What's YOUR Favorite Port on the Great Lakes?



Why is Great Lakes sailing the best in the world?

They are enormous!

Did you know that:

if you stood on the moon and looked back at earth, you could recognize their familiar outline

they contain 1/5th of the world's entire freshwater supply

they offer a more than 94,000 sq. mi / 243,000 sq km of outstanding cruising - an area the size of the United Kingdom!



the coastline of all 5 lakes (and their connecting bodies of water) is nearly 11,000 mi / 18,000 km, about 44% of the circumference of the earth

they contain enough water to cover all of North America to a depth of 5 ft/1.5 m



the distance from the western tip of Lake Superior to the entrance of the St. Lawrence River is about 1,200 miles / 1,900 km or about the same distance as from Gibraltar to Malta or Bermuda to the Azores

laid end to end, the Great Lakes system would stretch from New Brunswick to Cuba

They are truly GREAT!

Other than Christopher Columbus' calling native Americans 'Indians', the biggest naming error was calling the Great Lakes 'lakes'. These huge bodies of water are really immense seas, the sweetwater seas as the French explorers called them.

They are magnificent!

I have sailed the Great Lakes for nearly 30 years and never ever tire of their endless variety of moods and conditions. I simply love these immense inland seas. From the majesty of their vastness and their restless energy to the silent, still waters of fog-shrouded mornings, they offer some of the most breathtaking scenery you could ever want!



Imagine sailing from Duluth or Thunder Bay on a cool summer morning and making the spectacular journey through the lakes. In fact, if you wanted, you could reach the Atlantic and then head south to the sun-drenched Caribbean! Using the St. Lawrence Seaway, you can follow this maritime highway from the centre of the continent all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

What's in GREAT LAKES SAILING for YOU ?

The goal of this site is to give you the kind of information sailors (sail OR power) are always trying to find:

descriptions of ports and harbours that dot the coastlines of the lakes

information on the approaches into large industrial harbours, quiet fishing villages and hidden anchorages

good pubs, like O'Shea's , a 15-20 minute walk from the Lakeshore Yacht Club on Toronto's Humber Bay on Lake Ontario (hearty Sunday breakfast and terrific service from Maria!)

, a 15-20 minute walk from the Lakeshore Yacht Club on Toronto's Humber Bay on Lake Ontario (hearty Sunday breakfast and terrific service from Maria!) descriptions of yacht clubs and marinas

services such as chandleries, grocery stores and repair facilities

descriptions of attractions from major cities such as Toronto, Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo and Cleveland; natural wonders such as the largest fresh-water sand dunes in the world (Lake Michigan) and the vast, silent reaches of mighty Superior

why weather on these vast lakes is so unique and how you can better forecast it

articles on seamanship and safety

cruising tips and ideas

border crossing legalities

and much more

In all, a one-stop location for the information that a sailor would want, whether for a weekend outing or an extended cruise.

Welcome aboard ........... let's cast off and begin our exploration.