Category: North Channel

Early on the morning of June 26, 2015 we made ready to leave Tobermory and bound for Killarney. We were on a long dock with boats fore and aft and another long dock full of boats to port (left). Kristi thought we should wait for others to move, but with no wind or current Tom felt it was doable. So with morning fog still hugging the water we crept out in reverse, going dead slow and using the bow thruster like a rudder. No drama at all, although Kristi stood by with boat hook and fenders, and other boaters came out on deck to watch. Sometimes the bow thruster really is the Easy Button.

Once clear of the marina we headed for Killarney via Flower Pot Island. The island is named for rock formations that resemble flower pots and they really did! With sun shining and mild temps we had found a very beautiful part of the world. Somehow seeing it from our own boat made it that much better.
With no wind and flat water, we motored towards Killarney, marveling at rocky islands and crystal clear water. Killarney is situated in a narrow channel protected by a rocky island on one side, and rocky mainland on the other. We found Sportsman’s Marina to be very nice with a friendly young staff who actually knew a bit about boats. In the summer this is a very busy place since it’s a popular stop for most boats in the area. We were just a bit early for the summer season, so the crowds weren’t here yet. Just nice docks, excellent service and very clean facilities.

Friends told us to look for the fish and chips bus for a great meal. We found that the bus had been so successful they are now in a building. Just walk up to the road, turn right and you can’t miss it. The fish and chips were excellent, but be aware this isn’t much fancier than the bus. After dinner we wandered the town a bit and did some shopping. We really liked Killarney and would love to go back during the “summer season”. If you’re visiting Lake Huron’s North Channel, be sure to venture a bit east of Little Current and check out Killarney. It’s a nice little town in a beautiful setting.

Finally it was time to start plotting a course for Little Current.

Continue to Part 5

We had a short trip to Little Current so we weren’t in a big hurry to leave Killarney. We ate a leisurely breakfast aboard, watched the wildlife and even saw an airplane take off. Eventually though, it was time to go, so we cast off the dock lines, backed out (making sure no aircraft were coming) and headed out the narrow channel for Little Current.

Leaving the beautiful channel we found a wonderland where rocky islands jutted up from the bottom in crystal clear water. Of course it’s the submerged rocks you really have to watch out for, but with water so clear you can see the bottom 15 feet below, the main problem is convincing yourself how far below the surface some of them are. We carefully threaded our way along our planned course while keeping an eye out for any obstacles.

We were in no hurry at all, so we enjoyed the circuitous route to our destination. As we approached the swing bridge at Little Current we realized that we would just miss the opening, so we had a bit of time to kill while waiting for the next scheduled opening. Kristi got in some low speed steering practice while we meandered in the area, admiring the Strawberry Island lighthouse, until it was time to queue up for the bridge. The approach channel is very well marked and we idled up a little ahead of schedule, not wanted to miss it a second time.

As the bridge swung open for us, Tom throttled up and Perky, our diesel, died. Luckily what little wind and current we had was with us, so we slowly drifted through the bridge while trying to restart. We had plenty of room, and Kristi took the helm with her only goal being to keep us off the hard stuff. Tom worked frantically to refire the diesel but all she did was crank. We realized that the town seawall was a good destination and Tom started to get the dinghy out of the davits to side tow us in. Just then a friendly power boater offered a tow, and with his help we were able to coast up to the seawall and tie up for the night.

Once tied up to the Little Current Town Dock, Tom got out the wrenches and worked at troubleshooting the engine… again. After a calming phone call from a diesel mechanic friend, who reminded him to stick to the basics, we got Perky running again.  We ran her up to full power, straining at the dock lines, with no sign of trouble. With both of us tired from a combination of travel, exertion and stress, we wandered into town and found dinner at the excellent Anchor Inn Grill.

We went to sleep that night tired but with plans to see the The Benjamin Islands the following day. Pearl Lee and Perky had other plans.

Continue to Part 7

After a good night’s sleep we awoke with plans to visit the Benjamin Islands and maybe spend a night anchored in that area. Perky started right up and idled smoothly as we untied our dock lines in the still morning air. We throttled up to leave and Perky died again, but not before getting us about 10 feet from the dock! We were able to use what little momentum we had to tie up further up the dock. We were now in the fuel dock area, but didn’t have a lot of options.

As Tom worked to start the engine, the fuel dock manager complained to Kristi about our position. We got the motor to stumble along just enough to let us circle back to our previous location. The days mileage would stand at about 100 feet, round trip. At this point we spent the day checking and changing everything we could and finally got her running again. We ran her at the dock full throttle for about 5 minutes with no trouble. So with fading light, we watched the bridge and told ourselves tomorrow would be better.

The next day was clear and sunny as we timidly left the dock. We watched the scenery and listened intently to Perky the diesel as once again, there was no wind. After about an hour Perky’s familiar hiccups came back, but we chugged onward. Despite all of our problems so far Tom insisted that we make a slight detour to at least cruise through the Benjamin Islands. The Benjamins are unique in that they are essentially pink granite boulders so huge they form islands. With a few trees growing in the crevices they have a very stark yet haunting look.

After looking around we headed off to our next overnight stop, Meldrum Bay. Once clear of the Benjamin Islands the water opened up again and we had no worries apart from our ailing engine.  We pulled into Meldrum Bay Marina and found a very rustic place in the middle of a wilderness area. The bay is well protected and quiee, at least in June.  A perfect setting for getting away from it all, but not so perfect for fixing a still ailing engine. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a very good stop.

We were directed to Meldrum Bay Inn just up the hill from the marina for a meal and Wi-Fi since we needed to do some research. We were a bit surprised when our hostess informed us that she would only give us the Wi-Fi password after our meal. She suggested we relax, talk, eat, and forget our problems for a bit, and that was the best advice we got on the entire trip! So, for best meal, best atmosphere and best advice of the trip we nominate the Meldrum Bay Inn.

Back at the boat Tom studied the Perkins shop manual again and found some bleeder screws he had missed previously. In a bid to fix it once and for all he changed all the fuel filters again, and bled the the entire fuel system (this time including the mystery screw). Testing the engine again at full power, she ran like a champ. A power cruiser came in after the marina staff left and we helped them dock and then chatted a bit. They agreed that Meldrum Bay is a great spot to stop.

So once again we went to bed tired but happy knowing our next stop would be Drummond Island, MI, USA.

Continue to Part 8