So glad to resume our Canadian adventure. Driving north was slow due to road construction but not because of traffic.
Started to get excited when I saw Big Mac!
Traveling solo makes it impossible to take good photos along the way unless you can stop. It was glorious on the bridge, but you’re gonna have to take my word for it.
Off to the left was the lovely St. Helena Island and to the right, of course, Mackinac Island, and others in the Straits of Mackinac like Bois Blanc.
Crossing into Canada was simple. Unfortunately, no Nexus line so it did take longer than usual.
I did take a marginal photo in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, along a hotel shoreline road.
Then we just had to drive along the Trans-Canada Highway about half an hour then over the Chippewa River. The turn off to the red cottage came quickly and is down a long two-track. The cottage sits right on Lake Superior where the Chippewa River empties into Batchawana Bay. Glorious!
I’ll go into the story of how I ended up here in another post. But for now I could not believe it when, unlike Henry, Isla went right in the water! Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough to get her wading, but here she is along this beautiful area.
And I’ll end this post today with a view along the 1600 feet of shoreline that comes with this cottage. Looking forward to settling in for a week in this beautiful cottage and area.
Deeply disappointed that I felt to need to return home on Friday. I ended up staying three nights in Parry Sound instead of one hoping my G.I. upset would finish. It did not so I rested and did go back to the Bay once and then we headed home Friday morning by eight.
Here are a few images before we left. Isla has never slept on my bed, but she was right at home immediately jumping on the hotel bed! At first I was alarmed, but she was great, no sign of spoiling, and we did pay a pet fee.
This is the best map of the Great Lakes
Was surprised at how many EV charging stations they provided. It is part of Best Western so maybe that has something to do with it? Seems like Tesla has something to do with it, also.
The hotel had a special message for guests to not litter in order to protect the animals. They had to take the litter boxes away.
This is where we unexpectedly spent two nights. Nice location, close to the water and in town.
Was surprised to see the sign when we arrived. It’s almost like we are in the middle of this town, and there are bears? Did not see one though.
Isla really did enjoy her new Kitty. She always checks out new toys very carefully and she loves ones with little ears, which is why I picked this one out for her. She approved.
Isla was an angel on this trip. She had so much fun and made so many new friends and was game for everything. She also was quiet in the hotel room when I would go get breakfast and a great car traveler. Could not have a better companion on the road or in life.
Yet we’re both happy to be back home, settling in, and she is pooped!
Sorry to disappoint with our aborted adventure. I’ll see what other information about the areas I was planning to travel to that I can share. I, of course, did a lot of research and I’ve been to Manitoulin Island and Batchawana Bay before so have photos.
The weather was glorious and drove the short distance to the Island Queen dock. They did have a three-hour cruise that day out to many islands, but I could only go with Isla if she was in one of those plastic crates. She said “no.”
Across the way was this Canadian treasure.
Ontario has close 100,000 moose
Large coveted gravel pile also across the water on the shoreline.
Love the words on the Island Queen.
Isla said hello and got lots of cuddles as we walked to the end of the pier. While she tries to say hello to everyone, even whining annoyingly, I wait until someone says “can I pet your dog?” Of course! I don’t photograph them out of privacy concerns.
We walked to the end and back several times as my GI issue became a thing.
There’s a large restaurant and a nice coffee shop with lots of outdoor seating–including the red chairs–and fun signs.
I actually saw no trash anywhere on the pier or the parking lot. Nice. Signs like this I think can make a difference. At least in Canada.
I love marinas anywhere I find them. And his freshly enjoy seeing what people name their boats. I used to know this style of boat and I did like the name Marabel.
Made even better with the Mini-Bel on top!
Stopped to video the lapping of the waves on the IslandQueen, bring such happiness having grown up plying Lake St. Clair in my dad’s wooden boat, Eclipse.
Isla and I got back in the car intent on finding a bookstore and lunch. And boy did we find a bookstore! A used bookstore called Bearly Used with so many books and aisles it was absolutely overwhelming. Fortunately, I was just looking for children’s books for the three children who have moved next-door to me (don’t ask). I had asked their mom their interests and was went to the very back of the store for the children’s books section.  I think I found one each child would like, they are five, four, and three. I also got an extra one on animals for the parents to read to them.
I convert to Canadian cash especially for small businesses. The owner not only noticed but thanked me. I told her I do this on purpose.
