Read The Seatrekkers August 1st to August 13th

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OCEAN FLYER 2006 VOYAGE

KILLARNEY, ONTARIO TO DRUMMOND ISLAND, MICHIGAN

August 1 to August 13, 2006

Tuesday, August 1 st

Killarney, Ontario to Covered Portage Cove, Ontario

Today was very windy and we knew that leaving the dock would be difficult—especially because so many of the flotilla boats were leaving—most going in very different directions. Karen and Chuck were being picked up at noon for their drive to Toronto airport. Jean and I had to leave at 11am –the boat behind us needed to be out by 11am so we had to move. Jean cleared the dock well. Chuck helped greatly by pushing the stern of the boat out into the water as we kept being pushed back into the dock by the wind. We were clear by 11:05 am and ‘officially' in the North Channel.

To the mapmaker at a drawing board, the North Channel is a deep water passage between Manitoulin Island and the Ontario mainland at the northern extremity of Lake Huron; it connects St. Mary's River on the west with Georgian Bay on the east. To Jean and me, it represented the next stage of this adventure—we weren't really sure what to expect. But we knew that the North Channel was a huge, inviting body of water, complimented by numerous bays, inlets and coves. It's 100 miles long, 20 miles wide and has depths that range from zero to 250 feet. We were ready and we were excited.

Our stop today would be at Covered Portage Cove. Covered Portage is a small cove flanked by the LaCloche mountain range. This was our first clear viewing of the LaCloche mountains. These mountains will be a part of most of our anchorages in the upcoming weeks. Their history is very interesting and they are very spectacular. The LaCloche mountains, created by tremendous forces unleashed deep in the earth and worn down by time, are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world. Billions of years ago, LaCloche was a region of sand dunes, miles thick, washed white as snow. Over millions of years, the sand turned to stone. Here, it waited until jolted by the explosive collision of shifting plates among the earth's mantel. Bombarded by heat and pressure, the sandstone was transformed into a 6,000 foot-thick band of quartzite that folded and buckled and thrust upwards to the surface. LaCloche was born, her towering range as high as the Rocky Mountains. Over the millennia, this once formidable landscape was slowly worn down. Today, the summits of these mountains, only 300 to 1,180 feet above Lake Huron, extend from Killarney west to the mouth of the North Shore's Spanish River.

You'll see a lot of pictures of the LaCloche mountains in this section of the website—get ready.

It was less than 10 miles from the marina in Killarney to the Covered Portage cove so we were there in no time. The waters were a bit choppy and the skies a bit overcast but the trip was an easy one. We got there and quickly dropped an anchor. We then lowered the dinghy and dinghied our way further up into the cove. It was beautiful.

The water was very clear, quite warm and very aqua—very Caribbean looking. The skies had cleared and the sun was out. We knew we'd be swimming when we got back to the boat. We quickly noticed that several of the other flotilla boats were coming in to anchor, along with several other boats that we did not know. This cove is mentioned in several books—and has become very popular. One of the guide books has written….” Covered Portage is a shimmering pool, entirely enfolded in towering pine-studded bluffs of snow white quartzite”.

We ate well tonight—dinner was two frozen meals that we had picked up at a small gourmet shop in Lakefield—one of the small towns we visited while traveling on the Trent-Severn. We shared each meal—one was a salmon and pasta delicacy and the other was a roast pork, rice and vegetable meal. Each meal was wonderful. We passed on dessert—we're out of low fat ice cream and also out of any other goodies.

Wednesday, August 2 nd

Covered Portage Cove, Ontario to Little Current, Ontario

It poured buckets throughout the night and the day was expected to have very bad weather with high winds. We decided to forego breakfast, get the anchor up and head to Manitoulin Island which is the largest freshwater island in the world. It is so big in fact, that some of its lakes (it has more than 100 lakes) even contain islands of their own. At Manitoulin we would be stopping in one of its largest towns, Little Current.

Manitoulin itself is a very historic island. It comprises a landmass of approximately 2,766 square kilometers. The entire island is roughly 133 kilometers long and varies in width between 4 and 51 kilometers. Its north shore forms one side of the North Channel of Lake Huron while its east coast, together with the Bruce Peninsula, forms Georgian Bay. The island is a collection of small towns, villages, hamlets and First Nation communities. Permanently settled less than 150 years ago, the Island's history is a blend of Native activities and traditions and European immigration and settlement. Manitoulin is also known as a ‘Dark Sky' Reserve. Because of its small island population and lack of urban development there isn't a lot of ambient light to disrupt the view of the heavens.

