Month: July 2017

At dock in Gore Bay Marina after two days of wind and rain from the North East, Tuesday, July 24 dawned with a lovely sunrise and the promise of at least one day of decent weather. We had decided that this would be the start of a week at anchor in three coves in the Whaleback Channel north and west of the Benjamin Islands – enough of this marina stuff. (We weren’t going to aim for famous Benjamin Islands themselves, since their very fame has made them overpopulated by all kinds of boats, making it party central, and, besides, the holding is not very good either.)

We had as our destination Longpoint Cove on the north shore of the Channel, 25 miles North West of Gore Bay. In fact, this was to be the furthest north and west that we would be travelling on the whole cruise. Time was marching along, and we would turn East after this stop. It was Day 40, and we had travelled 600 miles so far.

Continue reading “Anchors aweigh”

Day 32 is Monday July 17 and we complete our 4 hour crossing from the Bustard Islands to Killarney at 8 knots – there’s no avoiding open water on this stretch –  in favourable conditions (a Northern breeze), at the start of a six-day period of good weather (at last). Killarney is the gateway to the North Channel, and is a most popular stopover.

Continue reading “The North Channel”

Leaving the Trent Severn Waterway at Port Severn, we started the second leg of our cruise. Behind us was 330 miles, 45 locks, canals, lakes and rivers, a marina or two, several towns, twenty one days – fourteen of them overnight at locks, four of them “weather days” when we didn’t move on because of wind or thunderstorms or rain, or all three.

Now we were going to make our way up Georgian Bay of Lake Huron, following the small craft channel north as it hugs the east coast of the Bay, with many twists, turns and convolutions to avoid the lurking granite rocks, but also giving protection, most of the time, from the prevailing westerlies which, with a prolonged blow, can make the open water rough indeed. It would be about 175 miles or so to Killarney, the entrance to the third leg, The North Channel.

Continue reading “Georgian Bay rocks”

On Friday, June 30, Day 15, we were up – in light rain – for the Lake Simcoe crossing to Lake Couchiching. First, we had to lock through Lock 40 and 41, in the company of Magic Jeanne, and then through the swing bridge at the entrance to the lake, at which point in time a prolonged rain squall hit, cutting horizontally into our bow, along with lumpy waves and very poor visibility. For the first time, the radar was essential to our safety, rather than being an interesting toy. We hammered on, for 1 1/2 hours, and the weather had calmed down by the time we got to the Narrows at Orillia.

Continue reading “The lake was angry, my friends”

Tuesday, June 27, Day 12. We leave luvverly Lovesick Lock to cross the lake to Buckhorn  for the first lockage of the day at 9:00, by which time the weather clears, and we’re through into Buckhorn Lake, then Pigeon Lake, to Bobcaygeon, where we tie up for lunch.

Continue reading “Lovesick to Lake Simcoe”

Day 7 saw us continue up the Waterway to Hastings (Mile 51.1 and all that), with the prospect of two nights on the lock wall to weather out another round of constant rain and thunderstorms. Here we were joined by several other boats, including four long distance loopers (from Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Grimsby, Ontario). Time to stock up on groceries and LCBO, but not a town that found a place in our hearts.

Continue reading “Weather or not…”