August 2006
Lake Superior, USA
The first week of August was spent at Barker's Island Marina finishing the refit. Gypsy Dancer left Barker's Island on Saturday August 5th bound for the Apostle Islands on the south shore of Lake Superior for her shake-down cruise.
Itinerary since then has been:
5th - Raspberry Island - anchored in E bay
6th - Stockton Island - anchored in Julian Bay
7th - Grand Marais - alongside Forestry dock
8th - Susie Island - anchored in NE bay
9th - Isle Royal - alongside Windigo Ranger Station dock
10th - ditto
11th - Isle Royal to Grand Portage. Anchored in Wauswaugoning Bay (just N or Grand Portage)
12th / 13th - Prince Arthur Landing Marina, Thunder Bay, Canada.
The only problem I had was sailing to Stockton Island in a good F4 wind when the roller furling jammed necessitating finding shelter in the lee of Oak Island while I went on deck to sort it out - an exhausting 30 min's but all went well and the rest of the sail was uneventful.
We sat out a strong NE'ly on 10th at Isle Royal. The weather cancelled all the ferries and many island visitors couldn't get back to the mainland. As I had been given some duff information at the ranger station (yes you can clear US customs there, but only if you are a US citizen) a trip back to Grand Portage was required. I gave a lift across to four people stuck on the island - Richard & Emily and Sam and Charlotte - who needed to get to Minneapolis to catch a flight. Great sail across with a perfect F2 on the beam.
We had difficulty in Grand Portage as it is shallow and very rocky (ouch!). We were unable to approach any of the docks (GD has a draft of 6 feet, 1.85 m) or to anchor and use the dinghy so I radioed for assistance. My call was answered by two chaps in traditional sailors dress in an historical 18' wooden 2-masted boat (called a McQuarrie I think). They came out and ferried my passengers ashore. (Thanks for the fishing rod - hope you caught your flights OK). The guys in the boat then called the customs at the crossing point on the US / Canadian border a few miles up the road who authorised a park ranger to clear me out of the US. Ranger John arrived looking a little wet and uncomfortable for the transfer onto Gypsy Dancer as we were bobbing about in the middle of the bay. The clearance was issued in a very short time.
After that we motored round into Wauswaugoning Bay (good holding in a gently shallowing bay) just to the north to rest and prepare for the sail to Thunder Bay on the following day.
Sailed up to Thunder Bay with a good F3, then 4 on the quarter flying just the headsail and romping along at 6 and 7 knots. Enjoyable bit of threading the needle navigation through the islands and shoals into Thunder Bay then across the shipping lanes, duck a few yachts and in through the breakwater. Wind blowing onto the dock so the landing was a matter of stopping 4 feet away and waiting while the wind blew us on. It would have been very different if it had been off the dock.
Thunder Bay is and very spread-out city. I've cycled miles looking for supplies, not always successfully - the chandlers are few and far between and not well stocked. One problem solved when Rick Shutes from the powerboat 'Rosinante' gave me his spare hand-bearing compass. I continue to be overwhelmed by the generosity of other sailors. Also met Steve and the crew of Anna Bella again, whom I met at Isle Royale a couple of days ago. Thanks for the fan Steve!
Left Thunder Bay for a frustrating light and variable, dead downwind run to Tee Harbour on the SE corner of the Sibley Peninsular. Gypsy Dancer the only boat in the bay so we had the choice of the three moorings laid there. Sat and watched a pair of loons feeding a young and they were still at it in the morning, calling across the stillness with their weird and atmospheric cry.
From Tee harbour to Loon Harbor where I met up with Rosinante again and Rick kindly invited me across for a meal. Very good it was too!
From Loon Harbor a great 28 mile sail across to McGreevy Harbour in the Slate Islands - where a couple of cabins are occupied and one owner even arriving by seaplane and moored it on his wharf. Picked up a 'dead head' ( a sunken waterlogged tree trunk) when leaving the next morning which provided a few moments fun as it necessitated motoring with a 6' long 12 inch diameter tree dragging under the bow by the anchor chain which had wound a neat half hitch round it overnight. Luckily the tripping line could be used to unwrap it and it sank quickly to the bottom to wait for the next unlucky sailor.
From McGreevy to Pitch Rock Harbour was another good sail on a close reach or close hauled all the way. Pitch Rock harbour is just the most perfect small enclosed bay with sandy beaches and rock outcrops, a long wood-covered beach and some interesting scrambles round the coast. The weather was sunny too making for a perfect end to the day.
From Pitch Rock to Simons harbour was a good sail at first, close hauled with two tacks out from coast. Then wind died so engine on and motored for the last 3.5 miles into Simons Harbour. Neat place although no sign of the coastal path or bridge mentioned in Dahl.
The next day was a long sail down the coast and out to Michipicoten Island. Started of with a lumpy 4 and 5 foot sea with GD making seven or eight knots consistently. Bumpy but fun with lots of spray over the foredeck. Logged 46 miles (44 according to the GPS) in seven hours and that included the last section along the south coast of the island when the wind dropped and was from dead astern so we motored along to Quebec Harbour. Loons came close enough for a photo in Quebec Harbour -the best I've managed to get so far.
From Quebec Harbour we sailed across to Gargantua Harbour on the Canadian mainland and then south via Sinclair Cove where we visited Agawa Rock 'First Nation' paintings and met crowds again for the first time in weeks. An open anchorage in Goulais Bay set us up for a long day's sail and motor down to Sault Ste. Marie and the Canadian Lock where we exited Lake Superior after a 45 minute wait for two tour boats to arrive.
The last few days of August passed quickly as we sailed through the North Channel and Georgian Bay making for Tobermory at the southern exit to Georgian Bay. We'd like to have stayed longer here but were now on a bit of a schedule as we were due to crew change somewhere on Lake Erie in early September. The last day of August provided a good 53 mile sail from an Anchorage behind Strawberry Island near Little Current to Tobermory.