ritchiewith

The dinghy twins

Although I have always loved almost all boats, one thing I never became keen about was sailing. And that continues to puzzle and disappoint me because the concept of travelling on water using only what nature provides — wind, waves, current — meshes with my own philosophy. I think what might have turned me offContinue reading “The dinghy twins”

Indian Summer

It being autumn as I write this, the Ontario landscape is rich in smoky hills, vivid colours and bluejays calling. A poem that people of my vintage memorized in school replays in my mind. It is William Wilfred Campbell’s “Indian Summer”. What has this to do with Georgian Bay? Well, the poet grew up onContinue reading “Indian Summer”

The mighty Laker

Today, anglers venture into the open waters between the eastern shore of Georgian Bay and the Western Islands in search of salmon. Up to the 1930s, however, these waters were said to be the place where the mighty lake trout began its autumn migration from the depths to their traditional inner spawning waters. Fishermen andContinue reading “The mighty Laker”

Spooky, or what?

On our page Who is this Ancient Islander the cottage Wasa-Waba is mentioned as where it all began for me. But there is another side to this quaint old place, one that might make your hair stand on end. In the 1920s Wasa-Waba was a small store, probably only seasonal for the nearby cottagers andContinue reading “Spooky, or what?”

Outsmarting Ottawa

The first raft of logs ever to come out from the French River for the Saginaw Lumber Co. of Saginaw, Michigan, was wrecked in the North Channel near Little Current in the late fall of 1886. The American company had secured timber limits from the Ontario government on the Wahnapitei and Spanish Rivers. After theContinue reading “Outsmarting Ottawa”

Emery O’Rourke: a man of the shore

He was not a hard-nosed businessman but he was competitive in his own way without being aggressive. He seemed to live by the Golden Rule and would go to great lengths to help friends and customers. He was a physical strongman despite being seriously ill as a child. He knew the waterways among the islandsContinue reading “Emery O’Rourke: a man of the shore”

Betsy’s mysterious anchor

Some of the granite islands in eastern Georgian Bay have sand beaches, mostly small, which make ideal swimming areas especially for children. But for real beachcombing the large outer islands — Christian, Hope, Beckwith and the Giant’s Tomb — are ideal. These are just over the geographic line separating the sandy soil and deciduous woodlandsContinue reading “Betsy’s mysterious anchor”

Sunsets

Some of the images in this blog, you may have noticed, portray twilight or sunsets. I don’t know why that is, except that the tranquility at that time of day is appealing to some like me at that same time of their lives. However the following anecdote is about the end of a day sixtyContinue reading “Sunsets”

A hidden Birdland

Contributed by Marion McLeod. (See also the post The Lost World, below). Oh my, the Lost World! I am one of the “few oldtimers” who will recognize this title. I first heard about it from your aunt Helen and cousin Betsy in the early nineteen fifties. Betsy and I, as young teenagers, explored there, cautiouslyContinue reading “A hidden Birdland”

Minstrel of the islands

One weekend in early spring I was at Wahnuhke alone. A load of firewood delivered the previous fall needed stacking and that was a good excuse for me to spend time there. It was windy and raw, but good weather for physical work. As I toiled away among the juniper bushes, I became aware ofContinue reading “Minstrel of the islands”