I eventually made it to Kenora last evening. I got to the Sault Ste. Marie airport at 7am, expecting that the early morning clouds would burn off and I would be on my way. Not happening. I waited for 6 1/2 hours before I could take off. The problem was low cloud ceiling at 2100 feet at the next waypoint, Wawa, about 100 NM to the north. The sky over the lake was clear, but the cloud started right at the lakeshore and followed it another 150NM or so. About noon, it started to break up a bit, and by 2pm I was able to go. The problem cloud was now a thin layer at 4000 ft, scattered and becoming fewer. So I initially followed the lakeshore up to Wawa (which is the route that Hwy 17 takes) at 6500 feet. It was pretty cool to see the cloud layer off to the right and lower than my altitude. Enroute I had planned to stop at Marathon, which is unattended and has a self-serve fuel station. I called the Marathon airport number to tell them I was coming, as it is listed as Prior Notice Required, but neither number that was listed was answered by human or machine. So I planned to stop anyway.
Once past Wawa, the cloud thinned out and by Marathon the sky was clear. It actually worked out better for winds to have been delayed, as the forecast winds died down from a predicted 21-29 kts bang on my nose to a more reasonable 8-12 kts more from the west.I had filed a flight plan to Dryden, but was prepared to divert to Thunder Bay, or possibly go further on to Kenora, depending on how the weather developed. I stopped in Marathon in a 90-degree crosswind, which I think I handled pretty well, and refueled, phoned the FSS to update my position report and get a weather update and took off again (again, in a 90-degree crosswind). By Nipigon, in the northwest corner of Lake Superior, it was clear that I could get to Dryden, but there was possibility of showers in Kenora. I did encounter some very light showers as I got close to Dryden, so I talked to the weather FSS by radio and got an updated for Kenora. The rest of the route to Kenora was reporting the same, occassional light showers but ceiling at 8000 ft, so I modified my flight plan enroute for Kenora, about another 65NM. I descended to 3500 ft on that leg, to improve visibility in some light showers. I landed at Kenora without any problems.
The scenary along Lake Superior is very impressive. The lake is a deep blue color, with white sandy beaches tucked in coves all along. Green trees back from the shore lead to smaller lakes that dot the landscape as far as you can see.
This time, I was determined not to repeat the Tower Motel experience. I mentioned it to the fuel attendent, and he shuddered. Apparently this place is well known to the locals. He said it wasn't so much the bikers in the bar that were the problem, but the noisy booze parties that take place by the room occupants.
I was able to get a room at the Best Western in downtown Kenora. A decent place right on the lake with a restaurant with panoramic view on the 8th floor and good food. And someone has started an airport shuttle for $20, instead of the $38 taxi ride it took last time.
Today, it looks like I'll be delayed until at least late afternoon due to thundershowers. It's nice right now in Kenora, but the weather briefer just told me I could expect a thunderstorm and shower to arrive from the northwest within the next hour, but after that it should clear out.
Next stop, depending on weather, of course, will either be Winnipeg/St. Andrews, Brandon, or Regina.
I don't know if anyone is actually looking at these breadcrumb trails, but here are some recent ones. I've had a couple of issues with them - the PDA battery died enroute from Sudbury, I forgot to turn it on out of Ottawa, and etc.
QuebecCity-Ottawa
Ottawa-Sudbury
Sudbury-SaultSteMarie
SaultSteMarie-Marathon
Marathon-Kenora
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