References for North Channel Cruising

Here are some of the references we discovered along the way that may be helpful to others planning trips to the North Channel.


Boating and Cruising References

Great Lakes Cruising Club
As novice cruisers, joining this club gave us a wealth of information about the North Channel, Georgian Bay, and all the Great Lakes. Their Harbor Reports, with technical and informational coordinates and summaries, are key guides to finding anchorages, safely navigating passages, and learning about marinas and ports. We also received much valuable information, tips, good advice and great stories simply by talking to members that we met along the way.

Richardsons' Chartbook and Cruising Guide: Lake Huron including Georgian Bay and North Channel, 6th Edition
Charts for US and Canada. Distances, depths, and navigational aids

A Well-Favored Passage
Originally by Marjorie Cahn Brazer
Updated by Pixie Haughwout and Ralph Folsom
Although not a technical reference, this book presents a long-time cruiser's perspective of different anchorages and ports in the North Channel.

Ports Cruising Guide: Georgian Bay, The North Channel and Lake Huron
Detailed information on what services and facilities can be found in each port. Includes phone numbers and other basic information.


Factual Fiction and Fictional Fact

The North Channel and St. Mary's River: A Guide to The History
Andrea Gutsche, Barbara Chisolm, and Russell Floren
Lynx Images 3rd Printing, May 2008
A great book to get a feel for the history of the area. Stories about the towns and the people who've lived The North Channel way before you discovered it.

Mysterious Islands: Forgotten Tales of The Great Lakes
Andrea Gutsche and Cindy Bisaillon
Lynx Images 5th Printing, August 2004
Great stories about "Island Life" on the five Great Lakes.

Great Lakes Lighthouses: Ameerican and Canadian
Wes Oleszewski
Avery Color Studios, Inc., 1998
Organized by Lake, lists name, construction, status, location, style, access, and a summary of the light. Space provided to record the date the light was seen or visited by you. Includes a schematic of the location of each light on each lake. Also has a good narrative tale about one of the lights on each of the lakes.


Flora and Fauna

Up North: A Guide to Ontario's Wilderness from Blackflies to The Northern Lights
Doug Bennett and Tim Tiner
McClelland & Stewart, Ltd. 1993
Detailed descriptions (everything from size and identifying marks to scat descriptions to trivia and statistics) of the types of flora and fauna you may encounter in the North Channel area. Categories include: Amphibians, Birds, Creepy-Crawlies, Fish, Mammals, Reptiles, Plants, Trees, Day Sky, Night Sky, Mother Earth.

Up North Again: More of Ontario's Wilderness, from Ladybugs to The Pleiades
Doug Bennett and Tim Tiner
McClelland & Stewart, Ltd. 1997
More detailed descriptions (everything from size and identifying marks to scat descriptions to trivia and statistics) of the types of flora and fauna you may encounter in the North Channel area. Categories include: Amphibians, Birds, Creepy-Crawlies, Fish, Mammals, Reptiles, Plants, Trees and Shrubs, The Heavens. Also includes a Nature Almanac, Field Checklists, Recommended Readings, and additional Resource Guide

Miscellaneous

The grocery stores up in the North Channel tend to sell milk in plastic bags. You need a container to put it in.