CANADA

Loopers Love the North Channel

When asked where one of their favorite Loop cruising territories were many Loopers will talk about the time spent in Canada’s North Channel. Packed with countless anchorage possibilities in glacier formed coves surrounded by beautifully rugged terrain and crystal clear water these are (in our opinion) waters you’ll enjoy spending relaxing summer days. To view photo’s and more detailed descriptions of the North Channel simply click the Canada or North Channel link in the sidebar.

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Canadian Wonderland

July’s the perfect time to be cruising Canada’s Trent-Severn Waterway – it's a real treat to visit the many harbor towns that line the waterway. Sometime during these summer months it seems like every town – Trenton, Campbellford, Peterborough and Fenelon Falls, to name a few – have festivals to celebrate the short summer season. The Trent-Severn Waterway is 240 glorious miles long, dotted with small cottages, lakes and rock islands. As you travel the waterway, you’ll negotiate 44 unique…

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Song Birds at Heywood Island – North Channel

We enjoyed the “Pool” so much we didn’t want to leave but finally we departed for Heywood Island and later, Little Current.After getting settled into our quiet anchorage, shared with half a dozen other boats, off Heywood Island, we were suddenly surrounded by 20 trailorable sailing boats. These are small sailboats with outboards on them that when they are not sailing can get up on plain. Once they all got settled and got into their respective dinghies they formed the largest…

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Hiking “UP” to Topaz Lake

Another gorgeous day in the North Channel. We were anchored in the "Pool," a well protected cover just at the end of Baie Fin. We took advantage of the great weather by exploring by dinghy and beaching the small craft on a rocky shore so we could hike up the rocky cliff to Topaz Lake located at the very top.Yes, you read this correctly, we hiked "UP" to the Lake. The reward for our efforts, after a very hot and…

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Meldrum Bay

Meldrum Bay, located on the northwest tip of Manitoulin Island, is one of last stops in the North Channel as one heads west. I remember, with great anticipation as we cruised into the Bay for the very first time.One might think the anticipation was for the natural wonders that the North Channel had to offer an adventurous cruiser but instead it was for the fabled “Pie Lady” we’d heard so much about. We had heard the she came down to…

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The “Pool” at the End of Baie Fine – North Channel

Baie Fine is a wonderful 10-mile cruise laden with fantastic photo opportunities around each rocky bend and cliff as you work your way up to a little cove called the “Pool."We anchored, as is tradition, in the med-moor style with a stern line run to shore and tied securely to a tree. It was so peaceful we stayed for two days but could have easily stayed a week. Too much to see and too little time I guess. Our first…

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The Wonders of Traveling through Ontario’s Baie Fine

One of the most beautiful and satisfying trips in the North Channel is the trip up Baie Fin (pronounced Bay Fin) to the Pool. You would think you were traveling in a scandinavian fjord the way the quartz cliff rise so high from the water. Baie Fine is an exceptional experience that all cruisers to the North Channel should experience, especially if you’re only going to travel through once.Not only a lovely scenic view but appetizers today for the crew of Kismet.

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Bear-ly Fun on Croker Island – North Channel, Canada

Canada’s North Channel is a magical boating paradise and for us Croker Island is one of its gems. The reason we like Croker Island so much is because it has a cove that provides an excellent, well protected, anchorage. From here you can dinghy and explore around Croker, or go over to the equally magnificent Benjamin or Fox Islands to dinghy through the menagerie of coves, creeks and unique, glacier created, rock formations.Nestled into our anchorage with a half dozen…

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Covered Portage Cove – North Channel

Two miles to the west of Killarney lies Covered Portage Cove, a kunkholers dream. The narrow entrance, that has large boulders protruding from the water makes for an nerve racking entrance for ones first visit but made easier if the cruising guide advice is followed.Once inside it’s common practice to anchor med-moor style, this giving the greatest amount of room for other boaters as this area can get pretty busy at times. Lisa and I landed our dinghy so we…

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Killarney, Eh?

