Muskoka Seasons

THE FESTIVE DOZEN

2011-12-04T14:00:00.011-05:00

A dozen staff from The Rosseau took part in the Bracebridge Santa Claus Parade today, after decorating the shuttle bus and oursElves for the occasion. We all had a festive time and was fortunate that the rain held off until we were finished. It also gave us the chance for the night shift to meet and mingle with some of the day staff.
[Photo taken by a passerby, used courtesy of my coworker Nicole.]

NIGHT AUDIT TEAM

2011-12-04T07:30:00.005-05:00

I am fortunate to work with two lovely and talented colleagues on the Night Audit Team at The Rosseau. This morning we had the luxury of some extra time and decided to create Paint characters in lieu of our names, and this was the finished result, my colleagues having helped me put the last touches to mine, which we dubbed Lego Mal Kayaker.
[Thank you for the help and contributions done by Nicole and Leslie.]

TREK TO BETHLEHEM

2011-12-03T19:00:00.001-05:00

Shalom was the greeting we exchanged with people we encountered on our trek to Bethlehem, around the block in Bala. Hundreds came to take this recreated journey, decreed by Caesar to pay taxes and be counted, and were led in formed groups, the story of The Saviour narrarated by actors and vignettes set up around the neighbourhood.
[Cameras didn't exist then and weren't permitted for pictures now.]

HOLIDAY TRAIN

2011-11-30T16:00:00.006-05:00

This afternoon MacTier was a pit stop for the CP Holiday Train on its 12th annual journey across Canada, its goal to collect food and funds for local food banks, and would have been nicer to see at night for it is decorated with thousands of lights. During the stopover folksinger icon Valdy, joined with Brothers Dube to sing from its box car stage.

UNCLE JIM

2011-10-28T08:45:00.007-04:00

The tugboat Uncle Jim sits idle at the dock by Foodland, silhouetted against the misty surface of the Indian River with Hanna Park in the background. Last night the temperature dipped below zero, autumn slowly being moved along as if by a tug, making one appreciate the beautiful mornings like today while they last, before the snow flies.

WEATHERED DOCK

2011-10-23T15:00:00.003-04:00

This weathered dock, down by the Port Carling locks, attracted me with the pattern of its planks, horizontal and vertically, its uniform colour separated by a single beam of brilliant blue. It also reminded me of the weather we've been getting lately, multiple days of rain and grey overcast skies, with today finally a bright blue sunny day.

DOUBLE DOUBLE

2011-10-23T14:00:00.005-04:00

With the Segwun undergoing inspection and maintenance in the dry lock, it allowed me a better view of the phoenix that adorns the top of its pilothouse. It's a replica of the one carved for the Nipissing, a replacement for its namesake that burned the previous year in 1886, the original phoenix lost in the fire that gutted the Sagamo in 1969.

THE VIEWSUAL

2011-10-11T18:00:00.006-04:00

It's great when you can find a hairstylist that you can trust to do a consistent job every time and knows what "the usual" is without further explanation. It's even better when she works from the deck of her cottage and instead of sitting indoors staring into a mirror you are treated with this view while relaxing in a Muskoka chair.

HUGE HIT

2011-10-10T14:00:00.015-04:00

Barb, one of my colleagues from The Rosseau, poses on top of the pumpkin she and her husband grew locally this year. Entered in the Port Elgin Pumpkinfest, it was weighed at 1,641 lbs, making it the third largest in Canada, and was a huge hit with our guests during the Thanksgiving weekend when it was displayed by the entrance.

BELLE ISLE

2011-10-06T17:00:00.008-04:00

One of my favourite older boathouses is this one on Belle Isle, with its distinctive red roof and grey siding, its matching cottage burned to the ground last year. In the foreground a footbridge connects to the smaller oasis of Artist's Island, with the red tree, and in the far distance you can see the white tower that crowns Huckleberry Rock.

THE WAOME

2011-10-06T16:30:00.001-04:00

Two white buoys mark the location and 78' length of the Waome, a wooden steamship that capsized in a sudden storm on this date in 1934, sinking within a minute and claiming the lives of two people on board and a third afterwards. The wreck sits upright, at almost the same depth as her length, the buoys tied to its bow and stern.
[Click here for more info and to see some photos from the wreck.]

LOOKING UP

2011-10-05T18:00:00.002-04:00

After cooler temperatures and all the rain we've been getting, the forecast is looking up with great weather ahead for Thanksgiving and beyond. Today was a perfect day to be out in my kayak again and for a change am looking up to one of my favourite viewpoints, where its bench can be seen at the top directly beneath the moon.

