Friday, July 27. All 22 Looper boats were off and running by 8:00 a.m., with Karen and Bob Jantz as our leaders. Our travel speed was governed by the slowest boat, so we were only going around 7 or 8 knots. That is really slow! By the time we got to our destination, the boats were spread out over a 3 mile area, but the scenery was spectacular. One thing I’ve enjoyed most about doing the Great Loop has been watching the vista change as we’ve traveled. Georgian Bay is different from anywhere we’ve been yet: large open bays punctuated by windswept granite islands and rock outcroppings, many with cottages perched on them. Then we often must squeeze through a tight turn before the next bay. I had been noticing the bright orange growth on many of the rocks. This is typically the first stage of plant growth. It traps soil, and eventually trees grow on the rocks.
This is “cottage country,” and it is mind-boggling. Winters are ferocious, so the cottages are only used for a few months in the summer. The cottages are built with materials that must be brought in by boat since there are no roads. We found out that electrical lines are available to the cottages, and many cottagers use a holding tank that has to be emptied for their sewer systems. The houses range from small and rustic to very large, but as I’ve said before, none are ostentatious.
By 1 p.m. all 22 boats were rafted together on Rawson’s Bay – quite a sight, and no small feat! We took a dinghy ride around the bay, then we swam in the clear, cool water. After supper, a jam session started on the boat next to us. A good day!
# posted by Second Wind @ 10:31 PM
