Baie Fine

7.19.11  Baie Fine :  MaryAnn Cove

White Granite rock walls entering the Bay

We motored and sailed today.  Took the big boat through Kilarney, then across Fraiser Bay and into Baie Fine (Bay Fin).  Charged the batteries along the way.  We have been out now for over two weeks and are quite pleased with how the boat handles in differing weather and seas.  So far, is has not felt too cramped either. 

We made MaryAnn Cove around 2pm.  It is our first experience with shore tie off, which appears the custom here.  The water is deep and virtually no shore.  The rocks just continue their downward plunge letting the water fill in the gaps.  The landscape of  Baie Fine is made up of steep sided white granite and pines.  It reminds me of Mount Rushmore but with water instead of roads.  The Cove is idealic.   We were the 5th boat in and the guide book states that on any given night, 15 plus boats are here.  Most are stern in with lines tied to shore and anchors off the bow.  Similar to Mediterranean Moorings.  Boats continue to file in, squeezing into openings and running lines to shore.  12 at last count.

Each bay and harbor has similar yet  different topography.  Rocks and pine being the common denominator but make up and characteristics of the 

rock surface changes from bay to bay even though they are only a few miles apart for the most part.    

View from the stern of the boat

    

 7.20.11

Pretty narrow 

A top Fraizer Hill

Coming back down

Up early and off for the hike up Fraiser Hill, 575 feet to the top.  The dinghy took us to the trail head and we followed the path marked with plastic ribbon tape.  Temps were cool, mosquitos not terrible but Deet was employed for insurance.  The climb was rather steep at times following a small creek bed as it wound it's way in and around rock and tree.  Glad we were warned to bring hiking shoes for traction.  The forest was dense enough to keep the sun off.  Jim with his sturdy gazelle like legs and mountain goat feet had a fairly easy time making the trek.  I  managed to make it as well though I would describe my summit as comical and cautious.  It was worth the sweat.  From atop the hill the vista was spectacular.  There was a haze down below and a refreshing breeze at the peak.  Multiple bays and islands can be seen from this point. Every now and then clouds filtered past below and created an illusion of being on top a lone mountain in the middle of a vast sea.  At the highest point, there is a plaque in memory of one of the founders of the Great Lakes Cruising Club members.  His ashes were placed there in 1950 as were those of his wife in 2006.