Heading to Manitoulin Island
We're back from Manitoulin Island tonight and we've had a fun and eventful couple of days. I'll post some photos as the week goes on.
We left Richmond Hill on Friday morning and wended our way north to Barrie and then west along Georgian Bay to Owen Sound, Wiarton and then up to Tobermory aiming to catch our ferry to Manitoulin Island at 8 p.m..
We arrived in Tobermory much earlier than we expected, so we spent a couple of hours cruising the gift shops around the harbour and having dinner. We also drove out along the coast to the Tobermory Lighthouse to take some photos and play on the rocks.
We arrived back at the ferry docks at 7 and it was interesting to see how they arrange all the vehicles and organize them in the ship. It's the first time I'd been in a car ferry. We left our van down below and then climbed up into the passenger areas of the ship where we explored the "Boatique" gift shop, watched the water from the decks and snacked in the cafeteria. The Chi-Cheemaun trip took about two hours and it was a wonderful way to travel.
The ferry let us out at South Baymouth harbour at around 10:00 and we headed off, map in hand, to try and find Stanley Park, our campground on Mindemoya Lake. We discovered a few things quickly. Due to the isolation, it is very -dark- on Manitoulin Island at night. Also, Manitoulin Island does not believe in street lights. Traveling in the pitch dark along small gravel roads in utterly unfamiliar territory was pretty spooky. I desperately navigated by lightflash as John drove and hoped for the best. Though we were stymied once or twice by road signs that simply weren't there we did finally make Stanley Park, put up our tent and called it a night.
More to come...
We left Richmond Hill on Friday morning and wended our way north to Barrie and then west along Georgian Bay to Owen Sound, Wiarton and then up to Tobermory aiming to catch our ferry to Manitoulin Island at 8 p.m..
We arrived in Tobermory much earlier than we expected, so we spent a couple of hours cruising the gift shops around the harbour and having dinner. We also drove out along the coast to the Tobermory Lighthouse to take some photos and play on the rocks.
| Tobermory Bay | Our ferry to Manitoulin Island, taken on our way back. |
We arrived back at the ferry docks at 7 and it was interesting to see how they arrange all the vehicles and organize them in the ship. It's the first time I'd been in a car ferry. We left our van down below and then climbed up into the passenger areas of the ship where we explored the "Boatique" gift shop, watched the water from the decks and snacked in the cafeteria. The Chi-Cheemaun trip took about two hours and it was a wonderful way to travel.
| Standing on the ship deck shortly after leaving the harbour. | Sunset from the deck as we head toward the island. |
The ferry let us out at South Baymouth harbour at around 10:00 and we headed off, map in hand, to try and find Stanley Park, our campground on Mindemoya Lake. We discovered a few things quickly. Due to the isolation, it is very -dark- on Manitoulin Island at night. Also, Manitoulin Island does not believe in street lights. Traveling in the pitch dark along small gravel roads in utterly unfamiliar territory was pretty spooky. I desperately navigated by lightflash as John drove and hoped for the best. Though we were stymied once or twice by road signs that simply weren't there we did finally make Stanley Park, put up our tent and called it a night.
More to come...