It's fireworks time in Little Current

Little Current waterfront (The Wall)

Little Current street fair

Today was a big day for the Haweaters with bands, a street fair, and a few other events including a pretty decent fireworks show which was not bad for a little town of 1500 folks. We spent most of today doing chores (laundry, cleaning the boat, etc.) and will relax tomorrow as Haweater Weekend comes to an end. It's a civic holiday in Ontario (not because of the Haweaters specifically but just a general day off). Anyway, here's some of the fireworks!!!

Back in Little Current and it's Haweater Weekend!!!

With the excitement reaching a fever pitch we are really pumped that we are in Little Current for Haweater Weekend where we will partake in all the festivities that are available (when we find out exactly what they are). While we are here, we plan to relax (some more) a few days before heading out for the final 10 days our summer cruise. On a side note, we were happy that the “tap, tap, tap” from our first visit was gone as the new parking lot at the east end of the town has been completed and looks quite nice, eh! (I'm starting to sound Canadian).

We had a great final anchorage in Mary Anne Cove and once again made it up to the top of Fraser Hill for the second time this year. The view as always was spectacular (see below). We also tied to the same spot on shore but had no furry visitors this time. Because the outboard is still problematic (remember, we hit a big rock a week ago) we were confined to short hops in the zodiac so fishing was limited (i.e. no fish were caught).

While in Little Current we met up with a couple from Sudbury, ON who we met at an anchorage last year. Based on an email I discovered that they just happened to be down this way today and joined us for a fish dinner being put by a local church as part of Haweater weekend.

From here we will anchor a few more nights and then go to Gore Bay for a night before heading out for our last anchorages and then returning to our new home base at Drummond Island. Normally we would be on our way down Lake Michigan towards Saugatuck starting at the end of July.

Back in Killarney after some anchoring

Bad River to Covered Portage to Killarney

Our stay in the Bad River was fun although I hit a rock with my outboard and don’t know if I broke something or not but based on the way the engine sounds it may not be good. Anyway, we circumnavigated the area with rapids and even with a limping outboard we made it to the top of the series of lesser rapids and came down the Devils Door rapids which dump out into the bay we were anchored in. We left on Sunday and spent one night in Covered Portage where we joined some friends we met last year before heading back over to Killarney for a couple of nights. 

Dore's Run alternate route

The Obstacle Island passage

One our way up to the Bad River from Byng Inlet we took the small craft route but decided to try the alternate route through Dore’s Run and Obstacle Island. Well, in comparison to other passages, Obstacle Island takes the cake and is now the “Mother of tight passages” going forward. It was so tight that I had to use the bow thruster to turn around the rock that is the “obstacle” in Obstacle Island. All the other spots (Canoe Channel, Rogers Gut, etc.), are just tight straight shots but definitely pale by comparison to this baby. Even the cruising guides imply going to from either direction to Obstacle Island but not through the passage. When I saw it I felt the challenge and thank the Lord we did not hit anything. I will write that down as a only a maybe in the future. 

Yes, we went through this

Only 70 feet

Our stay in Killarney was been enjoyable as usual. It has been very windy and we are glad to have been tied to a dock the last few days. On Monday night we were able to watch the President speak to the nation on Fox News aboard a 70' Hatteras luxury yacht. Coincidentally, this boat was home ported in Hawthorn Woods, IL where the owners live and where we used to live and is berthed in Kenosha, WI where we used to moor our boat. The couple asked us aboard and were very fun to talk to. We find it amazing that they can handle a boat that large with just the two of them.

Killarney Light

Lily Pond

On Tuesday we took a nice hike out to the Killarney Lighthouse although like most Canadian lights in this area they are not that historic. One interesting spot we happened upon was a beautiful lily pond that I captured with HDR to bring out the detail.

Lily Pond

Extra pushing power

As with each stop we make, we come across interesting people doing interesting things. This time in Killarney we met a couple who were canoeing across Canada with a baby and a dog and another couple from Ohio who were touring the Great Lakes on jet skis. And of course the guy who passed by us in the channel in his sailing canoe.

