Stories to smile about… Laughter at Georgian Bay? Certainly! Why not? Did you know that the very first book to win the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour in 1947 was about the Bay? It was Ojibway Melody by Harry Symons, about cottaging in the Pointe au Baril area in the early 20th Century. TheContinue reading ““Ojibway Melody””
Author Archives: ritchiewith
The islands were happy, even a century ago
How a canoeist revelled in Georgian Bay’s wilderness This book, published by McClelland & Stewart in 1926, covers a period from the late 19th Century to the first two decades of the 20th. The Bay was quite different back then. Logging was declining but still active, leaving much of the shoreline and interior denuded ofContinue reading “The islands were happy, even a century ago”
Artists in the family
A big reason why some of the With family, and related members under other names, became artists is due largely to the beauty of Georgian Bay landscapes. The two originals were Kenneth With and Helen Ritchie. (Examples of both their works can be seen in Sweetwaters’ Gallery.} They met each other in London, England, whileContinue reading “Artists in the family”
A photographer’s legacy
When he died over 60 years ago, photographer J.W. Bald of Midland was already well known for the scope of his work, as well as its quality. I wish I had known him as many of his interests have also been mine. Back in 1981, I had a newsletter on marine topics named The WaterContinue reading “A photographer’s legacy”
Silver blades and wobbly ankles
At least once each winter we would take a family trip to Wahnuhke. Most times our method of following the frozen channels was by walking, skiing, horse-drawn sleigh or, when there was almost no snow on the ice, on skates. It was before the days of scoots, snowmobiles or ATVs. Most of we older membersContinue reading “Silver blades and wobbly ankles”
Who used these ancient fireplaces?
Incurable cruisers. That describes Kenneth With, primarily, and his family, secondarily. The channels and islands between Honey Harbour and Parry Island, and even further to Pointe au Baril, were constantly beckoning to be explored. Those waters, however, have gaps that often must be crossed during high winds and formidable waves. Up to the limits ofContinue reading “Who used these ancient fireplaces?”
The boat builders
From the 1930s until the ’70s when I moved away from Georgian Bay, boats — especially wooden ones — have been one of my abiding interests. So it is reasonable that those built on the shores of Georgian Bay would top the list. There were many of those. Some were pleasure craft, some were commercialContinue reading “The boat builders”
When the ice ran out
If you supplied ice to cottages back in the 1950s, before electricity reached many islands, what would the cottagers, and you, do if you ran out before the end of a hot summer? You found some ice PDQ (without delay)! For the Ojibway’s iceman that fall-back source was Oldfield’s commercial fishery on Range Island, PointeContinue reading “When the ice ran out”
Returning to Lost World Lake
What Marion and Dorothy found 15 years later (Contributed by Marion McLeod. See also A Hidden Birdland, below.) We actually did it! After 15 years, now doing field work in 2021 for the third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, Dorothy and I returned to one of our most remarkable breeding bird sites. With great anticipation weContinue reading “Returning to Lost World Lake”
The Asia — Georgian Bay’s worst marine tragedy
“Go where you will on Georgian Bay and let the talk turn to vessels wrecked or lost, the name of the Asia will soon be heard.” Those words were penned by Fred Landon in his book “Lake Huron”, published in 1944 as part of The American Lakes Series. Landon had sailed on the lakes forContinue reading “The Asia — Georgian Bay’s worst marine tragedy”
SWEETWATERS 