Georgian Bay 2001
Lion's Head To The North Channel
(And Return)
Setting: This trip took place in the western and northern portion
of Georgian Bay (part of Lake Huron) starting at Lion’s Head, a village of 500 midway up the
Bruce Peninsula. I sailed with my dog Bilbo north from there to the eastern end of the North
Channel.
Day 1, Sunday, August 5, 2001
Lion’s Head N to Wingfield
Basin along the Bruce Peninsula. Winds less than 10 kts, waves less than 1 foot. Skies mostly clear.
Dist: 17 nm.
I had chosen Lion’s Head for starting point because it had been the
northern terminus on an earlier trip in my Thistle and I wanted to pick up where I had left off.
It is a cozy little village with a small public beach, a post office, an OPP (Ontario Provincial
Police) station, a grocery store, a restaurant, and a few other small shops. The marina is not
very large but it has had a lot of major improvements so the facilities are pretty nice. Not much
in the line of supplies, though. Half of the marina office building is a gift shop with nick-nack
type stuff. The ramp is nice although a little on the steep side.
It was downright warm when I was setting the boat up, and the
marina was bustling with lake trout fishermen. It was so busy in the small parking area that I
had to move three times to let someone in or out of a parking space. Bilbo took full advantage of
this time to bark at every dog that happened by and surely every dog in town was there! I loaded
all the lighter stuff aboard the boat but left the water jugs and ice chest for after the boat was
floating. Finally, I was ready to launch but had to wait another half hour while the ramp
cleared.
I carefully backed down the ramp and the boat started to float free
when WHAM there was a noise and the trailer winch disappeared from view.
"Hmmm", I thought, "I wonder what THAT was?" Very
carefully, I turned off the ignition, put the truck in first gear, set the parking brake, and
walked around back. The winch and the vertical tube it mounts on were dangling from
Busca’s bow eye. There was a gaping square hole in the top of the tongue tube where
the winch tube had been. A bystander said "Wow" and I said, "Yeah, never
had THAT happen before." A second bystander informed me that there
was a guy in town with a welding shop. Since it was Sunday I decided to wait until I returned
to take care of it, so I pulled the trailer out, loaded the water and cooler onto Busca and
parked the truck and trailer in the town lot a half-mile away (free parking!).
Got all twenty three gallons of water packed away under the
v-berth, topped off the cooler with fresh ice, and away we sailed, just before sunset.
The air was light but I set the working jib instead of the big genny
since it was nearly dark. We ghosted away from the village. Some miles away I thought I heard
thunder. (This is a theme: when I sailing the Bay in my Thistle I also heard thunder-like
noises which were apparently exploding artillery from a military base on the southern shore).
This time the thunder turned out to be fireworks! I was far away, but they were still pretty
to watch. Soon after, the moon rose in an orange orb. Every few miles I would record the
coordinates from the gps.
It was after midnight when we cleared Cabot Head and altered
course to the northwest. Wingfield Basin is on the northern side of Cabot Head and is a
well-protected anchorage on an otherwise inhospitable coast. When the range lights came into
view I lowered the sails, started the outboard (fortunately it is very quiet at idle speeds),
and crept slowly along the dredged channel into the basin. Keeping the range lights aligned
one above the other and watching the fishfinder, we entered the anchorage without incident.
I quietly set the anchor and Bilbo and I were soon asleep. In this case, I set the anchor by
just pulling hard on the rode a few times. With such a small boat, that seems to do a pretty
decent job and it saves making lots of noise with the engine.
Day 2, Monday, August 6, 2001
Wingfield Basin to Club Harbour. Winds brisk, a little too much
sail up for a beat with the working jib and reefed main. Waves occasionally hitting 3’, mostly less.
Sky started out clear but quickly clouded up, and then cleared again at anchor. Dist: 26 nm.
The morning sun woke us and I noted that I hadn't brought my boarding
ladder. (I've since replaced it with a bolted-on model). I did bring a tiny inflatable
Sevylor dinghy with me, and I dug it out of the cockpit locker. A high volume pump made the job
go quickly. I towed the dinghy one day when I had a very short run and the wind was light. All
the other days I deflated it, rolled it up, and stuffed it in the port locker.
Today was windier and turned grey soon after I started out beating
along the coast towards Tobermory. Thinking I might be able to catch the Flowerpot Island area
in better weather on the return trip, I bore off to the north and passed just east of Bear's Rump
Island then north east around to Club Island. On that course the sailing went quickly and
easily. I passed a sailboat motoring directly into the wind. The spray flew back to his cockpit
and the crew looked miserable huddled in their foulies. The approach to Club Harbour looked to be
as straightforward as the last, but as I neared, I noted hippity-hop sized boulders that appeared
to be just under the surface of the super-clear water. My notes all pointed to plenty of clearance
and the fish-finder backed them up, but still I was a bit nervous seeing the rocks. I normally
sail in comparatively silty waters where I would not have been able to see the bottom. Ignorance
IS bliss!
