Duluth/Superior to Northport, MI - August 20 - Sept 10

August 20-21

We keep feeling the effects of the current running counter clockwise in Lake Superior and thank goodness that is the direction we are going.  At our normal speed of 1700 RPM, we are now getting 9 MPH instead of 8 MPH.

A little more than six hours from Superior, WI and we arrived in Cornucopia.  What is there not to like about Cornucopia?  It is a small village with the best general store ever.  The store is sectioned off in departments with the typical departments such as painting, fasteners, electrical, plumbing.  There is also a grocery section, a meat section, a deli section and a pizza making station on Wed-Sun nights.  There is a coffee shop that serves a very decent latte.  Along the waterfront is a group of weather beaten buildings that offer gifts, pottery and other curiosities.   The marina is small and is lovingly maintained by a husband and wife team. 

The weather kicked up so we stayed two days.  Rusty took the opportunity to paint part of the engine room walls with paint purchased at the general store.  Memphis ribs (from Superior Meats) for dinner.  Excellent.

August 22-23

It was a leisurely departure (10:15 am) to the Apostle Islands.  On the way we cruised by the sea caves, a local tourist attraction that has spawned a kayaking business in Cornucopia.  The past winter the water froze in the caves bringing tourists even in the cold weather. 

Our destination was Raspberry Island to see the lighthouse and stay on the dock overnight.  However it was too rolly and we then headed for Stockton.  Stockton is one of the most popular islands and we were prepared to anchor but we lucked out.  There was space on the dock.  The ranger was welcoming and even helped us with our lines as we moved into a more secure spot on the wall.  That evening we attended the “Ranger Talk” along with 10-15 campers.  It was on the Web of Life.  We will never forget how important all the pieces of nature fit together and how things do not work well when some of the pieces are missing.

Again the weather kicked up and we ended spending two days.  There was no cellular or wifi but TV reception was excellent.  We took a very nice walk along one of the trails.  Rusty is getting antsy about getting out of Lake Superior by Labor Day.  We counted the days and the distances we could travel each day and there was not enough time to do more touring of the Apostles.

August 24

It was only a 5 hour cruise but the waves were kicking up at times and it seemed like the wind and the waves were going in different directions.  We were going slower than 8 MPH.  Our destination was Black River Harbor.  There were no reviews on Active Captain and some of the other information we had was contradictory.  No one answered our VHF calls.  Finally we were at the mouth of the harbor and a fishing boat came out.  They confirmed we would have no problems with depths and told us where the transient dock was located.  

The dock is owned by the National Parks Service.  There is a small concession stand (ice, ice cream, unhealthy and healthy snacks (her words)).  The fee was a reasonable $10 because Rusty has a Senior’s Pass with the Parks Service. And that included power!  We took an amazing walk across the suspension bridge, along a beautiful trail in the woods to the Rainbow Falls. 

That night, after midnight, the storm of storms erupted.  Rain blasted straight down.  Our rain meter registered 8 inches but town maintenance workers thought only 5 inches fell during the night.  At times the boat rocked side to side as if it was being rolled.  The lightning kept flashing it seemed for a couple hours.  Gigi snuggled up in my arms the entire time.  Rusty worried about rising waters. 

The next morning it was peaceful and the only evidence of the storm was the runoff.  The water was brown.

August 25 -26

We couldn’t decide whether or not to stay an extra day in Black River or continue on to Ontonagon.  Neither of us had slept well.  By the time we had breakfast and had taken a walk, we felt better.

Again the winds and waves were with us and we made good time.  We contacted the harbormaster by phone and he told us the visitor slips were marked with white poles.  The entrance to the marina is narrow but we had no problems. 

The town is across the river so we tucked Gigi into her stroller and went off to explore.  It was a long walk, and we saw at least five churches to match the five bars, and the five cafes.

The harbormaster welcomed us later that day with a hospitality bag put together by his wife.  It was full of foodie products from Wisconsin, anchored by a bottle of champagne.  WOW!

Cellular is good here and we found out that some nasty waves (3-6 feet) were expected tomorrow so we are staying an extra day.  There is an On Tran service here.  It is like a private taxi service funded by some government organization.  You call, they come in about 15 min., you pay $1.50 (or $.75 if you are a senior)

August 27--Houghton

We are now feeling we need to be off the Lake.  Not because the weather is lousy but that it could get lousy and then we would be stuck for a while.

The runs each day are dictated by the distance to the next harbor.  There are no intermediate stops and it is either a 40-50 mile trip each day or a stretch of 80-90 miles 

Houghton is located on the 25 mile Keweenaw Waterway also referred to as Portage River.  We stayed on the town wall located next to the downtown.  While there were no amenities the only other option would have been the marina across the river necessitating a long walk across the bridge.  We could have stayed an extra day to enjoy the town and hope we get another chance to do so.

August 28

It was a pleasant run to the mouth of the lower Portage River and we took note of the areas that one could anchor or stop.  Today we were on the water for seven hours arriving at the Big Bay municipal wall at 2:15.  We decided this stop would be ok if one needed a harbor of refuge.

August 29-29

It was only 4.5 hours to Marquette.  What a great place!  It is a college town so has all the requisite foodie and artsy shops.  We had an excellent meal at a fairly new German restaurant, Aus Steinhaus.  It rained off and on for the two days we were there.

August 31-Sept 1

We stayed two days in Munising Cinder Pond marina.  The trip took 5.5 hours.  The marina is well run.  Rusty took the opportunity to clean the decks and to throw out the plants.  No geraniums in the future as the petals stain the deck.  Great laundry in town.

Sept 2

Five hours and we were in Grand Marais.  This is another harbor of refuge places only.  Not much going on in town.  It was Rusty’s birthday and we went to the top rated restaurant per trip advisor (there are only four).  Rusty has started not to feel well again .  It was a rather modest celebration both in the choice and quality of dinner.

