North Channel

In the North Channel of Lake Huron

Killarney, ON
July 30

We left the Bustard Islands by 7:00 am. I had been very concerned about this passage because the prevailing winds would cause side seas on a rather long passage. It was a beautiful ride. I defrosted the refrigerator early in the day so it could cool off during the run.

We hadn’t really planned to stop, but managed to find a marina in Killarney and were able to take care of laundry, groceries and dump the trash. We only need to do that about every 2 weeks. We made 3 trips to town to bring things home. It is very different not to have a car to just stop here and there and pick up whatever you think you might want.

We did have fish and chips at Mr. Perch, which is the red school bus that is so famous in this area for having the “Best Fish and Chips in the world.”

Pretty amazing sight

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Baie Fine, ON
July 31

We left Killarney rather unprepared, but were able to sort out charts and make travel decisions rather quickly. The paper chart showed the Landsdowne Passage as far too shallow, but the computer charts were excellent and showed the depths. The Digital Ocean charts are on-screen prints of the actual chart, much like Maptech, but not quite as refined in their appearance. The essentials are there, though and you can read the buoy numbers and colors, unlike the Richardson paper charts.

We anchored outside the entrance to the pool because the charts said it was only 5 ft. deep inside. We watched the behavior of the boat at anchor for a little while then went by dinghy up into the pool. There was about 100 ft. boat up in there. The shallowest depth we found with our hand held depth finder was 9.6 ft. This cove was just before the narrow passage. We could have gone in, but this is so beautiful and alone.

This place was about as
close to heaven as it ever gets.

Cobbler made of blueberries picked
at the top of the mountain in The Pool

We walked to the top of the mountain and saw a clear lake. We also picked nearly a quart of blueberries thus depriving the local bear population.

Don went fishing all around the cove and caught 2 fish while I was cleaning the berries and fantasizing about what to do with them. A cobbler seems to be the best idea yet. We have decided that blueberries are pretty fattening. I guess it isn’t the berries, but as Karin says, “It’s all that butter and sugar you have to put with them.” Don makes foamed milk to pour on the cobblers.

We sat out and watched the sun set behind the pure white mountain off the stern and the silence was deafening.

While we were in Baie Fine, we installed the mid deck shade. I don’t know how we made it 12 years without it. What a difference in both rain and sun.

We fished every afternoon there. We caught 2 Northern Pike, but weren’t sure what they were and the conservation fishing license does not allow us to keep a Muskie. The Northern Pike is sort of like a spotted Muskie. We caught 3 nice bass and one quite large one that spit the hook (honestly it was far bigger than the others). I drive the dinghy and Don fishes.

We will remember Baie Fine as silence, darkness, white mountains and tropical blue water.

Sunset at Baie Fine

Trail to the blueberries

Mountain Lake near Baie Fine

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Aird Islands
August 4

We left Baie Fine in the mist and haze. The weather was nice and calm and we were headed through Little Current and on up the North Channel. We kept passing anchorages that had been suggested to us, but they looked crowded and difficult. We anchored in Whaleback Channel behind Aird Island. The holding was difficult and deep, but it was uncrowded. We fished some and caught nothing, but did have quite an interesting experience with beavers.

We had noticed some piles of sticks and wondered if they were beaver lodges. One looked sort of new but the other just looked like washed up sticks.

We were fishing along and saw a limb on the shore. Don noticed and wondered why it was down since it looked healthy. The “log” next to it turned out to be a beaver. He swam away and we went on to fish. About 30 minutes later we came back and he was there eating the bark. We came quietly from downwind and he didn’t notice us. As we were watching from probably 25 ft. away, we heard a very loud slap close to us. It sounded like something had jumped from shore.

Our beaver swam right over to investigate and slapped his tail and dove. In a couple of minutes the other beaver surfaced by the lodge. It swam back and forth numerous times, and went into the lodge.

Caper anchored at Aird Island

We thought the beavers were warning us and trying to keep us away from the lodge. Our beaver went back to eat. By now we were within 15 feet and he was not paying attention to us. We were very still and quiet. At one point he looked over and spotted Foggy. He slapped his tail and dove then went back to his food. In a few minutes he started swimming away from the lodge. We thought he was trying to lead us away like a mother bird will.

He swam quite a distance and when he got to the other lodge, he dove and went in. We realized that it had been a challenge between the two males and that they were just sorting out territories. Our male was quite a lot larger than the other one.

When we hauled our anchor we found it hung on about a 20 ft. log. No wonder it wouldn’t set.

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Bear Drop Harbor, ON
August 7

We moved over to Bear Drop Harbor. It is a beautiful anchorage with several entrances. We are at the far end of the anchorage and most of the other boats are sailboats. I become more convinced all along that the cruising trawlers are docking in marinas rather than anchoring out. What a shame. You see things anchored that you would never see otherwise.

We went fishing around thru a cut and back through another cut. We caught a Northern Pike and decided to eat it. YUCK! It was far too bony to eat. I guess it would be ok if we could figure out the pattern of the bones. The bones were forked.

