On Our Way Home

Casson Peak: Looking Down on Bay Finn and the North Channel

We're on our way home now. I've said that the time has been too short. There is so much to see in the North Channel and it seems we barely begun but now we're ready to go home and save the rest for another time. We're not sure what the shape of our summer will be next year, but we know we'd like to see more.

Cruisers' Net Potluck

Last Friday, we had intended to stop only for shopping in Little Current but we ended up staying the night. Bob was busy through the day trying to sort out a problem with the fridge. When we stopped at Big Rock Pizzeria to ask directions, Michael, the owner offered to drive us to the marine and auto supply store and then proceeded to spend his morning driving Bob back and forth between the boat and two different stores until the problem appeared solved. What a lovely man Michael is. In the end

Bob called a cooling systems expert, who came that evening and told him, that yes the fridge needed coolant but not that much! In any case, Bob has become intimately aware of how coolant is added to a boat refrigeration unit and we were able to attend the Cruisers' Net Pot Luck dinner that evening. Our contribution was  --- an excellent thin crust pizza from Big Rock Pizzeria - which I highly recommend.

Topaz Lake

The sun began to shine the day we were left Little Current and the weather continued fair and warm for the next few days. As a result we were able to fit in a visit to "The Pool" in Bay Finn and a hike from there to see Topaz Lake. We were also able to hike up to the top of Frazer Hill - also called Casson Peak (as in A. J. Casson from the Group of Seven). We accomplished both by anchoring in Mary Ann Cove - a well known and very popular destination. Fortunately, this late in the summer and perhaps as a result of the cold weather - the Cove was not the least crowded and rather than anchoring and tying to shore as recommended, we had space to swing free.

The morning after we arrived, we rode our dinghy the 7 miles up Bay Finn and into "The Pool"  and then straight to the little dock where we could tie up and hike to Topaz Lake - a beautiful little topaz green lake nestled part way up the mountain. By taking the dinghy to The Pool, we had avoided anchoring in the weedy water there and then spending up to an hour disentangling weed from the anchor. Following the hike, we dinghied back to the Cove and then later in the afternoon, having got our second wind, we took the dinghy over to the little dock around the corner in the Cove and began a one hour hike (each way) to the top of Frazer Hill. This wasn't altogether the smartest thing to do since after our morning journey we weren't really at the top of our game, so to speak, and although the "trail" was marked, it took us up, up and over some fairly difficult terrain - we'd look at the red trail markers tied around trees indicating the path ahead and see before us fallen trees and jagged pieces of rock small and large. Near the end, I was beginning to wonder if I really wanted to climb up another challenging surface - but since we were close to the ever receding top - we continued and as promised, the view was spectacular. We could see down Bay Finn and far beyond into the North Channel.

Bay Finn is quite grand. It's a long oblong shaped bay lined with tree covered bluffs - higher than we'd seen elsewhere and with white rock showing through in patches. I kept marveling at the colour of the rock which shone white in the sun but in places where you got close enough to see, in places was streaked with layers of colour - grey, white, black, pink. The rock face near our anchored boat in Mary Ann Cove was an example of this variation in colour and I took picture after picture trying to capture the look of the stone.

 Tonight we are in Lion's Head - part way down the west coast of Georgian Bay. We have a long haul tomorrow, a night at the bottom of the bay at Hope Island and then a 3 hour run into Penetang on Friday morning. We sailed yesterday - on a bumpy sea and in fog - but we did sail and we also sailed the short run here again today. Wind direction promises another sail tomorrow. It's been a good trip and now we're ready to go home.

Lion's Head Marina

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Since I last wrote, we've had some lovely days and some spent at anchor waiting out rain and wind.

Our time is getting short and more rain is predicted so we spent just one night anchored at South Benjamin. What a beautiful place. We went for a short hike over a spit of pink rock surrounded by water of such clarity that I took picture after picture trying to capture the view of rocks and greenery below the surface. I would love to have lingered there. We realize, now, that a month is too little time to even scratch the surface of this cruising mecca - especially this August when we have given up so many days to wait out weather.