Sept 3

Long, long day today. Started at 7:15 am and reached Sault Ste Marie at 6:30 pm.  We were concerned that we might get stuck on Whitefish Point if we made an intermediary stop.  The radar showed some weather coming overnight and increased wave heights the following day.  Recreational boats generally use the Canadian lock in the Soo and they closed at 4:30. And we would not make it.  We called the American lockmaster and were warmly invited to go through whenever we got there.  We put on a show for the spectators (in a good way, meaning no probems).   The George Kemp marina is next to the lock and there we stayed the night.

Sept 4-5

We were tired from the previous day but with a weather window of six hours opening up we decided to make a run to De Tour at 9:45 am.  We made it by 3 pm and an hour later a storm blew through with wind gusts of 40 MPH.  It blew much of the night. We heard later that a 1000 ft. freighter was blown off course near the Straits of Mackinaw and grounded.

We stayed two days because of weather.  De Tour is a small village with a few local type restaurants, a great gift shop, a reasonable grocery store, a hardware store, post office, and a coffee shop that has been closed for some years (in case anyone reading is wanting to start up a café in Detour).  The marina was beautiful.

Sept 6

Five and a half hours, with 3-4 ft. (predictions were 2) waves brought us to Mackinaw City Straits State Marina, a beautiful facility.  There were only four boats.  No explanation why the older next door municipal marina was full. Mackinaw City has 20 fudge and popcorn shops, 20 sweatshirt shops, 20 restaurants, and 20 souvenir shops.  Enough said.  Done that. No need to return.

Sept 7

Today was the worse cruising day of the entire trip. Eight hours of waves starting at 2 ft and increasing to 3-4 to 4-6.  Predictions were 2-3 ft.  We had to change our heading a few times to get a more comfortable ride.  The auto-pilot stopped working underway so Rusty really had a workout with the steering.  We reached Charlevoix, MI about 3 pm.  It was sunny and rather pleasant.  We actually felt ourselves warming up for the first time in over two months.

Sept 8 -10

Although exhausted we headed for our final destination, Northport, MI, a 3 hour run.  Rusty asked me to pilot.  He is not feeling well at all. 

We are readying the boat for haul-out next Monday. 

We decided to head home this Friday and should be there by Sunday, The boatyard will collect the boat at the marina on Monday, a service they regularly provide so we are ok on it.  It is always nice to be able to inspect the bottom of the boat but that will not happen this year at least not by us.

Summary:

Health issue aside, the boating has been wonderful.  Three distinct areas (26 days on Trent-Severn waterway, 25 days on Georgian Bay/North Channel/St. Mary’s River, 54 days on Lake Superior) and we enjoyed them all.

Thunder Bay, Ontario to Duluth MN/Superior WI - August 8-19

August 8

We ended up staying an extra day in Thunder Bay.  A day to do laundry, changed water filters (they were still pretty clean), washed topside and deck.  And then a great dinner out at Silver Birch (bouillabaisse, duck meatloaf, and a decadent yet light white chocolate mousse.) 

August 9

We estimated how long it would take to get to Duluth and with a rainy day forecast on Tuesday, we decided to head for Wauswaugoning Harbor rather than an intermediary stop at Thompson Island.  It ended up being a calm 5.5 hour run.  I got excited as we approached the US border expecting AT&T to kick in.  No such luck. 

Wauswaugoning Harbor turned out to be a wonderful stop.  It was somewhat open to the southwest but winds were light.   We were the only boat.  There was a small gravel beach to land and take a short walk.

We could not report to US Customs and tried to get advice from the Coast Guard and they said to get closer to shore to see if we could pick up a signal.  We felt we made a good faith effort and will deal with Customs tomorrow.

August 10-11

The VHF weather reports indicated that there may be thunderstorms in the afternoon so we left the anchorage at 7 am and arrived in Grand Marais, MN shortly after 12 noon.  The water was like glass the entire way.  Fog cloaked us on our portside while our starboard side was clear.  AT&T’s signal became stronger and stronger as we approached Grand Marais.  Along the way we checked in with US Customs by telephone.

There was no dock space at the marina so we opted to tie up at the Forestry Dock rather than take a mooring ball.  It has turned out to be a good move although we put out every fender we have just in case there is any rocking.

Grand Marais is a touristy, artsy town with a food coop, a few good (reportedly) restaurants, a couple grocers, and the World’s Best Donuts (we are going to try them although the donuts in Campbellford, Ontario are hard to beat).

It started to rain Sunday evening.  Looks like Monday will be wet too so we will stay until Tuesday morning.

We arranged for our mail to be forwarded to a marina in Duluth UPS ground 1-5 days.  (HA…it ended up taking seven days.  UPS does not work on the weekend).

There is a great little fish deli shop next to the Angry Trout Restaurant.  We purchased some delicious pickled herring in a cream sauce and Johnson’s grocery store provided us with delicious smoked trout.

August 12

We left at 6:15 am and reached Silver Bay, MN at 1:30 pm.  Silver Bay Marina is very well maintained and looks new. The diesel was only $3.79 per gallon so we filled up.   We met boaters who cross Lake Superior at Silver Bay to cruise the Apostle Islands.  Something to think about for next time.

There is nothing in the area but a campground and a taconite processing plant. 

Rusty put the dinghy up on the swim platform as it looks like we will not be anchoring for a while.

August 13-19

Leaving at 8 am, we reached Barkers Marina in Superior, Wisconsin at 2:10 pm.  Superior and Duluth, MN are twin port cities, situated side by side at the western end of Lake Superior.  We had to cross a couple shipping lanes and sure enough there was one freighter that was moving faster than we were, requiring a little “get out of the way” maneuver.

We rented a car with Enterprise (only $18.05 per day) for five days and that enabled us to do some touring, shopping, laundry, and visiting.

Rusty’s cousin Lyn and John came up from Minneapolis to see us and the boat so we took them for a ride up the St. Louis River as far as Silver Springs Marina where we found Indonesian art and ice cream bars.   Dinner and breakfast the next morning rounded out a very pleasant visit.

We drove to Minneapolis for a short but thoroughly enjoyable time with Rusty’s brother-in-law Keith and nephew and niece, Scott and Beth.  They will be coming to Naples in December so the conversation will recommence then.

