Tobermory Ferries

 

Location: Tobermory, Ontario, Canada
Address:  8 Eliza St
Date:  September 2022
Website:  www.ontarioferries.com

  There have been ferries travelling between Tobermory and South Baymouth, Ontario for over 100 years.  Tobermory is at the top of the Bruce Penninsula and sits between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.  If you wish to travel further from here you will have to either take a boat or else head back and go the long way around.  On a trip from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario we travelled south by ferry to Tobermory.

   The ferry service started in the 1920s with the SS Hibou.  Later came the MS Normac which could hold up to 16 cars.  There were a couple of other ships before the SS Norisle came along in 1946.  You can still find the Norisle docked at Burns Wharf in Manitowaning on Manitoulin Island.

     The Norisle was capable of holding up to 46 cars as it made its journey from Manitoulin Island to Tobermory and back again.  In 1958 the Normac returned to help share the work load. When the Normac retired, the MS Norgoma joined the Norisle in making the 46 km voyage.

     In 1974 the Chi-Cheemaun arrived and replaced both the Norisle and the Norgoma.  The Chi-Cheemaun can hold 143 vehicles and over 600 passengers and it is still running to this day. 

 

   The Chi-Cheemaun can also hold large transport trucks like the truck full of livestock in the photo above.  You can get an idea of the size of the Chi-Cheemaun as it prepares to dock.

  Like the Norisle and Norgoma that came before it, the Chi-Cheemaun was built in Collingwood, Ontario.

     The beautiful indigenous art, like the turtle pictured above, gives the Chi-Cheemaun a bright colourful look. 

    The sides of the ship also feature birds and fish. 

    In South Baymouth we entered the ship through the stern.  We first had to wait for the vehicles that had arrived from Tobermory to leave from the same opening at the back of the ship.

    Upon arrival in Tobermory, the bow of the ship flips up to allow the vehicles to exit and a new group to enter.  If you see the Chi-Cheemaun in the harbour with its front flipped up you have not yet missed your ferry, but you better hurry.

    It was a beautiful, clear day when our ferry left South Baymouth to head south to Tobermory.

 

    The Ontario flag at the front of the ship blew in the breeze as we started our one hour and 45 minute journey.

    The Chi-Cheemaun passses by the famous Flowerpot Island.  The flowerpot formations made from the rocks are shown in the mural above. Unfortunately as the Chi-Cheemaun passes, these rocks are on the other side of the island.

    The ferry does pass Cove Island and you can get a good view of its lighthouse.

    At some points during the journey you can see nothing but water as you look from the deck of the Chi-Cheemaun.

 

   Before we knew it, the time came for us to head back down to our vehicles and get ready to drive through the Chi-Cheemaun and out into the town of Tobermory.  Just like the artwork that graces the sides of the ship, a voyage on the Chi-Cheemaun will brighten your day.

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Map of Our World
Chi-Cheemaun Ferry
SS Norisle

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Post # 317

A Weekend In Paris

 Location: Paris, Ontario, Canada
Address: 106 Grand River St N.
Date: March 2022
Website: www.brant.ca

    Even though travelling is a little harder these days, we still managed to get away for a weekend in Paris. Paris, Ontario that is. Paris was not named after the city in France, but named for the nearby deposits of gypsum which were used to make plaster of Paris.  Paris has often been referred to as the prettiest little town in Canada. The restaurants and other businesses on the main street look out over the Grand River. We visited on a cold weekend in the off season and still found a lot to keep us entertained.

    Paris, Ontario is only about an hour and a half drive from Toronto.  As we approached the town even the street signs wanted to remind us that we were not really that far away.

      We stayed in the Arlington Hotel which was built in the 1850s and is now a boutique hotel with themed rooms.  The hotel stands tall and proud at the corner of William Street and Grand River Street.

   Each room of the Arlington is themed for a different artist.  We stayed in the most Parisian room of them all, the da Vinci suite.  Why not have the Mona Lisa hanging directly over your bed?

    The elevator of the hotel was decorated like a TARDIS time machine from the Doctor Who television shows.  TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space.

    The Grand River that flows past Paris is almost 290 kilometres long and ends its journey at Lake Erie.

   Despite the cold, we decided to walk from town and check out Penman's Dam.  We could feel the warmth of Paris calling us back.