The anchorage had about a dozen boats in it and Busca was
clearly the smallest. No sooner had I set the hook than one of the other cruisers invited me
over for freshly baked cookies, but with Bilbo along I had to decline because he would've barked
his head off if I'd left him on the boat and I couldn't very well take him with me.
Instead, we went directly to shore. Bill jumped from
BuscaBrisas into the dinghy and every time he did that, I cringed, waiting to hear the
"sssssss" of a puncture but fortunately it never came! I slowly rowed us ashore for
our exercise. Getting back aboard the boat was no problem for him; I held the dinghy tightly
against BuscaBrisas and he just climbed aboard.
Day 3, Tuesday, August 7, 2001
Club Harbour to Snug Harbour. Starting out the wind was very
light but eventually filled in nicely NNW 15 kts. Dist: 28 nm
After rowing Bilbo ashore for our morning walk we got a pretty late
start (got to be a habit leaving around ten) in very light air. Then it died completely and the
water was glassy calm. So, in the interest of reaching our next anchorage before dark, we
reluctantly fired up the motor. And motored. A couple hours anyway. When we reached Cape Smith
the wind filled in for a good reach up to the eastern end of the North Channel. I was able to sit
back and relax while the sheet-to-tiller steered for me. We rounded the Burnt Islands and then
ducked between Badgeley and Harris Islands into Lansdowne Channel then dropped the sails and
motored through the narrow opening into Snug Harbour. The opening looks pretty wide, but
the eastern half of the entrance is very shoal with a sheet of solid rock. It was a very peaceful
night and there were six boats in the harbor, all sailboats.
Day 4, Wednesday, August 8, 2001
Sailed from Snug Harbour to Marianne Cove via Hole-in-the-Wall.
Wind W 10 kts. Dist: 12 nm.
Spotted a bald eagle the next morning. Bilbo and I rowed ashore and
explored a bit, climbing to the top of a neighboring rise to survey the surroundings (and sniff
here there and everywhere). The terrain is rugged and rocky; not suitable for farming.
We hiked back down to the boat and Bilbo hopped into the dinghy. I had
to ask him to get out so I could launch it first. It was a tight squeeze for the two of us in the
little dinghy and he had to sit a certain way so that I could row.
The light was pretty good, so I took a few pictures of
BuscaBrisas at anchor. The anchorage is about 27’ with a nice mud/soft clay bottom.
It’s well protected from all directions, one could say snug, and easy to get into. Most of the
boats had left by this time and the wind was just right for a run through the narrow exit so I
hoisted the main and weighed anchor. With just the main up and sheeted in and the helm free
Busca slowly tacked back and forth barely moving while I stowed the anchor. Once outside
the harbor I hoisted the jib and away we went beating west down Lansdowne Channel.
Just before Hole-in-the-Wall, the channel narrowed up, so I motored
a little ways then turned to thread my way through the tiny gap. I wouldn’t have risked attempting
to go through there since the charts showed the narrow gap to be full of rocks, but I was armed
with "local" knowledge. Last winter I had joined the Great Lakes Cruising Club and their
Port Pilot and Log books detailed a safe pathway through. I never had less than five feet of water
even though at one point Bilbo probably could have leapt ashore…from either side of the boat.
It was quite a thrill going through there. In the picture below, there is actually a small
anchorage on the other side of the rocks. After that the navigable channel narrows
again…underwater…and the course follows a sort of "S" shape.
After clearing that, we sailed north across Frazer Bay. Frazer Bay
is pretty wide open with only a couple shoals and the water averages about a hundred feet deep.
I set up the sheet-to-tiller and relaxed, not really watching my course or looking at the charts.
I mistook McGregor Point for Frazer Point. I wanted to sail between the two points into Baie
Fine. Baie Fine is about nine miles long and a mile wide but the entrance is much narrower. I
almost missed it.
A little ways in is a neat little cove named for the daughter of the
founder of Zenith. Marianne Cove is about 15 feet deep with good water depth near to shore, so
many people will put out a bow anchor and tie the stern to a rock or tree ashore. I followed the
examples of my neighbors. After tying up, we rowed a short distance to a hiking trail that leads to the
top of Frazer Bay Hill. Below is a panorama of the view. Frazer Bay is to the left. Baie Fine
is the narrow "fiord" to the right. McGregor Bay is to the far right.
Days 5 & 6, Thursday & Friday, August 9-10, 2001
Marianne Cove to the Pool. Wind W 10-15 kts.
