Exploring the North Channel

Julie March 21, 2022 July 14, 2023 Ramblings

I recently did a presentation on Exploring the North Channel at Crowley’s Yachtapalooza representing the Great Lakes Cruising Club. It’s no secret that Dan and I promote the GLCC – we’ve been using their Harbor Reports as our primary source of information since we started full-time cruising in the summer of 2015.

I had never attended Yachtapalooza and didn’t really know what to expect. The event is like a mini boat show, complete with vendors showcasing their products and numerous boating organizations that are based in the Chicago/Great Lakes area. Crowley’s had great deals on products in their store and a huge amount of used gear from Nautical Donations which provides funding for local marine charities. I flew into Chicago and was limited in what I could purchase and fit into my carry-on bag. My credit card was thankful.

The presentation was fun with a very friendly crowd. Of course, sharing information about the North Channel is always fun! Trying to cover it in an hour or less just barely glosses over the primary topic. There are general expectations that the North Channel is likely to be very busy this summer after two years of border closures. My goal was to share lesser known locations besides the usual hot spots such as the Benjamins.

After the presentation, some participants contacted me directly for additional information and the slide deck that I used. I thought it might make sense to put that information here, but also include some links to past blogs that were specific about the North Channel. If you are interested in the PDF of the presentation slide deck, it is included below. UPDATE: Crowley’s technical staff performed some miracles and paired up the audio and the slides. Here’s the YouTube link.