We’ve gone from Locks, locks, locks to rocks, rocks, rocks. And the challenge of chart reading, finding buoys, and coordinating with the GPS takes two sets of eyes! No knitting for me…but I’m lovin’ it, so it’s ok.
Our next stop was an anchorage or park dock in Frying Pan Cove. Here we met a Gold Looper and a looper like us from St. Augustine
Our next stop was Sans Souci Is. and the highly over rated Henry’s Fish restaurant. The specialty was whitefish; good, but a bit over rated. We did get to watch sea planes and the Canadian Coast Guard spend time here.
Parry Sound was unique and we made the decision (I think it was my birthday and Christmas present) to take a seaplane ride. Since we are traveling along the north side of Georgian Bay (known as the 30,000 Is.), we thought it would be fun to get an aerial view; and maybe even count the islands…Ha! Ha! An island is pretty much defined as any size rock formation that has green growth. If it has nothing growing, it is a rock. It was awesome; so glad we did that.
We went to several other anchorages; pristine and quiet, then headed to Britt on Byng Inlet. The marina was so-so; the locals were quite friendly. A Looper from Martha’s Vineyard , named Nova, was towed into the marina with a dead engine. Since this was a to be installed. We felt sad for them and invited them to our boat for spaghetti. We have traveled with them since and are enjoying their company.
After a stay in Killarney, a quaint, small town at the start of the North Channel , we moved on to Browning Cove. (Yes, the Capt. insisted). It was heat wave time in the states, but probably not as uncomfortable here.
We are now in Little Current, a great spot, loaded with boats coming and going. There was even a quilt store (got my fabric fix). L.C. is also the home of the Cruiser’s Net. A man by the name of Roy Eaton (former school teacher and principal here) volunteers his time each morning to host a broadcast on Ch. 71. He’ll report news and weather, and then boats in the area call in with their boat name, location and where they are headed. He also provides radio help with emergencies, etc. Yesterday morning, since Gene was changing the oil, I went to the Cruiser’s Net office and helped record boats and their locations. There were 142 boats calling in. It was busy, but fun. At night we went to the annual Cruiser’s Net pot luck supper. There were at least 100 boaters. We are now seeing boats heading east from Michigan , Chicago , Wisconsin
Each night we read and read to get the scope of things and plan a couple of days’ travel. We have spent time with locals and Loopers who more than willing to share the must see spots, places to avoid and to go over charts with us. Because the buoys often are hard to see, and can change sides unexpectedly, we have a gizmo on the helm. When the red and green buoys change, we also change the gizmo. That keeps our feeble brains oriented and off the rocks. We know of two Looper boats that are waiting here for shafts and props. And, everything in Canada
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| this used to be a lighthouse with a light at Pt. Au Barile |
Sad to say, we will probably leave the North Channel by the middle of next week, return to the U.S. and begin our Lake Michigan journey. I shall miss the Canadians; we have met some very friendly folks. This whole part of the rip has been beyond our expectations…..Tune in…..Ginny
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| Sportsman's Inn and marina at Killarney |
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| this will be a left hand turn!! |
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| when the red and green buoys change sides we rotate the gizmos |
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