GEORGIAN BAY, LAKE HURON REFLECTIONS Blog & Vlog

Do you remember that old fashioned multicolored globe in your third grade classroom? You know – the one you loved to spin and explore all the fascinating places the world has to offer?

One of the most intriguing for me was the Great Lakes, the massive bodies of water that supposedly behaved like the ocean but without the sea salt aroma. How I’ve had the incredible fortune to cruise Lakes Ontario and Huron by boat is beyond me, but let me tell you, it’s been a veritable gift. Jeff and I are now anchored out at this very moment at Beaver Island on Lake Michigan and are about to head down our third Great Lake’s east coast down to Chicago. Pinch me!

By the lack of regular posts, you can see that we’ve pretty much been out of touch with the world. As frustrating as that is, the silver lining is that I have learned to chill and revel in the astounding nature that has enfolded us. Georgian Bay, also known as the 30,000 Islands if you recall, presented us with one jewel after another. We often anchored out in the most peaceful, glorious coves all on our own, while other more popular anchorages were shared with fellow boaters, some of whom we knew and would catch up with from time to time. One of those was Bad River. You’ll catch a glimpse of it as we put our sweet little Portland Pudgy dinghy called Pearl to explore its wonders. Unfortunately you’ll see that our little 3.9 horsepower electric motor wasn’t able to push through the small but strong rapid called Devil Door, but still, Bad River was a definite highlight featured in the video blog below.

A second highlight was going through what is known as Collin’s Inlet, a spectacular passage and preserve still owned and inhabited by the Ojibwe tribe. As Jeff and I journeyed through the winding waters with ancient stones and towering pines, we couldn’t help but feel a sense of the truly sacred. Of all the awe-striking moments of the trip so far, this one touched us deeply in a magical, inexplicable way.

Collin’s Inlet then led to our last stop in Georgian Bay before crossing over to the North Channel of Lake Huron. Killarney offers two sister marinas and is an excellent place for both land and boating tourists alike. There we met up with friends whom we’d met along the Rideau Canal last year from the boat Wandering Bear, along with some we’ve been connecting with in and off along the way this trip. While we typically prefer the freedom and beauty of anchoring out, marinas definitely offer the chance to socialize a bit more. The Killarney Lodge and marina happened to offer a nice swimming pool and also a fish fry on the water that afternoon. What could be better than that to share with friends?

Clearly, one great thing about being back in the States is that I can finally post more blogs and videos to catch you up. The next will cover our time in the North Channel, an amazing experience filled with yet even more wonder. I will then take you with us as we explore Mackinac Island and the east coast of Michigan. Stay with us, please. We love knowing that you’re out there and joining us!

Enjoy the video below. If you can’t see the typical video controls that identify it as a video, please still try clicking on it to make it play. That was the same in my last blog – some photos are actually videos but not clearly specified as such so you may have to click on each to access the ones that are. Anyway, enjoy and we hope we get to keep having you along with us!