The short review of Duluth and Superior is “eh”.  We have never been here so we were curious.  It is the furthest point west on Lake Superior so that was something to strive for.  It was the closest point to Minneapolis on our route and that was important to see family.  But for a boater destination, it does not have enough to offer to justify going out of one’s way.  The marina closest to downtown Duluth has issues and the one we stayed at on Barkers Island is so removed that one needs a car. (See Active Captain for more info).

The landscape is overwhelmed with industrial buildings and roadways and overpasses.  The gardens at Enger Tower were an exception and one day we had a picnic lunch there.  A foodie highlight was to restock our freezer with meat from Superior Meats.  Good, old fashioned butcher.  We had a filet mignon last night and it was outstanding.  I don’t know why we bother with other cuts.

Gigi spent Monday at the Smooth the Pooch groomers and she looks magnificent again. 

The weather has been hit and miss lately.  We stayed an extra day (Tuesday) because of threats of thunderstorms.  The sole laundry washer at the marina is on the fritz so you know what I did today with the rental car.  Tomorrow looks good for a run to Cornucopia, WI and the start of the Apostle Islands.

Rossport to Thunder Bay, Ontario - July 28 to August 7

July 28

We were looking forward to our trip to Nipigon today.  It is the most northern point on Lake Superior and has us crossing the 49^th parallel.  On the way we passed by more rock paintings.  We did take photos but truthfully we could not make out the art work.

Nipigon lost its paper mill plant about eight years ago and with it went most of the jobs in town.    The town looks depressed.  In spite of that, the people we met were welcoming.  The marina had the most interesting docks we have seen.  They were made with skinny planks and appeared to be quite sturdy.  The marina had a small park and sitting area.   The wifi did not work.

We did some shopping at the local grocery store but passed on the laundry.  The machines were antique looking.  Although we were going to stay for two days we opted to head to Red Rock the following day, a trip of 5 miles.

July 29-30

Red Rock is doing something right.  The town is well maintained and the marina facilities are excellent.  We asked one of the residents about jobs and they admitted there were few in town and most of the husbands worked out of town/out of province.

The marina center has brand new restrooms and showers, a laundry room with two new washers and dryers, an exhibit hall, and a restaurant.   Laundry is done.

We met the owners of another Monk36 who kept their boat at the marina.  It is a 1989 and was purchased last year.  He told us that owners have to get their boats on trailers and the town provides heavy machinery to pull it out of the water.   No boat travel lifts in this part of the country.

July 31

We are in for a few days of light winds.  So we plan to rough it for a few days and then head to Thunder Bay.

 It was a pleasant five hour cruise to the CPR anchorage/dock on St. Ignace Island.  This spot is owned by a Thunder Bay family and maintained by a group of boaters from the area.  Visiting boaters are invited to use the facilities free of charge.   On land is a cabin with a screened in porch, a separate building with a sauna, and three outhouses.  There are well marked trails, including one that leads to the other side of the island where benches have been placed.

Rusty napped a little on the way and that was when I saw two moose in the water, seemingly swimming from island to island, a span of about one mile.  By the time I decided Rusty would be disappointed not to see them, they had leaped to shore. 

We were the only ones here for about four hours and then one of the regulars from Nipigon arrived.  They have been coming for about 24 years.  A few other boats are expected tomorrow.  We may head to Otter Cove tomorrow.  If we get up this way again we will aim to arrive during the week and spend a few days.  It is truly beautiful here.

Rusty is still not 100%.  He is taking a treatment of Zantac.  No drinks.  Oatmeal, yogurt, rice. 

August 1

A four hour run brought us to Otter Cove.  We expected to see other boaters anchored there as it is a popular spot.  We had the place to ourselves.  There were only four boats on the water the entire time we were underway. 

Otter Cove is beautiful.  There is a small inlet at the end of the cove that leads to a waterfall.  We took the dinghy as far as we could and then hiked a short trail to water.

 It is hard to describe the extraordinarily beautiful landscape we have seen over the past few weeks.  It takes ones breath away.  The eyes feast constantly.

August 2-3

Two hours and we are now in Loon Harbor, another popular anchorage and we are alone again until the afternoon of the first day.  Four sailboats appeared.  It felt crowded after our weeks of solitude.

 It is beautiful here! There is easy access to shore and we took Gigi for a walk.  There are a couple of wood and rock benches along with a fire pit on shore.  We read that this is a place where boaters congregate for shore fires.

Four kayakers from Iowa camped on shore the second night.  They were headed for Rossport, travelling about 16 miles per day.

Rusty is feeling better.  YEAH!

August 4

We thought we would  head for Thunder Bay today but along the way we changed our minds and headed for Tee Harbor (east) where we picked up one of three mooring balls set out for boaters.  There were beautiful walking trails on shore.  It would have been easy to spend a few days here.

August 5-7

We are now in Thunder Bay and have rented a car to get around.  Yesterday was a trip to the Fort William Trading Post where there is the largest group of furs we have ever seen.  It was interesting to find out about this industry.

On the way back we stopped at a Dutch cheese farm and store.  They make a tasty cumin and clove cheese. Croquettes are in the freezer.  All is good.

We have had two chance meetings here.  The first was another gold looper (Tom and Barbara) Toba travelling around Lake Superior but in the opposite direction.  We got together over drinks and shared each other’s experiences, as they had just been to where we were going and vice versa.  The second were friends from Naples, Bob and Dianna, who are travelling by RV.  We had a terrific dinner with them at the Bight and tonight we will grill at their “home”.

We are off to Kakabecka Falls now.  Holland Bakery is a stop.  We also found a great Italian bakery and a Maltese grocery that has everything that might need to reprovision.