Don with a slimy stinky bony
Northern Pike

Catching bait

Bear Drop was actually the last stop on our Canadian cruise. It was a nice quiet anchorage. The sailors were friendly and a lady on the powerboat next to us actually offered to clean a pike if we caught one. We caught one about 2 ft. long and it flipped slime all over the boat. We put it back in the water and didn’t tell her.

Looks like a picture puzzle photo

Bear Drop

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In the North Channel of Lake Huron

Killarney, ON
July 30

We left the Bustard Islands by 7:00 am. I had been very concerned about this passage because the prevailing winds would cause side seas on a rather long passage. It was a beautiful ride. I defrosted the refrigerator early in the day so it could cool off during the run.

We did have fish and chips at Mr. Perch, which is the red school bus that is so famous in this area for having the “Best Fish and Chips in the world.”

Pretty amazing sight

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Baie Fine, ON
July 31

This place was about as
close to heaven as it ever gets.

Cobbler made of blueberries picked
at the top of the mountain in The Pool

We walked to the top of the mountain and saw a clear lake. We also picked nearly a quart of blueberries thus depriving the local bear population.

We sat out and watched the sun set behind the pure white mountain off the stern and the silence was deafening.

While we were in Baie Fine, we installed the mid deck shade. I don’t know how we made it 12 years without it. What a difference in both rain and sun.

We will remember Baie Fine as silence, darkness, white mountains and tropical blue water.

Sunset at Baie Fine

Trail to the blueberries

Mountain Lake near Baie Fine

Back to North Channel List

Aird Islands
August 4

We had noticed some piles of sticks and wondered if they were beaver lodges. One looked sort of new but the other just looked like washed up sticks.

Our beaver swam right over to investigate and slapped his tail and dove. In a couple of minutes the other beaver surfaced by the lodge. It swam back and forth numerous times, and went into the lodge.

Caper anchored at Aird Island

He swam quite a distance and when he got to the other lodge, he dove and went in. We realized that it had been a challenge between the two males and that they were just sorting out territories. Our male was quite a lot larger than the other one.

When we hauled our anchor we found it hung on about a 20 ft. log. No wonder it wouldn’t set.

Back to North Channel List

Bear Drop Harbor, ON
August 7

We went fishing around thru a cut and back through another cut. We caught a Northern Pike and decided to eat it. YUCK! It was far too bony to eat. I guess it would be ok if we could figure out the pattern of the bones. The bones were forked.

Don with a slimy stinky bony
Northern Pike

Catching bait

Looks like a picture puzzle photo

Bear Drop

Back to North Channel List

Photographs by
Images

Site Developed bySSP Internet Marketing

Kingfisher Designs © 1994 - 2010

In the North Channel of Lake Huron

Killarney, ON July 30

We left the Bustard Islands by 7:00 am. I had been very concerned about this passage because the prevailing winds would cause side seas on a rather long passage. It was a beautiful ride. I defrosted the refrigerator early in the day so it could cool off during the run.

We did have fish and chips at Mr. Perch, which is the red school bus that is so famous in this area for having the “Best Fish and Chips in the world.”

Pretty amazing sight

Back to North Channel List

Baie Fine, ON July 31

This place was about as close to heaven as it ever gets.

Cobbler made of blueberries picked at the top of the mountain in The Pool

We walked to the top of the mountain and saw a clear lake. We also picked nearly a quart of blueberries thus depriving the local bear population.

We sat out and watched the sun set behind the pure white mountain off the stern and the silence was deafening.

While we were in Baie Fine, we installed the mid deck shade. I don’t know how we made it 12 years without it. What a difference in both rain and sun.

We will remember Baie Fine as silence, darkness, white mountains and tropical blue water.

Sunset at Baie Fine

Trail to the blueberries

Mountain Lake near Baie Fine

Back to North Channel List

Aird Islands August 4

We had noticed some piles of sticks and wondered if they were beaver lodges. One looked sort of new but the other just looked like washed up sticks.

Our beaver swam right over to investigate and slapped his tail and dove. In a couple of minutes the other beaver surfaced by the lodge. It swam back and forth numerous times, and went into the lodge.

Caper anchored at Aird Island

He swam quite a distance and when he got to the other lodge, he dove and went in. We realized that it had been a challenge between the two males and that they were just sorting out territories. Our male was quite a lot larger than the other one.

When we hauled our anchor we found it hung on about a 20 ft. log. No wonder it wouldn’t set.

Back to North Channel List

Bear Drop Harbor, ON August 7

We went fishing around thru a cut and back through another cut. We caught a Northern Pike and decided to eat it. YUCK! It was far too bony to eat. I guess it would be ok if we could figure out the pattern of the bones. The bones were forked.

Don with a slimy stinky bony Northern Pike

Catching bait

Looks like a picture puzzle photo

Bear Drop

Back to North Channel List

Photographs by Images

Site Developed by
SSP Internet Marketing

Kingfisher Designs
© 1994 - 2010

Killarney, ON
July 30

Baie Fine, ON
July 31

This place was about as
close to heaven as it ever gets.

Cobbler made of blueberries picked
at the top of the mountain in The Pool

Aird Islands
August 4

Bear Drop Harbor, ON
August 7

Don with a slimy stinky bony
Northern Pike

Photographs by
Images