August 16, 2013
Ontario’s North Channel
It’s nine at night and we are sitting in the cockpit of Adamant 1 enjoying a glass of wine and watching the sun turn the sky brilliant reds and oranges. We reminisce about our day. We climbed the hills at The Benjamins, we kayaked around all the little islets, we swam in the cool clear water and we shared sundowners with three other couples. It doesn’t get any better than this. We are on holiday in the North Channel! And we think we are the most fortunate sailors on earth.
August 16, 2013
North of Desolation Sound – The Broughtons for Beginners
The islands, channels and fjords that stretch from Desolation Sound northwest to Queen Charlotte Strait make up one of BC’s most inviting cruising grounds. Here’s how to get there and what to expect. North of Desolation Sound there is a special cruising ground that is rustic, remote and majestic. It offers some of the finest cruising in the world through deep channels and fjords, with vistas of snow-capped mountains beyond. Up here, the cruising just seems to get better the farther north you go.
July 16, 2013
Best of the West
Celebrate summer cruising with our choice of our favourite boating spots and experiences on the West Coast. This month, to celebrate summer and the best of the boating season, we’ve assembled a roster of prime cruising spots, activities and diversions. They’re not intended to be “bests” by any means – that would really be stepping out on a log boom! – but favourites selected by ourselves and some of our regular contributors. We’d love to hear what you think of our choices – and we’d love to hear about your favourites.
July 15, 2013
Sointula, British Columbia
Named ‘place of harmony’ by its Finnish founders, this historic village is a beguiling destination just outside the Broughtons. On BC’s long and storied coastline, the ambitious cruiser’s bucket list is sure to contain literally hundreds of high-profile “don’t-miss” spots. But over the years, one destination popped up regularly in our conversations with cruisers and landlubbers alike, people whose opinions we trusted. They spoke of this place reverently and urged us not to miss it.
July 11, 2013
Art on the Bay – Exploring Artistic Inspiration Around Georgian Bay
Across the country the wilderness, spectacular scenery and animals of Canada’s National Parks have served as inspiration for artists for over a century. Georgian Bay Islands National Park is rekindling the traditional link between the park and the arts with their Artist in the Park program which has successfully run for more than five years at several other national parks. Visitor experience manager Graham Lamb said there is a long tradition of the landscape inspiring artists. “Georgian Bay in general, as well as specific locations within the park, were both the inspiration and actual location for several works by
June 5, 2013
Bay of Quinte and Thousand Islands – Sensational Summer Migration
Each summer, in a Canadian cruising tradition, thousands of Western Lake Ontario sailors join the annual summer migration to the Bay of Quinte and the Thousand Islands. The route, for most of us, begins somewhere in the heavily populated environs of the Greater Toronto Area and takes us along the North shore of Lake Ontario through the protected waters of the Bay of Quinte ending in the crystalline waters of the Thousand Islands. This year, four of us decided to head east in two boats. Our companions, Alex and George, are racing sailors who take three weeks off each year to cruise in Merlin, their C&C 27. My wife Eileen and I are travelling in Solace, our well-loved Oday 240.
May 30, 2013
Dockside in the San Juans
The San Juan Islands offer an eclectic alternative to Canada’s Gulf Islands, including eight superb destination marinas. Few cruising grounds can match Washington State’s Puget Sound for its wide array of natural beauty, wildlife and idyllic boating conditions. Right across the border from Canada’s Gulf Islands lies the eclectic group of islands known as the San Juans, a favourite destination for Canadian cruisers for decades. One of the great pleasures of cruising in the San Juans is the islands’ impressive selection of welcoming and well-run marinas. Here are eight great marina destinations for you to visit, explore and enjoy.
May 10, 2013
Belleville
Let’s be honest. In terms of Canadian small cities Belleville is just another one. However, as a boating destination and as a historically important sailing force, it punches well above its weight. Cruising in Lake Ontario from Toronto has but one truly significant voyage and that’s to the Thousand Islands. Getting there can be a lot of the fun unless you’re in a rush simply blasting through and going outside Prince Edward County. If you choose to take the scenic route, the journey through the Murray Canal to Belleville and then on to Kingston is as picturesque and historical a cruise as you’ll find anywhere.
April 4, 2013
Picton: Cruising into perfection
Prince Edward County is a confidence that boaters share with a few tourists and the locals, but it has yet to become a major tourist draw. It’s very close to the mainland; only the Murray Canal, the Bay of Quinte and its associated waters separate it from the rest of Ontario, but it’s the largest island in Lake Ontario and comes with all the wonders that islands develop. “The County” has only been an island since 1889 when the five miles of the Murray Canal was completed; prior to that it was a peninsula, but we’ll cut some slack on that.