We're officially heading back today

With just three weeks left we are now retracing our steps and heading north and west again. We decided to goo all the way back to Byng Inlet instead of anchoring due to the weather that was predicted. We will leave Byng on Thursday and head back in the Bad River for 3-4 nights on the hook and then on to Killarney for a last visit there.

On our way up we decided to try a section of the small craft route that we had bypassed before due to the difficulty factor and because our boat is the maximum size recommended to travel it. In any case, the passage is not that difficult unless you have an oncoming boat that does not make a "securite" call alerting others boats of their intentions. Once committed there is virtually no room to maneuver in the approach areas. In our case two boats violated that rule when we were there on Wednesday. Here's the video of our passage of Canoe Channel.

We will report back in a few days.

There's always something new on every cruise - PART THREE

Seaplane brochure

Getting ready to leave

As promised, Sheri and I had a first today and that was to go on a seaplane ride (see the exciting video) from our current port of call to an island in Georgian Bay for dinner. Sounds pretty exotic, huh? Not to put a damper on the excitement that must be building but we’ve been to the island (Frying Pan) before by boat and have eaten at the restaurant (Henry’s) before back in 2009 and the menu is basically fish and chips but they are really good fish and chips. The ride out was about 10 minutes and the ride back was 15 minutes and we had about an hour for dinner (included) and it only cost (classified). As an aside, it was surprising how small planes have gotten as I’ve grown older. On the way out I rode up front with the pilot and on the way back I was shoehorned into a triple seat with Sheri and real cute young lady and felt very confined but I guess all of us in the back were in the same predicament. This was basically a four seat aircraft that was modified to hold five people but not five Al sized passengers.

Our plane

With our pilot

In any case, it was fun seeing this beautiful place from the air and I hope that you enjoyed the video.

Parry Sound, Ontario

Downtown Parry Sound

The sign says it all

According to the welcome sign at the town entrance, Parry Sound is the "Jewel of the 30,000 Islands" region of Georgian Bay. We know that some of those islands are really just rocks but it's still a beautiful place. We went shopping today and actually had lunch at a McDonalds which may not be a big deal but to us (me) it was a nice encounter with civilization. This town has a Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire (like a little Wal-mart), and many other familiar commercial enterprises. The biggest treat was shopping at a supermarket that was like what we have at home. I can't emphasize enough how remote the places we frequent while on our travels up here are so to us this is a metropolis. This was also our second visit (last in 2009) to Parry Sound so we had a good idea what they had to offer.

I think they have a bear problem

Downtown theater

We are going on a new, non-boating, adventure tomorrow and will provide a full update on the blog tommorow evening so check back.

Continuing south in Georgian Bay to Parry Sound

Hopewell Bay moonrise

After a brief one night stay in Byng Inlet (Britt) we pressed southward along the small craft route about 30 miles for a two night anchorage in Hopewell Bay on Shawanaga Island. It was nothing special but an easy in and out and offered fairly good protection except from boat wakes out in the main channel. We were treated to a beautiful moonrise each night. I also tried fishing but again no luck. This was a new section of the small craft route that we bypassed it in 2009. It too was nothing special (in comparison to where we had been) and was much more heavily populated than points north. We left the anchorage on Sunday morning and headed another 30 miles to Parry Sound where we will stay for a couple of nights before heading north retracing the route we took on the way down. We plan to be back in Killarney by next weekend if the weather cooperates.

Hopewell Bay panorama

Pointe au Baril Light

Interesting mount for a nav marker

Typical small craft route scenery

We (I) just love anchoring

We left Killarney mid-day on Sunday and made the short but scenic ride over to Mill Lake via Collins Inlet which is one of our favorite rides. Our anchorage was straight forward and after trying my hand at fishing again but with no luck this time we settled in for a peaceful night’s sleep. The next day we awoke to rain which lasted most of the morning and afternoon and which caused us to change our anchorage destination for Monday night due to limited visibility. Our stop on Monday was in the scenic Bustards Harbor where we were in the company of just two other boats. The lack of boats has been the trend this year and speaks volumes to how people are being impacted by the economy.  Our route on the chart is as follows (red=leg 1, green=leg 2, yellow=leg 3, and orange=leg 4).

