Parry Sound to Britt

Thurdsay, 25 July – Parry Sound to Britt – 60 mi., 2856 cum mi.

Nice and calm, but cool 60 degrees. This was a beautiful cruising day! Winds were calm, sea was calm, and the scenery was magnificent. The small craft channel is not unlike the ICW, well marked and meandering through the islands near the north shore. We also ventured “outside” into Georgian Bay for about 15 miles to cruise a little faster. We saw lighthouses, rock formations (some man-made), sailboats, nice cottages, water toys (like slides and inflatable gym sets), folks water skiing, and, of course, lots of

lawn chairs.

We docked at Wright’s Marina in Britt, up the Byng Inlet. The marina is sheltered from the winds that picked up again. We were hoping to get to Killarney by the weekend, but all the marinas there were completely full. It was their annual fish fry weekend – a fundraiser for the fire department. So we stayed in Britt and helped contribute to their economy. Our neighbors were Bev and Dave on Dot.calm – not on
the loop, but cruising Georgian Bay. They told us about another marina option in Killarney (but they were also full). And, at the best restaurant in town – the Britt Inn, we taught Cherelle how to make a manhattan while getting the Britt low-down from Brits from Britt, Harry and Mary – locals and daily regulars at happy hour
(Harry was a former Buckingham Palace guard). Britt is a very rural community. When looking for an ATM, we discovered the closest bank was in Parry Sound. The biggest attractions were Grundy Lake Provincial Park and the cute Ice Cream on the Rocks shed. We borrowed a car from the marina and drove to the park. There were several camping areas around the lakes. We hiked the Gut Lake trail which was very nice - through the dense woods and on smooth boulders along the lake much of the way.  Folks were kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and, on the other side of the lake, the campers were jumping into the water off the cliffs, reminding us of how much we
enjoy camping and exploring. On the way home, we stopped at the Britt Inn for dinner and found Harry and Mary again at happy hour. (we met through Geoff and Patty on Osprey in Parry Sound) joined us for dinner. The next day, Osprey pulled into the town dock – it was like a Parry Sound reunion. While waiting for the winds to subside, the rain to stop, and a slip to open up at Killarney, we also caught up with some boat chores, like attaching the washer door (that’s another story), and we had a chance to enjoy sleeping in and feasting on real leisurely breakfasts (not to mention the bloody
marys). Over dinner we learned that Bob and Mary were opting out of the loop for other adventures. We couldn’t convince them otherwise. They live near  Picton, so they didn’t have far to go home. We wish them well.