Parry Sound to Byng Inlet

Change of plans.  Originally I planned to continue clockwise around Georgian Bay and eventually cross northern Lake Huron to Mackinaw Island late in August.  Now, I will return north along the east coast of Georgian Bay dipping into the various inlets and exploring along the way.  

Return Route Is Maroon In Color

The new goal is to be in Beaverstone Bay by the 30th for the GLCC Wilderness Rally.  There will be about 30 boats gathering in this wilderness setting for three to four days. 

After that, I plan to continue west back through the North Channel to check out spots I missed coming through earlier.  Eventually, I will check in with US Customs on Drumond Island on the west end of the Channel and head down to St. Ignace, MI to pick up Paul and Kelly for a few days on Mackinaw Island.

The pictures that follow are from my early morning departure from Parry Sound up to a place called Hopewell Bay.  After Hopewell I stayed in a quiet anchorage alone in Norgate Inlet.  This was an unsounded inlet and resulted in striking a rock on departure yesterday.  This time I took damage to the starboard actuator.  It does not affect the steering but does affect the lift mechanism.  This time the actuator shaft is bent and the shear pin did not shear. 

Final destination put me back in Byng Inlet for resupply and some meals out on the town.  Several GLCC boats were in the area, so we had happy hour on "Class Act" and then dinner together at the Britt Inn.  We will get together for dinner again tonight, with those who stayed.

 Parry Sound to Hopewell Bay - 07/21 - 24.9 NM

Early Morning Sunlight Shinning On Cockpit

Marker At Entrance Parry Sound Harbor

Interesting Rock Formations And Easy Walking

Isolated Cabin

Dash in Hopewell Bay

More Interesting Rock

"Summer Wind" anchored with "Dash"

Early Departure From Hopewell Bay

Hopewell Bay to Norgate Inlet - 07/23 - 20.3 NM

Sun Just Coming Up

Can't Call It A "Cottage" When A Helicopter Sits On The Dock!

Nice J-3 Piper Cub On Floats At The Dock. 
Again, Can This Really Be A Cottage?

Light Marking Pt. Au Baril Entrance

Pt. Au Baril Light

The Low Rocks And Reefs Of The Area, Look Out!

 Norgate Inlet - Unsounded Hazardous Waters

Green Dots - Satellite Hits Return Route

Wonderful Channels For Kayaking - Norgate Inlet

Windswept Trees Of This Area

The Rock Is Fascinating

Not Sure If This Is One Of The 30,000 Islands Or Not?
It Does Have A Tree!

Peaceful Kayaking Waters

A Rock Garden With Flowers And Lily Pads

This Was The Best Kayaking I've Seen So Far

Baby Turtle Sunbathing On The Rock

Narrow Channels - Fun To Explore!

Dash Anchored - Norgate Inlet

 Norgate Inlet to Byng Inlet - 07/25 - 11.1 NM

Canadian Coast Guard Station And Light House, Byng Inlet

GLCC Rendezvous - Parry Sound, Georgian Bay

My summer goal was to get to the 2012 Great Lakes Cruising Club (GLCC) Rendezvous at Parry Sound, Georgian Bay, Ontario, and I made it!  637 NM from my departure point of Ontonagon, MI.  I departed June 1 and arrived July 14th in Parry Sound.

Completed Outbound Leg (Red Color)

The event beat my expectations.  There were 90 boats and 200 people!  The marina was shut down for the event and all slips went to the Club.  Types of boats were about 50/50, power versus sail. 

Most days we had continental breakfast served 0730-0900, except for our breakfast cruise on the Island Queen.  Each evening there was enough food and drink to make a dinner of it.  Two nights were more formal and held at the Stuckey Center, a multiple use center right on the water within walking distance.  The last dinner included music and dance after.  

Lots of free access to mueseums, ships, the fire tower overlooking the harbor, etc.  Overall a well organized enjoyable event. 

These tents were the center of activity on most days

The Commodore's sailboat in blue

Ships in dress, flying flags of past events.

Dash in the line up.

Island Queen, our 2 hour breakfast cruise, really fantastic.  Note the size of this vessel (largest tour ship in Canada) especially in light of the narrow passages this ship passes through.

Loading up at 0700!

Breakfast Cruise Route In Purple

The Stuckey Center, a multiple use center for concerts, formal dinners, and other events.  We had two evening events here including our formal Commodore's reception and dinner.

The Big Sound Marina site of the Rendezvous

Swing bridge at beginning of our cruise to SW of Parry Sound.

Not much room for this ship to pass!

The ship must follow the same route as this pleasure boat.

You can see the path the boat took and where the ship will go.

Blind turn, tight quarters for a ship this size.

Very picturesque.

Many interesting cabins along the route

This is the small craft route...and also, not so small craft!

Added hazard of fog as we approach the open water of Georgian Bay.

There are several narrows, 2 mile, 5 mile, and 7 mile along the route we took.  This is just one of them and typical of the marked routes of this region of Georgian Bay.

Better know what you are doing!

Many narrow channel passages

Very tight!  Took the paint of the buoys as we passed...just kidding!  But it looked that close.

Even tighter!

Watch this series of slides showing the proximity of rocks along side of the channel.

Close approach

Watch marker and rocks on starboard side

Marker is really close

The clarity of the water makes the rocks look pretty scary given this is a large ship and we are just feet away!

Another one of the narrows, it simply does not look like enough space for a ship of this size.

Day mark on side of channel.

Look at the proximity of those rocks on the port side!

Bridge opens again on our return

Approaching the city of Parry Sound, Ontario

Approaching the dock

One of the highest train trestles in Canada, 114 feet high.

View from the fire tower overlooking the town

Almost docked

Canadian Coast Guard buoy tender.  Just leaving docks after being open for GLCC members.

High shot of the marina, Island Queen, and approaches to Parry Sound