Boat Guests!

This week we had our first visitors on the boat since becoming cruisers. Ron’s parents came up to the North Channel to see what staying on the boat was all about. We met them in Little Current then took off for some anchorages within comfortable distances. The biggest problem was trying to pick where to go; this area certainly offers a ton of choices! Problems, am I right?

The little current didn't seem so little

After picking our stowaways up in town and checking out the Haweater Festival we anchored out behind Picnic Island and had one of the best sunsets. The next morning we woke up and got ready to make our first pass through the swing bridge that provides the only road access to Manitoulin Island. 

Being total current illiterates, we were pretty impressed with the 4kt current ripping down the short channel while waiting for the bridge opening. Little Current is the only waterway connecting the North Channel and the Georgian Bay, and the wind can really push a lot of water through, causing the “little” current. Given the recent high winds we’d had, there was a good rip going, pretty exciting for us and a little nerve-wracking for me. But, despite my increasing anxiety, Ron got us through without issue. Something about being shoved at 4kts toward a bridge makes me a little edgy I guess.

Bae Finne was one of the places on my list to see, it’s one of the very few fjords in North America and we’d heard from others that it’s something you have to see at least once. So, to Bae Finne it was; we navigated the channels, rocks and hazards while enjoying the massively steep white quartz mountains around us with trees precariously perched in even the tiniest of nooks and crannies that hung over straight cliffs that continued into the water. Pretty impressive! We motored the 10 miles down the fjord and came to an even narrower section called The Pool that offers great protection and beautiful views as well as a few trails that lead to some other lakes in the hills.

Heading up the fjord

Looking up the fjord

Anchored in The Pool

Swimming (and bathing) in Topaz Lake

My favorite anchorage of the week was, without a doubt, the one on Blueberry Island. We had a little alcove that we stern-tied to shore and floated in some of the clearest water we’ve seen yet. Let’s just say that 8ft of water looked more like 2ft! After a short little walk you had spectacular views out the bay from a rolling rock bluff. As if the scenery weren’t enough, Ron and his dad kept busy fishing and were able to give us a nice little stockpile of bass and pike that won’t go to waste!

Pretty pretty

I wanna go back

Helping navigate

And here’s a little photo evidence to show that I do share in anchor yanking duties…sometimes ;) Given the calm winds we finally had again, I thought it would be good to warm up my anchor pulling skills. It wasn’t all pretty, but I got it. With just a little more practice I might just have it figured out!

Feeling the burn

What a great week! I can’t wait for more family/friends to come visit us!