A sample of the many letters readers send to me since the site began.
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From: @gmail.com (Cornwall ON) This is a very interresting site you have created. I found more information in one spot than any other way. Tks a lot for all the work you put in. I hope you keep it going for long time. |
| From: @rjedp.com (Chicago IL) My complimemts. You are the only rational, intuitively arranged source of information for boating I have ever found. No matter what 'inquiry' I make on the internet, you keep popping up. You've become a 'good friend' and you don't even know it. Thanks. |
| From: @cyberus.ca (Ottawa ON) Hi Pat, I wanted you to know how much I value your website with respect to information on Boating Safety. As a CYA sailing- and boating safety- instructor (during the winter I teach Spark Start courses...) I have found your site a very convenient way to complement the literature suggested by the S-S prog... |
| From: a Canadian government employee Thanks Pat, we have a hard time keeping up with our constant changes too! Our website isn't too complete. Your easy to find references are awesome, thank you. |
| From: @sympatico.ca Thanks Pat. We made it all the way up past Deep River and then down to that Manitick Marina, had a most spectacular time and the view and river were incredible. I am now very familiar with the area so if anyone needs help, please feel free to send them my way for info. No problems at all and very nice cruise. Thanks again. |
| From: @eznet.net Thank you for your advice. It helped us a lot. We had a great time, the weather was cooperative. No we didn't have the Rideau cruise guide with us. That would have helped. ... |
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From U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary member Pat, I am a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and live 8 miles from the 1000 Islands bridge. Your web site has answered many questions that we are asked by boaters who are planning to boat in Canadian waters. I have your site listed on our web site (http://www.uscgaux.org/~0920106) as a reference and I have had many comments on how helpful your site is. Keep up the great work! |
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From: @ix.netcom.com Greetings from Alabama. We are enjoying your information while planning our vacation. Our last vacation was trailering our boat to Trenton and spending two weeks on the Trent Severn. This time we will again trailer 1000 miles+ each way to spend our vacation on the Rideau. A few comments about your fees and other areas of concern on your page. When we reached the start of the Trent-Severn, we were very surprised and disappointed about your user fees for our boat. However, after going through 44 locks with help from each and every locktender, our first thoughts changed considerably. This canal is beautiful and we had one of the most pleasant vacations ever. We were catered to in every lock and had clean and pleasant facilities available throughout the canal. We enjoyed the beautiful lockside parks and the lockmaster with a sense of humor who announced that we were about to have an "uplifting experience." The people on shore were wonderful and we never worried about leaving our boat unattended. This is not an option in many parts of the Southern U.S. When we broke a trailer axle on the "401" and lost a wheel and brakes, we were pleased to find a friendly and competent repair shop whose employees were willing to work overtime to see us on our way. The charge was far less than it would have been in the states. Ontario is a well kept secret and we wonder if your user fees are too LOW! |
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From: @front.net Incredible! Where did you get all the info? I mean your site is FULL of useful stuff!!! and every single bit of information is solid material -- no bluffings! You sound like a pro. You sound like you have been teaching these stuff for years! Anyway, I have bookmarked your site. I will be back for sure. Thanks for a great site! |
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From: @sympatico.ca A great job. Just found you. Keep adding to it. |
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From: @sgc.gc.ca First let me say (type) that we really enjoy your home page - especially us being newbies at this. Concerning the degraded GPS signal, I have read recently that President Clinton passed a Bill last summer requiring the U.S. Department of Defence to stop degrading the GPS signals, effective by now. This will reportedly now provide us with accuaracy within 33 feet. If this is true, it brings into question the need for DGPS. |
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From: @together.net Nice web page. I am planning a trip from Lake Champlain Up to the Thousand Islands and then down the St Lawerence and back this summer and I had many questions most of which your page answered. Good job and much thanks especially on regulations. One question I have is on the CanPass for boaters entering Canada. Is there any news on this ? Is this available and how do I go about getting one. Again thanks for your effort and if there's anything you think I should know that you haven't mentioned here I'd appreciate it. |
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From: @sympatico.ca Thanks for your letter about the Zebra mussels. My student does not have any yet because even though zebra mussels are prevalent in the Great Lakes basin, is it not rather difficult to get them in the winter? By the way, we are located in Ottawa, Ontario. If you know of research areas nearby, or any place, could you let us know? Thanks again, |
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From: @redcreek.net I am also a lake ontario boater- would you like to link to my [snip] page? I think your page would be of interest and will put a referal to it from mine and thanks! ps I used to write regularly for CY magazine and in 1984 my little boat got to be a cover girl on it! (her 15 minutes of fame) |
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From: @terranova.net pat u r a big fony u no not about the great k lakes.. thanks 4 not anwserning my question,, it wood have ment squat any way |
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From: @sprynet.com What a great web page! Great information. Now for some stupid questions. I am planning on sailing in the thousand islands Aug23-28 this year and I wonder if you can help me with some suggestions. Should I reserve at any of the parks? We plan on sleeping on board but some nights camping might be nice. Starting from Collins Bay, what would be a good route (easy) for a 28 foot sailboat that combines open sailing and nice places to stay? I hope I am not imposing but any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks in advance |
