Sunday July 17: Blueberry Island and Baie Fine

After waiting out the winds and not so nice weather in Killary, we headed out Sunday morning with the plan being to go to an anchorage behind Blueberry Island. No more than two miles if we could fly but by the time we wound our way around an arm of the Le Cloche mountains, it ended up being a 16 mile trip!

Something we rarely see in the North Channel: the blending of the sky and water – it was SO calm!

Just another beautiful day to travel.

On the way east on Frazier Bay, we saw another trawler headed the same direction as us. Turn out it was Gary and Karen (and K9 crew Sam of course) from Slo M'Ocean. Gary and Karen were our boat neighbors at Banana Bay for the last month of our stay!

Small world – and Banana Bay folks are everywhere …. These guys live on their trawler here in Little Current and spent the winters south on their sailboat.

Blueberry Island

The granite here is so amazing we could hardly stop taking pictures. The grinding of the glaciers is so evident once again.

Right is a picture of Blueberry Island.

Gary, Karen and Sam visited shore on a rock island at the end of our anchorage.

Last Man Standing :-)

But we're still traveling solo ….

Leaving the anchorage this morning, the clouds had moved in – rain and wind forecast to move in later in the day so we were seeking better protection from the winds that were going to change from southwest to northeast overnight.

Time to head for the “pool” at the end of Baie Fine (Bay Fin).

This bay is one of the few fjords in North America. A fjord by definition is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by glacial erosion.

It's like cruising through the mountains.

Huge quartzite mountains on either side of the waterway.

Once we were settled into our anchorage, Steve decided to walk to the top of the nearby “mountain” to find Topaz Lake. The guidebooks rave about both the hike, the lake and the view.

All three lived up to his expectations!

The lake was indeed topaz and very clear.

The quartzite of the mountains was amazing.

The hike was crazy uphill over a “trail” and just plain climbing up the rocks.

And the view? Unbelievable!! Yesterday's Dream is circled in the picture :-)

This is a picture of the mountain top with the lake. Taken from the boat. The arrow points to where Steve was standing when taking the pictures from the lake back to where we were anchored!

Friday July 15: Killarney

After leaving the Bad River and Deja Vu behind Wednesday morning we bounced around for a couple of hours on the open waters of northern Georgian Bay. Not fun but doable.

 In the distance we could finally begin to see the Le Cloche mountains in the distance. This 3.1 billion year old mountain range is thought to at one time be higher than the Rocky Mountains - it is made of white quartzite and is very distinctive in it's height.

We turned north into Beaverstone Bay and it's amazing quartz and granite walls. What an amazing cut through this area. The evidence of glaciers carving the rock is all around.

We continued through Beaverstone Bay to Collins Inlet and began looking for a place for the night.

Winds were from the SW at 15 knots but once in the inlet it was quite tolerable.

We stopped at a small indent in the south side of Collins Inlet and spent a very nice night. Winds came up for about an hour but then settled down.

What more could we ask for in an anchorage!!!

It was a sort of sleep in day - well at least until 7:30 or so :-)

The winds were supposed to come up later in the day and we still had an open 4 miles to go to Killarney where we intended to spend a couple of days.


The passage was again amazing. A natural narrow inlet with many small areas.  Some of the trees along the waterway were dying due to the high water of the last couple of years. Three years ago, the waters here and in Georgian Bay were very low - now all are about 3 feet above normal. We've heard it's due to the extremely high snowfall for the last two years.

Pleasant enough day. Shorts and jacket from the flybridge (until we hit the open water and then the plastic went in!).


Still very nice cruising areas.

After 4 miles of, once again, open, bumpy water we made the turn into Killarny. Designated by the lighthouse of course!

For some  interesting history on the lighthouse, click here.

Once docked and settled - Steve sought out the good stuff :-) A very nice semblance of a chelsea bun. EXCELLENT :-)

Plus a bottle of brandy recommended by the lady at the LCBO. Made in Italy - what could be more intriguing, right?

Especially since the LCBO had a dock for drive in service! Never saw that before!!

