Log 7 - Sault St. Marie, Canada
We left Government Bay this morning heading for the Detour Passage and Harbour Island. As we approached the Detour Passage light we made a wrong turn!
Actually as we approached the Detour Passage Light, Robin suggested that we call our friends Barb & Bill Howe on the radio. We had met them on a previous trip to the North Channel and we knew they'd be in the area.
My first try on the radio got no response. A little later they called us. Barb & Bill are aboard Interlude, a Gozzard 36, in Detour Harbour. They told us they were leaving shortly for the Soo and invited us to come along. After a very short discussion we said we would follow along.
So here we are heading North along the St. Mary's River. Oh and did I mention we don't have charts for this area? We're following Interlude, hoping they know where they're going.
Since this is the passage between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes, We have been getting up close and personal with the freighters! This trip has always been on our todo list! Now here we are.
To be continued!
We made it but just barely. Here are some things to remember if you make this trip:
1. Have Charts
2. If you are following someone because you don't have charts, stay close to them.
3. Rest assured that the red markers are not only for the freighters.
Yup! You guessed it! We ran Robins Nest aground. About half way up the East Side of Neebish Island I got a little too close to the red side of the channel and we came to an unscheduled stop.
The strange thing is our depth gauge was saying we shouldn't be aground. Apparently we had found a high spot and ran right up on it.
We called Interlude and they came to our rescue. Two kids on a Jet Ski took our 300-foot line out to Barb and Bill. We attached the line to our bow and in no time at all we were floating free.
This was a beautiful trip and well worth all the fun! Sault St. Marie, Canada is a very nice town and this is their Summer Fest Weekend. There's lots of activity here but it's time for bed!
Oh by the way, we now have charts for the run back!
R&R