North Channel

June 8-17, 2004

aboard BuscaBrisas from Little Current to the Whalesback Channel

(And Return)



Tue08- Little Current to Bell Cove (north side of Great La Cloche Island)
     It always seems like it takes forever to leave for these vacation trips; always so many last minute things to take care of, and this trip was no exception. I really need to streamline this process. I suppose being a bona-fide procrastinator is unhelpful.      But anyway, away we drove, only to realize that I had forgotten my passport, something probably completely unnecessary unless I didn't have it. So, some backtracking just to be on the safe side. With my luck, they'd start requiring them while I was out of the country and then they wouldn't let me back in. *LOL*      Crossing the border, I naturally chose the wrong lane with the RV's and campers which the customs guys were glad to point out. But, the gleam on Busca's hull caught their eye , mesmerizing them and one asked if I had just painted her.J
     "No, just cleaned her up and waxed her" (I had just applied Poli-Glow, not a wax but I didn't want to complicate things).
     "Where are you headed?"
     "Little Current"
     "Oh, have a cottage up there?"
     "No, just going to do some sailing and stay on the boat."
     "Ohh, well have a good time."

     I missed the exit in Toronto and then circled around in heavy rush-hour traffic, stop and go sometimes. Bad timing and didn't arrive in Sudbury until late at night. I spent the night in a truck stop.

     We got into Little Current mid-morning and I checked out the ramp at the Spider Bay Marina and paid my ramp and parking fee. The ramp is quite good (although not as good as Rockland, Maine's) and the facilities (restrooms, etc) well maintained (much nicer than Rockland, which only had a portable toilet). While I was there, only one other boat used the ramp.

     It was a hot day to be setting up the boat, but with the help of a total of a whopping 106 fluid ounces of various liquid refreshments that afternoon, the boat was rigged and packed and launched.

     Bill and I ran into town where I got a fishing license and a few odds and ends. Here are a few scenes:

     We set out from Little Current pretty late in the afternoon with the winds WSW at 5-10 kts, which meant a short stretch of beating to get out of the channel between Manitoulin and Great La Cloche, passing a Canadian buoytender on the way. I more or less flipped a coin and decided to head north up the Wabuno Channel to Sturgeon Cove on the north side of Great La Cloche.

     As we neared Sturgeon Cove, we noticed that there was already someone there so instead we went next door to Bell Cove, anchored, inflated the dinghy, and rowed ashore:

     We explored along the shore and Bill did a little wading.

     The shadows were lengthening, so we headed back to the mother ship. No sooner were we aboard than the Universal Airborne Bloodsuckers hit. Netting in place! Normally I can get away with tossing the netting over the hatches any old way, but these skeeters were clever and determined and a few managed to sneak in periodically to interupt blissful slumber.

Wed09-Bell Cove to Sturgeon Cove
     By morning the wind had swapped around so that now my anchorage was rather lumpy. As a precaution I put out a second anchor and increased the scope so I could eat breakfast in peace, then we sailed out and I peeked into neighboring Sturgeon Cove. The prior day's inhabitant had vacated it and the cove looked too inviting to pass by. This was to be a very short day indeed. I checked the Great Lakes Cruising Club harbor report and the path was described in great detail: a backwards Z-shaped path was needed to safely traverse the rocks that block the entrance, a path formed by aligning three pairs of range markers in succession.

     The Northeast wind made for an easy sail along the Z-path and before long the 4.4# Claw anchor was slipping to the bottom in ten feet. I had just bought this anchor as a lunch hook and decided to try it out. This anchor was equipped with 3/8" nylon rode only; no chain; the idea being convenience and light weight, but what I found was that the anchor required a very large scope, almost all of the sixty feet of rode, before it would dig in at all. This was a much different experience than with my 11# Bruce with chain and nylon. I shall have to add some chain and report back. Given that much scope, the anchor did seem to hold well in the calm water and less than 10 kt puffs that danced past the trees.

     Bill and I spent the day exploring, climbing the rocky rise that is Alert Point and while I was enjoying the spectacular views both near and far, Bill was enjoying the apparently spectacular scents.

     This evening, I took special care to get the netting sealed up before the little vampires made their appearance and the effort paid off in the form of a peaceful night's sleep.

Thu10-at anchor in Sturgeon Cove
     There was so much left to explore that I departed from my usual pattern of always moving and spent the day anchored, climbing the hill to the south and relaxing. It was a very pleasant day.

     Bill got back to his roots and no doubt fancied himself a rough-and-tumble wolf:

     Fortunately, it was only temporary and he later became his usual civil self:

continue to part 2