Around the corner, I bought some haddock fish and chips from a shop called Seguin. We had long discussion about our dogs. I left Isla in the car, but of course I got out a photo. She has a tiny Yorky called Minnie and a couple of Chihuahuas, one called Mouse.
I drove back down to the Sound and walked away to the end of the pier and had some of my fish and chips in the shade.
Unfortunately my G.I. issue was getting more pronounced so I didn’t eat very much, stopped in bathroom (TMI?), and we went back to the car.
Plan was to head to Killarney Provincial Park, but just a few minutes on the road and I turned back for Imodium and called and then checked into a hotel that was pet friendly and had a first floor room.
Just what I needed. And this morning I added on another night here to give myself a full day of rest so skipping Killarney and going right to Manitoulin Island tomorrow, assuming my GI issue resolves.
Gorgeous boulders line the back of the hotel, I think they may be part of the Niagara Escarpment.
isla’s new Kitty is pointing to Perry sound. You can probably figure out where Ann Arbor is a relation as I wrote about this plan, I never planned to go this far in one day.
And here is me trying to illustrate how far Parry Sound is from Ann Arbor. The paw of Isla’s new kitty points to Parry Sound  and I think you can see approximately where Ann Arbor is. As I wrote yesterday, going to Perry sound was my plan C.
And here’s me trying to illustrate how far Parry sound is from Ann Arbor.
Isla has been an angel throughout. She loves car trouble, and meeting new people and going new places, everything is thrilling to her.
Even though she happily sleeps in a crate at home, she immediately jumped on the bed as if she did it every night! and I let her.
Let’s see if there are any more adventures today and hopefully tomorrow it will be from Manitoulin Island. I’ll be staying in Providence Bay and the drive is about four hours.
I did post this to instagram and Facebook trying to capture the scale of these huge boulders with Isla in front. Doesn’t really do it.
Long drive made worse by not leaving until 10:30 am. Arrived in Parry Sound at 7pm.
Couldn’t resist taking a photo from car when we arrived in Parry Sound even though awful quality. Can you even read the sign?
Plan A was Parry Sound was to be day two after spending one night in Port Severn. But that got Airbnb got cancelled so Plan B was a first night camping in Craigleith Provincial Park right on the Georgian Bay. I love that area and had plans to walk the Bay, visit the bookstore, and take out a few meals from restaurants I enjoy. Downside of traveling with Isla is I don’t like to leave her to go out to eat. Take out works.
But on Sunday I decided spending my birthday scurrying around getting ready was a bad idea so I canceled Craigleith and went to Plan C: driving all the way to Parry Sound. It’s all farmland and barely moving wind turbines and huge silos and turns every 10 to 20 miles to another road. Ontario has many homes and churches built with a yellow – beige brick. They do not have rest areas nor roadside parks and it’s difficult to find a gas station. But we did just fine!
However, this morning Isla was content not to go anywhere.
Do I have to?
She was adorable.
Freshly groomed with a yellow bow on her collar. Linda always picks one out ahead of time and says it’s the best part.
Isla was so good on the drive other than quietly staring at me much of the time. I think she was asking, “Are we there yet?”
So good to arrive at Crabtree House Airbnb.
Inside though it was Isla’s worst nightmare! She’s not afraid of very much, but she’s terrified of grates in streets and now she found one right here! She was not going to touch that her food anywhere near that scary thing.
We both had dinner, though, and I gave her a new stuffed animal, a kitty with those little ears she loves.
Getting acquainted with her new Kitty.
Tomorrow we will be able to get to the Georgian Bay and explore this area that is part of the Georgian Bay Literal. More on that later.
Okay, I was shocked in my most “recent” post when it was 2021 and now it is 2024! Huh?
Will not backtrack, but moving forward as I pack up to circle the Canadian side of Lake Huron/Georgian Bay with visits to Manitoulin and Sugar islands. Then I spend a week on eastern shore of Lake Superior’s glorious Batchawana Bay. Will be on the road September 2 through 17th.
This time circling with my sweet young Isla after I had to say goodbye to dearest Henry early in the pandemic. She’s a charmer and you will get lots of Isla time on this trip.
September 2, 2024: Several blog fixes to address soon.
Meet Isla Joy sunning on the car seat next to me. She’ll turn three on this trip. She loves car travel as do I.
Circling the Lakes 