Mat 26, 1892.] FOREST AND STREAM. BO 7 



NINY. 18FT. RACING BOAT— Designed by Arthur E. Pavne, 1891. SCALE, %T$, = Ipt. 



LAKE HURON AND GEORGIAN BAY. 



The following cruise was the second one made by the sloop 

 Olivette; her first cruise, in 1890, having been over the complete cit- 

 euit of the Georgian Bay, and a portion of the North Channel, going 

 as far up as Gore Bay ana Spanish River. A full and very interest- 

 ing account of this cruise was written by Mr. C. T. Sutherland, who 

 was one of the crew on that trip, and who was also with us on this 

 cruise. 



The Olivette was built after a model by the late Captain Alex. 

 Cuthbert, of Trenton, Ont ; who made a name famous throughout 

 the Dominion for having designed and built some of the fastest 

 yachts on fresh water, among whom the noted White Wings. At- 

 lanta, Annie Cuthbert, Iolanthe, beside a long lift of others. 



Her dimensions are as follows: Over all, 42ft.: l.w.l, ; 36ft. ; beam, 

 12ft. Sin. ; greatest draft, 4ft. 6in.; draft with board down, 12ft. 



She has a good roomy cabin 14ft. long by full width of boat with 

 seats ou each side of the cabin, comfortably upholstered, which an- 

 swer for berths at niglit. Under these are lockers for clothing, etc. 

 The sides of the cabin are also upholstered. A table is arranged on 

 the centerboard trunk. The forecastle is roomy and well fitted up 

 with shelves, stove, dishes, etc., all complete for cruising. There is 

 a roomy cockpit with seats around it, with lockers underneath. A 

 wheel is used in steering. Everything is snug and well put together, 

 so that the boat will in every way answer for the purpose intended. 



After procuring a good layout of provisions from the substantials, 

 bread, butter, potatoes, and all kinds of canned luxuries, getting all 

 aboard, we set sail at 4 P. M. on July 15, 1891, a wet,dreary day, with 

 a strong wind from the southwest. 



Mary of our acquaintances were at the pier to wish us bon voyage, 

 and as we sailed out of the harbor, the tooting of the whistles of the 

 tugs and dredge, with the waving of handkerchiefs, convinced us 

 that we were leaving many friends at home. 



The different members of the crew may be known hereafter in this 

 epistle as follows: Commodore, Captain, Major, Daddy, Judge and 

 Admiral. 



When out about three miles the Admiral came very near taking an 

 impromptu bath. He was attempting to dip up a bucketful of the 

 bright, sparkling water of Georgian Bay, and instead of throwing 

 the bucket well forward and jerking it up quickly, he did quite the 

 reverse, letting it down slowly and nearly perpendicular. It imme- 

 diately caught the water with such force as to land the dignified Ad- 

 miral in a very ungraceful position in which he slid over cleats, etc., 

 to the stern, where his feet caught the combing and prevented his 

 going overboard. He braced himself and made a desperate effort, 

 finally landing the bucket partly filled and with the bale drawn into 

 the shape of an acute angled triangle. From this little incident, we 

 all concluded that the Admiral was a man of great grit, who could 

 be depended on under any circumstances, as will be seen further on 

 to be the case. 



The breeze was fresh and we bowled along at a good rate under 

 single reefed mainsail, fuJl jib, and staysail; we made full 8 knots, 

 and soon passed that well-known headland, Cape Rich, just west of 

 which are the great clay banks varying in height from 200 to 500 feet 

 and four miles in length. 



They are useful as landmarks for sailors, when making for any of 

 the ports on the south shore, especially Medford, Owen Sound or 

 Collingwood. Our watcbes, which had been arranged early in the 

 day, were as follows: First, Commodore and Major; second, 'Captain 

 and Judge ; third. Daddy and Admiral. We determined to take short 

 watches of two hours each. 



After passing Cape Rich, it was a close haul for Cape Croker and 

 Cabot's Head. Before reaching che former, night had fallen about 

 us and shut out everything from our sight except the light on Grif- 

 fith's Island, which shone brightly and enabled us to lay a good 

 course for Cape Croker. 



