We left Midland with our paper charts highlighted with suggestions on where to go. The staff at the marina hold a cruisers talk a few times a week and will review the small craft channel and suggest anchorages. The small craft channel is the safe route to travel through all the islands and rocks.
 The small craft channel is often very narrow. |
We stayed several nights at different anchorages, each very picturesque and quiet.
 Shotgun Bay was one of our favorite stops to date. It isn’t very large and we found ourselves in the back all by ourselves. |
 The SUPs were rescued from storage and are now inflated and back in the water. Last time we used them was in the Bahamas. |
 We took a 10 mi dingy ride up to Moon River Falls one day and enjoyed a picnic lunch. |
 Of course we obeyed both of these posted rules at all times. |
The terrain here doesn’t allow for walking which has me going a bit stir crazy and Kent is not so far behind on getting a bit antsy But what we do have is great swimming water with temps in the mid 70s.
 Looks like perfect conditions for a morning swim (or paddle board). |
We had a ton of choices on where to go next as this whole area is one island after another after another. We chose to stay in Three Fingers for 3 nights which was very protected and uncrowded. The first night it was just us and one other local boat. The second night fellow Loopers – INNTW, The Blessing and Forever Friday arrived. We have all traveled with each other at some point this last year but have not all been together in the same spot until now. We stayed a third night as we had so much fun with everyone. There are certain people you meet along this trip that you know you will keep in contact with long after your own trip concludes – these people: Mike & Kelly (and their kids) / INNTW, Jay & Barb / The Blessing and Mike & Mary / Forever Friday are absolutely absolute winners in our opinion.
 An afternoon of just floating and catching up with INNTW, The Blessing and Forever Friday. |
 Heartbeat, INNTW, The Blessing and Forever Friday swinging on their anchors. |
 Heartbeat, INNTW, The Blessing and Forever Friday at lunch (4mi dingy ride away). Henry’s is famous for their fish and chips and is only accessible by boat or float plane. |
 Float plans are a common sound and sight. Gotta get to your summer cottage somehow. |
We moved on a bit and tucked into Wilcox anchorage with INNTW and Forever Friday following later in the day. It was quiet, protected and not too crowded considering it was the first day of the “Long Weekend” holiday (which is a Civic holiday). Each municipality/city that opts to declare the holiday can give it a unique name. Lots of Canadians will use this holiday to camp, boat, go to their cottage etc.
 Heartbeat at Wilcox anchorage a nice and protected place for the night. |
As for nature –
No bear or moose sightings, both are apparently possible and it would be neat to see both (at the appropriate distance).
No rattle snake sightings. Unfortunately we hear they are fairly common in the area.
No poison ivy sighting. But somehow I got some on me. Not just a little brush with it either. I somehow managed to get a hefty dose on me and in a place I wouldn’t expect it. I deeply wish I was part of the 15% of people who are not reactive to it’s oil. It is absolutely nasty stuff. I will spare everyone the pictures.
We are now in Parry Sound for a quick overnight stay at Big Sound marina. We needed to accomplish a few chores after being out 10 or so days at anchor –
1. A pump out (empty the black water tank).
2. Laundry.
3. Grocery shop (we are back to cooking a lot on the boat after eating out just about everywhere along the Trent Severn Waterway).
4. Get more gas for the dingy (so we can keep exploring).
5. Get our dose of crappy WiFi (pay bills, try to publish a blog post but be unsuccessful, download more books to read etc). As we move up further in the Georgian Bay and even the North Channel there will be fewer and fewer services and less chance for cell service so we are taking care of these things while we can.
Bonuses in Parry Sound were –
1. Kent found that the same fresh fresh vendor from Orillia was set up in a small farmer's market in town here and bought some fresh trout fillets, smoked trout and trout pate.
2. We got some decent walking in for the first time all week which felt really really good.
 Happy hour with amazing smoked trout from the farmers market. |