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Aeron and we left at 0800 after another clear cold night. They headed south and we headed NW to the Slate Islands. It was a beautiful day on the lake the wind was behind us at 6-8 knots and the seas were calm with only a 1-2 foot swell from the south. We made great progress and even got some drive out of the mainsail. We were off the Slates at 1530 and began winding our way through the islands and shoals to Pikes Bay, an all weather anchorage. There is one hairy passage through a narrow 40 foot gap between an island and the shore in 8-9 feet of water, but we made it without hitting anything. Not more 30 minutes after we had anchored a caribou came out of the woods, ran 200 yards down the shore and back into the woods. That made our day as the caribou are what brought us here. It was a long day. We are both tired. We will listen to the forecast tomorrow morning and decide if we are staying or pushing on to Rossport. Right now they are calling for 20-25 knots from the southeast and south.

Once again a clear calm night with the coldest temperatures of the trip. It was 46 degrees in the cabin when we got up. We delayed our departure until 1000 in order to let the outside temperatures rise. And once again we had NW winds on the nose, but this time they were only 12 knots. We made it into Otter Head Cove at 1330, anchored, had lunch and then put the dinghy down to fish. In 2005 Bob Sanderson and I had great success here especially Bob with his 20-25 pound pike, but today I only had one strike and Kevin had a good sized fish on that broke his line. I guess this cold weather has adversely effected the fishing. On the way back to the boat we stopped by Aeron who had been with us in Brule and Ganley and preceeded us into Otter Head. The folks on board, David and Anna Armstrong, were also complaining about the cold and were trying to decide whether to continue heading north or to turn back and head for their warmer home waters of Georgian Bay. The forecast for tomorrow is good and then it turns ugly for several days. We have decided to make a 50+ NM trip to the Slate Islands tomorrow and either hunker down in Pike Bay or make the short trip to Rossport the next day depending on the actual weather.

It was another clear calm night last night, and it was even colder than the night before. We stayed over for the day in order to go fishing in Pike Lake which you get to by taking the dinghy down the coast about 1.5 miles, going into Red Sucker Cove and then up a small stream and marsh into the Lake. We left the boat at 1000 after the temperatures had warmed up thanks to the sunny day, but it was still in the 50’s. Thanks to Kevin getting out of the dinghy and towing us we made it into Pike Lake. Kevin reminded me of Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen. We fished for three hours and caught one small yellow perch and three small pike. None were keepers. We did however lose one fishing pole in a unique circumstance. Kevin had his pole in the boat with the lure near the surface of the water when a fish grabbed the lure and pulled it and the pole overboard. That was one hungry fish. The trip back to the boat was a cold one as the wind and seas were in our face and even going slowly we were taking spray. I am glad we came back when we did because the wind and seas built as the afternoon wore on, and we would have had a really tough trip back to the Harbour. I made a salmon loaf for dinner and we were content to sit back and enjoy the heat of the sun in the cockpit. The cockpit enclosure has been a major asset this trip as it has been possible to put all the panels up and bask in warm conditions while it may be in the 50’s outside. On the same note the Alladin Lamp has been a major asset in keeping us comfortable below before we turn in for the night. Tomorrow we plan to make it to Otter Head and the cove there.

Last night was calm, clear and cold. When we went over to talk to Brad at 0830 it was 49 degrees at the marina office. Brad indicated he would lead us down the river at 1000 so Kevin and I went back to the boat, hoisted the dinghy and got ready to leave. Going down the river, we were not as fortunate as coming up as we ran aground. The river bottom is only sand so 10 minutes of working the boat back and forth along with wakes that Brad created with his boat and we were afloat once again. Once out into the lake we had light W wins and seas and a fog bank about 3 miles down the shore in the direction we were headed. Sure enough 20 minutes later we were in the fog. I t was not the pea soup variety, and the visibility never dropped below 100 yards. Thirty minutes later we were out of the fog and that’s when things started to get bad. The forecast had been for 15 knot winds from the west but the wind started at 15 and kept building. At one time for about an hour it was blowing 25-28 knots. Soon we had big 6-8 foot seas and I had to motor tack 30 degrees to either side of our course to keep the pounding down to an acceptable level. At 1730 we pulled into Ganley Harbour and finally relaxed. This day was one of the worst I have ever spent on the water. West winds on this Lake with the huge fetch to the west can be a real demon. We were glad to turn in early and get some rest.

