Traveling to Canada! The Trent-Severn Waterway is the goal.
We finally left Port Clinton to start our Great Loop journey on Monday the 11th of July. After planning for this day for over two years it was an exciting relief to be finally heading out. Our compass heading was North to Detroit and our sights were on the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor for our first night on our Loop adventure. When Angels’ Choice poked her nose out into Lake Erie I was elated to finally be underway. My fellow companions, Michael and Loren (our training captain) shared the same sentiment. Miss Kitty was of a different mind as she shot me the accusatory look that made her displeasure very apparent. On we went out into the western end of Lake Erie which quickly turned into a washing machine. The westerly winds were blowing stiffly making waves that churned themselves into five to six foot waves that were hitting the boat on her beam making for an exciting ride. A couple of times I was holding on to keep from being pitched around the flybridge. I had an image that this is what a cowboy on a bucking broncho must experience.
It was a consensus to minimize our being tossed about that we would burn some fuel by going faster, about 20 mph, to get out of the lake and onto the Detroit river as soon as possible. It took over 2 hours to reach the river and more comfortable wave conditions. When we reached the Milliken State Park and Harbor it was after 3:00 in the afternoon and the weather was sunny and pleasant. There we met our first delightful dock neighbor. Shout out to Art at Milliken Harbor marina! Art welcomed us to his “landing” and filled us in as to were we could go to get a bite to eat and explore the waterfront area of Detroit. After checking out a local brewery that was within walking distance we returned to the marina where Art and DeMarcus were having a cookout and graciously allowed the three of us to partake of their dinner. Such hospitality! Art said he wanted us to remember him as the best host that we would meet along our journey. He set the bar very high for future encounters.
After a pleasant night visiting with Art and his friends we headed out the next morning to Port Huron. (where we first stepped aboard Angels’ Choice after the delivery captains brought the boat down from Canada). I was at the helm as we moved away from the dock and headed out onto to Detroit river and turned the boat North again. Port Huron here we come! It was a pleasant trip across Lake St. Clair and up the St. Clair River to Port Huron. Unbeknown to us, there was a big sailboat race starting out of Port Huron and traveling up Lake Huron and around Michigan. Dockage was going to be a bit of an adventure. When we called for a dock assignment at the River Street Marina, the gentleman on the phone said don’t worry, we will just have you tie up to the fuel dock for your overnight stay. Perfect! We needed diesel fuel anyway. The fuel dock was on the side of the river and the restrooms were right there! That evening is when Loren headed home and Michael, Miss Kitty, and I would be traveling on to Canada without our friend and mentor. We didn’t have much time to ponder this, for shortly after Loren left, we heard a voice say “Excuse me, are you on the loop?” We got to talking to this pleasant lady and she informed us that they wanted to do the loop themselves one day. So, naturally, we invited them to come aboard to tour and talk about our boat, why we chose this particular boat and any other questions they might have. We enjoyed the visit of these future loopers. The evening went by quickly and then it was time to set our sights for our check into Canada tomorrow.
To get into Canada we had to download the ArriveCAN app and fill out all kinds of forms. Then we discovered we could not bring in any vegetables, fruits, uncooked meats (including lunch meat), eggs, plant material, etc. OK. Their country, their rules. We did have to do a bit of research because there was not clear information from the Canadian government site. Now picture this…..we had some tomatoes, cucumbers, lunch meat and apple to consume or throw away…so what did we do? We headed up the St. Clair river traveled under the blue water bridge and ate all our remaining offending fruit and lunch meat so we would be clear to enter Canada. Which is just across the river from Port Huron, which is less than a mile away. After finishing our contraband food. Michael called the ArriveCAN phone number and the customs officer asked if he was docked yet. Michael said , No, we are on the river making our way to Sarnia Bay Marina. The officer said call when you are docked. OK. We pull into the marina and after securing the boat Michael calls the ArriveCAN number again. This time he gets an officer that talked very quickly and was hard to understand, so Michael starts off responding to all the known questions: that we have no fruits, vegetables, eggs or uncooked meat. No, we do not have any weapons aboard, No we do not have any cannabis aboard. All alcohol aboard is ship stores. The cat was fully vaccinated. We were fully vaccinated as well. No money over $10,000 (don’t we wish!). This litany must have been what the officer was inquiring about because when Michael was done the officer said write this number down and display it on our boat where it will be visible. That was it! We were checked into Canada!
Onward to the Trent-Severn Waterway. But first we must travel up Lake Huron and then into Georgian Bay to the entrance of the waterway.