August 31, 2015
Bedford Basin Yacht Club
The Halifax Harbour is well known not only to mariners and historians, but also to most Canadians for the 1917 Halifax explosion and the many fortifications left by the British…
July 9, 2015
21st Annual Wooden Boat Festival: July 18, 2015
Saturday, July 18th, 2015 the Port of Newcastle invites you to their 21st Annual Wooden Boat Festival.
May 15, 2015
Sarnia Yacht Club
The Three Fires Confederacy (Potowatami, Ottawa, and Ojibwa Clans) welcomed La Salle in 1679 when he sailed into Lake Huron. Already established as the Hub of the Great Lakes, they helped to create a center of trade and culture with the French in the village of “The Rapids” after the War of 1812. By 1836 the town was renamed Port Sarnia and incorporated in 1856. With the natural wealth of abundant timber, the discovery of oil, and the arrival of the Great Western and Grand Trunk Railways, Port Sarnia grew to become the City of Sarnia at the beginning of WWI. It was now a significant transshipment port for western grain and, with the establishment of the Polymer Corporation to manufacture synthetic rubber during WWII, it was now a major petrochemical centre.
May 15, 2015
Port Dover – Bikes, Perch and Dogs
Lake Erie always feels somehow older, more mature ..It’s been the cradle of boating and summer pleasure for years. Port Dover is a time-honoured port with an established feel, high spirited traditions both old and new and a real character all its own. Fishing and sunning have been going on for a couple of centuries although the town’s best known institution, PD13, the spectacular motorcycle ride-in that occurs every Friday the 13th and has put the place forever on the map – only began in 1981. Named for Dover, England in the early 1880s, Port Dover evolved as a fishing port and has been loved by generations as a long established summer resort pretty well ever since.
April 22, 2015
A Cruising Adventure Through New York’s Canals
Maurice and Hélène Marwood and Terry and Linda Hilts Th…
April 21, 2015
Best of the Bay: A Six-Pack of Destinations for Exploring Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay: Just the words evoke ethereal images, stirring something special in the hearts and minds of all boaters whether you explore silently by kayak, traverse under taut sails or power through her more than 30,000 Islands. This vast body of water is technically part of Lake Huron, but is often referred to as the sixth Great Lake for its sheer size and diversity of destinations. It’s a lake of legends, lost ships, forgotten coves, iconic windswept pines, artistic inspiration, rich history and endless islands each packing plenty of personality all their own. Where to start? Good question. Boaters could spend a lifetime travelling the bay and never know all of its nooks and crannies; never stay in the same spot twice and still not see it all.
April 21, 2015
Dipping Into Dalmatia
The sun rises over green hump-backed hills, backbone of an island called Prvic in the Adriatic Sea, off the coast of Croatia, in the region of Dalmatia. We’ve docked overnight in one of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. The hills look across a blushing expanse of water riffled by winds whose names we discovered yesterday morning at the chart briefing that began our Sunsail charter flotilla near a village called Primosten.
April 21, 2015
Ghost Lake, Alberta
When we (an Ontario couple) both raised sailing on the Great Lakes and Lake Simcoe, decided to pack up and move our lives and careers to Cochrane, Alberta (minutes West of Calgary) in 2013, our rationalization banter went a bit like this:
April 21, 2015
Vancouver Rowing Club
What is it that keeps most of us active and involved with our friends when the sailing season ends? Even though I am a very active skier who tolerates the cold February slopes, just waiting to get into spring, corn skiing, I still dream of those lovely days on the water and look forward to launch as the best day ever…
March 12, 2015
Britannia Yacht Club
An interest to be on the water, do things on the water, and enjoy it with friends who like to do the same, is the driving force behind just about any boating club in the world. Add to that a driving desire to continue to improve upon what you have, so that your club becomes a destination to meet friends outside the sailing season, and you have a truly wonderful experience that has helped to form this club; a club that would change its name five times before finally settling on the Britannia Yacht Club.
