Mill Lake

Day 105 ... Thurs, Aug 3 - Fri, Aug 4, 2017 ... 26.5 miles; 3:20 hours
Bad River to Mill Lake by Collins Inlet

Pretty, slightly windy day. Cool again. High of 71 and low of 58 for tonight.

Our 3+ hour run was uneventful; one of my favorite words when traveling. After exiting Bad River, we were in the Georgian Bay for a while and saw the first glimpse of the mountains we will soon be traveling by.

Very pretty and exciting to see something different. The scenery has been beautiful; Rip called it awe inspiring today. But, it has been similar beauty ... rock islands, rocks, rock cliffs and lush greenery atop.

Then turned back inside. Again, beautiful views. One tight set of marks where the dinghy, being towed, touched one of the buoys coming passed.

A couple waterfalls and then our open and empty anchorage by Green Island.

As we came in, Gypsies Palace hailed us on the VHF, having seen us on AIS. They are a power cat and too wide to do the Trent Severn, so they parted ways with most Loopers at the Oswego Canal and finished the Erie Canal and had to run up Lake Erie to join the Georgian Bay and see Loopers again; while we did the Oswego and Trent Severn. They haven't seen any Loopers in a long time; I think they are having Looper withdrawal. They are already at Sportsmans; we should catch up with them Saturday night!!
We will be here for two nights, Thursday and Friday, because high winds and rain are coming. Saturday we will go to Sportsman's Resort for a night. This time I won't be doing laundry and groceries, so maybe a little more relaxing and a lot more time with Cally to run about.

Bad River & Running the Rapids

Day 103 & 104 ... Tues/Wed, Aug 1 & 2, 2017 ... 7.25 miles; 1:15 hours
Pearl Island, The Bustards to Bad
River anchorage.

A late start as we only have 7+ miles to go today. Passed a set of 3 pretty lighthouses. Another nice day for travel and we settled into the anchorage quickly.

Time for Shore Dooty and lunch. Rip went for a quick dinghy ride to explore where was best to take Cally.


On Wed, Mike from Firestorm brought over a 5 gallon tank of gasoline for Rip to top off our dinghy engine fuel tank and the one gallon spare tank ... we forgot to top off the tank and fill the spare at the last marina.

We took a little dinghy tour of the anchorage and to check out the rapids, called Devils Door. Rips looks that way, but sees an over turned canoe. Off we go to check if they are ok. The two young men are fine, but have stuff floating about. Rip pushes the upside down canoe with the dinghy bow to shore so they can get their gear and water out and then right it. We, Firestorm and us, find a hat, a shoe, a bottle of water, etc. and return it to the guys. They are wet but certainly ok. They didn't judge the current right at the rapids and flipped. They are going to walk the canoe over the rocks and then camp out somewhere passed there. Glad we found the other shoe.

Today Wayne, on "5 O'clock Somewhere" (one of the locals from Wright's Marina), anchored and while Rip was visiting them by dinghy, offered to take he and Mike on a dinghy tour of the rapids.

Rip quickly replied yes and went to tell Mike, he asked me to go but I declined.

Laurie did go along with Mike.

So off they went in the 3 dinghies - up Little Jamison Rapids then up the Lover's Lane Rapids and back down, last but not least they took the shortcut home through Devil Door and back to our anchorage.  All were grinning ear to ear (see pics).
 
More blueberry picking after dinghy tour and Shore Dooty. Dinner out at Firestorm tonight!!

Pearl Island, The Bustards

Day 102 ... Monday, July 31, 2017 ... 23.8 miles; 2:50 hours 
Wrights Marina, Britt to Pearl Island, Bustard Islands

We left  Wrights Marina after a pump out, trash run and purchasing a clip on Dragonfly. Locals swear they keep the biting flies away. If it works, we will get more on our next Amazon order.

Dinner last night was grilling steaks out on the deck by the dock with Firestorm; followed by Captains meeting with locals for the inside scoop on the areas we will go in the upcoming days.
John told us about the start of Stanley Aluminum Boats. #1 hull is here and owned by the marina owner, daughter of the founder of Wrights Marina. Her dad had it built. Then, he told us about an 80 year old lady who has a Stanley boat and owns a place in the Bustard Islands, our next stop. He met her on a train in South Africa, of all places.
An easy run this morning and into the first anchorage of choice with room for both boats, Firestorm and Lab Partners.  There were a few narrow passages. Rogers Gut being the tightest. We made our securite call announcing our intent to enter the tight Channel. A smaller boat, coming the other way, backed down and waited for our two boats to pass through before he moved on his way.

Cally had a bit more space to wander than the last two rock islands for potty time. She got to swim, too. That's 3 days in a row (twice at Wright Marina and once here) ... new record for the Loop. She is one tired, happy camper.
Laurie, Mike and I went Blueberry picking! The blueberries are quite small, but flavorful. All the Loopers ahead of us are talking about how good and plentiful the blueberries are along the route. The locals have told us it is a banner year for blueberries with all the rain they have had ... and that keeps the bears full and away from people!

Rip talked with a guy from a group of 4 kayakers that paddled past. Turns out he keeps his boat in Kingston, ON; but cannot yet splash his boat to use it. All boats go up on land for the cold winter, but the land between where his boat, a 45' Sea Ray, is and the well to put it in the water ... is still flooded. It is the last day of July and he cannot use his boat, yet. SO? He and his wife are on a two week sailboat cruise with his brother and sister in law.

Next up we see a lady in a Stanley boat cruising around. We cannot get her attention until her morning cruise. Sure enough, she is the 80 year old John told us about. She is at her cottage for two weeks. What a lovely lady. And after we pulled anchor, we see her go over to one of the rock walls a boat had been stern to tied. She said she wanted to check what trash she thought she saw them leave behind. Yes, she climbed off her boat and up the rocks to check out where they had been and what they left. She had taken their boat number ... in case she needed to report something. I hope I am that "with it" and that agile at her age!