From this island you can see planets, satellites, the Milky Way and the Aurora Borealis. Wow!!!!

But our exit from Covered Portage was easier said as done. We couldn't get the anchor up—no way no how. I was out on the bow in the pouring rain—it was horrible. First...the anchor would not release from the bottom of the cove. The bottom was very silty and our anchorage had been very strong. But… this anchor was not budging. Then Jean went over it and around it and did this several times. I finally ‘heard' it come loose but…only so much of the chain came up and then no more. We kept moving the boat trying to get the anchor up but…we were so far away from our original spot that we knew we were no longer in the silt but the anchor was no where insight. We thought of two options. One—use the manual windlass crank—and manually bring the anchor in (in the pouring rain), or two—see if the area in the front cabin which houses the chain was clogged. Jean went below to the cabin and was able to free up the chain and then up came the anchor!!!!!!! Success!!!!!!

The effort cost us about forty minutes of travel time which was important because Little Current sits just inside a low clearance swing bridge which only opens on the hour. We had twenty miles to go with only an hour and 7 minutes. So—off we went in the rain at high speed. The boat performed perfectly and we reached the bridge at 9:59am—how lucky. There was a sailboat already waiting for the opening and we went right through. We were at the Spider Bay Marina in Little Current and docked by 10:20am.

Although located on its eastern fringe, Little Current, the island's gateway community is, in many ways, a center for Manitoulin. First settled in 1860, Little Current grew into a major Great Lakes port with docks filled with passenger freighters, sawmills on the western waterfront and workers crowding the town's three hotels. Little Current received its name from a native word meaning “where the water begins to flow”. The current does flow in different directions, depending on surges created by wind.

We checked out the marina and went into town for a quick trip. The weather cooperated for awhile and then poured on the way back to the boat. While in town we ran into Tom and MarBeth who had anchored out the previous evening on Strawberry Island and who had come into Little Current in their dinghy. We had lunch with them at the Anchor Inn—a local favorite. While in town, we learned that this weekend would be a very large, annual festival—complete with barbeques, cardboard boat races, senior softball, concerts, auctions, craft shows and plenty of food. With this news we decided to stay in Little Current for more than a few days and to get caught up on some things—website, bills and general boat stuff.

The festival is known as the Haweater Festival after the berry that grows on hawthorne trees. Apparently some early settlers saved themselves from starving by eating these berries. Today, anyone who was born on Manitoulin is known as a haweater.

Back at the marina, we also ran into several of the flotilla boaters—also planning on staying in Little Current for a few days. Tomorrow there is a scheduled bus trip, arranged by the marina, for many of the flotilla boats. We'll have the opportunity to see quite a bit of the island including one of its cultural centers.

We ate well tonight—leftovers from the salmon and pork meals as well as some shrimp scampi. Very easy and very good eating.

Thursday, August 3 rd

At port in Little Current, Ontario

We started the day with the scheduled bus trip around the island. Twelve of the flotilla boats had signed up for the trip—which made for twenty-four of us on the bus plus the guide, the driver and two friends of the driver. We were off to a great start. We went to Kagawong, home of the Bridal Veil Falls. Jean, of course, along with some others, walked behind the falls. These Falls form the basis of the village's name which means “where the mists rise from the falling waters”.

After the visit to the Falls, we found our way along the river to downtown and spent some time at the waterfront. We also found our way to a very charming church—St. John's Anglican—with a very nautical theme. The pulpit of the church is fashioned from the bow of a boat wrecked off nearby Maple Point and is dedicated to the memory of members of a Sudbury, Ontario family who perished in the wreck.

The historic village of Kagawong is one of Manitoulin's most picturesque. The village is built into a valley with its downtown sitting adjacent to Mudge Bay.

Back on the bus, we headed to Gore Bay, another part of the island, where we stopped for lunch. Walking around town, we saw many Victorian influences in the town's houses and churches. Although Gore Bay's population is just under 1000, it is Manitoulin's second largest town. It is the seat of the government, the place of official records, the sitting of the district court and the island jail. It has known substantial prosperity from the bounty of the field and forest. This is a port that Jean and I will probably return to—it's very pretty and its marina and waterfront were very inviting.

