Sunday, July 29, 2007

Day 12, July 8, 2007






Day 12, Sunday, July 8, 2007
We set the alarm for the first time on this holiday. We had booked a spot on the Manitoulin to Tobermory Ferry and had to be there an hour ahead of time, so the alarm was set for 6:00 am. We still had a number of miles to cover, about 63 to be exact and I didn’t want to be late for the ferry, so we were on the road by about 7:15 am. We arrived at about 8:50 and so had a few minutes to spare. Willa picked up a coffee and Tegan found an internet cafĂ© and was able to touch bases with her friends and get any messages she had received. The ferry ride is about 1 hour and 45 minutes. We had breakfast on board and for $5.88 it wasn’t too bad, in fact good. Not a bad size ferry holds about 143 vehicles, not too much different from the BC Ferries. The end of the ride is at Tobermory, a very quaint little town, with lots of little shops and boat rides, and diving. There are two national parks here, one in Five Fathoms National Park and the other is Bruce Peninsula National Park. When we got off the ferry we found a Visitors Information Centre to get an idea what there was in the town to see. They are always so friendly and helpful. The young chap there suggested we go to the Five Fathoms National Park Visitors Centre which we did. Well worth the walk through and later we went up the look out tower which was about 4-5 stories and walked up, didn’t like it too much, once you were up there you’d think you would sway a little with people walking around on it. Must tell you, when we were in the visitor centre I did a walk through the displays they had about the park. Well I guess Willa and Tegan couldn’t find me and decided I had gone through the display area, so they paid to go through and of course found me, I hadn’t paid. How I got in without paying is beyond me but I did. (I did go back and pay, just to show you what an honest guy I am). Then we took a boat ride which toured you around the Five Fathoms NP. Very nice ride in a twin jet glass bottom boat. Very large boat with lots of room inside and must hold 100 or so people. Very shallow draft on the boat, about 6 feet, and it could go right over some of the shipwrecks that are in the bays around Tobermory. This is part of the reason for the National Park, it is a diver’s paradise with lots of shipwrecks to dive to. Some of the wrecks date back to the 1700s and maybe a little earlier. The shipwreck we went over is right in town, in fact there were two wrecks and one dated way back into the 1800s. The water is so cold that the wood is preserved, somewhat. All three of us enjoyed the tour. From there we just tootled around town looking in the shops and I went and drooled along the boardwalks looking at all the boats moored in for the night. Some pretty nice boats. I can see if you lived anywhere around the great lakes you would want to have a boat. The scenery, and hundreds of small islands to visit and small protected coves to moor in. The water is so clear and blue. We found a private campsite for the night in Tobermory, and decided to stay there for the night, a little expensive at $40.00 per night. To average out we are going to need some Walmart parking lots for awhile. Tomorrow we hope to visit Bruce Peninsula National Park. Tomorrow, tomorrow what doest thou bringest.

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