SNUG HARBOR/CLUB ISLAND

We left Spanish, heading for Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island under incredibly calm conditions, and were halfway there when the updated weather forecast was broadcast and changed our minds for us.

Calm morning, for a change

We’ve spend several days, now in the North Channel and, as pretty as it is, we decided to head back to Georgian Bay for a couple of reasons. One is that the forecasts have consistently predicted better weather in Georgian Bay and two, North Channel is quite remote and, in general, primitive. Elaine likes to see interesting towns, museums, shops, etc, and there’s more of that in Georgian Bay. So, instead of Gore Bay, we headed east through Little Current and anchored in Snug Harbor, positioning ourselves for the next weather window to head south, out of North Channel, across Georgian Bay to Tobermory.

Sung Harbor

Snug Harbor was a great place (although no cell/internet connection), being very protected and large enough for many boats. We anchored in about 30 feet of clear water. I scrubbed down the boat to get warmed up enough to dive in and clean the waterline and bottom. It took about a half hour to do the bottom, and I was pretty chilled by the time I was done.

Another great dining view in Snug Harbor

The forecast was for high winds overnight (naturally) and rain/thunderstorms in the morning, clearing by early afternoon. The winds never came, but the rain/thunderstorms appeared briefly and were gone by 10 AM. Updated weather called for 15 knot winds, decreasing by afternoon with wave height 2-3 feet, also decreasing by afternoon. We took off for Tobermory, about 45 miles away, and for the first ten miles it was tolerable, if not pleasant. Then we hit more open water and, by early afternoon, the winds picked up rather than died down. We were going into 3-4 foot waves and had to reduce our speed, which would have made it a very long slog into Tobermory.

Club Island anchorage

We had a couple of possible bail-out points, and about half way through the crossing ducked into an anchorage on Club Island - a deserted, low island with a large harbor which offered protection from the waves, although not much protection from the wind. At least the water surface is smooth, and we can wait out this front, which is supposed to pass through by midnight tonight, leaving calm conditions in the morning…