March 12, 2015
Midland Harbour – Georgian Bay
As an attractive destination for sailors and cruisers alike, Midland Harbour doesn’t really have to try hard to impress; the waters of Georgian Bay attract yachts of all sizes from all over the globe. With a history steeped in lumber and boat manufacturing, Midland Harbour today is an integral part of a thriving town, boasting the largest freshwater marina in the world amongst its offerings. The hometown of Sarah Burke, Glen Howard, Adam Dixon and David Onley to name a few, Midland is the heart of the North Simcoe area, the centre of the neighbouring Georgian Bay communities. Founded in 1871 the town’s main industry was lumber manufacturing at the Playfair Mill which dominated the town’s waterfront until shipbuilding took over, beginning with Dobson’s Shipbuilding and later as Midland Shipyards.
March 6, 2015
The BVI’s – Parking in Paradise
We’ve bridled our bowline to a mooring ball in Trellis Bay just off Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. My friend, Dave Anschuetz, fires up the Force 10 on the pushpit of our chartered Moorings boat, a Beneteau 43.3 named “Teranga.” Down below, my wife tosses a salad while Dave’s wife, Barb, marinates chicken. Topside, I survey our surroundings while I concoct my own take on the iconic (and insidious) Painkillers we were drinking like water two nights ago on Jost Van Dyke.
March 6, 2015
Exploring Malibu of the North – Trailer Boating in Muskoka, Ontario
Owning a runabout or personal watercraft enables boaters to do unique explorations not possible with larger cruisers. The only additional equipment needed is a good tow vehicle and trailer. This way, you can launch wherever there’s a handy ramp to embark on new trailer boating adventures. One of the most enjoyable and memorable is touring in Muskoka, Ontario. Dubbed “the Malibu of the North” by the New York Times, Muskoka has attracted the rich and famous since the latter 1800’s. Its cottaging celebrities include Martin Short, Steven Spielberg, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Tom Hanks, Harry Hamlin, Cindy Crawford, Ted Rogers, Kenny G, Bill Murray, Kevin O’Leary, along with many sports and business luminaries. During the summer, the Muskoka population swells as tens of thousands of pretty well heeled cottagers take advantage of fun in the sun on its clear and sparkling waters.
March 2, 2015
Welcome Aboard the “Ocean Harvest” Cruise…Where a “Foodies” Dream Comes True!
We met Bobby Sherlock in Ucluelet on the West Coast of Vancouver Island onboard his Hunter 340, Pegasus, near British Columbia’s Barkley Sound. The Broken Group Islands would be our home, for the five of us, for the next few days. The Broken Group Islands are located are on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, in an area known as Barkley Sound and are only accessible by boat. With fishing licenses in hand, and after a thorough tour of the boat, we talked with our skipper about the evolution of his unique Ocean Harvest Cruise. It seems like a natural fit for Bobby to lead such an adventure, with his education in outdoor adventure training and having cooked in professional kitchens since he was 15 years old.
February 26, 2015
Chester Yacht Club
You won’t find a prettier site in all of Canada (although I am sure that the west coast sailors would probably disagree!) nestled on the Chester Peninsula extending into Mahone Bay along the south shore of Nova Scotia, with both a front and back natural harbour. The bay is dotted with about enough islands for each day of the year. The village was founded in 1759 during the French and Indian War. Setters from New England were given Shoreham land grants for the area we now know as Chester and the Tancook Islands. These people were known as Planters, as they farmed the land and were also fishermen. During the American Revolution, some Yankee privateers tried to plunder Chester.
February 26, 2015
The Other Virgin Islands
We’ve dropped the anchor in the northwest corner of Pillsbury Sound, hard by a channel bisecting two lush islands. Waters rush through the passage, lured by the beauty of St. John, an island that reclines in the afternoon sun like a Renaissance courtesan. Our skipper today, Captain Wilson, knows these islands like the back of his hand. He should – he’s boated here almost daily since 2008. “I will take you where you want to go,” he promises. “I will show you what you want to see.” I’ve cruised the British Virgin Islands numerous times but I’m just getting my feet wet here. Today’s the perfect introduction.
February 26, 2015
Queen City Yacht Club
Imagine a club that has been around for 125 years, that used to rent their club house, finally built a club house only to have it go headfirst into the lake, that rebuilt the clubhouse on an island that didn’t used to exist, and then not be able to get there unless you whistled to someone from across the inlet at Ward’s Ferry, to come get you in a rowboat! Sounds unbelievable…it’s the legacy of the Queen City Yacht Club In 1793 Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe and his wife used to picnic on the island, although it was really not an island at that time, rather a peninsula coming out from the eastern end of the city. As the only way into the harbour was through the western gap, he decided to make Toronto (then York) the military centre of Upper Canada and Gibraltar Point (now Hanlan’s Point) would guard the entrance. Fort York would eventually be built across the western gap to help defend the city.