The wind kept pretty steady during the night, but a little lighter 

 than when we started, so the reef was shaken out and we sailed 

 merrily along. At daybreak we sighted Cabot's Head, about six 

 miles distance off our port bow. The wind had now hauled pretty 

 well ahead and freshened eonsiderablv so that very soon a heavy 

 swell-was rolling, which caused our dingy to swamp and spill out 

 some of the stuff left in her. 



We were not long in getting into calmer water, as we soon got well 

 under the land and abreast of the Head, thereby getting a splendid 

 view of this prominent headland and that snug' little harbor. Wing- 

 field Basin. This excellent harbor would answer for any sized 

 vessels, if the government would remove the bar. composed of 

 a few boulders and dredge a channel of sufficient depth to admit 

 large craft. There is now about four and a half feet of water on 

 the bar 



Cabot's Head is composed of three immense cliffs called Boulder, 

 Middle and West cliffs, the latter being nearly 400ft. high. They are 

 of the limestone formation and are certainly one of Nature's most 

 imposing works on the south shore of Georgian Bay. Deer are plen- 

 tiful on the peninsula and many are bagged during the hunting sea- 

 son. The west bluff assumes an almost perfect profile of a man's 

 face when you are approaching it from the westward, changing its 

 features as you get nearer and finally disappears. 



Boulder Rock is an immense boulder 8£0£t. above the surface of 

 the bay, and evenly balanced on a Bmooth surface of limestone. 



This large moss-covered stone is of many tons weight and is a great 

 curiosity. 



After passing the Head we had a dead whack all the way to 

 Tobermory Harbor, twenty-two miles distant. This is without doubt 

 the best natural harbor on fresh water. Tnere are in fact two har- 

 bors, called by marines the real and false Tub, why one should be 

 called the false Tub, I am at loss to know, as it is equally as good a 

 harbor as the real Tub and is the most used, and has some docks 

 built on its banks. Both of these harbors have plenty of water to 

 float the largest sized boats and either can be approached from any 

 direction in perfect safety. When once inside, perfect shelter is to 

 be had from any sized gale trom any quarter. 



In the immediate neighborhood of the harbors are a great num- 

 ber of islands, the largest of them being Cove Island on which is sit- 

 uated the lighthouse, six miles from the entrance of Tobermory, 

 Flower Pot Island is so called from the shape of several large rocks 

 now detached from the main body of rock. The base of these are so 

 worn by the action of the water as to form a complete flower pot, 

 or more properly speaking, a huge goblet. They are certainly very 

 picturesque, one of them being 80ft. high. Some of them have had 

 the base worn entirely off and fallen over, the other will probably 

 meet the same fate in a few years. 



Taking this group of islands, viz., the Otters. Flower Pot, Doctor, 

 Bears, Cove, etc., all making a total of about fifty in number, as 

 they appear when approaching them from the northeast, present a 

 picture that once seen will always be remembered. Were it pos- 

 sible to truly delineate on canvas all the lights and shadows here 

 seen and reflected in the mirror of clear, sparkling water, it would 

 make one of the grandest landscape paintings ever executed, and 

 would, I think, be worthy of a place in any of the world's picture 

 galleries of renown. 



We found lying in the Tub a large steam barge, called the Swal- 

 low, having a tow of thiee large schooners, all four loaded heavily 

 with ties, bound for Detroit. We all came at once to the conclusion 

 that it would be a good scheme to try and secure a tow as far as 

 Goderich. The Com. and Daddy were appointed a deputation to 

 wait on the captain of the Swallow and make arrangements: which 

 they did; and with such success did they carry out their part of the 

 programme, that the tow lasted all the way to Port Huron instead of 

 Goaerieh. 



