Thursday, July 26, 2012

We weighed anchor at 8:30 AM leaving Echo Bay.  There was a fine mist and gray skies as we traveled across Georgian Bay.  Around 1:30 PM we reached Stairs Island which was recommended by Gerry and Linda Etzhold.  There are no depths marked on either the paper or electronic charts and we were reluctant to venture in because  the lack of winter snow and sparse spring rains  have lowered the water levels everywhere here in Canada.  The lower water level is quite pronounced on the rocks in this area.

Jay and Debbie are still traveling with us and went in ahead of us and found the depths to be adequate.  Once inside, the passage opened out into a well-protected anchorage.  The forecast for overnight is strong winds with a chance of thunderstorms so we decided to drop the hook and stay.

Anchored there already was “Queen Kathleen.”  This name was familiar to me, but I didn’t know why.  After we got situated, I remembered it was Elle Lassman who commented that Mike and Kathy McMahon on “Queen Kathleen” were somewhere near us in the Georgian Bay doing the Loop also.  Mike and Kathy came by to say hello and came aboard to chat.  It was nice to meet them.  Thanks, Elle! 

We took a dinghy ride through narrow picturesque channels that, surprisingly, in some spots were as deep as 14’.  The rock formations are colorful and swirly -- almost looking like lava that poured out of a volcano and solidified.

As I write this at 6:00 PM, there are three sailboats and three trawlers anchored in this safe haven.  The sun has just come out and the sky is blue.  Perhaps the forecast is changing.  Below are pictures of these magnificent rock formations, some of the prettiest we've seen in the Georgian Bay.

Stairs Island

Checking the depths in the narrow channels

 Stairs Island

Stairs Island

Stairs Island

Stairs Island

Stairs Island

Stairs Island