Our First Few Days on Georgian Bay

Penetanguishene to Port Rawson Bay

On 27 July, there were a total of 22 boats that rafted off one another in Port Rawson Bay. All of us left Penetanguishene a little before 8:00 a.m., led by Bob and Karen Jantz, Canadians who volunteered to take us on a 10 day trip to areas that most boaters would not know about if you aren’t a local. Karen and Bob are also members of the America Great Loopers Cruisers’ Association, and completed the loop a couple of years ago.

On 28 July, Bob and Karen led us on a dinghy excursion from Port Rawson Bay anchorage to Moon River Falls. The trip was a lot of fun. Even on a dinghy we went through areas where the engines had to be lifted some in order to get through without hitting the rocks. All of us held our breath and went through very slowly until we were clear--another exciting and challenging adventure.

We tied the dinghies to rocks along the shore, and everyone found a rock and had a picnic lunch. Afterward, everyone walked to the falls, where some folks, to include Mike, swam while others observed. It was a fun afternoon.

We had a beautiful day for cruising. Once again, the scenery and the water along the route were breathtaking, with more narrow areas to get through. These areas require a security call to warn other boaters that boats are entering from the opposite side. For those boaters with radios, they probably panicked to hear that 22 boats were making their way through these areas.

We even saw the place where in 1615, Champlaine stopped during his exploration of this part of North America that is now Canada.

We only wish that our description and pictures could capture the beauty of this part of the country. Included are pictures that we took on our way to Port Rawson Bay, at the bay after we were all rafted together, and at Moon River Falls. We were at Port Rawson Bay anchorage for two nights and had a wonderful time before moving on to our next destination. Stay tuned…