Cruising The North Channel
The destination for our summer 2024 sailing trip was to get to the North Channel. We’ve heard this was a favorite cruising ground for many of our sailing friends for years. We arrived near the end of the season and only had time to sample the area. First, we hung out with some old friends at BearDrop, and from there, we chose a handful of anchorages to visit from the countless options. Along the way, we stopped and explored some of the small towns. Our brief trip was filled with awe and wonder at the geology and gorgeous landscapes. And every harbor town we visited was friendly and engaging. The North Channel is indeed a magical place!
First Stop: Time With Friends
We love many aspects of our sailing lifestyle: exploring new places, living simply, sharing our boat with others, marveling at nature, and meeting interesting people. Some of the people we meet while cruising become lasting friendships. With a cruiser’s nomadic lifestyle, if there’s a chance to see one another in person again, you make extra effort to make it work!
Old Friends
Such is the story of meeting with Caribbean Soul in the North Channel. We met Jeff, Mel, and Ava while in the Bahamas a few years ago. Their home base is Marquette, MI, so when we left Bayfield, WI, we contacted them about meeting up on our way along the south shore of Lake Superior.
Jeff replied, “We’re not in Marquette right now; we’re heading to the North Channel.”
“Even better!” I exclaimed.
“We’re headed to the North Channel too, let’s try to meet there!” I suggested.
They were game, and we kept each other updated on our whereabouts. It was a little tricky to coordinate who would be where and when and make adjustments according to the weather, but we did it—we met up on the water!
Bear Drop Anchorage
When the weather was cold or rainy, we visited each other’s boats for food, games, and conversation. When the weather was good, we went swimming or exploring by dinghy.
Jigsaw Puzzle
We’ve been carrying around a complicated puzzle of a sea turtle for a while. While working on the puzzle was a group effort, we could not have done it without Ava. She persevered and was up to the challenge! One thing that made it so challenging is the unusual shapes of the pieces.
Sharing Food
It’s fun to share a meal or snack with other cruisers. Especially if there’s a good cook onboard. Jeff and Mel make the best bread and pizza. Actually, everything they cook is delicious! On Meraki, cooking isn’t one of our fortes, so we serve snacks. But we serve them in style on a nautical charcuterie board made by one of our grandsons, Ethan.
Dinghy Explorations
On one of our dinghy excursions, we found a small beach and built a sand castle using the materials at hand, mainly sticks and rocks. It was a fun re-creation of an activity in Bimini when we made a castle from conch shells.
On the way back to our boats, our dinghy motor stopped working. No problem! They gave us a tow. If one boater has a problem and another can help, they do!
Until Next Time
We knew Ava would start back at school soon, and they needed to head home. It’s always hard to say goodbye, so we say “until next time” more accurately. Last time we were in the Bahamas with sand and palm trees, and this time we were in the North Channel with rocks and pine trees. Where will we meet next time? I can’t wait to find out!
“There are good ships and wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships, may they always be!” ~ Irish Proverb
Anchorages
In addition to the Bear Drop anchorage, other highlighted anchorages were the Benjamins, which had pink granite, and Baie Fine, which had steep white quartz mountains on either side.
Before jumping in for a swim in any anchorage, we learned to check the water temperature first. Some anchorages were warmer than others. This shallow bay was a warm one!
Small Towns
Little Current
I don’t know why the town is called “little current” when sometimes there is a significant current. For example, the first time we approached the dock, our “practice run” showed us the strength of the current. By “take 2,” we were able to get tied up without too much drama.
Cruiser’s Net
Our stop in Little Current coincided with the last Cruiser’s net for the season. Roy Eaton gives a daily broadcast with weather, news, and local events. Boaters are welcome to join him live during the broadcast, which we didn’t miss!
Kagawong
The guidebooks describe Kagawong as “Ontario’s prettiest village.” Every place we went to in the North Channel was pretty, so we thought it was too hard to judge “prettiest.” We enjoyed the quiet anchorage, a short hike to the beautiful Bridal Veil waterfall, a nautical church, and a historic mill.
Gore Bay
We stopped at Gore Bay a couple of times because we loved the town. The marina staff is friendly and helpful, and there’s a boardwalk, lovely shops, and restaurants to explore. We also frequented a bean-to-bar chocolate shop that reminded us of Grenada.
Dock Neighbors
As our time in the North Channel was ending soon, we called around to find winter storage for Meraki. Our dock neighbors in Gore Bay, Andy and Mary D, heard that Rogers City, MI, was an option. They piped in that they live about an hour away from there. They were heading home soon and would happily help us landside as needed. We left the dock about the same time and headed in the same direction. This provided an excellent opportunity to get photos of each other while under sail. What a gift to have a pic of Meraki under sail!
Transportation: By Plane Or By Car
How often does it happen that you meet a new friend and a few weeks later they offer to fly you somewhere or borrow you their spare car? Initially, Andy would fly Tony to Ashland to retrieve our car, but a scheduling conflict arose. Letting us use their spare car was plan B. It was a huge blessing as we packed up Meraki for the season.
Although Tony didn’t get to fly with Andy, we did get to see his plane. It was fascinating to hear how Andy built his plane and learn about the similarities between flying and sailing.
That’s A Wrap
Summer 2024 meant major refit projects on Meraki, many miles under her hull, and renewed confidence that our cruising days are not over. It was a good season!
Lovely post Julie. I had wondered how your summer went. Hope we can meet up again somewhere. Safe travels!
Thanks Beth! I look forward to when our wakes cross again, with boating friends they often do!
Can’t wait to see what your new season brings!! Thanks for sharing!!
Our tentative plan for the summer months is to sail from Lake Huron to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, it will be interesting and fun to explore more of the Great Lakes!