Georgian Bay and North Channel are filled with rocks and narrow passages. Good charts and attention to navigation becomes critical in these waters. The entrance to Georgian Bay from the last lock in the Trent Severn Canal has a tight turn, a narrow channel, a strong current on the stern, and a low bridge. The photo above is looking back toward the lock. This is a section that you would not want to meet a boat traveling the opposite direction. It makes an interesting introduction to navigation.
The channel is sometimes not much wider than the boat. The waters may be wide, but the area within the waters with sufficient depth for a deep draft boat are limited. The next marker is a floating buoy and is visible in this shot. Is it a red or a green?
In the image above, the red triangle marker, indicating that the channel lies to the left, is set at a point of rocks. Looking in the distance, another red triangle can be spotted. A large open area of water is open ahead and appears to be an appropriate path. But, a look over the rock on the left will find a red floating buoy hiding. The correct path is to turn left past the rock, pass left of the red buoy, then back to the right.
Not the same spot as the photo above, but a similar situation. A red triangle is just to your right shoulder, another red triangle is ahead on right, and a square green is on the rock to the left. It would appear that the appropriate path would be directly ahead, in the waters between the red and green. And, so thought the captain of this trawler, sitting on the rocks. Fortunately, the rocks here are smooth and only slightly less shallow than the draft of this vessel. Last Dance draws a foot more and would be high and dry at the same spot. The floating red buoy, indicating that the deeper water is to the left, can be seen to the left of this image.
Heading toward this wall of rock that is the beginning of Collins Inlet, the floating markers indicate that a sharp turn to the left is required. The white marker indicates that a rock is at that point, with insufficient water depth for a trawler to pass. The white marker is not on the charts. To which side of the white marker should you pilot the boat?
The red triangles and green squares navigation aids are normally placed on islands or rock to indicate which side the channel lies. This marker is interesting due to its placement. Many years ago, probably before the Canadian Coast Guard placed markers in Georgian Bay, a steam-powered vessel found this underwater rock. All that remains of the boat is the boiler used to produce the steam. Placing the markers is a major job for the Coast Guard as all of the floating buoys must be removed before winter because when the surface water freezes, the ice would damage the marker, or at least drag them to an incorrect location. Every spring, the Coast Guard must reinstall all the navigation aids.
While the navigation can be challenging in Georgian Bay, at least there are many aids to navigation. Not so in the North Channel. There are a few of the red triangles and green squares indicating on which side of an island the recommended passage lies, but no floating buoys. In some cases, the local boaters have added their own floating navigation aids to indicate rocks. The one above marks a rock in what could appear to be the center of a path to Croker Island. This rock is charted, but could easily find the bottom of a boat if not indicated on the water. As is the case much too often, a translucent one-gallon milk bottle has been used. If only the Canadians saved their Prestone jugs.
The floating object in the image above is a 6 inch square of foam. Looks like it could just be flotsam, some junk floating on the water’s surface. It is someone’s marker they placed to show a rock that is in the middle of a narrow passage that is the entrance to a small harbor. The rock is not on the charts. This photo was taken on a blue sky day with the sun high, allowing the rock to show through the water as a yellow area. On the day Last Dance spotted this small piece of foam, the day was gray and the water all the same color. Again, some bright yellow Prestone bottles would be helpful.
Just in case the captain misses that the recommended passage makes a turn to the right at this island, a large arrow has been painted on the rock. This has been the correct passage for centuries as the word Passage painted on the rock signifies the name of the island. Navigation in these waters requires one’s attention, creating a challenge, making cruising even more interesting.
