to slow down considerably, and reduce their wake to a very [Read More →]

Alexandria Bay, 1000 Islands

God's Message through a Rain Bow.

During the hurricane Paul, the kids and I sat in the out door hot tub and enjoyed the day despite the weather. After the storm, after a whole day of rain, wind and clouds, God allowed a beautiful rainbow symbolizing he would never again distort the world by flood. Although that’s all the Americans could [Read More →]

Weathering the Hurricane

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Here we are in Alexandria Bay about 100km east of the eastern edge of Lake Ontario. We have prepared the boat to go through the edge of the hurricane. Tied the boat off on both sides in some webbing. Have a look at our Sirrius Weather screen on the boat. We are the Black Boat [Read More →]

Cedar Point, New York State Park.

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Here we spent a night at the Cedar Point New York State Park. A nice beach, and a dock with just enough room for three of our boats. We have been traveling with The Benningers of Fortune’s Favour and Ivan Vulicevic Family of C-Wolf.

Cape Vincent, New York

Kids in front of the fisheries, we must move on to find something for these rug rats to do.

We had a great sail from Sackets Harbor to Cape Vincent, up wind most of the way, and arrived within 4 hours. There are a few free dockets that you can stay out. The village dock has space for about 4-5 boats, but draft near the shore is shallow for keel boats, and half way [Read More →]

Sackets Harbor, New York State

17th Century Canon made in France for the British Navy? Could it be?

After exploring Main Duck Island, we set out for Sackets Harbour, NY. It was about a 3 hour leisurely cruise, Roxane caught up on some sleep from the night passage the evening before. Sea Wolf arrived at about 4:30pm, they were pretty tired from travelling all day in the heat of the day. Roxane and [Read More →]

Main Duck Island, Lake Ontario

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Did not want to waste any valuable days travelling, so off we go. Left Cobourg at 10pm, nice motor sail, by 8:30am we were just outside Main Duck Island. We are travelling in sort of a convoy of 3 boats. One boat just arrived in Cobourg, and the other was not leaving until morning, so [Read More →]

A day at the Beach in Cobourg

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Kids love the waves at the beach in Cobourg! We spent a fun fill day here. We will leave tonight at 9:30pm, due to arrive on the US side in Cape Vincent by 10:00am tomorrow! We love traveling at night, so peaceful, kids sleeping, moon light glistening on the water, sound of the waves lapping [Read More →]

Just Pushed off PCYC for the Thousand Islands

  Sunday Night 10:30 pm, just pushed off and on our way to the Thousand Islands. We will travel over night as the kids sleep. We should arrive at our first port of call in Cobourg at about 8am in the morning. There we will meet friends who have spent the week-end making there way [Read More →]

* VIDEO * Trailer Preview 2011 LO300…

Racing in the LO300 from Roxane R. on Vimeo.

LO 300 Rounded Gibraltor Mark!

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We Rounded Gibraltor at about 1pm, slowly catching first 8 starters, passing boats one by one. Beating up wind in light air, battling for last two hours with After Burn. Enjoyed fresh Pull Pork sandwiches, courtesy of Roxy! This is what life is all about!

Black Diamond – LO300 Menu

Saturday Lunch – Pulled-Pork Sandwiches Dinner – BBQ Chevapi with Potato Salad and Tomato Onion Salad with Feta Sunday Breakfast – Bacon or Sausage and Egg on an English Muffin Lunch – Tuna and/or Egg Salad Sandwiches with Veggies (pre-cut) Dinner – Perogi with Sour Cream and Coleslaw Monday Breakfast – Cereal (or omelettes with [Read More →]

Lake Ontario 300 – 2011 our 4th go at it…

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Black Diamond a Jeanneau 39i Performance Cruiser will be making its 4th go around on the Lake Ontario 300 in 2011. The first two attempts were successfully completed, our personal record time of 2 days and 8 hours for the full course, of 300 miles, about 550kms. Last year we did not finish due to [Read More →]

LO300 – Lake Ontario 300 Yacht Race, GPS Tracking of Black Diamond

Yellow Brick crew from the UK.

This year race tracking is being supplied by YELLOW BRICK, a UK Yacht Race Tracking company. You will be able to Track Black Diamond at this link  http://yb.tl/lo300-2011 We are on the Longer Main Duck Course 300 nautical miles or about 550 km. We are in the Flying Spinnaker Sails Full Crewed Division 2, in [Read More →]

* VIDEO * Skipper Ed Delivering Yacht from BVI to NYC Via Exumas

  I will be assisting friends with the delivery of their new sailing yacht “Sealight” a 43 foot Beneteau. This is an “X” Charter Yacht from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. The goal is to deliver this yacht safely to it’s final home at the Port Credit Yacht Club in Toronto, Canada. I will [Read More →]

Family Island Regatta in George Town Exumas, Bahamas 2009

After leaving the boat on the mooring for a couple of months, we returned for a few weeks in March break. Found the boat safe and sound as we left her. I recommend this mooring 100% for anyone leaving their boat for any extended period of time. We made it back just in time for [Read More →]

St. Francis Resort & Hurricane Hole with Moorings for Rent!