April 4, 2013
Balmy Brentwood Bay & Peaceful Tod Inlet
Off Saanich Inlet, enjoy laid-back luxury at Brentwood Bay Lodge and peaceful anchorage at nearby Tod Inlet Marine Park. South of Satellite Channel and the southern tip of Salt Spring Island, the protected waters and spectacular vistas of BC’s southernmost inlet cuts 12 miles into Vancouver Island. Saanich Inlet’s fjord-like waters reach as far south as Goldstream Provincial Park at the picturesque estuary of the Goldstream River.
March 8, 2013
Sidney Spit, BC
A pearl among Gulf Islands parks, this sandy haven is ideal for hiking, beachcombing, birding, fishing…or just hanging. Sidney Spit is a park of superlatives. With the best sandy shores, the best sunsets, the best crabbing and some of the best hiking in the Gulf Islands, it’s no wonder it’s a hit with just about all who visit – for a few hours, a day or a week. The park occupies 178 hectares at the north end of Sidney Island, among the most geologically diverse of the Gulf Islands. The island is composed almost entirely of quaternary drift deposits – unconsolidated sands and gravels deposited by glaciers about 10,000 years ago.
February 6, 2013
Week in the Broughtons
Returning to these waters after many years was both a homecoming…and a tempting taste of cruising adventures to come. We first visited the Broughtons when friends asked us to deliver their sailboat back to Vancouver after a cruise to Haida Gwaii. From Port McNeill we headed home via Alert Bay, the Indian Islands, Knight Inlet, Lagoon Cove and Johnstone Strait. We never forgot the breathtaking vistas of mountains and channels, the easy hospitality of the marinas, the turquoise water of Knight Inlet, the haunting presence of ancient First Nations inhabitants and more recent pioneers, an exciting sail down Johnstone Strait in a booming westerly – and we couldn’t wait to return in our own boat.
February 1, 2013
Round the Penders
Join us on a tour of these “Sirens of the Salish Sea,” perhaps the most tempting of the Gulf Islands. What is it about North and South Pender Islands, lounging smack in the middle of the Salish Sea, that makes them so alluring to boaters? The islands together comprise just 3,620 hectares and are home to only 2,300 residents. So why have they enticed skippers ever since their namesake, Daniel Pender, arrived in 1857 aboard his survey vessel HMS Plumper?
January 21, 2013
Ride of a Lifetime – Ottawa River
In 1613, Samuel de Champlain made his way up the Ottawa River in a birch bark canoe. To commemorate the 400th anniversary of this historic journey, 14 riders on 11 personal watercraft (PWC) made our own four-day voyage of discovery last summer. We travelled faster and likely had more fun than Champlain, but we shared the spirit of mystique, magic and wonder that the Ottawa River Waterway still invokes for all who adventure there.
November 30, 2012
Genoa Bay, British Columbia
Tranquil, colourful and funky, Genoa Bay is a must stop for West Coast boaters. The day brothers Will and Ben Kiedaisch assumed ownership of Genoa Bay Marina, they inherited outstanding bills, the bank was about to foreclose on the property, and the electricity was in danger of being turned off. “We didn’t know port from starboard when we took over,” says Will, laughing. “We had to learn how to run a marina from the ground up.” “We didn’t even own a boat and the first tool we had to buy was a bolt cutter because the marina was locked and abandoned,” recalls Ben.
November 9, 2012
Indigo to Alaska
On a high-speed delivery to Whittier, Alaska, a brand-new Coastal Craft 400 IPS makes short work of the Inside Passage and the Gulf of Alaska. In September 2010, I took a call from a pleasant Alaskan, Dick Weldin. I remember his genuine interest in boat design, the pros and cons of features, and his queries and speculation on craftsmanship―I enjoyed our call immensely. I extended an invitation to the upcoming Seattle Boat Show. Little did I suspect that a year later I would be at the Seattle show standing on Dick and wife Jennie’s new Coastal Craft 400 IPS Indigo.
September 6, 2012
Harmony Islands, BC
En route to Princess Louisa Inlet, this marine park offers tranquil refuge in a truly spectacular setting. After spending three wonderful days relaxing, exploring and visiting with other boaters in Princess Louisa Inlet, my wife Arlene and I departed, retracing our track back out through Jervis Inlet’s Queens, Princess Royal and Prince of Wales Reaches. The granite mountain slopes shone brilliantly in the morning sun. It was easy to imagine how the intense weight of massive glacier flows carved out these mountains and polished the hard granite to a shiny brilliance. Below the granite walls, thick forest, dissected by waterfalls, descended to the shoreline.
