More on Georgian Bay - Port Rawson Bay to Parry Sound

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We left Port Rawson Bay anchorage on Sunday, 29 June. There was a good bit of work to be done to prepare for leaving anchorage. Bob needed some help retrieving stern anchors, so Mike volunteered, along with Mike on Xplorer, to help Bob get all anchors up. This job is not always easy and takes some time to accomplish the job, but Bob has done this so many times, he has a method that works.

Next stop was Big Sound Marina for two nights on Parry Sound where we could explore the town of Parry Sound, relax, and provision once again.

We have been so fortunate with the weather. We’ve had nothing but sunny skies and great temperatures. There were lots of Canadian boaters on the water, enjoying the day.

The scenery here in Georgian Bay is stunning in its beauty. If you have never visited here you should consider it. There are “Cottages” as the Canadians call them, all over the place, many on their own separate island, and can be rented. Pat and I are considering renting one summer. We certainly cannot tell you what the area looks like inland, but the view from the water is beautiful.

The trip from the anchorage at Port Rawson to Big Sound Marina was great. We stopped along the way at a place called Henry’s Fish Camp, which is an interesting place. Henry’s is a seaplane dock in addition to a marina, and there were seaplanes vying with boats for space on the water. It was fun to watch them take off and land among the many boats. The food was good too.

It is a good thing that we have knowledgeable Canadians leading us on this “Flotilla.” We have taken routes over the past few days that we would never have attempted on our own.

The marina where we are staying is within walking distance of the city of Parry Sound. Pat and I did some much needed PT yesterday morning along a fitness trail that was built to honor and Algonquin Regiment, a Canadian Army unit that was formed in World War I, consisting of all Algonquin Indians. They had a heroic and distinguished war record in both WW I and WW II, and after WW II were assimilated into the regular Canadian Army.

Along the fitness trail was a sign informing the public about black bears that are found in that area. Later we saw bear traps that were stored next to the Ontario Provencial Police Station. Fortunately, we did not encounter one of these bears while on the fitness trail.

We had dinner at a local Pub, and breakfast yesterday at a bakery, with Mike and Cathy of XPLORER, one of Mike’s favorite places to eat. Where there are pastries, you will find Mikey. He is blessed that he can eat all these delicious, but bad for you foods, and maintain his weight and continue to have great cholesterol levels. Is Pat envious—you bet!!

Monday afternoon, Karen and Bob hosted a wine and cheese gathering on the lawn adjacent to the marina. Everyone had a good time and enjoyed the food and beverage provided by Karen and Bob. These two have put a lot of work into making this trip a lot of fun for us all.

Today (31 July), we will leave Parry Sound and travel about 12 miles to a marina at Killbear Island. Stay tuned…