Collins Inlet

Back to the rocks on Georgian Bay...

You must know exactly where you are on your charts at all times while in Georgian Bay. That's especially true in Collins Inlet, a 17 mile-long narrow, high walled, canyon-like stretch of the small craft channel of Georgian Bay. There are submerged rocks everywhere and the channel often takes 90 degree turns as it threads its way through the islands. It's only 6 feet deep in places, and in one section, we saw only 5 feet.  Needles to say, because we draw 4 1/2 feet, we were proceeding VERY slowly.

Narrow, rock-lined Collins Inlet with Champ III up ahead

We were lucky, because we were traveling with fellow Loopers, Larry and  Lenore Ancypa, (and their Golden Retriever, Candy) on board "Champ III," their 45 foot Sea Ray. , They had been through the Collins Inlet before, so that.gave us the courage to go through it instead of taking the boring outside route whcih we might have done if we had not met them. Of course, we were polite and let them lead.

Larry and Lenore on the left

We first encountered Larry and Lenore, in NY Harbor. They were right next to us at Liberty Landing. The next time we saw them was in Peterborough, Ontario. The picture above was taken in Peterborough at a cocktail party given by AGLCA harbor hosts, Don Bennett and Freya Petersen (Freya's the blonde). Larry and Lenore are only a few weeks away from finishing the loop since they live in St. Clair, Michigan. They plan to be home for about one month before beginning their second loop.

Rock walls (blue tape is on screen door is there to keep us from going through it after a few glasses of wine)

The blue line on screen is a straight section of Collins Inlet- notice that we had 29 feet of water there - wow!

More rock walls

More rocks and pine trees- Champ III still leading the way