September 5 – 6

Touring the North Channel

Not all Loopers choose to travel the North Channel. For Captain Pat – it was a must. Now I can see why. For more about the North Channel, here is an excerpt from The Looper’s Guide:

“The North Channel stretches about 130 miles from Little Current on the east to St. Joseph Island on the west. At best, the Channel is 20 miles wide and at some points very narrow. There are miles of exquisite cruising, with waters to the east being a little more sheltered and easier to navigate, and waters to the west being more remote with some tricky locations to navigate. East or west, the anchorages are beautiful and plentiful.

The area is popular – peak season is mid-June to mid-August. The best cruising and the best selection of anchorages can be found from August 15^th through September 15^th. (This is what we did!) The crowds are gone, the mosquitos are gone, the water is warm, and the weather conditions are almost predicable. The waters are so pristine, with better cruising. Where ever you go there are dozens of picturesque sheltered anchorages. The towns are also close enough at hand that provisioning is not a problem.”

We found all of the above to be true!

The Town of Little Current

Labor Day we departed Killarney and headed to the town of Little Current. Little Current – Baiewejewung, “where the waters begin to flow”  – is the gateway to Manitoulin Island which is said to be the largest fresh water island in the world and a popular Canadian resort area. Little Current is located between Goat Island and the northeast tip of Manitoulin island. It is here that the waters of the North Channel are funnelled into a passage only 100 yards wide, creating stiff currents as they empty into Georgian Bay.

The largest community on Manitoulin Island (population 1,700), Little Current offers a good choice of shops and services for provisioning. We stocked up on groceries and had a wonderful late lunch at a local diner – Elliott’s.

We ended up staying the night rather than leave late afternoon for Baie Fine. We shared dock space on the town dock with fellow Loopers and pleasure boaters and the weekly cruise ship – even a sea plane!

A single-lane swing bridge crosses the channel at Shutin Point, east of the town. This bridge provides the only land access to all of Manitoulin Island. (The Chi-Cheemaun ferry from Tobermory to South Baymouth provides the only other access to the island for vehicles.) The bridge opens every hour on the hour for approximately 15 minutes – dawn to dusk – for pleasure craft during the summer (mid-June to mid-September). Boaters should note that the 15 minutes refers to the time road traffic is stopped, not the length of time available for boat traffic to pass through.

Another blessing to having a 34 foot boat – we do not have to wait for the bridge opening. Sunshine sails right through.

We were told to exercise caution when passing through the channel due to the current, which is strongest at the bridge. With a strong wind from the east or west, the current can run at more than four knots, depending on the wind speed and direction! (A 30-knot west wind, for example, could give you a four-knot current setting east.) In addition, the current can reverse several times in a day. You have to watch the buoys to get a sense of the direction and strength of the current.

Little Current is also home to Roy Eaton and his “Cruisers’ Net” which broadcasts each morning on VHF 71 from the Anchor Inn during July and August. Roy’s Cruisers’ Net provides marine weather forecasts, local and international news, sports and community. Loopers can call in their positions and local conditions and relay messages to others. Operating out of the second floor of the Anchor Inn, Loopers are encouraged to visit. It was unfortunately closed for Labor Day. (We were surprised to learn Canadians also celebrate Labor Day.)

Here are more photos from our stay at Little Current: