Best time of year for the North Channel

[Scott B]

We're headed up to the North Channel, Lake Huron, this summer for 2 weeks. We have 2 windows of opportunity either Jul. 13-26 or Jul. 27-Aug. 9. Younger daughter will be at camp for two two week sessions this year and older son is going to be a counselor this year so will be away all summer. ( time for a second honeymoon !! ;D)I know the water will be colder in July and bugs may be worse ? although early August will be much busier and crowded anchorages. We prefer the quieter areas and try to seek out more secluded spots. ( my avatar is 1/2 hour of going slow dodging rocks and shoals, but the payoff is a bay with only 2 other boats)To those that have been there, what do you prefer as the optimum window.

 

[Charlie]

Water temps

We've been up there 4 times, from 1 July to 5 Aug. Other than water temps being warmer later, doubt there is much difference in traffic.

 

[Ralph18422]

August

We were up last year in mid August. No problems with the bugs and it did not seem to be too busy. We are going up again this year.Ralph

 

[Scott B]

most likely August

I'm leaning more to August, but was concerned the August long weekend may attract more boats, but my thinking maybe off.My ultimate goal is to get to The Pool at least for one night, even if I have to tie up to a stinkboat. I spent many summers canoeing Kilarney, ( inlcuding one 2-week trip) and many beers at The Sportsman Inn, and hiked up above Baie Fine on the ridges. Seeing the boats in The Pool, I knew I wanted to be there some day. A really interesting portage is very close by, around 1700 yds. straight up and straight down over the ridge, stumbling over large rocks, all with an 18 ft. canoe on your head. *o This time I think I'll pass the portage  We did Kilbear last year which was another of our "someday" goals and now have a chance to get to Kilarney.

 

[Ralph18422]

Kilarney

The Sportsman Inn was still being worked on (renovated with new owners)last August, but they were renting out dock space for $0.50 a foot. Nice deal. We stayed at the Kilarney Mountain Lodge for a couple of nights ($2.00 per foot)Also spent a night in Snug harbour (close by) with 5 other boats (entrance was 5-6 ft but 25+ft once inside) nice and quiet and very protected.-Ralph

 

[Dean5735]

Cold on 4th. of July!!

Hey Scott, I was up there a few years ago. We went over the 4th. of July because it is useually nice here in Northern Michigan at that time. We got up there and it rained and was cold for 4 days, foggy, drizzly and did I mention COLD!! GO IN AUGUST would be my advise.Have fun, look out for bears. Dean www.blowinganddrifting@yahoo.com

 

[Scott B]

thanks

Thanks Ralph, I was looking to spend one night at at least at the Sportsman and was considering Snug Harbour. Had dinner one night at the Lodge, pre-trip, we looked a little out of place, 7 scruffy guys in their early 20's in the main dining room, but the roast beef was great. !!

 

[Scott B]

bears ???

Dean, kinda funny, of all the wildnerness trips I've done, 20 or so 1-2 week canoeing and hiking in Killarney and Algonquin, the only time I saw a bear was driving into the town of Killarney from the park. Smaller bear darted out of the bushes from the side of the road near twilight and I luckily caught him out of the corner of my eye. Managed to slow / stop just as he passed by front bumper ( I swear I took a few hairs off his back) Would have not been pretty as we were in a Mazda pick up at the time and his back was slightly higher than the front hood ;o

 

[Scott B]

that is exactly what I'm going for

Hugh, that anchorage is exactly what we're looking for. I've been studying the Ports book and all the anchorages in that region. We just may never go back to the real world

 

[jfssail]

Best anchorages

Scot, Two weeks ia aufully short, depending on where your starting point is. We spent 7 weeks there in 2005 and 2007 plus a two week charter out of Gore Bay in 1999. We usually hit the area in late July and start back by mid August. Takes 7-10 days to get back to Port Clinton, depending on weather lay-overs.Spent 3 days ar Presque Isle last year waiting for a number of fronts to go thru.As dry as things have been, wouldn't exspect too many bug problems. Killarney was the only place we had mosquitos in 2005. Last year had very few.You can stop at MaryAann cove on the way back to the pool. There are also a few nice coves just beyond Mary-Ann where you can anchor. You shouldn't have too many problems getting space at the pool, especially if you get there early.We like anchoring in Browning Cove at Heywood Island on the way to Little Current.The cove on the SW corner of Croker, near Secretary Island is our favorite anchorage. Drop the bow anchor and tie-up to a tree on shore.The north shore of Hotham Island, John Harbor, Bear Drop Harbor are all places to anchor if you get that far west. Laurier Island is well protected if you go west of Spanish, especially if the channel into Spanish becomes silted.Jack F Stewart1993 C36 #1233 "Windancer"Port Clinton, OH

 

[higgs]

From 06

I spent three weeks there in 06 from the last week of June. warm weather, good swimming in 70 degrees. bugs were a problem in the evening so one had to be screened in for a couple of hours until they went to bed. I was told not to bother visiting the Pool because of the weeds so I did not go there. The highlight was McGregor Bay for us. It is tricky going in and we followed someone who had been there before, but the Ports book does give good directions.Where in Georgian Bay are you? I assume you are going on the outside of the small boat channel on your up. I got my best shot of Trav'ler in Covered Portage.

