Day 59 and 60: Anchoring in Aird/Jackson Islands and Sanford Island

 Day 59: September 15: It's a beautiful morning. From one day to the next we never know how the weather gods will treat us; we take the good with the bad and today is very good! David rode over to Sargo to give the guys some Tequila. They were drinking some around the campfire last night and noted they had run out. David said he had some onboard that had their name on it! He then headed back to our boat for a bit so we could tighten up our travel plans for the day. In the meantime, another Looper boat named No Rush made her way into the cove. She is a nice looking 31' Camano Trawler. We've been seeing her on the NEBO app, pretty much following the same track as we are. Friendly Loopers that we are, we pulled up anchor and moved toward No Rush to say hi and chat for a bit. 


We traveled about 14 miles in 2 hours along the north shore of Lake Huron on the Whalesback Channel to an inlet between Aird and Jackson Islands. Winds were recorded at 9 knots S SW. Whalesback is known to offer the most scenic views on the Great Lakes waterway. It also ranks as one of the top smallmouth bass destinations in North America. Perhaps we will have fish for dinner! 

We entered the inlet through a narrow stretch which opened into a larger body of water before traveling to the anchorage at the western end of the channel. There are two cottages along the route, both looking as though they have been closed up for the season. 

The one closest to the anchorage was a handsome looking log cabin type house with a dock and boathouse and well manicured yard. With green metal roofs covering all the buildings, this homestead fit perfectly into this tranquil spot. Surrounded by wilderness, it stands to reason that a few bears and other wildlife visit quite often. I can certainly see myself sitting on the deck, sipping a cup of tea or glass of wine, becoming mesmerized by the stunning view before me. 

The anchorage offered great protection from all sides except the east. A strong wind could funnel through the long channel but the forecast was for a north wind. As it turned out, the wind laid down toward evening, blessing us with a very comfortable sleep.


Day 60: September 16: We woke to another gorgeous day. The sun is out and the breeze is chilly but soft. We have been watching fish jump all around us so John and David set off to catch us some dinner! It didn't take long before they had 4 small mouth bass, enough for the 4 of us! John can't stop bragging about the big one he caught and of course the one that got away. 

We cruised just over 16 miles in about 2 1/2 hours to Sanford Island, looking for a spot that would block us from the forecasted 15 to 20 knot N winds. The scenery is changing a bit, presenting less granite and more heavily wooded areas. The red arrow on the Navionics chart is us! 


We poked around the small island and settled on a spot we thought would provide the best protection. Once we decided what looked best, David anchored and then tied his stern to the shore. This is referred to as Med or Mediterranean Mooring style. This technique involves deploying an anchor off the boat's bow, backing up until it holds, with the vessel a comfortable distance from the shore, rocks, dock, etc., and then typing stern lines to an unmovable object such as a dock or a tree. 

We dropped our anchor away from him, ensuring we had enough distance between us in case of swing. Once we felt it catch, we felt we would hold well for the night. As the evening approached, the air became windless. Lake Huron became glass, so flat you couldn't distinguish between water and sky; I felt like I was looking at a mirage, an illusion? Was it fog? Or just the still lake joining the horizon. How can one of the notorious Great Lakes lose its ominous presence and look like we could walk across it? We couldn't believe our good fortune, knowing the lakes can kick up without warning! The wind remained calm throughout the night; a peaceful sleep was had by all. 









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