August 24, 2012
The Spirit of Haida Gwaii
These “islands on the edge” are alive with the spirit of the Haida people, and a cruise here is an unforgettable experience. There is a special place – north of Vancouver Island and west of the northern British Columbia coast – that is inhabited by the spirit of the Haida people. Haida Gwaii, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, is an archipelago of more than 150 islands, and one of the most unique destinations you can visit by boat in North America. Haida Gwaii is remote and pristine, with a unique geological history.
August 10, 2012
1000 Islands – A Thousand Good Reasons
I first discovered the Thousand Islands three days into…
May 3, 2012
Québec Nautical Stations Help to Make Great Vacations
The whole idea of a vacation is to get away from it all and with a different language and culture, a visit to Québec is always something special in my opinion. Whether you’re looking for great scenery, fabulous boating or a memorable dining experience, Québec has so much to offer. The new Québec Nautical Stations program is unique in Canada and it can greatly enrich your vacation enjoyment – actually, it was designed to do just that.
April 24, 2012
BC Tidal Passes: Part 1 – Passes of the Gulf Islands
In the first of two articles on the BC Coast’s tidal passes, we survey the passes that link the Strait of Georgia with our most popular cruising ground. One of the greatest sources of anxiety for new boaters on the BC coast – or boaters new to coastal waters – is the fact that water here moves around – a lot. Understandably, this is a worry I’ve heard from people from the Prairies or eastern Canada who may be used to the relative tranquility of lake boating.
October 18, 2011
Support The Call For 12 New Marine Protected Areas By 2012
I think it’s a given that as a Canadian Yachting reader, you are passionate about Canada’s waters and protecting them from pollution and wildlife threats. Recently, an article in the Globe & Mail presented a way to easily demonstrate our commitment to the waters we love so much. Back in June, tied to ‘Oceans Day 2011’, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society challenged the federal government to establish 12 new marine protected areas by the end of 2012.
October 14, 2011
Celebrating Our Boating History This Summer
Antique and Classic Boat Shows Round-up Whereever you travel in Canada this summer, if you plan the dates right, you could spend a glorious day admiring, photographing, perhaps listening to and maybe even riding in an antique or classic boat! There are shows planned across Canada from Victoria, BC to Hubbard’s Cove in Nova Scotia with plenty of great events in between.
October 14, 2011
Thar She Blows!
Don’t call me Ishmael. No apocryphal white whale for me, no leaking longboat bristling with harpoons. Our vessel is more seaworthy, our crew and passenger manifest less motley. We will not kill the great leviathans that pierce the skin of the sea, we will merely share their playground. We will also share the lives of the people of the sea on Canada’s great island, skimming over waters once plied by Basque and Portuguese fishermen, past shores explored a thousand years ago by Vikings,
May 8, 2011
Back to the Channel
“So you’re back,” says Canadian Yacht Charters co-proprietor Ken Blodgett as if it hasn’t been a year since we’d last seen him. “I’m back.” I sit down on a Muskoka chair beside Blodgett just outside their office, snugged down on the shores of Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island’s north shore. I stare at the waters – dark green and mysterious in the late afternoon.
February 7, 2011
Planning Your Dream Cruise: 1 – First Steps
You’re not quite sure how or when this happened, but the casual thought of going off cruising someday is starting to become a goal you’re taking more seriously. Perhaps at the moment you don’t know if, given your current circumstances, it’s even possible to say goodbye to the rat race for a while and set sail for warmer climes, but you’d sure like to check it out!
January 12, 2011
Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
A rugged path strewn with rocks slices through a dense stand of cedar just beyond a red-roofed square wooden lighthouse squatting beside Georgian Bay on the furthest reaches of Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula. You trudge along this path that meanders through forests boasting five-hundred-year-old trees; you deeply inhale the cedar aroma. Then the forest thins and you emerge onto a plain of stone and sand and shale.
January 11, 2011
The Best of British Columbia Boating Part 1
The Gulf Islands of British Columbia envelop a beautifully diverse cruising ground – an alluring and accessible pocket of paradise. Boaters will be charmed by each island’s distinctive character and lured by clean sandy beaches, sheltered bays, hideaway anchorages, spectacular sunsets and abundant wildlife. In addition, the area’s marine parks are unique to British Columbia’s coast and are often only accessible by water.
January 6, 2011
Planning Your Dream Cruise: 2 – Destinations & Route Planning
Most cruises are based on a destination: “When school finishes, we are going to take the kids on a summer cruise of Georgian Bay.” “When I retire, I want to sail through the islands of the Caribbean for a couple of years.” “We’re going to ship our motorboat over to Europe and explore the Med for a few seasons.” “We’re going to sail around the world!”