HEADING HOME

2011-10-05T17:30:00.003-04:00

I spent several hours kayaking among the Venetia Islands and along the west side of Tobin Island, before heading home through Cayleys Cut and under the footbridge at Woodmere Island, where this photo was taken from underneath it, using it for a top border and the two islands to frame my destination of Armstrong Point in the distance.

M & M

2011-09-29T08:00:00.008-04:00

It was sad saying goodbye to Meagan, my Amazing Race partner and colleague at work, who I have known since coming here and worked together with the past year, the other M from the Night Audit Team. I gave her a card I thought was appropriate, featuring the two ships with M on their stacks, side by side at the dock, like us at the desk.

SUNSHINE SKETCHES

2011-09-20T08:00:00.002-04:00

As I was passing through Gravenhurst at dawn I stopped at the wharf to catch the morning sun as it reached Greavette Island, highlighting its miniature replica lighthouse, a popular attraction in photographs. I had the wharf to myself, empty of the bustling summer crowds and the crew and cast that were here last week filming for a TV special.
[Click here and scroll down for more details and a couple of photos.]

MISTY MORNING

2011-09-16T07:30:00.008-04:00

Last night was the first frost of the year, a harbinger of the seasons to come. In the meantime it made for a beautiful morning with mist rolling along the lake and the sun a welcome relief when it put in its appearance, dispersing the mist and melting the frost, the shadows providing only a temporary reprieve from the sun's rays and warmth.

TWO YEARS

2011-09-14T12:00:00.002-04:00

It's been two years working at The Rosseau and living in Muskoka, and the start of my third autumn, the colours changing rapidly this year. I had a great summer exploring several lakes with my kayak, offering a different perspective from my first year discovering the area by road and trail, and I'm looking forward to the third ahead.

SPOOKY TRAIL

2011-09-12T17:30:00.010-04:00

A pair of guests approached the front desk to comment on the trails, including one they thought was "spooky". "How do you mean spooky?" I probed further. "There's a couple of trees with a pole going across, with chains and meathooks attached!" I realized then this was where kettles of maple sap had been hung to boil, its apparatus still intact.

FOREST POND

2011-09-12T17:00:00.006-04:00

I was attracted to this scene during a walk through the woods today, the ghostly image of trees reflected from the remote side of a pond, intertwined with the shadows of the trees on my side, captured on a canvas of green algae, several swathes of blue with a stroke of gold completing the impressionist quality of my photograph, Forest Pond.

REMEMBERED

2011-09-11T09:11:00.002-04:00

Flags from both countries fly at half mast to honour the victims of 9/11. Unknown to many, including myself then, but when the twin towers collapsed they obliterated the Marriott that stood between them. Two associates never left before then and are remembered for helping people to safety, two heroes as tall as the towers were.

(SITTIN' ON) THE ROCK OF THE BAY

2011-09-09T18:30:00.003-04:00

Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watching the clouds roll in
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah
I'm sittin' on the rock of the Bay...

NEVER ALONE

2011-09-09T18:15:00.003-04:00

Directly below me at this viewpoint of Georgian Bay I discovered by accident a large alabaster statue of Jesus on a crucifix, attached to the cliff face and at the portage nearby, just above the water's edge and built into the rock ridge, a shrine dedicated to the Madonna of Georgian Bay, so although I was there by myself I was never alone.

NATURE AND MYSELF

2011-09-09T18:00:00.000-04:00

I spent the past couple of days camping at the portage that connects Georgian Bay with McCrae Lake, after hiking in. This was a new area for me and after setting up camp, went off exploring, swimming and taking pictures. It was nice to disconnect from the world and others, a getaway from the everyday, and reconnect with nature and myself.

AT THE ROCK

2011-09-04T15:00:00.003-04:00

I went to the book launch for The Hidden World of Huckleberry Rock, held at The Rock Golf Club, where I met the photographer and author that collaborated on it. I was also thrilled to meet two other Muskoka bloggers: Ed Boutilier of Muskoka Blog and Cathy Webster of Life on the Muskoka River, and just missed Deb from My Great White North.
[Artwork obtained from Cathy's post on the people behind this book.]

MUSKOKA MEMORIES

2011-09-01T14:30:00.019-04:00

We redeemed our gift certificate today for a tour aboard the aptly named Muskoka Memories, a 1960 22' Shepherd runabout. Jeremy Fowler of Butson's Boat Shop took us to Port Sandfield to enjoy ice cream, before cruising into Lake Joseph and returning by the river. We had an awesome time, another one for our Muskoka memories.
[Thank you Jeremy for a great tour and for taking our photograph.]

