Sailing the Great Lakes: The Benjamin Islands

Saturday August 7 – Got up at our usual time and I made coffee. I started getting ready to get going while Kathi had her breakfast – I wanted to haul-up anchor and get going as soon as possible as we were headed to the Benjamin Islands. This is a very popular destination and since the sky was clear blue and the winds 10 knots from the Southwest, I was hoping to get there in time to grab a spot as boats left and before new ones arrived. Since it was an odd numbered day, Roy starts from the West, so we could check-in during the earlier part of the show. We did our check-in from Hotham Island and soon after pulled up anchor. We continued to listen to VHF 71 on our way. Prior to leaving I did give a couple relays using the cockpit RAM mic that now seems to be working well. I guess it may have been my removing of the old LORAN antenna (which had electronics in it) and its coax cable, or freeing the RAM mic cable from the ties with the other wires, or maybe tightening the circular nut on the socket in its mount, or just me cleaning out the socket with a Q-Tip (there may have been some dirt or spider web shorting across pins. Who knows? But it seems to be working without the nasty hum in it now!

After we exited the Hotham Island channel out into the McBean Channel we hauled up the mainsail, unfurled the headsail and started to sail – a glorious 2 knots. We did run the motor for about an hour to charge the batteries and run the refrigerator. After we passed Eagle Island the wind was not in our favor so we furled in the headsail and started motoring. As we bent around to the East to enter the southwest entrance into the Benjamin Islands we probably could have sailed for another 20 minutes or so, but I decided not. We had to navigate a tricky passage that took us through the Sow and Pigs (and Boars), and though 70ft deep between the two we had to pass by, it was no more than that wide, and a wrong turn could easily take us into rock shoals. The Garmin and Kathi did a very good job of keeping me on the track and we arrived safely.

There were about 30 boats anchored in the South Benjamin’s north shore anchorage. Most were anchored in 25ft to 40ft of water – I was not doing that. We spied a spot in a little cove on the northeast corner, but it may have been shallow – we checked it out carefully. It would work! We dropped anchor in 19ft of water a little close to another boat, Healing Power, but backed into the cove, it stayed between 17ft and 11ft and we were able to get about 15ft from shore. I ran a line to a tree from the starboard side and another from the port side to another tree. We were definitely snug. While swimming I followed the anchor line up to the chain and then it until I found the chain. The water was pretty clear so I did not have to dive down too far to see it. The chain was lying across a 25ft wide rock shelf maybe 2ft to 3ft above the bottom, but the anchor, about 4ft on the other side of the ledge, looked like it was dug in pretty well in mud and some light weeds, but I also so a log (deadhead) lying about 3ft to the left. If the wind really piped up I might be concerned and we will see if we have issues when we pull up the anchor.

The day remained beautiful with a light wind and clear sky. We decided to climb the maybe 100ft high rock hill behind us. It was a real “rock climb” to get up there! There were enough crevices in the solid rock to get foot holds and we made it up most of it just below the top knob. I scrambled up the next really steep rock wall, but there was a crevice and a nice rock edge exposed to grip you boot. There were also a couple good foot and handholds, but far apart. Without my back surgery last year it would be doubtful I could have done this. Also, after all our hiking I seem to be less winded these days. As I sat at the top of this boulder, Kathi tried to follow me, but she had not watched what I did and had trouble, taking a very short fall at the bottom. I instructed her with what to do, but she got part way up and freaked out and laid flat on the rock – which is the wrong thing to do. I had to haul her up and provide my foot as a handhold. She got a little scrapped up, but was fine after she rested and collected herself. We went down another way with Kathi leading the way. The view was grand and I took some good photos and video.

After we returned to the boat we took a dinghy ride around the bay. We saw where there were rings mounted into the rock that were being used by one sailboat. But we then went around the corner into another cove and found a set of cottages! How disappointing! Otherwise the whole area is very beautiful. By evening there were 29 boats anchored out on the north side of South Benjamin Island. The evening stayed clear with a great view of the Milky Way.

A Chart of the Fox, Croker and the Benjamin Islands with our anchorage marked.

The two Sow rocks we had to pass between. It is 70ft deep between, but not much wider!

Taken from the dinghy looking back at where we were tied to shore with the solid rock hill behind us.

View from the solid rock shore where we tied up.

While I was tying up our stern lines these family of ducks came by and begged - they showed no fear.

We scaled the rock hill and this is a photo back down to the boat from about 2/3 of the way up.

View fro the top.

Panorama of the anchorage from the front of our boat.

Sunday August 8 – Got up to rain around 8am. This weather is supposed to clear by noon, but the wind is supposed to become West at 15 knots. We should be protected, but we will see how we sit with our current tie-up and how the wind swirls in here.

I cooked up the last of our peameal bacon for Kathi and me, and made an egg-in-toast for myself. Kathi enjoyed her peameal bacon and cereal. We then listened to the Roy show and heard that Mast Transit was headed or the Bustards. I had difficulty getting through to Roy as we are anchored with this 100ft high solid rock hill behind us and between us and Little Current. After multiple tries and a couple of helpful relays we got checked-in.

Kathi is out swimming in the rain (no thunder yet) and I am thinking we need to head to Gore Bay either this afternoon or tomorrow. It all depends on what the wind and this rain does. We are pretty much down to two half blocks of ice (or less), about to empty the front water tank (we still have the aft water tank full), and have depleted our supply of fresh foods (the peameal bacon was the last of the meats) – eating canned items, last of the carrots, and lettuce now. And most importantly, we are out of OJ – don’t want to get scurvy!

The sun finally came out and after lunch of canned salmon salad, we took a dinghy ride over to the "famous" rock slope that allows you to walk to the top of South Benjamin Island and down the other side. We walked down a little on the other side, but Kathi kept saying that she thought our view atop the big solid rock hill behind us was better. Back to the dinghy and then the boat. Kathi went for a swim for about 20 minutes while I prepared us to leave. She finally came back and I went and untied the stern lines. We started to swing dangerously towards the rock shore to the south of us, but I powered forward and we got the anchor line in and the anchor up without incident. We were headed for Gore Bay shortly after 3pm.

I had to jump down below and plot a new route out of the Benjamins through the Sow and Pigs and then on to Gore Bay. I was pretty quick and we passed through the Sow and Pigs rocks without problem. We were hoping to sail, but the wind was pretty much on the nose. We did put up the mainsail and unfurled the headsail, but ended up Power sailing the whole way.

We arrived in Gore Bay around 6pm and the dock-master told us to just take any slip on dock E. But it was really dock B and we had to back up and go all the way around to the other side of the docks. We were hoping to find a pub, but the first place we went to did not have a liquor license, and the second only beer, wine, sub-sandwiches, or pizza. We settled and I had a "greek" pizza and Kathi a BLT. We then walked around town trying to find if there was any pubs open, but the town was pretty dead. We were able to find the grocery store and the LCBO. Kathi was thinking it was a good thing we did not pay for two nights and we will probably leave after shopping in the morning by noon or soon after.