GEORGIAN BAY - DELIGHTFUL!

THURSDAY,  JULY 19TH  -  SNUG HARBOUR

Trip Day:	130	Latitude:	45°22.68 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	25	Longitude:	080°78.67' W	Locks Total:	81
Total Miles:	2,581	Location:	Snug Harbor

Being in no hurry, we took time to do a little  waxing on the boat this morning before lifting anchor at 9:00.  We were lead boat today, so   KatMan2 followed our wake safely.   Jean steered most of the way while Ron served as navigator, checking charts and sighting rocks.  We survived several very skinny passages and pencil-narrow channels.  From a distance, it looked impossible for us to clear the markers, but we took it slowly and, of course, we did have clearance. 

The small granite  islands, winding course, and narrow passages continued to delight the senses as we pick our way through Georgian Bay.  Studying some of the rocks is like watching clouds—we could find animal shapes.  Can you see the elephant lying on its side at the bottom right in this rock?     

Pulling into Snug Harbor, we decided to anchor for the night and check out this lighthouse.    After a short rest and chart-plotting session we took off in the   dinghy to explore our new surroundings.  We were not disappointed-the narrow little cuts had amazing rock formations with grooves and ripples, each unique and beautiful!

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18TH - THREE FINGERS BAY

Trip Day:	129	Latitude:	45°11.83 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	12	Longitude:	080°05.74' W	Locks Total:	81
Total Miles:	2,556	Location:	Three Fingers Bay

One could safely say that we are taking our time to enjoy the views.  We hosted anchor at 9 a.m., ran for about an hour, then tied up on the docks at Henry’s, which has been recommended by many for their Pickerel fish dinners.  Since we were early for lunch, we took off on a hiking trail, making lots of noise due to reports of bear in these woods.  Lunch was a treat—fish, fries, coleslaw and beans all served family style—the four of us ate enough for a big family and agreed it was a good stop for lunch. 

KatMan2 was lead boat today, so we sat back, followed their path with no pressure to spot rocks or ensure the proper course.  They didn’t hit any rocks, so we didn’t hit any rocks—simple!                      

The scenery in Georgian Bay continued to amaze us.  We have seen at least 500 of the 30,000 islands, but each area brings its own beauty and character based on the color of the granite, the angles or smooth edges, and the homes built on the multitude of little islands.  The charts for the North Channel are interesting with the scattered islands and rock formations and essential to stay on course and off the hard surfaces. 

We anchored in Three Fingers Bay with a lovely view, but decided not to swim after Ron sighted this snake just off the boat.   A couple hours later Betty L arrived with their daughter Stephanie on board—we welcomed them and invited everyone aboard Latitude Adjustment for dinner.  

TUESDAY, JULY 17TH - BOWES ISLAND

Trip Day:	128	Latitude:	45°05.55 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	34	Longitude:	080°05.39' W	Locks Total:	81
Total Miles:	2,544	Location:	Bowes Island, ON

Weather forecast for today included the words .  .  . “strong wind warnings” and when I awakened at 5:00 to the sounds of wind and halyard slapping I thought we might be spending the day at the dock.  By 8:00 it appeared reasonable to venture into Georgian Bay and as soon as we cleared the marina breakwater, leaving behind the mural-painted grain silos, the sails were raised and the engine was silent.  I can’t say it was peace and quiet—we were sailing 7.5 to 9.0 mph on the gusts—the rushing, sluicing  sounds as we cut through the water were exhilarating.  As the 20 kt gusts hit, driving the nose of the boat down, we felt we were literally flying across the tops of the whitecaps!  In order to avoid the long fetch of Georgian Bay, we opted to take the alternate route east of Beausoleil Island which provided a wind break through the small islands. 

 Expectations were high since people have been telling us “just wait till you see Georgian Bay” for the last month.  We were not disappointed—this area is spectacular!  The glaciers artistically carved thousands of rock islands in all shapes and sizes, smooth, angular, craggy, and graceful.  To our surprise, many of the islands in this area are topped by houses.

 

Many of the passages were very narrow, but well marked.  Most of the small rock islands had buoy markers and then the    channel markers marked our way through the many islands.  Sometimes the depth would  be 50 feet, then drop to 15 in the narrows.  

At exactly 12:05 this afternoon we passed the 45th parallel which means we are now closer to the North Pole than the equator. .  . changes in latitude!  Appropriately, it is cooler today and tomorrow the highs are predicted in the low eighties. 

As we looked for an anchorage this afternoon, we found an area on the chart that looked promising with depths of 15-20 ft surrounded by islands.  This spot is between Bowes Island and Moose Point    Indian Reserve which is a National Parks island.  We inched our way in, Ron on the bow spotting rocks, Jean steering and calling out depth sounder readings, and safely anchored.  KatMan 2 followed our path, anchoring nearby, then confirmed on the VHF that happy hour and dinner were at 6:00 on their boat tonight.  All is right with the world!