The sun shone the day we left S. Benjamin so we elected to go north to Spanish River to get a pump out and to top up our diesel and water (while the going was good). The cruise took us into completely different surroundings where  the surrounding mainland and islands rose higher above the water with craggy granite showing through a thick cover of cedar and pine. We passed through Little Detroit – a narrow rock cut with underwater hazards where ranges indicate the path through. As one does with such cuts, we called ahead to signal that we were entering the cut: no room here for more than one boat and no visibility to see one approaching. By early afternoon, we had doubled back and traveled to an anchorage at Hotham Island. There are two cottages on the bay and the owners in one of them sometimes invite boaters to come to their deck for drinks and appetizers ("boat rules" - bring your own) – so before dinner we spent an enjoyable time getting to know the hosting couple, their neighbours and the people on the two other boats anchored in the bay.

Anchored at Hotham Island

Yesterday we left Hotham intending to go to Croker. It was raining lightly but began to pour seriously so rather than pick our way into an unknown spot while visibility was poor, we turned into the more familiar South Benjamin. So there we sat  while it poured rain all day - sometimes not so much and sometimes falling "in sheets". The wind rose and fell  while our boat danced one way and then another. We were comfortable though and busy enough reading, planning, cooking and doing chores. Today we've made the move to Croker - only 5 miles away and again the landscape has changed. Every spot seems to offer up something new. The rain has let up for now and we've invited the couple from the sailboat anchored next to us for drinks before dinner. 

 

Misty This Morning at Croker Island

Into the North Channel

Our cruising spinnaker is rarely used but we flew it from Byng Inlet to Collins Bay

Last year before we left on our cruise through Lakes Erie and Huron and into Georgian Bay, we joined the Great Lakes Cruising Club. A week ago Saturday, we sailed to Collins Inlet and anchored there at Keyhole to attend a Cruising Club rally. We thought that we were going to a “rendezvous” but the GLCC definition of rendezvous is different from ours. A rally is a few boats (in this case 18) meeting over 2 days or so with a few group activities. A rendezvous can last for several days, with many boats (could be as many as 100) and an array activities. 

On Saturday afternoon, at the rally, the crew of all 18 boats met on a rocky point of land for a meet and greet but Sunday was the main day: at 10, a dinghy ride down Collins Inlet, to a winding stream and then a hiking trail in Kilarney Provincial Park where some of us went for a 2 hour hike climbing up and down on a trail marked on gigantic granite rocks; at 2:00, a chart talk about routes, anchorages and places to take your dingy or kayak (many boats have kayaks perched up top) and finally at 5:00, a Fish Fry (bring a side dish) – our weekend fee of $25 included a full fish piece (plenty for 2) seasoned, wrapped in foil and cooked over a fire. 

In the process of all this, we were introduced to Collins Inlet – a beautiful cruising and anchoring area but as important, we were given a taste of the community of boaters that enjoy the North Channel. Cruisers from the U.S. and Canada return here year after year – many live elsewhere but keep their boats where they have access to the Bay and to the Channel. Each year their friendship group grows and there is always someone (friend or not) who will share information and offer help. And so it was that our question at the afternoon chart talk was - where might be a good anchorage for us to wait out the upcoming days of poor weather?

On Monday, we left Collins Inlet with the intent of going past both Kilarney and Little Current and then on to Mosquito Bay in the Waubuno Channel, but when that anchorage didn’t look promising, we called Class Act,  the sailboat following us. We’d met them at the rally and knew they were going into Sturgeon Cove. We also knew that without “local knowledge”, the entrance to Sturgeon was difficult– so we asked - Could we follow them in?  Class Act used a “zig zag” route into the Cove – others had told us about following old range markers and entering along a straight line.  It turns out that the zig-zag route uses markers too – two sticks and a circle painted on a rock on one side of the entrance: line them up visually (like a range) as you go part way in, then when you get abeam (midships) of  two diamonds painted on rocks on the same side and when they are lined up, you turn to port and go across the entrance until two circles painted on rocks on the other side are on your port beam, at which point you turn to starboard going into the cove and then you line up the same two diamonds at your stern. How’s that for “difficult”? Strangely enough, Surgeon Cove seems to be very popular – it’s well protected but also – could it be that people like the challenge?  Bob had created a GPS track going in and we followed it out, also taking note of the circles, diamonds and sticks. All I know is that my heart was in my mouth and I breathed a sigh of relief when we got well past the entrance to the Cove.

Clear but Cool!

 Since leaving Collins Inlet, we’ve spent several days swinging on an anchor in Sturgeon Cove, in a bay at East Rous, finally, last night in Bell Cove. We broke it up with a night in Little Current (laundry, shopping, visit to the VHF broadcast of the Cruisers’ Net).  The weather has mostly featured strong winds accompanied by off and on rain.  The temperature kept dropping until I was no longer going in the water for my daily dip. Our anchorages were all around Great La Cloche Island so we hadn’t managed to get far. Last night the skies cleared and we could finally see the low lying La Cloche Mountains. Now I understood why I’d been told that the area had a beautiful view.