In the morning, a fox trotted along the water's edge. At one point it
came across a snake. The snake repeatedly struck at it, but each time the fox jumped back. After
about four strikes, the fox decided to just go around. The snake was near a neighboring boat's line
ashore, so I warned them of it. A week later I met that same boat, a trimaran, back at Wingfield
Basin. (Saw the same boats at different anchorages several times).
After our usual leisurely start, we sailed east down Baie Fine
to the Narrows, then, not knowing quite what to expect, motored down the Narrows to the Pool.
The Pool is considered the cruising "Holy Grail" of the area. I guess in recent years
it’s been getting pretty weedy, but fortunately I didn't have any difficulty setting the anchor.
Spent two nights there and hiked back to Topaz Lake. Thought about hiking around the lake but I
didn't have any food with me and the terrain looked pretty rugged on half of it, so I settled
for just going halfway around (and back!). Got a good downpour while at anchor, the only rain
of the whole trip. I ran out of ice today and decided to "rough" it for the rest
of the trip with no ice rather than go into Little Current.
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Day 7, Saturday, August 11, 2001
Pool to Browning Cove. SSW wind 10 kts. Dist: 14 nm
Sailed back out Baie Fine (motored through the Narrows since the
wind was nearly on the nose) and headed over to Heywood Island, home of Browning Cove. Looking
back, I noticed two forest fires, one on Frazer Point and one on McGregor Point. The people
on the trimaran later told me that the water bombers flew right over them real low and slow.
They said the plane picked up water from Frazer Bay, and then circled around to dump it on
3 minute cycles. I wish I could have seen the action.
At Browning Cove I anchored in the narrows with bow and stern
anchors and in the process, sheared the outboard pin with the anchor line. The dinghy made
changing it easy enough though and I managed not to drop anything in the water! As a
precaution I pulled in closer to shore so the water would be shallow enough to dive. Climbing
back aboard BuscaBrisas I forgot to tie the dinghy and it slowly drifted away. I lunged for it
and grabbed it just in time! Later I sheared another pin as I was approaching the trailer. I
shifted at slightly faster than idle speed and that was all it took. ugh!
Day 8, Sunday, August 12, 2001
Browning Cove, around Strawberry Island, then back to Snug Harbour
in preparation for the return trip. Variable wind. Dist: 23 nm
Sailed lazily around Strawberry Island and then back over to
Lansdowne Channel (got to sail the channel this time) because I wanted to spend the night
in Snug Harbour again. I wasn't sure how much trouble I would have getting my trailer repaired
and didn't want to cut it too close in case of poor weather, so I decided to start the trip back
Monday morning.
Day 9, Monday, August 13, 2001
Snug Harbour to Rattlesnake Harbour. Variable NE wind.
Dist: 30 nm
Spent all day sailing along Manitoulin Island. [Note: At 30 miles
by 80 miles, Manitoulin Island is the largest island in fresh water in the world. It’s big!].
Rattlesnake Harbour is on the north end of Fitzwilliam Island. It is a big, deep anchorage that
can really house a lot of boats. Apparently someone is getting ready to log the island or
something, judging from the activity I saw. We rolled in just before sunset.
Day 10, Tuesday, August 14, 2001
Rattlesnake Harbour to Wingfield Basin. Wind started light
from the E, built to 10 kts from the WNW.
I planned to take the "adventurous" route between
Wall Island and Fitzwilliam instead of sailing way out around Wall Island. There is a
rather narrow channel bordered by Fitzwilliam to the west and the Wall, an underwater rock
ledge extending out from Wall Island. On the east side of the Wall are depths of 150’. The
Wall itself is 2’ deep, and then there is the channel that is about 25’ deep. I motored out
of the anchorage and since the wind was practically nonexistent around the northeast tip of
Fitzwilliam. After I cleared the Wall, I set the main and working jib. It wasn’t long before
I swapped up to the big genny which I poled out. Ghosted along on a broad reach at less than a
knot for a couple hours on nearly glassy water.
Then the wind filled in lightly, moving me at a couple
knots...on a beat.... then a wee bit more and it was 3 knots...and then 4. At that point
it held steady and we were scooting along beautifully. I wanted to sail directly over
Anderson Ledge, which has about 10 feet and is out in the middle of the mouth of the Bay. With
the help of the gps I got near, and then spotted it with the color change in the water...sailed
right over it...so cool!
After the ledge, we headed for the Gig Point Light on Cove Island
and around the north side of Flowerpot Island past these "flower pots"…
After that we were off to Wingfield Basin on an easy wing-and-wing
run at 4 to 5 kts.
Day 11, Wednesday, August 15, 2001
Wingfield Basin to Lion’s Head. Brisk SW wind 20-25 kts.
