Tobermory to Kincardine

Rather than make the entire run between Tobermory and Sarnia as we did on our way north, we decide to stop and spend 24 hours at Kincardine, ON. Kincardine is a quaint little town with a rich and colorful history. Since1948, every Saturday evening, rain or shine, the KINCARDINE SCOTTISH PIPE BAND takes to the street, and followed by a throngof tourists and locals, marches down Queen Street and back again to perform in Victoria Park. Legend has it that an early settlement family, lost in the fog in Lake Huron, was guided in to Kincardine Harbor by one lone bagpiper! Since then, the bagpipers have become a much anticipated event. For dinner that evening, we eat at the Bruce Steakhouse, and have another wonderful time and a great meal. There are now only six of us, as the Pattersons are still up in Georgian Bay and won't be coming back for another week! We're all jealous at this point!

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The Benjamin Islands to Tobermory

After spending a wonderful 24 hours in The Benjamins, it was time to start heading back home. We retrace our path back through Little Current, but then take a more southerly route to get back out into Georgian Bay. From there, we head almost due south and arrive back in Tobermory by mid afternoon. We dock for the night and enjoy Tobermory one last time!


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Killarney to the Benjamin Islands via Baie Fine and Little Current

On Friday morning, it seems everyone has different plans. The Pattersons head out east to the Georgian Bay, where they will be exploring the next 8 or 9 days. The Yarchecks head west, straight to Little Current, where they will find a dock for the night. The Bowmans and the Cohees head west but want to explore Baie Fine before refuling in Little Current, with the day's final destination being a cove at the Benjamin Islands, where we will spend the night. The following are maps and pictures of our adventure!

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Day in Killarney

We were not planning on spending the entire next day in Killarney, but Mother Nature had her own plans! Although it wasn't raining, the wind started blowing, harder and harder, until the thought of leaving the dock was not very appealing. Check out the tree top in the top right photo. The wind at this point was clocking around 25 to 30 mph with gusts to 45! It was coming out of the west off Killarney Bay and never let up until late Wednesday night! Oh well, another down day, but we occupied ourselves canoeing, swimming across the channel, and sightseeing in Killarney proper. Check out the "Fish & Chips" bus! Oh, I almost forgot - and appetizers and cocktails! We all dined at The Sportsman Inn that evening and enjoyed a wonderful meal with wonderful friends!

Club Island to Killarney, ON

Although we woke up early in time to witness this magnificent sunrise, no one was in any hurry to leave! By mid morning, however, we all weighed anchor and headed out towards Killarney. Only about 40 statute miles to the north, with continued favorable weather and 1 foot seas, we all arrived before noon. Although it was a Tuesday, Killarney Channel was bustling. Boats were both heading out and coming in to dock from the east and the west. Everyone looking to dock was on the VHF radio trying to speak with the dockmaster!
We had reservations at The Sportsman Inn & Marina, but we had to wait some time for an
open VHF channel and a chance to announce our arrival. One particular captain (not part of our group) was not so patient. The dockmaster and the dock hands had their hands full during this time, but he had no patience. Rude and demanding radio transmissions followed. I was very impressed at the professionalism of the Sportsman Inn crew for handling the situation. I hope you read this blog, owner of the red American Tug. You know who you are. There was no need for that!

Well, we finally got our dock assignments, got ourselves tied up, and then - well you guessed it. It was again time for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.



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Tobermory to Club Island

Our next main harbor destination is Killarney, but while in Little Tub we learn about a great anchorage spot at Club Island. It's on the way to Killarney, so we all decide to meet up there later that morning. Tammy and I swing out to the east to go by the east side of Flowerpot Island. These formations are carved over hundreds of thousands of years by the constant advance and retreat of the glaciers (We learned that in the museum!).

Club Island is only about 35 statute miles to the north and we arrive late AM. The anchorage is a secluded little cove accessible only by narrow entrance from the east. Wow, what a great spot! The water were we were anchored was about 15 feet deep, but you could make out very distinct features on the bottom. All four boats rafted up and we spent the rest of the day snacking on appetizers, taking rides in the dinghy and canoe, and taking short swims in the 70° water. Not far from where we anchored was an old submerged wreck of some sort. Not much was left, and it was hard to tell just what kind of vessel it had been, but we dove on it and took some photos! It didn't take us long to decide to spend the night. We enjoyed a gourmet meal aboard, and went to bed under the stars. It doesn't get any better!



