Looping the Georgian Bay

While Mike and I don't see a long settlement in Sudbury, we've so far had plenty of fun exploring around while we've been here!

Over May long weekend, we did a road trip around Georgian Bay, something that looked a little like This. Michael was under the impression that since it was May, it was about the right time to go for a beach holiday. Yes, we did visit several beaches. We swam only once. "Swim" is also probably not the greatest way to describe what we did though. It was more like jump-into-the-water-and-then-gtfo-as-fast-as-you-can-because-the-water-is-cold-enough-to-suck-the-living-air-from-your-lungs. But damn it was pretty looking water! I just couldn't let it go to waste!

This was at Bruce Peninsula National Park. I don't think I've ever seen water so pretty as this in Canada. It is now a favourite park of mine.

the rare image of me bracing for a frigid swim.

Yes, this is as dangerous as it looks.

Atop the overhang at the park. There was also a super cool grotto to clamber down into, with the clearest turquiose water I've seen in a very long time.

Le grotto. Note awesome aqua.

Beauty

We also took a glass-bottom boat ride into Fathom Five National Marine Park where we visited giant rock flowerpots and sunken wrecks! It is here that I notice that perhaps one of the reasons the water is so clear is because there really isn't much plant or animal life going on in there....I don't recall seeing fish or water weeds...

Mike blending in.

Awesome sunken ship!

These sailors needed some maps, i think. The two boats were only meters apart.

Giant flowerpot!

On our drive through Manitoulin Island, we made sure to stop at Gordon's Park. Michael has been playing a rather fun tune by the Arrogant Worms called The Mounted Animal Nature Trail for some time, so obviously we had to see what all the commotion was about!

The Interpretive centre...

Three Bears

a Jackelope!

But enough of the interpretive centre! We wanted to see some mounted animals on the nature trail!!

Sadly, we left disappointed. There were no taxidermied animals along the nature trail.

Interestingly enough, though, the park is also a designated RASC dark sky preserve. Their website says:

"The dark sky preserve offers exceptional dark skies, darkest in Ontario, 360 degree observing, horizon to horizon, no light pollution, a 7.5+ magnitude and a Sky Quality Meter reading of 21.96 (best is 23) Thursday nights in July and August are Astronomy Nights at Gordon’s Park."

Neat!

Here are some other awesome things from our trip:

Checking out the rocks in Lion's Head

Le provincial flower of Ontario (found during our hike to Greig's Caves), the trillium

We drove through Wiarton specifically to visit the famous albino groundhog Wiarton Willy

obvoiusly.

Wiarton must have been hiding, because he wasn't in his designated pen. But we did spot two groundhogs in the window of the information centre...two that might be more comfortable over at the Mounted Animal Nature Trail...

Such good fun!