Wednesday 20 October 2021

Pandemic response - Week 84 - The end of my homeward journey, (Part 2)

The last leg of my journey home encompassed three stops actually - one night in Wawa, where I left off the last post, then back to Sault Ste. Marie for a couple more nights with my Aunt and Uncle again, and then finally a couple of nights in Parry Sound with my friends who have a cottage there.

First off this morning, back to the same lookout I was at last night at sunset, and back to Wally the Goose again.

In 1898 the discovery of a rich vein of ore in the large mountain north of Wawa Lake transformed the Algoma District.  Born in the columns of Wawa’s ancient volcano, this ore body became the basis for 100 years of iron mining in Wawa.

Wawa Lake with a lovely little boardwalk through the town.

Scenic High Falls on the Magpie River



Following the Magpie River, further downstream you come to Silver Falls.







Sandy Beach - one of the places where A.Y. Jackson liked to paint.




Where the Magpie River (on the left) empties into Lake Superior (on the right)

I love the distinct line in the water where the river currents meet the Lake.

Wawa Falls, on nearby Wawa Creek.


Don’t see this in downtown Toronto!

The Michipicoten River


Another stop at Old Woman Bay - it’s just so lovely!

That beaver must have been so disappointed - all that chewing to have the tree get stuck in another tree.

Rustle Lake - with a bit of flooding due to all the recent rain.



Katherine Cove


Pinguisibi is the Ojibwe name for “the river of fine white sand”.  Pinguisibi, or Sand River, is an ancient travel route used by the Ojibwe as they hunted, fished and trapped northwards into the interior.


The trail winds its way up river past three beautiful waterfalls.  I only got to two on this trip…guess I’ll just have to come back.


















A lookout over Lake Superior - the sun is trying to the north/west…but in the other direction it’s pouring rain!  Guess which way I’m driving?

Agawa Bay



Nope, I didn’t drive into the Lake, but there were plenty of times when the road looked like I was going to.





What do you think - can I drive into the rainbow?

Back in Sault Ste. Marie again with my Aunt and Uncle and yes, GOOD food is a part of our visit!  I don’t know why I don’t have a photo, but dinner was a delicious stuffed pork loin with all the trimmings, and then this amazing lemon pie (above) for dessert.  The next day we went to visit friends who live in Batchawana…a homemade salad bar and pizza!  Absolutely delicious!


These next few photos are the home and property in Batchawana.  They built it themselves and live completely off the grid!
Current home

This was the home they lived in while they were building the one they’re currently in.







Pipelines for tapping the trees for maple syrup.

Here’s their sources of power.  The windmill, four large, stationary solar panels and the six smaller solar panels that move to follow the sun.

Getting ready for winter - it takes an enormous amount of wood!




A couple of very unique features on the inside!

And then - the view!





These next three photos are not that wonderful - they’re taken out of the car window as we were driving back to Sault Ste. Marie from Batchawana - but they’re my last views of Lake Superior on this trip.



Continuing on my way home now - this is the Mississagi River, west of the community of Blind River.

And then back to the very north shore of Lake Huron again.

“The Big Nickel” - what Sudbury is known for.  With nine operating mines, two mills, two smelters and a nickel refinery, Sudbury is arguably the hard rock mining capital of the world.  I didn’t spend any time in Sudbury on this trip though - I just popped off the highway far enough for these photos.  The Big Nickel is a replica of a commemorative 12-sided coin which was launched in 1951 to mark the chemical isolation of nickel.  The obverse features King George VI who was the monarch at the time and the front features a stylized nickel refinery with one large smokestack.  Weighing in at nearly 13,000 kilograms and 9 metres in diameter, the Big Nickel is roughly 64,607,747 times the size of its namesake.

Back to just outside Parry Sound again for another visit with my friends here.  I arrived just at sunset…and here comes my ride to pick me up!


Can you find their place hidden in the foliage?

Their outdoor shower … good thing the water is hot, especially at this time of year!

I was treated to another boat ride again today, around their lake and through a little river that joins their lake to an adjacent one.  The river is tricky to negotiate as it’s very shallow with lots of stumps and barely submerged tree trunks etc., but the boat driver was excellent!

In the winter the centre section of this little bridge is put back in place and the bridge becomes part of a very extensive network of snowmobile trails.








Early morning reflections and mist off the lake.


One last photo on my way back to the marina, my car, and the final few hours of my journey home.  It was an excellent trip!

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