Luisa Island, Croker Island, The Benjamins and Back to Little Current, ON

August 12, 2015

I forgot to mention in my last post that Little Current is the home to "Cruisers' Net".  Each morning on VHF Channel 71 useful information is provided to vessels in the area from as far west as Bruce Mines and south into Georgian Bay past Killarney.  The broadcast takes place at 9:00 am and is hosted by Roy Easton.  The net starts out with a request for any problems, a current weather report, local, national and international news, and then some interesting facts or history about the area.  The remainder of the broadcast allows boaters to check-in and give their locations and destinations.  Roy also often relays messages to boaters that are too distant from one another to communicate. The transmission takes place from the Anchor Inn in Little Current.  Each Friday, a happy hour is held at the Inn for cruisers to get together to share experiences, give advice, and to share future cruising plans.

Cruisers Net

August 13, 2015

Yesterday afternoon we had to move to a slip because a cruise ship was arriving sometime during the night.  At 6:00 am, I look out at the wall and no cruise ship.  About 6:30, the Pearl Mist arrives.  This is a 200 passenger ship which travels from Chicago to Toronto.  Dave and I saw this same ship about a week ago when we were leaving Perry Sound.  

"Pearl Mist" on the wall in Little Current

After completing a few errands, we leave our slip at about noon.  Our mail still hasn't arrived.  We decide to head west and enjoy some of the much talked about anchorages for the weekend and return to  Little Current on Monday.  Today we are joining "Grand Baron" in Luisa Island.  The ride is only about 7 miles and takes us about an hour and a half.  Luisa Island is a sheltered horseshoe cove and there are only two other boats in the anchorage when we arrive.  We are going to anchor "mediterranean style" for the first time, meaning that we will set an anchor off the bow as we usually do, but we will also tie a line from the stern of "At Last" to the shore, a rock or a tree will do for our tie off point.  Tom and Vicky anchor first and then Tom takes our stern line and ties it to the shore for us.  It is a very hot day and swimming is the activity of the day.  Around 3:30, the 4 boats in the anchorage get together for "rocktails".  We all dinghy to a flat rock area and enjoy a pleasant afternoon.  Eventually, we all head back to our boats for dinner and then it's off to bed.  Tonight meteor showers are supposed to be visible from about 2:00 am to 4:00 am.  Not sure we will be up to see them.

Traveling to Luisa Island

"Grand Baron" & "At Last" anchored med-style at Luisa Island

Stern-tied to shore

Dinghies pull up to rocks for "rocktails"

Rocktails with crews from "Cali Calais", "Grand Baron", "Northern Odyssey", & "At Last"

August 14, 2015

We have breakfast, listen to Cruisers' Net…..this morning the broadcast had its 5000th call-in of boaters giving their locations and destination. We decide to continue to the Benjamin Islands, but today we are going to first go to Croker Island.  It is a short ride of 8 miles and proves to be another beautiful anchorage.  There are high rock cliffs here and once again, "Grand Baron" and we anchor med-style.

Tom & Vicky join us for lunch and then we spend the afternoon swimming and relaxing.  

Sunrise at Luisa Island

Traveling to Croker Island

Entrance to Croker Island Anchorage

Cooling off at Croker Island 

Rock Cliffs at Croker Island

View off the stern during morning coffee

Rocks, Water, Trees
Looking to the north on Croker

Brilliant rock colors

August 15, 2015

After breakfast, Dave takes an early morning dinghy ride to check out our next anchorage in the Benjamin Islands.  These are considered to be the most beautiful of the islands in the North Channel.  The islands bear the name of a lighthouse keeper, Benjamin Baker, who died mysteriously. After a night on the town in Gore Bay, his sailboat was found adrift with his dog, empty wallet and a whiskey bottle.  His body was never found and foul play may have been involved.  A family member who took a swig from the bottle became violently ill.  The mystery has never been solved.

The islands are pink granite and set among the crystal clear water and emerald green pines, their scenery is spectacular.  It is a very short ride to the Benjamins, only about a mile.  When we arrive, we anchor med-style all by ourselves and this time, Dave helps Tom attach the stern line of "Grand Baron" to the shore.  This is a very large anchorage and several boats are here.  We are next to "Dream Girl" who we met in Baie Finn.  "Coeur Lion", who we met in Ottawa is also here.  The beauty of this area is almost indescribable.  There are many places to hike, climb the rocks or just sit and enjoy the views.  Kayaking and paddle boarding are popular activities in this anchorage.  Dave and I take a dinghy ride and when we return we see "Salty" enter the anchorage. We met Jonathan and Rosa several weeks ago in St. Jean just as we were beginning the Chambly Canal.  They are in a 22' Sea Dory.  It is great to see them and we catch up on their travels since we were last together.  After an afternoon of swimming, we join Rosa & Jonathan from "Salty"; Monty & Kerri from "Dream Girl" and Tom and Vicky from "Grand Baron" on their boat for dinner….a night of grilling and chilling. Before dinner, I take a tour of "Salty".  It is amazing how well this small boat transits the Loop.  It has a small V-berth, and a diesel stove for cooking, but no refrigerator or head.  Eeeks, I know I couldn't travel like that, but Jon and Rosa are having a great time.  We have an enjoyable evening and then we all return to our boats.

Sunrise in Croker Island

Dave ties stern line of "Grand Baron" to shore

Mission accomplished

"At Last" at anchor at Benjamin Island

Looking out the starboard rear window (It was a big rock.)

 Dinghy ride around the Benjamins

Reflection in the windows from the stern of "At Last"

Did I say the rock was BIG?!

At anchor…Grand Baron,  At Last,  Dream Girl,  Salty (in the back behind Dream Girl)

Kerri and Monty

Rosa and Jonathan

August 16, 2015

After checking the weather forecast for the next few days, we decide to leave this gorgeous anchorage and head back towards Little Current to get our mail.  We hope it will be there on Monday.  We travel for about 3 hours and anchor behind Picnic Island just outside of Little Current.  It is a quiet anchorage and we settle in for an uneventful, but relaxing evening.

On our way to Picnic Island
Sailors enjoying some wind 

August 17, 2015

In the morning, we pull the anchor and go to the service dock in Little Current.  Once again we run into "Salty".  "Blue Willow" a boat we met in Montreal as we were going through the St. Lawrence Seaway locks is also here.  It is amazing how many boats we are running into that we have not seen for quite a while.  We get a pump out and fill our water tanks and then we tie up to the wall for the night.  I need to do laundry and to get some supplies at the grocery store.  After docking, I head to the laundromat.  While I am there, April and Katie come in to do their laundry.  Dave and I met April, her husband John and their children Allie, Katie, and John when we were in Campbellford.  They are from Staten Island, NY.  After learning about the Great Loop, they made a decision to do it and three weeks later they were on their way.  Their children are 11, 8, and 2.  April is going to be "home schooling" the girls once the academic year starts.  What a wonderful experience for this family!  There is so much history and so many life experiences these kids will encounter, not to mention the quality family time together.  Dave and I go to the Anchor Inn for lunch then it's back to the boat to make the bed….my least favorite job…..and then I head to the grocery store.  Earlier in the day we met a couple from Baltimore, Lois and Ken,  and we join them on their boat, "Camelot", along with John and April and their kids.  After visiting for a bit we head back to the boat for leftovers.  We hope our mail arrives tomorrow so we can get underway.  The US border is only about 115 miles away.  The weather forecast for later in the week is bad so we would like to find a good anchorage to "hole up" in until the wind dies down.