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Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

That’s what I am planning to do this summer in my 1986 28” Pearson sailboat, ALUVA.

In 2006, I sailed on a big sailboat in Lake Michigan for the 1st time. My friend, Ross Chapman was the captain. I was bitten hard by the bug even before he killed the engine and I felt the wind in our sails. By the next July, I had started taking classes, was reading like crazy and looking at boats. In July, I bought a beautiful Pearson the same size and year as Ross’s boat. I sailed Lake Erie every chance I could and soon learned of Georgian Bay(GB), the North Channel(NC), and the Trent-Severn Waterway. Just stir all this up with my love of exploring and readiness for an adventure and a dream is trying to become a reality.

In September, Ross, and my great friend John Hoard, and I sailed the boat across NW Erie, up the Detroit River, across Lake St. Clair, and up the St. Clair River to the town of St. Clair (just south of Port Huron and Lake Huron). Later in the fall, I obtained an 11” inflatable Zodiac with an 8hp Mercury to tow behind ALUVA for those little sidetrip adventures. I like to think we are in the “starting blocks”.

Here’s the working plan. Bounce up the east (Canadian) side of Lake Huron to Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. Enter Georgian Bay and head south along the east coast of Bruce Peninsula (west side of GB). Go as far south as Meaford, then across GB to Hope, Christian and Beckwith Islands. Swing around the south end of Beausoleil Is. Then follow the east side of GB north through thousands of islands primarily by way of the Small Craft Channel and eventually to Killarney and then Little Current where the NC begins. Along the way are places like Hangdog Channel, Honey Harbor, Rodger’s Gut, the Bustards and the Chickens, Frying Pan Island, Go Home Bay, 12 Mile Bay, Snug Harbor, Shawanaga Island, Moon Bay, Beaverstone Bay and Collin’s Inlet, San Souci, Lion’s Head, Wingfield Basin and Parry Sound.

One could spend a lifetime in GB and the NC and never have the same anchorage twice. I hope to do a I week loop in the northern NC and see the Benjamin Islands, Bell Cove, Amendroz Is., Great La Cloche Is., Clapperton Is., Baie Fine, and the Whalesback Channel then return to Little Current.

The last leg will be from Little Current to Mackinac Island, mainly following the NE side of Manitoulin, the largest freshwater island in the world. West Bay, the port of Gore Bay, Bayfield Sound, Meldrum, and Drummond Island will be explored on the way.

The trip may take 6 weeks, divided into 5 parts with different crew. I need at least one person besides myself in order to get into very small anchorages, called gunkholing, not to mention the fact I’d like some company. St Clair to Meaford is a week. Meaford to Little Current will take 12-14 days, a week around the NE NC and then 7-12 days to Mackinac where I plan to store the boat for the winter.

AMBITIOUS! You bet! It may never happen but I am trying to make it a reality.

Captain Dan

Captain Dan

Captain Dan
Really Don, but Kevin(Colin)........

Aluva

Aluva
A magical, mystical, dreamlike state

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Little Current and Baie Fine

Stan left early this morning and JD and I made the 8AM swingbridge and tried somewhat successfully to beat the high wind warning. Ross, thanks for all I learned from you that 1st week....that seems so long ago. I am passed half way on this expedition. We had a dashing sail and some adrenaline getting the main down. Right down the pipe at 25-30k wind in Baie Fine , a 12 mile canyon that ends with and even smaller opening to a short channel that ends in what is called The Pool. We were smokin' along with the Genoa furled doing 7.5 k with chalky, white rock mountains to port somehow supporting pines with dirt about as common as the proverbial flying pig. Deep right off shore and then really shallow in spots. Thanks GPS! As we entered the last narrow channel toward The Pool, we ducked in a very small cove and put out a bow and stern anchor as well as a bow and stern line tied to a tree on shore. Wind was blowin' like a sonofabitch, but gorgeous and sunny and warm.The Pool is very weedy bottom which makes it hard to get the anchor to hold and is known to be very crowded some days (100 boats).  After we felt comfortable that the boat was secure, we took the inflatable and headed for the Pool, downwind, knowing full well that we were coming back to the boat into the gale. Or "the teeth of a gale", as Scuppers, the Sailor Dog, would say. There were several sailboats tucked into small nooks tied to shore but in the Pool....1 BOAT!. Beaching the Zodiac, we did the short, steep hike to Topaz Lake. The pictures describe the beauty much better than I can. The ride back to the boat was slow but we were in no hurry. As I fished off the rocks, trying use up Stan's stockpile of crawlers, I had 2 close up and personal visits from the local beaver. Quiet, peaceful, serene and suddenly, unexpectedly, the this thing the size of a small seal surfaces 10 feet from the rock I am on and slaps his tail with a whip like crack and a big, noisy splash. I wasn't sure whether to check my pants or get the paddles out...or both!
Great sleeping, as ususual.
The water was like a brand new mirror this morning, with the sun burning off the remnants of the evening's cool. Good coffee. Undid the numerous moorings and headed back up Baie Fine, with the autopilot on for a good portion, which allowed me to get back to Jim, Long John Silver, Captain Mollett, the doctor and Mr. Trelawney. AAAARRRGGH!
We took yet another route back to Killarney and indulged in more Herbert's fish from the famous red School bus at the town docks. Gottagimmesummadat! Raining now.
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