Ports Update: Blind River ON, Olcott NY, Toledo Beach MI & Waugegan IL

The past few weeks have been busy with new ports being researched and added as well as some technical adjustments to the website coding.

Here are 4 new ports to enjoy.

1. Located near the half-way point along the north coast of the North Channel, Blind River Ontario is a perfect stop on a cruise along the fabulous North Channel. Click here to visit Blind River, ON

2. Olcott NY is the largest port between Youngstown on the Niagara River and Rochester. Olcott was named the "Ultimate Fishing Town" by the World Fishing Network and attracts fishermen from all over eastern North America as well as overseas. Click here to visit Olcott, NY

3. Toledo Beach, the man-made harbor at the west end of Lake Erie, is home to a beautiful marina and a very active yacht club. Its a great place for a lay-over if you are at that end of the lake. Click here to visit Toledo Beach, MI
 
4. Waukegan Illinois sits at the north end of the huge 'Chicagoland' urban area and, with 1,000 slips, is a great way to visit this area while enjoying what a small city offers. Click here to visit Waukegan, IL

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Ports Update: Little Current Ontario

Little Current Ontario is the 'hub' of the North Channel for most sailors. It is a popular stop-over and serves as an important re-supply harbour. Named for the current that runs through this narrow part of the North Channel, that current is anything but 'little'. It can run at 6-7 knots. And, based on atmospheric and lake conditions, can and does switch direction frequently.

Little Current is also home to the 'Cruiser's Net' - a daily radio broadcast (VHF 71) for sailors that covers a large portion of the North Channel and Georgian Bay.


Here is a detailed port review on Little Current, ON: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/little_current_ontario.html

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Section Update: FIRST AID Section Expanded - FIRST AID KIT Added

To complete the section on FIRST AID, it makes sense to add some suggestions for a good medical kit for sailors cruising the Great Lakes.

Obviously, it is important to strike a balance between a kit that would allow you do do full-on surgery and one that could fit in the corner of your car's glove box. The Great Lakes are ringed with coast guard stations backed up by substantial air resources. So, its not as if we were sailing days or weeks from land. 

However, we also need to consider the types of emergencies that can arise and the need to be able to prudently manage them for possibly quite a number of hours. A first aid kit should be sufficiently well-stocked to allow you to do that.

The suggestions for this kit are just that - suggestions. But, they are a good starting place for a discussion on what should be on your boat, your skills in dealing with a medical emergency (a not-so-subtle suggestion to take a good first aid course this winter) and the development of your own kit personalized for your needs.

If you belong to a yacht club, you may want to suggest to the Commodore or Training Officer that a first aid course might make for a good mid-winter training event.

A new page entitled EMERGENCY FIRST AID KIT can be found at http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/emergency_first_aid_kit.html . 

I would also note that two of the best emergency medical books for non-medical people are “Where There Is No Doctor” and “Where There Is No Dentist”. Both of these are available at the NAUTICAL MIND bookstore and I put a link at   http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/first_aid_tips.html .

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Fair Winds

Michael 

New Section: FIRST AID

The best of cruising plans can be scuppered by an unexpected injury or illness. I think it is important that every sailor take a First Aid course before setting out on a cruise - long or short. The St. John Ambulance, Canadian Red Cross, American Red Cross and other organizations all offer basic First Aid courses.

The reality is that accidents can and do happen and 15 miles offshore is a poor time to try and recall what you may have learned (if at all) 10 or 20 years ago. 

So .... first suggestion is to take a course. If you belong to a yacht club, suggest to the Commodore or Training Officer that such a course might make for a good mid-winter training event. I suspect you would get a favourable response from both the officers and the members of the club.

A new section entitled FIRST AID has been uploaded at http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/first_aid_tips.html . These pages provide some basic suggestions for common first aid emergencies. But .... they can never substitute for a good first aid course.

Soon to be added to this section will be a suggested FIRST AID kit for a sailboat.

As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Ports Update: Gore Bay, ON

Gore Bay is one of the busiest ports on the North Channel. It is well-situated for easy runs from Killarney to Detour Village. 

With a long maritime history, Gore Bay remains a popular stop-over for sailors cruising the North Channel.

Here is a detailed port review on Gore Bay, ON: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/gore_bay.html

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Ports Update: Meldrum Bay, ON

Meldrum Bay was settled in the late 1800's and developed as a logging and fishing community. At one time, it was home to a good-sized Great Lakes fishing fleet. Until the early 1960's, the village was connected to the mainland by ferries. However, the opening of the TransCanada Highway changed all of that.<br>
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Today, the local economy is based on the nearby Lafarge quarry and tourism. It is a popular stop-over for sailors cruising the North Channel.

Here is a detailed port review on Meldrum Bay, ON: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/meldrum_bay.html

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Fair Winds

Michael 

New Destination - Baie Fine, ON

Baie Fine, at the northeast corner of the North Channel, is one of the longest freshwater fjords in the world. This 10 nm rip in the earth's surface offers breathtaking scenery and spectacular cruising. At its end, lies one of the Great Lake's iconic anchorages - The Poll.