SEGWUN CRUISE

2011-08-31T15:00:00.002-04:00

Today I took my boys and their cousin Sydney out on a short cruise aboard the Segwun where between enjoying the views we explored around the ship, visiting the captain in the wheelhouse for a photo, checking out the engine room, writing out a postcard and hanging out at our favourite spot, the entrance door opening by the water.

ESSENCE OF TEAMWORK

2011-08-24T12:00:00.002-04:00

As recipient of Associate of the Month award, I wish to invite all my colleagues to share this honour with me, for it is our teamwork that deserves the recognition. The Rosseau is like a family to me and it is a pleasure and privilege to know and work with everyone, and I'm grateful for the opportunities that strengthen the bonds of our team.
[Picture taken by Alistair for the Associate Engagement Committee.]

RIP MR. LAYTON

2011-08-22T13:00:00.004-04:00

I was shocked to learn about Jack Layton's passing today, reminding me of when I visited Huckleberry Rock a day after he announced he was stepping down, and found parallels with my favourite tree, that was healthy last year. Both were imposing figures in their respective landscapes and now each has succumbed to disease. RIP Mr. Layton.

DOCK SPIDER

2011-08-19T20:00:00.004-04:00

As the sun began to set we decided on one last swim and that's when my boys encountered this dock spider lying in wait at the dock. They are the largest species of spider in Ontario and can reach the size of a plate, this one only the width of my palm. They can race across the water's surface or dive underneath, often preying on small minnows.

THE NORWOOD

2011-08-18T21:00:00.004-04:00

It's a shame when I hear about people driving to Orillia to catch the same movie playing at The Norwood, a vintage theatre that opened in 1949. Built a year after its sibling, The Capitol in Huntsville, and run by the same family, it offers modern amenities with a nostalgic charm, and I love that its three theatres are named after the lakes.

TRUCK AD

2011-08-18T17:00:00.007-04:00

We then ventured over to the original rock cut during our quest for blueberries, where our shadows became a source of entertainment as vehicles ran us over. Alistair then suggested we wait for a white car to pass, to photograph our shadows on top, and were fortunate when a truck came, the result looking like an ad placed on its side.

ROCK CUT

2011-08-18T16:30:00.001-04:00

Every time I visit Huckleberry Rock there's always something new to discover, a different mood with the weather or a change in scenery. I took my boys up there for their first time and as we explored near the lookout, Alistair beckoned us over to show us this rock detail, a crack perfectly symmetrical, which we called the miniature rock cut.

KAYAK KIDS

2011-08-18T14:00:00.005-04:00

We went kayaking this afternoon, my boys anxious to demonstrate their prowess honed at the camps they attended earlier, and were pleased when allowed a kayak each. We circled around Ouno Island where they saw the sailboathouse and the bear (statue) that I told them lived there, before returning to the resort where we started.
[Thanks to Dan Arcand and the MSR staff for use of their kayaks.]

JOYRIDE

2011-08-17T17:00:00.003-04:00

My boys came up to visit a relative's cottage giving me a chance to have them spend my days off with me. They had never tried tubing before and through the generosity of one of my coworkers, spent a day at his place where they had an exciting time on the water being towed by his WaveRunner, and for Alastair, some time in the water.

AMAZING DAY

2011-08-13T17:00:00.014-04:00

We had an amazing day participating in the Muskoka's Amazing Race, with this year's theme focused on Georgian Bay. The race involved the towns of MacTier, Port Severn, Honey Harbour and finished on the gem of Beausoliel Island. We met terrific people, experienced good weather and saw some beautiful scenic places.
[Photo by John Challis, President of the Muskoka Trails Council.]

[Photos by the MTC, TAR title song composed by John M Keane.]
[Photo of the Delawana Inn obtained from their website gallery.]

STORM WATCH

2011-08-10T20:30:00.001-04:00

I headed up to Armstrong Point in hope of catching some dramatic photographs of the storm, with the sky an ominous black and blue, but shortly after an eye appeared, offering a glimpse of the better weather above and it wasn't long before the storm began to break, the sun highlighting the clouds red, resulting in a beautiful sunset.

MUSKOKA'S AMAZING RACE

2011-08-09T16:00:00.019-04:00

This Saturday is the date of the third annual Muskoka's Amazing Race, an event modeled after the hit TV series with a local twist, this year starting off and finishing at the Delawana Inn, a day of physical and mental challenges, as well as one of endurance for I work the night before and after it, but it's all for a worthy cause.
[Please help the MTC with a pledge to my team, The Night Owls.]
[Photo of the Delawana Inn, obtained from their website gallery.]

