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Midland Power and Sail Squadron, Founded in 1952 June 2015—Volume 8, Issue 2

P.O. Box 763, Midland, ON L4R 4P4 Newsletter Editor: Sandy Campbell

Finally, it’s late May and we are

earnestly preparing for the

advent of summer and the

boating season. Hurray!

Your Squadron volunteers and

Boating Specialists will be busy

this summer with many safety-

Commander’s Commentary .............................. 1

RVCC offered at Bayport InWater Boat Show ... 1 Upcoming Fall and Winter Courses .................. 3

Water Levels, April 2015 .................................. 3 Midland Squadron’s Facebook Page ................. 4

Navigation Tips................................................. 5

Rendezvous Invitation ...................................... 5 Bridge Officers ................................................. 6

Georgian Bay In-Water Boat Show ................... 6 Byng Inlet to Bad River Cruise/Anchorage ....... 8

2015 Grad Celebration/AGM .......................... 10

Commander’s CommentaryCommander’s Commentary

oriented activities – maybe we’ll

see you at local marinas.

June 6, 7 at Bayport Yachting Center—We are assisting with CPS-ECP Flare Day in co-operation with Bayport and CIL/Orion to collect and dispose of expired flares from local boaters. Recreational Vessel Courtesy Checks—Our

Boating Specialists will be on hand to perform free RVCCs (Recreational Vessel Courtesy Checks). In co-operation with local boaters, our specialists will inspect their vessels for compliance with Transport Canada’s minimum safety equipment requirements.

The CPS-ECP Virtual Trainer will be on hand for boaters to try their skills at boat-handling. The “Simulator” is designed to assist boaters with docking and various boating skills. Check it out and see how you fare.

June 13 at Bayport Yachting Centre: Our Boating Specialists will again be on hand to perform free RVCC (Recreational Vessel

Courtesy Checks). In co-operation with local boaters, our specialists will inspect their vessels for compliance with Transport Canada’s minimum safety equipment requirements.

June 19 – 21 at Henry’s North: This weekend is the squadron rendezvous held on Frying Pan Island at Henry’s in Sans Souci. Some of our attendees arrive Friday night and stay through to Sunday at reduced dockage fees for CPS-ECP members. Saturday afternoon everyone joins in on the “pot-luck nibblies” and refreshments on the dock and/or picnic area. Saturday night squadron members and wives/guests all enjoy a Henry’s North fish dinner.

From your Bridge …. best wishes for a safe and

happy boating season. We look forward to seeing

you on the waters of Southern Georgian Bay.

We’ll be watching for your CPS-ECP flag.

Safe Boating, Noel Campbell, Commander

Throughout the summer we offer

Recreational Vessel Courtesy Check (RVCC)

inspections on an appointment basis.

Just contact Bob LaVictoire at 705-526-9585 for a

mutually agreeable appointment time.

Get a check-up not a ticket!

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Q

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Upcoming Fall & Winter CoursesUpcoming Fall & Winter Courses Presented by your Midland Squadron

Boating Essentials: Boating Essentials:

September September (classroom)(classroom)

Begins in September 2015 at Midland

Secondary School and runs for nine (9)

weeks.

Maritime Radio (VHF) Course Maritime Radio (VHF) Course

(classroom)(classroom)

Begins Monday, April 2016 at Midland

Secondary School.

Please note: Please note:

If we have four students for any offered CPS

Course, we will arrange the course for members

or non-members. Seamanship, Advanced Piloting

(AP), Fundamentals of Weather are just a few

suggestions. Please advise us and we will

accommodate you. Please visit our website at

http://midlandpowerandsail.ca/course-information.html

To complete our pre-registration form (MS

Word document), send it as an attachment in an e-

mail to noel.campbell@rogers.com . We will

advise you as soon as the course becomes

available.

Suggested Courses or SeminarsSuggested Courses or Seminars Electronic Navigation Weather RADAR for Pleasure Craft Seamanship, Advanced Piloting, Junior

Navigator

Noel Campbell

Georgian Bay Water LevelsGeorgian Bay Water Levels 25 April 201525 April 2015

Now that lake levels have more or

less reverted to normal values, there

is less pressure on navigators to pay

strong attention to their location.

The prospects continue to be good.

By June the level will likely reach

176.63 m IGLD or 0.63 m above a

chart datum or 2 feet in Imperial

units. So much for a lot of recent

commentary on low lake levels.

After June the normal process is for a slow

decline in level. However, that is not totally

certain. Continued wet weather could raise the

level even more. At the start of the season, the

water usually is quite cold which cools the air over

the lake. For that reason, one should wear a life

jacket around and on the water as surviving a cold

immersion could be a non-starter. Cold air over

the lake makes it essential to have warm clothing

on board.

There is a Squadron rendezvous organised to

go to Henry’s on the weekend of 19th of June. A

great shakedown cruise rewarded with convivial

company at Henry’s. A good way to make sure

that you are ready for the season.