Steve made a LONGER than anticipated ride to Lake George. Beautiful but not the easiest ride :-)







Beautiful granite cliffs - can't really get a perspective on the size of them in this picture.

A stop at the lighthouse on the way back - looking toward the entrance to Killarney.

Little Current (next internet stop) in a few days :-)

Tuesday July 12: Parting Ways at Britt and the Bad River

At Britt, we bid farewell and safe journey to Craig and Karen of Rahn de Vous. We were continuing north and they were turning back south to retrace their steps back to the Erie Canal.

We traveled together for almost a month - the longest anyone has been willing to travel with us in a LONG time!

Great fun getting to know them - we'll see them in their home cruising area in California when we visit Becky in November. Unless they move by then .....

But prior to this we had spent a couple of days at Parry Sound. Very nice town - access to just about anything needed. Great Chinese restaurant, large grocery store, Walmart and a good breakfast place.

It rained most of the second day there - which is what made our decision to stay two days. Rainy weather was due in and it's so much nicer to be in a marina when it comes through. Off and on most of the entire day.

Travel on Sunday was again following the small-craft channel through the rock islands and protected waters of the eastern shore of Georgian Bay.

Steve was so impressed with this lone pine tree that he had to snap a picture of it. Turns out this is a cell tower!! Craig knew it was just wearing a tree disguise - sure didn't know that!

When you zoom in on it though it definitely does have some oddly uniform branches as well as a cluster of not so natural looking branches at the top which completes the master disguise :-)

Karen and Peter checking out the sunset.

After 35 miles and 5 hours (and a stop for 100 gallons of fuel), we anchored for the night in what turned out to be the locals shortcut between islands!

It was still peaceful enough and the sunset was worth the wait.



Although the presence of cabins has thinned quite a bit, there are still many on the rock islands that line the channel. I loved this one that looked like it was actually made of Lincoln Logs!

Rhan de Vous coming though Hangdog Channel

Our little pack of 3 boats wound it's way through some crazy turns in Hangdog Channel.

Peter and Cheryl were great guides plus they knew all of the places where a security call should be made - letting any boat traffic know three trawlers were passing north.

It is literally impossible for two boats to pass each other in many of these very narrow channels.

We finally arrived at Britt after a 32 mile 4 1/2 hour trip.

Very, very small town but an excellent restaurant. Lunch the day we arrived and breakfast the morning we left.

Steve and Peter tried their hand at fishing but once again there was only fishing and no catching. It's becoming a theme ....

After saying our 'see you laters' to Craig and Karen, we headed off to the Bad River!

Doesn't that just sound inviting?!! This river is actually one of three rivers that enter Georgian Bay - all three originating as the French River farther north in Ontario.

The French River is where my grandmother and parents used to go for the fishing. They went to a lodge and hired guides for the fishing. Shore lunch included - assuming they caught fish! I don't recall that not catching fish was a problem in those days (probably the 1950's).

The Bad River definitely did not disappoint! The granite rocks and numerous small channels would lend itself to dinghy exploration for days!

There was supposed to be a lake of sorts beyond the rapids - if your dinghy could go up the swiftly flowing water!

We found that spot when a dinghy suddenly came shooting down the swift water - headed right for Peter in HIS dinghy. So - that's where to get up the rapids! Lesson learned ...

First there were three. Then there were two.

It was a great place to spend a day. Although I was surprised how many boats were in here.

Not that there wasn't room - plenty of space - but we had never heard of this area before. We always though everyone went to the Bustards - another really nice anchorage area only about 5 miles south of here.

Peter and Steve went fishing again in the morning. Key word being "fishing" :-)  Shot the rapids and everything!

Sandra, Murray, Steve, Cheryl and Indiana Jones

It was again time for some 'see you laters' as Peter and Cheryl needed to head back home.

Their son is getting married at the end of the month - Peter and Cheryl are having the wedding at their home so there are a few odds and ends to tie up yet.

We were very grateful that they carved out some time to travel with us - even if it was for only a short week.

We'll see them again - either in Florida or up here. We don't know when or where but they know that they can run but not hide :-)

We are now only two easy days to Killarney and the North Channel. Weather is looking pretty good.