Wawa to Rossport, Ontario - July 20-27

July 20

We left Wawa about 8 am and reach Michipoceten Island six hours later.  We were catching solid one meter waves on the port bow side for most of that time.  It would have been on the beam but Rusty adjusted the heading for a more comfortable ride, which then meant we had to make another correction or we were headed for the middle of Superior.   Luckily for us the winds were negligible and the waves were not producing any white caps.  The only casualty was our weather monitor.  It fell inside the cabin and bit the dust.  Fortunately we had a spare and it is up and running.

Along the way the chartplotter’s alarm sounded.  There was not enough voltage coming in.  We surmised it had to do with a connection as our batteries were indicating they were charged.  But before we surmised, we turned it off and navigated with the Navionics program on our Ipad.

Michipoceten’s Quebec Harbor is about 2.5 miles long and ½ mile wide.  We anchored near the old fishing village ruins.  There is a salt lick on land for caribou and sure enough the caribou came out.  We went ashore and within ten minutes we had seen what there was to see.  However our little girl was so excited with all the new smells that it took her forever to do her business.

There were at least two other boats anchored in the harbor both who came over to say hello.  A group of up to 20 boaters have made this harbor their summer home in the past but the numbers have been reduced over time.  There is great fishing and kayaking possibilities and for reprovisioning it is a six hour trip back to Wawa.  Water is not an issue as it is possible to take it from Lake Superior in a pinch.  There are a couple of outhouses on shore complete with TP.  With careful management boaters are able to stay out 2-3 weeks at a time.

We had a delicious grilled trout for dinner.  Rusty caught it yesterday evening on a fishing expedition with Travis Buck.

There is no cellular or wifi

July 21

It was overcast the entire day.  Rusty figured out that the connection between the power cable and chartplotter was the culprit.  It had been replaced once before by Garmin due to poor design.  Guess they didn’t go far enough to fix the problem.  So the short term fix is to angle the chartplotter in a more horizontal position.

Ed and Judy Crook from Crooked Arc came over for a dinner of ribs and chicken, parsley and buttered baby red potatoes, fresh peas, salad and fresh strawberries and honey.

July 22

We woke up to winds blowing and rain falling.  In between squall lines we let out another 40 ft. of chain.  Winds reached 30 MPH.  with 2.4 inches of rain total. 

What else could we do but eat. Peameal bacon and eggs, toast and coffee for breakfast.  Homemade split pea soup and grilled cheddar cheese sandwich for lunch.  Pork chops, fried potatoes and peas and salad for dinner.  (As I read this I am aware this is not the most healthy of diets but it sure does taste good)

We watched the movie, The Quartet, in the evening and were so touched by the acting, the story and the music.

July 23

We left Michipicoten at 10:30 am and reached Old Dave’s Harbor at Otter Island about 4:30 pm.  We looked at Otter Cove but it did not feel right to us.  It was deep and not very well sheltered for the north winds we were getting. 

Old Dave’s Harbor has a tight entrance and not much room to anchor so we tied a stern line to the old dock.  There is an assistant lightkeeper’s house next to the dock that is open to visitors.  Rusty took Gigi ashore and said there is a trail that looks like it came from Hansel and Gretel.  We will explore tomorrow.

Rusty decided it was time to refill the water tanks (from the Lake) because he did not want to have to open the spare tank lines (located behind our bed and necessitating some acrobatics).  He added a cup of bleach.  NO MORE ON THIS EXCEPT TO SAY THE COFFEE TASTES FUNNY.

It was a good night’s rest although it was 41 the following morning.

No cell or wifi

July 24

What an absolutely beautiful walk along the Hansel and Gretel trail.  It led to the lighthouse and the lighthouse keeper’s cottage.  There are two helicopter pads to transport the park wardens in and out. 

Back at the dock we explored the two story assistant lightkeeper’s cottage.  There were instructions to please leave the place better than you found it.  I wish we could say we improved something.  There was a guest book where visitors can leave comments.  Kayakers seem to be popular visitors judging from the comments.  There was no garbage left in the house or on the grounds.  A few mattresses were scattered throughout the bedrooms.  The square tiles were popping off the floor.  All in all, pretty dismal but in a heavy blow, it would be a place of refuge for kayakers.

Our run today was to Morrison’s Cove where wild orchids can be found.  We got through the skinny entrance but did not like the south wind blowing through.  It was suppose to be a west wind so not sure what that was all about.  We looked at the other end but did not like the narrow entrance and the waves, etc. etc. 

We ended up anchored in White River, all alone again.  Tomorrow we will take the dinghy up to the falls and see if we can get up to the suspension bridge.  That should be a thrill!

Two bars Rogers cellular but not enough to transmit or receive.

July 25

It was a 2.5 mile dinghy ride up the river to the rapids.  The hilly sides of the river were cloaked in a thick array of evergreen trees.  Quite pretty.  We found the spur trail to the Coastland Hiking Trail which brought us to the suspension bridge.  It was a sturdy all steel construction that hardly moved at all.  We could see the inland lake where until 1960 lumber would be sent down the rapids and out to the mouth of the White River where it was assembled into log booms and towed to Sault Ste Marie by Abitibi Lumbering Company. 

We signed the guest book located in a metal box and read that many others have enjoyed the experience including a couple from France just a few days prior. 

The spur trail was not as well maintained as the main one and at one point there was a 100 foot near vertical climb which is one thing going up but not the reverse.  Rusty found a branch he fashioned into a walking stick and we were good to go.  Gigi was a natural on the trails. 

Rusty fished in the afternoon.  We saw two fishermen from Marathon, a tour expedition type boat, and a mega trawler all staying for a few hours.  We were alone again for the evening.  Rusty made an anchor trip line for those moments when we are likely to anchor and hook a log or something similar.

Tomorrow it will be seven days without news, phone or cell.  

July 26

We thought we would have enough time to get to Marathon.  We didn’t.   The rains with accompanying thunderstorms appeared on the radar and starting closing in, so we headed for an anchorage at Pulpwood Harbor.  I don’t think we travelled more than 45 minutes. 

Once the weather cleared we dinghied over to Hattie’s Cove where there is a provincial park camping/trailer site.  They have an Artist in the Park program and we saw some neat wooden puzzle type art.  The campgrounds are beautiful.

