Reunion Voyage: Killarney to Meldrum Bay

August 23, 2014

A long travel day today – 63 miles – to try and make up for all the bad weather days lately. The water started out calm as a millpond, and stayed that way from 8 am til 6:30 pm when we dropped anchor here in Meldrum Bay. On the North Channel that is just more than you can expect in terms of perfect cruising weather.

Leaving Killarney this morning we noticed that Badgely Island is being “scalped”. The big rounded granite hilltop that is a part of the constant geography around here is being harvested. We could see the giant quarry where the hilltop used to be, and then the grinding equipment and the shipping dock where the granite is carried off the island.

We came through Little Current – which looked like a nice little town, with possibly more interesting things to see than Killarney. On the boat radio this morning there was a Cruisers program – for all the recreational boats in the area. They did weather, news, sports and then asked everyone to radio in and give their location, which we did. It was fun to imagine all those other boats out there that we couldn’t see. Fifty-nine boats were counted as listening to the show. Then they announced a potluck dinner for all cruisers on Georgian Bay and the North Channel – “come on in to the Little Current town dock, bring your own plates and cutlery”. Since we were determined to make a lot of miles today we did not accept the invitation, as we would have had to stop around 10 in the morning.

Attitude Changer – the Looper boat that was held up with the bent props for three weeks, caught up to us last night and has been boating right with us all day. They are also trying to get across these big waters before the weather gets worse.

Our other constant companions today were bugs, zillions of teeny little bugs. We finally had to drive from the inside helm as they would get in your teeth if you so much as opened your mouth. Fortunately we can shut the doors for the evening and have a nice salmon supper.