It's all downhill from here

We had a short but nice stay in Leland including a great meal at The Cove retaurant. The last time I was in Leland was 2002 and it was a marginal marina at best. They have just completed a total replacement of their docks and are nearing completion of new marina office and boater's facility. Unfortnately they have no bathroom or shower facilities but only charge $23 for the night because of that situation. We departed at 9:30 this morning expecting another bumpy day based on the forecast but were instead treated to a nice, easy ride down to Frankfort. It rained a bit but was at least fairly calm. We will head out tomorrow for Ludington where we will stay three nights and take care of some admin on the boat and a welcomed rest before the final push to Holland for a night and then end our journey back in Saugatuck on Tuesday. Attached are some shots and video I took in Leland.

Back in Lake Michigan

We left St. Ignace at 8AM this morning because we had a long leg ahead of us for our next stop in Leland, MI. It was a rough and uncomfortable day with non-stop waves and wind. Along the way we discovered many new leaks caused by waves breaking over the bow and soaking the fore deck. After 77 rocky miles we pulled into the newly remodeled harbor at Leland about 4:30 and had a drink with a couple on a Grand Banks who we had met before and who had taken the picture of our boat that is featured at the top of this blog. There's not much new to report but I will add some shots I took in Leland tomorrow.

Our next stop will either be Frankfort or a long weekend in Ludington. The unfavorable weather is not supposed to abate for several days.

Return to the Mac!!

We decided to head out of Drummond Island and head to St. Ignace and the Mackinaw area before returning to Lake Michigan. The weather also looks favorable on Lake Michigan for the next few days so we should be able to make it to a port mid way down the coast by the weekend.

Back in the USA (Drummond Island)

Due to challenging weather we elected to bypass scenic Bruce Mines and make our way directly to Drummond Island which is our rentry point to the US. They have real live CBP agents (versus a phone) so clearing customs is a snap provided your papers are in order. On our way here from Gore Bay we stopped for one last North Channel anchorage at Longpoint Cove. This was a new spot for us and it was really beautiful albeit a bit windy with a slight westerly exposure. After two sleepness nights due to the "band" at Gore Bay we spent another restless night on the hook with a light chop slapping the hull all night. We are shielded from the wind and safely tied to a dock tonight so we should be able to get a good night's sleep.

The anchorage at Longpoint Cove provided a great place to dingy and explore so I have attached a few pictures of the area. Our 54 mile trip back to Drummond started out pretty rough but settled down about half way and turned out to be quite pleasant the last few hours. We will probably move on out in the morning for St. Ignace and get ready for the run back down Lake Michigan starting this weekend.

Gore Bay to Bruce Mines (maybe) to Drummond

We will depart Gore Bay a day later due to crummy weather once again. We had a windy and rainy night and only after a rock band on shore at a festival quit playing at 1AM. Our itinerary might change on this leg based on time and weather.

During our second day in Gore Bay we relaxed and watched the wind blow. It's calm now but the band is still playing and will do so until 1AM again. For dinner we dined at the annual Rotary Club fish fry held at the local hockey rink. The food was great and the company at our table was enjoyable. For desert they had ice cream served just in front of the parked Zamboni. Attached are some pictures of the event as well as a panorama of Gore Bay. At the end is a short video showing the captain driving his other boat and the sounds of CCR at the Gore Bay Summer Fest.

Little Current to Gore Bay

We left Little Current on Tuesday for the last time on a beautiful, sunny morning with light winds and headed a short distance to the Benjamin Island group for some more time on the hook. We stern tied at Croker Island and settled back for some relaxing days in this beautiful anchorage. We took the time to go ashore and explore the rocky hills that surround the bay and to take a dip in the crystal clear water. It was nice until day three when it started raining. We entertained ourselves watching some movies we had onboard. Below you will find some shots we took on our dingy excursions. Note the unique rock formation we call "the finger". You will also see a picture of a snake that was just about to go for a swim. It was about 3.5 feet long and is a common sight in these parts. There is also a short video showing a potential anchorage in the future.

We are now in Gore Bay at the town marina for a night and will head out tomorrow for another night at anchor before making a long passage west to the last stop in Canada at the town of Bruce Mines. We’ve never been there before but were told it has some nice places to eat. After that we will head back into US waters with a stop at Drummond Island, Michigan.

Byng Inlet to Little Current

After four wonderful nights at anchor we were ready for some dock time and found our way on Sunday back to the bustling metropolis of Little Current, ON. The town got its name due to the fact that there is generally a “little” current flowing through the channel that passes by the town. Since this is the only water passage in and out of the North Channel on the eastern side, the current will either flow east or west depending on the winds. I am attaching a video to show the current passing by the boat at our dock. There is also an indicator buoy in the channel that shows the current direction.


We left Byng Inlet on Wednesday and headed outside in mostly favorable conditions and cruised all the way up to Beaverstone Bay where we once again followed the small craft passage to Collins Inlet and Mill Lake. We dropped the hook exactly where we did two years ago and enjoyed a restful night. We departed early the next morning and headed out the eastern side of Collins Inlet where we encountered a flotilla of 30+ power boats headed in the opposite direction for a destination somewhere along the small craft passage. Keep in mind that Collins Inlet is only 50-75 feet wide in some spots so it can get congested with that many boats. On our way we made a quick stop in Killarney and then pressed onward to our next anchorage at Covered Portage. This is an interesting bay in that it is almost surrounded by high granite bluffs that are accessible by a path on shore. We headed out for the walk after we arrived and had some wonderful views of our boat and the bay from above. We were joined by another couple we had met along the way and who we anchored with a few times. See the video below for a view of the hike.

Leaving Covered Portage on Friday we headed for the very popular destination of Baie Fine which is an 8 mile fiord like body of water flanked by granite speckled mountains on either side. We anchored in another familiar spot in Marianne Cove and tied our stern to shore as is the custom in this bay since there is little room to swing freely on the hook. This location also has a great hike on shore up to the top of Fraser Hill which is about 500 feet above the bay. After a fairly tough, rocky climb up we were treated with a spectacular view of the surrounding area and Baie Fine. I am attaching one of the panorama shots I took of the view. We decided to stay another night and enjoyed the peace and quiet that an anchorage brings.

After Little current we will continue to head west and will be at anchor the next three days in the Benjamin Island group before heading into Gore Bay for some admin (food, laundry, etc.). Attached you will find our planned route and some shots of the anchorages and passages we were just in.