South Benjamin's Anchorage to Kagawong, ON

Day #406: Mike and I were up at 6:30 A.M. for breakfast of coffee, cookies and peach/blueberries (that Mike and I picked). At 9:40 A.M. the engines were on. At 9:55 A.M. "Alysana" was casted off and Mike brought up "Parrot Bay's" anchor.  There was some mud but no trees. At 10:30 A.M. both boats were off Logan Reef Buoy with seas of 1 to 1 1/2 on the port quarter, not an uncomfortable ride but all were glad that it was only a 2 hour run to Kagawong. At 10:50 A.M. both boats were at the South tip of Clapperton Island. At 12:05 P.M. "Parrot Bay" secure at Kagawong Municipal Marina after traveling 15.1 miles (5,153.6 miles total for the trip).  At 12:15 P.M. "Alysana" was secure on the dock. At 12:30 P.M. John, Gina, Mike and I headed out to find lunch, groceries, beer and Bridal Veil Falls. There is only a café in Kagawong as Andrew the dockhand explained that it is difficult for a restaurant to survive here as it is only a 2 months season. Gina, John, Mike and I headed to the Main St. Café where the four of us had a great lunch on paninis, salads and drinks. Gina and John bought Mike and I lunch as a congratulations on crossing our wake in a few days. After lunch the four of us headed to the LCBO, variety store and small grocery store. Mike was able to buy beer. It was then off to the Bridal Falls where John, Gina and I took pictures while Mike went into the falls. The four of us then headed back to the boats for the afternoon. Mike read on the dock while I caught up on the blog. It clouded up with a few episodes of sprinkles. Gina, John, Mike and I sat on the dock between the boats enjoying our last docktails as tomorrow John and Gina will be heading to Gore Bay and Mike and I will be heading to Meldrum Bay. John and Gina will continue to De Tour Village and Mackinaw City while Mike and Patty will be crossing back into Michigan. The four of us went for one last ice cream together.

NEBO trip from Benjamin's to Kagawong, ON. 

"Parrot Bay" and "Alysana's" marina for the today. 

                                               St. John The Evangelist Anglican Church. 

There is lot of art work in Kagawong, ON. This piece is "Ascend/Transcend learning From the Past, Imagining a Shared Future: To ascend and transcend our relationship from the past to a new future in reconciling humanist ideals, our relationship to earth, air and water and body, mind and spirit."

Beautiful falls. 

The Bridal Veil Falls are the big attraction in Kagawong.
 

LCBO, Variety Store and Grocery Store. 

Only restaurant in town. The dockhand explained that it is difficult for restaurants to survive in the town due to only having a few months of summer. 

Old school house is what houses the Main St. Café. 

This was my lunch a pizza panini. The restaurant had all kinds of different paninis, salads, soups and desserts. 

Bridal Veil Falls 

Thanks to John for sharing this picture looking out from behind the Bridal Veil Falls. 

Mike enjoying Bridal Veil Falls. 

"Whitetail Deer this sculpture rejects the separation between cultural and natural. It rejects the division between an optimistic future and a tragic past. Instead it revels in the intersection between these forces. It is a zero-sum game between a doe, a buck, a fawn, a Ford F-150 bumper, the emerald ash borer and a propane tank. The work is whitetail deer in headlights."

John, Mike and I with the art. 

                                              Kagawong has the Old Mill Heritage Center. 

Inside the St. Johns The Evangelist Anglican Church. This is a famous Kagawong site due to the pulpit is the bow of a boat. 

Baie Fine Anchorage to South Benjamin Anchorage

Day #405: Mike and I got up at 2:30 A.M. to look at the meteor shower but they only saw a few shooting stars. The two of us were then up at 5:30 A.M. to prepare departure. John, Gina, Mike and I talked before leaving the anchorage about just bypassing Little Current heading straight to the Benjamin's due to the fact multiple boats were heading to Little Current and that it is a very busy stop. The decision was made that heading to the anchorage was a better plan.  Mike checked the anchors due to the swing of the boats during the night "Parrot Bay's" and "Alysana's" anchors were twisted a bit. John and Mike decided to start the engines a bit sooner then planned to allow time to get the anchors untwisted. The two boats had a bit of a schedule as the Little Current Swing Bridge only opens at the top of hour for only a short period of time so the plan was that the two boats would transit at 10:00 A.M. The two boats untied Mike maneuvered "Parrot Bay" away from "Alysana" getting the anchor untwisted without difficulty.  It was the tree that was more the issue but he was able to use the boat hook to get the tree off the anchor. "Alysana" had lots of weeds attached to their anchor. At 8:00 A.M. both boats exited the Baie Fine channel with calm seas. At 9:10 A.M. both boats passed Strawberry Island Lighthouse. At 9:50 A.M. "Parrot Bay" and "Alysana" were both holding station at the Little Current Swing Bridge. At 10:00 A.M. 10 boats transited through the swing bridge into Little Current. At 12:45 P.M. "Parrot Bay" and "Alysana" were secure in the Benjamin's with "Parrot Bay's" anchor down and "Alysana" rafted after traveling 44.1 miles (5,138.6 miles total for the trip). At 3:00 P.M. John, Gina, Mike and I got into "Parrot Bay's" launch heading to do some exploring of the rock formations and blueberry picking. The winds picked up with strong gusts but no issues with the anchor holding. At 5:00 P.M. the group returned to the boats. Mike let out additional rope of the anchor hence there needed to be an additional "anchor watch beer" so Mike and I joined John and Gina on "Alysana" until 8:00 P.M. The group decided to sleep in on Tuesday morning as it is only a 2 hour trip to Kagawong. Mike and I played cribbage Mike won.

