1930S-ERA LUXURY YACHT NOW CRUISES LAKE OF THE WOODS

02-13-2009

 

Beautiful Wilderness Scenery, Unforgettable Fishing and Impeccable Service Highlight a Cruise Aboard The Grace Anne II

 

KENORA, ONTARIO, CANADA – Wilderness fishing and pampering comfort are not necessarily mutually exclusive.  Certainly they are not when you are aboard the luxury yacht Grace Anne II, cruising in the beautiful north woods setting along the shores of Ontario's Lake of the Woods.

 

It provides a getaway vacation that not only is perfect for anglers, but also offers plenty of options for those with other interests, such as guided photography, nature tours and kayak and canoe trips.

 

Guides steer guests to the most productive fishing waters, known for tackle- busting muskie.  (A famous sight alongside Kenora's harbor is a 40-foot wooden sculpture of "Husky the Muskie").  Also ready to tempt visiting anglers are hefty lake trout, as well as walleye, northern pike and bass.

 

Imagine the fight you'll get when you hook into a muskellunge that is close to five feet long and may weigh more than 40 pounds.  Some fishermen spend their lives casting for muskie but never catching one.  When you do, it will test the sturdy equipment that is designed especially for muskie fishing (the lure is itself the size of a "keeper" pan-fish).  And it will test your strength and stamina as you fight for every inch of line you retrieve.

 

In the end, you'll land your fish, pose for pictures of it, and release it back into the water, to swim away and perhaps fight again another day.  But wait, you're not done with fishing yet. Your guide not only knows where to find 'em, but also how to cook 'em.

 

A shore lunch is a north woods tradition not to be missed. Freshly caught walleye are superb eating and your guide will be an expert in filleting your catch and frying them with a gossamer-light "secret" breading.

 

And a tale of a winning poker hand is a good story to relate when the cocktail

hour—or cognac time—arrives.   Folklore has it that in 1913 a wealthy local

businessman, John Furlong, won a 52-foot cruiser in a poker game and re- christened it Grace Anne after his wife. The couple's total enjoyment of the yacht led Furlong to commission in 1930 the building of Grace Anne II. 

 

The 85-foot mahogany yacht was considered the finest craft introduced into Lake of the Woods.  Eventually, the vessel evolved into a corporate yacht and was owned and operated for 40 years by the 3M Corporation of Minnesota.

 

Today, this historic wooden boat is an elegant lady of the lake. Together with its sibling island lodge, it provides luxurious getaways for discerning travelers and is an ideal venue for corporate retreats and to offer in incentive programs. With gleaming mahogany decks, Persian carpets and leaded glass, the yacht Grace Anne II transports guests to an era when silverware, fine linens and white-gloved service were unquestioned accoutrements on a wilderness excursion.

 

Traveling deep into Canada's north woods aboard this historic yacht is akin to spending time in a private club. An attentive service staff attired in dress whites is ready to attend your every need—often anticipating that "need"

before you do!  You also may feel that you are dining in a first-class restaurant, with meals prepared by a French chef and fine wines to accompany dinner.  Or simply enjoy an invigorating sauna or relax in a hot tub.

 

Lake of the Woods is an extraordinary labyrinthine waterway sprawling over a vast segment of wilderness bounded by Minnesota and the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba. Carved by glaciers receding into the Canadian Pre- Cambrian Shield, the lake has 65,000 miles of shoreline—more than all of the Great Lakes combined.  It contains about 14,600 islands—more than any other lake in North America.

 

Surrounding forests are filled with red, white and jack pines, as well as spruce and poplars.  Wildlife includes moose, deer, black bears, wolves and the occasional lynx.  Birds include soaring bald eagles and hawks and a wide variety of songbirds and, of course, loons, with their distinctive, haunting cries.

 

The Grace Anne II comfortably accommodates eight guests in six staterooms, with space for an additional eight at its hideaway lodge. Built on a 33-acre island, the lodge also provides a full complement of creature comforts.

 

Charters are based on a minimum of eight and a maximum of 16 guests. 

Prices range from $1,695 per guest (for a 24-hour "experience package") to

$5,695 per guest for a five-night charter.  Included are meals, a wide range of activities (including equipment) and transportation from Kenora, Ontario Airport.  (Transportation can also be arranged from Winnipeg, the nearest major airport.)

 

Reservations, copies of full-color brochures and additional information are available from Grace Anne II Yacht and Lodge, 1-800-987-3857 or 204-987- 3321.  The website is www.graceanne.com.

 

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