Killarney

**   Killarney, ON   **

This looping life has us daily cruising new waters, experiencing new things, and visiting places we’ve never been. It can be a bit daunting at times, having the figure out the lay of the land every single time you stop, with nothing familiar to go by, Killarney would be different. We had been eagerly anticipating our return even before we left our home port in June of 2021.

The last few weeks it was hard to contain our excitement. We finally would make it to Killarney. Our loop dream was fueled by Tasha’s Dad, Kurt, an avid boater himself. We talked a lot about this trip the last few years of his life, us dreaming to do it one day, Kurt dreaming to come along. Killarney was his happy port, spending many summers here, on the same dock we would tie up to o George Island.

Kurt in Killarney 2004, Tasha is sitting on the dock with him in the long dock shot

Kurt and Dave in Killarney – this photo is framed on Now or Never and travels with us on the loop

We left Collins Inlet and came across Georgian Bay, heading toward the lighthouse at the head of the Killarney Channel and into view came the new Killarney Mountain Lodge Conference Center – a beauty. We were told by our friend Kathy, that a lot had changed since we were last here and the conference center was just the beginning. Into the channel we cruised, the docks had grown and were full of looper boats waiting out the wind. Our eyes began to focus on the George Island side of the channel and spotted our friend’s cabin and dock that we would tie up at. It looked much the same, a very welcoming sight, though many things around had changed.

Our first views – lighthouse, new lodge and cabins, dock and cabin we would be docking

We were greeted by three of Tasha’s Dad’s friends. George and Kathy who own the cabin and dock and dear friends of Kurt’s, and Rupert who sold Kurt his handful of Sea Ray’s over the years. They grabbed our lines and our mini reunion began. Live the Dash was able to join us on the dock too, as well as George and Kathy’s two boats, Rupert’s boat and dinghy, and two small sailboats that belonged to the Mountain Lodge. Our own little marina across from the Mountain Lodge. Our private dock was equipped with one golden retriever and two yellow labs – heaven!

Kathy and George, top, Marilyn and Rupert, bottom, Chardy the golden

In July and early August, cruising boats take over this wilderness outpost. Killarney marks the end of the Georgian Bay route and the beginning of the North Channel connecting the two with the Killarney Channel and hosting some of the most wonderful cruising grounds of the entire great loop.

Killarney was founded in 1820 and first took off as a logging community, later the fishing industry would have a huge impact on Killarney, and today it is tourism. It wasn’t until 1962, that the first road was built, highway 637, connecting Killarney to the rest of the province. Still today Highway 637 is the only road leading in or out of Killarney. Prior to 1962 all transportation was by boat. Today the year round population hovers just below 400 and the 100,000 + visitors each year come by boat, plane (float planes and there is a small landing field), snow mobile, and auto to experience the beauty and charm of this quaint little fishing village.

Welcome to Killarney

Killarney would be our furthest north port on our trip thus far and only a few ports next season will be further north. Two hundred and thirty five days of moving Now or Never over 9500 miles and we made it. Kurt would be so excited.

It was great to be back enjoying happy hours on the dock in the red Adirondack chairs that grace most of the Canadian cottages, and having a front seat to see all the boat traffic that cruising through Killarney Channel. There was always something to see. Docking on the island across from Killarney, our dinghy was our mode of transportation.

There isn’t much to “do” in Killarney as the whole village lines the channel. Everything is contained along the water. But you really don’t need to do anything in this quaint, ruggably, beautifully back dropped village. It’s one of those places you can just be.

The village runs from one end of the channnel to the other anchored by the Mountain Lodge on on end and the Sportsman’s Ends at the other. Both under new ownership and fully remodeled since our last visit. The new owner frequented Killarney as a young man to visit his grandmother and has invested 50 million dollars into the properties and community.

Mountain Lodge, Sportmans’s Inn and General Store

The old Gateway Bakery has been enlarged and modernized, and Killarney has the only LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) with its own docks.

Gateway Bakery with a hankering for Dave!

Herbert’s Fisheries now operates out of a new building, losing the charm of serving out of an old school bus last time we were here. The fish and chips are still the best we’ve had on our trip and straight off the boat! The only thing that really looked the same was Pittfield’s General Store. In fact, we think some of the items on the shelf were here our last visit close to fifteen years ago. However, looking a pricing, it sure has changed. A bag of chips, $14.99!

