After six weeks on 3+Canadian canals and over 100 locks, we left the protected and predictable canal waters at Lock 45 at Port Severn after a 2 ½ hour delay to drop 14 feet to Lake Huron on 7-26. You have to start navigating right away, remember that the red buoys are to starboard, and negotiate the shallow, unforgiving, rock-filled Potato Channel with a mixture of buoys that has claimed many a propeller.
After a 14 mile trip across Severn Sound to Penetang and the Looper rendezvous for 3 days, we were eager to explore Georgian Bay Island National Park on Beausoleil Island, a mere 11 miles away but a chance for a more wilderness experience. Although Georgian Bay has 30,000 islands, there is little public land along the shoreline south of Twelve Mile Bay.
Beausoleil Island has 5 well-protected anchorages, hiking trails, beaches and our Park Canada pass covers the expense. We spent 5 days here really relaxing, reading a book per day and gently swaying at anchor in Chimney Bay as well as exploring the other bays by dinghy and by hiking—a perfect day for me. Reprovisioning at Honey Harbour is a 2 ½ mile dinghy ride away at Honey Harbour Centre and make sure to have breakfast or lunch at Honey Harbour Café.
You want excitement—we had that too. A loon couple frequents Chimney Bay. Their love song would often start at 5:30am and I could not get back to sleep until the other answered. Beausoleil Island is the last refuge for the protected eastern Massasauga venomous rattlesnake. Although it is usually timid, local boaters reported that they have seen it on trails and rocks on the hiking trails. It’s amazing how many tree roots look like rattlers when you’re on the lookout but Bob is ready.
We are familiar with black bear in our home cruising area of the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior. I even have a bear whistle—actually it’s from my kids’ Snoopy lifejacket in the 1980’s but it has scared a few bear in its time. They have a renegade black bear here on Beausoleil similar to our famous MacArthur “I will return” bear. This one has been moved but keeps coming back, probably motivated by love and food—doesn’t that motivate most of us?
Oh, Oh, I hear a scream from the campground on shore—he’s back!!!
After a 14 mile trip across Severn Sound to Penetang and the Looper rendezvous for 3 days, we were eager to explore Georgian Bay Island National Park on Beausoleil Island, a mere 11 miles away but a chance for a more wilderness experience. Although Georgian Bay has 30,000 islands, there is little public land along the shoreline south of Twelve Mile Bay.
Beausoleil Island has 5 well-protected anchorages, hiking trails, beaches and our Park Canada pass covers the expense. We spent 5 days here really relaxing, reading a book per day and gently swaying at anchor in Chimney Bay as well as exploring the other bays by dinghy and by hiking—a perfect day for me. Reprovisioning at Honey Harbour is a 2 ½ mile dinghy ride away at Honey Harbour Centre and make sure to have breakfast or lunch at Honey Harbour Café.
You want excitement—we had that too. A loon couple frequents Chimney Bay. Their love song would often start at 5:30am and I could not get back to sleep until the other answered. Beausoleil Island is the last refuge for the protected eastern Massasauga venomous rattlesnake. Although it is usually timid, local boaters reported that they have seen it on trails and rocks on the hiking trails. It’s amazing how many tree roots look like rattlers when you’re on the lookout but Bob is ready.
We are familiar with black bear in our home cruising area of the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior. I even have a bear whistle—actually it’s from my kids’ Snoopy lifejacket in the 1980’s but it has scared a few bear in its time. They have a renegade black bear here on Beausoleil similar to our famous MacArthur “I will return” bear. This one has been moved but keeps coming back, probably motivated by love and food—doesn’t that motivate most of us?
Oh, Oh, I hear a scream from the campground on shore—he’s back!!!
