The great adventure, chapter II, starts. We loaded the Explorer to the gills and took off for Canada, this time through Michigan (the Explorer can do 70 and the MPG is not as atrocious). We stopped at Torresen Marina in Muskegon to return a part we had ordered last year which didn't fit and for Day to sit in on a conference call for the National Rosacea Society (she still works part time). While Day conferenced and looked for the date when the part was purchased from Torresens, Craig ordered a beer and made sure that nobody made off with the Muskegon Yacht Club marina. When Day's work was done, we took off for Onekama, Mi. Bill from the boat Stormy (a long story) had graciously offered to put us up for a night of reminiscing about sailing. The only problem was getting there. A storm had gone through Manistee and all the roads north were not only closed but they had fire trucks blocking the way. After a detour of about 40+ miles, we finally made it to Onekama for a home cooked dinner, a movie and a comfortable night sleeping in a real bed (probably the last time for the summer).

After Bill cooked us breakfast, we made our way to the Sault, easily passed through customs, again, and arrived at Little Current. Now we had to load Toucan with all of the food and gear we brought with us. While the boat was comfortable, we ate out every night. Expensive! We missed Irv.

With all the additional gear and food on the boat (it barely fit), we were ready to launch when the travel lift arrived (we left our cameras on Toucan, no pictures). No problems with the launch but when they went to hook up the radar array, half way up the mast (we had to return it to Raytheon as a storm in early July 2007 had zapped it), they weren't sure how to hook two wires into four holes. Fortunately, Craig had the manual (he does read them when forced) and all was cool -- the next day.

Promptly at 08:00 the cherry picker's engine started and the radar was fixed. We wanted to stop by Little Current before heading out but we couldn't make the 09:00 bridge, so we waited at the gas dock until 09:45 and made the 10:00 bridge. Pulling into the Little Current town dock we noticed that little had changed. Brian was there to catch our lines and fill us in on what's new:

• They are putting in new slips at the east end of the town docks near Wally's gas dock. (Craig and Brian had a discussion of how the current (1.5 to 2.0 knots when we came through the bridge) will affect the boats trying to dock),


• A boater just came in from Baie Fine and reported that there were 110 kids on 14 charter boats there and they never shut up (Brian said that it was a church group from Rockford, MI that comes up every year at about this time of year for a week). Then Brian said that they will be coming back through Little Current on Thursday and then are heading out to the Benjamin's for the rest of the week. (We definitely won't go near where those kids are!),


• Blue Heron is coming up next week, etc.

We also met two new boats Stella Maris (from Ontario not Milwaukee) and Niethe (Goderich, Ont.). It was hard to get any work done in Little Current with all the conversation. But we persevered. Craig got the water tanks filled and the dinghy inflated while Day talked to her boss in Barrington. Day even managed to take a header off of the ladder onto the cabin floor. Nothing broke, just a few bruises; Craig is so sympathetic -- he offered to take pictures of the bruises.

We had lunch and headed out for the 15:00 bridge. It didn't open! The wind was blowing 20 knots and the current was flowing at 2 knots, both toward the bridge so Craig was a little leery of getting too close before it opened. Either the bridge tender didn't see us or he was asleep. He didn't answer the radio either. Now we had to wait another hour. Craig found that with the wind and current both going toward the bridge, he could put the motor in slow reverse and hover in the same spot exactly counter balancing the wind and current so we could just hang there. This time, just before the 16:00 bridge, we went right up to the bridge and had the horn ready if needed. It wasn't. The bridge opened.

Once out of Little Current and past the bridge, we put up the genoa and had a loverly downwind sail to Browning Cove between Browning and Heywood Islands. By 18:00 we had the anchor set and were having a cup of coffee -- no beer, it was cold -- weather not beer. While we were in Browning Cove, we had highs of maybe 16 to 18 and lows of 8 to 10, Centigrade that is.

Browning Cove is a popular first stop heading east out of Little Current. It's easy to enter and offers a well protected anchorage for a lot of boats. There is even another anchorage off of the main bay that is reached by a narrow channel between Browning Island and Heywood Island. We haven't tried it yet but we will -- sometime.

We didn't do much at Browning Cove. In fact, we didn't do anything but watch boats come and go and sail by. The anchorage wasn't as crowded as it normally is during the summer but there is enough activity to keep us entertained. We did get into the dinghy once to visit Roger, a single hander whom we had met at Covered Portage in '04 but that was the extent of our physical activity. We certainly did enjoy the quiet of the cove especially after the last month of super activity.

We woke up to a beautiful day and a warm and a steady wind out of the west. We upped anchor and headed out. Day took over the helm as we passed between Heywood and Browning Islands and headed north but Craig was not too clear about where obstructions were. Day headed northwest a little early; suddenly, Rocks! The rocks were 15 feet down but they sure looked big and close.

