A month among some of Canana’s most magical waters.
Another summer has arrived, and with it comes the urge to relive one of the best summers of my life. In 2025, while navigating America’s Great Loop, my husband, our dog, and I took our 1985 36–foot Marine Trader into Canadian waters, spending two months exploring its iconic waterways. One of those months was devoted entirely to Georgian Bay, a place so breathtaking, so rugged and so full of magic that it became the highlight of our journey. From epic anchorages to water so blue you might believe you’re in the Caribbean, Georgian Bay is a place like no other. The beauty and solitude we found was unlike anything we had ever experienced before.
The Thirty Thousand Islands
Georgian Bay is a 50-mile-wide and 120-mile-long bay off the eastern side of Lake Huron. The journey to reach Georgian Bay is an adventure in itself, and it made our arrival that much sweeter. After navigating the entire East Coast from Stuart, Florida, up to New York City, we traversed the Erie and Oswego Canals (both part of the New York State Canal Corporation), crossed Lake Ontario, and traversed over 40 locks in the Trent-Severn Waterway before finding ourselves in Midland, Ontario — a town located on the southern end of Georgian Bay.
I will never forget our entrance into the bay. It was a beautifully sunny July day without a cloud in the sky, and although the winds were a little stronger than we would have liked, nothing could dim our excitement for what lay ahead. We knew the geography would be different than anything we had taken our boat through before, but the rock-lined, small-craft channel was otherworldly. Albeit intimidating, we kept our eyes peeled on the depth finder and binoculars always an arms length away.
Thousands of islands cover the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, collectively known as the “Thirty Thousand Islands” and the world’s largest freshwater archipelago. These islands are primarily made of rock, many lined with pine trees and thick layers of moss. Luckily for cruisers, the small-craft channel is well marked, and we found no issues with our 3-foot, 10-inch draft, so long as we remained in the channel. In addition to strictly following the channel markers, we constantly switched between navigational apps Aqua Maps and Navionics for all of our movements.
Navigating the islands is like navigating a maze — although, unlike a maze, there is more than one way out. In fact, there are so many choices that it is almost overwhelming. We, however, reveled in the options and made it a goal to cram in as many anchorages as we could in the time that allowed. I could go into great detail about each of our chosen anchorages, but I’ll focus on our top three.
(Main photo) Drone image of Georgian Bay
Cliff jumping in Georgian Bay
Dinghy to Moon River Falls
Bustard Islands Sunset
(Clockwise from top image) Stairs Island Anchorage; Rafted up in Shotgun Bay; Moon River Falls
Shotgun Bay
Located within the Massasauga Provincial Park, Shotgun Bay was the first place we rafted up to other cruisers. Deep enough for comfort but shallow enough for our 100 feet of anchor chain, we found ourselves in this bay over three weekend nights enjoying slow evenings, good conversation and the effortless friendship that forms on the water. One of the boats belonged to a Canadian couple who quickly took us under their wing, revealing how locals move through this maze of islands. With their guidance, a 7-mile dinghy ride led us to Moon River Falls, a hidden gem we never would have discovered on our own — and a reminder that Georgian Bay saves its best secrets for those who learn from the people who love it most.
Stairs Island
One week later, we dropped the hook at the Stairs Island anchorage near the Pointe au Baril channel, just north of Georgian Bay’s midway point. Fellow Loopers had insisted we make two stops: Weave our dinghy through the famous “Hole in the Wall” and visit The Ojibway Club, a historic and beloved community center accessible only by boat.
Both lived up to the hype, but it was the “Hole in the Wall” that kept pulling us back. The narrow cut is framed by steep rock walls and filled with impossibly clear water. At the end of the cut, we tied our tenders off at the small beach and shed any remaining trace of adulthood. We scrambled up the rocks, raced to the ledges, and launched ourselves into the blue again and again, laughing like kids who never had to check the time.
Bustard Islands
Our very last anchorage in Georgian Bay before transitioning to the North Channel was the rugged Bustard Islands. Again, this came highly recommended by previous Loopers, and it proved the perfect refuge as we waited out four days of relentless wind. I’m not sure Georgian Bay could have chosen a better place to send us off. Loons filled any silence with their wild calls each night, and my husband pulled more fish from these waters than in all our other Canadian stops combined. With the nearest town 30 nautical miles away, we were wrapped entirely in wilderness. The evenings were equally as quiet as the mornings, and in those last long days, we leaped off the granite cliffs time and time again — our dog even leaping beside us.
Unlock a new world
I cannot stress how important it is to feel confident in your anchoring skills when cruising Georgian Bay. Our journey would have been entirely different had we merely hopped from one marina to the next. With the marinas few and far between, we would have sped past a landscape that many spend a lifetime uncovering. There is a magic in watching the sun rise and set over pine trees rather than a marina office, and I much prefer the loon calls over the scrape of fenders against a dock. Each time we dropped anchor and navigated a new bay, we felt a deep sense of accomplishment that also unlocked a world few ever see.
We capped off our time in Georgian Bay with a few nights in Killarney, also known as “The Gateway to the North Channel.” This quaint town, home to fewer than 500 year-round residents, offered the perfect re-entry into society. We paused to reflect on the month we had spent weaving through islands, hidden coves and crystal-clear waters — experiences both exhilarating and serene. We could almost taste our return to the United States, but we weren’t ready to leave quite yet. I think that’s part of the charm of Georgian Bay — there will always be a lingering feeling tugging us to go back and visit.
Reflecting on our month in Georgian Bay, it is clear that this corner of the world is meant to be experienced slowly, deliberately and with a sense of curiosity. Every anchorage, hidden cove and winding channel offered its own challenge and reward. From cliff jumps to the simple joy of loon calls to the camaraderie shared with fellow Loopers and locals, Georgian Bay left an indelible mark on our Great Loop journey. Georgian Bay reminded us that boating isn’t just about the destination; it’s about the patience and skill required to navigate such a rugged and stunning place. Even now, long after we’ve left, the memories of Georgian Bay stay with us, and we know we’ll return someday to its clear waters, rocky islands and wide-open skies. I hope you, too, might add it to your list of “one day.”
