THE WORLD’S LARGEST FRESH WATER ISLAND

August 5, 2011  Dateline: Little Current, Ontario Canada

I left Killarney, Ontario this morning at 11 AM, it was a late start but I had only 25 miles to travel to Little Current.  Before I left the dock this morning, this boat came into the Channel and picked up a barge.   I understand that this type of boat is also used for fishing.  Later in the morning I saw the boat again near a silica mine.

This picture shows the view of the Killarney Channel off of my stern.  As I said the Channel is narrow and where there are no docks it is covered with trees.  It is very pretty.





Shenanigans followed me out of Killarney this morning.  Her chart plotter wasn’t working and her owner wanted to follow someone.  Rich talked to her owner and they agreed that the root of the problem was the weather reporting program of XM Sirius Weather.  Rich had had the same problem and disconnected the weather and all was good.  Rich also learned that Raymarine has a fix for the “instability” of the weather reporting. Shenanigans’ owner is traveling alone except for the two Shitzus that are always by his side.  Rich told me that that he cooks them rice and chicken for dinner every night.  I bet that my niece Lucy would like to travel with them.

When I got to Little Current I encountered this bridge.  It is a single lane bridge with traffic lights on each side so that the traffic can move in only one direction.  It opens on the hour for 15 minutes and 15 minutes only. If you don’t get through during the 15 minute period, the bridge will close and you will wait one hour for the next opening.


Little Current is located on Manitoulin Island.  Manitoulin is the largest freshwater island in the world. It has an area of 2,766 square kilometers, which accommodates a diverse, untouched landscape. Manitoulin Island is also a fisherman’s paradise, having 108 inland fresh water lakes including the famous Lake Manitou, which is the largest lake within a fresh water island and has been dubbed a “fish breeding hotbed.”
Rich and Carol met Roy Eaton today at the weekly Happy Hour cruisers get together at the Anchor Inn. Roy is the America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association Harbor Host for Little Current.  He also operates a VHF Cruisers Net radio show each day that brings cruisers of the North Channel up to date on the news, who is traveling in the North Channel, weather, upcoming events and anything else that Roy wants to discuss.  Roy takes a picture with each Looper that comes through Little Current.  Here is Carol, Roy and Rich, was I invited to be in the picture-----of course not.