EXPLOSIVE SUNSET

2011-08-06T20:00:00.006-04:00

The sunset from Huckleberry Rock Lookout was eerily reminiscent of the Hiroshima explosion, on its anniversary, starting with a blinding light, then a fiery core with a cloud above, a dragonfly that could be the Enola Gay bomber, the fiery core intensifying afterwards, with the smell and smoke from fires below me enhancing the simulation.

KAYAK KILT

2011-08-02T17:00:00.004-04:00

What started as a pleasant afternoon changed without any warning, the sudden gusts of wind causing the waves to swell that frequently crashed over the bow and splashed the cockpit, forcing me to cover it with a garbage bag drawn taut and held tightly in place by straps. I'm Scottish by birth so I'm thrifty, and it's a kayak kilt, not a skirt.

FINAL GLANCE

2011-08-01T20:00:00.004-04:00

A final glance from my launch site at Adams Bay, to the vista of the Venetia Group, a cluster of islands where I spent the past couple of hours threading my way amongst them, exploring them for the first time. It was a beautiful day and long weekend, and with the summer now half over, hopefully the remainder of it is as nice as it has been.

WINGS

2011-08-01T16:45:00.003-04:00

Ironically music by Wings was playing from this boathouse, a former hanger, when I approached in my kayak. I met Jeff McLaughlin, who not only volunteered the history about his family, one of the original to this area, and his great-grandfather's business, Red Wing Flying Service, but also offered to close the doors to allow a better picture.

HUCKLEBERRY ROCK

2011-07-30T21:00:00.008-04:00

Huckleberry Rock took on new meaning tonight when I was treated to a performance by local resident Don Corbeil, who often comes to the lookout to jam. A talented artist, he covered a few classic rock songs on his Ibanez Talman and also played Weird Night, one of his own. It was wicked and himself, could be the next homegrown star.

SHI_ ISLAND

2011-07-30T20:00:00.011-04:00

I climbed up to Huckleberry Rock Lookout to photograph the Segwun passing by, which I'd seen leave Port Carling earlier with passengers for a sunset cruise to Gravenhurst, heading there in time to see the fireworks. In the background and looking roughly the same length is Ship Island, or its nickname of Shit Island, due to all the bird guano.

LOCK TALK

2011-07-29T17:30:00.004-04:00

Ken Buchan, Lockmaster for the past eight years at Port Carling, was kind enough to offer me a crash course on the small lock and how he considers it a technological wonder, its hydraulic design and function ahead of its time when it was installed before the computer age. It's self service most of the time and more convenient for smaller craft.

SEGWUN SURPRISE

2011-07-29T15:45:00.003-04:00

It isn't common to see the Segwun lock through to the other lakes unless chartered for a special occasion, the only scheduled trip its annual Thanksgiving run. This year afterwards the Segwun and the Wenonah II will be put in dry dock at the Port Carling locks for any maintenance necessary to meet the federal mandated inspections.

CARAMIA SECRET

2011-07-27T15:30:00.002-04:00

I came across this lovely vessel during my travels today, docked at a cottage on Lake Rosseau in the bay below Port Sandfield. I tried but couldn't find any information on it, other than learning that Cara Mia means "my beloved" in Italian and is also the name of a popular song first from 1954 and again in 1965. Do you know the Caramia Secret?

SUNSETS

2011-07-23T21:00:00.009-04:00

A beautiful sunset from my favourite viewpoint and final stop before getting prepared for work. At The Rosseau the sun is also setting on our receivership status after recently being sold to Canadian Niagara Hotels. With a new boat arriving, at the lower left, and replacing the incumbent, I hope it's a smooth trip after the bumps from the wake.

SHADOW RIVER

2011-07-23T17:00:00.004-04:00

Seeking relief from the heat and for a change of scenery I kayaked the Shadow River, its mouth marked by coloured stakes instead of buoys. When I left the bridge and cottages behind I felt as if I was entering a magical place of the past, alone among the wildlife and wetlands, before a passing jet contrail brought me back to reality.

JOYFUL FINISH

2011-07-23T16:00:00.002-04:00

The regatta closed with swimming events which fittingly served as the opening act for Joy Jarvis, appearing on cue, after a marathon swim of Lake Rosseau. This is her last time, taking 9 1/2 hours to swim the 25 km distance from Port Carling, and 11th year, raising over $150,000 in total for Camp Oochigeas and cancer awareness.

