Category Conservation

Love the Lichen

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You will see them all over Georgian Bay this summer – covering the most exposed rock in hues of yellow, orange, grey and green – these wonderful organisms are often confused with moss. We all admire the beautiful colours however many don’t realize the critical role lichens play on the Bay!

A unique combination of fungi and algae, lichens form and spread on surfaces, building a foundation for moss, grass, and other plant life to grow under the harshest of conditions.

One of the many amazing features of lichen is they absorb their nutrients from the atmosphere so their presence in an area indicates good air quality, and we could all use a lot more of that! So when you’re out exploring beautiful Georgian Bay this summer, find the lichens and breathe deeply!

A Turtle Tale

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The arrival of spring means just a few more weeks until these beauties emerge from their hibernation habitats and with two things on their mind – to find food and a little “tail”!

Snapping Turtles are the largest freshwater turtle in Canada and noted as “Special Concern” under the Ontario Endangered Species Act. Their biggest threats are from people or environmental factors such as predators invading the nests and habitat loss. During the winter they remain underwater, buried in mud, only too happy to break free once the ice melts and the days begin to get longer.

Minnie of Go Home
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On Thin Ice

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Well this beauty survived the Ontario moose hunting season (LOL!) and is ready for the winter solstice today – the shortest day or longest night of 2021 for us that live in the Northern Hemisphere.

It has been a wonderful year for boating on the Bay, the marinas are full and boat sales are on fire! And as we head towards a cold snowy winter, yes the harbours will freeze, the rocks will ice over, the boats will be replaced by scoots and snowmobiles, but Georgian Bay will continue to deliver some beautiful scenery.

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”She Ain’t Pretty”

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The elusive Pike. I never expected to find myself writing about a Northern Pike – ever – but for some reason, this one has been in my head since I caught her/him last weekend.

A 10 pounder, fresh from the waters of Georgian Bay and let me tell you, it is no easy feat to find and pull one of these lake monsters out of the deep and into your net! Aggressive carnivores they are, the Northern Pike will lie quietly, deep in the weeds, waiting for prey to travel overhead and then attack! If it’s your lure they chomp down on, get ready for a wild ride and hope your line holds! They are fast and agile with razor sharp teeth and should only be handled with gloves and a net.

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A Toast to the Animals of the Bay

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When my parents retired from recreational boating 25 years ago they bought a three season cottage on a Georgian Bay island where they could live from May until October, enjoying the beauty and magic of the Bay.

And in the time I have spent visiting and vacationing there over the years, I have found one of the most amazing things that never fails to disappoint are the resident animals – our “animals of the hood” as I like to call them.

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