From Gore Bay we headed to the Ojibwe Cultural Center. This is a state-of-the-art heritage museum which reflects the philosophy of the Anishinaabe way of life (the First Nations of the North Channel call themselves Anishinaabe). The museum features a cultural arts theater, local Aboriginal art and training classrooms. To reach the front entrance of the museum, you pass through a large piece of stonework (which I did NOT get a picture of).

The carving is entitled “Bringing the Family Together” and was created by a local artist. There are two ‘halves' to the carving with each side depicting three members of the Shaman Family standing side by side, arms outstretched and hands joined. Dividing the family is the walkway space leading to the building's entrance. As you walk ‘in between' the two halves of the family, the chain is completed and you become part of the family. This was really a special place.

Here we were just in time to see and participate in a dance demonstrated by some local natives. Most of us from the bus got in the dance and had quite a bit of fun. The Cultural Center was wonderful. Jean and I also picked up a couple of prints from a local First Nation artist.

From the Cultural Center we headed to Ten Mile Point, an incredible viewing spot. This vantage spot offers a spectacular view of over a thousand square miles of the North Channel towards Georgian Bay. It's just unfortunate that any photo of this spot will NEVER fully convey the beauty of the land and water.

While at Ten Mile Point, we also stopped at a gallery where Jean and I saw an oil painting that we really liked. Painted by one of the local Ojibwe, it's a large turtle, which is symbolic of Mother Earth. It will be hard to describe...but we liked it and asked the gallery owner to ‘hold' it overnight for us. He offered us the use of his car the next day so that we could come back to the gallery—pretty good marketing!!!!!

At this gallery, we also started our review of quill boxes. These are small, decorative boxes, made of birch bark and covered with porcupine quills. The quills are used to make a design, an animal, a flower, or something else. Most of the quills are natural in color and some others are dyed. It's a craft indigenous to the natives of this island and also one which will probably disappear in the near future. These boxes are made mostly by women and the craft is not being taken up by the island's young women. There were a few tribes in Michigan that made quill boxes but they have since discarded the craft.

We got back from our bus trip in time for dinner with some friends from Penetang—Ron and Gord. We went back to the Anchor Inn—I had sizzling steak and Jean had liver and onions. We topped it off with a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake—o-o-o-h my!!!!!

Friday, August 4 th

At port in Little Current, Ontario

Today was a relaxing day in Little Current. In the morning we both did ‘chores'. Jean reviewed and then paid bills for hours. I cleaned the kitchen (oops, galley) which really needed it. We then went and did a huge food order at the local supermarket—a morning full of chores.

In the afternoon, we headed back to the gallery and bought the turtle painting—of course. After our gallery visit, we stopped downtown to see a classic car show which was part of the festival weekend. It was an easy day!!!!!

Dinner was light—chicken Caesar salad with garlic bread—one of our favorites. We topped it off with some strawberry, low-fat ice cream that we got at the supermarket.

Saturday, August 5 th

At port in Little Current, Ontario

Today was a fun day with us watching many of the festival activities. We started the day with a stop at the Farmer's Market downtown. We were able to get a lot of fresh foods including some squash, zucchini, tomatoes and corn. There's a lot of farming on this island and the local produce is excellent. We also got a few bags of cookies—both peanut butter and ginger snap. After lunch we headed to the cardboard boat races which were a ton of fun!!!!!!!!

In this event, the boats, any size, had to made of cardboard—paddles and all. There were multiple categories and the event drew a huge crowd. It was hysterical to watch as the kids and adults tried to get their boats to the finish line. One of the key elements of success was to actually get INTO the boat. The boats were launched from a dock, without anyone in them. Then the racers had to actually get INTO the boats. This proved to be a big challenge. There were also many cases where the paddles broke immediately—what a bummer. We enjoyed ourselves immensely.

We then went over and watched some slow-pitch softball—also part of the festival.

We had a blast and are thrilled to be in this town for the Haweater Festival.

Dinner was a feast. We had grilled t-bone steaks, with a vegetable medley of squash, zucchini and tomatoes and an ear of corn!!!!! It was excellent—so fresh and tasty.

