Cruising Guides: Routes and Destinations on the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are not one cruising ground. They are several, each with a different feel, different challenges, and different rewards. Georgian Bay is the headline act for most Ontario cruisers, but the North Channel, the Lake Huron shoreline, and even Lake Erie have routes worth planning around. This is where we collect what we know about all of them.

Georgian Bay: The Heart of Great Lakes Cruising

Georgian Bay is where most charter and cruising activity in Ontario is concentrated, and for good reason. The eastern shore alone has an estimated 30,000 islands. The water ranges from deep open stretches to shallow, rock-studded channels that demand attention and decent charts. Harbours range from full-service marinas in towns like Penetanguishene to bare rock anchorages where you might not see another boat for days.

A typical Georgian Bay cruise out of Midland or Penetanguishene heads north through the inside passage toward Parry Sound, then continues up to the Bustard Islands or turns west toward Killarney. How far you get depends on your time, your weather windows, and how many harbour stops you want to make along the way. Our guide to cruising Georgian Bay breaks the area down by region.

The North Channel

If Georgian Bay is the popular choice, the North Channel is the connoisseur's pick. It runs along the north shore of Lake Huron between Manitoulin Island and the mainland, from Killarney in the east to the St. Marys River in the west. The scenery is wilder, the anchorages are more remote, and the cruising is genuinely world-class. Sailing magazines have ranked it among the top cruising grounds on the planet, and that reputation is deserved.

Getting there takes some commitment. Most boats enter from the east through Killarney or from the south via Little Current on Manitoulin Island. Once inside, the North Channel opens up into a network of bays, islands, and narrow passages with pink granite shorelines and clear water. Provisioning is limited, so you need to be self-sufficient. Read our comparison of the North Channel vs. Georgian Bay if you are deciding between the two.

Lake Huron's Eastern Shore

South of Georgian Bay, the Lake Huron coast runs from Southampton down through Kincardine, Goderich, and Bayfield. This is a different kind of cruising: open-lake sailing between harbour towns rather than island hopping. The towns here are among the best in Ontario, with walkable downtowns, good restaurants, and well-maintained municipal marinas. The sailing is straightforward but exposed, and you need to respect Lake Huron's ability to build big seas in a hurry.

A Lake Huron shore cruise works well as a one-way trip if you can arrange it, or as a series of weekend hops if you keep a boat at one of the harbours. Kincardine to Goderich is a popular day sail. Bayfield to Grand Bend is another. The Sail Ontario site is a solid resource for race schedules and club events along this coast.

Planning Your Route

Route planning on the Great Lakes is about weather and distance more than anything else. Unlike the Caribbean, where you can count on trade winds and short hops between islands, Great Lakes weather changes fast and the distances between safe harbours can be significant. A 30-nautical-mile day is reasonable. A 50-mile day is possible but tiring. Anything longer and you are probably pushing it.

Good planning means having your intended route mapped out but also having backup harbours identified at regular intervals. If a weather system moves through, you want to know where you can duck in without scrambling over charts in a rolling cockpit. Our weekend boating routes are a good starting point for shorter trips, and the individual harbour guides help you figure out what is waiting for you when you arrive.

When to Go

June through September is the cruising window. July and August are warmest, busiest, and have the lightest winds on average. June can be cool and occasionally foggy but the harbours are empty and the light is beautiful. September is arguably the best month overall: stable weather patterns, warm water for swimming, turning leaves along the shore, and enough wind to sail most days. By mid-October the charter fleets are hauled out and the marinas start closing. If you have the flexibility, book September. You will not regret it.