ROSSEAU REGATTA

2011-07-23T12:00:00.007-04:00

I visited Rosseau again today, this time to watch their 45th annual regatta. It was a great event with one of the best teams being the Father and Son Double of Bobby Genovese and Bobby Genovese Jr., the father, a venture capitalist and TV celebrity, demonstrating the same prowess in athletics that has made him successful in business.

PAIGNTON HOUSE

2011-07-22T15:00:00.002-04:00

After my boat tour was over and the farmers' market finished, I took a stroll through the village of Rosseau itself. I stopped at the antique store and when I browsed through a shoebox of mixed postcards was ecstatic to find a vintage one of Paignton House, the predecessor to The Rosseau, on Fish Rock, something I've never seen in any photos.
[Credit to Natural Colour Cards by A & M Workshop, Pickering, Ont.]

BOAT TOURS

2011-07-22T13:00:00.006-04:00

Due to its waterfront location the Rosseau Farmers' Market brings a lot of visitors by boat, including the Wenonah II that makes Rosseau its destination on Fridays. I ran into Randy Potts, owner and captain of the Idyllwood, the small yacht parked at the end of the dock, who invited me to accompany him in the wheelhouse for one of his tours.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

2011-07-22T12:30:00.001-04:00

I visited the Rosseau Farmers' Market today, reknowned as the best in the area and was impressed by the variety of vendors and wares, the live entertainment beneath the gazebo and the waterfront with its beach. There was something for everyone in the family to enjoy, like this family of different generations, watching the boats arrive.

GREGORY CEMETERY

2011-07-20T19:15:00.018-04:00

I joined several other people for an interesting visit of the Gregory Christ Church and its cemetery, the second such event hosted by the Muskoka Lakes Museum. We learned about some of the area's early pioneers, heard stories told firsthand by their descendants, and the controversy behind the Smythe family and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
[Click here to visit Ed's post on this and his great Muskoka website.]
[Thank you to Doug Smith, museum Director, for use of his picture.]

MATTAMY COTTAGE

2011-07-19T15:30:00.002-04:00

This "cottage", built by and for the founder of Mattamy Homes, the largest home builder in Canada, is the largest one on Lake Rosseau and sits on the original grounds of Ferndale House, later sold to the Canadian Keswick for a Conference Centre before it burned in 1946, was rebuilt, went bankrupt and was abandoned, now since replaced.

WILSON'S WELCOME

2011-07-14T11:00:00.002-04:00

Woodrow Wilson, before becoming the 28th President of the USA, was enamored by Muskoka on previous visits that he once bought this island, and the Muskoka Lakes Museum has in its collection a faded wood sign, its painted message signed by himself, granting visitors access to his private property if they honoured his wishes.

MORNING TRAFFIC

2011-07-14T06:00:00.003-04:00

This morning I started out at 6:00 am, as soon as the sun emerged and for the first hour had the lake to myself, its surface like glass, before I encountered a pair of scullers who were busy with training, followed by the newspaper delivery boat making its rounds and by 9:00 the lake was very busy from then on with boaters and barges.

PARADISE FOUND

2011-07-12T17:00:00.001-04:00

For the pioneers it was free land with dreams of a livelihood,
followed by loggers after who cut down everything they could,
With the First Nations it was peaceful with canoes and loons,
replaced by cottagers now and their loud Sea-Doos and tunes,
Paradise found by all who came, their ideals not all the same.

PERFECT END

2011-07-10T21:00:00.003-04:00

This was the perfect end to a perfect weekend. After time relaxing at a cottage, followed by a concert, the boys wanted to stop at the wharf, one of their favourite places, to visit the ships. They were disappointed to find the Segwun missing but while we watched the sunset they heard its familiar whistle and soon their ship came in.

SHANIA TWIN

2011-07-10T19:30:00.010-04:00

Belting out the most popular hits from Shania Twain is Shania Twin, a tribute artist who performed at Music on the Barge. Despite some sound issue technicalities, the show was good and her resemblance and impersonation great. The real Shania was discovered when she worked at Deerhurst Resort, and still has a cottage on Lake of Bays.

LAKE OF BOYS

2011-07-10T16:00:00.003-04:00

After spending the previous week at separate locations of Ontario Pioneer Camp, my boys take some time to share their experiences when we spent the weekend relaxing together at a relative's cottage on Lake of Bays, the second largest lake in Muskoka, however not as well known as the other big three of Muskoka, Rosseau and Joseph.

HIGH POINT

2011-07-07T17:00:00.011-04:00

I visited the top end of Lake Joseph and even from Port Cockburn where I started out, could see this cottage. Perched at the top of cliffs and flying the Welsh flag, it resembles a modern day castle, with a deck projecting outwards like a bastion and the initials HP, from the name High Point, emblazoned like its own coat of arms.