After a quiet night with no wind and a star filled sky, we awoke to a cold morning. It was another beautiful  sunnyday, but we lingered to let the temperature climb. We retrieved our line from the tree, weighed anchor and were out on the lake at 0900 for the short trip to the mouth of the Michipicoten River. I called Brad Buck of Buck’s Marina  by cell phone and he confirmed he would meet us at the mouth of the river and lead us up the narrow channel to a spot near his marina where we could anchor. That’s what happened and by 1100 we were anchored in 3 feet of water 100 yards from the marina.  I am very happy he was there to guide us as the entrance to the river is very different than when were hear in 2005.  There was much less current with which  to deal , but the channel was much narrower at about 30 feet. Going up the river I had 1 foot under the boat one time and then only 5 inches in another  spot.

After taking Brad and his young son Travis to lunch at the Kinniwabi Pines restaurant, we came back to the boat , transferred 17.5 gallons of diesel  from jerry cans into my main tank and refilled the jerry cans at the marina’s fuel dock. We now can motor all the way to Rossport if we have to. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing the only objectionable task of cruising doing  our laundry. 

We plan to stay here tomorrow as the forecast is for 20-25 knots of wind from the southwest veering to the west and 6-7 foot seas.  Brad has said he will drive us into Wawa when he goes there on business and we can catch a cab home. The number one priority on my list is cell phone service to talk to Marcy and then to find a barber. After 5 weeks, I am getting shabby.

Yesterday afternoon after our fish buying and other excursions it actually got sunny and warmed up for a few hours until the sun set. The clear skies brought us a cold night so by 2100 Kevin and I went below to watch a DVD of Master and Commander. One of my favorite movies. It was the coldest night of the trip but we were comfortable with the lanterns lit below.

We were up at 0730, cooked bacon and eggs while the day warmed up and then we went trolling for Lake Trout. No luck! By 1100 we were out on a calm lake and headed north with a light breeze on the nose; where else. We arrived at Brule at 1400, went into the NW corner of the inner harbor and anchored beside a Canadian boat Aeron. We took a line ashore to minimize our movement in this tiny nook. Our neighbors returned in their kayaks and we learned they are from Georgian Bay and are headed north as well. We tried our hand at fishing again and saw lots of fish but they had no interest in what we were offering. Tonight it is tuna fish casserole for dinner. Tomorrow we are going to try to go up the Michipicoten River and anchor near the marina. When I talked to Brad Buck last weekend, he said he would come down and guide us into and up the river to a good anchorage near his marina. We will sit out the blow on the lake there.

I hope to get these last few logs posted tomorrow.

We were up at 0730, had breakfast and put the dinghy down to go ashore by 0900. We took our burnable and nonburnable trash with us to dispose of at the trail head for the Ojibwe pictographs. It was another cold, grey, overcast day but we had no rain during the night or morning. The hike to the pictographs warmed us up but we were disappointed to find the rocks below the pictographs wet and slippery. We could not see them as well as when we viewed them from the dinghy in 2005. From the pictographs we hiked back toward Sinclair Cove and took the trail to the heights above the cove. In 2005 Bob Sanderson and I found lots of blueberries there, but this year there was not a single ripe one and not many at all. So it was back to the boat empty handed and off to Gargantua at 1115. Initially there was no wind on the lake yet a 2-3 foot NW swell . Soon the reason for the swell became apparent as the wind piped up to 15 -18 knots from the NW. I filled the aft water tank from the lake using the wash down pump during the trip. Although the boat does well pounding into big swells , I do not find it as comfortable. Thank goodness for the short trip of only 17 NM. We arrived in Gargantua at 1400. No pleasure craft were there but the fishing tugs F.B. Clay and Coranet were rafted up to the same makeshift dock we found Coranet at in 2005. Kevin and I took the dinghy over and found the same skipper who sold me Lake Trout in 2005. I split the six pounds of fresh Lake Trout we purchased in two. We will have half for dinner tonight and the other have went into the freezer for later in the trip.

We also hiked around the Harbour to visit the various ruins, the camp sites for the hiking trail and we visited the wreck of the tug Columbus which caught fire and sank here in 1910. Much of it is still intact and quite visible in the crystal clear water.

While this trip up the lake is only 3 days old , it is still quite a contrast to the warm, sunny weather we had in 2005. I hope some of that is coming, but the forecast for the next several days is not good. Tomorrow we are off to well protected Brule Harbour where we will hunker down if the storm they are predicting for Thursday materializes.

