Georgian Bay

 TRAVEL DAY 94 - Beausoleil Island to Parry Sound

August 11, 2023

6.43 Hours/47.3 Miles

    We said goodbye to the Trent-Severn Waterway and were now in Georgian Bay, Ontario, a large bay connected to Lake Huron. Our intent was to anchor another night at the north end of Beausoleil but large thunderstorms were predicted for the next couple of days and we didn't want to be stuck on the boat for that amount of time. 

 

Georgian Bay Lighthouse

    We made the decision to travel to Parry Sound less than 50 miles away. A much longer day trip than we like. Parry sound would be a larger town with a nice protected marina and it would give us a chance to do some much needed planning for our routes through the Georgian Bay.

  

Green Marker in the wrong position

    Stopping 2 hours into the trip along the way, was Henry's. Located in San Souci, Henry's is one of those places that is a must stop. It is a Loopers "right of passage". Much like Cabbage Key and a Cheeseburger in Paradise, it's Henry's famous fish and chips. The small boat prevailed again as we found one spot on the crowded docks. We ordered our fish and chips and watched the seaplanes that take off and land there bringing tourists to this spot. I would give the experience an 8 but the meal a 5. 

  

Henry's Fish House

    We jumped back into the boat and headed the remaining 2 hours to Parry Sound and our slip in Big Sound Marina. Just before the marina there was a swing bridge that only opens every 2 hours and we just missed the opening. The reported height of the bridge was 17' so we dropped the top & antennas. The actual clearance under the bridge was more like 14' but we made it easily into Parry Sound.

   

Parry Falls

    The next day as predicted was constant rain. We spent most of the morning mapping out a strategy to see the highlights of Georgian Bay and the North Channel to end up in Mackinac Island before the Labor Day rush. That would give us about 2 weeks to see what could take an entire summer. We chose as many spots as we thought we could do allowing some weather days but knowing that we might have to skip some.

  

Moose Pic

    The following day our friends from Last Arrow caught up to us as we received word that Ottyssey had engine problems and would be stuck in place for awhile awaiting parts.  We made plans for a seaplane ride in the afternoon when the clouds gave way to sunshine. The weather was perfect for our afternoon air tour of the Georgian Bay. 

  

Sea Plane Ride

    With so much to do in Parry Sound we hit as many places as possible and some twice, namely Trestle Brewing. An exciting Cornhole competition with the other boat crews made the stop even better.

    

Pau Hana, Never Home, Jolly Roger Too, Shorebilly

  

Beausoleil Island to Parry Sound

 TRAVEL DAY 95 - Parry Sound to Eureka Point

August 14, 2023

4.48 Hours/33.2 Miles

    With a good weather window and low winds we set out from the marina through Parry Sound and its 300' plus depth. Our plan today was another 2 part journey. Our 10 am start put us at Gilly's Restaurant for fish tacos right at noon. Here we also met up with Thing 1 & Thing 2 another PDQ boat like our new traveling companions Last Arrow.

  

Kilbear Point Light

    After a great lunch, we got back on the Camano and with a west wind blowing in Snug Harbour, Last Arrow was pinned against the dock while we on the opposite side were able to just release the lines and let the wind get us out and away. A twist of the wheel and a little throttle and we were headed back out.

 

Gilly's at Snug Harbour

    Our target was a protected anchorage, Eureka Point. We wound our way around the rock islands through the well marked channel in perfect conditions. At what I believed to be the entrance to the anchorage I spotted some rocks and a private marker. Last Arrow felt that going around to the other side of the island would be a better choice, so I slowly turned the boat back out into the main channel and proceeded around. This entrance was certainly better and we had no issues with getting into the cove.

  

Snug Harbour Range Rear Lighthouse

    Once into the anchorage, we could see a few other boats but still plenty of room for us. We moved past the 3 boats anchored and scouting revealed plenty of water to anchor. We dropped the anchor but I was not happy with our set so I instructed the crew to pull and drop the Mantus and chain again. I backed down on the anchor some and it slid a little, then sunk into the bottom, straightening the chain and assuring me of a good set.  The deck crew installed the bridle and we were good for the night.

   

Hole in the Wall

    With plenty of Canadian daylight left we deployed Lil' Scuz and started our search for the beach and "The Hole In The Wall". We moved the dinghy around the cove to our west and just as we were thinking we wouldn't find it, the cliffs revealed a slot that exited the cove. Success. We moved through the opening in the rocks and shortly the sandy beach on either side came into view. We beached the dinghy and spent some time on the beach admiring the beauty of the island and seeing who could skip a rock the farthest across the water.

 

    Back to the boat for dinner, then over to Last Arrow for a game of Euchre. After dark we retreated back to Pau Hana in near pitch black moonless conditions. The white anchor light was the only way we knew where our boat was.

  

Parry Sound to Eureka Point

TRAVEL DAY 96 - Eureka Point to Devils Door Rapids

August 15, 2023

5.42 Hours/44.2 Miles

    Motoring though narrow rocky zig-zag passages, the beauty is astounding. There is more than we can look at just once, as our minds tried to absorb all that was around. Each time we take a photo we are disappointed as it never seems to capture what we are really seeing.

  

Mind the Red & Greens

    Once again the weather forecast revealed a few days of high winds so we decided to skip a stop and take advantage of the good weather we had left by going to the anchorage at Devil's Door Rapids.  Leaving our quiet anchorage, we rounded the island and back to the small craft channel and around Ojibway Island.

  

Summer colors

    At Pointe au Baril Range Lighthouse, we moved back into the eastern edge of Georgian Bay. Now a standing lighthouse, the original marker was a barrel, hence the name.

  

Point au Baril Range Front Lighthouse

 

Site of the "original" barrel at Point au Baril

    Not as ominous as it sound, the entrance to the Devil's Door Anchorage marked with a green bouy is a popular, well protected spot with enough room for several large boats. Surrounded by high rock cliffs, the bay is fed by a serious of rapids and rivers.  We moved around the anchorage to get a sense of depth and pick out a place to drop the anchor for the night. Like Goldilocks, one was too weedy, one had too much current, but one was just right. With the anchor dropped and our position well away from the protruding rocks, we dropped the dinghy and headed for the Devil's Door.

  

Devil's Door Anchorage

    As we approached, the current picked up and I was careful not to bang a rock and destroy the only prop I had. Right at the door the dinghy held in place and I had to gun the motor to get through. Once on the other side we could see a confluence of creeks and rapids from each direction. We found a low rock crevasse to bring the dink into and climb ashore. We walked the humps of granite to view the other rapids that were significantly larger than the one we boated through. Visitors ride these rapids with small boats, but unless you have an idea of what you are doing, it is a fools errand. We settled for pictures.

  

    Back through Devil's Door was even more fun than going up as we watched a small aluminum boat whip through and we followed them, careful to stay on the left side and close to the cliff, away from the rocks below.

 

Devil's Door

    We jumped off the boat into the cold refreshing water and then sat on the bow in the remaining sunshine to dry off as we watched the sun fall below the cliff horizon. 

  

Eureka Point to Devils Door Rapids

TRAVEL DAY 97 - Devils Door Rapids to Killarney

August 16, 2023

5.15 Hours/39.9 Miles

    Two days of high winds were on their way. We knew we could stay in the anchorage and be safe but opted to move to our next stop, Killarney. A well protected cut about 40 miles west and just off Georgian Bay, this little town had Killarney Mountain Lodge. This is another popular stop and gives travelers a chance to refuel, light provisioning and with a slip at the marina, the use of the pool, sauna, laundry and restaurant.

   

Exiting the anchorage into Georgian Bay

    It was another gorgeous day as we exited the bay, rounded Toad Island and into Beaverstone Bay. A sharp left turn placed us in the narrow Collins Inlet. This was the inside passage and an alternate route from going outside in Georgian Bay. The ride was so scenic, again we couldn't absorb it all. We moved though a fjord like passage for 13 miles before exiting back into the bay. 

   

Collins Inlet

 

Where Canada's National Animal hangs out

    As we approached the cut to Killarney the waves began to build from the easterly winds. Still not large or uncomfortable but a sign of what would come tomorrow and the next day. As soon as we got behind the point the water didn't have nearly a ripple and we cruised in smoothly down a channel full of kayakers and boats.

  

Entering Killarney

    We couldn't get a reservation at the lodge marina but did get one at the Sportsman's Inn which also allowed us to use the facilities at the lodge, just a little more walking.  The little boat wins again as we got an inside slip where the bigger vessels can't get into.

 

Sportsman's Lodge

    With a super helpful staff and dockhands, we backed into our slip surrounded by crystal clear waters and hooked up. We would be here 2 to 3 days depending on the winds. 

 

Safe from the wind

    The next day we hiked the trail to the lighthouse. Climbing the large rocks at the edge of the bay, we could see two boats coming into the cut. The waves were an easy 5 - 6' with a 2 second interval. We cheered them on and commented how we had made a better decision by getting here a day earlier. It would have been an absolute miserable last 2 hours to make the transit.

 

The "World's Largest Paddle"

  

Killarney Entrance

 

Killarney Lighthouse

  

   The 3rd day turned cold and 55 degrees. Winds still blowing, we opted to stay another night, as did the other boaters. We hoped Saturday would provide the start of a weeks worth of good cruising into the North Channel. In the meantime we did some chores and readied the boat for shove off. We got together for some games in the clubhouse at the lodge.

 

Fun game of darts with Jolly Roger Too

    We'll see what tomorrow brings & if the forecasts are accurate.

Devil's Door Rapids to Killarney