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North Channel, Ontario July 12-27, 2008 (16 days) Last Labor Day a summer vacation cruise to Ontario’s North Channel was announced. Well, the cruise is still on! We have picked the dates of July 12th through the 27th for the cruise. Everyone, member or not, is invited to join us as we go north. This is a lengthy trip and with the cost of fuel staying high, you may want to consider doubling-up and splitting costs. Now’s the time, fuel is not going to get cheaper. Cindy and I will be aboard Mystic and leading the charge. Throughout the cruise we will monitor VHF channel 78. Our cell number is 216-702-0247.Since most have decided not to spend the money for this lengthy cruise, we have decided to play the schedule by ear and decided day to day where to go next. If I have internet access I will try to keep this page updated as the cruise progresses. COMMODORE'S CRUISE LOG 2008 7/13/08 The cruise is off to a good start as planned. John & Cindy on Mystic led the charge joined by members Larry & Barb Uland (BEE JAA), Gil & Pat Root (COUNTRY CHARM), Lyle & Bobbie Ferriera (COAST'N) and SYC members Kevin & Debbie Shea (TIME OUT). Two boats made it to PIB on Friday night and four are now together at Metro Beach north of Detroit with another due to join up today. Weather crossing Lake Erie was good (1-3) but we encountered some thunderstorms with heavy rain in the Detriot river. It cleared up by evening and we enjoyed a nice cookout and walk through the park. Today is a fun day, dawned sunny and warm, playing on dinghies and such. 7/16/08 Stayed at Metro Beach on Sunday and left late morning Monday to Port Huron. COAST'N and TIME OUT left us since they are only staying out a week. MYSTIC, BEE JAA and COUNTRY CHARM had a great meal at Fogcutters in Port Huron and left early Tuesday morning for Kincardine. All arrived without incident after a 6 hour cruise on Lake Huron. Started off calm and slowly built to about 4' waves as a nice south breeze built through the day. Nice ride on a following sea.
7/25/08 Well, almost 10 days without internet connections and cell phone so much has happened. We left Kincardine on the Wed. the 16th proceeding on to Tobermory. Wind continued out of the south so we had a nice following sea of 4'-6'.
We spent two nights in Tobermory's Little Tub harbor before continuing to Killarney on Fri the 18th where we found the Sportman's Inn just reopening. We managed to be one of the first to be served in their bar in a few years.
On Sun the 20th we moved to Covered Portage Cove for a night a anchor. Sharing the anchorage with about 20 other boats that night, it was absolutely gorgeous out. Even Mystic blowing a coolant hose requiring a few hours of maintenance couldn't put a damper on the day. Just another reason for a dinghy ride to get more coolant.
Monday the 21st saw us pick up anchor and start out return trip. Sure wish we had more time up here. We stopped quickly again in Tobermory for fuel and made the long run to Port Elgin which we found to be a delightful port with a great waterfront and beach. Continuing south the next day to Bayfield where the girls got another shopping fix and we all enjoyed this tourist, artsy town. The weather continued to hold good so we made the trip to Grand Bend on Wed the 23rd. The wind was picking up as we arrived and developed into a good blow in the afternoon. The saddest note for the trip came then as a young boy came up missing in the heavy surf and was presumed drowned.
The began wind letting up about noon on Thursday so we put back to sea heading for the States. 4'-6' seas to start quickly settled down to about 3' and were calm by the time we made Port Huron. A quick refueling and check in with CBP and we were off to the North Channel Yacht Club on the north shore of Lake St Clair. Friday was a beautiful day we spent dinghying around the north, middle and south channels of the St Clair river. Closing now for the evening. We'll finish the story when we return home on Sunday. 7/28/08 Saturday the 26th dawned a beautiful day and after a check of the weather forecast for Sat & Sun, we decided the wind forecast for Sun afternoon for a Lake Erie crossing favored us going on home on Saturday. So we said our goodbye's to NCYC and departed on the 6 hour run home. Mystic arrived back home at Son Rise Marina in Sandusky at 1500 completing the trip. Larry and Gil got home a little earlier having slightly less distance to go and traveling faster.
All in all we put 658 nm (757 sm) under Mystic's keel and 54.5 hours on the meter. We spent about half our time enjoying the ride at hull speed, about 8.5 kts, and the rest on plane at about 16 kts. Cindy and I have a great time and the trip was well worth the investment in time and money. I believe Larry, Barb, Gil and Pat feel the same way. Commodore John Wierzchowski Two-Week Cruise Actual:
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