Sunday, August 6 th

At port in Little Current, Ontario

Today was another relaxing day in Little Current. We're very much enjoying our stay here and the Festival is a lot of fun. Today's main events are street vendors selling crafts, an official indoor arts and craft show and the fireworks and boat parade in the evening. Jean and I spent the morning in town looking at the various crafts—surprisingly—we did not see anything that we had to have. We then came back to the boat and did some boat things. On the way back to the boat we did stop at a gallery and buy two quill boxes—a rabbit (of course) and a loon (for Canada).

We had an early dinner and then headed into town for the boat parade and fireworks. Dinner was chicken Caesar salad—easy and light.

The fireworks were great. We were pleasantly surprised at the caliber of the fireworks and the length of time that the show played. The fireworks were very brilliant—great colors and very loud. The show lasted for almost 45 minutes—which is long. We had waterfront seats on Ron and Gord's boat—which was docked downtown right at the harbor. It was fun.

Monday, August 7 th

At port in Little Current, Ontario

We were going to leave today—but….the weather intervened. Today's winds were predicted to be 15-20 mph and the seas were expected to be 3-5 feet. We decided to stay put. Several of the other flotilla boats decided to stay also. Jean and I agreed to get two things done—to update the website and to clean the boat—both inside and out. It took us all day to accomplish these two things. In the end, we needed to go to the post office on Tuesday morning and send the website update back to Cape Cod in the mail. It's a slow and laborious process but….. we think you'll enjoy the website updates and the boat looks great.

Dinner was strange. We were hungry but we didn't want dinner food. So….we had breakfast for dinner—fried eggs, bacon and toast!!!!! It was very good.

Tuesday, August 8 th

Little Current, Ontario to Baie Fine, Ontario

After mailing the website update and refueling the boat, we left Spider Bay Marina hoping to ‘make' the 11am bridge opening. We raced to the bridge and found that it was just opening. As we went through we saw Change of Pace , one of the flotilla boats, coming into Little Current. Tom and Marbeth, with their guests were coming to Little Current for lunch. Jean and I continued along and headed for Baie Fine—a must stop for any boater.

Swing Bridge

While approaching the swing bridge, I also took some pictures of downtown Little Current and its waterfront.

Just after the bridge, outside Little Current, is a beautiful lighthouse. The Strawberry Island Lighthouse was built in 1881 as part of a string of navigational aids erected along Canada's waterways. The McKenzie family raised seven children around the turn of the century in the dwelling that is part of this lighthouse. Visible for miles, the Strawberry Island Lighthouse guides the way west to Little Current. It's one of the nicest that we've seen.

There are several places on this continent that lay claim to being “the only true fjord in North America”. Baie Fine is one of them and is just magnificent. Baie Fine cuts through the ancient white quartzite hills of the LaCloche mountains. For several miles you can travel Baie Fine until you reach a narrow section at the eastern end. From here, you go through a mini-fjord which carries you two more miles east to the “Pool”. Nestled very deep in the LaCloche mountain range, the Pool is one of the North Channel's ultimate cruising destinations.

We found MaryAnn Cove, just inside Baie Fine, and headed there for our anchorage. We had been told that this cove would be busy with other boats and we found that to be true. In this cove, all but one boat had a bow anchor out and then were tied to the shore with a stern line. We lined ourselves up for that set-up and let out the bow anchor. We then tied two stern lines to trees. Even this was difficult—we should have known better. As we tied one of the stern lines, the boat continued to drift and we drifted into a boat beside us. Luckily, the owners were on the boat, came out and fended us off.

Those owners then went for a ride in their dinghy and we decided to cross the stern lines. So….Jean swam to shore and started to cross the lines. While she was there, we ‘noticed' that the boat was drifting backwards, into the rock ledges lining the shoreline. We then noticed that the boat was also drifting sideways into our neighbor's boat. It didn't take long to realize that the bow anchor had given way and that we were now adrift. We needed help—quickly.

Jean dove into the water and started swimming back to the boat. I started putting out fenders to keep us off our neighbor's boat. Our bow anchor chain, still down in the water but not holding us, had gotten caught in our neighbor's dinghy davit. This problem was actually keeping us from drifting further along to the side. I then started hailing any available boater with a dinghy!!!! Some nearby boater came over and we gave them a line. They pulled us away from the other boat and then pulled us forward away from the rock ledges!!!!!! This was NOT fun!!!!!!!

