Dan Caught a Fish

Each year when we have come to the North Channel, I have brought along fishing gear and I often fish while we are anchored out.  I have trolled, casted, fly fished, dunked worms and bobber fished.  I have caught a few fish, mostly perch in the three inch class.  One year my buddy Leo and I caught a bunch of bass, that we threw back.  This year, things were different and we finally ate fish.  We anchored in Beardrop Harbor for three nights and fished every day.  Laurie and I each caught a nice walleye which were delicious.  We kept ten nice perch and had a wonderful lunch.  I also caught a good sized northern pike. 

From Beardrop , we had a great downwind sail to South Benjamin Island.  On our way we passed Dewdney Rock.  This is an example of some of the challenges of sailing in the North Channel.  When I took this picture, we were about a mile off shore, in 75 feet of water.  Dewdney Rock is the tip of a seventy-six foot underwater “mountain” that just breaks the surface of the water.  It is well marked on the chart, but seeing it is still a bit unnerving.  

We spent two nights anchored in South Benjamin Harbor in 6 feet of water, next to the rock wall in the picture.  Unlike other years when we have been here, there were only a few other boats.  It is still early in the season and we are seeing far fewer cruisers.  

We left South Benjamin on July 2 and moved a short distance to a “secret harbor.”  Our friends, Craig and Cindy, from Windigo, told us about it, but we promised not to reveal the location.  It is secluded and well protected.  We have not seen another boat since we arrived.  Soon we will be heading into Little Current to get supplies (I am out of beer) and then start heading back west.  We are hoping to meet up with our friends, Wally and Jamie on Mimi, a Tartan 37, just like ours.