February 17, 2015
San Juan Islands
Just across the border from Canada’s Gulf Islands – and there’s a story behind that – San Juan is an engaging destination rich in history, culture and opportunities to explore shoreside. Our first cruise to the San Juan Islands was in 2005, our seventh year of cruising on our wooden sailboat, South Islander. We had heard about how lovely the San Juans were, and even though we have many beautiful anchorages in Canada, we felt it was time to do some exploring south of the border. After all, the San Juans are really just an extension of our own southern Gulf Islands; it’s the international boundary that runs right smack through the middle that makes the San Juans a separate destination.
February 17, 2015
Sugarloaf Marina – Port Colborne’s Treasure for Boaters
After being without a boat for almost a decade, I decided it was time to own one again. My wife and I recently moved from the city to a slower, less-congested lifestyle on Niagara’s south coast. We were quite taken by the quiet streets, the sound of the breeze blowing through the trees and the beautiful beaches. Before we bought our boat, we wanted to research our options for slipping and storing in the area. We spent some time at several different marinas in order to get a feel for the dock life. We were looking for a place that could store our boat on site, offered fuel and pumpout services and was still located near to everyday conveniences.
February 17, 2015
Young and Eleuthera
I was ruined…completely and utterly ruined. At the young age of 22, my very first trip to the Caribbean was to Eleuthera, which is, in my opinion, the most beautiful place on earth. It will now be an uphill battle for me to surpass my visit there. An opportunity to go to the Bahamas presented itself to me because I spoke French and I was available. I will be forever grateful to my parents for enrolling me in a French Immersion program. The trip was arranged by Michel Sacco of L’Escale Nautique – Canada’s French-language yachting magazine); the charter was booked through a Quebec-based company, Navtours, so French was a necessity. Needless to say, my French sailing vocabulary was limited so I came prepared with notepad in hand, ready to learn how to sail in French.
February 17, 2015
Dominica, Where Nature Reigns and Adventure Prevails
Dominica has been on “the” list for quite some time now and when I actually get to do something on “the” list, my heart skips a beat! Although Dominica still remains somewhat off-the-beaten track for boaters, it is located right in the middle of the chain of Caribbean islands and can be easily accessed from Antigua and Guadeloupe to the north or Martinique and St. Lucia to the south. Chartering boats from any of these islands is easy.
February 12, 2015
Antigua – The Hub of Caribbean Charter Adventures
It’s just so easy to get to Antigua with direct flights offered by Air Canada and West Jet several days a week in season, Antigua also offers one of the best kick-off points for exploring so many other Caribbean islands…if you have the time and the winds are prevailing in the right direction.However, don’t get me wrong. There’s lots to do in Antigua and since it’s pretty much a year-round destination, you could customize your charter vacation by planning it around Antigua Sailing Week in late April or the annual carnival in late July.
November 10, 2014
Wabamun Sailing Club
It doesn’t seem to matter if you are on the east coast, in the Prairies, or on the west coast, sailing clubs often seem to be born out of a desire to be on the water with a group of like-minded friends, and if you don’t have a place to hang out, then you use member beaches until you do. Such was the case with Wabamun Sailing Club (WSC) in Northern Alberta.
July 2, 2014
Social Sailing With A Catamaran
Some may say that the sailing experience of monohulls versus catamarans is as different as chalk & cheese. Until recently, Frank (my husband) and I never gave much thought to catamarans. We rarely saw them over the years of monohull sailing on the West Coast. However, they’re very popular in warmer water destinations, especially the Caribbean. When we were presented with the option to sail on a catamaran for an autumn Desolation Sound Flotilla (organized by Cooper Boating, Vancouver), it intrigued us – What is catamaran sailing all about? We wanted to find out for ourselves. Our curiosity peaked further when we learned the catamaran or ‘cat’ was a luxurious 40’ Lagoon 400!
