Commander`s Commentary - midlandpowerandsail.ca

Midland Power and Sail Squadron, Founded in 1952
P.O. Box 763, Midland, ON L4R 4P4
Commander’s Commentary
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 safetyoriented 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 cooperation 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 boathandling. 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
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
Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
June 2015—Volume 8, Issue 2
Newsletter Editor: Sandy Campbell
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 “potluck 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
Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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Upcoming Fall & Winter Courses
Presented by your Midland Squadron
Boating Essentials:
September (classroom)
Begins in September 2015 at Midland
Secondary School and runs for nine (9)
weeks.
Maritime Radio (VHF) Course
(classroom)
Begins Monday, April 2016 at Midland
Secondary School.
Georgian Bay Water Levels
25 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.
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 email to [email protected] . We will
advise you as soon as the course becomes
available.
Suggested Courses or Seminars




Electronic Navigation
Weather
RADAR for Pleasure Craft
Seamanship, Advanced Piloting, Junior
Navigator
Noel Campbell
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
Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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Navigation Tips
By Noel Campbell
Later, once you get used to your chart plotter,
you can pre-install Way Points and use those as
supplements to your chart plotter.
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 inshore waters, have reduced the number of buoys,
making it difficult to see certain markers (colour
in daylight) as readily as you would like.
Chart 2202, Sheet 2 of 5
Guide to Buoy C127 from Buoy C125 (Superior Shoal)
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 1 of 5
Guide to Buoy M12 from Whiskey Island
Rendezvous 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
Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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 705526-9585 to reserve your slip at reduced rates
for CPS-ECP members.
Noel Campbell, Cdr.
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2015-16 Bridge Officers—Midland Power and Sail Squadron
Commander
Immediate Past Commander
Executive Officer
Secretary
Training Officer
Treasurer
Public Relations Officer
MAREP Officer
Membership
Assistant Training Officers
Newsletter Editor, Webmaster,
Membership Assistant
Administrative Officer
Safe Boating Specialist (RVCC)
Training Aids
Noel Campbell
Bob LaVictoire
Vacant
Christine Robinson
Noel Campbell
Mike Hamilton
Jim McLarty
Vacant
Murray Lockhart
Robert LaVictoire
(705) 549-5383
(705) 526-9585
[email protected]
[email protected]
(705)
(705)
(705)
(705)
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
(705) 522-1340
(705) 526-9585
[email protected]
[email protected]
Ken Lockhart
(705) 527-7768
[email protected]
Sandy Campbell
(705) 549-5383
[email protected]
T. Milne Dick
Bob LaVictoire
Vacant
(705) 527-7551
(705) 526-9585
[email protected]
[email protected]
322-7003
549-5383
528-1397
549-1334
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
Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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Byng 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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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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
Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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
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.
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.
All enjoyed the food and beverages.
Thanks to all who attended and helped to
make this graduation a memorable one.
Noel Campbell,
Commander
Midland Squadron website: http://midlandpowerandsail.ca
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