Thursday July 21: Spanish

When we left Baie Fine last Monday, there was literally zero wind. None. Guess we were in THAT protected of an anchorage!

By the time we made our way 26 miles to Little Current, we were fighting winds and waves that were directly on the bow. Made for some water over the front but no issues at all.

Passing the lighthouse marking the entrance to the Little Current meant we would soon officially be in the North Channel of Lake Huron as going through Little Current is the only passage into the North Channel from Georgian Bay.

Overlooking Gore Bay

We met Gary and Karen again (from Slo M'Ocean) and after lunch took a quick tour of Manitoulin Island.

We've been to several of the ports before (by boat) but a car tour is much quicker!

Two great overlooks (Gore Bay to the left) were the highlight - as well as the Native American art and handicrafts displayed at any number of shops.

Very reminiscent of the Navajo work from the southwest US.

As we travel west, the La Cloche mountains are gradually blending into a lower elevation shoreline. This is one of the last peaks.

Early start on Tuesday. Destination the Benjamin Islands. It gets pretty crowded so the earlier the start, the better choice of anchorage spots.

It wasn't hard to spot the pink granite of the islands.

We ended up anchored in a spot nicely protected from the forecast southwest winds.

Steve of course was off and on the cliffs as soon as the anchor was down and set!

There are probably another half dozen smaller cruisers to the right of the picture. It's really hard to get a perspective on the height of the area.






This is a view looking toward Little Current. The rocks out there are basically granite peaks with valleys of water (typically 80 feet deep) sticking up near the main islands.


The path up is not an easy one!!

And Steve decided it didn't take much for these kids to have fun: a dinghy pulling a tube!





A view to the north.

A great day and night - with the last of the sun coloring the rock cliffs to the east.

So the sun was setting in the west and the full moon was rising in the east.


It's been a good couple of days but we have more anchorages to see!

We left Wednesday and after weaving our way through the granite, we headed north and west again about 10 miles to a spot called Oak Point.

Nice place and only one other boat.

Time for kayaking and some dinghy fishing.

The kayaking was pretty good but neither one of us saw any fish of any kind - not even minnows, so that was disappointing. And another day of fishing but no catching :-(

Another anchorage in the area

But more pictures of - what else - rocks!!

It was again a sunset in the west and the moonrise in the east.....






and then this morning a sunrise in the east :-)

Another thing we can't stop taking pictures of .......

Destination today? Spanish on the north shore of the North Channel.

Very nice marina with a great hike along - what else? - the granite rocks!!


These are the 160 steps up to the start of the trail that ran along the cliffs on the north shore.

A storm was due in today around noon so we wanted to make sure we were in by then.

Very glad that we made it in. High winds and lots of rain/thunder. It didn't last very long but still not something that I wanted to travel in.


So here we are - 2500 miles away from Florida and where we want to be come winter.

Two choices: turn around and travel back the way we came.

Or continue going west and reenter the US at Drummond Island in Michigan - then enter the river system at Chicago.

It's a toss up distance wise. Hurricanes on the east coast, tornadoes in the heartlands.

At this point we are deciding to go with the rivers. All downstream for one thing! And all fresh water - and no tides or reversing currents.

Sounds like a winner!








Steve did find a hitchhiker on his kayak yesterday :-)


Guess there was wildlife after all!