ontario Archives - the spotted tail

Between Presqu’ile and Ottawa- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, between Presqu’ile and Ottawa. Most of this post is photos with captions!

We had warm weather when we first got into Canada. The past few mornings have been in the low 50s (Fahrenheit), and the leaves on a few maple trees are beginning to change color.

After the drive from Hell through Toronto, we camped at Presqu’ile Provincial Park, on a peninsula into Lake Ontario.

Lake Ontario shoreline.

A family enjoys the lake.

A twelve-spotted skimmer in the marsh.

A leopard frog in the same marsh.

After leaving Presqu’ile, we traveled east to Cornwall to visit Dr. Mary Ann Perron, a research scientist at the River Institute. This extraordinary young woman went from “bush brat” (her term, not mine), running around barefoot and working in her father’s bait shop in northern Quebec, to Ph.D. in aquatic ecology. She wears shoes now 🙂 and is an expert in dragonfly identification.

Leaving Cornwall, we drove to Charleston Lake Provincial Park, an outstanding place!

Off the highway, you drive through pastoral scenery like this.

We took a ferry at Glenora.

In town, a house with an unusual paint job.

Common loon on Lake Charleston.

Common kayaker on Lake Charleston.

This large lake was very productive, with sunfish, bass, walleyes, lake trout, and more.

I believe this is a Canadian Darner, in the reeds by the lakeshore.

At a geological unconformity while on a hike in the park.

The remains of a sandstone cylinder, on the same hike.

A shoreline cedar tree clings to existence.

Our next stop was Ottawa, now one of my favorite cities. What a place! And we’re only on our second day here.

Susan and the big sign.

Clever sign at a pub. We didn’t go in!

At the National Gallery.

Inside the National Gallery. What I love about artists is that they see art in the most mundane objects!

In Major’s Hill Park. We all need more of this.

In Major’s Hill Park.

In front of the Ottawa College of Art.

Notre Dame Basilica interior.

Notre Dame Basilica interior. Rather plush, methinks.

That’s the Between Presqu’ile and Ottawa post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

The Canadian Canoe Museum- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post on the Canadian Canoe Museum. Located in Peterborough, Ontario, this facility has handmade vessels from all over North America. Before Europeans, before automobiles, canoes are how folks got around. I kept thinking how Tom Mitzlaff would have loved the place. I certainly did, welling with emotion repeatedly.

Canoe Museum entrance.

Paddle rack. You see this just inside the entrance, a compilation of paddle designs.

The birchbark canoe, a classic craft. A few folks still make these.

Inuit kayak, covered with sealskins, complete with hunting gear.

This is a sailing, whaling canoe, used by natives of the Pacific northwest, used for hunting gray whales. It’s an enormous dugout, made from a single log.

A piece of art- a drum made from a canoe. I foolishly failed to record the artist’s name.

A decorated birchbark canoe made by William and Mary Commanda.

Detail of the Commanda canoe.

Part of a plaque about William Commanda.

Instructions for building a birch bark canoe.

Mock-up of birch bark canoe construction.

Men used to be tougher. Blackflies have nearly driven me insane.

Rick Schuett, who hand-builds beautiful custom canoe paddles, works on one in the demonstration area of the museum. You can learn how to build paddles or canoes here.