Jean got back on the boat and when we were sufficiently far away from the rock ledges she started the engines and steered the boat into the middle of the cove. We then decided to anchor in the middle of the cove and to forget about the stern line. After getting the anchor set, we were set!!!!! What an ordeal!!!!!

We spent the afternoon on the boat—afraid to leave it. Fortunately, the anchor held and we realized that we were all set. We played some cribbage for awhile and then had dinner. Dinner was grilled t-bone steaks with rosemary potatoes, squash, zucchini, onions and tomatoes complete with garlic bread. For dessert, we had the usual—strawberry low fat ice cream with a cookie. Yum Yum!!!!!

When we had a chance to relax, we realized that this anchorage was very beautiful—very calming and peaceful.

Wednesday, August 9 th

At anchor in Baie Fine, Ontario

Today was a perfect day in every way. The weather was spectacular and so was the scenery. Today was 80 degrees, with clear blue skies and calm waters. We planned on spending most of the day on the water—in the dinghy. At the end of Baie Fine is the ‘Pool'. Also at the end is the Killarney Provincial Park. This park is considered the jewel of Ontario's wilderness parks. In this park there are several lakes and there are trails to the lakes. Jean and I decided to take the dinghy to the pool and then to walk one of the trails to Topaz Lake. You need to go to the Pool in the dinghy because the water at the Pool is very weedy and a big boat would not be able to get in there safely.

The dinghy ride to the Pool was about nine miles in very open and easy waters. Jean's as able a dinghy captain as she is a motor yacht captain.

The LaCloche mountains are on one side of the water and an equally beautiful group of mountains on the other. So… as you dinghy down the fjord, the scenery is truly spectacular—it's hard to describe. But….the white quartz of the LaCloche mountains is mesmerizing and the quartz continues down right down into the water—it's beautiful. You can feel the strength of the mountains on both sides of the water. It's a beautiful scene. You're in this tiny dinghy with these quartz mountains around you in this magnificent waterway.

We got out at the end and headed up the trail to Topaz Lake. We went through the woods along the mountains for about one mile.

The hike was not at all difficult and after a mile or so we got to Topaz Lake. It was beautiful—a rich teal color surrounded by the beauty of the LaCloche mountains.

We continued our climb to a higher point on the mountain and from there we could see both the pool and the Lake. It was awesome. I took a picture but I don't think it will do justice to the view.

While at the top we stopped for a short rest. The views were just magnificent. You could see the lake, the mountains and the pool. It was beautiful.

After a short stop at the top, we headed back down. We had some lunch back at the shoreline and then got back in the dinghy—and started back to MaryAnn Cove. Along the way we saw some campers who had just spent 17 days in the mountains and were canoeing back down Baie Fine. I was glad we had the dinghy (with the engine).

This area was very popular with wealthy Americans who built summer cabins along the water. When we were out in the dinghy, we came across the Evinrude family cabin—which sits right outside the pool. Since the dinghy engine is an Evinrude engine we thought we had to take a picture. So…..

The ride back was equally beautiful. This scenery is incredible—the mountains are stunning and the waters clear. The Baie Fine waterway's historic implications are also imposing.

We were back by 4pm and went for a quick swim. Jean used the noodle to go out to the anchor trip line and make a quick adjustment.

Dinner was great — grilled salmon, yellow beans with bacon and onions, a red leaf salad with walnuts and gorgonzola cheese and, of course, garlic bread!!!!! We are eating well. The salmon fillets are ones we got in Trenton, Ontario at the very start of the Trent-Severn—we're just now taking them out of the freezer.

Thursday, August 10 th

Baie Fine, Ontario to Croker Island, Ontario

We got an early start on our way to the Benjamin Islands. We were ‘anchor up' and underway by 8:05 am hoping to make the 10:00am swing bridge opening at Little Current. The anchor came up very easily although caked in a silt-mud type of dirt. It was messy—but up and away we went. The morning was very overcast and predicted to be nasty. The seas were 3 to 5 feet, the winds were gusting at 15-20 mph and it was raining. Ocean Flyer actually handles these seas very well. So the ride was dreary but not uncomfortable.

We made the 10:00am bridge opening and went past Little Current on our way through the Main Passage to the Benjamin Islands. The waters were very open and easy to navigate. During the morning, we had been in touch with Dan and Cindy, from Triomphe , who were already at the Benjamins. They indicated that the main waters were nasty but that they were tucked away in a protected cove.

