8/8 Meldrum Bay to Harbor Island

8/8 Meldrum Bay to Harbor Island

The weather had improved so we set out right after Circus, who were valiantly trying to sail in spite of fluky weak winds. We motorsailed instead and passed them (the only way Caprice would ever pass a C&C 37). 

We arrived at Yacht Haven on Drummond Island in the afternoon, got immigration formalities done and left again for Harbor Island. This horse-shoe shaped island is a perfect anchoring spot, and we ate our delicious whitefish we had bought at Meldrum Bay.

Benjamin Islands to Meldrum Bay

8/6 Benjamin Islands to Meldrum Bay

We had no wind, as usual, but nice sunny weather. Since we were motoring we decided to make a really long step again, especially since there’s nothing much interesting on the southern shore of the North Channel. We decided to skip Gore Bay, thinking Meldrum Bay sounded just the same – this was before we heard from several sources that Meldrum bay has 24 or 64 or so year-round inhabitants only.

Meldrum Bay Marina, where we arrived in the early evening, had to rebuild their docks every year since the ice of winter would regularly destroy the old docks. Eventually they got tired of this and build a big breakwater. We got one of ‘last years’ docks though which was close to sinking, had no electricity and no water. We didn’t mind that too much with our solar panels, but the price was the same – 50$. And that didn’t include showers which were $5 extra! We had a delicious dinner at the historical Inn, now run by a Persian owner. Fish and Chips and Smoked Trout Linguini made a welcome change from cooking for ourselves every other day.

We met a nice couple from Traverse City here, Beth and Jack, on a beautiful C&C 37 called Cirrus. They reported that most people would mispronounce their boat ‘Circus’, which we promptly decided was the only way to call their boat, too.

The next day was rainy and had a strong northern wind, and since we weren’t in a hurry we decided to stay another day and had happy hour with Beth and Jack. Of course we got the tour of their boat and I insisted on checking the engine, in the process not finding the dipstick hole anymore and soiling Dana’s pants with oily dust.

8/5 Long Point Cove to the Benjamin Islands

This was a long ‘drive’, and without wind (what else is new?) we motored all the way. This part of the North Channel is the most famous one, it has the most beautiful channels, islands and anchorages. We were lucky to have great weather, sunny and clear, and enjoyed the trip immensely. We passed through the whalesback channel, then through a very narrow pass called ‘Little Detroit’ and eventually turned south to enter the anchorage between the two Benjamin Islands from the south. This is the only real passage in there, even though there’s a shallow channel in the west between the two islands and we saw some small boats passing though there. One sailboat in particular came through with a nice clip and we clearly heard the bang of him smashing a rock at some point...

The anchorage is maybe the most popular and well known one of the whole North Channel, and there were maybe two dozen boats anchored there. Since it’s large they spread out well and we didn’t feel crowded here either. The neighboring powerboat played some opera and at sunset felt compelled to entertain the anchorage with a tune that must have burst their eardrums, but otherwise it was all peaceful and beautiful. We went foraging for blueberries and were quite successful, but retreated to the boat to put on insect repellent after encountering plenty critters. We ate all the blueberries of the first crop with some yoghurt, and then returned for more. Initially not very successful, we suddenly encountered the mother of all blueberry bushes on North Benjamin Island – a bush very much larger than all the others we ever found, and laden with fruit. We picked so many that we still have some today, two days later.

8/4 Turnbull to Long Point Cove

This anchorage was just a short hop from Turnbull, in fact it’s in visible range and took just 2 hours to get to, and this included ghosting out of Turnbull for about 30 minutes. So, with almost no wind, and from the wrong direction, we had to motor yet again! Did I mention that the admiral likes two kinds of winds best? 1. No wind at all 2. Light wind right on the nose. You can guess why!

Long Point Cove is beautiful. Very small and well protected from all directions. It’s surrounded by the typical rock formations and trees of the North Channel, and we enjoyed rowing the anchorage and climbing a little viewpoint. We found our first blueberries here; they are a different variety than the ones in the stores, smaller but very sweet. Delicious! We ate them all on the spot.

On the way back we feared we were doomed, as we got lost in the dense forest. Eventually we found our way back to the dinghy.

8/3 Blind River to Turnbull Island

Today’s trip was a quick one, Turnbull is just 2 hours away from Blind River. There wasn’t enough wind to sail, so we ended up motoring there. The eastern end of Turnbull Island affords some well protected shallow anchorages, and plenty space for the dozen boats in there. We rowed around the anchorage and searched for loons, without much success.

8/1 and 8/2 De Tour village to Thessalon, Canada and on to Blind River

August 1: De Tour Village to Thessalon, Canada

The North Channel part of our cruise started with perfect sailing weather, steady 10-15 knot wind on a broad beam reach. I had resolved to make the trip as comfortable as possible for Dana and left a reef in the main from the beginning. As the winds picked up, we also reduced the jib to eventually 50%, but we still achieved 5 knots average, and with a heeling angle of just 5-10 degrees max.

We had just one small adventure when just before Thessalon we were forced to execute a HOB (hat over board) procedure. We took about 2 minutes to turn the boat around and almost gave up on finding the hat again. We hadn't promptly pressed the 'mark' button on the GPS and had also failed to throw a life ring. But luck had it that we found it after a few more minutes of searching! A good omen.

We anchored in the bay at Thessalon and actually didn't even set foot on land. We were tired and hungry, and after dinner went to bed early.

August 2: Thessalon to Blind River

Thessalon in the morning

The weather prediction had been dire for today, with rains and thunderstorms in the offing. However, we were instead greeted by a incredibly calm and balmy morning. After breakfast we set off by motor and headed east. It was so calm that Dana decided to take a nap on deck while I read and let the autopilot do the steering. Later Dana went below and started knitting one of her projects, something she would not have done days ago.

Eventually the predicted weather caught up with us, and rain started pouring on us and eventually through some of the still leaky windows. When we reached Blind River the rain was so bad that we decided to stay out on the lake a little longer to avoid getting drenched, but when there was no improvement we headed in.  

July 31st: Beaver Island to De Tour Village, MI

Beaver Island

After a brief thunderstorm in the early morning the day became nicer by the hour. The wind was slowly increasing from the west, and by the time I crossed though Gray's reef, I was able to run the engine in low gear and get much speed from the sails.

Gray's Reef abandoned old lighthouse

Visibility was amazing, I first saw the Macinac bridge from 20 miles away. By the time I reached the bridge I could switch off the engine and run wing-on-wing straight past Macinac Island. This was a glorious sight, first the bridge and then the shabbiest place in Michigan. I even heard a cannon shot when I passed the Mac lighthouse, but my torpedoes jammed and I couldn't meet the challenge.

Approaching the Macinac Bridge wing-on-wing

The Macinac Bridge

Shabby Macinac Island

Approaching De Tour Village

I was happy to continue under sail all the way to De Tour village. Dana was meeting me there, she had left Chicago by car in the morning and it took her 9 hours (including 2 hours for rest stops) to cover what took Caprice and me a full week. Sailing isn't the fastest method of locomotion I must admit.

De Tour Village (population 235) was my first stop in a Marina since Chicago. Caprice is now fully self-contained, with solar panels, gas heater, shower etc. I had really not missed anything, in fact I only now realized that I had lived in the wrong time zone since I reached Michigan.

It was so good to sleep next to my bunny again!