There was 3 bars Roger but it was not strong enough to send or receive.

July 27

We decided to try to get as far as the Slate Islands.  There was 40% chance of showers but the winds were only to peak at 10-15 MPH so it seemed reasonable.  As we exited Pulpwood Harbor, Rusty took ill and for the next eight hours he took naps and ate alka seltzer tablets.  We did have some rain and the waves and winds were manageable.  When we got to the Islands Rusty preferred we tie up instead of anchor and so we went on to Rossport.  Now it is 6 pm, Rusty is fixing himself a toddy.  I guess the stuffed pork chop is all mine tonight.  Poor guy.  He thinks it is the start of a cold.  I think it is the chlorine bleached water he drank straight from the faucet last night.  Did I mention that whenever we take a shower the entire boat smells of bleach?  Nose wiggling clean.

Rossport is a village with one B&B, two inns, one restaurant, two artist studios, one gift shop, a kayak outfitter, one church, one marina/firestation, and a caboose museum.    There is unsecured wifi.  The marina has 15 amp power and water and two restrooms. 

We hope to get to Nipigon tomorrow.  Laundry calls and so do the echos from an almost empty refrigerator.

 

Sinclair to Wawa, Ontario - July 15-19

We reached Sinclair by one pm and instantly were blown away by its beauty.  We are surrounded on three sides by cliffs and woods and on the fourth side is a series of rock islands colored in shades of greys, whites, purples, oranges, and yellows.

We put out 100 ft. of chain along with the snubber after making sure the anchor was set.  The clouds have gotten a little thicker and darker but still there are patches of dark blue sky.  No weather alerts and the winds are as predicted (10-15 mph) so we should be ok. 

A quick lunch of homemade tomato soup and toasted cheddar cheese sandwich followed and it was followed with a nap for Rusty and Gigi.  I should nap too. Maybe when I am on Medicare I will feel it is ok.

Although the wind was very light overnight we kept getting hit on the beam by faint swells.  Both of us finally got to sleep when about 1 am the anchor alarm went off.  It was a false alarm.  It was well over 3 hours before we could fall asleep again. 

No cellular or wifi.

July 16 – we went ashore in the morning to hike to the Ojibwe pictographs but dogs were not allowed on the trail so we dinghied around the corner and looked at them by water.  The pictographs were faded and really required the help of a park ranger to decipher.

Our run today was supposed to be to Indian Harbor, only three hours.  All was calm when fairly quickly a line of disturbance appeared on the water, just as the clouds moved away from us.  The winds picked up and the water turned from near glass to ripples and then small waves and white caps.  We decided to head for a closer anchorage and just as we pulled in to Garantua Harbor the winds subsided. 

We had a tasty trout dinner thanks to Rusty’s fishing efforts.  Stew was cooking in the crockpot all day so dinner is made for tomorrow night as well. 

No cellular or wifi

July 17 - It was 37 degrees this morning.  I woke up to the generator running and the heat turned on.  My man!

Environmental Canada had technical difficulties with their VHF weather broadcast this morning.  Fortunately we are writing down the extended weather reports so we knew that we were headed for calm skies for the next few days.  There were no clouds in the skies and the wind was negligible. 

We could have reach Wawa but decided to spend one more night at anchorage.  Brule Harbor is written up as the prettiest anchorage between Sault Ste Marie and Wawa, with warnings that swinging room was tight so perhaps a stern anchor would be necessary.  The book (Bonnie Dahl’s Superior Way) was right on the money.   

By 3:30 we had two anchors out and Rusty and Gigi were exploring in the dinghy while I read outside on the aft deck in the prettiest anchorage so far.   

We are surrounded by Christmas trees standing tall on the rocky and hilly shore.  It feels like they have extended their arms in a wide circle and we are in the middle.

No cellular or wifi

July 18 – 19 The run to Buck’s Marina in Wawa, Ontario was only 1.5 hours.  Brad Buck, the owner invited us to join him, his wife and son to a local diner for lunch.  They couldn’t have been kinder.  Later that day Doris took me grocery shopping.  The town is about 5 miles away; the call on demand bus operates only during the week and finishes by 3 pm on Friday, so the offer of a lift there and back was much appreciated.

We will stay two nights to get ready for the next leg culminating in either Marathon or Rossport.  Our batteries are topped up again, water tanks are full, other tank is empty, and clothes will be laundered today.

There was unsecured wifi here but I was knocked off so needed to use the Rogers stick.  Excellent signal.

July 11 - 15 Sault Ste Marie to Mamainse, Ontario

July 11 – Gigi went for her grooming appointment in the morning .  Her top knot got slaughtered.  I didn’t see it until we got back to the boat.  It is a mess.  Different lengths.  Part of it was cut off.  The worst job ever in 4.5 years.  Methinks someone started to cut it off and then tried to disguise it when she realized the top knot should stay.  The good thing is that Gigi’s hair will grow back.

We decided to stay in the Soo another night.  By the time we were finishing with the grooming, the sky was dark and winds had picked up although the weather reports did not indicate a problem.   So we went shopping and bought new pots and pans and cutlery and bins and thermal wear for those cold nights on Lake Superior.

July 12 – We were a little apprehensive about starting the trek into Lake Superior.  We had received a number of cautions about the Lady and her tantrums.  Both of us did not sleep well and by 5 am got up and had coffee and breakfast. 

It was 9:45 when we exited the Canadian lock in the Soo and by 4:30 we were tied up at the government dock in Corbeil Point near the entrance of Batchawana Bay.  The water was like glass most of the way.  Winds were light or non-existent.  We crossed in and out of US waters and were able to pick up AT&T for a few hours.

The government dock was replaced about two years ago and it is wide and sturdy.  Depths were 13’ on the outer T.   We met a few families who were fishing on the dock and got a warm welcome.  Some of the kids were even swimming.  BRRR.   The community has about 100 residents and the closest place to get groceries is 40 miles away. 

Rusty tried his hand at fishing, having purchased a license in Sault Ste Marie.  No one was catching. We had stuffed pork chops for dinner.