  Penman's Dam was created to run one of the mills for Penmans Limited Clothing Company.

   The area around the dam is a launching point for some of the canoe and kayak groups in the town.

    As we were leaving the dam, it started to snow. Snow in Paris, France is a rare occurrence, but in Paris, Ontario it is quite common.

  The only other travellers we saw near the dam were a pair of dogs all by themselves.  We headed back to the warmth of our hotel.

  We ventured out again to explore the town.  At the north end of town is a mural showing Hiram Capron.  Hiram was the founder of Paris and lived and died in the town he helped incorporate in 1849.

   At the south end of town is a clock and a war memorial.  "Lest We Forget" the men and women of Paris who were lost during war. 

  Paris is also known for its use of cobblestone in the construction of many buildings around the town.  Cobblestone Common is the name of a park located beside the river.

  Charles Mitchell house is a good example of cobblestone used in construction.  If you look closely you can see all the little stones mixed into the front wall.

  A local pub is even called The Cobblestone in honour of all the stones used in town.  We'll drink to that!

  The rest of town has some interesting places to visit and more interesting architecture.  You can also tell stories of your trip and dream of being in Paris, France.  "I read the most interesting book in a library in Paris".

    There are many different churches to see in Paris.  Nothing quite compares to Notre Dame Cathedral.

  The Paris Jewellers had an Eiffel Tower in their window to further make you feel like you are in a different Paris.

  Frog legs have long been a delicacy in Paris, France.  Chocolate Sensations offered many sweet treats including chocolate frogs.  They are just solid milk chocolate in case you were wondering.

  Just as we started to feel as if we were somewhere in Europe, we spotted a Canadian hardware chain.  The local Paris Home Hardware reminded us where we were.  Not a bad place to be.  We enjoyed great food, interesting architecture, a quirky hotel and more.  We were told we need to come back in the summertime when the city is filled with flowers and at the peak of its beauty. 

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Map of Our World
Paris, Ontario

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Post # 310

Little India

 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: 1432 Gerrard Street East
Date: Feb 2022

    Little India is the name given to a stretch of Gerrard Street East between Greenwood and Coxwell avenues.  It is named after the many Indian restaurants and businesses in the area.  We took some time to take a walk through this part of Toronto.

   We started our journey just south of Gerrard Street East on Greenwood Ave.  The people on the back of this building were also headed north.

      The next building paid homage to the clay brickyards that used to reside in the area.  The mural shows children playing in the streets and the signs above list some of the brickyards.  Some of the brickyards are John Price, Taylor, Wagstaff, Russell and more.  The building also used to hold the Brickyard Bistro.

   The brickyards used to operate further north on Greenwood Avenue.  Once all the clay in the area was used, the yards became a city dump and finally became the property of the Toronto Transit Commision for adding trains to the Bloor Danforth subway line.

    We visited the Greenwood Rail Yard during one of Toronto's Doors Open days.  As part of the event we were given a free subway ride around the yard.

    We headed along Gerrard Street and finally encountered our first bit of India.  At Glenside Avenue we were greeted by a giant peacock painted on the wall.

   As with most of Toronto, no area is all just one culture or style.  Right across from the peacock is a little bit of Greece at the Athens Villa apartments.

  One thing that we noticed a lot during our walk was elephants.  There were elephants up on the rooftops.

   If you knew where to look.

    There were elephants on the fence outside of the local library branch.

  There were also dancers, tigers and the Taj Mahal.

   Here are a few more works of art we noticed on our walk on Rhodes Avenue.  There was a group of cats waiting to pounce on a bird.  There was also a spray painted koala and Uncle Pennybags, better known to some as Mr. Monopoly.  Lastly, as we made it to Coxwell Avenue we came across Super Dave Convenience which always reminds us of the late, great Super Dave Osbourne. 

  These are only a few of the treasures hidden in Little India, we will have to return again when we can explore further.

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Map of Our World
Brickyards Mural , Peacock Mural, Little India Elephants, Toronto Public Library - Gerrard/Ashdale Branch, 1465 Koala, Swizzle Cats, Utility Box (Uncle Pennybags), Flower In A Jar
Athens Villa, Super Dave Convenience
TTC Greenwood Yard

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Post # 309