Here is a detailed review Baie Fine, ON: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/bair_fine.html

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Fair Winds

Michael 

New Section: The North Channel

The North Channel is one of the finest sailing grounds in the world; frequently ranked in the top 3-5. Fantastic scenery, splendid isolation and pristine waters make this a magnet for sailors exploring northern waters.

A new section has been added to www.great-lakes-sailing.com titled NORTH CHANNEL. Currently with 5 ports listed, over time, this section will see a number of other interesting ports and anchorages added.

Here is the introduction to the North Channel: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/north_channel.html

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Fronts - And the Weather They Bring

A weather front is the boundary line between 2 different air masses – one cold and the other warm. These air masses do not mix with each other but rather move with each other in an intricate balancing act. Cold fronts move faster than warm fronts. Its when they collide that things begin to happen.

On the Resources Page (http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/resources.html) there is a good illustration of this and explanation of what can be expected with each type of front.

As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Ports Update: Hammond, IN

Hammond IN has just invested $500 million dollars in to a complete redevelopment of its waterfront, marina and floating casino. This 1,000 slip harbor is also just a short (13 nm) sail from Chicago, IL

Here is a detailed port review on Hammond IN: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/hammond_in.html

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Port Update: Club Island

Club Island isn't a port per se. Rather, it's a small, uninhabited island that lies in western Georgian Bay, about half way between Tobermory and Killarney.

It has a protected anchorage and is a good spot to duck into if the weather turns bad on the trip up to the North Channel.

Here is a detailed review of Club Island: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/club_island.html

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Clearing Lines - Another way to plot a safe course

The previous post profiled the port of Racine WI. The approach to Racine WI has a very clearly marked hazard - Racine Reef - that has brought many ships to grief. In discussing the approach, reference was made to clearing lines.

 Sometimes when navigating, you don’t need to know exactly where you are you are. It may be enough to know approximately where you are, and to be sure that you are clear of dangers. If you can draw a single position line, you can tell at a glance which side you are on to keep out of danger. This line is known as a clearing line. 

In the section on plotting a course (  http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/course_plotting.html ) there is a fuller discussion on this and other aspects of plotting. 

And remember - a basic principal of navigation is to NEVER leave a known safe position for an unknown position until you have worked out a plan for your next leg.

As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Ports Update: Make sure you bring your sweet tooth to Racine WI

Home of both the largest Danish community outside of Denmark AND the mouth-watering Danish kringle pastry, Racine has a lot to offer a cruising sailor. A harbout with nearly 1,000 slips is a heck of a start.



Here is a detailed port review on Racine, WI: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/racine_wi.html

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Fair Winds

Michael 

Ports Update: St. Joseph, MI / Benton Harbor, MI - the "Riviera of the Midwest"

Save the cost of airfare! We have our own 'riviera' here on the Great Lakes. With one of the best beaches on the entire Lake Michigan, the twin cities of St. Joseph/Benton Harbor attract thousands who enjoy the expanse of Silver Beach.


Here is a detailed port review on St Joseph MI / Benton Harbor MI: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/st_joseph_mi.html

As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

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Fair Winds

Michael 

RESOURCES - A New Section

Every sailor has a collection notes, scribbled calculations, file cards, etc with helpful tips and calculations. I have created a page where you will find links to a number of such notes that I have organized. There is a brief explanation of each note and a link to either a page and explanation or to a downloadable copy. Feel free to download them and use them where they fit. Each document is in pdf format.

New items will be added over time

Here is where you can fine the new section: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/resources.html
 
 

As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

Ports Update: Picton, ON

Nestled at the head of one of the finest bays on Lake Ontario, Picton is a delight to visit. From here, its very easy to bicycle down a tree-shaded path and slip into 'the county' - Prince Edward County, one of Ontario's gems.

 
Here is a detailed port review on Picton, ON: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/picton_ontario.html

All 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

St Lawrence Seaway - Welland Canal & The Soo Locks

Ever wonder whats involved in 'climbing the stairs' around Niagara Falls?The Welland Canal is an engineering marvel - as is the entire St. Lawrence Seaway. Both the Wellan Canal and the Soo Locks open up the vast reaches of the upper lakes to every sailors and let you explore right into the heart of North America.

Click here for a description of the Seaway and the specifics of using both the Welland Canal and the Soo Locks: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/st_lawrence_seaway.html



As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

International Code Flags

These signalling flags have been used for decades to communicate from ship to ship and ship to shore. In addition to 1-flag signals, there are group signals for common messages. For clarity, only a few colours are used and these are used in a strict combination for visibility.

Here is a piece of trivia: the 'O' flag is hoisted to signal 'Man Overboard'. The 'O' flag is known as 'Oscar' and hence Oscar is the name given to the man-shaped training dummy used for MOB drills.

A downloadable copy is available at: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/phonetic_alphabet.html


As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

Phonetic Alphabet

We have all heard elements of the phonetic alphabet. It serves a very practical purpose when the air waves are full of static. Here is a copy along with the morse code for each letter.







As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.

Update: VHF Radio Communications

VHF radio communications are vital for safety at sea.

Here is a new section on Communications: http://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/marine_vhf_radio.html



As always, all 100+ port reviews are free to access, download or print.