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From: @bbs.lethal.net Thanks for your very informative pages on boating in Canada. We are neighbors from Michigan and are looking forward to our second cruise to the North Channel of Lake Huron. We expect to be in Canadian waters for about three weeks this year. I believe you may have an error in your Rules page. Specifically Sailboats, 2) Windward rule. The rule is correct but the note should should read "Note this means the one sailing """upwind"" must alter course". Please let me know if my interpretation is correct. |
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From: @unforgettable.com I am glad the URL is a useful link for you. Your web pages is becoming an ambitious project -- Good for you! I found the collection of information indispensible. I have directed many inquiries to your web site. Keep up the good work! |
| Apparently, a person on a chartered boat in the Virgin Islands radioed the fleet's home base to ask if they could drop by to pick up a few more anchors. A representative with the charter company explained that all their boats were equipped with at least two anchors. The person on the charter boat then responded, "Well yes, we had two, but we've already anchored two nights, and we're going to be out here for another five days!" "Latitudes & Attitudes". It's dated March-April, |
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From: @freenet.calgary.ab.ca [VHF table]... Looks great. Would you mind if I used it in my VHF classes? A few of things that might be added (on cursory examination): - Marinas south of Campbell river monitor 68. - Can you indicate which channels are used by the various traffic services, e.g., Vancouver is 11? - You might warn people off of 70. I quite like the format. |
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From: @neocom.ca Just spent an hour in and around your site...very good! Thanks for your efforts in maintaining it. Lots of useful stuff. |
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From: @arcos.org I just visited your web page and I was wondering if you could tell me something. Are Zebra Mussels edible? I have heard all these horrible things about these mussels but I cant find anything saying that they are edible. Your answer will be much appreciated. |
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From: @dreamscape.com Very impressive and detailed. I have navigated the rideau and trent-severn several times and I wish I had visited your page before I went there. We are planning to do the Rideau again. Thanks for the great info. Have a nice summer, |
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From: @magma.ca Just stumbled into ur page this am while browsing trawlerword. WOW!!!!! am I ever impressed. Unbelievable amount of good information. I bookmkd it and then sent url to many boating friends for their use. Many, many thanks for your time and effort and the tremendous amount of knowledge you are making available to fellow boaters. I truly believe it is the most informative site I have come across in the year I have been on the internet. {Another email} Hi again Pat, As I go thru your pages, I'm even more amazed than yesterday. It's unbelievable that you could amass all this info... |
| From: @bconnex.net I have really enjoyed your page, with lots of interesting info on boating. I am in the midst of attempting to open a small cruise company, taking people on excursions thru the 30000 islands of Georgian Bay. My problem is that I can not find what licensing is required. I have spoken to the customs office, MOT, chamber of commerce,OPP and my dog. No one seems to know what regulations or what body regulates this area. Do you have any suggestions? I would like to just get a business license and run, but the problem is where do you even check where to get a business licence as we will be crossing counties on the tour. Any educated guesses on where to keep checking would be greatly appreciated. |
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From: @sympatico.ca Just a small note to thank you for the information on the canal system to Ottawa. We will be taking this trip the first part of July (3 boats).Our boat name is ...[snip] |
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From: @mv.igs.net I have been exploring your site and you've done a great job with it -- very interesting. |
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From: @ican.net My husband & I and 2 other boats, just returned from 2 weeks boating on the Rideau. [Two boats] started at Fifty Point, [one] trailered. We got as far as Smith Falls on the Rideau. We followed your cruising notes all the way. Wish we were still there. [snip] I have a detailed trip log on the computer of our 2-week adventure. If you are interested, I'll send it separately.( I was! Their Rideau cruise notes are online for anyone interested in making this cruise.) With your notes we saw so much more. We all thank you for that. Ontario is so beautiful! |
| From: @worldnet.att.net Hi Pat - [snip] again. Hope you are having a great summer relaxing and reading some good books. I must tell you again what a great web page and awesome links you have developed. Sure was funny to cross your path and call you on the VHF in the narrows that Sat. am. [questions deleted] |
| From: @miningco.com I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy Boating in Canada. It's entertaining, easy to use, and very informative. I have added a link to it in the Sports and Recreation category of the Resource List on Canada Online. I also mentioned it in an article "Summertime on the Canadian Web". Again, my compliments on a great information resource. |
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From: @aol.com Aug 1997 As a young child I visited both the Rideau Canal and Trent-Severn Canals. Now, as an adult with a young child I would like to revisit the Trent-Severn. We vacationed on the Rideau two years ago by renting a houseboat. What a disaster! The sights were wonderful, but the boat was awful! Not something we wish to do again. I would like to say that almost everything was the same as I remembered as a child, from the friendly people to the beautiful countryside. |
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From: @thewebsite.net Sep 1997 Just a little note to thank for your excellent articles on boating and new regulations in ontario. Keep up the good work. |
