I’m not really sure where we left off the last time we posted and the point is that I can’t check because we have no cell reception. We’ve done really well bouncing between anchorages and marinas for the last week. We try to hit all the major spots that are recommended in the cruising guides while mixing in some that are recommended by locals and some that just look fun.
Henry’s Fish Restaurant and Marina is one that came highly recommended and did not disappoint. It’s located on Frying Pan Island without any access by road or even walking trails. The only way to get there is by boat or seaplane. There were several seaplanes that brought in customers for lunch. We got there before lunch so we were able to double dip on meals with a burger at lunch and fish and chips for dinner. We had a really nice dinner with Kristi and Jim, folks from SISU, overlooking the water. Millie was not a big fan of Henri’s as there wasn’t anywhere to take a nice walk. She was a champ; did her business and jumped right back on board.
There was a storm rolling in the next afternoon and evening so we headed to Parry Sound, a cute town where we could re-provision since there would not be another town to reprovision until Little Current, in the North Channel. While underway to Parry Sound, we started calling marinas for an overnight slip, only to find out that they were basically all booked, except one spot on the town dock that was pretty exposed to the wind and wakes from cruise ships – not to mention that we were right on the main pier and open for inspection from every tourist walking by. You can imagine how Millie reacted to all her newfound friends. Once on the town pier, Roger was able to research the Big Sound Marina to find out that it did in fact have one slip available next to the rocks – downwind of the 20-knot wind. “No problem - I’ll take it.” We backed in and had a very restful night, away from waves and prying eyes, despite the stormy weather that evening.
We left Parry Sound the next morning with the intention of going to a nice anchorage in Hopewell Bay off of Shawanaga Island– a nice halfway point before our next marina. A good portion of the trip was out in the Georgian Bay – unprotected from any of the waves that had built up over the previous day. We have a deal that either of us can call an “abort” if they aren’t particularly comfortable with the situation. Two hours into the trip, there were two-foot rolling waves at a pretty uncomfortable angle so Chrisy and Millie both called an “abort,” and we headed to the aptly named Snug Harbor. The harbor worked out perfectly, super calm and well protected from the wind in any direction. We anchored in a cove behind Westyle Island with 2 other sailboats but we had a half-mile dinghy ride to town. After a nice long walk with Millie, we treated ourselves to dinner at Gilly’s Restaurant – pan-fried pickerel fish -which was delicious and well deserved after a rough day on the Bay.
It ain’t all fun and games:
We were reminded yesterday that navigating through the Georgian Bay can be tricky business. Two motor boats that are on the same route ran aground. One ran aground taking a short-cut that seemed to be approved by one of the cruising guides, but Roger said he wouldn’t take it because it didn’t have a red line path indicating that it was the small boat channel. (a channel that has been approved and marked with appropriate depths). The other ran aground on a route that Roger had charted out but Chrisy read should be avoided in heavy weather or single-engine boats. At any rate, there are lots of tight channels and opportunities to make a mistake. After our day 2 issue, we’ve been very vigilant about maintaining situational awareness. Roger is generally at the helm following the Navionics on the chart plotter. Chrisy is on the iPad or the Samsung giving detailed instructions on what’s coming up. There’s no texting. There are no phone calls. There’s no music. There’re no books on tape. We’re all business. It’s not raging fun, but we arrive at our destination in good shape – and hopefully will continue to do so.
So, what do you eat when you’re in an anchorage?
Roger’s mother, who had tons of experience cooking on a boat always said, “Food on a boat tastes 10% better.” Well, Chrisy hasn’t needed the 10%. The food has been delicious. We have a freezer on board so Chrisy prepares a variety of foods - pasta with shrimp and fresh veggies; salmon fillets with asparagus risotto; cheese enchiladas; chicken medallions; grilled chicken that we froze for future meals; chili; etc. This morning she was even baking chocolate chip muffins! Six ingredients or less is Chrisy’s mantra…. and we always have a running provision list for the next opportune time to grab additional foods when we can.
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