Journey to Turtle Island

Each year the City of Brantford, Brant County, and Six Nations jointly present the Shining Star Tourism Awards.  Awards are handed out in several categories including Best Aboriginal Experience.  This year the Aboriginal Experience award went to Grand Experiences Canoe & Kayak Outfitters in Paris, Ontario, for their Journey to Turtle Island canoe trip.

 

A couple of years ago I took this trip as part of our Outdoor Writers of Canada conference and I can say first hand that the experience was exceptional.  Now I have paddled and fished the Grand extensively over the years and originally thought of this trip as simply a nice diversion at the end of our conference; I couldn’t have been more wrong.  Right from the time we met the professional, experienced guides from Grand Experiences I knew this trip would be something special.

Aside from the outstanding qualifications and experience of our guide – something you should look for and expect with any outfitter – I was impressed with his level of knowledge about the flora, fauna, and history of the region.  

This is a fantastic trip for inexperienced and seasoned paddlers alike because the 12 person “War Canoe” offers great stability and a chance to take a break to enjoy the scenery if you get tired along the 12 km route.  You paddle downstream through one of the last stands of Carolinian forest in Canada and have the illusion of being on a wilderness journey.  For much of the trip you will be paddling through the Grand River Exceptional Waters area, a unique fisheries and watershed management area managed by the Grand River Conservation Authority.

The highlight of our trip came as we gently nudged the canoe up to the shore of Turtle Island in the middle of the Grand River immediately across from Brant Conservation Area – just on the outskirts of the City of Brantford.  There we were greeted by a husband and wife team dressed in traditional First Nations attire from the Six Nations First Nation.  They led us quietly along a trail to a secluded natural amphitheater at the far end of the island where we were regaled with traditional First Nation stories, history, and dances.  There was a great deal of visitor participation and plenty of opportunities for photos and to ask questions.  At the end of our visit to Turtle Island we paddled back across the river to Brant Conservation area where we piled into the vans for the short journey back to Paris. 

Whether you’re visiting the region for the first time or are a long-time resident, this trip is a unique experience that you simply can’t miss.  Once again, congratulations to Grand Experiences for winning the Shining Star Tourism Award for Best Aboriginal Experience.  Take a minute and check out everything that the City of Brantford, Brant County, and Six Nations has to offer in the Discovery Guide.

©2011 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

Fergus Lions Club Receives Conservation Award

Ten years ago — on Sept. 1, 2001 — the Fergus Lions Club started creating a special place of remembrance on the banks of the Grand River.  It is a place where 350 trees of many species are now planted as a tribute to the lives and memories of special people. There are also 15 memorial benches.

The Fergus Lions Club is one of five recipients of a 2011 Grand River Watershed Award for creating the Grand River Arboretum and was honoured at an awards presentation on Sept. 15 in Cambridge.

“What was once a little used piece of land has been sensitively transformed into a pleasant, tranquil area,” said Trevor Ashbee, the horticulturalist for Centre Wellington. He drew up a list of 50 tree species and donors could select from the list.

Don Doyle came up with the idea and Joe Brooks became the driving force to get it going. Work crews turned up on Saturday mornings to plant and maintain the area.

About 150 people attended the official opening held 10 years ago this month (September 2001). The entrance is on the south side of Colquhourn Street between Beatty Line South and Johnson Street  at the south end of Beatty Line, just past Calquhoun, west of downtown Fergus. There is a wall of plaques of the many individuals and groups who have made contributions.

The Grand River Arboretum was a project of the Fergus Lions Club who held many Saturday morning work days to plant and landscape the property. “It really brought the club together. Every time we did something there was all kinds of stuff to eat and drink,” said Doyle.

Towards the centre of the park is the Lion’s Tree — a big old tree that stands strong and tall among those that have been planted over the past 10 years. “The beauty and quietness of this spot so close to the hustle and bustle of the town is a comfort and a refuge for family members who have planted trees in remembrance of loved ones,” says resident Roberta Vliestra of Fergus.

The land once belonged to the Grand River Conservation Authority, but is now owned by Centre Wellington Township, while Lion’s Club members look after the maintenance.

Now the project is complete and no new trees will be planted.  The Grand Valley Trail is next to the arboretum and the trail leads down the hill and along the Canadian Heritage Grand River.

By Janet Baine, GRCA Communications Specialist

Congratulations from Southern Ontario Outdoors to the dedicated volunteers from the Fergus Lions Club that are preserving our great outdoors heritage for future generations.  For more information about great outdoor activities in Fergus and Elora visit the Elora/Fergus website.

Muskosung Lake Adventure

I know it’s not quite Southern Ontario but as the crow flies we’re only about an hour further north, so I hope you’ll forgive this latitudinal deviation.

It’s time once again to trade in the internet, telephone, and TV for the sound of waves lapping against the shore, wind in the pines, and loons calling on the lake.  But, this year there is a difference; we brought our 9 year old granddaughter along for the week.  It’s been quite a number of years since we spent a whole week with someone that age and really didn’t know what to expect.  I do seem to recall from years of venturing into the wilds with our two boys that there was one simple rule to follow; if the kids are happy the parents – or in this case grandparents – are happy.  

So just what do you do with a 9 year old girl?  Well, as it turns out, you do pretty much the same things as you would do with a 9 year old boy.  You fish, you swim, you let them have their own space; you stroll, hike, talk about nature, answer a continuous barrage of questions and simply enjoy the moment.

The Drive

I tend to be very destination driven when I hit the road; I don’t sightsee and I never make a long drive longer than necessary.  To me sightseeing is something you do after you arrive at your destination and before that you only stop when you need gas, or when someone starts to do the “pee pee” dance. 

My wife usually tolerates this fixation, however, kids don’t seem to share this “damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead” mentality so we compromised.  I got my way in terms of our departure time (5:30 a.m.) and we planned a couple of stops along the way for a snack and stretch of the legs, including a short hike along the trail at the top of Airport Hill in North Bay.  Why so early you might ask?  Well I’m no novice when it comes to travelling north and anything you can do to get a jump on the mass migration north from Toronto is a good thing.

The Cottage

Our dwelling for the week was a cabin at Camp Horizon about a 20 min. drive north of Sturgeon Falls.  The cabin was a bit on the small side but everything was functional and Becca had her own bedroom with triple bunks which posed quite a dilemma for the young lady; which bunk to sleep on?  Of course to a 9 year old, higher is better, but we finally agreed that she could have the middle bunk and our English Springer Spaniel Casey, who insisted on sharing the room with her, was relegated to the floor.  Even though the bedroom doors were left open, the first night taught us to bring a nightlight along.  It seems that waking up in the dark and not knowing where you are can be a bit intimidating for kids.  Personally I was just thankful to let my head hit the pillow, but there was definitely a light there the next night.

The one really great thing about this particular cottage is that we had our own private sand beach right in front of the cottage.  This proved to be the major attraction of the week for both Becca and Casey.  There were a few spats about who owned which castle or hole in the sand – Casey proved to be the more determined of the two – but luckily he found greater pleasure in chasing frogs in the nearby weed bed.

After lunch grandma and Becca usually headed for the main beach where there was a raft, a water slide, and new friends to meet.  As for me, I took this opportunity to keep the rum from going bad and to bury myself in a good book.

Fishing

Next to playing on the beach our nightly fishing excursion seemed to be the most popular event of the day.  Supper and dishes finished we’d grab our rods, tackle life jackets and head for the boat.  

The first evening all 4 of us set off to walleye hole on the far side of the lake.  Now it’s been a number of years since I’ve taken Casey fishing in a small boat and had forgotten one small, but very important detail.  He is a trained hunting dog that flushes and retrieves birds and just loves to hit the water to fetch anything that is thrown.  Guess what a lure looks like to a dog that wants to retrieve?  Well I managed to keep him in the boat but it wasn’t the most relaxing start to our fishing endeavors.  After that, grandma opted to spend some R&R time with Casey on shore while me and Becca headed out for our nightly adventure on the lake.

