BB21: North Channel, Lake Huron

Killarney, Ontario is my new favorite town. After a week of anchoring in the Georgian Bay, it was time for a reset for my holding tank, water tank, laundry, galley, and fuel tank. I was also in dire need of a good shower and a good meal. Killarney delivered that and more! Killarney lies on the north side of a narrow channel between the Georgian Bay and the North Channel of Lake Huron and a popular place for provisioning before doing more adventuring. There were 20 or so other looper boats between the 2 marinas in the area and most were staying at least a couple of nights to avoid bad weather the next day. I found a slip at the Killarney Mountain Lodge, a picturesque resort started in the 1940’s that attracts repeat vacationers to relax and enjoy hiking, kayaking, and the beautiful scenery.

I took a stroll through the forest with friends from Gadaboat, Traveller, and Andreas Fault while Kali played with Dozer and Sophie. We passed the world’s largest paddle. That night we had dinner and added friends from the Betty Marge.

The biggest treat was the live music in the Carousel bar at the lodge. Duncan Cameron was playing and he is incredible! He had at least 8 string instruments including a normal acoustic guitar, a fiddle and an Irish mandolin, plus a container full of flutes, whistles, and a piccolo. On the floor, his feet never stopped moving on his drum mat while he adjusted a tablet that allowed him to record a loop with one instrument and then add in others as he went. No lyrics and yet he answered every request. He is quite literally a musical genius. I walked in while he was playing Fields of Athenry and he finished the night with Parting Glass (requested by me, of course). In between, he put his own twist on songs from Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Taylor Swift, and even some really cool French-Canadian songs that I wish I knew. Magical! I took just a few short snippets of video because I really just wanted to soak it all in and be present. Here is just a taste…

One shortfall of Killarney is that there is one washer/dryer at the Mountain Lodge, one working washer at the laundromat (plus 2 broken ones and 3 dryers), one washer/dryer at the other resort, and 2 washer/dryers at the campground. In other words, 5 total washing machines for 2 very large marinas, a large campground, and any other locals who may need to do their laundry. On my lunch break, I hauled my laundry around to all the choices but ended up pulling my overflowing rickety cart a mile down the road to the campground. I got a few strange looks but checked it off my to-do list.

That night, I had a lovely dinner with friends from the Betty Marge and Amazing Grace at the very fancy Ranch House resort restaurant where I had to dig out my “dressy casual attire” and wear real pants.

I was excited to get back to anchoring and my first stop was Baie Fine just north of Killarney. It is a hot spot for loopers for obvious reasons – stunning! The weather was 70s and sunny and the winds were calm. I enjoyed some Skyline for a taste of home.

The path to Lake Topaz was a short dinghy ride from where I anchored so I hiked a couple miles through the forest with my friends from the Betty Marge. It was well worth traversing over the rocky trail and I took a dip in cool, clean water. Kali Bong was actually worn out by the time we got back to the boat and napped peacefully.

We had “rocktails” on shore that evening and I met several loopers who I had not crossed paths with before, plus saw a few familiar faces. I love this community!

That night happened to be the peak of the Perseid meteor showers. It was clear and dark, with only anchor lights to add a tiny bit of artificial light. I set my alarm for 2am and laid on the bow of my boat. I saw around 30 shooting stars before I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer and crawled back into bed.

I could not get enough of Baie Fine so I stayed a second night and hiked to Artist’s Lake the next day. It is not as grand as Lake Topaz but still beautiful. I did not see any other humans on the mile-and-a-half in or out so I made sure to talk loudly to any bears that might be lurking – “Heeey, bear!”.

It was time to move on the next morning so I pulled anchor and headed to my next destination.

My next stop was a short overnight in the Benjamin Islands where I caught up with Amazing Grace, Once Around, and a few other loopers. I rafted up to Once Around and Sharon cooked an amazing home cooked meal. I went to bed with a full and happy belly.

Winds were going to stir up over the next few days, so I adjusted my original plan and ended up spending a long day of cruising toward Thessalon where I spent two nights docked next to Andreas Fault. Kali and Dozer were back together! The town was simple but had a pizza place and everything else a person could need. The marina was lovely with a new washhouse and friendly staff to greet us and help us dock. Nothing fancy but a great place to shelter in for a couple of days.

Kali and Dozer romped and romped. They are a good match and sweet Dozer is a good balance to Kali’s intensity. They get so excited when they see each other.

The storm blew in so I was grounded on a SUNDAY in Thessalon. Someone who will remain unnamed said “nice, so it’s a lounge day for you!”. Ha! Here is what I got done on my day “off”:

“Lost some friends that I needed losing; found others on the way.” – Caledonia by Dougie Maclean

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