Heading Home

We ask our friends at our home marina to take our official Gold Looper photo designating the Loop closure. We flew a white flag identical to this one during the trip and once completing the Great Loop, we could display the Gold one.

We have completed our loop.

Our friends at DBBC welcome us with open arms and a finish line banner and champagne

Linda got off the boat and grinning ear to ear, kissed the dock.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009, 6:20 PM - Freedom's Turn slides into

Slip # 249, at Duncan Bay Boat Club, Cheboygan, Michigan

6,069 miles, 342 days and 112 locks later:

We arrived back at our home marina, safe and sound.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Well.... the cigars and Glenlivet scotch are gone. The LOOP must be finished? At least our physical location tells me so. Are we through with the flood (Illinois River), hurricane (Ike), fire (Myrtle Beach), and tornado's (Belhaven, NC)?

I'm sitting on Freedom's Turn at our wonderful slip at our boat club on my 38th wedding anniversary to Linda. It has been three days since we "crossed our wake." All is well with our world, but I still have a bittersweet feeling in my gut. Hopefully, writing this blog entry will give closure and make things better.

But first, I would be remiss in not thanking and confirming deep feelings for Linda. She and I have truly grown closer during this trip. Everyone has wondered how our relationship would work being so close together for so long. Let's say that I could not have chosen a better companion for the journey. She has grown immensely as a first mate (admiral while on shore!) in all aspects of the boat's daily duties. Obviously, the Freedom's Turn blog was her doing and would not have happened without her. Her artistic outlet has proved to be a conduit to all of our friends and relatives.

While closing in on the last miles of the trip, I took awhile at idle speed (as recommended by our Looper friend Jim from the boat Kismet) to reminisce. Linda and I started recalling the many sayings that I acquired in my memory from the many friends we made while on our trip. These phrases truly sum up the feelings we have experienced during the trip.

I would like to repeat some of those quotes followed by the boat name for everyone to share. Don't you just love these boat names! I think the comments below help show how close Loopers and friends are to others on such a journey. Here we go: (As Bella Luna would say---"This is a TRUE story")

"You're a Looper? Oh, a newbie, only 3 weeks, huh? Let's go to dinner and talk" by FOOTLOOSE in Grand Haven, MI; our first contact with a fellow Looper.

"Pull your boat in right here, I'll take your lines. Free dock and electricity" by ETCETERA in Joilet, IL at the city wall after an extremely long day from Chicago. The folks on this boat later became our mentors.

"Get your butt down the river NOW, there's a flood coming!" by ETCETERA, while we were going down the Illinois River. The flood and Hurricane Ike left us for 12 nights in Grafton, IL as a "River Rat."

"Good morning kiddies, are we ready to go out and play?" by ETCETERA each morning at 7:00 AM while we and several other Looper boats were traveling the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. This was followed by "Has everyone taken their medication ?"

"A WHAT jumped on your boat?" By SOJOURN after a 7 pound Asian Carp jumped onto our boat going down the Mississippi.

"They've hit a diving buoy!" by C-LIFE, after HIGHLANDER, a boat in our caravan, was struck by an unseen object on the raging, flood swollen Mississippi River.

"If you're supplying the meat, then I'm going to bring the best salad you have ever had on your boat." by ADRIANA while rafting with Freedom's Turn at anchor in Little Diversion on the Mississippi River.

"Sure, I know how to do a three-strand line to a chain splice for your rode" by VOYAGER II.

"Oh my, she is keeping her boat cleaner than mine, I'd better get to work!" by KISMET after seeing Linda clean and polish Freedom's Turn in Green Turtle Bay Marina, Kentucky.

"Have you gotten one of Bud's cinnamon rolls this morning, they're wonderful!" by SOUTHERN COMFORT at Pebble Isle Marina in Tennessee, referring to a treasured gift from the boat SUNSHINE .

"Five women ate my whole gigantic cookie and ice cream!" by BELLA LUNA at Pebble Isle.

"When I get home I'm going to have to join Weight Watchers and Alcoholics Anonymous!" by BELLA LUNA at our Looper rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park.

'We insist you drive our vehicle to Michigan for the Michigan State/Ohio State football game!" by our college friends Warren and Debbie who live near the Joe Wheeler State Park, Alabama.

"Charlie, I wore the Michigan State shirt during the game!" said both by C-LIFE and BELLA LUNA (this was big because they are from North Carolina!)

"Boy, that didn't sound good!" by WANDERIN" L & M after hearing a metal clunk sound when FREEDOM'S TURN shifted to reverse when leaving the free dock at Gunthersville, Alabama.
(An expensive prop repair followed.)

"It's 25 degrees this morning!" by KISMET as Linda and I ponder how to get the frost off of our strataglass at anchor in Alabama. Another boat, ROY EL, chimed in with" Howdy, howdy, take your hair dryer up there and your portable inverter and plug her in."

"I just talked to Greg and Carl and they said to invite you two to join us at their home during the Thanksgiving holidays " by ROY EL when they found out we had no plans for the holiday.

"We're going to pick up the speed a bit to get there earlier!" by GOLDEN LILLY to our travel group on the way crossing the Gulf from Carrabelle to Steinhatchee, Florida, as waves were building to 3-5 footers.

"Let's go get one of those wonderful Greek salads at Hella's." by WANDERIN" L & M while in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

"Freedom's Turn can stay at a slip in our marina while you go home for the Christmas holidays, we'll watch over her." by Demetri and Val in St. Pete Beach, FL.

"We have a free dock for you in Marathon, Florida, while you are coming through." by SUN-CAT whose brother and sister-in-law let us tie up at their wholesale fish company dock plus fed us wonderful seafood during our three day stay.

"You're going to love it here" by C-HORSE and DESTINY at our one month stay at Marina Del Mar in Key Largo, Florida.

"Yes, we would love to have you as our buddy boat" by KISMET for the crossing from Ft. Lauderdale to West End, Bahamas.

"You must stop at our place in Ft.Lauderdale and have dinner. And we love to take Loopers anywhere they need to go." by VICTORY.

"I don't care how deep the water is! What can I do about it?" by Kismet when I radioed him about his position during the navigation of surfing 10 foot waves while going past Don't Rock in the Abacos, Bahamas.

"Welcome back into the United States!" the first words from ICE when we returned from the Abacos and they checked our LBO.

"Hi Mom and Dad, we are here!" from our daughter Carrie and her husband Jody, who drove all the way from Michigan to come and see us for a few days while we were in Daytona Beach, Florida.

"Our home (and beds!) are open for you guys" by cousin Becky and her husband Bill at Hilton Head, SC while we visited them for several days.

"The US Coast Guard has closed the Intracoastal Waterway at Myrtle Beach due to fire" broadcast from Channel 16 on our VHF delaying the day we went through there.

"Ya'all must stop by and visit a few days at our beach house when you come through Beaufort, (NC) by BELLA LUNA. After five days of ourselves and KISMET, the folks from BELLA LUNA were probably ready for us to leave. We'll never forget all they did to make us welcome; especially the 'low country" dinner.

"Happy Mother's Day! We miss you!" written on the card by daughter Christa when sending flowers from Carrie and her to Ocean Marina in Portsmouth, Virginia for Linda.

"We'll miss you guys..., by the way, here is your cork screw!" as Freedom's Turn cruised over to the dock by KISMET to do a hand to hand transfer from their dock to our moving boat! We left KISMET for the last time in the Solomons, Maryland.

"You guys must see the 'Blue Angels' at Annapolis" by QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE while in Deltaville, Maryland

"So.....WHY do you want to come home?" by our friend from back home, Kathy, upon responding to an e-mail Linda sent her with an attached photo of Linda posing with some buff Navy Midshipmen in Annapolis, Maryland.

"Hi Freedom's Turn, we've been on the Loop for three weeks now and have lots of questions!" by ADAGIO when meeting them in Kingston, Ontario. (It was at this point that Linda and I realized we had matured into seasoned Loopers and the end must be in sight.)

"We heard you might be in Little Current (this is on Manitoulin Island in the North Channel, Ontario, Canada) the same time as us!" by MISTRESS. This was to be our first get together with boater friends from our home marina.

"On second thought, how would you like to come to our house for dinner, eh?' by Denise and Wayne owners of the Westview Bed and Breakfast, Little Current, after they treated us at Farquahrs for ice cream.

"Hey, we're looking forward to you guys getting home; how about a cigar and some Glenlivet!" by Dave, a college friend and poker opponent from back home.

Maybe life will go on!

Bless all of you,

Charlie

This ends our Great Loop blog. Some statistics and three photos follow below.


Some TRIP STATISTICS
Days traveled: 342
Miles traveled: 6,069
Fuel used: 2,215.08 gallons of diesel
Engine hours: 954.16
Marina nights: 257
Anchoring nights: 36
Lock wall nights: 9

Free docks: 21
Mooring ball nights: 3
At home in Okemos nights: One weekend in October and two weeks at Christmas
Hotel nights: 2
Other transportation: renting a car: 7, plane trip: 1, ferry rides: 2
Laundry costs: $391.50
ICE CREAM Costs $550
Living our dream: Priceless

Our celebration continues with a cookout with our Duncan Bay Boat Club friends

Sunset in the Florida Keys at Islamarada

Hiking at Covered Portage Anchorage, Canada

THE END

Canada Part 4 - The North Channel

July 12-13, 2009 This island is known as the Whalesback Island, marking an area in the North Channel as the Whalesback Channel. Behind this island we anchored in Bear Drop Harbor; our last two nights of our trip. This anchorage will always be special.

The North Channel, Ontario, Canada July 8-13, 2009

Duncan Bay Boat Club, Cheboygan, Michigan July 14, 2009

Greetings to all,

This blog will cover the past seven days for a distance of 260 miles from Collins Inlet in the Georgian Bay to yes, you just read correctly from above, to our home port of Cheboygan, Michigan. Today is Wednesday, July 15, our first day back to our home marina and I am trying to recover from the bittersweet feelings I have as I write my last blog after we completed the trip yesterday, July 14. We made it.. hip hip HURRAY!

Even though this is my last blog to write, there is actually another one coming in a day or two from Charlie. He will take you all in with him as he pilots Freedom's Turn on that last mile into Duncan Bay Marina yesterday. Besides his facts, he may even have some feelings!


On July 8 we woke up to an absolutely beautiful morning at anchor in Mill Lake in Collins Inlet of the Georgian Bay. We traveled to Killarney at the beginning of the North Channel where we spent one night at anchor at Covered Portage, then on to Little Current, Manitoulin Island for two nights, then two nights to wait out west winds of 20-25 knots gusting to 35 at our Bear Drop Harbor anchorage.

On our last day of cruising, Tuesday, July 14, it was a good day to leave the protection of Bear Drop Harbor. The water was laid down as I snoozed off and on all morning and later Charlie told me he saw a Bald eagle fly right past our boat. That must have been our good omen to go home.

There was a weather threat building for Wednesday and Thursday, so after much discussion, we opted to go past our planned Harbor Island two day anchorage and go on ahead to report into U.S. Customs at Yacht Haven Marina on Drummond Island ( it was quick and uneventful) and thus, head on home.



We made a mutual decision at 1:30 PM to go all the way to Cheboygan, after bracing ourselves with emotional thoughts settling in. We then called a few looper friends to hear their voices and to share what we were going through.
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Being so close to our home marina, we decided it was meant to be, so home we went. Michigan at last. So on July 14, 2009 at 6:15 PM Captain Charlie gave a blast on Freedom's Turn horn as we entered our home harbor with boater friends waving us in and taking our lines.


If we could go back briefly to July 8 and have the privilege of sharing our last beautiful Great Loop Adventure days with you all, we'd just love it.



The North Channel of Lake Huron



If this would be your first time in a boat in the North Channel of Lake Huron, you would be enthralled with the natural beauty of the area. The 120 mile long channel offers small and remote towns welcoming you to tie up your lines to their docks and discover their small town Canadian charm such as in Little Current. Or how about a divine fresh whitefish or trout sandwich at an outside restaurant that once was a bus with a sign just under the order window that says "Fish eaters make better lovers. " You could experience this in Killarney.



Nowhere will you see high rise developments, congested traffic, or fast food chains in the North Channel.



On the water, you would see for miles and miles the wide, open spaces of Mother Nature's finest forest land, rocky granite cliffs, and rock formations. Some even look like Indian faces like the one just going into Collins Inlet from the east on your starboard and one at the Covered Portage anchorage off of your port going in.


If you were in charge of navigating these waters, you would have to master your exploration techniques as you plan where to cruise otherwise you could get confused when finding your way around the many islands here with their hidden, shallow water areas. Studying the weather several times a day would be paramount especially if you were going westbound with westerly winds predicted as the long, open body of water could produce waves greater than many days on the Atlantic Ocean.


Much of the land in the North Channel is protected Indian reservation land and has been untouched by commercial use. You would be lucky enough to hike on much of this land; just don't take or leave a thing!


The pure air would fill your lungs completely yet comfortably and make you feel relaxed if you were cruising the North Channel. The very blue water would be clean enough for you to swim and bathe in.


You might see a six foot in diameter bird nest at the top of a tall tree and then spot a mother and father Bald eagle bringing food there for their babies on Turnbull Island if you are lucky enough. Should you take your dinghy ashore, there are hikes to take on big rocks where you could pretend you are an explorer on an expedition at a place like the Benjamin Islands. The wild blueberries you could pick in the Whalesback Channel area at Beardrop Harbor make the best blueberry pancakes ever, if you time the blueberry season just right.


Hidden waterfalls and beaver dams are here and there to be discovered and of course many fishing opportunities would be awaiting you in the private and abundant coves at places like MacGregor Bay or Strawberry Island.


Many of these coves are surrounded with views of granite cliffs that will take your breath away during the day and will make you feel protected at night.


And this is a place you could see a mother loon swimming proudly with babies on her back. And should you take your dinghy ashore to swim and bathe in a sandy beach spot, we cannot forget to remind you to check the floor of your dinghy before you get back in. There just might be a snake in there, curled up like a bunge cord.


Charlie and I have experienced all that is mentioned above throughout the years here in the North Channel. Consequently, it has been a real treat for us to end our Great Loop Adventure coming back to this summer vacation paradise we have enjoyed so much. Last summer was the only summer since we have owned Freedom's Turn that we did not go to the North Channel because we began the Great Loop working our way down the west side of Michigan in August instead.


For Charlie, the North Channel is the place he first came to all the way from West Virginia as a baby on a blanket with his family for their yearly fishing vacation.


We will love this place forever and it seemed very appropriate to come back now as we prepare to end our vacation trip of a lifetime.

Out of all the places we have been, the North Channel remains our favorite place to cruise.


North Channel, July 12, Little Detroit Passage.



From right to left the black marks represent the following stops: Collins Inlet in the Georgian Bay, then the remainder in North Channel with stops at Covered Portage near Killarney, Little Current on Manitoulin Island, Bear Drop Harbor, to Drummond Island to check in and last to our home port.

July 5, 2009 Henry's Fish Camp Restaurant, Frying Pan Island, Georgian Bay.

This photo should have actually been in the last blog but did not make it in time so it is here now. These gentlemen are friends traveling together on a boat next to us when we stayed at Henry's the one night. Charlie asked them to pose for this photo because they were each wearing, coincidentally enough, shirts with Michigan State's two biggest football rivals printed on them. The other interesting thing was that both men were Canadian and did not realize the significance!

July 8, 2009 Anchoring in a beautiful place here at Mill Lake in Collins Inlet, northern Georgian Bay, which is also at the beginning of the eastern part of the North Channel.

July 8, 2009 The 'Crabby Indian' Profile in a rock formation. Someone spoiled the view with a speed sign painted on the rock just below.

July 9, 2009 After setting the anchor in Covered Portage mid morning, we take a fun dinghy ride into Killarney (a little over a mile)for a fish and chips lunch at what boaters call the red school bus restaurant. It is really Herbert Fisheries.

Charlie is getting the condiments.

Our anchorage at Covered Portage near Killarney.

The Indian face rock formation at Covered Portage, can you see it?

We come to our first landmark for Little Current; the Strawberry Island Lighthouse! July 10, 2009

The swing bridge in Little Current opens on the hour and we made it there at just the right time.

Downtown Little Current; a familiar place for us to come back to!

July 11, 2009

We begin a long bike ride of eight miles round trip by leaving the city limits and going to visit Denise and Wayne; owners of a B & B who we met through Charlie's brother Bud and his sister-in-law Diane. Bud and Diane drive from southern Ohio every summer for their week at the B & B for fishing and enjoying the sights of this long time family vacation area. Two summers ago Charlie and I were passing through Little Current on Freedom's Turn the same week that Bud and Diane were staying with Wayne and Denise.

On our way, we went past a field of cows! To our friend Warren and his wife Debbie who own a beef cattle ranch in Alabama, what kind of cows do we have here?

Boy, were they staring at us.

Protecting the calf.

Coming into Little Current, we listened to the Cruiser's Net radio program that is broadcast every day at 9:00 AM on marine radio channel 71. We learned about current weather conditions, local and national news. Boaters can announce their presence in the area so Charlie came on and said we were coming in from the the east. Imagine our delight to hear the voices of our sailboats friends Nancy and Tom on their boat Mistress (we know them from our home port in Duncan Bay) announcing on the radio station that they were coming into Little Current same day we were only coming from the west!

We reunite after 11 months! They are the first link to our other life!

Denise and Wayne invited us to their B & B for a lovely dinner. We were so grateful and it was great to see them again. Until next time and not good by, we said to them.

We walked carefully to the top of a granite cliff in Covered Portage. You can see Freedom's Turn in the middle of the three boats on the right. Just another day in paradise up here.

It is here that I finish my blog writing. I thank Charlie for helping me with the right words and for the facts for the blog past 11 months. The feelings have been all mine.

And I thank all of you for reading our story.

And I feel like a very lucky first mate to have made this trip in my lifetime. I have endured 342 days of living outside my normal comfort zone for a distance of 6,069 miles and have learned more than ever that I can do whatever I set my mind to.

I have been blessed to have been able physically to make this thrilling cruising trip with my husband, the guy who put up with me through thick and thin and kept me safe through it all. I have been on my own inward journey as well as the outward journey and have gained personal growth daily by leaps and bounds. And last, I have learned that the friends Charlie and I have made on this trip are so dear that they have become part of our chosen family.

I will include one last quote from one of my favorite writers, Henry David Thoreau, taken from my well read, battered and dog eared book, "Thoreau on Water, Reflecting Heaven," one book from "The Spirit of Thoreau" Series sponsored by the Thoreau Society. This particular book is a collection of Thoreau's writings from several sources, carefully chosen to highlight his experiences living on the water throughout his life. I have relied on it throughout the entire trip.

From a writing in his Journal #3: pages 274-75 on June 22, 1851 (while living on a Walden Pond)

" To be calm to be serene - there is the calmness of the lake when there is not a breath of wind -there is the calmness of a stagnant ditch. So it is with us. Sometimes we are clarified & calmed healthily as we never were before in our lives - not by opiate - but by unconscious obedience to the all-just laws - so that we become like a still lake of purest crystal and without an effort our depths are revealed to ourselves. All the world goes by us & is reflected in our deeps. Such clarity! Obtained by such pure means! By simple living - by honesty and purpose - we live and rejoice!"

Thanks again for going along with us. Oh, what a ride.

Sincerely,

Linda

Canada Part 3 - Leaving the Trent-Severn Waterway and entering the Georgian Bay

Here we are, at the top of the Big Chute railway car on the Trent-Severn Waterway. Linda is sititng on the bow and Charlie is in the upper helm. This was a huge THRILL

July 3, 2009 Trent Severn Waterway
Lock 44-Big Chute marine railway lock. Lifts Boats 57 feet high OVER LAND.

We wait for our turn and watch (above) the boat in front of us go.

Freedom's Turn handled the three most magnificent locks on the Trent-Severn waterway very well. We were proud of her and excited for us to experience the Big Chute which is a marine railroad car, the Kirkfield Lift Lock, and the Peterborough Lift Lock.

The Big Chute ride! Here we go! Charlie is up in the upper helm and Linda is sitting on the bow! In a matter of minutes we crossed over land and were down in another body of water. The big photo on top of the blog is where we were at the high point looking down!

Here is the end part where the boat that was behind us is coming off the ramp we just got off of. Freedom's Turn is at a dock over to the side (out of view here) for her overnight stay.

Then we walked over to the beginning to continue watching other boats start out.

Boats entering the submerged railway car from the same location we entered. Even jet skies can get on!

Below, the jet ski entourage is lifted up and then will go over to the bottom.

Time to get our daily exercise. We walked away from the Big Chute to go exploring. Charlie wanted his ice cream and lo and behold we found a sign leading us to an ice cream place at a near- by marina. We feel like little kids again, going on our walk to the candy store to find us a treat. I am about the same weight I think not eating ice cream much but Charlie has lost weight, he is sure of it. How does he do it?

This is where we stayed the night of the Big Chute Lock. It is just below the lock on one of their official walls. The tracks you see are left over from an older, much smaller marine railway car.

Oh, what an amazing thing to do on that day!

June 28, 2009 - Trent Severn Waterway
Lock 36 - Kirkfield Lock Drops boats down 49 feet

This lock is the second highest hydraulic lock in the world, dropping boats down (if going west like we were) at the point where the Trent -Severn Waterway begins losing elevation. We went in one of two pans filled with water first then Adagio came along next to us. We were in the front and could look all around us and it was THRILLING. Adagio gets our picture below!

Living on the edge, so to speak.

Ready to go down!

June 26, 2009 -Trent-Severn Waterway

Lock 21 - Peterborough Lift Lock Lifts boats 65 feet!

Adagio is entering the lock with Freedom's Turn going to enter right behind them in the same pan. (The word Adagio is a musical term meaning "slowly and with feeling)

We prepare for the lift by handing our lines to the locktenders who help us tie up. We have turned off our engines. (we do in all locks)

The Peterborough Lock is actually a national historic site of Canada. It is the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world. The lock was completed in 1904 and was considered an engineering marvel at that time. The lock is hydraulic which basically means it works with valves letting water in and out of the pans and relies on gravity as well to help move it up and down . It has two pans that hold boats; each pans weighs 1300 tons when filled. When one pan is lowered, boats are loaded into the submerged pan. Then the higher pan has one foot of water added to it (which weighs 130 tons!) which then helps the higher pan come down. Boats exit and enter the upper and lower pans and the process repeats itself.

We are going up and feel like holding on good, which we do.

Charlie's position on the boat in locks is always handling the stern line and I am at the bow line. Here he can't believe the view as he gulps in some fresh air and hopes all goes well. The ride is amazingly fast and smooth. It takes about three minutes!

July 1, 2009 Orillia, Ontario. Canada Day!

Freedom' Turn and Adagio stayed in Orillia for a delightful three day stay. Port of Orillia Marina was super and in a great location next to the park where most of the Canada Day festivities took place. Above is a downtown scene showing the Mariposa Market which is like no other shop we have ever seen. Gifts galore and a bakery extraordinaire!

Opening ceremonies in the park. Canada became an independent country in 1867.

We previously mentioned Canada Day festivities in the blog before this one, just didn't have any pictures ready.

These boat decorations reflect the mood of the marina during our stay in Orillia. It was great fun to be a part of it all. We have noted that the Canadians we have met have an abundance of pride for their country.

The Canada Day fireworks were some of the best we have ever seen and the rain stayed away until the net day. We do it up in style on the bow of Adagio with Dave and Pam as hosts complete with chocolate layer cookies and yes, some ice cream.

Earlier that day, we watched live military enactments along the water's edge. Very well done. Here is a battle taking place in 1759, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. It depicts the French on shore and on their ship (in the foreground) you see here defending their Quebec by attacking the British ship in the far distance. The British won and allowed the French to keep their language and their customs even though the British were in control of the territory.

We certainly enjoyed our stay in Orillia. Freedom's Turn left Adagio behind and headed toward the Big Chute and then to lock 45 at Port Severn; marked on our charts as the end of the Trent-Severn Waterway. We stayed at Port Severn Boat Haven Marina for July 4 and had our own little celebration on board and out to dinner for fish and chips in an old schoolhouse turned into a restaurant.

Thirteen days after entering the Trent-Severn Waterway, we were ready to go out into the big blue water of the Georgian Bay.

July 4 - Happy Birthday, America!

July 5, 2009 - Day 333 Entered the Georgian Bay

Boats in a hurry can go from the southwestern part of the Georgian Bay straight to the northwestern part to Killarney, Ontario and by-pass the small craft channel, a channel going on the inside through an area known as the 30,000 Islands. We do not want to miss what our cruising books tell us; the 30.000 Islands rank in the best fresh water cruising waters in the world. our boat is capable of making the journey. We will not miss this part of our adventure!

Today, July 7, Charlie and I are in day three of our small craft journey and although it takes vigilant navigation, it has been beautiful indeed.

The most remarkable feature of the Georgian Bay are the granite rocks that line the shorelines. The rocks are the most beautiful sight and yet are our most potentially dangerous enemy as we make our way through narrow passageways at places where Charlie says we have to really "thread the needle" through some of the tight spots.

Here is one of those 30,000 islands. Rugged and pristine. Close to shore, the water is deep.
By the way, whenever we see water breaking in the middle of a channel, we know there are rocks just under the water.

We went for a meal and an overnight stay at an island known as Frying Pan Island where we ate wonderful walleye fish (Canadians call it Pickerel) at a place called Henry's. It is a very well known place to eat in Canada. Small water planes even land here just to come and eat.

Here is a chart showing some of our route; the continuous islands, shoals, rocks, bays, and markers of navigation we are constantly studying as we make our way slowly through on the marked sail lines of the small craft passageway. The tan colors represent land. Our navagation books for the Georgian Bay tell us that for every land mass there are just as many rock masses below the surface!

Below, we approach the markers on our route. We have to go between green and red markers by keeping the green buoy on our our port (left) and the red on our starboard(right) then immediately turn sharp to port again to keep the red on our right again. We could most certainly hit some rocks if we go off the marked channel. The space is only a few feet wider than our boat.

Coming to a clearing we enjoy resting our eyes from buoys and rocks as we sit back, take another drink of our morning coffee, and see a pretty red and white lighthouse called the Snug Harbor Lighthouse. Our coffee tastes good as our past three days have been chilly with highs only in the mid 60's.

A road map showing our position at this writingat the end of the red line in Britt, Ontario. the black line is yet to go. We are not far now from the North Channel in the northernmost part of Lake Huron; the place we have gone every summer vacation since 2003 when we bought Freedom's Turn. We will enjoy some time there revisiting our familiar stomping ground before we think Freedom's Turn will get excited.

You see, she is about to head home. Home to her very own slip amongst her boat buddies at the Duncan Bay Boat Club in Cheboygan, Michigan. And that, will be a a very, very special place to travel to indeed.

All is well here, hope for you too.

Linda and Charlie