We followed the markers and shortly came into the group of islands called the Benjamins. This grouping is among everyone's favorites and we were told that we ‘must' stop at the Benjamins. Due to the direction of the winds, we decided to anchor in Croker Island, a beautiful, small inlet just off the Main Passage. It's a well protected area and provided great relief from the northeast winds. We anchored easily and quickly and the views were just gorgeous. After lunch we took a short dinghy ride to check out the island. Its bluffs are beautiful and there are numerous hiking paths. There are also remains of a quarry that was cut almost exclusively to supply stone for the Book-Cadillac Hotel in Detroit. It's really quite beautiful here.

Unlike the neighboring Benjamin Islands, Croker is not formed of granite but is predominantly a younger rock called syenitic which is made up of about twelve different minerals and is often deep red in color. Scientists believe that Croker Island intruded about 1,450 million years ago, meaning that before parts of the island crystallized, hot magma spewed up and ‘intruded' into it. The rock is similar to some found at Mount Dromedary in Australia and at Gibson Peak in California.

After the dinghy ride, I took some photos of Ocean Flyer . One is a close-up of the stern and the other shows us nicely at anchor.

At about 6pm, we saw Dan and Cindy coming to visit in their dinghy. We had a great time talking and eating (of course). They left Ocean Flyer at about 8pm making their way back to their boat.

Jean and I skipped dinner and went straight to dessert—strawberry low fat ice cream topped with real strawberries and fresh raspberries. Yum!!!

About an hour later Jean took some awesome sunset pictures from the back of the boat.

Friday, August 11 th

At anchor at Croker Island, Ontario

Today is just a beautiful day—very clear and very crisp and the waters were very calm. You can begin to feel more coolness in the air. At 9am the temperature was only 68 degrees. But…the sun was shining brilliantly and the skies were a majestic blue. We knew it would be a good day to dinghy over to the North and South Benjamin to explore these islands.

So off we went….and the islands were spectacular—as we had been told. The Benjamins grouping is heralded as the most beautiful grouping of islands in the North Channel. The Benjamins' red granite rises from the water's edge in strong, smooth curves—which you'll see in the pictures.

Pine trees grow out of bare rock—it's pretty amazing. There's a lighthouse on the neighboring Clapperton Island whose original light housekeeper was Benjamin Baker. The islands are named for him.

Before going ashore, we dinghied all around the islands. There are many different rock formations on the islands and in the water. We were once again struck by the mix in topography.

There were smooth rocks, next to the red rocks next to the low rocks next to the mountains—these two islands had it all. We even saw a rock that looked like a HUGE turtle to us!!!!!

We were reminded of the waters in Georgian Bay as we made our way around the back of South Benjamin Island. Once again, we saw many flat rocks prominently poised in the waterway. These rocks clearly send a message that all boaters better know where they're going!!!!!

Throughout the day we saw many interesting rocks—especially due to their shape. This next picture shows a very weirdly shaped rock sitting at one end of a very small island. Note also the bent trees on this island and keep in mind that the weather today was perfect—no wind!!!! Those trees are permanently bent in that position.

Once ashore on South Benjamin, we climbed a smooth rock that had a gradual ascent which we could hike easily. We took a picture of this rock, with some people about half way up…look to see if you can see them. We also took a picture of this ascending rock from the dinghy.

Once on the top, the views of the cove and the islands were gorgeous. Some of the pictures make it look like we're in Bermuda—the waters are so blue. But…trust me…we're in the North Channel in Canada. Really.

I even took a picture of Jean at the top of the rock.

On our way around the island we spotted a very smooth rock with a Canadian flag atop it. We laughed and thought that someone must have come along and claimed this rock for Canada. But….as we motored on, much to our surprise, we saw a small cabin sitting behind the rocks!!!!! This was a flag on someone's property!!!!!

Flag Rock

We ended the day with one more reminder of how lucky we are to be on this trip. The scenery is just too, too beautiful. Everywhere we turn, there's one more point of interest that's memorable. The waters are so beautiful and serene. It's easy to get lost in your thoughts and to be grateful for everything. I'll end this day with some general scenery pictures—I hope can you enjoy them!!!!!

Dinner was an extravaganza—pork chops cooked in rice with mushrooms. This was accompanied by yellow beans with onions and bacon, a green leaf salad with gorgonzola, cranberries and walnuts and, of course, garlic bread. We waited about an hour and then had dessert—you guessed it—strawberry low fat ice cream with fresh strawberries and raspberries on top. My-My!!!!!

