June has been a busy, enjoyable month with us travelling here and there to visit friends. And while we've lived in Ontario all of our lives it still never ceases to amaze us how large this province really is. From start to finish we've driven in excess of 2400 km since our return from Boston (those kilometres, btw, are not included in this tally) - and we're not quite done just yet.
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| Ottawa River Pathway |
After returning from Boston we took a couple of days to enjoy Ottawa and on two occasions walked along the Ottawa River Pathway
This spring there was flooding in many parts of the province including the Ottawa valley. This pathway was under water until very recently.
On our second outing we spotted a porcupine on the trail. We opted to keep our distance while it waddled back into the bush!
Mid-month we returned to Elliot Lake where we reconnected with friends and John caught up on his kayaking. Sadly, the black flies were out in full force and within minutes he had more bites than he's experienced in our 16 years in Elliot Lake. As you might imagine, I preferred to remain indoors and make myself a lovely cup of tea!
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| Nothing better than tea served in my Petra mug |
One week later we hit the road again to travel to South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island to catch the Chi-Cheemaun to Tobermory.
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| Our route of 2400+ km |
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| View of Lake Huron from Ten Mile Point, Manitoulin Island |
Ten Mile Point is one of our favourite places for three reasons. One, the view of Lake Huron is breathtaking. Two, its (European) history is impressive as it was here from 1648 to 1650 that the first Jesuit mission was established on Manitoulin Island. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for Father Poncet to survive his first winter on the island.
The third reason is the Ten Mile Point Trading Post. Open from May to the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in October, it is a great place to stretch the legs, soak in the incredible scenery and then wander indoors to view its collection of local handmade arts and crafts.
Continuing on to South Baymouth, we joined the line up of the multitude of other travellers waiting to board the Chi-Cheemaun ferry for the ride to Tobermory. Some travelled on foot, others on bikes, motorcycles and then vehicles with camping trailers to RVs and even commercial trucks.
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| Leaving South Baymouth |
The trip takes about ninety minutes and this journey was exceptionally smooth.
We eventually found two vacant Adirondack chairs on which to stretch out and savour the view.
The drive from Tobermory to Sauble Beach takes another 90 minutes. While many folks enjoy the Bruce Peninsula we don't consider it as one of Ontario's most scenic drives, however it does the trick.
Our destination, Sauble Beach, stretches for miles along Lake Huron. Many, many years ago (about 50 to be exact) David and Linda introduced us to this amazing place and on numerous occasions over the years we've rented various cottages there during the summer. Sadly, more than 20 years have passed since our last stay in Sauble Beach, so it was way past due!
Our first evening we wasted no time in hitting the beach and while the water level is high and the beach far from its usual width, we enjoyed every single second.
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| L to R: David, John, Linda |
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| Looking south toward the main street |
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| Kids will be kids! |
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| Look what crawled out of the lake as the sun set! |
The next day we toured the surrounding area and Sauble Falls (below) is a short distance from the cottage.
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| Selfie time |
Linda spotted these beautiful Lady Slipper orchids at the cottage next door. They are exquisite.
After lunch John, David and I walked down to the main street (5 km return) where a live band was playing.
This landmark at the end of Main Street marks the entrance to the beach.
Another landmark is this takeout place that has served beachgoers since 1948.
A little further down the road on our walk back to the cottage I spotted this lovely sand sculpture.
A very special thank you to David and Linda for a super weekend and a most enjoyable trip down memory lane. Fingers crossed we don't wait another 20 years for a repeat!
Sunday morning we hit the road again. This time our destination was Whitestone (north of Parry Sound) to spend two nights with our dear friends Dave and Flo at a cottage they've rented each summer for the past few years.
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| View of Georgian Bay |
On the 400 highway the buttercups were out in bloom.
Unfortunately, the bugs were still out in full force when we arrived at the cottage which meant we remained indoors most of the time and I did not take any photos. However, these pics are courtesy of the homeowners who have their cottage advertised online.
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| View of Lake Wahwashkesh |
Bugs or no bugs we had a great time with Dave and Flo and can't thank them enough for the stimulating conversations, belly shaking laughs, delicious food and great company. We can't wait to see you guys later this summer in Elliot Lake. :)
We returned to Ottawa on Tuesday via Algonquin Park and a route that is entirely new to us. The scenery was gorgeous, the road smooth and relatively quiet which made for a far more enjoyable trip than via a freeway.
From our home to yours we wish you and yours a wonderful Canada Day. Enjoy, eh?!
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