The view from the boat is beautiful.  If we can keep out of weather trouble and based on our first day, we are in for a real treat.   (Rogers works well here)

July 13 – 20 MPH winds were coming from the west which means beam seas.  That and a bank of fog which crept in during the morning helped make the decision to stay put.  Things started to get better late afternoon.  Kids came out to play and swim. 

At one point a pack of dogs approached the boat just as we were going to take Gigi for a walk.  They expressed interest in our little girl.  One of the boys asked if she was in heat, and if not, the pack would be ok.   The dogs looked like Rottweiler Pit Bull mixes.  We stayed on board. 

July 14 – We rechecked the weather reports online as well as those broadcast by Environmental Canada on VHF in the morning.  Everything looked good except for a small rain system coming through.  By 9 am it was clearing and we were off.  The swells were about 2-3 feet but gentle.  After an hour we changed course and the water was calmer so all in all it was a pleasant cruise.

We only had a 2.5 hr trip today.  Mamainse Harbor has a government dock leased to fishermen and their tugs.  One happened to be away for a few days and we were able to stay for a donation.  The gentlemen in charge was born in 1930 (that makes him 84) and he looks as fit as a fiddle. His dog is named Cooper (same as our boat) and it could not leave Gigi alone.  Poor girl.

Rusty bought some whitefish from the fish packing company onsite.  It was delicious.  We walked and read and wished we had continued further today.  At the rate we are going it will take us more than a month to get around Superior.  Both of us agreed we would not take chances with the weather though. There were predictions of winds building up in the afternoon so we did make the right decision based on the information available, even if the predictions did not pan out.

Another chilly night coming up. Grateful for the extra blanket we bought a few days ago.  We tucked Gigi in her Minnie Mouse blanket at night and she did not budge until the morning.

July 15 – all looks good for a run to Sinclair.  We were able to pick up unsecured wifi with our Alfa Network antennae.  No cellular here.

Little Current to Sault Ste Marie, Ontario - July 1 -10

July 1 - We did not go as far as we had hoped.  The wind kicked up and we tucked into Bedford Harbor for the night.  We had the most amazing rhubarb pie for dessert, purchased earlier that day at a church bake sale.

July 2 - Less than three hours brought us to the famous Benjamin Islands.  The anchorage was ok but not as protected as we would have liked with the 30 MPH winds, and especially as the winds shifted 180 degrees during the night.  And we shifted the same number of degrees.  But before that happened we were able to dinghy to shore with Gigi.  She loved running along the large smooth rock formations.  Rusty pulled out his new beard and hair trimming kit and let me trim his beard.  I think he was surprised.

July 3 - Upon the recommendation of a couple we met in the Benjamins, we moved over to Moiles Harbor.  It was quiet and for a while we were the only boat.  Again the winds shifted overnight and so did we.  These wind shifts were not predicted.  When we pulled up anchor the chain had caught on something.  Fortunately we were able to wiggle it loose.   Later we heard there were deadheads at the bottom.

July 4 - As we left Moiles Harbor, the winds and waves started to become uncomfortable and so we ducked into Long Point Cove.  It was beautiful.  We sounded in the dinghy with a string and lead weight and found we could anchor in the shallows.  We were invited over to Ingabor for drinks and within 1.5 hr we were convinced that we could do the Canadian north shore of Lake Superior.  So now we are going around the perimeter.

July 5 - A spur of the moment decision early that morning found us scrambling to get the boat moving again.  We had planned to stay another day at Long Point Cove but it seemed there was a break in the weather.  Off we went.  The water was like glass until about noon and then the ripples started, and then the tiny swells gently rocked us.   The sky turned dark and the winds became stronger.  We made it to Richard's Landing on St. Joseph's Island just in time.  The marina staff were superb.  Richard's Landing is a place where the residents take pride in their homes.

July 6-7 - It was only about 30 miles to Sault Ste Marie and most of it was nerve wracking.  We were in the shipping channels with huge freighters.  The current was against us by 2-3 mph.  At one point we moved outside the channel to let a freighter pass by.  That cost us the time we needed to get to the George Kemp marina before the rain started to fall.  Again the marina staff were wonderful.  The facilities were great but the surroundings were in the midst of an economic downturn.  No jobs.   We stayed two days, did the laundry and a few other chores, before heading across the river to Ontario's Sault Ste Marie. It was great to be able to use our phones freely.

July 8-10 - The reason we are in the Soo is to have Gigi groomed and the groomer cannot take her until the llth. It has been cold especially in the evenings.  We bought an extra blanket at Walmart.  Rusty did the oil changes.  I did a museum visit and found out about the two men who shaped the city. Our larders are full again.  We both went for a long walk to the island today.  Nice.

Barrie to Little Current - June 13 to July 1

We had not travelled far from Barrie, as in only a few miles, when we noticed something was amiss.  Rusty went to the engine room leaving me on the flybridge with the command, “don’t get too close to shore”.  The short of it:  the portside alternator belt was not feeding the dead inverter and so it needed to be removed.  That would require removing the starboard alternator belt.  As we were bobbing around in the bay without power, that was not a solution so Rusty cut the portside belt instead. We were soon on our way and arrived in Orillia in time to pick up some pastries for dessert.

The next day at 8 am Gene, owner of Marine Electric Technologies, arrived to replace the batteries and inverter system.  When we told him about the alternator, he took it to an electric place to have it checked only to find out the place is not open on Saturday.   (The alternator seems to be working).  The job carried into Sunday as expected.  Overnight we had power to the fridge as well as the lights, but not to the water pressure pump.    Rusty brought out the gallon water bottle we purchased last year.  It had been sitting in a cupboard with two moth balls.  And that is what the water tasted of.  We had dinner out and then went to bed early to try and forget our water problem.

Early Sunday morning, we received a call from my brother.  They were bringing lunch (it turned out to be a feast).  What a lifesaver that was!  There was no way to prepare anything on the boat that morning.  In fact the repairs were not completed until about 1:30.  Fortunately there was a nice park with picnic table at the marina and we were able to have an enjoyable visit with Henry, Kathy and their son Scott. 

