Georgian Bay

It has taken me a little while to be able to post the last several days as our internet connection has become somewhat sparse. We are now getting deeper into cottage country and everything is getting slowly more remote.  So please do not think I have forgotten all those following us.

Wednesday July 25th we met with Midland's harbor hosts Pat and Lynn Lortie.  They came to the boat in the morning and went over some charts with us.  They were very helpful with suggestions of places to see and anchorages.  They also took us to Canadian Tire so Captain Keith could get a fishing license for Canada and we all had lunch together.  Then they took us around the area by car from Big Chute and the surrounding areas and back into Midland.  It was interesting to see the area by car.  It gives one a different perspective than always being on the boat.  Pat and Lynn were so nice to us.  They are great harbor hosts.  We may see them sometime in the future as they live on their boat for the winter in Florida and the Bahamas.  You just never know.

Thursday morning July 26th we left Midland and crossed over the eastern tip of Georgian Bay passing the Midland Point Light and heading toward the small craft channel.

Midland Light

We passed Honey Harbour

Most of the boats in the marinas around Honey Harbour are small run-abouts

We stayed at a very nice marina called South Bay Cove.  Captain Keith decided to do some fishing there.

The Northern Pike were biting as well as a few small mouthed bass.

Captain Keith with some of the Northern Pike he caught (fishey, fishey) 

He was having so much fun he continued to fish even after the rain moved in

It cleared up by evening and the moon was nearly full.
The moon coming up over South Bay Cove Marina Thursday night

We left South Bay Cove on Friday morning for an anchorage in Longuissa Bay.  This spot is just a little way off the channel and up in a very nice little spot.  Depths around 10-20 feet and good holding.

Southern Style anchored in the cove

We immediately unloaded the kayak and the dinghy.  Captain Keith went fishing and Pengi and I went kayaking.

Pictures from kayaking

Southern Style in the backround

This little number is for sale if anyone is in the market, it is located just before you enter the channel to Longuissa Bay

Although we were only the second boat into the anchorage Friday morning by 10:00 am, by evening there were 9 other boats in the cove at Longuissa Bay

Here is an arial shot of the cove in Longuissa Bay where we anchored

There were several loons that were hanging out in the cove.  I am now in love with loons.  They are soooooooo cool.

We spent Friday and Saturday anchored and had a great time.  Friday was very nice with cool temperatures and sun.  Unfortunately, Saturday was cloudy with on and off showers so not as pretty, but we still enjoyed ourselves.  I made eggs and pea-meal style pork loin cutlets for breakfast.  Pea-meal style pork is apparently a Canadian thing so "when in Rome".  During the day,  Keith fished and I quilted and did some reading.  It was quite relaxing.  On Sunday morning the sun came back out and we headed to Frying Pan Island and the famous "Henry's".  Our trip from the anchorage to Henry's was about 28 miles.  Some of the small craft channel was open with what appears to be a lot of water.  There are many rocks and islands visible, but depths around the islands can be up to 80 feet or rock just under the surface so you have to be alert.

You really need to watch the channel markers, as the rocks can be just under the surface of the water as seen here.  Do not get out of the channel!  This is not a sand bar!

There were also places where the small craft channel took us between and around larger islands and coves.  The granite is just amazing.

We arrived at Henry's around 11:30 AM and got settled in for the day and an overnight here at their dock. This restaurant is known for its fish and chips and people come from all around the area for their fish.

Henry's just as we pulled in.  They do not open until noon and we were one of the first boats in.

It started filling up quickly

People come via not just boats to Henry's.  Some arrive by sea plane

Some arrive by helocopter

Southern Style at Henry's as seen from the dinghy

We took the dingy for a little ride here at Henry's 

This was our view off the back of Southern Style from Henry's

We next head off to Parry Sound.  More to come.

Some Statistics for those Keeping Score

Gail does such a good job of keeping the blog.  I rarely get on and post anything myself.  However, it is pouring rain here today in Midland, Ontario and I got curious about our progress on the Loop.  I have been keeping a spreadsheet (as accountants are known to do).  So for anyone who might be interested in a few "Boating Stats" here they are... so far.

We left Florida on April 6th to "officially" begin the Great Loop.

Days on board the boat: 110
Days the boat has moved: 55

Miles Traveled: 2,342
Diesel fuel used: 3,385 gallons
Average fuel price: $2.81/gallon

Fuel Economy: 0.69 mpg
Average Speed: 9.4 mph

Longest Day: 242 miles (Charleston, SC to Morehead City, NC)
Shortest Day: 4 miles (On the Chesapeake Bay)

Best Stops so far:

Hudson Valley - upstate NY  (Lots of history and fun things to do and see)
1,000 Islands / Alexandria Bay (Most Scenic - so far)
The Waubic - Trent-Severn (A little slice of Heaven - wish all our family and friends could have been there with us!)

