One of the plans we discussed to bring Moon Dance back to Canada involved flying to the US which was still allowed, renting a car, provisioning the boat for a two day cruise and a 14-day quarantine. We vetoed the idea as too risky with sudden changes in government policy and conversations with border services.
The owner of this boat was thinking along the same lines. He fly to the states, changed planes three times to get to his boat. His plan was to bring the boat to Blind River where his wife would meet him with 14-days of provisions. Then they would sail off to quarantine in the North Channel.
His wife duly arrived about the same time as border services. The board guards quickly rejected the plan and informed them that he would spend 14 days on the dock in Blind River while his wife returned to Toronto. Once the 14 day period was over he was told to report to Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island. So much for this summer’s vacation.
The boat is a Pilgrim. A Canadian vessel designed on a place mat in a Peterborough, Ontario restaurant. The concept was created by H. (Ted) Gozzard, the designer, for a friend as an ideal boat to use on canals and Intracoastal waterways for nothing more than going slow and a sight seeing vessel for two, with occasional guests.
The boats themselves were created and built at North Castle Marine Ltd in Goderich, Ontario in the year 1982, and just fewer than 50 were built in total.
Moon Dance IV 