Tues Aug 15: Little Current to Eagle Bay anchorage

Rick here: 

We are continuing to move to the west through the North Channel towards Lake Michigan (In boater lingo we are 'westering').   We are moving a bit more quickly now as we want to be on Lake Michigan by early September - about two weeks from now. We have time to kill, we are not due in Chicago until Sept 26, but weather can be so unpredictable on Lake Michigan that we want to have extra days saved up for that portion.

Moving along we got another view of the quartz mtns - when we first saw these I tried to convince Mel that was snow on those 'peaks'!

 

We were hoping for an anchorage in the Benjamin Islands.  This is a well known and beautiful area, very popular with boaters.  It's completely different rock than the quartz - it's a smooth pink granite.  The anchorages are very popular because it's fun to go ashore and play on the rocks - sliding into the water, hiking around and even having 'rock-tails' on them with a campfire at night.

 

The only picture we got of the Benjamin rock.

Unfortunately everyone else had the same idea, even on a Tues, and the anchorage was too crowded for our comfort (remember - we expect to drag and so want a sandy/not rock bottom and few boats around) so we headed over to the neighboring Eagle Island to our plan B anchorage. 

 

Old school and motor school both enjoying the pretty day.

Our Eagle Island anchorage was just right.  There were some higher winds in the afternoon but we were tucked up in our cove and the anchor held tight.   We spent a quiet afternoon and evening with just two other boats in the anchorage.  Melanie claimed she was going to go for a swim, but the chill in the air kept her out.  I got to fish for a bit, but with no luck.  I mostly caught weeds. 

Mel here:  I know you all have been thinking of Rick's Balls...  I just want to reassure you that they are well, and just waiting for the next lock.  They have been out of service for awhile, but will get their chance again at Lake Superior!

I did a bit of star-gazing at night, taking advantage of the dark sky around us.  I saw one shooting star, but it was COLD and I headed for the warm bed pretty quickly.