SPECIAL PLACE

2011-07-07T16:00:00.008-04:00

At the bottom of the cliffs, below High Point, lies a jumble of huge boulders and hidden behind them is a small pool, a special place to locals. You can enter from the front by swimming through a narrow archway, too tight for my kayak, or from either sides and clamber over some smaller rocks. I stopped for a photo op and brief swim.

LOOKS & MOODS

2011-07-06T21:00:00.002-04:00

I returned in time to catch the last light of the setting sun. I love the different looks and moods with each time I visit. The harsh daylight exposes the blistering paint, the sunset burnishes the lighthouse in gold, and then the dark silhouettes before the solar powered lamp starts its flashing sequence, the only thing that remains constant.

ROYAL FLASHBACK

2011-07-06T16:00:00.005-04:00

As Prince William and Kate tour Canada, their first time since their wedding in April, and today slipped away to a private retreat, some may recall when Prince Andrew and Fergie came to Canada on their first tour in 1987, and stole away to Muskoka where they spent their first anniversary at this cottage, owned by a family with close ties.

FINAL CUT

2011-07-06T12:00:00.002-04:00

Our role in the Million Dollar Memo competition that began with my idea, was embraced by our team and supported by others has gone as far as it can, as we weren't accepted into the Final 20. We are proud of our accomplishment getting this far into the semi-finals and despite the outcome, are already a winning team and company.

LIGHTHOUSE SHOAL

2011-07-05T19:15:00.005-04:00

A close up of the picturesque lighthouse. The pair of cormorants perched on its roof remind me of the rumour that there were two graves at this site, which was a small island, and when the water level of Lake Rosseau was later raised they were covered. In the background on the left is one of three sailboathouses on the lake.

ROSSEAU LAKE COLLAGE

2011-07-05T19:00:00.009-04:00

I spent the evening exploring by kayak from the town of Rosseau, and found this scene interesting, a collage formed from a gnarled cottonwood tree leaning out above the dock of the Rosseau Lake College, a touch of colour provided by the canoe and in between, looking out of proportion with its miniature size, the lighthouse.

FENN'S POINT

2011-07-04T18:00:00.002-04:00

Recently voted as first in National Geographic Traveler magazine's 10 Best Trips of Summer, Muskoka is, according to Keith Bellows, editor-in-chief, "not a vacation; it's a generational experience." I wonder how many generations of Fenn's, before and since Robert, have spent summers here at Fenn's Point and can claim the same.

LEGO MODEL

2011-07-03T12:00:00.006-04:00

My boys and I went to the Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre to check out Canada's only certified Lego professional, who was busy building an 8' replica of the Segwun on his third and last day. After offering other kids a chance, Stirling won a Lego kit in a trivia challenge for correctly answering the year the Segwun was built, with Dad's help.

CANADA NIGHT

2011-07-01T22:00:00.015-04:00

I attended the fireworks display at The Rosseau, and during the day scouted out my prime location, a rock mound that extends out from Ouno Island. When dusk arrived I climbed atop and hauled my kayak up, activated glowsticks attached to it to announce my presence and this unmarked hazard to all the boats that came out to see the show.
[Click on this link to watch a one minute sample from the fireworks.]

ON GUARD FOR THEE

2011-07-01T12:00:00.002-04:00

Happy Canada Day! I took this photograph while kayaking last night but waited until today to post it, as it seemed fitting with these two dogs standing on guard for thee next to the flagpole while I passed. This cottage, the Crayola colour of sunset orange, is on the edge of Wellesley Island, its many windows facing the best view for sunsets.

GUIDE ISLAND

2011-06-30T22:00:00.007-04:00

When I left Windermere the waves had subsided and I was witness to an incredible sunset. I was heading in the opposite direction but made frequent stops to admire it. I parked at the shore across from Guide Island, its boathouse lights having served as my guide, for a final picture, my kayak's bow barely discernible at the bottom right.

WINDERMERE FOR A BEER

2011-06-30T19:00:00.005-04:00

Stopped in at Windermere for a beer, to wet my whistle and dry my clothes, after being sprayed by random waves while kayaking across the open stretches from Brackenrig Bay, where I put in at Dock Road earlier. It was quite wavy and quite the workout but well worth it as Windermere House has one of the best patios and views on the lake.
[Thank you to my server Megan, for taking this photograph for me.]