That settled we sailed on a broad reach toward Baie Fine. A wonderful sail but too short. It's a heck of a complaint but things are way too close around here. We entered through the narrow entrance with the normal heart palpitations and low keyed discussion between the helm and the navigator (not that island, go around THAT island, I think, maybe!). We were going to go up to the Pool but going by Marianne Cove -- we notice nobody was there. Not being ones to pass up one of the North Channel's most popular anchorages when it is empty, we made a hard right and dropped the hook.

Marianne Cove (named after the daughter of the founder of Zenith who built the cottage on the island that forms the cove) is a lovely little anchorage that is one of the most popular in the North Channel. Not many boats can fit in but it is easy to enter, has good holding and offers great protection from all winds.

That evening we watched the Mergansers play (1 male and 3 females) and a weasel of some kind -- Otter, Mink? -- play in the water and on the rocks.

We woke up to another nice day and with a west wind no less. Since there were still no boats going by we decided to see if we could make it to the Pool. If you ever say you have been to the North Channel, one of the first questions asked is "Have you been to The Pool?" so we headed out. After a 5 mile sail, we came to the rocks and islands protecting the "Narrows" a 2 mile narrow channel that leads to The Pool.

Navigation is never easy up here. First you have to squeeze between two islands and the shore, then cut between the second and third island (making sure you counted right) and head for the Narrows, missing the shoals off of both points and the 5 foot deep rock in the center of channel and the 3.5 foot deep rock somewhere 400 yards into the Narrows. The chart plotter would have helped but it was off just enough to say we were sailing on dry land! Day's handheld GPS said we were in the same position and passed right over the 3.5 foot rock. To bad we don't have good old reliable Loran C. We found out later that the GPS was right: the charts are a little off. Great!

Never fear, we made it and there was nobody there. The Pool is a perfectly protected anchorage that is set between the granite peaks of the La Cloche Mountains. The only problem is weeds, but we were early enough that the weeds hadn't gotten too thick yet. We got the anchor down in only two tries (after the first try Day nearly had to stand on her head to get rid of the mud and the 50 pounds of weeds that we had hooked) finally looking for a spot that matches the depth on the charts (e.g., no weeds).

The next day we walked up a small stream that was on our east with a lot of little waterfalls and big mosquitoes. But we were protected by Off which worked well. That afternoon we took the dinghy up a stream until we came to a waterfall. There was a portage nearby, so we parked the dinghy and took the trail. It was well worth the walk but for one little problem, Day had washed her face at noon but she had not reapplied the Off. By the time we got back off of the trail, she had so many bites on her face that she looked like she had the Mumps (mosquitoes are huge and leave bumps to match). Craig tried to catch supper but didn't get any keepers. We did see a huge turtle swimming by Toucan.

The holding tank was starting to fill so we decided to head back to Little Current with an intermediate stop in Browning Cove. Nice day but wind on the nose. We motored out of the Narrows and Baie Fine like pros, and set anchor in Browning Cove. Seagulls in Browning Cove love our dinghy (it didn't get as dirty as last year though).

We could have lasted another day but why? We watched another boat take off at noon hoping to make the 13:00 bridge and since we thought we were faster, we could make it too. By the time we got to the Strawberry Island Lighthouse, we realized that we wouldn't make it so we set sail and sailed slowly toward the bridge planning to make the 14:00 bridge. When we sailed up to the bridge, we saw the boat that had left Browning at noon. They must have just missed the opening and had to mark time at the bridge for an hour. Sometimes knowing your speed limitations helps. The current was with us once again so we stayed away until we could motor through.

We got through the 14:00 bridge with no trouble, emptied holding tank and filled up at Wally's (29.55 liters diesel and 8.5 Liters gas for the generator) and had a beer at the Anchor Inn. Reprovisioning done, we headed west to the Rous Islands.

East Rous is a little tricky to enter but not that bad if you follow the chart and realize that the shoals off of both points, especially Pallister Point, extend pretty far out. The anchorage itself is large and easy to get an anchor down almost anywhere in the anchorage. It's not that scenic but it's close to Little Current and well protected.

We spent a three days in East Rous, futzing about the boat. Day worked on the bimini and spacer while Craig worked on installing a Solar Panel. (It worked!). We watched a couple put up their mast while at anchor (twice in fact). Then a couple of sailboats came in with 4 or 5 boys on board and spent the night. The next morning they washed the dishes in the lake, had a great time swimming in the cold water before sailing away. While listening to the mail, we heard a Mayday/Security message. Two boats were against the bridge in Little Current. Apparently one sailboat, Shazaam, was against the abutment (current and wind keeping her there). Another sailboat, Lucretia, was trying to help him, when the bridge opened trapping Lucretia's shroud in the bridge. A couple of hours later (bridge in the open position), both boats were free although Lucretia's mast was damaged and she spend the rest of the season as a powerboat.

That evening, Blue Heron (friends from last year) sailed in and dinghied over with a bottle of wine to toast and renew friendships. It was fun catching up with old friends. We also had our first Bald Eagle sighting but too far away for a good picture. Sand hill cranes are also in the area.