Final thoughts... We are a little over 1/3 of the way through the trip.  The most interesting and most challenging part of the trip is just ahead of us as we travel Georgian Bay and the North Channel for the next 30 to 40 days.  We are very excited and we have had a blast planning the weeks ahead.

Going over Big Chute

Sunday morning July 22nd we headed over the Big Chute Railway Lock.  Unfortunately the weather was rainy and windy, but you cannot control the weather.  Captain Keith took Southern Style onto the carriage while I walked along side to get some pictures.

Here comes Southern Style

Entering the Carriage in the Rain

Slings being tightened

Here she is up in the air and going over the hill

Going down the hill

These are the falls that Big Chute bypasses, they are just to the left of the boat

Southern Style refloated at the bottom

Coming out of the carriage

It was quite a site to see.  Southern Style did just fine on her "portage" and Captain Keith picked me up at the bottom.  We then proceeded on toward Gloucester Pool.  There is a short but narrow channel just after the Big Chute called "Little Chute" just before the Pool.  We called a "Securite" again and this time we also laid on the horn as we entered the channel.

Channel into Gloucester Pool

Thank goodness nobody was coming the other way this time

It was only about an hour until we pulled into the Rawley Resort docks where we had a reservation for overnight.   The weather was rainy all day and I did some quilting while Captain Keith fished and watched golf.  It finally stopped raining just as we went for dinner at the resort.  I was able to take a picture of the main building where the restaurant is located and one of the out buildings with suites.  

Main Building with suites and the restaurant

Additional units with pool to the right

Monday, July 23rd we left The Rawley Resort and passed through our last lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway.  This put us out onto Georgian Bay.  We will be spending August exploring Georgian Bay and The North Channel.  Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron located entirely within Ontario, Canada.  It is sometimes called the sixth Great Lake.  Its landscapes are unique and breathtaking.  There are thousands of islands composed of Precambian granite.  This granite was formed between 2-4 billion years ago and was the base of enormous mountains.  These ancient mountains were likely the largest ever to exist on earth, higher than Mount Everest .  Over millions of years they were worn down and eroded to the granite bases that are visible today.  The lakes, bays and channels were formed around the remaining granite during the last ice age.

Here is a big overall picture of where we have been and are still going.  We came up the east coast from Florida and into New York City.  Then north up the Hudson River to The Erie Canal, the Oswego Canal and then across Lake Ontario.  You can see Lake Ontario which we crossed at the end of June.  We then cruised through the Trent-Severn Waterway from the northwestern part of Lake Ontario to get to Midland Ontario.  Midland is on Georgian Bay which you can see as the body of water just east of Lake Huron.

Here is a closer look at our trip from the Hudson River at the far right bottom corner across the Erie Canal and Oswego Canal, and across Lake Ontario to Trenton, Ontario.  This is where we picked up the Trent-Severn Waterway that eventually put us out onto Georgian Bay at Port Severn.  Port Severn is close to Midland where we are currently staying for a few days.

Midland, Ontario is a fairly good sized town.  Coming into the downtown marina there is a large mural on grain elevators depicting a Huron Native and Jesuit Priest at Sainte-Marie.

This mural is 80 feet high and 250 feet long.  It is the largest outdoor historic mural in North America.  It pays tribute to the missionary Jesuit priests that lived, worked and died while serving the Indigenous people of Canada some 350 years ago.  They were captured and tortured by a war party in the area in 1649.  They were canonized in 1930 by Pope Pius XI.

This mural is just one of 33 murals throughout the town of Midland.  The murals were created by local artist Fred Lenz.  The Midland mural program began in 1990 by the merchants of the Downtown Business Improvement Association.  Here are just a few of the other murals that can be seen in Midland.

Brebeuf Lighthouse built in 1900 to guide ships from Giant's Tomb to the channel serving Midland

Winter at Midland Harbour depicting the 1930s workhorses to break ice in the harbour so ships could get closer to shore

Midland Harbour and Pier

Midland Railway Corporation Station opened in 1879

James Playfair a successful lumberman and shipbuilder.  His Midland shipbuilding company was started in 1915 and built freighters like those in the mural

Monday Captain Keith and I also biked to the Huronia Museum in Midland.  The museum has displays and artifacts from the Georgian Bay region and the town of Midland.  They have an outdoor Huron Village that represents life between 1500-1600 AD before the arrival of Europeans.  I found this the most interesting.

Masks were common among the Indigenous people and represented "Spiritual Beings"

Small temporary hut used for housing guests to the village

A Longhouse was for approx. 30 people, housing extended families (similar to dorm life).  The longhouse was also used for cooking, sleeping, ceremonies and meetings and storage of crops and animal hides.

We are planning to stay in Midland another two days as the weather may be less than ideal.  We will see what else we can find around the town Tuesday and Wednesday.