Lake Champlain | Shallow Water Sailors Magnum Opus Cruise

While the 2002 cruise is now water under the keel, the information on this page may be helpful in planning your own adventure.

The twenty-fourth annual Magnum Opus Cruise will be held on Lake Champlain's Inland Sea. Located in the northern portion of the lake the Inland Sea is Lake Champlain's archipelago. The area offers wonderful gunkholing and is far from the madding crowd. Ed and Mary, Dovekie sailors and Vermont locals, have proposed a counterclockwise exploration of the Inland Sea. If you are unable to make the full two weeks, the area is well suited to a shorter cruise. The launch site is Apple Island Marina at the southern tip of South Hero Island on Vermont Route 2, by the Sandbar Causeway. The marina is part of Apple Island Resort which, in addition to the marina, includes a campground, cabins, and many amenities. Complete information about the facilities and driving directions can be found at the resort's web site, www.appleislandresort.com. The launch fee is $6.00 and $2.00 per day for parking after the launch day, this includes use of the campground showers.

History of the Magnum Opus Cruise.

Recommended Charts . . .

There are three options for charts. The official NOAA charts (listed below), waterproof NOAA reproductions, and chartbooks. For the MO cruise you will need at least 14781 and 14782, possibly 14783. The NOAA charts run about $17.00 each. The waterproof charts are slightly smaller and include two NOAA charts, one on each side, these run about $22.00. The chartbook atlas has it all for around $30.00, but it's chopped up into 11" x 17" pieces. It's a matter of personal preference, you can learn more about the waterproof charts and chartbooks at the Lake Champlain Publishing Company web site.

These NOAA charts cover the entire lake.
Lake Champlain - Riviere Richelieu to South Hero Island Chart No. - 14781 1:40000
Lake Champlain - Cumberland Head to Four Brothers Island Chart No. - 14782 1:40000
Lake Champlain - Four Brothers Islands to Barber Point Chart No. - 14783 1:40000
Lake Champlain - Barber Point to Whitehall Chart No. - 14784 1:40000
Lake Champlain - Vermont - Burlington Harbor Chart No. - 14785 1:10000

Cruising Guide . . .

Having a cruising guide for Lake Champlain is optional and I am not personally familiar with any. The following cruising guide seems to be what everyone is selling.

Cruising Guide to the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, & the St. Lawrence River
By Alan and Susan McKibben
272 pages
Over 400 photographs
8 1/2" x 11"
Spiral bound
Softcover
$36.95 from the Lake Champlain Publishing Company web site.

Useful Links . . . .

HARBOR WATCH
Lake Champlain web site for boaters, includes virtual cruising guide.
www.harborwatch.com

LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM
www.lcmm.org

FERRY SERVICE
www.ferries.com

WEATHER & WATER LEVEL INFO
National Weather Service, Burlington, Vermont office.
www.erh.noaa.gov/btv/

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Cruising Lake Champlain