Old Herbert’s with bus, new building without the character

We hiked the boulder trail to the lighthouse. The trail was a mix of trees, roots, boulders and cervices you had to jump, climb, and wrangle. Dave, Lauren, and Reed took the challenging route along the shore all the way and Tasha and Emily got a bit turned around and ended up on the road about 2/3 of the way there, all leading to the rewarding view of beautiful Georgian Bay The beauty abounds.

Lighthouse Hike – what a view!

We ate our way through the few restaurants in Killarney with a favorite at the Killarney Mountain Lodge and their new restaurant, The Ranch. Located in their beautiful conference center with incredible views of Georgian Bay, we had a wonderful dinner with the Bohonek family and our hosts, George and Kathy.

Dinner at the new Ranch at the Killarney Mountain Lodge

We filled our days with sampling the local fare, dinghy rides, the hike to the lighthouse, a hike on the boulder on George Island, playing fetch with the pups, watching the float planes come and go, and just hanging out on the dock.

Life in Killarney

With the winds calming the Live the Dash crew as well as most of the other loopers were off to the west headed into the North Channel. We had dreaded this day, the realization of saying goodbye, to our cruising mates turned close friends over the past four months.

So long Bohonek family!

Jordan, Emily, Lauren, Reed, and Sherman would be continuing the Great Loop through Lake Michigan, into the rivers at Chicago, dumping out at Mobile Bay and returning to their home port and completing their loop in Fort Myers by Christmas. Our crew is on the slow route and will spend time in Lake Huron and Erie before putting the boat in storage for the winter in Michigan so we can come back and cruise the Great Lakes again next year. So much to see and do, one season was just not enough.

Our last photos together in Killarney

Never would we have thought we would grow so attached to daily life with the Bohonek’s. Our friendship grew quickly, through our one commonality, our travel together went from days, to weeks, to months. We were just having a great time, enjoying each other’s company, and sharing an excitement for the journey. While this trip has been a dream of a lifetime, finding friends along the way whom you love like family have enriched our journey immensely. Our friendship made with them on this incredible adventure has been the cherry on top!

There might have been a few tears, lots of hugs, and plans for reunions. Our crew with not a dry eye, waved goodbye, and we were reminded of the Winnie the Pooh quote:

“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

– A. A. Milne / Winnie the Pooh

True indeed.

Our crew remained in Killarney a few more days before we powered our Cummins up. We were able to catch up with friends we hadn’t seen since our winter together in Melbourne, Ronda and Bob on Hawkins Landing, and Reid and Tracy on Anchor Up whom we first met when we were on the hard in Chesapeake, VA over a year ago for our boat work. The gift of this trip is being able meet up with friends at different ports whom we have met prior along the way.

Bob and Ronda – left, Reid and Tracy with Bob and Ronda – right, Hawkins Landing cruising by George Island

The channel was busy with float planes, helicopters, and the ongoing parade of looper and summer cruisers making their way through the Killarney channel. A Viking cruise ship appeared in Georgian Bay and their tenders kept busy bringing cruise guests to shore all day just across from us at the Mountain Lodge.

Killarney Channel transportation – you have to the share the water!

They had all packed up and left and then appeared again, twice with two emergencies on board needing medical assistance. An ambulance for one and an hour later a helicopter for the other. We hope that all worked out for them, and they were able to get the help they needed for a full recovery. It was an eye opening reminder of how out of touch you can be with services. So much of Canada and many places in the states are so remote. Assistance is not always near, in these cases over 60 miles.

Sunrise, Moonlight

We made our second round of goodbyes with George, Kathy and Rupert with dinner at the remodeled Sportsman. We can’t thank George and Kathy enough for hosting us as well as our friends at their dock. So thankful to be able to return and making plans for an encore visit next summer as we continue with our Great Lake adventure.

Our hosts, home, and view for our stay

Still, it’s hard to say goodbye to a place you love and friends you won’t see for quite some time. We planned our departure around weather and the window to make our way down the full length of Lake Ontario. Three of the next five days were favorable, but as we have learned, that can change too.

Kurt’s boat Total Kahos, bottom left, Now or Never on the same dock, upper right

We left behind the lighthouse that welcomed us a week earlier and the opposite direction of the tradition loop. We would be leaving the course, plotting our own, cruising alone for the first time in months, and headed across Georgian Bay and onto Lake Huron enroute to Tobermory. It was a lonely cruise.

Cheers!  David, Tasha, 

Remy would have had a ball in Killarney in the water and with the pups

& Remy forever in our hearts!   –   Loop Dog for 1 year and 3357 miles

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