Lake Superior

Hi Everybody! We just bought our first trawler, a GB32, on Western Lake Superior. This June we plan to go over to Mackinaw City, starting at Bayfield WI. Thereafter we will cruise the Ontario North Channel and then go south to Detroit. Having never cruised Lake Superior, I have had a good look at the charts and Google Earth to scope out the south shore. The main stopping places are obvious: Houghton, Marquette, Munising, Grand Marais, etc. It looks pretty barren, not a lot of little inlets and bays. If you have been on this stretch, I really would appreciate tips about little nooks we can get into, either to tie up or anchor. I have had a lot of experience doing this, but not on Superior. Assuming that the lake is quiet or that the breeze is from the south, are there any places that are particularly good for pulling in close to the shore and anchoring? Perry

Hi Perry,

Just around Whitefish Point, near Paradice, MI, is a neat place to drop the hook in the right weather. The bay can be like bath water sometimes. You will be able to see across the bay to Ontario.

Will you be starting at the west end of the North Channel and coming out the east side? It would be fantastic to do the whole thing. We have only been from Spanish through Killarney. You will have a great trip!

Thanks Irene

Hi Irene,

You told me just what I was looking for. I know where Paradise is, having been to Whitefish Point several times. There is good smoked whitefish just a mile west on the road to Tahquammanon Falls. We will probably end up in Mackinaw City on this leg of the trip. My wife will come up and meet me with the car and I can get my friend home in her car. We will go up to Les Cheneaux Islands, then east to Detour and through the channel, most likely the whole thing. At the east end, after Killarney, we could go down to Tobermory and then head straight down Huron to get home. Another option would be to go back west along the south shore of the channel to the Mississagi Strait, drop down through it and end up at Presque Isle SE from Mackinaw City so somebody can pick her up and then I will continue on to Detroit area. All this depends on her schedule and vacation time.

Regarding the NC: Over the years, since 1994, we have done it all on a series of trips. We first did it in a trailerable Stone Horse, going up the Bruce Peninsula to Tobermory, crossing on the ferry, and then launching at Little Current. The next trips were in our Nor'Sea27, either trailering it to Mackinaw and launching via Travellift, and going from there OR starting from Detroit and going all the way up and back. One time we towed it up to Spanish and had it set in the water at the marina (farthest one east) and cruised that area. While there we anchored near a grey boat, I think it was a NordHavn. Is that your boat? My wife was listing for it in any case.

It has been a great experience, facilitated by being able to tow a boat up north and then launch. Now I just want it to be easier and more comfortable. The Grand Banks is not easily portable, but it will be more comfortable for longer trips. Where is your boat? We would love to see it on the lakes.

Regards, Perry

Hi Perry,
I have just what you want. Spent 8 weeks this summer in Lake Superior. Went from Duluth back to Sault Ste. Marie along the South coast. The below link is to my Garmin Inreach which satellite tracks me and displays it on a Google Maps type page. Zoom out to all of the usa is viewable; center on the South Shore of Superior; then keep zooming in. Some browsers support this better than others. Some ad block software can pose a problem also. In addition to the boat's track, you will see areas where I went hiking and kayaking as I used the Inreach as a GPS for day trips. If you zoom in far enough, the image changes to a satellite picture, pretty neat. You should be able to determine the anchorages, municipal marinas, and docks I stayed at along the way. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

Ted's Inreach

There is also an excellent book on boating lake Superior with marinas, anchorages, and other useful information. It's the bible for boating, sight seeing, and provisioning on Lake Superior.

"Superior Way" by Bonnie Dahl Fourth Edition

Ted

Ted's detail is great. In 2016 we cruised in Lake Superior and our stops were Marquette, Houghton, Bayfield, Duluth, Silver Bay and Munising. Of course we loved Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and Michigan.

BandB said:

Ted's detail is great. In 2016 we cruised in Lake Superior and our stops were Marquette, Houghton, Bayfield, Duluth, Silver Bay and Munising. Of course we loved Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and Michigan.

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I have his track on my favorites list. It is great to see where other people found the nooks and crannies.

You hit the nail on the head when you said that area is remote be well prepared - there's not BoatUS around every corner. Agree that Ted's details are great. One tip I'll give is do not miss Black River Falls State Park. There's a side tie wall for transients, and the hikes up each side of the river to the various waterfalls are beautiful. Ontagnagon is a pretty quiet town but interesting, and the dockmaster there is very welcoming. Houghton is an excellent stop - very walkable. We stay at the marina on the Hancock side because of the great staff there, although you can get some wake there from time to time.

In Bayfield itself I absolutely recommend Pike's Bay Marina. It's out of the mass of tourists but close enough to access everything. Facilities are excellent there. Of course it's my home marina so I may be a bit biased.

BD

BDofMSP said:

You hit the nail on the head when you said that area is remote be well prepared - there's not BoatUS around every corner. Agree that Ted's details are great. One tip I'll give is do not miss Black River Falls State Park. There's a side tie wall for transients, and the hikes up each side of the river to the various waterfalls are beautiful. Ontagnagon is a pretty quiet town but interesting, and the dockmaster there is very welcoming. Houghton is an excellent stop - very walkable. We stay at the marina on the Hancock side because of the great staff there, although you can get some wake there from time to time.

In Bayfield itself I absolutely recommend Pike's Bay Marina. It's out of the mass of tourists but close enough to access everything. Facilities are excellent there. Of course it's my home marina so I may be a bit biased.

BD

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We stayed at Roberta Bondar is Sault Ste Marie, Presque Isle Marina in Marquette, City of Houghton Municipal in Houghton, Apostle Isles in Bayfield, Lakehead Boat Basin in Duluth, Silver Bay in Silver Bay, Bayshore in Munising and George Kemp in Sault Ste. Marie.

As a young child I lived in Marquette for a few years, then my wife and I returned there again just 2 years ago. it's a sweet little town for a stop and you can easily walk to a lot of really nice shops (many on Washington St.), restaurants, and coffee shops from Cinder Pond marina. Cinder pond facilities went through a major update I believe in 2015 and its getting pretty good reviews in active captain.

Crisfield

O C Diver said:

Hi Perry,
I have just what you want. Spent 8 weeks this summer in Lake Superior. Went from Duluth back to Sault Ste. Marie along the South coast. The below link is to my Garmin Inreach which satellite tracks me and displays it on a Google Maps type page. Zoom out to all of the usa is viewable; center on the South Shore of Superior; then keep zooming in. Some browsers support this better than others. Some ad block software can pose a problem also. In addition to the boat's track, you will see areas where I went hiking and kayaking as I used the Inreach as a GPS for day trips. If you zoom in far enough, the image changes to a satellite picture, pretty neat. You should be able to determine the anchorages, municipal marinas, and docks I stayed at along the way. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

Ted's Inreach

There is also an excellent book on boating lake Superior with marinas, anchorages, and other useful information. It's the bible for boating, sight seeing, and provisioning on Lake Superior.

"Superior Way" by Bonnie Dahl Fourth Edition

Ted

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Ted, what a coincidence! ust this past fall, October, we were in Crisfield. Drove down there, parked the car and took the ferry to Smith. We stayed two nights at Smith Island Inn and found the whole scene fascinating. It is a beautiful, tragic place that somehow a miracle might save. The people there reminded me of my farmer parents in SD: "Oh well, the crop next year has to be better."

Yes, I have been watching Crisfield fade for the last 20 years. Somners cove marina is my summer home port. Nice marina and extremely nice staff. Sadly it's more than half empty at peak season and without state support ($), wouldn't be open.

Ted