July 2, 2014
Erie, Pennsylvania
The Presque Isle peninsula is a 3,200-acre – 7-mile long arm that extends northeast into Lake Erie creating a large, sheltered boating paradise of a harbour. With a string of well equipped marinas, a wealth of facilities and a very impressive yacht club, it has attractions for boaters that place it at the top of a cruising destination list. This may come as a bit of a surprise since Erie, PA is a relatively small community with a population that has hovered around 100,000 for decades. Nonetheless, it is a comparative giant in terms of boating.Boats and Erie have a solid historic connection. If you managed to stay awake during Grade 10 history you’d have traced the communities of the lake back to the early exploration of North America. During the War of 1812 (which we know as our victory in Canada, although it seems to have had a different outcome south of the border) a 27-year-old US Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry built a fleet of ships and defeated (!) the British at the Battle of Lake Erie.
June 25, 2014
Highland Yacht Club
The formation of Glacial Lake Iroquois, at the end of the last ice age, was to have a lasting effect on the boating activity on Lake Ontario. Many years ago, as the lake eroded, it left geological records through alluvial deposits from the Bluffs, which then settled westward to form the Toronto Islands. More recently, the erosion rate picked up quickly in the 1940s when cottages were being built along the bluffs to capitalize on the breathtaking, enticing waterfront view of this “geological wonder” and a unique feature in North America. The result of this consistent and dramatic erosion in the Scarborough Bluffs, has created an impressive portion aptly named Cathedral Bluffs. The Bluffs were first named by Elizabeth Simcoe, wife of John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, in 1793. She wrote in her diary, “The [eastern] shore is extremely bold, and has the appearance of chalk cliffs, but I believe they are only white sand. They appeared so well that we talked of building a summer residence there and calling it Scarborough.” It runs for 15 kilometres from the Eastern Beaches to West Hill, and soars up to 90 metres at its highest point. A stylized version of The Bluffs appeared prominently on the flag of the former City of Scarborough before it was amalgamated into the City of Toronto. Nestled in the middle and protected on all sides you will find one of the friendliest places on Lake Ontario, Highland Yacht Club.
June 25, 2014
Gananoque
I know of no other boating location quite like the town of Gananoque in the Thousand Islands.The graceful double-ended St. Lawrence rowing skiffs were a swift and effective way to travel through the area in the 1800s carrying cottagers to their islands, visiting millionaires to the fishing grounds and transporting all manner of goods through the beautiful and sheltered island area. Today, you still see St. Lawrence rowing skiffs as well as kayaks, sailboats ranging in size from dinghies to yachts and powerboats of all kinds from trailerable family-runabouts to super yachts and all the way up to Great Lakes freighters that are hundreds of feet long.
June 12, 2014
Kwakume Inlet
Having cruised the BC coast for several decades, we enjoy sharing information about the remote northern anchorages we’ve discovered over the years. However, the truth is that we haven’t really “discovered” many of our favourite spots but were told about them by fellow mariners we have met out on the water – veteran boaters who’ve been more than happy to come aboard for a visit, unfurl a few charts and direct us to some of the best anchorages our coast has to offer.
May 29, 2014
Hudson Yacht Club
I remember vividly awaiting the beginning of the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) which also marked the end of the summer, though I wonder now that I must have been crazy awaiting the end of summer! What I was waiting for were the water ski demonstrations in the channel that bordered Lakeshore Blvd and Lake Ontario. Memories of those beautiful ladies perched upon a handsome young gentleman’s shoulders in those gorgeous bathing suits, all tanned and athletic, were enough for me to wish that I knew how to water ski. Oh my how fashion and sports have changed. Little did I know then that the Hudson Yacht Club was making headlines all across Canada and the USA in the 1950s and 60s with one of the best and most active water ski programs in Canada.
May 22, 2014
The Grizzlies of Glendale
Glendale Cove, on BC’s Knight Inlet, is protected habitat for grizzly bears – and the ideal spot to rub shoulders with these rulers of the coastal rainforest.Cruisers who venture north of the BC coast’s major tidal rapids quickly learn that they’re not in Kansas anymore. The big passes not only divide the popular cruising grounds to the south from the less-travelled country to the north. They are gateways between the “civilized” south – where humans are in charge – and the “wild kingdom” that is home to some of North America’s most formidable wildlife.
