As we departed Heywood Island, we passed by Strawberry Island lighthouse, an old friend from our sailboat cruising vacations we took here for many years, and many years ago.
Next up was the 0800 opening of the Little Current swing bridge. This one lane road bridge is Manitoulin Island’s only connection to the mainland, originally built in 1914 as a railway bridge. The town of Little Current, population 1,500, is on the south side of the channel.
The bridge tender stopped traffic and swung the bridge for our passage.
Eagle-eyed Jerry, while piloting Monarch through the bridge, spotted this doe with fawn wading in the water near the abutment.
We also remembered this blind dogleg passage called Little Detroit, which brings us to Whalesback Channel.
Little Detroit is narrow, but deep, and we used range markers to keep Monarch positioned just so in the channel. Just a stone’s throw off the rocks, we were in 35 feet of water.
Once through this tricky passage, we were in Whalesback Channel, named for one of its islands, which looks like a whale’s back. Granite slopes, deep blue water and panoramic views greet the cruisers who often return year after year.
In some cases, the directional signs are prominently painted right on the vertical rock walls. Turn right!!
We decided to spend the night in an old favorite, Bear Drop Harbor. The entrance is narrow, but deep, and it is protected in virtually all winds. We wonder what the Bear dropped here!
The rocky islands jutting out of the water are an interesting pink granite, and rise up steeply for protection from the wind and waves.
We snugged up for the night, welcomed by a pair of loons cruising just in front of our boat as we dropped anchor.
As we retired, shortly after 2200 hours, the moon shone over the snug harbor with calm seas and gentle breezes.
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