Henry usually gives us a break on docking

charges. Call Bob LaVictoire at 705-526-9585 if

you are interested. Have a great boating season.

Cheers, Mirabile Dictu

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Rendezvous 2015Rendezvous 2015 Our Squadron rendezvous is booked for the June

19 weekend at Henry’s north on Fryingpan Island

in the Sans Souci district. Many boats will arrive

on Friday night to make a weekend out of it, while

others will arrive Saturday morning.

Festivities begin Saturday afternoon with

refreshments and a pot-luck selection of nibblies

Navigation Tips Navigation Tips

By Noel Campbell

During our trips to Killarney, Wiarton, Tobermory

and Parry Sound using the small-craft route, we

found that the helmsman (captain/skipper) has a

very boring and tiring time. The reason I say this

is because you tend to concentrate heavily on the

screen of the chart plotter. You concentrate to

make sure your vessel stays on the “suggested”

course line provided by the chart—the small-craft

route. It makes for a tedious, most unenjoyable

task whereas what you want is a relaxing,

enjoyable view of scenery, other craft and engine

operating parameters.

Additionally, the Coast Guard, in an attempt to

reduce costs yet provide their mandate of safe in-

shore waters, have reduced the number of buoys,

making it difficult to see certain markers (colour

in daylight) as readily as you would like.

On your strip charts, you can pre-plan helpful

aids to help alleviate some of the burden on the

helmsman.

One of the most useful aids I’ve found is to

draw a course line that shows a True and

Magnetic reading from a departure point to a

distant marker buoy over top of the suggested

route. The helmsman can glance periodically at

the compass to confirm the direction and watch to

pick up the buoy in that direction or heading.

There may be a distant range, a high point of

land, or something distinctive on the paper chart

to assist. This helps to get the helmsman looking

out of the boat, rather than on the screen—try it,

you’ll like it! This is a way for the navigator to get

involved too.

Chart 2202, Sheet 2 of 5 Guide to Buoy C127 from Buoy C125 (Superior Shoal)

Chart 2202, Sheet 1 of 5 Guide to Buoy M12 from Whiskey Island

Later, once you get used to your chart plotter,

you can pre-install Way Points and use those as

supplements to your chart plotter.

and snacks. Saturday evening we adjourn to

Henry’s dining area for an ever-popular fish

dinner and prepare for a Georgian Bay sunset.

Sunday morning many depart for other areas

or head for home. Call Bob LaVictoire at 705-

526-9585 to reserve your slip at reduced rates

for CPS-ECP members.

Noel Campbell, Cdr.

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20152015--16 Bridge Officers16 Bridge Officers——Midland Power and Sail SquadronMidland Power and Sail Squadron Commander Noel Campbell (705) 549-5383 noel.campbell@rogers.com

Immediate Past Commander Bob LaVictoire (705) 526-9585 boblav@csolve.net

Executive Officer Vacant

Secretary Christine Robinson (705) 322-7003 c.m.robinson@sympatico.ca

Training Officer Noel Campbell (705) 549-5383 noel.campbell@rogers.com

Treasurer Mike Hamilton (705) 528-1397 mrmwhamilton@sympatico.ca

Public Relations Officer Jim McLarty (705) 549-1334 mclartys@rogers.com

MAREP Officer Vacant

Membership Murray Lockhart (705) 522-1340 lockhartmurray@gmail.com

Assistant Training Officers Robert LaVictoire (705) 526-9585 boblav@csolve.net

Ken Lockhart (705) 527-7768 locky@acn.net

Newsletter Editor, Webmaster,

Membership Assistant Sandy Campbell (705) 549-5383 sandy.campbell@live.com

Administrative Officer T. Milne Dick (705) 527-7551 tmdick@csolve.net

Safe Boating Specialist (RVCC) Bob LaVictoire (705) 526-9585 boblav@csolve.net

Training Aids Vacant

Back Row: Bob LaVictoire

Jim McLarty Ken Lockhart

Murray Lockhart Milne Dick

Front: Sandy Campbell,

Noel Campbell, Christine Robinson

Missing from the photo:

Mike Hamilton

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Byng Inlet to Bad River AnchorageByng Inlet to Bad River Anchorage

In the summer of 2008, your Commander, wife

and son tried our first extensive 10-day cruise of

Georgian Bay. Attending the cruise was our

Yorkie, Mugsie. We did this in our son’s Rinker

280 EC, a 31-ft. (length overall) complete with its

single 8.1-litre gas engine stern drive.

The planned holiday included alternate nights on

the hook with the other nights in a marina for

recharging batteries. The plan was to overnight

at Port Rawson, a marina stop at Pengalie Bay, on

to Shoal Narrows, Byng inlet, Bad River, Killarney

and return to Parry Sound, Hope Island, then

home.

