Aug 13 The Bustards to Bad River and Devils Door Rapids

Aug 13 - Delayed post - no internet

We’re just moving around from anchorage to anchorage up here on the Georgian Bay.   Lot’s of little coves to explore and settle into, each a bit different from the other.  We’re using recommended anchorages that the General Manager of the marina back in Midland told us about and marked on our charts.  These are his personal favorites with good water depths as you approach and good holding when you set the anchor. 

We were awakened this morning at 6:30 with several knocks on the hull.  A sailboat behind us was ready to leave but concerned that our drift overnight with the wind direction change may have us sitting over his anchor and “would we mind hoisting anchor and moving up a bit”.    Not exactly what I had planned for that hour of the morning but being nice friendly accommodating Americans, we did it.

Sunrise after our "Rude Awakening"

  After taking our showers, a cup of coffee and a nice hot breakfast we finally left Bustard Islands about 9 AM and made our way the relatively short distance up Bad River to an anchorage just outside Devils Door Rapids.  The names sound much worse than the location. It’s got great scenery with pink granite outcroppings smoothed by centuries of glacial ice wearing them down.  

Heading up Bad River 

The rapids made for good kayak exploring.  Lots of passages and chutes where waters from upland Ontario province feed down to here.   Probably not as dramatic as other times of the year as the flow coming downstream is a bit less than normal after several months of lowered rainfall plus Lake Huron being part of the great lakes system is still running about 4’ over normal.   So low outflow into a higher lake means many of the rapids are actually underwater.   Still, it doesn’t take away from the amazing scenery.  

Getting ready to paddle through Devils Door

This morning while cruising here we talked about how odd it was to be traveling over such a big expanse of open water without seeing another boat in site.  Then we get to the anchorage, which is actually fairly large, and bemoaned the fact that we were having to share it with 10 other boats for the night!

Sunset

Journey for Aug 13