Manitoulin Island

I wake up before dawn, and after prayers and readings, I set about packing up camp and getting ready to hit the road again. Now where are my sunglasses? They’re probably in my duffle bag, already tied up to the bike. I’ll get to them later, since the sun will be on my back for most of the day. I worry about starting the bike up this early in the morning, but, thankfully, my neighbour actually left before me, and the next nearest neighbour is in the next section over, about 300 feet away. I ride out as quietly as I can.

I head out to a local diner I found online that seemed interesting: Elsie’s Diner in Owen Sound. It looked like it had a fifties style. I wasn’t disappointed: “Wow!” I say to myself as I enter the diner. They really did a great job with that look! After a nice hearty breakfast, I head out towards Tobermory.

As the 7 a.m. ferry departure was too early for me, I opt for the next one, at 11:20 a.m. I make sure to get to Tobermory with plenty of time to spare. After getting my ticket and lining up my bike with the others at the front, I head out for a stroll, hoping to watch the boat as it arrives into port. I see some nice t-shirts for sale, but I definitely won’t pay $60 for them. Sheesh!

I’m amazed at the sheer size of the boat when it arrives. Still, it’s not as big as the one in P.E.I., but I love the design painted on its bow.

Just like in P.E.I., the bikes roll up all the way to the front, towards one side of the boat. Crew point to some ropes hanging up on a ladder and wordlessly direct us to tie our bikes to the deck. We look at each other with a shrug, unsure how to go about the task. On the boat to P.E.I., the straps had hooks that latched onto rings attached to the deck. On this boat, we only have short, thick old ropes without hooks. The deck has rings, so we do our best to tie our bikes down as tightly as we can.

The crossing takes about an hour and 45 minutes, so we have time to lounge around on the upper decks. After touring the boat, checking out the different areas, I get myself a coffee and sit down at a table to catch up on some reading. I feel the rocking and rolling of the boat as I’m reading, and it’s soothing.

After getting off the boat and riding off on Manitoulin Island, I’m unsure how to feel about where I am. This is on the other side of my home town of North Bay, so it somehow feels a little familiar. I’m acutely aware that this is First Nations land, but the few houses and road names I see feel colonial. The road is new, paved not too long ago. This is my main destination on this trip, but it still isn’t sinking in.

I keep to the same pace I had the day before, and do my best to enjoy the road and countryside. I keep trying to feel what to make of where I am.

I arrive at the Great Spirit Circle Trail I saw in an Ontario Tourism video. I’m anxious to experience First Nations culture. A staff member approaches me in a very cordial and courteous manner and invites me in. She describes some of the daily activities they have running, but most of them are already booked for today. As I’m planning on staying a while, I’m about to sign up for a Medicine Walk for tomorrow, when she mentions rain is in the forecast. I want to enjoy the experience as best I can, so I decline for now, hoping to come back on a nicer day. I leave the centre a bit disappointed.

Hoping to catch a bit of the native culture, I stop at the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation nearby. They have a small museum, a gift shop and a workshop where people are making crafts with very tiny beads. At the museum, I learn about the importance of clans and how people from the same clan would not marry within the clan as they would be considered relatives. Each clan would have their particular strength, for example, members of the clan that had the crane as its spirit animal would become strong leaders. Bear clan would be the healers, since they were specialized in finding the right herbs. I’d love to learn some more.

From there, I decide to go west, to see the Bridal Veil falls, also featured in the Ontario Tourism video. At my first glimpse of the falls, I think it looks like a secret place, hidden far in the woods, where very few people would know about it. It’s actually right next to the highway! The place is absolutely gorgeous! Worth the visit for sure! Some children are bathing in the pool under the magical falls, under their parents supervision. After taking some pictures, I decide to make my way behind the falls. Legend says a native leader hid behind these falls and successfully battled a spirit (“Mnidoo”, a.k.a. Manitou) who then gave him corn and some other food-bearing plants, and this way founded agriculture in the region.

Back on the road, I head further West to Gore Bay (a curious name), remembering another rider mentioned he was visiting. I pass by a sign for the Codmothers, a restaurant in Gore Bay. I had read some good reviews about it, and I’m hoping to taste the local fish.

At the restaurant, I ask if they serve local fish, and, replying in the affirmative, they do offer whitefish. I order their fish and chips dinner, and enjoy their quite tasty meal.

Not too far from the restaurant, I visit the nearby Janet Head Lighthouse, remembering how much I liked visiting a few of the lighthouses in P.E.I. This one, however, was closed when I got there.

Since rain is in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, I decide to tour the rest of the island’s main roads, circling South, and make my way North, off the island, to set up camp before the sun sets. Riding down these roads, I realize that the countryside is very similar to the Eastern part of P.E.I., minus the red highways. Manitoulin Island is the world’s largest freshwater island, and has lakes of its own; It also has Treasure Island, an island in a lake (Mindemoya) in an island (Manitoulin) in a lake (Huron)!

With a pit stop to see the swing bridge at Little Current, I get to my campsite for the night, and possibly for a good part of the day tomorrow, depending on when the rain lets up, satisfied of a wonderful day of riding, discovering Manitoulin Island, now having a better idea how I feel about the place, hoping to come back later to enjoy it some more, and enrich my identity as a Canadian.

Did you know, that in Ontario only, if it is safe to do so, it is not illegal to pass on double yellow lines?

Shucks! I can’t find my sunglasses…

• 

• 

•