Saturday, August 12 th

Croker Island, Ontario to Thessalon, Ontario

Today was just the perfect day—well almost. We decided to get an early start on our way to Turnbull Island—yes Turnbull Island. We were up by 7am and decided to have breakfast on the water and thus be ‘out' by 7:30am. Well….once again we had some issues with our anchor. We had been at Croker for two days and as the 175 feet of chain came out of the water it was covered in mud. So…after awhile the windlass wouldn't work. So…we got two huge buckets of water and started washing the chain. This worked well other than making a complete mess of the boat. It took us more than an hour to wash all of the chain and then to wash the bow. By this time, every other boat at Croker went out before us. It was very frustrating but……we were off at 8:35.

The skies were blue and the waters were calm. It was somewhat cool but it felt wonderful—like mid-September on Cape Cod. We were going to anchor for the night at Turnbull Island—a 40 mile journey. We had also decided to take the scenic route through Whalesback Channel. Our first stop was Oak Bay—some folks had strongly recommended that we stop there if possible. We were told… “the North Channel comes in layers, and what has traditionally been called Oak Bay, an inside passage of an inside passage of an inside passage, is a whole cruising world of its own”.

As we approached the Bay we could already see that it was beautiful. It was a very protected area, somewhat small but gorgeous. Its trees were mostly evergreens and placed together closely. The whole Bay seemed a rich green—unlike the reds of yesterday's Benjamin Islands. There were several boats there at anchor and the scene was idyllic.

After a quick visit we were back on our way. It was so calm and serene and we knew that we had a long way to go—it was very soothing. We were surprised at how few boats were on the water.

We passed through a small opening which connects two large bodies of water. Its name is Little Detroit and it links the Whalesback and McBean Channels. It's the tightest passage on the North Channel. With government blasting and rock removal the channel is 75 feet wide and 16 feet deep. I did some research to determine the origin of the name but my search was not fruitful. I did, however, take a picture of the passageway.

While we were underway we both noticed some lovely clouds against the blue sky. They were definitely not threatening—they actually looked inviting—like part of a painting.

We continued along through the Whalesback Channel which was filled with small islands all of which were heavily treed. The trees in this area seem to be getting taller and fuller. The topography is definitely changing—once again. If you can believe it, all the rocks in the water are named—it's amazing—especially due to the number of rocks in the water. Today we went by Berry Picker rock—which was absolutely smooth—not a berry or bush on it!!!! We also saw a large group of backpackers on one of the small islands. Its rocks were tightly layered horizontally so they looked striped—something new. I tried to get a picture but—the rocks and the backpackers were too far away.

We had one more enroute stop in mind and that was at Beardrop Harbour. Tales are told of bears being driven from the bluffs in days gone by, hence the name. We had been told that we should go out of our way to see this harbor or to anchor there. So…this morning, since it was on the way to Turnbull and also part of the scenic route, off we went. It was beautiful—as is everything. It's also very clear to us now, that there are one MILLION of these gorgeous bays and coves in both Georgian Bay and the North Channel. You could spend years exploring these waters and never visit the same place twice. I kept taking pictures along the way...because the scenery is so special.

Beardrop Harbour is somewhat large—but calm and serene. It's extremely protected from any winds and thus is a very popular anchorage. There were several boats in there this morning—we actually thought that there would be more. This harbor has many low rocks in its waters which always enhances the beauty of the water. Equally attractive is the large number of evergreens standing tall along the water's edge. Truly lovely.

We continued along and since the day was so gorgeous and we knew that Monday's weather was going to be VERY bad…we decided to keep going, past Turnbull Island and to get closer to the U.S. border than originally planned (we had planned on re-entering the U.S. on Monday). So we made a few telephone calls to some marinas and made arrangements to stay in Thessalon, Ontario tonight.We would then have a short 20 mile journey to the U.S. border on Sunday—one day ahead of schedule to avoid a Monday crossing in lumpy seas.

