One book on the “Great Loop” referred to the North Channel as “arguably the most spectacular cruising grounds in North America”. After our 4 days we decided it is certainly one of the most spectacular, if not the most!! We left Tobermory on July 11 with a bit of trepidation. One of our friends with a lot of boating experience had emailed us that after a winter with frost that goes very deep, some of the boulders that are 20′ below the surface on the charts are now 2′ deep. We had purchased the latest electronic charts and felt fairly comfortable… When in doubt we posted a watch (or 2 or 3) on the bow. The last day we actually had to stop, back up & go around the side of exactly such a boulder. A little disconcerting. Thank goodness for a fast reacting Captain! The first stop was Killarney, the beginning of the North Channel & we stayed at the Sportsmen’s Inn. We had “fish & chips” at the Red Bus which was a “must” according to the locals & several friends with North Channel experience who had emailed recommendations. The next day we cruised into Baie Fine, one of the highlights of the area. It looks more like a fiord than a bay. Unbelievable rock outcroppings. We took the tender (named “Little-Ho” by a clever friend) further in where the water was shallow & hiked with the dogs. That night we spent in Little Current, a cute fishing village. The next day & night we moored out in an idyllic cove in the Benjamin Islands; with our own private beach and no other soul in sight. We took the tender & brought the pups to shore for some welcome relief and swimming. Later that evening we packed a cookout with our crew, Steve & Summer, & went back to shore for a nice fire with brats & vegetables cooking on top. The sunset over Tally-Ho was beautiful. The next morning we cruised past the “northernmost” point on our Great Loop trip{Coordinates-46-09,645N–82-45,758W;just N of Bassett Island} & ended up on Drummond Island, MI, back in the USA where we cleared customs. Awesome scenery the entire voyage… Onward to Mackinac Island…