Tag Georgian Bay Nature

Southeast Wooded Pine Island

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Southeast Wooded Pine Island is the perfect dinghy day trip for boaters anchored in the vicinity of Go Home, Monument Channel or Indian Harbour. In fact I have even made the trip from Hope Island on a 10’ dinghy with a 15 hp tiller engine but that was on an extremely calm day!

Coordinates: N44 59’ 19”, W80 1’ 7”

A beautiful island with stunning 360 degree views of Georgian Bay, the expansive flat bedrock top is easy to walk while the gently sloping sides provide wind protection for picnics and afternoon naps.

The shore is lined with small coves – many perfect to swim from – and if you stay late enough on a sunny afternoon you will be guaranteed a stunning sunset for the ride home!

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A Taste of the Bay: A 7 Day Cruise Itinerary from Midland

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During my Toronto Boat Show’s “30,000 Islands” seminar, a common question asked by attendees, especially boaters new to the Bay was “where do you recommend we go?” Well, that’s an easy one for me to answer! Georgian Bay’s eastern coast is an absolute treasure trove of destinations filled with fun activities for boaters, regardless the size or type of vessel!

Wide open water for the good days, secluded tree lined anchorages for the bad; all with great swimming, paddling, fishing, and hiking. Add in stunning sunsets, star-filled night skies, sugary sand beaches, delicious local food, amazing history and you will never want to leave! But how/where to combine all of that into a one week cruise?

To make the ‘where to go/what to do’ part easier, here is my “Taste of the Bay” itinerary which is a “short haul” trip but ticks all of the boxes above. This is ideal for boaters new to the Bay who wish to venture out and try some interesting places plus learn a little about Georgian Bay along the way. And all locations are pet friendly so nobody gets left out on this trip!

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Pass Me a Cold One: Early Season Boating on the Bay

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When spring arrives to Georgian Bay my boat planning begins as we like to be launched, provisioned and most importantly out on the boat enjoying the Bay by the first weekend in May, sometimes even earlier if it’s been a warm spring.

Boating early in the season can be one of spectacular beauty and quiet solitude, plus cold air and water create great visibility due to such low rate of evaporation.

Departing Midland April 26, 2026

And sometimes you see things you’d never see later in the season!

Photo above is of an ice island (all ice – the rock is flat, sitting right at water level) situated east of Giants Tomb, April 17, 2026 (courtesy Trevor Sherwood). Below is my photo when I passed by April 26th but from the distance they at first looked like floating ice bergs!

The cold water is the scariest part of early spring boating but we’ve also encountered navigational buoys off station or missing, much more debris in the water from local homes and cottages along shore – once we saw a floating dock! – and sometimes the winter ice lifts a few deadheads off the bottom so captain and crew need to be on the watch! And then don’t forget the dreaded chore of climbing out of bed in the frigid morning to greet the icy toilet seat! 😱

All kidding aside, this is a critical time to ensure you are well prepared and have a good safety plan in the event of an emergency.

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The Falls at Go Home

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The falls at Go Home are a great place to visit by dinghy or small boat, the journey being just as fun as the destination!

Go Home – a beautiful water access cottage community just north of Cognashene – recently celebrated its 125th anniversary. There are a few stories about how this area was named, the more popular being for the loggers who drove the timber down the Musquash river system into the Bay during the 1800’s – once they had delivered their log booms to the local wharf for transport by steamer, their job was complete and they could “go home”.

By the turn of the 20th century that same wharf began to welcome what would become the original “Go Home” cottage settlers, along with supply ships throughout the summer months bringing mail, visitors, and sundries. Today it is still the social hub of the community, hosting many get togethers for the local cottage association members to participate in.

The Waubic approaching Go Home Wharf (photo courtesy Madawaska Club, ca 1915)
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Love the Lichen!

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

Southeast Wooded Pine Island

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. They release an acid that breaks down the rock but over a very long period of time. And when illuminated by the final rays of a Georgian Bay sunset, their glow is spectacular! ❤️

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