What is the Appeal of Sailing the Great Lakes?

[Lt.]

Just what is the appeal of sailing the great lakes, atleast for more than a couple weeks? Does anyone live aboard on the lakes for pong periods of time?

[RainDog]

11,000 miles of shoreline. Most of it wild and scenic.

In a couple of weeks you will not be able to cruise more than a very small portion.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by RainDog

11,000 miles of shoreline. Most of it wild and scenic.

In a couple of weeks you will not be able to cruise more than a very small portion.

Why???

[bix85]

11,000 miles of coastline would take a year if you didn't spend much time in any one place. In addition to the beautiful scenic areas, there are some pretty cool cities.

[LakeSuperior]

You could experience a varity of biting insects including noseeums, blackflies, mesquitos, and stable flies all in one summer.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

You could experience a varity of biting insects including noseeums, blackflies, mesquitos, and stable flies all in one summer.

Beware the little cannibals--they write the tourism brochures for the Great Lakes
Seriously, the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, end May/early June is when I have enjoyed some of my best sailing days.

[Pblais]

Mastering the Great Lakes would be enough qualification to sail any place. What they lack in salt they make up for in attitude. Each lake is very different from the others.

They are much like oceans because they make their own weather. The northern latitudes can make for interesting weather yet wonderful fall colors too. Now through September is prime time. The water in Lake Superior is equally cold all the time! The ice does float in winter however.

[Mike OReilly]

The Great Lakes are a large and varied cruising ground. You could easily spend a lifetime exploring them.

If you like urban exploration, then the southern lakes are ideal. Lake Ontario, Erie and Michigan are ringed with large cities and countless small communities. If you like marina hopping, this is the perfect place to go.

If you want a bit more remoteness, head up to Lake Huron, in particular Georgian Bay's North Channel. Endless gunkholing, and fewer folks (at least compared to the lower lakes).

If you want true wilderness sailing head north to Lake Superior, the largest lake in the world. The Canadian shore (my main cruising ground) offers mostly unspoiled wilderness sailing. There are countless anchorages, rivers, bays and beaches to explore. You'll see very few travellers along this shore, and find even fewer support services, so be sure to go prepared.

[pillum]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

The Great Lakes are a large and varied cruising ground. You could easily spend a lifetime exploring them.

If you want true wilderness sailing head north to Lake Superior, the largest lake in the world.

Beg to differ Mike, the Caspian Sea may not be called Lake Caspian, but it is the largest lake in the world. Bigger than all the American great lakes put together.

I'd rather sail Superior than the Caspian though...

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by pillum

Beg to differ Mike, the Caspian Sea may not be called Lake Caspian, but it is the largest lake in the world. Bigger than all the American great lakes put together.

I'd rather sail Superior than the Caspian though...

You're right. I should have said Lake Superior is the largest fresh water lake in the world by area. The Caspian Sea is salt water, which I assume is why it is a sea and not a lake. And Russia's Lake Baikal has more volume that Lake Superior b/c it is deeper.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Lt.

Just what is the appeal of sailing the great lakes, atleast for more than a couple weeks? Does anyone live aboard on the lakes for pong periods of time?

Because they're there. Living in Toronto it's wonderful to have Lake Ontario to sail. Like 99% of sailboat owners most Great lakes sailors day sail most of the time or go around the cans once or twice a week and then sail for a week or two when on vacation. Some that have the summer off and others that are retired try and sail all five lakes in a season. And then we have the folks that live aboard, year round, even when the lake turns hard.

[S/V Alchemy]

The lake in front of Toronto barely gets slushy in recent years, never mind hard. I could've stayed in the water had insurance allowed and I had a long stick to break up the rare appearance of 1/4 inch ice pans.

[LakeSuperior]

You might want to spend a week cruising Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. It is spectacular wilderness with moose, wolves, and loons. It may be one of the most under-rated parks in the National Park system.

It also has some of the best shipwreck diving on the planet because of the well preserved wrecks and crystal clear water.

[Vasco]

ABYC January 21st, 2012

[SunDevil]

I was born and raised there for 18 years, and I always enjoyed May-September. My parents still live there too.

There are great places to fish and camp up north, I've even been on a boat in Lake Superior which still had cold water in August.

Here is the tourism pitch.
Pure Michigan Travel and Tourism Information

You can also go different routes to Canada, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, & New York. But avoid Indiana.