CYOB Destinations: We Visit the Hilton Beach Marina
Aug 23, 2018
Welcome to The Marina!
Ah Canadian simplicity at its finest; small town, big marina. Little Hilton Beach (population 200!), which I am lucky enough to call my cottage country, is located on the north-east coast of St. Joseph Island. The Hilton Beach Marina is one of the largest and most major ports of call in the Western North Channel. It also has a long and rich history dating back to the 1850’s.
I spoke with Marina Manager, Laura McRae and got the full scoop on what goes on in this inconspicuous but busy marina. From June through July is race season with six regularly scheduled races, and one long distance going for five days with the final destination of Manitoulin Island. The season ends off with a Poker Run, taking sailors through 5 different northern spots including Richards Landing and Thessalon. But what would the race be without a stop at the famous Tilt’n Hilton for lunch, perhaps fish and chips?
A Sail with a view
While there’s a ton of sailing action, the marina boasts a healthy mix of power and sail permanently docked, including a fleet of mighty fine sailboats and four big cruisers. The range is huge from Lasers to Carvers and everything in between. Local luminary, Hilton Mayor Robert (Bob) Hope has a nice Sea Ray 370 moored that he enjoys all summer long.
Mayor Hope’s ‘Ray of Hope’ Sea Ray 370
The Hilton Beach Marina’s slogan is “Where the North Channel Begins” and, well, that sounds pretty inviting to us. “Next time you’re boating the Great Lakes, make a stop by the Hilton Beach Marina and see why they call it the prettiest harbour on the Great Lakes!”
For further information on the Marina please visit here.
-Amelia Morris
