Cave of the spirit aka Manitoulin

There was no sleeping in today. We are off to the next part of the Georgian Bay adventure but it involved getting up early. To catch the 8:50am Chi-Cheemaun ($71.30 including taxes), you have to check in at 7:50am. We got the cars packed up and made the three minute trip to the ferry terminal.

After parking the cars on one of the lower levels of the ferry, we headed upstairs. With the ferry running at 50% capacity, it was easy for us to find a table for four. We made sure to be near the exits since we wanted to go outside to take pictures.

Tight squeeze

Ready to go

It was about a two hour ferry ride which went by fast. Because it was overcast and windy, the first part of the trip was a bit rough but it did eventually smooth out. As soon as the announcement was made that we were approaching Manitoulin Island, everyone scattered back to their cars.

Heading out

Not a nice day

A bit windy

Lighthouse

Manitoulin Island is the largest fresh water island in the world with over one hundred inland lakes. Because we only had the day here, we decided to just drive through the island. We did stop at a trading post in Ten Mile Point and for lunch in Espanola at 3 Cows and a Cone.

Trading Post

Scenery near Ten Mile Point
Caption not required

We crossed back to the mainland using the Little Current Swing Bridge which is the only other way onto the island besides the ferry. Since we were so close, we made a quick detour to Sudbury to check out the Big Nickel.

That’s a lot of change

You can see how big this nickel is

The Big Nickel is 64,607,747 times the size of an actual nickel

From Sudbury, it was about a one and a half hour drive to our destination which was Pointe au Baril and the Pleasant Cove Resort. We rented a three bedroom deluxe waterfront cottage for the next couple of days. The resort primarily caters to fisherman so I expect that there will be some fishing happening tomorrow.

French River

Pointe au Baril is a very small town .. so small that there was nothing open when it was time for dinner and this was 5:30pm. Therefore we headed half an hour south to Parry Sound to Trapper’s Choice Restaurant. Afterwards, we went over to the No Frill’s to pick up a few provisions. When we got back to the cottage, we spent the rest of the evening relaxing by the roaring fire.

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