Lake Muskosung is only about 3 sq. miles and boasts a wide variety of game fish, so even though I wouldn’t call the fishing spectacular there was plenty of action to keep us both happy.  Becca even won a prize in the kids fishing derby for the biggest smallmouth bass.

Rainy Days and Other Diversions

As with most of Southern Ontario rain was not a big issue this year.  It only rained one day and because we were within a reasonable proximity of Sudbury grandma and Becca headed off to Science North.  If you haven’t had a chance to visit this great northern attraction you simply must make time to visit.  I got to spend the day cleaning up my hard drive and starting to write this blog, however a bit of solitude for the day was welcome. 

Geocaching is another fun adventure for kids of all ages.  This high tech game of hide and seek will take you to beautiful places that you won’t find any other way.  I typically download coordinates for several caches in an area before we leave home and print off the corresponding maps and information.  On this trip we followed an ATV trail into the bush for about a kilometer and then, after a bit of searching, found the cache hidden along a rock cliff overlooking a typical Northern Ontario moose marsh.  We didn’t see any moose but did hear some loud snapping of branches below us.  This is also prime bear habitat so we didn’t linger to find out what it was.  

I hope you enjoy this short sample of our 2011 Lake Muskosung adventure and remember to get out and enjoy everything that our great Ontario outdoors has to offer.  If you’re taking the kids remember to be flexible and everyone will be happy.

©2011 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

Grand River Country iPhone – iPad App

Designated as a Canadian Heritage River in 1994, the Grand River in Southern Ontario is managed by the Grand River Conservation Authority and sustains a population of over 900,000 people. It is also one of the major destinations in Southern Ontario for outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, hunting camping, and canoeing.

This year several communities along the Grand River, including Elora, Fergus, and Brantford, have combined their resources and developed a fantastic application for iPhone and iPad users. This application gives visitors instant access to a wealth of local information specific to their current location along the Grand, or allows users to plan ahead as they journey through this vibrant well managed waterway. This year it's easier than ever to find food, lodging, and places of interest throughout the Grand River watershed.

Congratulations to Grand River Country for providing this useful tool that will be well used by visitors and residents alike. I'm sure it will lead us to many hidden gems that are waiting to be discovered. Hopefully BlackBerry and Android versions aren't far off.

©2011 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

Brantford – A Treasure Trove of Outdoor Activities

When we think of outdoor activities like hiking, camping, fishing, paddling, and cycling our minds usually tend to wander to remote vistas and wilderness solitude. You know the old saying, "Perception is reality!" Well, the reality is that you often don't have to go very far to find the perception of wilderness solitude. In fact the City of Brantford is one such hidden Southern Ontario gem.

I always thought of Brantford as the home of Alexander Graham Bell, Joseph Brant, and of course Wayne Gretzky, but I was thrilled to discover another side to Brantford. Nestled along the banks of the Grand River Brantford is a treasure trove of activity for outdoor enthusiasts. Some of the highlights include: the Grand Valley Trail, Brant Conservation Area, and the Grand River Exceptional Waters Region. Fishing in this area is second to none with an abundance of species from small mouth bass, pike, and channel cats, to walleye and rainbow trout. There are many access points and the river can be fished from shore in many locations, or wade and cast the shallows. If you're looking for something a bit more leisurely you can drift the lazy current in a canoe or kayak.

Whether you hike, fish, or paddle, the perception of wilderness solitude is very real, especially on and around the Exceptional Waters region that runs from Brantford to Paris. Even though you are surrounded by everything from towns and cities to farmland and major highways, you'll likely never know it. All you will experience is that tranquil feeling that only comes from a wilderness experience, but with all the advantages of being close to a major urban area.

Depending on your interests and pocket book, accommodations range from 4 star hotels to B&Bs to tranquil campsites along the Grand River, and local attractions are abundant and varied. If you're feeling lucky why not head to the OLG Casino, or take a side trip to the Canadian Military Heritage Museum, Chiefswood National Historic Site, Bell Homestead National Historic Site, the Woodland Cultural Centre, or take in a show at the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts.

Be sure to put the City of Brantford on your list of must visit places in Southern Ontario.

©2010 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions