North Channel/Georgian Bay?

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Ed Schenck

I studied the archives, lots of good info about the North Channel including the Related Link. But I could not find a couple of answers. Is there a time of year to avoid, i.e. too buggy, too hot, too cold? Is two weeks enough time for a leisurely cruise from one day east of Detroit, Michigan(and return)? It's a 37-foot cutter, never less than 7 knots. :)
 
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Steve

My experience...

Ed, I chartered a 30' Catalina in my search in finding out if the wife & I really wanted to buy a sailboat. We cruised the North Channel in late September a couple of years ago, and it was great. The charter company has a web page that lists some of the cruising grounds with info (see link). I would recommend the charter company for anyone that is not in the area that wants to cruise the North Channel. BTW, on the way home, the wife told me that we needed to buy a boat, but we needed a BIGGER one! It confirmed that I pick the right wife anyway. We bought a 320 later. Stop by PHYC on your way up & I'll buy you a beer. Steve
 
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Ron

Steve

I crossed the Bluewater Bridge many times over the past 8 years. It is a beautiful place to sail (in summer). My wife also forced me to buy a bigger boat. We went from a H23 to H37C... Ron
 
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Colin

Best location in North America

You have chosen one of the worlds best crusing destinations. I spend about 4 weeks every year cruising that area and have yet to tire of it. Wonderful scenery, deserted locations and water that you can drink straight out of the lake. The best time to sail the North Channel is in my opinion either the first or second week of August. The winds may not be as trong as some other months but the water temprature peaks at that time and you will see no bugs at all. It is of course also a busy time and some of the better anchorages can get a little crouded. If this bothers you I would move my date to early September and risk some cooler evenings. If you would like more information on anchorages, marinas, towns and favourite watering holes, reply to this post including your e mail address and I will supply you with almost endless information. Colin Campbell Hunter 335
 
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Steve

Ron...

Ron, If you head this way again, let me know. Draft beer is only $.75 at PHYC, so I can afford a couple. And I'm always looking for race crew... Steve
 
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Andy

Swimmin'?

So just how cold is the water guys? If I'm on the boat I just have to have some swim time. Are there any "Hot Springs" or bath spots in the Northern Channel?
 
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Dave

Swimmin'

If the cold water is a concern get a wet suit. You can get a 3 mm one piece for about a hundred bucks that will keep you comfortable and still allow mobility plus a little extra buoyancy. You don't have to be a scuba diver to wear one. dave
 
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Chuck

North channel

FWIW we were in the NC 5 weeks(30 June-5 Aug) this summer. Even went up St Marys river to Sault Ste Marie. Swam everywhere, including the marina at the Sault. Great trip. Hope to to it again.
 
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Bill Ogilvie

Georgian Bay

Right now I do all my sailing in SF Bay but I spend a week every summer on Head Island in Georgian Bay, canoeing almost every day. This year the horse flies were bad early in July, near shore, and the mosquitoes arrived mid-July but are active only when the wind dies down, and on land. There are no tides of course, but the NW wind can raise water levels a few inches in just a few hours. I talked to the owner of a 65' sailboat at the Hang Dog Marina in Bayfield Inlet and he said he sticks to the channels, which are all deep. The inner coast is tricky even for a canoe because of all the granite shoals. But it's great to explore those areas in a small boat. You might be lucky to see otter, martin and blue herons. Almost no cottages until you go up an inlet. The water up there never gets very warm, except in shallow bays. By late July the best I can do is 2-3 minutes in the water. After that, hypothermia sets in.
 
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Ed Schenck

Great info, thanks all.

Any additional information will be greatly appreciated. I would miss swimming off the boat a little but could get over it. :) Anywhere there is $.75 draft beer draws my H37C right to shore. So Port Huron here we come(in 2003). Probably the first two weeks of September from what I have read here so far. Thanks again. Ed s/v Ladylove h37skipper@aol.com
 
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Tom Ehmke

North Channel from Port Clinton

Ed, Three years we did a cruise from West Harbor in Port Clinton to Drummond Island which is located east of the Detour Channel. Plan to do it again next season. (Of course, I've said that for the last two seasons...) Anyway, on my ODay 272 it took us a week to motor/sail to Drummond. Motoring upstream through the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River took two days because of the strong currents. My Westerbeke 10-2 huffed and puffed, but got us there. There were times when we watched the kids on tricycles on the Windsor side of the river moving faster on the walkways than we were moving on the water. If you can do 7k w/o current, figure on a downbound current of 3-4k when you guesstimate your speed through the rivers. We docked north of Belle Isle on the first night and made it to a marina on the Black River just south of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron on the second night. From there we did 50-60nm a day on Lake Huron, sometimes sailing, sometimes motoring. Stopped at Harbor Beach the third night. Made it to Harrisville the fourth. Fifth night at Presque Isle Harbor. On the sixth day we planned to make a passage to Fort Drummond Marina on Drummond Island, but ran into a thunderstorm. Waited it out and sailed to Rogers City on that day. On the seventh day we sailed to Drummond Island. Made the return trip three weeks later in two days less. Downbound on the rivers was a blast. We averaged 9k with the current. Went all the way from Harrisville to Walpole Island in one day, but it was a rather long day. Sailed from Walpole Island to West Harbor on the last day. Need I say the current was a great help on the downbound trip. Some important comments about sailing the east ern Michigan coast. The marinas are excellent. Most are fairly new and all are well-maintained, well-run, and reasonable in price. There are a number of harbors of refuge to run for if the weather gets foul. All are shown on up-to-date charts. A great magazine for anyone who wants to cruise the Great Lakes is"Great Lakes Cruiser". They have a booth at the Cleveland Boat Show every year. I've been a subscriber for four or five years and most if not all of the destinations you would want to visit are covered in the magazine. Next time I want to cruise the Canadian coast, finishing up at Tober Mory. Then I'll make the passage to Drummond Island. A friend and I have been building a cottage on Drummond for the past seven years. We spend a week there every summer building and another week with the mates loafing. There... more than you ever wanted to know, but once I get going about that cruise, it's hard to stop... Do it!!! Tom
 
