Cruising the Great Lakes

[Adk1]

I have seen some cool video of people taking extended boat trips on the Great Lakes. Seems to be lake Michigan is popular. Basically cruising from port to port and seeing the sights. Anyone ever done this on this forum? Sounds really cool. None of the trips that I have watched did any fishing though! Just curious to know if anyone has done this or had thought about it..That would be awesome to me! Especially if there were a small group of boats doing it together.

Edited May 24, 2013 by Adk1

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

I ran my current vessel back from Lake Michigan. At the time, I considered it a chore that had to be done. Since then I have looked back with great memories of the experience, and regret not having wet a line in each lake. It is definitely in my plans to take a smaller boat and do it again more casually.

[LongLine]

Years ago I had my boat at Port Bay at my parents place. It was a 21 ft PennYan. I was going to go up to the Seaway. Stopped & cruised around Fairhaven then proceeded to Oswego. Took a few hours & went up a couple of the locks.  It was great seeing my tax dollars at work. Being the only boat, and a small one at that, in a lock was a thrill.  Back then you only had to approach the lock, blow your horn & they'd let you in.  (Gave the lock-keeper something to do)

 

Proceeded to South Sandy and got hit with a big blow out of the North west. Stuck for 2 1/2 days. Waves finally calmed to 5 ft'rs so decided to chance it & head back. Bounced the keel off the sand bar that quickly formed at the mouth, twice.  Made it back to Port Bay, worried all the way. Put it on the trailer & checked it over.  Lucky I didn't crack the hull or lose the outdrive.

 

For anyone planning a trip, make sure you have the long range forecast, study the Nav charts before you go & let someone know where you're going & when you'll be back.

 

Stay safe.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine) 

 

[Quiet Man]

I do a bit of Cruising with the family on Eastern Lake Ontario.  From our home port in Fair Haven, we have gone to Sandy Pond, Sacket's Harbor, Cape Vincent and the Thousand Islands, as well as Kingston, Picton, Waupoos and Main Duck Island in Ontario.  We have also cruised to Geneva on Seneca Lake by way of the canal system (Oswego/Erie/Cayuga-Seneca Canals).

 

I would love to go from Fair Haven to Lake Huron's Georgian Bay by way of the Trent Severn Canal, with a loop up to Mackinack Island.  I think I'll have to wait until I'm retired to do that one as it would be a very long trip.  We plan on cruising across the Lake to Cobourg and touring the Rideau Canal (Kingston to Ottawa) for our next trips. 

 

Watching the forecast and the sky is the biggest thing to remember and plan on extra time to stay in port if Lake conditions do not permit crossing for a few days.  When reviewing wave height forecasts, remember that those are averages, actual waves will be much bigger and can be worse, as it is only a forecast.  Probably the biggest mistake made is that folks think the Great Lakes are just a lake, but they need to be respected like the Ocean.  Gordon Lightfoot didn't make up the song; the Edmund Fitzgerald really did sink in the mid 1970's.  Beyond the waves and weather, there are a multitude of details to know if you are going to be prepared to Cruise the Lakes.

 

If you are trailerable you don't even have to cross the Lake, just trailer it and drop in where you like.  Fair Haven is a great spot with easy access to Oswego and Sodus Bay.  The Thousand Islands are great, Kingston, Waupoos and Prince Edward Bay, the Adolphus Reach are nice too.  I've never been, but Northern Lake Michigan/Huron sound like a great place to trailer to and explore.  Where ever you go, like the previous post said, have the charts and know how to use them, GPS can fail, and always let someone know where you are going.

 

Jim    

 

 

Overall I enjoy the challenge of navigating the Lake.  To be prepared there are many details

[traveller]

I have been to Sackets Harbour by boat from Picton, Ontario had a great time, of course down the St Lawrence many times. I suggest the Rideau Canal after the first of September we have done it twice now and will do again. With plans on staying longer at Westport and Merrickville. For me September is the best time to do any cruising as things are not as busy and in some cases the fall colours are at their best. More importanly fishing is slowing down, the Admiral is much happier after me fishing all the summer,  

 

By the way if your ever plan on coming to Kingston by boat plan for the Kingston Blues Fest in late August it is a great time, it all happens right in front of Confederation Basin Harbour.