Manitoulin Island

My adventure to Manitoulin Island started at 4 am Sunday morning May 30. Having the car packed and ready to go, I hit the highway.
I had decided to drive the long way into Manitoulin which was routed through Sudbury and then Espanola. If I had chosen the ferry service that left Tobermory, I would have had to be there at 6am to catch the 8 o’clock ferry to the island, which means I would have had to leave around midnight and drive all night to be in line for the ferry. It ended up being the same time line if i took the ferry or drove around the way I had decided to go.
What a beautiful drive up north no one on the roads, so peaceful and beautiful. Many spots were breath taking. I use to travel this way a lot, however I haven’t in years and was very surprised how the areas along the way have changed. With the highway to Parry Sound being 4 lanes all the way now makes it an easier drive. As always when driving north the far you get up north the more beautiful it is.
My destination for the first day was Sucker Creek on the North shore of the island, after stops in Sudbury for gas and Espanola for a coffee and something to eat, it was off to the island.
Arriving at the island I went to Tourist Information centre to gather what material on the area i could gather on the island itself. I called Dianne at Endaa-aang campground to let her know I was on the island and would soon be arriving at her campground. Upon arriving there, I was shown my Teepee which would be my accommodation for the next couple of night. I was presently surprise to see there was a bed in the Teepee off the ground and comfortable.
Dianne explains the area of the island and the rich history and culture of her people. After a quick tour and talk she was off and I was excited to start this experience. I went for a walk around the campground and strolled along the shoreline taking in the beauty and peacefulness of paradise.
Time for a nap, it was a very hot and humid day and boy did it get warm inside the Teepee. After the nap take in a couple of the hiking trails and took the time to take some photos.
Time for dinner I was told of a place where you could get fish (perch) and chips, so I decided instead of cooking I treat myself to perch. HMMMMMM GOOD!!!
Back at the campground it was time to get ready for the night, there was a fire band so I wasn’t allowed to have a fire, but after my early start to the day that’s was ok, tired and exhaust I decided to start my mosquito coil and spray the Teepee for bugs.
I was currently reading a book called Voyageurs, about a man from England travel to find his sister who was lost in the wilderness of the new Canada, as I started to read I realized they were talking in the book about the exact area I was spending the night in. The description in the book match what I had seen and taken in early in the day, 200 hundred years later and I was standing in the same spot that the story was about. When darkness came upon the night I decided to use some modern technology and watch a movie on my computer. It didn’t take long before I was fast asleep, comparing myself to the Voyageurs, they too lied down to sleep when at the end of their long day, they were exhausted and worn out I knew the feeling they described in the book.
About 2 am the rain started, I thought to myself I should have paid more attention to how Dianne told me to close up the top of the Teepee when she was giving me directions. Thank god it was a sprinkle of rain and I was able to close the top up as best as I could. The rain stopped and it was fine, later it rained for a bit again but very little rain came into the Teepee. Sleeping in a Teepee is like a tent once the sun rises over the horizon you are awake. I set up my Coleman stove and boil some water for my morning coffee and grab my book and relaxed. So peaceful, so quiet, so breath taking this is a piece of paradise for sure. In the book it described the wilds of Manitoulin Island and I was sitting right there being able to let the book take me back in time. What a great experience this trip had been so far and I was just started.
My interview with Dianne was scheduled for 9am, so instead of just relaxing and reading I better get moving and ready. After a quick shower and changing I put the radio on, and on came the marine forecast for the area, GAIL FORCE WINDS FOR THE NORTH CHANNEL, 2 to 3 foot waves, Thunder and lighting storm starting at noon and going through the night. WHAT!!!! I am an adventurist guy, however my Teepee sat only a few feet from the shoreline right on the North Channel, decision time it was. I decided I could pack up and travel the areas of my other interviews on the island and then start my way home. I also had to make my way to the Ottawa area on Thursday for an interview so I better get packed up before the rain starts.
The interviews were great what an interesting person Dianne is, being a past chief of her band and her son is currently the Chief now. The interview went well lots of information and insight, a person who truly cares about her culture and history and has a plan to bring this campground back to life. Very interesting was she had told me about a German family who had stayed there the week before in one of the cabins, this information back up what we had learn in school and what my other interviews had said the Aboriginal Outdoor Hospitality Industry is a desired market for the Europeans travelers and the German market seek out this vacation destination when traveling in Canada.
I was truly disappointed to be leaving Endaa-ang campground and Dianne, but it was off to interview other campgrounds on the Island and visit other point of interest. After our good bye and an exchange of gifts it was time to go.

M’Chigeeng First Nation was the next stop on the island, about a 20 minute drive from Endaa-aang towards the middle of the island. Dianne had informed me when I got into M’Chigeeng to stop at the souvenir store called Lillian’s and she was the lady who ran the campground there. After arriving and talking with Lillian, the campground had been shut down for the year her husband had passed away over the winter and the campground would not be running this year, very disappointed but Lillian did agree to answer some question for my study and research.
Off I go to the next stop on my route, when i came out of the Souvenir store I noticed my tire was going flat so I asked if anywhere close by had a air pump , I was in luck there was a tire store just up the street, well you talk about small town hospitality , this place was great check the tire put air into reassured me it would be fine for my trip home and then said you are the guy doing research on Aboriginal , I replied yes, he smile and said good luck and no charge. He asked me where I was off to next and I said Providence Bay, he said no matter what go for a walk on the boardwalk when I arrive there, he said it was setup in the same area as historical walking path along the beach that was used by the hunters and fisherman from hundreds of years ago.

Providence Bay is one of those places if you are in the area you need to visit, wide beaches, beautiful clear water as far as your eyes can see. The information booth describes the history of the area from fishing both native and the settlers, to a modern day fish plant that has been in operation for years. This part of the island is a haven for fishing with a wide range of fish available from the shoreline, to the inlets and into the wide open lake a fisherman’s paradise. I have to omit I walked back to my car and got out my fishing pole, just a few cast won’t hurt. There was a bridge going over the river at its mouth the opening to the lake, a local walked past and said great fishing place in spring and summer for trout and salmon, however in summer months mostly small pan fish, he directed me to a place along the beach where you could walkout and cast. Walking along the beach I was taken back to my book, by myself with fishing pole in hand, strolling along without a care in the world not really sure of what was ahead and where I was exploring as I went along. When i reached the area it was just beautiful open water as far as you could see, the sky meant the water and the blue colour of each intertwined what a picture moment too bad my camera was in the car. Within a few cast I caught a good size perch, nature and fish what else could a guy ask for.
After fishing for a bit, I walked the beach back to the boardwalk area and walked throughout the area reading different signs posted throughout and learning about the area. An area rich in fishing history and also a spot for boats to land on the island, History and beauty right in front of me, no wonder they call this Paradise Bay. It was Time to leave Paradise Bay and visit the Sheguianda First Nation and my way off the island before the storm hits.
Although the Sheguianda Nation do not operate a RV park that falls into my study I believe a stop in the area would help connect some dots in my research and be able to follow the path of the tourist when coming to the island for a Aboriginal experience. The Sheguianda Nation is located on breath taking Shequianda bay, an area of the island that has many bays nestled along the shoreline.
Like all Nations on the island the water plays a large role in their daily lives. This Nation also hosts annual Powwows on July 4, 5 weekends with traditional dancing and drumming. This nation has a proud culture with its roots being trace back hundreds of years in the area. The winds and rain picked up a lot when I reached this area so no strolling on the beach here staying dry I was able to read about some of the history of the area. With the weather closing in it was time to hit the road for a long drive home. So goodbye to Manitoulin Island but you can bet I will be back soon.