Westward Ho, Eh?

We left Little Current on Thursday and headed west to one of our favorite amd last anchorages this season at Croker Island. We enjoyed two fairly restful days and then opted to bypass a stop in Gore Bay and make the long (75 miles) haul back to Drummond Island, MI and the USA after spending the last 37 days in Canada. We will probably stay one night in Drummond before heading off to the Mackinaw area. The pictures below are from our anchorage at Croker Island.

Last time in Little Current

We're back in Little Current for the last time as we make our way west. We will be here two days and will head out on Thursday for our last two nights at anchor at Croker Island. From there we will go to Gore Bay before clearing U.S Customs in Drummond Island, MI. On our way here today we saw two square rigged sailboats making their way east. See the attached pictures.

Back to Bay Fin and Marianne Cove

After we left Killarney for the last time we once again headed back to Bay Fin and Marianne Cove. This has always been one of our favorite spots and one we will keep returning to. One of the attractions of Marianne Cove is that it is adjacent to a trailhead that ascends t the summit of Fraser Bay Hill where you are greeted with a spectacular view of the entrance of Bay Fin, Fraser Bay to the south and McGregor Bay to the north. On this visit to Marianne Cove we decided to make a morning climb to the top so that the sun would be in a better position for photography purposes. The morning was spectacular and the view from the top was breathtaking. The following is what we saw.

As far as climbs go, it’s not long (800 meters or roughly a half mile) and it’s not high (600 feet) but it is very rugged. About half the climb is over rock strewn washes where every step must be carefully planned and the other half is on a primitive trail that seems like it is always on a grade and where the descent is much more difficult. There’s one spot where a ten inch diameter tree is growing in the middle of a three foot crack (long slot created in between rock walls) where you must squeeze around either side to pass. This might be a show stopper for folks with a very large posterior but was “no problemo” for Big Al. The heavily forested trail is marked by red or yellow tape tied around trees and must be followed carefully as it can easily be missed. At the top you can see a portion of Marianne Cove which provides a perspective of the distance and altitude you’ve climbed.

The rest of our time in Marianne Cove was spent relaxing, swimming (70 degrees now), reading, napping, and visiting. In every anchorage or marina you always find other boaters to socialize with. On this visit I ran into a couple who I had met previously when I had our Morgan sailboat. They still have their Morgan and had done some interesting improvements to it. It’s also fun to run into the same people again you met in prior seasons. We always exchange cards and try to keep up.

The Joy of Anchoring

During our cruising experience in the North Channel and Georgian Bay we have anchored many times. In most cases it is a fairly simple operation and goes pretty well. In other cases, we must try more than once to find either a good hold (firmly hooked to the bottom) or find just the right spot so we don’t swing into another boat or the shore. Like landing an airplane, anchoring into the current or forecasted wind direction is advised. Where possible we like to tie a stern line to shore to eliminate any swinging. This involves launching the dingy and towing a line to shore where a suitable tree or rock must be found to attach to. More boats can be anchored in the same harbor with the latter technique. Most anchorages up in these waters are big enough for many boats swinging or tied to shore. Once established at anchor a period of time must pass where the security of the anchor must be verified so that a “dragging” situation does not occur when winds increase. Using a rock or tree on shore off each side of the boat as a reference point is the way to determine if the vessel is moving. The picture below shows a crowded anchorage in Marianne Cove (26 boats including us) with all but a couple of boats tied to shore.

The really fun side of anchoring is watching other boats applying their skills while you’re sitting comfortably observing with a favorite beverage in hand. Most boaters up here are pretty adept at anchoring but a few are not and there’s usually a lot of “command” barking going on between the crew and skipper when things are not going well. As a boat enters an anchorage, the “survey” process begins which involves cruising around the harbor like a dog trying to find just the right spot to lay down. Weaving between existing boats at anchor the new boat finally makes a call and claims their spot among the other vessels. Many boats “raft up” to other boats so access to their traveling companions is just a hop away. We’ve watched many boats do this operation most have no real issues.

