Travelling Again

It has been 2 years since we were away for more than a weekend. It was exciting to load up the van and head out. We visited Lori’s mom on Manitoulin Island. It was wonderful to be able to go into her home and give her a hug.

Misery Bay Provincial Park, ON

Philadelphia Vireo

We spent three days on Manitoulin and then traveled up to Lake Superior Provincial Park. The weather was great. Not too cold or warm. The water was warm enough for extended swims and the trails were not too busy.

Lake Superior Waves

Sand River Beach, ON

While in Superior, our friends James and Li dropped by for a cup of tea on their way to Pukaskwa National Park.

I have spent so much time here over the years. I can’t count the number of times we have camped in the park. It never disappoints.

Baldhead River Falls, ON

Baldhead River Falls, ON

It was great to get away and great to get back home.

Dog Days of Summer

Australian Blue Heeler

We are going through yet another heat wave in the city. Lori had dried laundry in the backyard. She must have brought in a Cicada in the laundry basket. We are seeing them everywhere right now. I took this opportunity to take a set of stacked images to increase depth of field. The image below is a composite of 11 images, each with a different focus point. This method works well as long as your subject doesn’t move.

Dog-day Cicada or Heatbug

It has been a turbulent summer for us and for Toronto.

Toronto Nathan Phillips Square

There are times when I feel like I need to just keep my head down and weather the storm. Music is often what I turn to when I need to escape. We went to see Brandi Carlile in June. She was one of the last few performers at Massy Hall before it closed for renovations. I have witnessed many great concerts in my life but this was the best yet and in the best venue in the country. This grand old hall has been a part of my life since I was in grade school. My first visit was to see a quintet made up of members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. I can’t remember what grade I was in but it was around grade 6. With many visits since, I have watched my heroes play their hearts out on this stage: Bruce Cockburn, Stevie Ray Vaughn, BB King and Emmylou Harris. So many great shows. I have really enjoyed Massey Hall.

Massey Hall Toronto ON

Massey Hall Toronto ON

We spent a bit of time in Eastern Ontario and Quebec this summer and visited Gatineau Park for a few days. It is an interesting place. There are many lakes and trails to discover. We hiked into the Carbide Willson Ruins, near Meech Lake. I hope to go back again this fall and photograph this scene in fall colour.

Carbide Willson Ruins, QC

To end off the summer, we spent a bit of time with family in Brockville.

Brockville City Hall, ON

We then headed north to Manitoulin Island via highway 17. It was quite smoky in some areas from all of the forest fires.

Manitoulin Morning

Summer is never complete without a trip to the north shore of Lake Superior. We spent time in Lake Superior Provincial Park and in Pukaskwa National Park.

Bathtub Island, Lake Superior Park ON

Bathtub Island, Lake Superior Park ON

Canoe in Pukaskwa National Park, ON

North Beach Pukaskwa National Park, ON

I hope things settle down for awhile. For us and for Toronto…

The Law of Diminishing Returns

Lori kayaking by an iceberg - Click for larger

I have been coast to coast in Canada many times over the past 20 years. We have travelled in planes, trains, boats and automobiles. We have also travelled in canoes, kayaks and on foot. Some places we have even revisited over the years. Usually the first time is the most exciting. This year, Newfoundland felt like it had lost a bit of its shine. Maybe the bad weather had something to do with my perception. Although I think anyplace would have a difficult time living up to my expectations the second time round if my first visit was spectacular. Our first trip there we kayaked around icebergs and had caribou run past us. We were wide-eyed and smitten.

Caribou Cow and Calf - Click for larger

Ice Floes at La Scie, NL - Click for larger

There are very few places that hold that magic of a first visit. Lake Superior however, has never disappointed me.

Gargantua Rocks - Click for larger

Regardless of the weather, I always enjoy the north shore.

Sandpiper - Click for larger

After braving one of the wettest summers on the east coast in memory, Lori and I loaded up the canoe and headed to Lake Superior Provincial Park. We wanted to enjoy a bit of summer before returning to the daily grind. Waves crashing on the shore was all we could hear. It was so loud, we had to yell to communicate if we were more than 10 feet from each other. It was a little rough for canoeing so we didn’t go far. With little ambition for not much more than reading, swimming, and eating, we somehow filled our day nicely.

Red Sky over Lake Superior - Click for larger

I didn’t pick up the camera much during the week - only if the light was too good to ignore. I did do a little light painting with a big Maglight flashlight. It’s always fun to play and just shoot for the joy of it.

Gargantua Rocks - Click for larger

All in all, it was a great summer! Hope you had a good one too.

Gargantua and Other Dreams

Gargantua Bay Sunset - click for larger

Everyday began the same way. Our tent was at the edge of Gargantua Beach on Lake Superior’s northern shore. Thick clouds had rolled in overnight. It looked like a heavy rainstorm was on its way. At 6 a.m. we would get up to relieve our swollen bladders and go back to bed. By 9 a.m. some of the clouds had started to clear. It looked like it could go either way. I would get out and walk naked to the edge of the water. No need to cover up, our closest neighbours were way down the beach and they didn’t usually get up till 11 a.m. anyway. I would go for a swim and stand naked in the sun to warm myself up. The constant sound of the waves hitting the beach was hypnotizing. Every now and then, there would be a loud bang, like someone dropping a big log on the ground. But it was just the way the water would slap the beach sometimes. I would hear voices too, but there was no one there. Even when there was little wind, the waves continued to roll in, probably from a storm on the south side of the lake. By 10 a.m. the clouds would clear along with our ambition to go anywhere. We would swim and laze in the sun reading. The day would pass at its own pace and we would be in a trance looking at the water, waves, sand and rocks. Dinner and wine, often while sitting on the beach, followed by a swim followed by a game of cards is how we would spend the last bit of light. We would then gather our books and head to bed. The sound of the waves blocked every other sound. Sleep came easy. Deep, undisturbed sleep is such an unusual occurrence for me these days. My dreams were lucid and in Technicolor. It was as if I watched a movie every night - as if I was slipped a mild sedative along with a hallucinogenic substance. What were the men in the New York Subway trying to tell me in sign language? Why was the security guard drunk at 3 am and where was he taking me? Why didn’t the bullets hurt or even make a dent? Dreams. Wonderful Technicolor dreams. I would awaken the next morning to the sound of the waves and repeat the whole thing over again. It was simply intoxicating!

Superior has not revealed herself fully to me yet. Maybe she never will. Still I continue to hear her call.

Michipicoten Bay Panoramic - click for larger

Dawn on Michipicoten Bay - click for larger