Killarney, what a great name but more importantly what a wonderful boaters paradise. Killarney sits at the northwest corner of Georgian Bay and the northeast section of the North Channel in Ontario Canada. We’ve been to Killarney a couple of times but to me I think it’s a place we could never tire of. Big enough for basic supplies but remote enough to one feel like there a long long way from home. On our last trip through Killarney we…

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Penetanguishene / Lion’s Head / Tobermory, Georgian Bay – Canada

We spent one night at Beacon Bay Marina. Had a great dinner, at Scully's, in Midland with Rick and Mary, on the other Kismet, and left the next morning for Lion's Head Marina in Lion's Head, Ontario. Didn't do much as the weather was rather gloomy. Tuesday morning we left for Tobermory where we anchored in the larger bay. A beautiful, quiet anchorage.Lions Head (above)Tobermory Anchorage (above)

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Trent Severn Waterway – Big Chute Marine Railway and the LAST LOCK!!!

Today we left our peaceful anchorage and headed for the Big Chute Marine Railway just a few miles up river from where we anchored. We approached the carriage contraption that they load the boats on and they loaded a sailboat on the front and loaded us behind them. The carriage begins moving up the hill, over a street, toward the hill that descends down to the water, even as we are still getting settled on the sling. 20% of our…

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Trent Severn Waterway – Lost Channel Anchorage – Severn Falls, Canada

Our mission today was to go off the channel a few miles south of the Big Chute Marine Railway to find a remote anchorage for a couple of days. We were successful in finding the perfect spot tucked away in The Lost Channel.It's quiet here except for the occasional fishing boat whizzing past. Last night we watched some otters working and sunning themselves. Watche a hord of mosquitoes decend on our boat and every once in awhile heard loons not too far…

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Trent Severn Waterway – Lock Wall in Gamebridge, Canada

We went through three more locks and tied up for the night along with our friends, Rick and Mary, on the otherKismet (Arcadia). So, in Gamebridge it was "game" night on our boat and that seemed appropriate.The area after Fenelon Falls brought us through some very shallow and weedy water. Also along this patch we were in about 5 miles of canal that was similar to a small gorge with walls of rock on both sides and no room for any…

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Trent Severn Waterway – Juniper Island Anchorage, Canada

We left Peterborough for a long half-hour. per lock and that's if it's not busy. We haven't had to wait long to get into the locks since many of the days we've been traveling have been during the week and we think the gas crisis has affected boating somewhat. Also, it is not their busy season until closer to the end of June. During one of our lock throughs today we met a boater who was from the area we were…

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Trent Severn Waterway-Peterborough, Canada

Peterborough, Ontario is the largest city we've stayed at since New York City. We've been on the move almost everyday for awhile and decided to stay a couple of days at the City Marina to get caught up on chores. We are still traveling with Rick and Mary on the other Kismet (Arcadia).So, besides doing 7 loads of laundry and visiting the Peterborough Canoe Co., we visited the Peterborough Lift Lock. Construction on this lock started in 1896 and was…

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Trent Severn Waterway-Campbellford, Canada

We arrived in Cambellford and docked at a municipal wall right down down right next to a beautiful park.We enjoyed a restful night and went into town on Saturday morning to have breakfast at a local Irish restaurant. We learned what a shalaylie was. Do you know? We ventured on to the local bakery, farmers market and the Chocolate Factory. What a way to spend a Saturday morning.479 miles of adventure to go.  

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Trent Severn Waterway to Campbellford, Canada

The Trent Severn Waterway is a short cut through Canada that goes from Lake Ontario about 80 miles east of Toronto to Severn on the Georgian Bay. It has 44 unique locking experiences and is 240 miles long.We left Trenton for a 9-hour, 31-mile, 12-lock day with our friends, Rick and Mary on the other Kismet. It was a mostly uneventful day except for the cable, that we were attached to in the lock, broke and we had to scramble…

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Trent Severn Waterway – Trenton, Ontario Canada

Our next destination was to head to Trenton, a 38-mile run through beautiful waters with small cottages, large farms on hills off the water's edge. At times cautious navigation was required because of shallow waters and narrow channels. Overall a very pleasant day was had to reach this active town. Trenton is the beginning of the Trent Severn Waterway. We stayed at the very small, however very well managed, Trenton Marina.So, now that we are in Canada we have to…

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Lake Ontario to Picton, Ontario, Canada

We left Oswego with a flotilla of vessels at 7 a.m. Wednesday early morning and to our delight we had no wind and glass like water conditions for our 65-mile trek (40 of it across the open waters of Lake Ontario. It was a wonderful crossing and we are so happy to be back in water that is clear and clean.We spent our first dockage in Picton, Canada. Picton is a small town with a tiny marina at an end…

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