Little Current to Killarney



Lucas on the dingy with ears in the wind

From Little Current to Killarney is 23 miles on the water - it took us 6 days to make the trip because of the great scenery and anchorages in the area.  Unfortunately, before departing Little Current on Monday, we awoke to a very sick puppy!  Lucas ate something on one of the islands in the Benjamins and was feeling a little "under the weather" for a few days.  Whatever it was got the better of him and before leaving Little Current on Monday morning, we spent a lot of time cleaning his bed, floor, the walls, etc. (I am sure you get the picture).  Good news - Lucas is now back to normal.

From Little Current, we traveled to Mary Anne Cove in Baie Fine, a fiord created by glaciers during the last ice age, made of white quartz rock.  We anchored in the cove in a driving rain and were able to anchor and tie to shore with the help of one of the other boaters.  After the rain passed, the next few days were spectacular.  When we think we have seen the best anchorage on the trip, we find another that we like even more.

Overlooking Little Current

Lucas felt as bad as this picture looks

After 3 days in Mary Anne Cove, on Thursday, we traveled to another cove not too far to Covered Portage, another beautiful cove surround by 400 feet high white quartz.  We actually hiked to the top of one of the rocks and took a few of the pictures below.  Another great anchorage!  Again we stayed for 3 days.

On Sunday morning we moved to Killarney and are currently at the Sportsman Inn Marina for reprovisions and chores.  Killarney is our last stop before entering Georgian Bay, our last leg of this part of our journey.  We will be in Midlands on the south end of Georgian Bay next weekend to attend a Looper Gathering and to wait on friends from home that will join us for a week of travels on The Trent-Severn Waterway. 

Baie Fine

Anchorage in Mary Anne Cove

Anchored in Mary Anne Cove

Sunset in Mary Anne Cove

View of Knot Busy from the top of the rock
in Covered Portage

It is a long way down

Crossing the North Channel to Georgian Bay

The weather has finally decided to cooperate!  We departed Thessalon on Monday en route to Meldrum Bay.  Before departing the marina, to our pleasant surprise, we spotted a moose swimming in front of the break wall trying to get to a small island.  He had a tough time climbing out on the rocks and continued to swim until we lost him in the early morning haze.  Assuming he made it.

Bullwinkle in the water

Meldrum Bay Marina, etc

At the B&B looking at our
boat at anchor

In 2009, while doing the Great Loop, we were "stuck" in Meldrum Bay on the North Channel for 4 days due to strong westerly winds.  Meldrum Bay consists of a small marina with shabby docks, a Bed and Breakfast with a great restaurant, and a country store that has one of every item on the shelf.  We were marooned here with 6 or 7 other boats but we made the best of it due in large part to the other boaters.  Because of the fond memories we had of this less than ideal experience, we decided we had to make the journey into the Bay just for a revisit.  We anchored outside the marina and took the dingy to shore.  Not a lot has changed although the "marina" office has been condemned and a new office has been built on the shore.  The B&B and the general store are pretty much unchanged although the store has a new owner and now has 2 of everything on the shelves.  Better than last time, we only stayed one night, departing early on Monday for an anchorage that we missed on our last trip.

The Benjamin Islands are part of many islands that make up the northern shore of the North Channel.  Most of these islands are make of pink granite rock carved in the ice age and created by mother nature that is now officially declared a National Beauty Spot  by Canada.  Obviously, because of the granite rocks, we needed to be very careful as we made our way to a cove separating north and south Benjamins.  It is really hard to describe how picturesque this setting is and the pictures below will only depict part of the beauty.  We came for one night and stayed four!

We reluctantly left our anchorage for Little Current on Manuitoulin Island - a small community that caters to the boating community.  We will re provision - get our land legs back - and depart for more anchorages west of here before arriving in Killarny at the beginning of the Georgian Bay next weekend.

Sunset in the cove

Lucas likes to sit on the bow of the dingy while riding

Notice the boat tied to the granite

Mother nature at work

Overlooking the anchorage from the top of the rock

Knot Busy on anchor - rock in background
is where we took previous picture

Sunset

Flora on top of granite

One of the many granite islands

Sault Ste Marie to The North Channel







On Anchor off St Joseph Channel

Lucas' first dingy ride

The weather continues to offer challenges!  We crossed St Mary's River to the Canadian side, checked into customs and the marina at Sault Ste Marie.  We fully anticipated the winds to increase but we had no idea how cold the wind would be!!!  We were here for two nights and on the 2nd night, the temperature was in the low 40's, strong winds, and rain.  Fortunately, the front passed and we departed The Soo on Wednesday morning in sunny (finally) weather.  Our first stop was an anchorage on the St Joseph's channel - we intended to stay one night but the surroundings were so great, we stayed here for two nights!  A truly wonderful setting for our first time on anchor with Knot Busy.

One of many lighthouses intended
 to warn of ROCKS!

Looks like an outhouse?

We arrived in Thessalon, Ontario on July 1st for Canada Day.  We walked to the local park for an afternoon of festivities and celebration of Canada Independence Day.  When we depart here on Sunday, we will be in "familiar" territory as we travel into areas that we were in when we did The Great Loop.  Our first stop will be in Meldrum Bay where we, along with 10 other Loopers, were trapped for 4 days because of strong winds.  We should be in Little Current by next weekend - another stop we made in 2009.

Locals were really into Canada Day

Pia dressed in Red and White for Canada Day
eating cotton candy