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  So we found the perfect place to leave the boat for an extended period of time! It is found right across the bay from George Town, on Stocking Island, there is a place called St. Francis Resort & Villas. It is a small private resort. They run the hurricane  hole right out front of their [Read More →]

George Town, Docking at Exuma Docking Service Marina.

Boat heeling at the docks in extremely low tide. (c) Copyright 2009

We are in the first couple weeks of January 2009, and planning to leave the boat in George Town Bahamas for a couple of months. We will fly home go back to work and school for a little while, and then back in March Break for a couple of weeks. The plan was to leave [Read More →]

Exploring Stocking Island, Great Exuma.

Cruiser made hut from various items that washed ashore Stocking Island. (c) Copyright 2009

We spent a couple of days relaxing at anchor, and exploring Lee Stocking Island, Exuma, just outside of George Town. The island is mostly uninhabited, but there are a couple of small resort properties that rent villas. In the picture above you see a cool little hang out we found. This little hut was build [Read More →]

Landing in George Town, Exumas, Bahamas

Arrived in George Town, and Dropped our Anchor for the night.

We arrived to an anchorage in George Town a couple of hours before sun down. We anchored along side “Tia Anica” the large boat we were racing to George Town. They landed just before us, and these were the only convenient spots left to anchor. There are usually hundreds of boats anchored in George Town. So [Read More →]

Cave Cay to Georgetown, Exumas

Thomas enjoying the ride.

We exited the cut from Cave Cay, and took the outside route to Georgetown, we were sailing on the outside, as opposed to inside the cays. We chose this as a more direct and quicker route to Georgetown, Exuma. The inside route is a little more tricky, and still calls for deeper draft vessels to [Read More →]

2010 Lake Ontario 300, LO300, Photos of Black Diamond.

Black Diamond under full main & spinnaker.

Hear are some photos I have found on the web of our boat from various web sites.

2010, Lake Ontario 300, LO300, ends on first day for Black Diamond

You can see the line squal behind us, as the storm approaches.

  Dear friends, The LO300 started and ended today for us at Black Diamond. Three Squall lines blew through the race with in a few hours. Sustained winds of 30 knots or 52km, and gusts of 48 knots, 80-90 km per hour. 6 to 8+ foot waves, marble sized hail was coming down. So far [Read More →]

Cave Cay, Exumas – Bahamas.

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Cave Cay is a beautiful place almost half way from Staniel Cay to George Town in the Exumas. We decided to anchor here for a night, but after discovering how beautiful it was, and all the different activities it offered, we decided to spend an extra night here. Above you see the approach to Cave [Read More →]

Snorkelling Cave Cay – Exumas Bahamas

Thomas really enjoyed snorkelling Cave Cay.

Snorkelling around the cut at Cave Cay was the best underwater experience we had in the Bahamas. I am sure there are many more and even more amazing places to snorkel and scuba in the Bahamas. This particular spot we just happen to stumble upon. Within about an hour or so, we saw hundreds of [Read More →]

A Crew Member’s account of the LO300 aboard Black Diamond.

All pumped up and adorning our Black Diamond Crew Shirts, sponsored by RadonicRodgers Design+Marketing

Written by Martin Boeykens The Lake Ontario 300 is billed as the longest annual fresh water race in the world. I competed in the race this year aboard “Black Diamond” with Captain Ed Radonic, and crew Andrew McAllister, Cez Makowski, Kate Thomas and Will French. The Start: Twelve rolling starts are scheduled for the 160 boats so [Read More →]

2009 Sail Past at PCYC

Captain Ed & Black Diamond all dressed and looking their best.

In the golden years of sail, and in the British Navy, when ever a boat in the fleet would meet the Commodore’s boat they would have to salute in various ways. If you were close enough or met the Commodore in person an actual salute of the hands would be required. If you were sailing [Read More →]

2009 Yacht Racing Season

Spinnaker Start of the LO300 mile race, Notice Black Spin, Fully Crewed, Photo by Rod Chalmers www.yachtshots.ca (c) Copyright 2009

A few photos from this years Yacht Racing Season.

2009 Sailing Awards at PCYC

Roxane & Ed with the booty.

Black Diamond and crew won a record number of race flags this year. In total we won 6 race flags, 2 crusing flags in addition to this, 2 trophies at PCYC and 1 in the Bahamas. Millennium Race – First Place – Best time from PCYC Piers to Dufferin Buoy near Ontario Place – 45 [Read More →]