A Bayfield Day in Bayfield

My one set of parents live just south of Grand Bend, Ontario. Where they run a camp ground. Anyway, we hooked up our travel trailer and headed out to visit them for a few days before the campground closed, and before we winterized the camper. It was cold, and rainy and windy as hell for the whole 5 days. On day two Serena and I took a little drive and ended up in Clinton, home of the Bayfield, and then Goderich, home of the new Gozzard Yachts. It was kind of nice seeing the area where Vita was born. If I had known that we were going to end up there, I would have looked up some addresses. As it was, we didn't even see Gozzard, and although we probably drove right past where the Bayfields were built, I didn't know it.

It was early afternoon, and we were starting to get a bit famished, but wouldn't settle for anything short of a good fish and chip dinner, with a pint of nature's finest ale to knock her down with. We tooled around Goderich, a neat town. But decided to head down Hwy 21 toward Grand Bend, maybe finding a place along the way.

Enter Bayfield. What an absolutely beautiful town. I wish I had taken pictures, but it was blowing about 20 knots, damp, and cold as hell. I stopped into the harbor area, and there was a small chandlery(candy store). Their prices were really good in comparison to what I usually pay, unfortunately I had just finished an order with Pride, and my candy list was currently satisfied. However, I did take the opportunity to ask if there was a good fish and chip place around that served draft, and luckily there was one at the top of the hill overlooking the marina called The Docks. The dinner was great, but the whole area was awesome. Nice beach, nice marina, great facilities. There were at least 4 Bayfields for sale, including a really sharp looking 25, 2-29s, and if I am not mistaken, a 40' Bayfield Ketch. It was under a wrap, but I am pretty sure that's what it was. There were even more Bayfields that weren't for sale, 2-36s, a couple of 25s, at least. It was just a nice place to be.

A word about the title. In our yacht club there are 6 Bayfields, 5-29s and a 32. If fact, I don't think any other manufacturer is as well represented. So there are lots of comments made in general about the Bayfields, all good of course, and the one that always stands out is when the wind pipes up into the 20+ knot range. Down at the club we affectionately call those days, Bayfield days. Because its under those conditions that the Bayfields shine, and the rest of the boats tuck tail and head for home.

So the irony of the fact that we were the proud owners of a Bayfield, having dinner in Bayfield, on a Bayfield day made me chuckle a little. Unfortunately the waitress, obviously not a sailor, didn't quite see the humor in the situation. But hey, us Bayfield sailors tend to be a bit strange anyway.