We had been hearing for years “You have to go to the North Channel, it’s Amazing!” Everyone says it’s beautiful and a must-visit but we never had time to get there and back until this summer on our way out of the Great Lakes. After our journey in Lake Superior, we headed east, into the North Channel. From Sault St. Marie our first stop was in Milford Haven. We spent one night here and woke up early the next morning to head across the channel, officially into the North Channel anchorages!
Turnbull Island
This was our first anchorage in the North Channel. It’s a nice anchorage with plenty of room. There are many outer islands to explore by dinghy or paddle board. The beach in the anchorage also has a grill, fire pit, and picnic tables. We enjoyed our time here and met several other cruisers. It was nice to get some information and recommendations from people who have cruised the North Channel before.
Beardrop Harbour
This place is stunning! It’s a popular spot but there is plenty of room. We were anchored with about 8-10 other boats the few nights we stayed and everyone was well spaced out. We anchored near the small cut going out to Whalesback Channel. This was perfect for dinghying and paddle boarding out into the channel and back into the anchorage. There is plenty to explore here. We found plenty of blueberries on the islands! There are also many bald eagles in the area! We even saw a little mink running across the shore! One of our favorite spots we visited for sure!
Moiles Harbour
This anchorage is only 6 miles from Beardrop, across the Whalesback Channel. It’s a beautiful sail between the two anchorages. The Sudbury YMCA owns the land around the anchorage but we read that they don’t mind cruisers anchoring as long as you respect the land and water and don’t have bonfires. You can see the ruins of an old sawmill in the bay. The bay is quite large with room for several boats. There are plenty of small, rocky islands to explore. While this anchorage was nice, we felt it was only necessary to stay one night and then keep on moving.
Shoepack Bay
We were told by some other cruisers that this is one of their favorite stops so we were excited to check it out! The bay is deep and there are not many suitable spots to anchor. When we arrived there were two boats stern-tied in the perfect, 20-25ft deep spot. We drove around a bit but couldn’t fit a spot where we felt comfortable stern-tieing. There was also a pretty strong blow forecast the following day so we decided to continue on towards an anchorage we knew we’d be safe in. If you can get a spot here it would be a lovely place to stay! There are beautiful rock cliffs along the northern edge of the bay. Beautiful to drive through as well even if you don’t plan to stay.
Eagle Island
We anchored in the large bay on the northeast side of the island. This is a very large bay with plenty of room. It’s beautiful, with a small rocky island in the center. We enjoyed paddling along the shore around the bay. We were planning to stay here more than one night, to ride out a big blow but the forecast was down-graded so we decided to move on.
Fox Island/Fox Harbour
This place was another one of our favorite stops! We would highly recommend it if you can get a spot! Towards the end of the channel, there is a large opening/pool that 2-3 boats could swing on anchor. We chose to stern-tie along the rocky shore in the channel as two boats were already anchored in the pool. We absolutely loved this spot! We were on the other side of some rocks so we basically had the place to ourselves, unable to see the other two boats. There is a labyrinth of small, rocky channels to explore! Perfect for paddle boarding or kayaking. Entering on a calm day is highly recommended. The channel is about 250 ft wide at its narrowest with rocks and shoals to look out for as you enter.
South Benjamin Island
This island is one of, if not the most popular stop among cruisers in the North Channel. This island is beautiful and the rocky hills are not too steep so there is plenty to walk around and explore! There are two major anchorages on the island and then several, smaller coves you could stern-tie or spider-web into. We stayed in the southwest anchorage. There were at a maximum, 10 other boats in the anchorage. Everyone had enough room but we were definitely closer to our neighbors here than in other anchorages we had visited so far. Although more crowded, this island is worth a visit! We really enjoyed our time here.
You can also explore North Benjamin from Fox Island or from South Benjamin. The north island is more heavily forested but we found several very pretty, rocky spots to walk along the shore.
Crocker Island
The is the last island in the Benjamin Island group. There is a large bay you could anchor in but be prepared- it is about 40ft deep throughout. We chose to duck into the small bay behind the small island. This smaller bay is about 15-20 ft deep with plenty of areas to stern-tie. We arrived late in the afternoon and there were already 4 boats in the smaller bay. It was pretty tight but we found a place to stern-tie and still give everyone enough room. The hills on this island are higher and steeper. We found fewer hills we could walk all the way up but there is still plenty to explore! And, plenty of mink swimming and running along the shore here!
