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.

Out for more time anchoring

We've been in Little Current for two days catching up and will head out in the morning for three nights in Marianne Cove which is part of the very popular cruising area in Bay Finn. This is one of our favorite spots as it has some associated hiking trails located nearby.

We are excited to have some company arriving this week all the way from Seattle. Our friend and cruising buddy Gary Anderson will make the trek all the way out here via Toronto and a rental car and will meet us in the quaint port of Killarney on Friday. Having a skilled boater on board makes Al happy and someone else to talk to makes Sheri happy.

Check out the cool tug we saw this afternoon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=METl1R0GDk8

This morning we had a small flotilla of trawlers arrive at our dock including another Mainship like ours. I'm attaching a panorama of the two boats nose to nose.

Happy July 4th

We're back in Little Current after touring the Bay of Islands area for three days at anchor. We spent the first two nights in a very nice spot called Sturgeon Cove and last night in a not so nice spot called Sturgeon Bay. We saw no sturgeon, however. Sturgeon Bay is just east of the first spot, much larger, and almost too deep to anchor. We were the only boat there and it became a bit spooky when two very fast jet skis buzzed us just before sunset. There was very little boat traffic in this bay so it came as a bit of a surprise. Last night we were treated to a beautiful starlit sky where the stars go all the way to the horizon and actually reflect off the water. Between anchorages we followed the recently charted small craft passage up to the town of Whitefish Falls but did not stop as they don't have accomodations for larger boats. On our way back today we stopped and checked out a future anchorage at Louisa Island. Below is a sunset panorama from Sturgeon Cove and a panorama looking south from our anchorage in Sturgeon Bay.

Off to the Bay of Islands

We headed out around noon for the short jog north to our first anchorage in Sturgeon Cove on the west side of the Bay of Islands. After that we will plan one other stop but are not sure where that may be.