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”

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”

Royal visitors steam into the Bay

The St. Lawrence Seaway was officially opened in 1959 by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. They came to Canada and proceeded up the new waterway system to the Great Lakes aboard the royal yacht Britannia. Doing so, they demonstrated the purpose of the Seaway in opening the centre of theContinue reading “Royal visitors steam into the Bay”

Keewatin memories, and a plea to keep her here

Alan Howard, a friendly and loquatious marine enthusiast of Toronto, knew all about the Canadian Pacific white fleet that steamed weekly between Port McNicoll and the Lakehead. In the early Sixties, he and other steam buffs had taken the trip on the almost-twins Keewatin and Assiniboia, as they correctly guessed that the service would soonContinue reading “Keewatin memories, and a plea to keep her here”

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”