FINAL ACT

2011-06-30T15:00:00.003-04:00

As our final act of activation and appreciation regarding the Million Dollar Memo competition we submitted another video. It features a message by everyone involved in the first, the original cast and our executive team, the members of a future committee if we advance into the Final 20 and if not, we promise not to riot at The Rosseau.
[Click on this link to watch our video and meet the team behind it.]
[Photo by Sarah Ryeland, from her article in Sideroads of Muskoka.]

DOORS OPEN

2011-06-25T15:00:00.005-04:00

Stan Hunter, a local boatbuilder, was one of the venues participating in Doors Open and this painting summarizes the place, its boathouse with his four Duke Playmates he has available for rent, the workshop occupied with current restoration projects, with its adjoining room devoted as a gallery where this painting and other art is on display.

HANNA PARK

2011-06-20T21:00:00.005-04:00

The sun sets on the crumbling ramparts and turrets of a sand castle, a former fortress for a young child and their vivid imagination while a picnic table wallows in the water, a product of older kids with more mischievious intentions. Hanna Park is a favourite place for kids of all ages, with its playground and beach, where memories are made.

FREDERICK ROSS

2011-06-19T18:00:00.002-04:00

We heard the piercing whistle of the Frederick Ross before we saw it and I didn't recognize it when it steamed into view and then docked. Its industrial appearance is softened by the balusters, cloth trim and stained glass church windows of its cabin. It is owned by a couple in Puslinch, who also own and run the Ontario Steam Heritage Museum.

OUR BOATS

2011-06-19T15:00:00.005-04:00

Our boats, from the right: Stirling's colourful ski boat, Wake Zone, complete with tower and wakeboards, Alistair's Silver Karp [sic], a traditional boat, and mine, Not Enough Time, the result of helping them. Alistair won in the Traditional Boat category and its prize, a lake cruise for us in a classic wooden boat, a future tour and post.

BUILD A BOAT

2011-06-19T14:00:00.006-04:00

Great weather and time with my boys made it an awesome Father's Day, where at Butson's Boat Shop we competed against others in a special event building various types of boats from prepared blocks. Following a bbq lunch all the boats were then lined up to be judged, for prizes in different categories, before racing them off the dock.

COINCIDENCE

2011-06-18T18:00:00.004-04:00

The boys finished the day with a swim off the dock at Hanna Park, and were thrilled when the Wenonah II arrived on the scene. It was such a coincidence for earlier that day when visiting the abandoned Georgian Bay Store we salvaged a musty copy of The Cottage Times dated from May 31, 2002, announcing the debut of this newest ship.

BIG CHUTE

2011-06-18T13:00:00.010-04:00

Resembling an advancing alien monstrosity, stunning observers with its size and appearance, is the Big Chute Marine Railway, a specially-designed railway carriage used to transfer boats between waterways. Unique in North America and operated by Parks Canada, it was found to be a successful barrier against the further migration of lampreys.

GRAVEYARD MOSS

2011-06-18T12:00:00.002-04:00

A carpet of Gold Moss Stonecrop brings colour to the scene however its other name, Graveyard Moss, seems more appropriate with the inukshuk acting like a tombstone now for the derelict Georgian Bay Store along Highway 400. Vintage vehicles have been removed since the last time I visited, hopefully spared from the damage by vandals.

BETTER DAYS

2011-06-16T19:30:00.001-04:00

This 12' Lowe aluminum boat has seen better days, its hull buckled and with gravel on top, like the first shovelful tossed on at a funeral. It sits buried among the overgrown foliage at the shore of Thompson Lake, a small gem of a lake with a solitary island that can be spotted from the highway, and accessible from behind the Esso gas station.

TORNDOWN ISLAND

2011-06-14T18:00:00.009-04:00

Tondern Island should be renamed Torndown Island after last week's storm and swath of destruction, sparing no property, toppling trees and damaging several buildings. Cottagers claimed it was a tornado which appeared credible to me. Following in its wake was Davey, a tree services company, who planted a business mug on every dock.

GERANIUMS & GULLS

2011-06-14T15:00:00.009-04:00

Twin buckets of geraniums, repotted for the third time due to the recent storms, bracket Wildwood Island. This picture was possible because of the courtesy of a cottage owner on The Brothers Island, who allowed me use of her dock and warned me of Wildwood Island and its nesting gulls, that would have attacked if I had approached.

HANDYMAN SPECIAL

2011-06-11T15:30:00.002-04:00

This rusted relic had this scrawled handwritten sign duct taped to it:
It's a AS IS A
Handyman Special
It came out when Hitler went in
1933 Chev. 1 Ton Stake Truck FOR SALE

MUSKOKA DRY

2011-06-11T15:00:00.009-04:00

It didn't stay dry for much of the Antique Car Show in Gravenhurst today, raindrops collecting on Muskoka Dry's vintage Dodge flatbed like beads of condensation on a bottle of ice cold Pale Ginger Ale on a hot day. Their famous soft drink, produced since 1873, remains a novelty with my boys and me, a treat we enjoy when they visit here.