A gale had been raging for a day or two on Lake Huron . so the 

 captain decided to remain in the Tub until the following day. In the 

 evening the captains of the different vessels, along with the engineer 

 of the Swallow, were invited and joined us in a social gathering in 

 the yacht, and a very pleasant evening was spent, singing and story 

 telling being freely indulged in. Perfect harmony reigned, and noth- 

 ing to mar the friendly feelings which, as a rule, exists between pro- 

 fessional and amateur sailors. The only occurrence that at all jarred 

 the feelings of anybody was that the engineer took the liberty of 

 using the Com.'s grip for a cuspidore. 



We left the Tub at 4 P. M. the day after arriving and nothing 

 worthy of note happened until we arrived at Port Huron, the only 

 incident being the passing of little delicacies from the yacht to the 

 schooner J. W. Bissell and vice versa. The captain of the Bissell 

 was sending us a carefully prepared lunch which his good wife had 

 fixed up for the boys, all was well packed in pails— placed in a large 

 tub and lowered over the stern, a small line was first sent to the 

 yacht, but it unfortunately escaped the notice of those who were to 

 get the tub, and ia consequence of not having hold of the line, the 

 tub swamped, and some of the contents suffered badlv, the potatoes 

 fared the worst, but the meal was greatly relished by the hungry 

 crew of the Olivette. 



We arrived at Port Huron at 4 A. M. on Saturday morning, and the 

 captain of the Bissel was on hand to let go our line himself, and 

 wishing us a hearty good-bye, we gave him a cheer. This was the 

 last we saw of him until in Detroit, when the Major and Captain ran 

 across him. He certainly is a right good fellow, and we all sincerelv 

 wish him and his family all good luck and prosperity for their 

 future. 



We remained at Port Huron all day, which gave us an opportunity 

 of taking in all the sights. It is a fine, flourishing city of about 

 15,000 inhabitants. It contains some splendid and imposing struct- 

 ures. Electric street railway is run on the overhead trolley system. 

 There is a daily line of boats from here to Detroit and numberless 

 ferries plying across to the Canadian side. We crossed over to 

 Sarnia in the afternoon of Monday and attended Robinson's Circus 

 which was exhibiting there. 



There is a sad contrast between Sarnia and Port Huron, the for- 

 mer containing only 6,000 people, and of a tumble- down appear- 

 ance; as to how business was we were unable to judge, as the town 

 was full of people out for a holiday. 



Leaving here at 8 P. M. on Monday evening with fair wind, we 

 started for Detroit. This was quite contrary to all injunctions re- 

 ceived from old heads as to going down the river by night, however, 

 the temptation was too great as everything was so very favorable. 

 Sail was accordingly made and off we went. It was only a short 

 time until we met two or three of the big iron boats with tows, and 

 things looked rather doubtful, and made us inclined to wish that we 

 had staid in port and not ventured out in the dark. But this feeling 

 soon passed off, as the whistle is invariably sounded and you at once 



know which side the big fellow wants, so any danger of collision is 

 thus avoided and you steer clear of each other. 



The yacht was in charge of Com., Daddy and Major until about 2 

 A. M., when the Major and Com. went below to obtain a little sleep. 

 Daddy remained up for a short time until the Captain got his eyes 

 wide open. He had not gone far, however, when Daddy put the 

 yacht very close to the rushes to avoid two large tows, one coming 

 up and one going down, meeting in a narrow part of the river. All 

 seemed to be going well* when all at once the main boom went up in 

 the air at an angle of forty- five degrees, then dropped to its accus- 

 tomed place. The Captain at once perceived that our progress for 

 the present was interfered with by the yacht having her nose stuck 

 in a mud bank, of which there are plenty in the St. Clair flats. The 

 crew were now all called up very quietly, though, as it was not in- 

 tended to awaken the Com., who was sleeping sweetly. The anchor 

 was got, a long line attached, and all hands pulled with a will, but 

 all to no purpose, as she was in the mud fast enough for all practi- 

 cal purposes, and the sw r ell caused by each passing steamer only 

 made matters worse, as it put us further on. 



Finally, when it was seen that all efforts to get off by working, the 

 Captain and Judge took the dingy and started in search of a tug. 