We awoke on Tuesday to clear skies but somewhat windy conditions. Not leaving until noon I spent the morning chasing a pair of Loons around the bay hoping to get some good shots which I did as you can see. After that we made the short five mile jaunt over to the Bad River where we spent the next two nights. I really tried hard at the fishing again but came up empty again. We will go back there in a week or so, however, and I’ll be armed with right lure this time.

Bad River anchorage

Bad River sunset

The Bad River is one our new favorites because of the variety of places to explore. This year the famous Devil's Door rapids were flowing a bit too fast for us to try to shoot them with our dingy like last year.

Our two nights in the Bad River were blustery but we departed on Thursday to light winds and very calm conditions for our 27 mile trek down the small craft passage to Byng Inlet. This is a navigational exercise with amny passages like the narrow spot at Rogers Gut.

We had dinner at the Little Brit Inn but were disappointed in the food and service over previous years. We will be off on Friday for points south as we head for Parry Sound. With all new anchorages ahead of us we expect to see some pretty places. We will post a new entry when we reach our next marina and Wi-Fi connection.

On to Georgian Bay

We will depart the beautiful Sportsman's Inn here in Killarney on Sunday headed back down the east shore of Georgian Bay and will stop at both new and familiar spots along the way. Having traveled the full length of the east shore before we will only plan to go as far south as Parry Sound before returning north again. Parry Sound is probably the biggest town on the east shore and has most amenities (Wal-Mart and McDonalds) found in most small to medium size towns.

We will update our trip log as we make our way down and when we reach civilization and Wi-Fi.

George Island death march

What you hike to (South Shore)

George Island and trail

As many of you know I had rather ride than walk although a stroll through a scenic spot is definitely open to possibilities. Today while in Killarney I decided (by myself) to tackle the 7.5 KM (5 miles) hike on the George Island Wilderness Trail which starts across the channel from the marina. It seemed easy enough since it was not a mountain and I figured it would be just a stroll in the woods. Well, four hours later I made it back and my knees and ankles are shot. I have never walked over so many roots and rocks in my life. I probably won't do it again as it was just not that spectacular unless you call roots, rocks, reeds and wet marsh exciting.  I did pass the wreck of an old ship that ended its life here some years agao. Here are a few shots that I took along the way.

Quiet bay

Old cabin

Pretty marsh

Another pretty marsh

There's always something new on every cruise - PART TWO

Could this be the invasion path?

Our second exciting first was when we discovered that we had a stowaway onboard in the form of a mouse (only one we hope). We're not sure how it got on board but it could have climbed down our shore tie line when we were anchored or came aboard at the dock in Little Current. I know it's a mouse because I saw it the first night at anchor in the cockpit but thought it scurried off the back of the boat into the water. On Thursday morning we noticed that some paper towels that were under our shoes on the floor appeared to be shreaded. Sheri also discovered that a small piece of my prized Mackinaw Island fudge had been eaten into as well as some hot dog buns so we knew we were the victims of a full mouse assault. Not knowing if the mouse returned to shore during the day, we went through everything that we had to determine if we had been violated further. Not finding any more damage we decided to secure those items in additional wrapping (zip-locs) to add more difficulty to the next assault. I also installed a makeshift critter guard on the shore line so that it would be foiled upon his return to the boat if that was the case. On Friday we woke up and everything looked pretty good except we found another food violation so this meant war. When we got to Killarney we picked up a couple of mouse traps that we will deploy in hopes of snaring the little beast during tonight's escapades. I might add that these are not the wimpy capture traps but the good old fashioned ones that will slam down and crush the little bastard's head.

UPDATE - After setting two traps on Friday night that were baited with peanut butter (local recommendation), I was like a kid at Christmas when I woke up on Saturday morning. With great anticipation I entered the main salon only to find the traps as I left them with no mouse in them. I will put them out again tonight in case he just wasn't hungry the first time. It could be that he did leave the boat during the day and is back in Mary Anne Cove waiting to climb on someone elses boat.