There are advantages to cooler temps and inclement weather. We’ve just arrived at the place to be, South Benjamin Island, and there are only 2 boats here.  The sun is out and it’s warming up - this morning there were moderate winds coming out of the east and we were able to sail all of the way. The Benjamin Islands are public so this afternoon, we’ll go for a hike. 
 

On Our Way At Last

Anchored in Kilcoursie Bay, Killbear Provincial Park

On Monday afternoon at about 4:30, we set anchor at Hope Island, a 4 ½ hour sail from Penetang and yes, amazingly, we were able to actually turn the motor off and sail for most of the way.  Also, it was sunny and warm, which after our July weather seemed like a gift.  This was the first leg of a cruise which will take us up the east side of Georgian Bay and its 30,000 islands on our way to the North Channel. The Goodyears on Sand Castle were already anchored at Hope Island, waiting to have us for dinner aboard their boat. They had just completed their own North Channel cruise and we were anxious to catch up with them, hear about their experiences this last month and get some cruising tips- so nice to visit with our good old sailing friends.

We left the following day for an anchorage at Killbear Park. The weather was exceeding fine but we were out of sorts.  We were in the throes of “starting out” fever with needless angst over small navigating questions /decisions and a general display of short temper.  It was a long and seemingly endless day – some sailing at first but then the wind died and when,  after crossing through open water we finally got into the maize of buoys and islands, we felt it took forever to weave our way toward the anchorage we’d chosen in Kilcoursie Bay. 

The rest of the our time there went as follows: We arrive to a fairly (but not awfully) crowded bay and after scoping out the best spot, we prepare to drop our anchor only to be advised by a group of sailboat partiers that “that’s not a good idea”. “Not enough swing room, “ they say – which raises our shackles since, after considerable anchoring experience, Bob is likely better prepared than they to estimate swing room. Still, neither arguing with them nor ignoring their directive seem a good idea, so we relocate – now behind a power boat filled with carousing children and beside  a swimming area – so a general background noise of screeching kids (having fun) and in our current curmudgeon-like mood - we are not amused. At the moment, our choice of destinations is in question.

After dinner,  we sit flipping through charts, scanning Karen’s notes on anchorages and routes and trying to sort out the information in our Georgian Bay Ports book.  After much page flipping and then more of the same, I suggest that we stay another night to decompress and give ourselves a shake. The following day, we move the boat to a parks anchorage delineated by buoys and forbidding personal watercraft and small fast boats from zipping through. For an $11 seniors fee (on an honor system), we can anchor here in 44 feet of water with lots of room to swing and have use of park facilities and garbage disposal.  We settle down to study charts, decide on a route and choose possible anchorages. Once done, we adjourn to enjoy the day. We swim off the boat and dinghy over to the Killbear marina where we buy a loaf of bread at the store, lunch at the restaurant and Bob tops up the dinghy gas tank.  In the evening, we dinghy around the large bay, noting several  volleyball nets and marked off   children's swimming areas placed at intervals along the sandy beach that rings the bay. This is a great place for visiting families and for those who are camped in Killbear Park. For a while we walk the beach and then we ride the dinghy out to the hill of rock at Killbear Point where there are groups of people gathered and looking out toward the water. When we turn to look back, we realize that they have come to watch the setting sun behind us.  We feel lucky to be sharing the view.

 Yesterday we traveled further along the small craft route and turned off to anchor at a spot surrounded by treed small islands where the water was warm and the swimming was lovely.  

When we left Eureka Point this morning, our route to Byng Inlet was a test of nerves.  In several places there were sharp zigs and zags around marker buoys sitting in a watery field of rocks and there was no sitting back to read when it was our turn off the helm.  It felt better to have four eyes watching and comparing buoy numbers with those on our paper charts so that there was no possibility of mistaking where the safe water was. The route was also very scenic – so that along the way I thought – this is so beautiful and also – I don’t think I’d care to do this again.

This afternoon, instead of anchoring, we decided that we’re ready to walk on land. We’re in Byng Inlet in a small marina. We’ve anchored every night since we left Monday:  to stay at this bare bones marina seems so decadent and tonight, instead of cooking, we’re going to the restaurant over the grocery store for a pickerel dinner.