 

[Scott B]

Thanks guys excellent advice

Jack, I know 2 weeks is never enough but we drop our daughter at the YMCA camp on Beausiel Island ( south end of Georgian Bay )on the Sunday and pick her up almost 2 weeks later on the Saturday. We are at the south end of Georgian Bay as well in Penetanguishene or Midland area. I'm figuring on 2-3 hard days to get to the area East of Killarney ( kinda like the song ....we'll get there fast and then we'll take it slow ) and spend a few days at the Pool, and the anchorages in the area and take more time heading back.Malcolm, excellent response as I'd hoped you would. Yes I did get the Rocna and set it a couple of times near Honey Harbour and brought up a huge weed ball ( had to be 5-6 ft dia.) sounds like the same for The Pool. Figured on staying longer in the Bustards on the way back, not sure where we'll end up each night on the way up. ( not ready for overnighting yet ) I was concerned about Collins Inlet as well, as I'd heard the entrance was shallow, I draw 4'-6, but 5 ft. sounds too close?? I was looking at Mill Lake on the charts and in Ports and thought it might be interesting. I may leave Collins for another trip/ anotehr time and spend more time around East of Killarney. As far as less crowds late Aug. / Sept. that'll have to wait until the kids are gone and we're more semi-retired. Are you headed up there this summer, maybe we'll run into you.

 

[Scott B]

Higgs

I figured on going the outsdie route above Parry Sound, I've heard its shallow and not sailboat friendly. McGregor Bay looked interesting as well, but may also have to wait for future trips.Are you in Racine now. A friend of mine moved to Racine from Southern Ontario years ago. We've done a couple of road trips to visit over the years.

 

[higgs]

Scott

I am no longer in Racine. Sometimes it shows up because I can't seem to get it changed in my profile and I enter my new POC manually, but I forget sometimes. I was in racine for 25 years - great port.It is shallow on the inside from Perry sound up, but you do have 5 feet in the channel. God forgive you if you get outside of the channel, which can be tough to find sometimes. Locals say it is not a matter of "if" you hit bottom, but "when". I did the trip in 06. Very cool - I bumped one time - not my fault - the guy on the helm was not listening to me. In Britt, a power boater limped back in one very windy day after drifting just a couple of feet out of the channel and hitting hard pushing the prop strut up through the hull. Obviously they had to pull him. He was on the Great Circle and must have been delayed a few weeks, anyways. It was at least a 40 footer and his props looked like mushrooms. If I was doing the trip again I would go outside.

 

[Malcolm Young]

Scott - our schedule

Scott,In reply to your question - we will arrive in the North Channel later then usual this year, probably from late on the second week in August, before we get there, and then on through to September. The once every 10 years Kincardine 'Old Boys and Girls Reunion' will be on over the Civic Holiday weekend and our grown kids and their families will be home for the long weekend. I'd like to meet you, however I expect you will be heading home about the time we will be arriving. Hopefully our paths will cross sometime in the future.Its a great cruising ground! Emjoy!Malcolm

 

[Scott B]

stay in the channel

Higgs, I saw 4 boats last year that had run-ins with rocks and sand bars. One was rafted to a Tug with 2 large pumps just pouring the water out of it. Another sailboat drifted out of a chennel and was leaning slightly to one side, they were trying with dinghys to lay it over slightly to float the keel. Don't know how successful they were. 3rd was up in Parry Sound and had hiot a shoal, taking on water, but managed to make it to a nearby marina. 4th was a powerboat that wasn't watching his chartplotter and missed one buoy. We could hear him in the distance motoring along. When the sound suddenly stopped we looked over and when he climbed out he was walking around in water to his knees. Took out both outdrives and had to cal in a large tow boat to pull him off and tow him to a marina $$$$$.I mostly stay in the channel unless I know the area.

 

[Scott B]

Malcolm

I'm sure we'll be back up there many times in the future.

 

[higgs]

Chartplotter

In some ways, Scott, I think I may havebeen better off w/o the use of one. GPS can be off by 6 or 10 feet and in the channel, that is too much. I had to be damn sure of where I was going and using paper really kept me on my toes. A chart plotter can make us a little lazy sometimes. I am not putting them down - I normally use one, and would have had mine worked in GB.

 

[Malcolm Young]

Higgs I agree 100%

In the channel up the east side of Gerogian Bay, the official up dated paper strip charts are the way to go. I have both a chart plotter (chart chips updated yearly) and a handheld GPS. Even so we wouldn't approach the channels up there without the paper charts. I agree with your comment that chart plotters are not accurate enough to follow some of the channels. I would even say that my chart plotter has shown me crossing islands when I have been in the middle of the channel. In addition, you need to have quick and easy access to buoy numbers to keep track of where you are in the real life channel - so you need to get very detailed information (which on my plotter means you have to select detailed information about the buoy) but at the same time you need to be able to look far ahead to see where the channel goes so you need to go to a wider view on your plotter which means less detailed information. This does not work well. For the section between Pointe au Baril and the Bustards I always go outside now - the channel is not scenicaly very interesting, doesn't provide much protection, has been changed recently because of low water levels and is slow. To top it all off, you can't sail because of the constant changes in direction. We have had some really great sails outside. I like the channel below Pointe au Baril as it is ineresting and is well protected (mostly).

 

[Scott B]

I still use both

My chartplotter, Raymarine 435, seems to be fairly accurate as I've been in very narrow areas that I am familiar with outside of the channels and I've been within a foot of my location. I've used the plotter for exploring amongst the islands beyond the channel in other locations, to keep an eye on the depth contours. But, although I do know the channels fairly well in the southern region, I always keep the strip charts open beside me and keep an eye on where I am and where I'm headed. The plotter is too small to get a good overall picture. I find it easier to scan the charts than to zoom in and out on the plotter and lose too much deatail zoomed out.Higgs, although I've been to Henry's a couple of times and although the fish is great, I find it too expensive for what you're getting ( $100 for four and My wife and I only had 3 drinks between us) , but it's something you have to do at least once. It's cool watching the 12 seater float planes bringing the people in for a meal.My avatar was taken about 10 minutes from there in one of the quieter bays.