MUSKOKA WHARFARE

A model German U-Boat surfaces in Muskoka Bay, the rocky point in the distance the former site of a PoW camp, where ironically during WWII some submarine crew were interned. Norwegian pilots training at Little Norway used to fly over and drop potatoes at the PoWs' and occasionally practised divebombing and strafing runs on the Segwun.

WOOD & WATER

I consider this my Study for Wood & Water, not only as it resembles a painting but also because its details remain incomplete. Each time I visit the wharf I am always drawn to this wood boathouse with its chair, but know nothing about it except that a Sea Ray boat named Sand Bank berths there, and that I wish I could learn more about it.

CLASSIC CARS

The second day of the show featured "glassic" boats, a variety of fiberglass ones with and without fins, classic cars and combinations, such as this AmpFicar that attracted a lot of attention when it began cruising around the bay, and raised a lot of questions, including: "Do they also require a Pleasure Craft Operator's Card now to drive that?"

WOODEN BOATS

Gravenhurst hosted the 30th annual Antique & Classic Boat Show
and as this event spanned all weekend the first day was devoted to wooden boats. The selection was varied with their manufacturers, ages and lengths, their varnished surfaces reflecting the sky and polished hardware, such as this Minett-Shields Gentleman's Racer.

LOOKING-GLASS

A view of Muskoka Bay through a frosted window below deck on the Wanda III. Although the image appears backwards from being taken inside, I felt it was appropriate as being on board was like taking a trip backwards through time to 1915, when she was commissioned by Lady Eaton and was the fastest steam yacht to cruise the lakes.

CAMP SONGS

The Wenonah II glides past the site of a former German Prisoner of War camp during the second world war, the base of the flagpole one of the few existing relics from this period. During the wartime when any steamships passed by, the organist and passengers would break out singing patriotic songs loud enough for all the prisoners to hear.

MAIDEN VOYAGE

As peers in the tourism industry, we were invited on an introductory cruise of Muskoka Bay to the lighthouse which stands at the entrance to Gravenhurst Narrows. This was my maiden voyage aboard the Wenonah II, a diesel-run replica of the early Muskoka steamships, combining turn-of-the-century charm with modern conveniences.

SPRING EQUINOX

Winter has officially surrendered to spring and released the Segwun, North America's oldest operating steamship, named for the Ojibwa word for springtime. Many of the lakes have moats of open water separating the shoreline from the receding and deteriorating ice, conditions now deemed unsafe to travel on except with an airboat.

FLY IN, TAKE OUT

The sister ships, the Segwun and Wenonah II, are flanked by an identical pair of Advanced Ultralights that flew in to catch some of the excitement of the pond hockey and curling competitions that were underway, and in turn generated their own excitement. One pilot is known to fly in frequently to pick up his Boston Pizza order!