Monday, June 16, we did the laundry in the morning ($6.25 per load and dryers were $.25 per three minutes) some last minute shopping,  and then headed out.  On the way we stopped at Lauderdale Marina to pump out.  The sign said $35.  My eyes popped and I said calmly, Wow, we paid $10 last time (true).  The young lady said, would you pay $20? A deal was struck.  Then when it came time to pay, she said it was $10. 

That night we stopped at the top of Lock 43, Swift Rapids, remote, remote, remote. Because of the reduced working hours at the locks, we were unable to lock through before 10 am the next day.  The clouds began to get darker and darker and then the rain began to fall.  We pulled up to the town dock at Severn Falls and waited out the storm.  The sole store and restaurant was closed but the owner did come by and offer us the use of the power which enabled us to turn on the heater.  That night we stopped the Big Chute, the railway lock, which we transited the following morning.   To our surprise, Alice and Barry Jones were docked there too.  We had met them in Campbellford, Ontario three years ago when we did the Great Loop.

Wednesday, June 18, was a productive day.  We completed the Trent Seven Waterway (Big Chute Lock 44, Port Seven Lock 45), headed to Midland to shop for a new alternator belt and baked goods at the Georgian Bakery (turns out it was Dutch owned:  bags of black licorice which I resisted; orange flags all over the store in celebration of the recent soccer win, raisin buns, etc. etc.), and then over to the Beausoleil Island dock.

At least once every day from then until now I either said or thought, we have it so good.  The scenery is spectacular.  It is peaceful.  The only sounds are birds and the lapping of water as it strokes the hull of the boat.  The weather has been cool but pleasant often with a light breeze blowing through the cabin. Many times we have been the only boat at a dock or anchorage.

Our one day stay at Beausoleil turned into four wonderful days.   Rusty busied himself with a bridle for the dinghy and in the process has become good at splicing.  I started the annual job of touching up the teak and got as far as doing the windows and eyebrow.   There was a wonderful park tour one afternoon, focused on native plants and their healing properties.   By Friday most of the docks were full of Canadian weekenders and one couple kindly delivered some gasoline for our dinghy engine.  With that we were able to take the dinghy into Honey Harbor on Saturday.  The highlight was discovering a small shop with excellent meats and prepared items.  We later feasted on a really good steak and stuffed Portobello mushrooms.

Sunday, June 22^nd, we left Beausoleil, stopping at the famous Henry’s Fish House for lunch for some rather sad pickerel, and then anchored in beautiful Echo Bay where we ate stuffed cabbage rolls purchased at Sweet Paradise in Hamilton, Ontario.  Yummy!

We have noticed a slight drip at the steering column on the upper helm.  We think it needs a new o-ring but that involves pulling off the wheel with a special wheel puller which we do not have.  The short of it: we had it checked at Sound Boat Works in Parry Sound, Ontario, and it will be ok until we can get the proper seal kit.  Later that day (Monday), we anchored in Snug Harbor and spent two nights while the rain poured and poured.  Tuesday was a day for my homemade split pea soup.

Wednesday, June 25 we travelled to Pointe au Baril where there is a town dock, a combined Home Hardware and grocery store, a community center, a fish and chips stand, a convenience/gas stop with homemade bread, and a small grocer that was starting to stock up for the summer cottage trade.   We were allowed to spend the night on the town dock as they were not busy.   Home Hardware had good quality items, food and non-food, and we took the opportunity to restock for what we thought would be five days at anchor.

Thursday, June 26 we headed for Britt on the Byng Inlet, home of the famous Britt Inn Restaurant.  Unfortunately the restaurant/inn has been sold and so we continued on our way to the Free Drinks Passage where we are now anchored.  It is so beautiful we decided to stay another night.  Tomorrow (Sat) we might go to the Bustards or get closer to Kilarney.  There is some weather coming in a few days so we want to be settled in somewhere protected.

Friday and Saturday nights found us at a secluded anchorage at Free Drinks Passage.  So peaceful.  Then onto Kilarney but we ended up stopping for an hour at the LCBO dock, getting Herberts Fish and Chips, some bread and tarts at Gateway, and then on to our anchorage at (another) Snug Harbor.  We then gave the boat a thorough cleaning.  On the way from Free Drinks Passage we were swarmed with baby flies, hundreds and hundreds of baby flies.  It was so bad that I hosed down the boat for a full thirty minutes while we were underway.  Everytime we opened a door, they would swoop in.  It took quite some time that afternoon to get rid of them all.

On Sunday we reached Kilarney.  Yesterday Last Dance pulled up and we enjoyed sharing travelling stories over drinks. Today is Canada Day and there is a small town fair.     A couple of pies are in the fridge and freezer.  The opening day of the Cruisers Net took place this morning and Rusty called in our position.  What a great service to the cruising community.  Thanks Roy Eaton! 

Fenelon Falls to Barrie - June 4 to 13

We ended up spending a third night in Fenelon Falls because of weather.  Emboldened by his call on the toilet gasket, Rusty tackled the depth transducer problem.  The thing did not read at all even after our tape job.  In fact, it broke loose from the silicon seal.  We realized that we were missing an O-ring too.  Rusty figured out how to cut a spare O-ring he had to fit and then rebedded the base of the transducer to the hull.  24 hours later we were able to attach the top of the transducer and the readings matched those of the old depth finder. 

Thursday was a tough navigation day.  The channels were narrow with rocky sides.  We met only two boats and had to proceed very slowly as we passed each other.  That night we stayed at the bottom of Lock 40 and had a peaceful time.

Friday, June 5 we crossed Lake Simcoe and arrived in Barrie where we stayed for one week.  We were treated with the visit of children and grandchildren on the weekend. Barrie hosted a Celebrate Barrie on Saturday.  There must have been a hundred booths highlighting organizations in the Barrie area.  Nearly every booth had a children’s activity.  Needless to say the grandkids had a ball.  Our visit continued into Sunday and we thoroughly enjoyed the time together.  James lent us a Rogers stick so we have internet in Canada.  On Monday, we rented a car and visited my Mom and sister in Hamilton.  My Mom turns 90 this year.