 1 hey found one at the canal three miles away, the captain was per- 

 suaded to come and haul us off with his tug. which he did in a hand- 

 some manner. When he came up he stopped his tug a long way 

 from the yacht, when one of the crew sang out "Come a little closer 

 captain, there is lots of water." "Oh, yes," he answered, "if there is 



lots of water, what the are you doing there?" And no closer 



would he come, so the mainsheet had to be unrove, bent on to our 

 towline and sent aboard the tug. It took but one good pull and 

 away we went after him to the canal. We were well out into Lake 

 bt. Clair, when the Com. came on deck perfectly ignorant of what 

 had taken place, and all that he noticed in any way wrong, was that 

 the mainsheet block was not properly fastened, it being hooked to 

 the traveler instead of the clews. The others never let on until we 

 had arrived at Detroit, when the Major gave the thing away, think- 

 ing it too good to keep. 



The sail across Lake St. Clair was simply perfect, the wind be- 

 ing fair and sufficiently strong to make everything pleasant. All 

 were in the best of spirits, in anticipation of being in a very short 

 time in sight of our objective point, the city of Detroit. We saw 

 innumerable large and small craft crossing the lake, going and 

 coming from all directions. 



At 10 o'clock we sighted the large red lightship lying near the en- 

 trance of the Detroit River and to the right lay the island Belle 

 Isle; we soon passed the latter and opened up the city, which pre- 

 sents a very striking appearance as you round the westerly end of 

 the island. We steered for Davis's boathouse. which had been pre- 

 viously described by the captain of the Bissell, where we found a 

 fine slip and got the yacht safely moored along with twenty-eight 

 other yachts at the very reasonable charge of $5 per month, and as 

 we remained eight days, it cost us $ 1.30. 



When everything was made snug, Daddy says: "Gentlemen, you 

 will have to excuse me for a little while," and he was gone just one 

 week. Many were the surmises as to what had become of him. All 

 were wrong, however, for in a day or two he appeared and gave all 

 the crew he found aboard a kind invitation to dine at his aunt's. 

 Needless to say, all at once accepted, and we did have a pleasant 

 visit at Mrs. J.'s comfortable home. None wondered now at Daddy"s 

 absence when we saw what pleasant quarters he had struck. 



After we had spent our allotted time, eight days, in the city, all 

 were anxious to turn the prow of the Olivette homeward, so accord- 

 ingly on Monday we started with a fair wind and soon passed Belle 

 Isle and out into Lake St. Clair homeward bound. It was a perfect 

 yachting day, and the sail across the lake and as far as Grand Point, 

 where we laid up for the night, was delightful in the extreme. 



Next morning we were up and off early with a light breeze over 

 our port quarter. The breeze was light all day, and at 4 P. M. 

 fell altogether when we were two miles below St. Clair. Captain and 

 Major struck for the town after we had come to anchor. They soon 

 returned on board the tug Charlie, which took us in tow, and'at 9:30 

 we were in Port Huron. 



We passed a very pleasant evening in town, renewing old acquaint- 

 ances and bidding all good-bye. The Captain on this occasion was 

 particularly lively and endeavored in every way to make himself 

 agreeable to his newly made friends. 



About seven next morning we attempted to sail up the Rapids with 

 a light breeze, but signally failed and were going astern at a lively 

 rate when along came the tug Charlie and took our towline and 

 soon had us a mile out in Lake Huron. 



No wind and the greatest heat we had experienced at any time 

 during the cruise. Bugs and flies were about us in myriads, on the 

 sails, deck, down your back and in every conceivable place im- 

 aginable. 



The air was oppressive and all went to indicate what was shortly 

 to take place, a most furious thunderstorm. The storm was seen a 

 long distance off and everything was put in readiness, all unneces- 

 sary sail being stowed just as the squall struck us in full force. A 

 double reef was soon put in the maiDsail, the jib stowed, and we 

 fairly flew under the close reefed canvas amid the livid flashes of 

 lightning, terrific peals of thunder and a perfect deluge of rain, the 

 latter caused all who bad not "oilles" on to beat a hasty retreat be- 