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Day in Tobermory

The weather is still great and we look forward to spending a rest day exploring Tobermory and the upper Bruce Peninsula! Tammy and I brought our foldable Dahon bicycles and we decide to strike out and check out the sights. We first head to Big Tub Harbour which is a few miles away. It's not quite as commercial as Little Tub, and its steep waterfront terrain is lined with beautiful homes and cottages! Then we head back through Tobermory and out to the tip of the Bruce Peninsula, where the Bruce Trail ends. The trail is 773 km long and follows the Niagara Escarpment down around the western edge of Lake Ontario and into the Niagara River. It's the goal of many hikers to walk the entire trail! Not my cup of tea! There's a provincial park here with a wonderful museum, which we wander through. Many of the natural features of the area were formed over the millennia, and much effort is given to showing and explaining how it all came to be!
We all meet back on the docks toward late afternoon and clean up for dinner. We again make reservations for eight, but this time it's at The Grandview Motel & Dining Room, about a mile or so hike north along the east side of Little Tub Harbour. We have a wonderful meal outside. It's been a great day!

Sarnia, ON to Tobermory, ON

Saturday morning, we get up early in order to tackle our next leg to Tobermory, the longest stretch that we will cover in a 24 hour period. Distance - 170 statute miles Approximate time in transit - 7 hours. At 0745 we leave Sarnia Bay Marina and cross the river to Port Huron. We fuel here, as it's quite a bit less on the U.S. side. We then pass under the Bluewater Bridge and head out into Lake Huron. Again, the weather is cooperating. Lake Huron is basically flat! I set the auto-pilot on a course towards Tobermory, and we both sit back and enjoy the ride. All 3 other boats leave at near the same time, so we spend time conversing on the VHF, spotting freighters going and coming from Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, and keeping tabs on our location. I mark our GPS location every hour, as now there is no land in sight, and an equipment failure now would not be a good thing!

We arrive in Little Tub Harbor mid afternoon. After stopping at the gas dock to refuel and get our dock assignment, we head to our dock. The Pattersons are there already and help us in! The Yarchecks and the Bowmans stopped earlier in Kincardine for fuel, and will be awhile yet. Out come the cocktails and again it's time to relax. When our friends arrive, we help them get docked, and we all enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

The water this far north is exceptionally clear. I can't help but notice that there are several commercial sport dive boats docked at Little Tub. There are a number of wrecks within a short radius of Bruce Peninsula, and sport diving is a major attraction here. You better have a good dry suit though. It's the middle of the summer, and the water temperature is barely 70°! I catch a glimpse of a group of Cormorants swimming underwater near our boats. What a thrill!

We all go to The Shipwreck Bar & Restaurant for dinner. The meal is good and a wonderful time is had by all! And it's only day 2!

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Marblehead, Ohio to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada

The weather is beautiful! Tammy and I leave Bass Haven Marina in East Harbor and we're underway! During the mid-morning hour, the first part of our cruise takes us past familiar landmarks - Mouse Island, South Bass Island, Green Island, Rattlesnake Island, and then on a heading of north northwest towards the Detroit River. The sky is partly cloudy, it's warm and the waves are generally 1 foot or less. The first two hours are uneventful, and we cruise comfortably by auto-pilot at around 25 knots. We know we are getting close to the Detroit River when we spot a freighter heading south, getting ready to turn to port and head east along the northern part of Lake Erie! We've been up the Detroit River before, but it is always a scenic trip. Tammy and I both decide to take a break just north of Bois Blanc Island in a favorite anchoring spot for locals called Crystal Bay. I set the anchor and then it's into the water to cool off!

After a refreshing break, we continue on north underneath the Ambassador Bridge, past Detroit and Windsor and then into Lake St Clair. It's only about 20 statute miles from the southern to the northern part of the lake where the St. Clair River empties, and we basically stay within the freighter channel for the entire way. The St. Clair River is very picturesque with the many beautiful homes and cottages aligning the banks on both sides!

Just south of the Bluewater Bridge and Lake Huron, we turn to starboard and make our way into Sarnia Bay Marina, being careful to stay between the lateral markers. Rocks and shallow water are a danger here, so be sure to consult your chart plotter and/or charts! We get our dock assignment, tie up and then break out the blender for a round of cocktails after a day on the water. The entire trip was only about 5 hours and 130 statute miles, but it is now time to relax!

We were the 3rd of the 4 boats to arrive. The Bowmans and Yarchecks were already there, and the Pattersons were still a couple of hours out. We spent the rest of the afternoon sharing stories, helping the Pattersons dock, taking swims in the pool, and snacking on appetizers. Saturday evening, we made a reservation for 8 and we all dined at Salvatore's, a wonderful home-style Italian Restaurant. If you are ever in the Sarnia area, you must eat here!



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Marblehead, Ohio to Georgian Bay and The North Channel July 2010

We are very eager to get started on our trip. For the next 11 days we will be cruising north, up the Detroit River, through Lake St. Clair, up the St. Clair River, across Lake Huron to Georgian Bay and The North Channel. We will be meeting up and spending docking and mooring time with three other couples, all good boating friends. Our planned stops include Tobermory, Killarney, Little Current and more. The following posts are a description of our cruise, day by day!