Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Canada Day 4 - The Lodge & Not Much More Else

Not as many pictures today.  I think that might be a common thread until the final day with the dinner cruise.  Much more on that later.

Tuesday morning (I think...  lol) and my view out the bedroom window after icing my back, which was a bit stiff this morning.  Gotta keep that thing happy and as flexible as possible.

My bed on the bottom of the photo with the ice pack that I just spent some special time with.

Some water lilies right out in front of my favorite spot.

My favorite spot.  Just chilling, watching the sun starting to set and enjoying some Canadian beers.

And look who's coming back in from fishing!


I'm horrible...  I can't remember her name.  She is one of the two daughters of the family who owns Bay Villa Lodge.  Serena or Selena, spelling is likely kinda close...  She's a very open lesbian and I couldn't care less, but her and I bonded over music and craft beer. She's holding a can of brewery called Collective Arts Brewing out of Hamilton Ontario, Canada.


I think this is Val.  Pretty cool and a pretty quiet lady, but I liked her shirt, "Weekend Hooker", with a fish and fishing pole on it.  That's one of her two dogs behind her.

So this was the point where the boys got back from fishing, Selena & her sister Holly came out, Val and her husband came out and suddenly the entire camp had moved picnic tables to my area and thus became the first of two nights that I don't recall the end of...

Monday, July 13, 2026

Furry Cuteness!

 

I am required to go into the office 3 days a week.  Steven doesn't like that (nor do I).  Steve is the big roasted marshmallow guy and Josey likes to lay on top of him.

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Canada Day 3 - At The Lodge, Little Current & Some Fishing

 

That microwave was a worthy opponent!  I think it was the 4th day by the time I got it figured out!

Good morning!  The boys left to go out fishing at 5am.

We drove down into Little Current on Manitoulin Island for no other reason that to look at something other than camp.  You should search for "fun facts about Manitoulin Island"!  Here's a little taster for ya: "Manitoulin Island covers an area of 2,766 km² (1,068 sq mi), making it the largest island in a freshwater lake globally and the 174th largest island in the world. It contains 108 freshwater lakes, some of which have their own islands, creating a unique “island within a lake on an island” phenomenon. The largest lake on the island is Lake Manitou, at 104 km² (40 sq mi), which is the largest freshwater lake on a freshwater island.".



This is the bridge that you cross to get to Manitoulin Island.  It swivels and retracts to allow larger vessels thru, which is what the next several pics are showing.






We didn't know it yet at this time, but this pic is showing the butt-end of the boat that we'll be on and the passage that we will traverse on a later day for a dinner cruise.

Better shot of the boat.



Back at camp with the boys fishing off the docks.  The water on Huron was too choppy for that boat that you see.

Just a few pics from my morning walk.



I spent a LOT of time in this location just chillin', reading, and sometimes doing flat-out nothing at all!

A view from that vantage point showing the Northern waters of Lake Huron.

From the same vantage point, but looking upstream.

I have no pics of that evening but it ended with a whole bunch of people sitting at picnic tables sharing drinks and stories.  It was a blast!!!

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Canada Day 2 - At the Bay Villa Lodge

Don't recall what time we arrived at our cabin and met Mark, Scott and the rest of the pirates. Quick introductions and then it was parking the van and unloading the van to get settled into the cabin, get everything into the fridge or iced down properly. I would head back into town to get live bait (never got used to my knowledge) and groceries. But a little exploring first.

The kitchen where I would apply my wares for the next 7 days!  It was mostly stocked with tools I needed but required a little creativity occasionally. 

This is a vantage point roughly the same as the shot above, but turning to my left.  Caleb and Brecken's bedroom on the left.  Mike and my bedroom dead-ahead.  That my bed thru the doorway.

That's the boy's bedroom again but with the doorway to the bathroom.  A very small bathroom for a dude who's not very small.

While not very safe, this is a shot tried to get while driving up to Espanola to get groceries.

Same.

Back at camp, Mike, Caleb & Brecken convinced me to climb one of the big-a$$ed rocks that was part of the small peninsula from our camp...





They wanted me to go out there too.  Not gonna happen...  My ankles suck, I'm overweight (just in case the pics didn't/don't give you that impression!!!) and not crazy about being in water that isn't a shower.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttttttteeeeeeeeeee





That is the waters of Lake Huron out in the distance.

Looking the other direction.  The buildings on the left are the last of the Bay Village Lodge.  Our cabins are off to the left of that.