And now the other side of our Barrie stay.  The inverter monitor indicated the charger was not switching from bulk to absorption mode.   We shut the inverter off when we went to bed on Friday and the voltage went from 12.9 V to 11.9 V overnight and that was with no load.  Something was wrong.  Rusty disconnected the batteries and noticed one of the batteries was steaming.  Long story made short:  one of the batteries had bad cells and was blocking the charger from working properly.  A well recommended electronic mechanic assessed the problem with our wiring, batteries, and gave a quote to replace the 8D 12 V batteries with 6 Vgolf cart batteries and to replace our old Freedom 10, Link 1000 with a Magnum MS charger/inverter.   He discovered that the two batteries were the cranking type not deep cell.  Thanks Dog River.   We posted our problem to a Trawler website and the responses verified the issue as well as a recommendation to consider the Magnum inverter/charger.  This is something we knew would be in our future so we are going to have it done in Orillia our next stop.  We both have confidence in Gene, owner of Marine Electric Technologies.  Fingers crossed!

So, in the meantime we have discovered a few interesting places in Barrie, all revolving around food.  Within walking distance are a Dutch store, a German bakery, and the best stocked health food store ever seen.  Our fridge and freezer are full which is a bit of a problem because we are headed for Orillia today (Friday) once the rain stops, and there is an amazing bakery and deli (Mariposa Landing) near the marina.

I almost forgot to mention that we contacted a couple of boatyards in the Michigan State area about heated winter storage.  It seems that the prices are comparable to what we are paying in Brewerton and it would eliminate a trip back through the locks in the fall.   That would mean a years delay doing the downeast loop though.  Something for us to think about!

Hastings to Fenelon Falls - May 28 to June 4

The run from Campbellford to Hastings was short but with the delays at the locks it took us from 10 am to 4 pm to get from the bottom of Lock 13 to the bottom of Lock 18.  We had hoped to get through 18 and then get an early start to Peterborough.  But we arrived at 3:45 pm and it was a no go.  That set things to motion for a little episode the next day.

In the meantime we had a lovely visit from friends, Hilda and Hector Cowan, who live about an hour and a half away, catching up on our lives and reminiscing about our times while serving in overseas posts.  We saw them last two years ago while transiting the Rideau Canal.   Both have developed hobbies that are so interesting and useful that if ever we had to live off the land, we would want them as close neighbors!

The next morning, while waiting for the 10 am lock opening, I went to the local coffee shop to use their wifi again.  If we had been able to leave right away, I would not have been at the coffee shop, and I would not have left my purse there.   I discovered it missing when we arrived at Lock 19 in Peterborough at 4 pm. 

Then a really remarkable thing happened.  I called the Remax realtor in Hastings who runs a laundromat near the coffee shop.  The number was in an advertisement in the Trent Severn guide.  He checked and confirmed the purse was there, and offered his wife to bring it to us on her way to work in Peterborough.  Talk about dialing the right number!  Thank you Dennis and Sandy!

We spent two nights in Peterborough walking along the waterfront from Lock 19 to downtown one day and over to Lock 20 and 21 (the big hydraulic lift lock) the next day.  Franz the butcher shop and the Saturday morning Lansdowne farmers market helped reprovision.    We also bought some herbs for our planter box.

We had noticed some dripping of steering fluid at the flybridge helm.  Cleaned it up and read the manual and we think the seal might need replacing and that involves finding a boatyard with a wheel puller.

By Saturday evening we were at the Young’s Point Lock 27.  One of the cottagers offered water and so we were able to top up our tanks.  YEAH! Even Gigi got a bath.

Sunday’s run to Bobcaygeon included a stop at Lock 31 in Buckhorn to buy some incredible butter and breakfast tarts, sticky buns, and one of their frozen homemade shepherd’s pie (for emergencies!)

I wish I could be more enthusiastic about Bobcaygeon but by the time we arrived we discovered that the butcher shop was closed and wouldn’t be reopening until Wednesday and the bakery until Thursday.   There is a huge shoe store, Bigley, in town.  And I saw just the pairs of shoes I was looking for.  

That evening we took a walk and were approached by group of four children (imagine Charles Dickens era ragamuffins).  “Do you have children?”  “No”  “If you did we are having a children to children garage sale”.  They showed us their toys lying on the sidewalk.  $2.50 each.  $5 got us three toys which we returned to them to give to someone.  As we left, their cry became, “$2.50 per toy, some are free”

We are now in Fenelon Falls.  On the way we noticed our Garmin depth finder was not reading at all.  One of the tabs on the top of the transducer has broken off earlier and we decided we had better tape the thing together.  So we did. It required both of us to be down in the “holy place”.  One to hold the top down and the other to fix the tape. 

Yesterday, June 3^rd, we rebuilt one of the toilets.  By the time we were finished, we had removed the entire thing from the base to replace gaskets, etc. etc.   The instructions were limited and we had to rely heavily on the exploded parts diagram, studying it for about an hour, labelling the parts, and then delving in.  It went better than expected.    Rusty and I disagreed on one aspect of the refit. So now we have an uninstalled piston gasket.   Yes, I won the argument but Rusty was correct. The seal needs to be replaced after the piston gasket is installed not before.  Other lesson:  do this sort of job if there is access to a Laundromat.  Thankfully there was a great one just two blocks away.

We also have two more window box planters and planted geraniums.  Rusty’s idea.  It sounds very much like a nesting activity and if I wasn’t sure our boating trip would end in September I would be worried.

To congratulate ourselves for all the things we got done,  we decided to go out for dinner only to discover that the two highly recommended restaurants were closed.  So off to Sobeys, and we ended up with a delicious salmon dinner on the boat.

Wednesday, June 4^th, we are headed to Barrie and will arrive late Thursday.  No internet until then.