The Great Lakes – A Contrasting Diversity

Through four of these incredible freshwater lakes...

I’ve always been in reverence of our Great Lakes and been fortunate enough to live near them and recreate on them or their shores for a significant part of my life… and now this segment has just strengthened that sentiment.

We travelled by sailboat from nearly the start of Lake Superior in Knife River across its entirety to Sault Ste. Marie, then through Lake Huron from North to South and across Lake Erie and Lake Ontario from West to East.  That’s a lot of fresh water!

Nord Hus docked in Waiska Bay - Lake Superior... waiting for ice to melt. (Photo Pascale Marceau)

Lake Superior, the saltless sea as it is often referred to, remains nearest to my heart. It’s wild factor being the delineator.  Its rugged shores, its unbelievable depths and its pure vastness sure make you feel small. It remains still very wild, undeveloped and sailing it in March and April, with its deserted marinas added a flair that will always be remembered fondly.  Felt like we had the lake to ourselves, and aside from the freighters and a few brave fishermen, we did.

Lake Huron and its clear turquoise waters make it one of the most picturesque.  Growing up near its shores and playing in places like Killarney, Manitoulin Island and Georgian Bay – it felt like a treat to be back on its sparkling waters.  The marinas were also deserted, and the shores dotted with so much history and ship wrecks… Lake Huron is a close second for favourites.  

Lake Huron equally as deserted as Lake Superior - I will miss the empty marinas.

Lake Erie, hum… the contrast was incredible.  Everything changes at this point.  First, there’s the approach via the St-Clair and Detroit Rivers – busy shipping lanes in narrow channels and so shallow at just 20ft for a significant portion of the time.  Marinas are starting to be open, affiliations to yacht clubs are now a criterion of entry for many, traffic everywhere and heavy industry along the shores.  Things did improve at our magical stop on Pelee Island, the southernmost latitude we will be on this journey, and possibly the lowest Nord Hus will ever sail. What a feeling to know it was Northbound from there on out.

Sarnia industry and the Detroit skyline... all leading up to Lake Erie

The Welland Canal, connecting Lake Erie to Lake Ontario was an experience of its own.  8 locks, many bridges and a total of 14 dockings certainly gave us some good practice. It is incredible to see what humans can engineer and build, even way back then.  Despite this being incredible segment of the St. Lawrence Seaway system infrastructure, I felt a little overloaded by all the concrete and steel we were up close and personal with during our 11hr transit.

The locks in the Welland Canal, up close and personal with the big boats!

Lake Ontario, urban life.  We are now past the May long weekend, boats are starting to be in the slips, and the marinas are operating.  Costs rise as does the number of boaters. With limited anchorages on an urban shore, marina and city life become our norm for the next little while.

Toronto Skyline and the Toronto MultiHull Club, who so kindly welcomed us!

With so many delays due to ice lockup at the exit of Lake Superior and gales on both Lake Superior and Lake Huron, it was precious to have these forced stops on those two gems of our Great Lakes. We were treated to filling our tanks directly with lake water and eating freshly caught whitefish - amazing.  It seems we sped through the second half of the Lakes to make up time, and maybe that was ok. Although unique and special in their own way, the urban wilderness doesn’t light up my soul like the fastness of Superior and Huron.