May 21, 2014
Our Journey to Bronte Outer Harbour
Years before realizing my family and I would find happiness in boating, Bronte Village had been a tranquil calling for us. But, while living in our neighbouring city of Burlington, we normally traveled hours to our cottage in the Kawartha’s to enjoy the settling spirit of the waterfront. However, the drive was such an exhausting part of the journey, it had the reverse effect of stress relief. That was when we finally realized our calling to transition into boating. Our first boat was to be big enough to sleep on and to entertain our family and friends.
April 23, 2014
Sail in Chill out
The family of the Great Lakes, like our own, has members who each enthusiastically demonstrate their own personality. Tough guy Superior can play pretty rough, glamour puss Lake Huron with her luscious curves, seductive secret coves and jewelled islands, all business Michigan, blue collar Lake Ontario lined with steel mills and auto plants. Then there’s the eccentric sibling Lake Erie, the hippie, the music lover, the sun-worshipping devotee of leisure.
April 23, 2014
Kingston Yacht Club
A Sense of History and a Bright FutureClub historians are always the heart of a yacht club’s soul and are to be revered and saluted for their tireless work of keeping the club’s archives intact and accurate. David Page is just one of those people, and he sure made my job pretty easy when it came to the beginnings of Kingston Yacht Club.
March 24, 2014
Clayoquot Sound
Clayoquot SoundClayoquot is one of the major sounds on Vancouver Island’s wild West Coast, and a haven for cruisers in search of peaceful, remote harbours.At the dock in Victoria, we were filled with the anticipation of a new adventure. We were fully provisioned and had carefully reviewed the weather window, consulted the charts and checked all of the vital equipment on Ocean Mistress, our American Tug 41. Like children on Christmas Eve, we pretended to sleep before we departed for our trip. We only had time for a short vacation and desired a place away from the crowds. The west coast of Vancouver Island was our objective.
March 21, 2014
The Rideau Waltz
The Rideau WaltzI have lived in Ontario my entire life but have likely explored more acres outside my own province and perhaps even country than within. Shame on me! Because clearly there’s definitely more to discover here.If You Don’t Know Me By Now If you had told me a year ago that I would be enjoying our “calvacade of colour” cruising up the Rideau Canal in a houseboat, you’d have knocked me over with a feather. And although travelling by houseboat may have never been on my ‘to do’ list then either, I’d certainly add it to yours now.
February 20, 2014
A Trent-Severn Mini-Loop Adventure
It was still dark when we departed our home slips in Chrystal Harbour, LaSalle, Ontario, and entered the Detroit River. It was August 2nd, 2013, the first day of our adventure to complete the mini-loop counterclockwise from LaSalle, down Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, through the Trent-Severn Waterway, across Georgian Bay, down Lake Huron and back home to LaSalle. Maurice and his wife, Hélène, traveled on Mystic Blue, a Mainship 30 Pilot Classic. Terry and his wife, Linda, voyaged on their Camano Troll, 4 Buoys.
February 18, 2014
Venture in Prince William Sound
Few cruising boats visit beautiful and remote Prince William Sound. Some 2,800 square miles in area and situated at the very northern tip of the Gulf of Alaska, from which it is separated by a series of major barrier islands, this inland sea has a coastline equal to that of Oregon and California combined. Within its boundaries lie the towns of Cordova, Valdez and Whittier ̶ as well as the native American villages of Chenega and Tatitlek. To reach it, any boat too large to be put on a trailer and towed for hundreds of miles through mountainous terrain must be placed on a barge or brave a 500-mile transit across the open and often tempestuous waters of the Gulf of Alaska.
February 18, 2014
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club N48 27.2’ W123 17.7’
The Coast Mountain Range and the Insular Mountains that form Vancouver Island make it a truly unique geographical area. Generally it is a region of heavy precipitation, but the mild temperatures and long frost-free periods are the rule and that certainly doesn’t categorize it as Canadian.Prior to the white seamen arriving in the area now known as the Uplands, some dozen or so native groups who all spoke Salish inhabited and played lacrosse on the sandy beaches that still remain on the coast from Sidney to Beecher Bay. These were coastal, seafaring tribes who always travelled by water, never land, and were, for the most part peaceful.
February 14, 2014
Grace Harbour
Much has been written about the sublime cruising destination of Desolation Sound. Once you pass Lund and the incredible expanse of snow-capped mountains opens up, even the most jaded must surely gasp in awe at the vista of islands, peaks and sparkling ocean. The choice of anchorages is extensive and all offer something special to make them a cruiser’s favourite.