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Ned Strain

Give Canadian Yacht Charters a Try

Our first experience with a Hunter was through Ken and Pam Blodgett's Canadian Yacht Charters at Gore Bay. They are honest people who really go the extra mile to please their cutomers. Check out their prices and great pictures on their web site. Ned and Tani Strain s/v Family Therapy 1995 h336 Chicago
 
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Ed Schenck

Thanks Tom, Ned.

I just printed your reply Tom. Thanks for the itinerary! Sounds like two weeks is a little tight, maybe we will go for three. When will you go in 2003? That's a great website Ned. Fun to see the beauty of that country. Thanks. :)
 
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Geoff in Ann Arbor

My $.02

In early August Lesley and I spent a week heading out from Harbor Beach, MI over to Kincardine, Ont., then on to Stokes Bay to anchor overnight, then up to Tobemory. Little Tub was jammed to capacity on a Monday night. Had to raft off to a fishing boat as no slips were available. Had to return via same route after doing a day of cruising around Cove Island. What a gorgeous time. It was our first long distance cruise. We will go for two weeks next year, and plan to see the North Channel. Other than getting nailed by a thunderstorm, and lots of trouble with water in our fuel, the whole journey still evokes good feelings for both of us when we talk about it. BTW as you go under the Blue Water Bridge be ready for a stiff current. With our engine at full RPM at one point we were making 1.8 knots true.
 
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Steve

Blue Water Bridge...

A note on getting under the bridge... Keep about 30-50 yds off the Canadian shore as you approach the bridge from about 1 mile downstream. As you get to the bridge, stay about 10 yds off. Stay close to the shore (40-60 yds) until you reach the mouth of the lake. The water is about 20' deep as you approach, and about 30' right under the bridge. It keeps you out of the current most of the way, but if still feels like you dropped anchor as you pass under the bridges. This saves a lot of time and agravation. You also stay far away from the freighters. One last thing...watch out for diver's flags about 100 yds downstream from the bridge. The stay right next to shore and dive the wrecks there. Steve
 
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Michael O'

20plus Sweetwater trips

Ed: You really need to come over to the Sandusky Yacht Club some day and I'll get out my charts for you. In the meantime, join the Great Lakes Cruising Club to get the "bible" on where to anchor and what rocks to watch out for. Just promise you won't tell anybody on the east coast about our cruising treasure up north. I think the North Channel is already getting crowded! It's the carribean north, but instead of salt water you get fresh water, instead of palm trees you have fir trees. Here the natives like you and give you a discount on your dollar. You eat the fish, the fish don't eat you. The Canadians also know a few things about beer. One suggestion of caution: navigation errors are quickly punished with payment measured in varying amounts of fiberglass,lead and paint. I've been going up there since the early 70's and still find ways to discover new rocks. It's a wonderful adventure. In fact, I've attached a picture of 2 of the 12 friends we met near Killarney this summer.
 
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David Foster

A week in July

Hi, Ed. Joanne and I spent a week on a newish h340 from Canadian Yacht Charters in Gore Bay. They deserve every bit of the positive comments given. Swimming was great in mid-July. We swam laps around the boat every day. Certainly didn't need wet suits! We only had serious mosquitos for an hour one evening in the week tucked into a little nook on Oak Bay. This is a gorgeous and huge cruising ground. Even moving a 7 knots, you will want at least three weeks, so you can spend a week to 10 days cruising the North Channel. Even then, you will leave much for later trips. Our next trip will be in September, when the water is warmest, the cool nights reduce the bugs (although we had fewer problems than a week on Lake Erie) and we can have many anchorages to our selves. I'll reecommend the good harbor guide we had when I get back home. I have joined the Great Lakes Cruising Club which is absolutely the best source. You'll love the trip - we sure did. David Lady Lillie
 
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Ed Schenck

Great stuff guys!

Thanks so much. Did I see a bear getting into the Lebatts? Now I can't wait. But maybe the boat will be ready by next year. Gotta' go sailing now, lake looks good and boss is on vacation. See Related Link, then "camera map", then Huron or Put-In-Bay. Thanks again.
 
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