Beautiful sunrise while leaving Baie Fine. 

Strawberry Island Lighthouse. 

Little Current Swing Bridge. 

Little Current Swing Bridge open at 10:00 A.M. 

North Channel excursion boat. 

"Pearl Mist" cruising ship docked in Little Current. 

Ruins on Picnic Island just outside of Little Current. 

Five loons. 

                                                                                  

                                           Beautiful rock formations in the Benjamin's. 

Mike calls this the "ski slope". 

The look from the top of the "ski slope".

"Parrot Bay's" launch parked at the bottom of the "ski slope".
 

After a bit of a climb and some blueberry picking this is the view out over Lake Huron from the Benjamin's.

Mike and I with the "Parrot Bay" and "Alysana" in the background.

John and Gina with the boats in the background. 

Time to enjoy the Benjamin's. 

Rock formations with the boats in the background. 

Sunset in the Benjamin's. 

Sportsman’s Inn in Killarney, ON to Baie Fine Anchorage

Day #404: Happy Birthday to Mom Burdo. From last night I beat Mike at cribbage. Mike and I were up at 6:00 A.M. for coffee, brownies (thanks to John on “Alysana”) and nectarine. At 7:00 A.M. Mike and I started to prepare the boat for departure. At 8:00 A.M. “Parrot Bay” off the dock first.  It was a tight corner as there was a boat parked behind “Alysana” (thanks to Kurt from “Honey Badger” for the help). “Parrot Bay” out in the channel when “Alysana” backed out of their slip.  John did a great job getting out. Beautiful morning sunny and 56 degrees. At 10:15 A.M. both boats entered the Baie Fine channel. At 11:45 A.M. both boats were secure rafted together with two bow anchors out in the “pool”. At 12:30 P.M. engines were shut down once it was definite that there would be no dragging of the anchors after traveling 25.8 miles (5,094.5 miles total for the trip). John, Gina, Mike and I having “anchor watch beers” on “Alysana” (Anchor watch beer is consumed during the time it takes to make sure the anchor has held and the boat is secure before proceeding with other activities). At 12:45 P.M. John, Gina, Mike and I piled into “Parrot Bay’s” launch heading to the area to climb up to Lake Topaz. The four of us were joined by Kurt and Deborah from “Honey Badger” climbing the rocks to Lake Topaz.  At 1:30 P.M. the group reached Lake Topaz which is a natural lake where nothing grows and it is a beautiful blue color. Mike, Kurt and Deborah all jumped into the water. Once Mike got out of the water the two of us walked a bit higher to a spot that looked over the pool where the boats were anchored Mike took pictures of the boats. The two of us then walked back down the trail to the dinghy. The four of us headed back to the boats where Mike and I jumped into the pool. The four of us then got back together to have drinks on the flying bridge. At 5:30 P.M. John, Gina, Mike and I jumped into the dinghy heading to “rocktails” with a group of loopers “Honey Badger”, “Alysana”, “Here’s an Idea”, “Bella Gatto”, “Gallus”, “Kitumba” and “Nomadic Spirit” on a large rock formation in Baie Fine.  At 7:30 P.M. all of the loopers headed back to their boats for the evening. The plan is for “Alysana” and “Parrot Bay” to head to Little Current to provision.

Happy Birthday Mom Burdo.

As Mike got "Parrot Bay" out into the channel in front of the Sportsman's Inn Marina a float plane was motoring down the channel. 

John doing a great job maneuvering "Alysana" out of the Sportsman Inn Marina. 

Float plane going by "Parrot Bay" in the channel. 

Quarrying machinery.   

Some views as "Parrot Bay" transited the Baie Fine channel. 

Sailboat being towed in the Baie Fine channel lost his transmission.

Beautiful view transiting the Baie Fine channel. 

NEBO trip Killarney, ON to Baie Fine, ON

Starting the walk heading up toward Lake Topaz.

                                                                                    

                                                     Mike and I heading to Lake Topaz. 

The climb was well worth the view of Lake Topaz. 

Just stunning!!!

Mike's first dive into Lake Topaz. 

Mike enjoying a swim in Lake Topaz.

Mike's second dive into Lake Topaz.  Better form this time.

Looking down on the "pool" at all of the boats anchored. 

"Rocktails" in Baie Fine.