Every anchorage has colors to post, its distinctive bird songs, its own unique reflections.   The sun rises over Salter’s Bay to the song of the White-throated Sparrow. Loons patrol the bay, with haunting calls.

Reflections at day’s end

We anchored in Salter’s Bay on Wednesday in the early afternoon after a 35-mile cruise east through Nipigon Bay. The cruise was lovely with a suspended fog obscuring cliffs and outcroppings along the way.

Fog in Nipigon Bay

There is shelter in Salter’s Bay from all but northerly winds. The mud bottom insures excellent holding. While the topo map below shows a wide and unrestricted passage into the anchorage, the detailed nautical charts onboard disclose a broad rock shoal extending far into the northwest half of the entrance. They also note the decreasing depths as you approach the head of the bay. We entered cautiously, as always, and chose a spot to drop the anchor where we would have plenty of swing-room, regardless of wind direction.

Arkansas Traveler at anchor in Salter’s Bay

The fishing/hunting app on the GPS suggested that Wednesday was an excellent day to fish in our location. With the anchor well set, we lowered the dinghy and headed out. We tried near-shore and offshore. We tried rapala lures and spoons.After three hours battling the Dipsy-Diver and flat-line fishing, we returned to Arkansas Traveler empty-handed.  For dinner we had a spicy sauté of potatoes, kale, onion, chopped cilantro, and scrambled tofu – very tasty, but no Lake Trout!

We stayed two nights at anchor in the bay. This morning at 0400, Arkansas Traveler woke us with a not-so-gentle rocking. The wind had veered to the northwest about five hours earlier than was forecast and the bay was developing a chop. By 0600 we could see whitecaps in the outer bay that lead to Rossport. We fought the wind and wave action as we raised the anchor and set out to a rolling ride with 3-foot waves on our port beam across the 4-mile stretch of water. Once inside Rossport Harbor, the waves abated and we tied up at the marina without incident.

Serendipity is a very special restaurant in Rossport. They serve Lake Trout. We will be dining out tonight.

At the dock in Rossport, Ontario