It rained all last night, but we were fortunate to have it let up momentarily when we left the dock at 0915. It was a cold, rainy day with NW winds about 12-15 knots and we had to power to get around Corbeil Point, Coppermine Rock and Hibbard Rock before we could turn N and head for Sinclair Cove. We got some breaks in the clouds then as well as a slight wind shift to the W and we rolled out the jib for the last three hours to Sinclair. The cove is a very small anchorage so when we rounded the point and found no one there we were very pleased. It was 1530 when we arrived and to late to put the dinghy down as we planned an early dinner. Besides we were happy to close the cockpit up and try to warm up. Dinner was spinach and white beans over pasta. We went below and lit the hanging lantern as well as the Alladin. The cabin was soon quite comfortable. A slight NW swell was still entering the anchorage and we would have been comfortable had it been accompanied by a NW breeze. Instead a SW breeze was making the boat ride at 90 degrees to the swell and rock a bit. I only slept after the wind finally went to the NW around 2 AM. We plan to go ashore tomorrow morning for some sightseeing before we start the short trip To Gargantua Harbor.

We left the dock just before 0800 after having called the American Soo Lockmaster and being told to come right over as the MacArthur Lock was ready for us. We pulled right in with another small Canadian sailboat behind us and by 0830 we were 20 feet higher and off down the shipping channel to Whitefish Bay. It was a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the high 50′s, but as we passed Gros Cap Reef Light and turned N for Batchwana Bay the day turned sunny. An hour later the wind which had been on the nose moved into the NNW, and we raised the main for some drive and to stabilize the boat. An hour later the wind backed to the NW and we rolled out the jib and actually sailed the last two hours into the North arm of Batchwana Bay where we tied up to the dilapidated Government dock. This L shaped dock is about 70 feet long on each arm and we are tied up on the outer N facing arm in 13-14 feet of water. When we were here in 2005 this arm was a good 30 feet longer. I guess the ice has continued to tear some away each winter. The dock is solidly constructed but there are planks missing and you need fenders or in our case a fender board to avoid damage to the side of your boat.

Kevin and I walked about a mile exploring the surroundings, fished a little and then consumed a dinner of blue cheese meatloaf, wild rice pilaf and broccoli. During the day we had lots of visitors who came down to say hi and also to fish off the dock. The most memorable one was a woman who was calling to the loons and she did a great imitation call. After dinner, a light rain started to fall, and the air got quite cold so we went below, lit the Alladin lamp which puts off quite a bit of heat and enjoyed the warmth before going to bed . Tomorrow we expect to be off to Sinclair Cove.

After dinner last night we were treated to the delayed fireworks from the Canadian side of the Soo, and they were quite impressive. Those of you who know me well know that I am a pyromaniac so the fact that I will also be able to enjoy fireworks from the U.S. side again on the fourth is a real plus.

Kevin and I left George Kemp and crossed the river to the Canadian side and the Roberta Bondar Marina at about 1330 0n June 3.. We delayed our departure in order to fix the shower/faucet in the forward head and to pick up some fishing tackle for Kevin. I will not bore you with the details of the head fix but it did involve renting a 1 inch hole saw and a drill that could handle it . After two hours everything was back to together and working. The weather when we crossed the river was windy and cold and that persisted throughout the day until the skies finally cleared about 1900. Before that we enjoyed the tugboat parade on the river. The parade is a big event here and everone dresses their tugboat for the parade. Most of tugs came back to the marina for a party, but they did not disturb our sleep as we were tired and slept well after the dinner I made with the fish we caught in Bear Drop.

It is now the Fourth, the skies are sunny,  the winds are moderate and the forecast for tomorrow is favorable for our departure  to Lake Superior. The only wrinkle is the Canadian Lock is closed for repairs so we must use the larger American Lock to go up the 20 feet into Lake superior. I have called them to inform them of our intentions and the word is ” come whenever you want”.

This morning Kevin and I went to the pancake breakfast held by the tugboaters and then we were taxied by the marina staff to a Grocery store where we bought our final provisions for the trip north  up the eastern shore of Lake Superior. We will not be roughing it.  At noon the tug boat races started on the river and we had a great view from the marina. Now it is time to sit back relax, have a cocktail and dinner and await the fireworks.

I forgot to mention earlier that Bonnie and Ron Dahl are here on their boat DAHLFIN II. Bonnie is the author of THE SUPERIOR WAY which is the definitive book on cruising in Lake Superior waters. She has agreed to autograph  my copy of her book, and she also has given some important update information on some of the ports we will see later in the trip

I am not sure when I will be able to email another update. It might be a week or even more. But I will keep up the log and email the entries when I can. Until then be safe. We will be.