Crossing Lake Huron
My first journey on our Great Lakes is unplanned.
My first journey on our Great Lakes is unplanned.
It’s a sunny day in early July and I need a break from working in the yard. The next tree that needs to be cut and logs needing to be stacked will have to wait.
My kayak is on the beach, lying next to the stone dock I fondly remember working on with my grandfather, Park. With only a slight breeze coming off Lake Huron, Big Shoal Bay is calm and inviting. It is time for a paddle. Before I leave, I put Mia in the cottage so she won’t be tempted to swim out and follow me. The water on Big Shoal Bay is so clear I can see into the depths as far as the light will travel. I can see the sandy bottom and any fish a good 30 feet below the surface. In addition to water clarity, this lake is notorious for its cold water and tendency to change in a hurry. Caught up in the adventure, I decide to make my way toward the open waters of Lake Huron. Passing over the shoal, I see the round rocks shaped by glaciers from centuries ago just inches below the surface. This is the exact area I have feared since I was a child. Without my spray skirt, any cold-water gear, or a ship-to-shore radio, a mistake here could prove disastrous. With the waves from Lake Huron crashing over and tossing the front (bow) of my kayak into the air, a tinge of fear nibbles in my mind and I realize how foolish I am. With no other choice, I paddle forward to escape and find calmer water ahead. |
Having passed the most dangerous part of the journey so far, I decide to venture further out into Lake Huron. After another half hour, perhaps longer, in the distance, I spot what must be a buoy. I decide to check it out before I return home.
It’s Lake Huron Buoy #2, which marks the south side of the shoal where it is only 30 feet deep. I am sure it was put here to provide guidance for the 1,000-foot freighters making their way to the Soo Locks, not for me.
As I turn around to the East and many miles away there is Canada. The temptation of crossing Lake Huron is too great. I learn later that this part of Canada where I paddle to within 100 feet is Cockburn Island. Its shoreline for as far as I can see is all rock, too risky to land.
Several hours later I land on the sandy beach in front of my cottage and am soon greeted by Mia
It’s Lake Huron Buoy #2, which marks the south side of the shoal where it is only 30 feet deep. I am sure it was put here to provide guidance for the 1,000-foot freighters making their way to the Soo Locks, not for me.
As I turn around to the East and many miles away there is Canada. The temptation of crossing Lake Huron is too great. I learn later that this part of Canada where I paddle to within 100 feet is Cockburn Island. Its shoreline for as far as I can see is all rock, too risky to land.
Several hours later I land on the sandy beach in front of my cottage and am soon greeted by Mia