Drummond Island
Drummond Island is just a half day run back down the river from the Sault.With the Straights of Mackinac close by, many American boaters enter the North Channel through here after a stop at Drummond Island Yacht Haven.This marina is built on a 1,000-foot jetty originally constructed to ship hundreds of tons of limestone used in the construction of the Sault Ste. Marie locks.
The marina is a long-standing family business and, as such, has earned some special status.The current owner and manger is the local US customs officer, so both American and Canadian boaters arriving from Canada can clear customs and complete the necessary paperwork in the marina office.
An excellent destination, Drummond Island makes a great stopover for enjoying a few days ashore. The marina offers rental bikes and cars so you can enjoy all the island has to offer.You will also find all of the stores you need for provisioning here. Nearby Gourmet Galley Restaurant and Delicatessen carries everything from the basics to a huge selection of delicacies and imported foods and beers.
If golf is your game, Drummond Island Resort offers an excellent links-style course. The resort also houses must-see Bayside Lounge and Restaurant. Its waterfront location and Frank Lloyd Wright-style architecture are worth the visit.
From Drummond Island to Little Current, your cruise will take you along the northern shores of Drummond, Cockburn and Manitoulin islands back to the starting point of our North Channel tour. The scenery from the expansive waters along the islands is beautiful and rugged, with steep limestone cliffs and rocky shores.
Meldrum Bay, Manitoulin Island
The first harbour on the west end of Manitoulin Island is Meldrum Bay. Named by a homesick Scottish water surveyor for his hometown, it is a classic North Channel town - a logging centre turned fishing port that became a tourist and provisioning centre.
Meldrum Bay is the most westerly inhabited bay on the island, so it is the first location that offers Canadian customs services for both Americans and Canadians returning from U.S.waters.
The approach to the “The Point” Marina and town wharf is obscured by the point. Give the shallows off the end of the point a wide berth and the marina comes into view. The approach to the fuel docks is straightforward, with plenty of water at the main dock. There is space for quite a few boats behind the fuel dock, the long finger docks on the wharf and the finger docks accessed from shore. The Point offers showers,washrooms and a laundromat.
The village of Meldrum Bay offers some provisioning at the general store. The Meldrum Bay Inn is a great place to get to shore and enjoy a meal without the galley work.
Gore Bay
From Meldrum Bay, most cruisers will head straight to Gore Bay.After rounding Julia Head, the run down Gore Bay is clear of obstacles until you reach the end of the bay, just before the town. The marina and docks at Gore Bay are protected by a spit or point of the west shore easily identified by the light tower that blocks the fetch from northerly winds.
Approaching the marina you will note two docking areas on either side of the fuel dock. The docks to starboard are mostly reserved for Canadian Yacht Charters (CYC). The finger docks to port handle most of the transient boats.
When you’re all settled in, you might want to take the time to visit CYC and their well-equipped Marine Store, located right next to the harbour master’s office. Ken and Pam Blodgett charter both power and sail vessels. Ken does an excellent check out presentation for all charters, so he’s the man to ask if you have any questions about the North Channel.
The Rocky Raccoon restaurant, located upstairs in the Gore Bay Pavilion at the east end of the transient docks, has excellent food and enjoyable evening entertainment. The park adjacent to the docks has tennis courts and hosts a number of town functions during the summer months. It is a short hike to the town, where there is a wide range of stores available, as well as a number of choices to dine or stop for a well-earned libation. Gore Bay also has banks, drug stores, and liquor and beer stores all right on or just off the main street.
When departing Gore Bay you have many choices of destinations.You can head all the way to Killarney to the far east end of the channel, or head back out north across the open water to the anchorages in the Whalesback and McBean Channels.
Wherever you choose to move on to, the beauty and splendour of Lake Huron’s North Channel – which has kept my wife and I coming back for years – will definitely intoxicate any boater who has the opportunity to discover all it has to offer.