January 4, 2011
Planning Your Dream Cruise: 3 – The Cost of Cruising – Financial Matters Afloat
Most people believe that long-term cruising is expensive but it certainly doesn’t have to be. When we first cut the docklines in 1989 we were surprised at how our monthly fixed expenses dropped when we let the apartment go, sold the car, and suddenly didn’t have rent to pay or home and car insurance premiums. The cable TV fees stopped, as did our fitness club memberships. Costly commuting expenses disappeared. No longer working in offices, our clothing budget dropped drastically since our wardrobe simplified and cruising in the tropics didn’t demand several sets of seasonal clothes.
December 30, 2010
Planning Your Dream Cruise: 4 – Making Cruising Pay – Earning While Cruising
Travelling by boat, as I’m sure you’ll agree, offers many pleasures and freedoms but can present plenty of challenges and high-stress moments as well. Adding financial stress to the adventure can really take the fun out of cruising so, as we discussed in our last article, it’s important to maintain a good financial base when cruising. As in life ashore, financial security provides freedom and peace of mind. The ability to earn a living while cruising then seems the ultimate freedom.
December 23, 2010
Planning Your Dream Cruise: 5 – Benefits of Part-time Cruising
There is a misunderstood notion that to become a long-term, long-distance cruising sailor it is necessary to truly cut the docklines by selling everything and leaving. You know, get rid of the house, quit your job, and wave goodbye to the rat race. Paul and I have been cruising now for 18 years and can assure you that this just isn’t so. In fact, the happiest long-term cruisers we meet are most often those who have found a pleasurable balance between life afloat and life ashore.
December 21, 2010
Planning Your Dream Cruise: 6 – Maintaining A Home Base While Cruising
The decision to cast off the dock lines and undertake a long-term cruise involves considerate financial planning from establishing a budget for outfitting your boat, travelling expenses, insurance, sightseeing costs, maintenance and repairs, and changing costs of living as you move from destination to destination. So it’s no surprise that in the process of planning a cruise, the topic of whether or not it’s economical to maintain a home base while you’re away nearly always comes up.
May 19, 2010
Sunshine Coast, British Columbia
Strung out below Syren Point on the east side of Hotham Sound is popular Harmony Islands Marine Park. The biggest and smallest of these four islands (the rest are private) are designated as a marine park, with the southernmost park providing flat, grassy spots for kayakers to beach their craft and set up camp. The adjacent waters in the channel between the islands and the mainland are also within the park’s boundaries. We headed for our favourite, sheltered spot known locally as Kipling Cove – tucked between the three northern islands, it offers dramatic vistas, good snorkelling opportunities and warm water swimming in July and August.
May 17, 2010
Log Of The Caledonia – From Quebec to Newfoundland
SATURDAY (1100 HOURS) The weather is fine: sunny and hazy. A perfect afternoon on the Saint Lawrence. At precisely eleven hundred hours the call echoes across the deck of “Caledonia”, a barkentine tall ship two-hundred-forty-five feet long. “Prepare to cast off.”
May 10, 2010
The Pleasures of Pender Harbour, British Columbia
At 8.15 am, on a rain-washed Vancouver morning, I found myself neatly buckled into the front seat of a well-seasoned ‘Beaver’ floatplane. With latte in hand and ears well plugged, my trusty pilot and I were headed for Pender Harbour, where I was about to discover the delights of the ‘Venice of the Sunshine Coast’ by boat. My husband Laurence and our faithful 36′ sloop ‘Dreamspeaker’ were eagerly awaiting my arrival, having braved a southeasterly gale and huge seas off Cockburn Point to make our scheduled meeting on time.
May 7, 2010
Cruising the ‘Rhine of North America’ – St. John River, New Brunswick
There are great boating experiences to be had all around the province of New Brunswick. The eastern shore ports on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence offer very unique and picturesque harbours to enjoy during the summer months. There are numerous opportunities to gunkhole through the areas of the Northumberland Strait separating New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island in the Bay of Fundy; there are also many beautiful harbours to tuck into and explore, but that’s another article. The highlight of New Brunswick boating has to be cruising the Saint John River.
November 11, 2009
Sylvan Lake, Alberta
Nestled just west of Red Deer, at a point not two hours from Edmonton or Calgary, lies Sylvan Lake, one of the most popular recreational lakes in Alberta. The roads leading to Sylvan Lake are excellent. It is easy driving with a boat and trailer.
November 11, 2009
Lake of the Woods, Ontario
Imagine a place for a family vacation that you will never forget; a lake so beautiful and so vast that you could probably never see all of it. But, what if there was an event that could quickly connect you to a way to explore a lot of it in safety and in an organized fashion?