Dist: 17 nm
Today’s trip was different. Reefed main and 80% jib, a long
hard beat through sloppy 1'-3' waves back to Lion's Head. I was tired and sore when I
arrived. The trimaran (36') left at the same time, but on a reach. They were quickly out
of sight. Pic below shows the spray flying across the deck. Only a couple of times did it
reach the cockpit.
If I pinched at all, my speed dropped to less than 3 kts, but
by watching that I didn't pinch, Busca made 4 according to the gps. I’m sure I could
have benefited from new sails; mine are kind of blown out. I didn't attempt to set up the
sheet-to-tiller because the wind was blustery enough that I thought it best to be able to
dump the main if need be, which I did do a few times.
Fixing the trailer turned out to be really quick and easy,
because the welder had a slip in the marina and the harbor attendant said she'd seen him
around and would send him my way next time she saw him. I took a slip for the night.
The next morning he had me road-ready in 45 minutes, and for a very fair price.
All in all it was a mighty nice trip, just not long enough, of
course. I would have liked to make it west of Little Current into the main part of the North
Channel, but between a late start and my trailer troubles I was a bit shy of time. I am glad
I picked up at Lion's Head; next trip I'll have to put in at Little Current to allow more
time for gunkholing.
Notes:
- For this trip I modified the original factory rudder (I had bought a second one so I’d have
an original style rudder). I was concerned about damaging the rudder and/or transom by grounding
on solid rock. The rudder as it came from the factory is vertically adjustable but even in the
"up" position it hangs below the bottom of the fixed keel by several inches. I trimmed
about 10" off the bottom so that when the rudder is "up" it is a few inches
ABOVE the bottom of the keel. While it worked out okay, it was not without
a noticable loss in windward performance, so it was far from the ideal solution. I plan to
continue using the factory arrangement except on trips to the North Channel where a grounding
would likely have serious consequences. I was considering a kick-up type rudder but didn’t get
it made before the trip; sawing off some of the rudder was quick and dirty.
- I used the battery almost exclusively for the fish finder. I used the navigation lights only
briefly and didn’t use the interior cabin lights at all. In the anchorages I found that about
half of the boats showed no anchor light. The one night I entered an anchorage after dark there
was a nearly full moon so I had no trouble seeing the unlit boats. Had there been no moon or if
it had been overcast then that might have been a problem.
- I’m looking into using LED lighting to lessen my power draw. I wouldn’t have minded reading
a bit before bed and it is often so bright to read in the sunlight, plus there is scenery to
be enjoyed.
- Once again my ice lasted 5 days. The key to long-lasting ice is starting out COLD. I had
bought a bag of ice the night before to chill a cooler-full of Gatorade. It was entirely melted
the next morning of course, but the Gatorade was now pretty cold. I then filled up before leaving
and it was that ice that lasted. I’m sure that if I had frozen the Gatorade before leaving then
the cooler would have lasted more than 6 days.
- I was amazed at how much fits into the M17 port cockpit locker. I had two 8x20 fenders, two
seat/throw cushions, a danforth anchor w/ rode, a folding grapnel anchor with rode, the Sevylor
dinghy, the air pump, small oars, tiller extension, my trash, an extension cord, and a few other
odds and ends. There was still plenty of room to spare.
- I kept my Bruce anchor in a milk-crate inside the cabin under the cockpit. That arrangement
worked well and I think that will become my standard. Perhaps I’m flirting disaster, but I’ve
always had trouble with coiled line tangling hopelessly. Maybe it’s because I’m left handed and
coil it backwards (?), but at any rate I started feeding the anchor rode into the milk crate in
a random pile and lo and behold I never had another significant tangle. The rode on this anchor
is too long to fit on a cord spool. My little grapnel has a shorter rode and I keep it on a spool,
which works nice.
- I brought entirely too much water with me and came back with 14 gallons left. (At first I
thought I brought back 13 gallons but when I cleaned out the boat at home I discovered yet
another one). This time I bought another brand of bottled water with heavier jugs, and it
worked better, but I still got a little leakage. Too much dog food as well. Bilbo just
can’t eat 40# of dog food in a 1 ½ weeks no matter how much he tries.
J. Oh, and propane. I cooked one big meal per day
(boiling water for spaghetti, etc) and one bottle lasted the whole trip. Two of the bottles
would have been plenty even if I had cooked more.
- The solar shower warmed water pretty well but it cooled down too quickly before I was able
to use it. Maybe some sort of insulation (a soft-sided cooler?) for it once it’s hot would help.
I’ll have to try that.
- When beating in chop the companionway hatch tended to creep forward with no hatch boards
in. To stop that, I pressed the tail of a jib sheet between the hatch and the wood retaining
strip.
- The slip at Lion's Head cost me Can$1/ft and the ramp was Can$5