MANITOULIN ISLAND - October 17, 18 and 19

Because checkout at our Tobermory motel was at 11am we got to the ferry dock (5 minutes away) about 2 hours before sailing. It’s a dull kinda crappy day so I don’t anticipate a very interesting ride. The Chi-Cheemaun is larger than I expected and is beautifully painted. Loading was quick and easy…of course we were first in line having arrived two hours early. 

We had no idea of the layout of the ship and the signage was not overly descriptive so we ended up in the gift shop. Once we found one of the lounges we sat down and stayed there for the duration. Dogs are allowed onboard and as passengers filtered in it was beginning to look like we were on the doggie deck. As I said in an email home “place is a bloody zoo”.

                             

My first impression of Manitoulin Island WIK was wonderful. It was very peaceful right from the start, despite a boat load of yahoos being release enmasse. The gentle winding roads made their way through somewhat typical northern Ontario landscapes displaying glorious fall colours! It figures, it's overcast and raining so the colour does not look particularly stunning but it certainly would be if the sun were out. 

The Mountain View Resort (I defy anyone to find anything resembling a mountain in any view on Earth) is wonderful. Our cabin was a welcome delight. Even though there are some restrictive rules here (only one roll of toilet paper per visit issued and fines if garbage and recyclables are mixed) it was a warm embrace the moment we stepped inside.

Yesterday the sunrise was respectable but I caught it too late. 

Our day of exploration left us with the realization that this is a beautiful spot so we must return sometime with hopes of better weather. You can bet that's not going to be in the summer. This whole island would be an asylum then. A drive up the hill outside Gore Bay was wonderful. Again, it really needed some sunshine. The fall colours were respectable and there were not many people around. I suppose had it been a nice day that would likely have been another scenario.

Providence Bay, on the south side of the island, is awesome. It's a beach resort town which normally makes me want to leave but they have put such care into making it enjoyable for all who pass through. We were indeed fortunate that the rain let up for the near hour we were there. The beach is gorgeous with a Cape Cod grass fringe, clean sand, lots of picnic facilities and swings and other park favourites for the kids but the highlight is most certainly the kilometre long boardwalk. Let that sink in for a moment. Thousands of wooden pilings, tens of thousands of wooden boards and hundreds of thousands of nails. All this translates to millions of dollars invested and countless man hours to build. My most sincere kudos to Providence Bay – you have made millions of people happy. 

To top things off there is a marvelous mural in town. 

A barbecue makes even a crappy weather day great...especially when it's steak, some veggies, rice and a glass of Australian red wine! Perfect!

Today is our final day on the island and it rained pretty much the whole day. It was a long, lonely road as we headed east and north to the top of the island, reminding me of northern Ontario yet again. There were rocks in some areas making me feel I was driving from Gravenhurst to Bracebridge in the fifties. Once again the fall colour left me wishing “if only it were a sunny day”.

High Falls is not that high and if the truth be known, not that much of a falls but the atmosphere was perfect and the bridge is what drew me off the highway in the first place. 

The town of Little Current is a perfect small town. Resting on the North Channel at the top of Manitoulin Island the rain gave it even more ambience though preventing us from walking along the waterfront as much as we would have liked. As mentioned earlier, we really need to return when we can be assured better weather.

It was still raining on and off when we got back to the cabin but we managed a quick walk along the cottage road nearby. A laid back lifestyle for all those who live there, even if it is seasonal for some.

The deer in the fields surrounding us have been here all along. They're very skittish and take off into the woods as soon as they hear a car pass by and even quicker when they hear it stop and shut off the engine. White tails up, flags high, run boys and girls. Managed a few shots of varying quality. This one's not bad. Nothing compared to Gayle's in Nova Scotia where they seem to come to her door and ask to be photographed but it was a fitting conclusion to our stay on Manitoulin Island.

We'll be leaving the island tomorrow morning, heading toward home, we're just not sure where we may land. Stay tuned; I'll wrap things up in a couple of days.

😎