Little Current
The small town of Little Current is in a perfect location for re-provisioning during a North Channel trip. We stopped in for the afternoon but there is plenty of dock space if you wish to spend the night. From what we could gather online ahead of time, you can leave your boat on the wall for free during the day, it isn’t until you spend the night that they charge you. We arrived mid-morning and grabbed a spot along the wall. We found water available at this spot so we filled the tanks, emptied our trash, and headed into town. A few marina staff walked by and nobody told us we needed to pay so as far as we know we didn’t break any rules!
A short walk from the docks there is a Value Mart for groceries and an LCBO for wine, beer, and liquor. The grocery store was pretty well stocked but oddly organized. We did end up finding almost everything on our list. After shopping we headed to The Port for fish and chips. The portions were generous and the food was excellent!
From there we headed back to the boat, waited until the top of the hour, when the swing bridge opened, and then headed out towards our next anchorage. The swing bridge opens on the hour for 15 minutes as long as there is a boat waiting, no need to radio, just don’t miss the opening!
One more note on Little Current- we were told by many cruisers the current is no joke! We couldn’t find an online bouy or anything to tell us real-time current conditions. When we were there we found the current to be about 1 knot going from west to east. If it has been a strong wind for several days this may get worse.
Mary Ann Cove/Baie Fine
We tucked into Mary Ann Cove to ride out a blow. Baie Fine is a beautiful fjord and well worth a visit! Mary Ann Cove is a perfect, very well-protected spot. From the cove, you can hike up Casson Peak. The hike starts at an old dock and the trail is well-marked with ribbons. The views from the top are incredible and the hike itself is very pretty!
The Pool/Baie Fine
The drive up the fjord is wonderful. The pool is a beautiful anchorage with plenty of hiking. It is weedy but we held well, just be prepared to clean off your anchor when you pull it up! From an old dock on the north shore, you can access trails that are part of Killarney Provincial Park. The hike to Topaz Lake is a must. This is the highlight of this anchorage. Do not miss it! We also hiked along part of the La Cloche Silhouette Trail to Artist Lake and then to Cave Lake. This trail is a nicer overall hike than the path to Topaz Lake. Artist Lake and Cave Lake are both very pretty but Topaz is definitely the prettiest. Topaz Lake is also clear enough that we jumped in. The other two lakes we wouldn’t want to swim in.
Covered Portage Cove
This is another very pretty anchorage! It is shallow, depths are about 7-10ft throughout. There are tall, white cliffs along the edge that you can hike up to get great views of the anchorage! We also saw otters and beavers along the shores. This is a popular spot so chances are you won’t have it to yourselves. We were the 11th boat when we arrived but people came and went, we never had more than that. There is plenty of space and there is an outer anchorage as well if it’s too crowded for you.
Killarney
We were told by several cruisers to stay at the Killarney Mountain Lodge. A slip costs $2 Canadian per foot plus a $10 fee for use of all of their amenities. There is a pool, sauna, and free laundry (although only one washer and one drier). The lodge also has several restaurants on-site. We also really enjoyed the short hike to the lighthouse from the property. It really is a nice place to stay after being anchored out, away from towns, stores, and restaurants for so long. There is not much in the town itself. We did find a general store that although overpriced had some food and essentials if you need them. There is not a proper grocery store. There is an LCBO for beer, wine, and liquor.
That concluded our time in the North Channel. From Killarney, we continued into the Georgian Bay. There are many, many, more beautiful spots to anchor and explore within the North Channel. You could spend many summers finding new anchorages!
A few random notes- paddle boards or kayaks are a great way to explore here. We used our paddle boards much more often than our dinghy. It’s easier to land the paddle boards or kayaks on the rocky shore and it allows you to explore more places and small channels/coves that the dinghy may not fit. If you have and can bring both, you will likely use both, if you have to choose we would recommend paddle boards or kayaks. At first, we were not impressed with the water clarity in the North Channel but we found it improves the further east, towards the Georgian Bay you go. Lastly, although having stern-tie line isn’t necessary we did find that it opened up more possibilities and we were very glad we had it with us.
Enjoy your trip through the North Channel! Take your time and soak in the views!