The Bustards, Bad River, and back

For our last venture into Georgian Bay we decided to go back to the Bustards for another night and then explore some new spots in the area. In the Bustards we enjoyed watching other boats have as much difficulty anchoring as we did and also watching a couple of loons (see below) that frequent this bay. We were also told that we just missed a 50 boat flotilla that had anchored on the east side of the island the night before. As the day ended we were treated to a nice sunset. The next morning and after a quick swim (and lake bath), we headed out around 1PM.

Our first leg was to explore the French River and although it was well marked it didn’t have much sizzle when we arrived at the proposed anchorage. We saw some remnants of the turn of the century logging community of French River (pop 2000) as we passed by its supposed location. We decided to head back out and explore the Bad River area just a few miles away. We had heard a lot about this area and were more than pleased when we arrived to find a bay full of boats. Anchoring was easy and we settled in for the night.

The Bad River is a very popular spot because of the exploration opportunities that abound if traveling by dingy, canoe, or kayak. There are a myriad of channels in the area that were formed when ancient rocks cracked and made a veritable checkerboard maze. The map to the left shows some of this pattern. The most unique features are the many rapids that are found when following the small rock channels. The most famous one is the “Devils Door” which forms the entrance to the back water areas next to our anchorage. Although the picture on the right doesn't look to ominous the current is probably running at 3-4 knots and it does present a bit of a challenge powering a small outboard through it. Once past the rapids you will still find current to a varying degree everywhere you go.

The following video will illustrate the back waters of Bad River http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4isdDoKVH7o

We departed Bad River on Thursday morning and headed back to Killarney for some re-provisioning, ice, and other staples. When we arrived in Killarney we found the 50 boat flotilla and had to shoe horned into a massively crowded Sportsman Inn marina. We were again treated to a beautiful sunset. From there we will say goodbye to Killarney for the season and start making the slow trek back to our home port in Saugatuck. We’re in our sixth week and we recognize that the end of another season is quickly approaching. We have less than three weeks left and hope it’s a smooth one.

Back to Killarney and goodbye to our company

After a night showing our friend Gary the bustling metropolis of Little Current we headed out making the 10AM bridge opening and made our way back to one of our favorite spots at Bay Fin. We arrived early and cruised up to the "pool" in our boat to show Gary what it looked like before heading back to our usual anchorage in Marianne Cove. After securing our anchor we headed out on a hike up Fraser Hill to take in the beautiful vistas that await those who make it to the top. Although it is not a long climb it is fairly rugged and mostly an uphill grade. All in all the summit is about 600 feet above the bay. On top is a plaque commemorating the namesake of the location. I'm attaching some shots from the hike.

We headed back to Killarney on Saturday morning and arrived around 1PM in some very windy conditions which made docking a real challenge. In any case. we made it in without any scratches to our berth for the next two days. After we settled in we decided to explore via our friends rental car the local area including a stop in the main city in the area Sudbury which is about 75 miles away. This is a fairly large city (pop 158K) and has most amenities of home. In particular, they had a Costco and a Wendy's where Al secured his favorite treat, the Frosty (large chocolate). On our way back we saw another bear but unfortunately don't have any photos to document the sighting. The area where Killarney (pop 500) is located is very sparsely populated and is surrounded by the Killarney Provincial Park.

Gary headed home around 10AM on Sunday morning and if all goes as scheduled he will be back in Seattle around 11:30 PM Pacific time. It was truly a pleasure having him aboard for the week.

The photo at the right is the Costco offering of poutine which is regular french fries with gravy and cheese.

Covered Portage to Little Current

We headed out of Covered Portage this morning in the rain on our way back to Little Current for a night so that Gary could see that lovely location. We plan on having a pizza tonight and heading back to Marianne Cove and Bay Fin for Gary's last night at anchor before returning to Killarney for the weekend.

Killarney to Covered Portage

After a short overnight stay in Killarney we headed off for a brief four mile jaunt to a really nice anchorage in Covered Portage which is a standard stop for us. We once again anchored next to our friends on the Tiara in a comfortable depth of six feet. After we relaxed in the afternoon Gary, Sheri, and Al went on the hike up to the top of the bluffs above the bay for a scenic view of our boat. We dined on hamburgers and settled in for the night. The shots below are from our stay here.

Indian Face on rock (can you see it??)

That's our boat down there.