After completion of the holiday, friends would

ask us “What was your favorite part of the trip?”

and each of us had a different answer. Mine

would be “the excitement of passing through The

Parting channel at Obstacle Island”. Sandy would

say “the busy and pretty community of Killarney”.

Glenn would say “the windswept islands and

picturesque landscape of the Hangdog Reef near

Pointe au Baril” and Mugsie “enjoyed the

friendliness of the folks and grassy evening walks

at St. Amante’s” at Byng Inlet”. Each to his own, I

guess.

Actually there were so many highlights it’s

difficult to decide on just a few. The Bad River,

Beaverstone Bay, Collins Inlet, Canoe Channel,

Parry Sound, Sans Souci, 12-Mile Bay, Beckwith

Island, Franklin Island.. and on and on…. had

their own special beauty. The weather for that

period was mostly sunny and warm with blue

skies and light winds.

The subject single-day cruise was a highlight,

because of the weather and the typical southern

Georgian Bay scenes of sculptured rock,

windswept pines, pristine blue waters and azure

skies. We left St. Amante’s and proceeded down

the South Channel to meet with the small-craft

route at marker A149 on Chart 2204. Here we

joined the “D” course at the entrance to the

North Channel at Byng Inlet. We followed the

“D” course through Cunningham Channel,

around Cedar Island, Kantos Point and through

Roger’s Gut, passing North of the Churchill

Island Group. We then turned south of Dokes

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Island. Based on the small craft route mileage

markers, we had travelled 17 statute miles at

marker D55.

We had pre-planned to take the alternate “DA”

course for the next 17 nm as we made our way

towards the Bad River Anchorage. The “DA”

course would take us through the Outer Islands

and return to the main “D” course at Buoy D80

just north of the Bustard Islands where the main

outlet of the French River enters G.B. By doing

this we experienced Dore’s Run and the Parting

Channel at Obstacle Island. Here and throughout

our journey, we saw the raw beauty of G.B.:

smooth, sculptured Granite rocks, windswept

pines and island after island nestled in pools of

clean water under clear azure skies. For this

cruise, water depths were reported to be slightly

above chart datum, so, the soundings you read

were what you got. Channels were mostly 10 to

20-feet deep, with some areas getting as low as 5

feet. We conned carefully in these few areas. Our

depth-sounder confirmed most readings. With

the length and width of the Rinker 280, we found

it quite exciting to navigate through the Parting

Channel with a slight wind in the area.

We re-joined the small-craft route at D80,

completing our measured 17-nautical-mile side

trip. You could see the Bustard Island lighthouse

in the distance. On course 253T and prior to

reaching the fairway buoy, we made a sweeping

turn north to course 018T. We attempted to line

up with marker buoys west of Mary Grant Rocks

to join the “DH” course which leads into the Bad

River. There is a poorly visible range which

guides you into the area, and, once visualized, it

will navigate you in nicely. It’s about 4 nm into

the anchorage, but, with care you will enter and

enjoy a peaceful anchorage. Devil’s Door rapids

is close at hand, with lots of interesting islets to

explore by dingy. BE careful, since there are lots

of uncharted low spots to snag your prop.

Noel Campbell, Cdr.

Editor’s Notes:

This Part I of Noel’s story only scratches the surface of that cruising vacation.

Today’s electronic tools like video cameras in cell phones, pocket cameras, and the ultimate travel camera like the Go-Pro, make it so easy to make movies of your cruising adventures in part or in whole. What a great way to spend some time enjoying our various holiday cruises all over again throughout the long, cold, dreary days of winter. With your SMART TV, login to your own free YouTube page where you’ve uploaded your movies/videos or slideshows of still shots directly from your camera or accessed from your PC’s “My Videos” folder.

Thanks to Noel’s practice of keeping a little log book of each day’s cruising adventure details, i.e., the compass course, the markers we passed, the weather conditions, the channel conditions, the sights along the way, departure/ arrival times, helped to make the telling of this story so real and more interesting.

To further capture the details of this story, you’ll want to pull out your charts and follow along.

Be sure to watch for the September True Course

to read about the final leg of the Campbell’s 2008

cruising vacation.

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AGM and Graduation Dinner AGM and Graduation Dinner Our Annual General Meeting was held at the

Olympia Restaurant in the Midland Best Western

on Saturday, May 9, 2015. The meeting went

well, with our new Bridge being sworn in by

District Commander Brian Reis.

In the dining room, we held the Graduation dinner

and awards ceremony.

Graduates were pledged and presented with their

well-earned flags after completing the “Boating

Essentials” course offered this spring.

All enjoyed the food and beverages.

Jim McLarty, our Training Officer, presented a

short “picture show” and narrative of his “Great

Loop” adventure completed last year. Jim sure

has a wonderful way with pictures and the stories

that accompany them.

Thanks to all who attended and helped to

make this graduation a memorable one.

Noel Campbell,

Commander