THE CROSS

2011-06-06T21:00:00.003-04:00

The cross, standing guard at the base of Bala Falls, bears life saving equipment donated by the Bala & District Lions Club, and is a grim reminder of the people that drown in these waters every year. The levels of every waterfall in the region are very high, exacerbated by the heavy rainfall and runoff accumulations of the past two months.

BOATHOUSE ROW

2011-06-06T07:00:00.018-04:00

A panoramic shot was necessary to capture this row of boathouses, made up from single level tinnies, behind the Residence Inn. Due to their delapidated appearance they are considered an eyesore to the new Muskoka Wharf development, however a subsidized renovation proposal has, like my son Stirling, caused ripples, among the locals.

REFLECTIONS

2011-06-06T06:30:00.006-04:00

The following morning dawned clear and hot, allowing me to get this glowing reflection of the Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre, adjacent to the Residence Inn. The museum, built like a reflection of earlier boathouses, features in addition to its permanent exhibits, several antique boats that owners are proud to display on a rotational basis.

FIERY ENDS

2011-06-05T21:00:00.003-04:00

A fiery sunset brings the evening to a close over the boats and the row of boathouses behind the Residence Inn. It is also the resting place of the Sagamo, Muskoka's largest steamship whose years of service came to a fiery end in 1969, its twisted steel hull partially exposed among the concrete debris and foliage in the foreground.

TREEPIDATION

2011-06-05T12:00:00.007-04:00

I always arrange a special highlight for their visit however didn't tell them in advance this time that it would be high up into the treetops itself at Eaglecrest Aerial Park, located at Santa's Village. They soon overcame their initial trepidation, which later turned to exhilaration, with the 350' zipline over water the grand finale of the treetop tour.

SIBLINGS

2011-06-05T06:30:00.001-04:00

I had my boys join me for the weekend and stayed in Gravenhurst at the Residence Inn. In the morning they reneged on their decision to accompany me while I slipped out in the early morning mist to visit and photograph another set of siblings, the Segwun, North America's oldest operating steamship, and the Wenonah II, a modern replica.

ME & KEOWEE

2011-06-03T13:00:00.007-04:00

I'm pumped about Keowee, a used kayak a colleague of mine found at a bargain price for me, its wide beam offering better stability for photography, and look forward to exploring the lakes this summer. Kayaking is not only my preferred choice of transportation but also my favourite word to use to stump people in the game of Hangman.

CRUISE & CREWS

2011-06-01T19:00:00.002-04:00

Some of the crew from The Rosseau joined others from the tourism industry aboard the Wenonah II for a cruise around Muskoka Bay, courtesy of Muskoka Steamships. It was a beautiful but very windy day, and I was amazed at the prowess of her crew and the captain when we docked without a hitch. I wish I could parallel park like that.
[Thanks to my colleague Jocelyn for this photo and her permission.]

TOP 70

2011-06-01T07:00:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everyone's votes The Rosseau has made it into the Top 70 and the only Canadian company to make it through to this stage. We still need your support to get to the next and final level in our bid to win the grand prize, to reward our staff and benefit several charities The Rosseau supports. Every vote counts and the more the Marriott.
[Click here to see and support our entry. View. Like. Share. Cheers.]

15TH HOLE

2011-05-21T14:00:00.003-04:00

While exploring more of Beaumaris on foot this weekend I took a break on an elevated terrace overlooking the 15th hole of the golf course. Beyond in the background is Baby's Bay and its picturesque bridge, providing boat access beneath its middle and for golf carts that cottage owners use to reach their properties around the island.

TRAIL BLAZERS

2011-05-20T18:00:00.010-04:00

I drove my new-to-me Chevy Blazer, a vehicle more conducive to my lifestyle and the winters here, on my latest trip to Milford Bay, one of my favourite destinations, and discovered they have built a trail through the old Roseneath property, as a safety effort to divert the pedestrian traffic off of Beaumaris Road with its dangerous corner.

MUSEUM DAY

2011-05-18T15:00:00.034-04:00

Today is International Museum Day and opening day of the Muskoka Lakes Museum, where new for this year they have introduced a self-guided audio tour using your cellular, with five stations set up so far and limitless potential. This service is provided by Tour-Mate and is sponsored by the Bean family, who have summered here since 1885.
[Photo and audio c/o Doug Smith, Director/Curator of the museum.]