FINAL UPDATE - After setting traps for three nights we believe the mouse left the house (boat) when we left Mary Anne Cove. We will choose our shore tie locations carefully or avoid them all together in the future.

There's always something new on every cruise - PART ONE

Little Current - Baie Finn - Killarney

Leaving Little Current

Our departure from Little Current was later than usual but then again without crowds and longs days it does not matter. We made our first and only anchorage at a familiar stop in Mary Anne Cove at the beginning of beautiful Baie Finn. After making the 4PM draw bridge in Little Current we enjoyed the calm waters of Fraser Bay and the two hour ride over to the anchorage. When we arrived we found five other boats and decided to shore tie to the east side of the bay on the rock wall. This is usually a very popular spot and the remaining days saw fewer boats.

Having been freshly licensed to fish in Canada, I could not wait to get cranking. I started off from Florida and forgot the rod and reel that I've had for years (with very little use I might add) so I decided while we were still in the US to pick up an inexpensive beginner's combo in a Wal-Mart along the way. I also added a tackle box, a starter set of tackle stuff, and a nice filet set so when the time came to clean my first catch I'd be prepared. Well, when I whipped out my new gear I noticed that the reel had no crank (used for reeling in the big one). With no Wal-Mart nearby (only one place sells fishing gear in Little Current), I proceeded to buy a modestly priced reel which unfortunately was twice as much as the original setup. Anyway, I bought the new and better reel (more ball bearings), some new line (came with the other one), and some highly recommended lures that were a supposed to be a sure fire bet for these waters. Once we were situated in our anchorage, Sheri helped me wind the line on the new reel and after several tries trying to tie a knot on a swivel that would not slip I managed to get lucky and tied something that worked or at least I hoped it did since the lure I was going to use cost $10. All set, I tried casting a few times off the boat and that worked pretty well as I did know how to do that already. No bites at first but at least I was ready.

Lucky Bay

Day 2 we decided to try trolling but that did not work as I could not go slow enough in our Zodiac without the motor quitting. The next step was to find another spot that looked good so we went about a mile up the bay and found a good place to land the dingy. After we got out I started casting into a shallow area that I was sure was a good spot. Well, on the second cast I hooked a nice bass and was able to land it (with no dip net - next purchase) but unfortunately we did not bring the camera to capture the moment so you'll have to take our word for it. Anyway, I kept fishing and hooked five more but let them all swim another day. After my beginner's luck, I was addicted and needed to catch the big one.

Colorful fungus

The red tape marks the way

The view from Fraser Bay Hill

Jungle Sheri on the way down

Day 3 started with a climb to the top of Fraser Bay Hill but the urge to fish just made me want to get back to the boat and go back to what I had named "Lucky Bay" and this time bring a camera. We went to the same spot but the luck was not there and the only thing I hooked was a reed that would not let go and prompted me to wade in waist deep water to retrieve (it was only a $5 lure). I did catch one small bass and do have a picture to prove it. He went back in, however. We move up the bay to a less windy spot that looked similar. We dropped anchor (yes we have an anchor because any wind blows the Zodiac across the water like a leaf) and I started casting again. I could actually see the bass below the boat but could not get them to bite so I did what any good fisherman does and that's try a new lure. I went for the gold and installed the $10 special on the line and within a few tries I hooked a whopper. I fought him (turned out to be a her) for about 10 minutes before pulling it out of the water (remember, no dip net) and into the boat. Compared to the others I had hooked, this one was a keeper. With our one legal catch in our possession we headed back to the anchorage before the fish was too dead. I whipped out my new filet knife, sure-grip glove, de-scaler, and started scaling/cutting away. A bass is quite boney so I had to work carefully to actually have some meat left to eat. This was a nice sized fish so the end result was plenty for a meal. We refrigerated the filets and enjoyed them for dinner when we reached Killarney on Friday. A simple shake in flour, salt, and pepper and frying in oil in a skillet they were delicious. I don't know when I've had fresh water bass before but it was as good as we've had lately.

The BIG ONE!!

Retrieving snagged lure