But first….onto Turnbull Island. This island is quite large and has more than one anchorage spot. It's connected to another island, Bassett Island. As we approached the island we could see that it was going to be different than many of the others and definitely beautiful. The entrance was marked by many small islands which were heavily treed—with evergreens. There were also many islands inside the anchorage spot on the west side of Turnbull Island—many more than at the other islands. It almost looked like a village of islands—very gorgeous. The water was very calm—with several boats at anchor—it was like glass. In one of the guide books it's written… “the sunsets from Turnbull harbor can be spectacular and the daytime island vistas are truly works of art”. Although there's no connection to Jean's family—we definitely thought that the island was worthy of the Turnbull name.

We took a leisurely tour around the island and then continued on our way. We would now be leaving the scenic part of our journey and adding forty more miles to our ride. For most of the additional miles we would be in very open waters. Once again, we were surprised at how few boats we saw—especially since it's Saturday and it's absolutely gorgeous weather.

We made it to Thessalon by 4pm and quickly got settled in. Thessalon is a small town in a beautiful setting with a newly renovated marina. Everything is spotless!!! Thessalon was originally called Nayashewan , “Long Point”, by the natives who had fished and camped here for centuries. While many of the towns along the North Channel were once lumber mill towns, Thessalon still has a mill business—actually three. The rough and tumble feeling of its early lumbering days is gone but the town's old timers (some of whom are proud members of the “Wait'n for God Club”) can spin tales that recreate the picture of Thessalon as a legendary sawmill town full of scamps and scalawags. We made our way to the supermarket and checked out town.

Dinner tonight was leftovers from yesterday's feast—pork chops, rice, yellow beans and garlic bread!!!!! Exactly the same meal as yesterday with exactly the same dessert.

We'll be leaving in the morning—for the U.S. Tonight is our last night in Canada!!!!!

We're actually sad to be leaving. This part of the trip has been the best and the most beautiful. We've thoroughly enjoyed Canada's waterways, towns and people. The Rendezvous in Penetang was incredible, matched by the flotilla trip and the fishing trip. We've been pleasantly surprised that both the Georgian Bay and the North Channel have been so spectacular in every way.

Marjorie Brazer wrote a famous guide to the North Channel... “A Well-Favored Passage”. In it she writes … “The North Channel is a state of mind. It is a flight of the soul to a distant haunt—of peace, of timelessness, of mystery, of tempest, of aching beauty”. That says it all!!!!!

Sunday, August 13 th

Thessalon, Ontario, Canada to Drummond Island, Michigan, USA

Today was another perfect day—blue skies, warm temperatures and calm waters. We got up early and did a few chores. We did laundry and also pulled together all of our receipts and records in preparation for clearing U.S. customs later today in Drummond Island. We didn't think that we had made many purchases but….

We left Thessalon around noon without a hitch. It was a very efficient marina and its staff was very helpful. The marina is known for its bright blue roof and its decorative lighthouse. I also liked our view from the aft deck. We enjoyed our stay.

We were immediately in the open waters of Lake Huron and the crossing was easy. There were very few boats on the water which once again surprised us. We only had a twenty mile run so things went very smoothly. At 1:25pm we crossed from Canadian waters in U.S. waters. Lake Huron was so pretty—very turquoise in color and shimmering in the summer's light—beautiful.

As we approached Drummond Island there was some interesting twists and turns in the routing but nothing too difficult for Ocean Flyer . Just before entering the marina we noticed that Triomphe , one of the flotilla boats, was just in front of us. It was nice to see another flotilla boat. We were in by 2:15 pm and told to sit tight until a customs agent came to the boat to check us in. Within ten minutes, a customs agent arrived at the boat and checked all of our paperwork, boat documentation and passports. All went well. We'll stay here for the night even though our next stop, DeTour Village, Michigan is only nine miles away.

Diyh

Drummond Island is rich in history and lore. It was to Drummond that British forces moved in 1814 after the treaty of Ghent returned Mackinac Island to the Americans. Drummond Island and the eastern half of Michigan's Upper Peninsula were bought in 1836 by the United States from the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes.

Since we had skipped lunch we had an early dinner which was wonderful. We had spaghetti with Jean's homemade spaghetti sauce. She had made several portions of sauce in Florida before we left in April. They've been in the freezer ever since. We also had a Caesar salad and some garlic bread. This meal is, by far, one of my favorites!!!!! Dessert was our usual topped with fresh strawberries!!!!!

Throughout the entire trip the evenings have been beautiful. There's something about evening light—especially about an hour before sunset. This is a picture of the marina at about 7pm.

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