Panorama of the bay from above

Back to Killarney for a night

We left Byng at 10AM and followed the inside passage (52 NM) all the way back under much more favorable conditions than Monday. In fact, Sheri drove the boat all by herself (with a little coaching from Gary and less from Al)through most of Collins Inlet. It was a beautiful day with calm seas and sunny skies.

I'm attaching some pictures of the passage including a video of the Rogers Gut passage so you can see how tight it is. We're off for two or three more nights on the hook (Covered Portage and Marianne Cove) and will be back in Killarney for Saturday and Sunday to see Gary off.

Here's the Rogers Gut video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AEU_SlY00U

Here are so additional shots from our trip back up the small craft passage.

Home sweet home

Navigational aid

Georgian bay rock scape

Bustards Lights

Sheri at the helm on Collins Inlet

Collins Inlet west channel

Byng Inlet and the Little Britt Inn is so much fun

As I mentioned in the previous post we had dinner plans at the Little Britt Inn which we did with two other couples we had met along the way down here. Most of us had a wonderful whitefish dinner and a wonderful time enjoying the very rustic atmosphere of this one of a kind spot. We had a lot of laughs especially when three members of the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) came in for dinner after there shift had ended. One member of our party said he would like to try some cuffs so they oblidged. We all had a laugh especially when they couldn't find a key. The following shots will try to capture the moment.

Killarney and beyond with a new crew member

Killarney to Mill Lake

Mill Lake to the Bustards

The Bustards to Byng Inlet

We arrived in Killarney on Friday morning and docked for the night at the newly refurbished Sportsman's Inn. They have done a fabulous job with the facility and have a very nice marina staff. Our friend Gary arrived around 7 PM after a grueling 20 hour trek from Seattle. He missed his original connection from Chicago because of a questionable medical emergency on the leg from San Francisco. We met up again with some new friends from Indiana on their 45 Tiara who have stayed with us for several days. We had a nice dinner in the bar in the marina. After a quiet morning and left for our first stop in Mill Lake off the very scenic Collins Inlet just outside of Killarney. Our trip after that took us to the Bustard Island group where we anchored in a very nice but crowded cove again with our friends on the Tiara. On Monday morning we left for Byng Inlet and followed the small craft route in the rain. Sheri and I bypassed this section of the route last year due to windy conditions and went outside in Georgian Bay. We found the small craft passage to be fairly straightforward but a little work with the poor visibility caused by the rain. There were a few VERY narrow passages along the way that required a little puckering to get through. One of them named Rogers Gut was actually blasted out to make it deep enough to pass through. It was only about 60 feet wide and about 300 feet long. Another area called Cunningham Passage required a couple of 90 degree turns in a very short distance in order to stay clear of the MANY rocks that populate the east side of Georgian Bay. Three hours later we arrived in the quaint harbor of Byng Inlet at Wright's Marina. We will be dining tonight at the also quaint Little Britt Inn where we ate last year.

Photos from the trip down follow.

At anchor in Mill Lake

Our friends on the Tiara in Mill Lake

"Elegante" departs Collins Inlet

Bustards Harbor

Sundown in the Bustards

Sheri finally sees a bear!!

After leaving Little Current on Tuesday we spent three great days at anchor in Marianne Cove which is at the entrance the the spectacular waterway in Bay Fin (or Baie Fine) (see right). We relaxed, socialized, went swimming, but did not take the trail to the top of Fraser hill on this stop but will do that when our friend Gary Anderson is with us. On Thursday it was a little drippy but not cold so we decided to take our dingy along with another couple and head up to the end of Bay Fin which is know as the "Pool". The Pool is the location of the summer home of the Evinrude family of outboard motor fame. There's also a trail to Topaz Lake which we have never taken but will some day. Although scenic, the Pool is a terrible place to boat because it is full of aquatic weeds so many people anchor just outside and dingy in. While we were there our traveling friends spotted a large black bear in the reeds at the end of a small bay. Although I got a picture it's the best I could do with my small Canon G9. Below is a pano of Marianne Cove from our bow, a map of Bay Fin, and the "bear".

This morning we headed to the quaint port of Killarney which is at the border of the Nrth Channel and Georgian Bay. We are staying the night in the newly remodeled Sportsman's Inn which is a fablous facility for these parts. Our friend arrives later this afternoon and we will be off tomorrow for more exciting stops on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay.