S/V Geru: Georgian Bay and First Loopers

Shortly after we arrived in Midland we met our first fellow looper, PIA, who was still travelling south at this late point in the season like us. (A looper is a boat who is doing the Great Loop around the eastern part of North America. We are loopers for the Canadian and US portions of our trip.) PIA amazingly also has the same plan as us to continue south once we get to the Gulf of Mexico.

We spent four days in Midland at Bay Port Yachting Centre and did all the cruising chores: ordered parts, did laundry, changed engine oils and got groceries before heading out into Georgian Bay.

When leaving Midland one has to cross a large stretch of open water before being able to tuck into the protected small craft channel winding its way through the islands on the northeast shore. We left with some trepidation as the weather was beginning to turn, but we didn't want to be stuck in Midland for the full weather system. It turned out to be the right decision as we had a flat calm motor through light rain showers under a grey sky.

Throughout Georgian Bay we felt that time was nipping at our heels as more and more services and stores were closed for the season. Some nights were getting very cold and there was more fall colour in the trees. The one advantage of being there at this time of year was that we had no issues finding dock space. We also often found ourselves completely alone on the water. With it being so quiet, Georgian Bay felt very remote. It was the first time on this trip we felt we needed to be completely self-sufficient, which had become a way of life for us on our last trip.

We spent a cold night at a marina in Britt on Byng Inlet - and they actually had bear-proof garbage cans! To Geoff, Britt felt like one of the northern Canadian communities he had visited on canoe trips many years ago.

On our way to Killarney, we travelled through Collin's Inlet which is a narrow passage with granite rock faces on either side. We had heard it was spectacular and it was!

After spending two nights in Killarney, we went to "the pool" in Baie Fine. The pool is an amazing sheltered anchorage with an almost mystical quality located at the end of a long bay. Baie Fine is one of the largest freshwater fjords in the world and features white quartz cliffs on one side and pink granite ones on the other. From the pool we took a short dingy ride and hiked up a trail to Lake Topaz, which is a hidden lake in the mountains famous for the colour of its water. We were there on a cloudy day, so unfortunately didn't get to see the full colour effect.

From Baie Fine we headed to the misnamed town of Little Current...