The Great Lakes : A Voyage Through North America's Magnificant Inland Sea

Fly from the U.S. to Toronto, Ontario’s dynamic metropolis and the largest urban center in Canada. Overlooking the shores of Lake Ontario, Toronto is Canada’s leading cultural and financial center. Transfer to the port to board Clelia II and sail.

Arrive this morning at Port Weller, from where Clelia II begins the dramatic passage from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie via the Welland Canal. A series of seven locks designed as a continuous flight of “stairs” lifts Clelia II 324 feet over a distance of 27 miles. From the decks of the ship witness the mechanics of this engineering marvel which took over 100 years to complete.  An excursion leads to Niagara Falls, one of North America’s most spectacular natural wonders, where we’ll see both the American Falls and Horseshoe (Canadian) Falls.

Spend a relaxing day at sea as wecruise from Lake Erie to Lake Huron.  Enjoy the views from deck as Clelia II makes the 106-mile transit through the Detroit River, sailing past Detroit into Lake St. Clair, and then on to Lake Huron via the St. Clair River. During this passage there is an eight-foot change in elevation between the lakes.

Land at Little Current, the main settlement on Manitoulin, the world’s largest freshwater island and one of 30,000islands that grace Lake Huron. Manitoulin is the home of the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve, a thriving Native American community that bears the distinction of being the only tribe in Canada never to have ceded title to its land. Drive to the reserve, where a traditional Native American powwow will be held, and visit the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation, whose exhibits chronicle the story of the native people of Manitoulin and the north shore of Lake Huron.

Arrive in beautiful Mackinac Island, a Victorian-era haven where cars are forbidden and bicycles share the road with horse-drawn carriages. Explore this idyllic island and see the ancient limestone formations that were considered sacred by the Straits Indians; the impressive Fort Mackinac, built atop a high cliff by the British in 1780; and the Victorian Grand Hotel, a landmark of the island. Also enjoy time at leisure to stroll along streets lined with gingerbread-trimmed buildings and browse in the charming shops. As we sail from Mackinac Island, enjoy lunch on deck and breathtaking views as Clelia II sails under the Mackinac Bridge to enter Lake Michigan. Rising 552 feet above the Straits of Mackinac and five miles long, the bridge connects Michigan’s Lower and Upper Peninsulas. At 8,614feet, it is the longest two-tower suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere. Return back to Lake Huron and proceed to the scenic waterways of the North Channel which lead to Sault Ste. Marie. Here Clelia II transits the Soo Locks, the busiest in the world, where some 12,000 ships pass annually.

Today Clelia II will navigate through the Portage Waterway, the narrow channel that separates Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula from the mainland, to call at quaint Houghton, built on a bluff facing the channel. Keweenaw witnessed the country’s first mineral rush, when vast deposits of copper were discovered in1840. By the time the rush was over early in the 20th century, copper had generated enormous wealth, estimated o be ten times more than the money generated by the California Gold Rush. The legacy of the copper rush is still evident today in the abandoned mines, deserted settlements nestled in the forest, and the opulent buildings in the region’s towns. We will explore this historic region, an area not only rich in history, but also a place of extraordinary natural beauty.

Morning arrival in Duluth, Minnesota, whose history is tied to its strategic location as a transportation hub on Lake Superior. The city has experienced a renaissance and its vibrant downtown is graced by waterfront parks and promenades. Disembark and transfer to the airport for return flights home.