Father/son owners and management team Greg & Jack Adams of Mindemoya Court
We decided when we first arrived on Manitoulin that we would stay a day longer than our itinerary prescribed, and then remain in Lion’s Head for an additional day as well, skipping over southern Georgian Bay in favour of more in-depth coverage of the Island and the Bruce Peninsula. The hectic pace of the first 50 days was catching up with us, and we realized staying in one place for a little while would do wonders for our flagging energy.
On Thursday morning, five days seemed to stretch on forever. But today we all felt the pangs of ‘the last day’ — granted, maybe me more than most since I have 30 years of experience not wanting to leave Manitoulin at the end of the summer — and took the afternoon off to just enjoy the peaceful island pace, sunshine and sand. Except Mike; he never stops working.
He, Kelly and Jamie headed to Little Current in the morning for Chris Hughes‘ Motorcycle Tourism presentation, and I gathered everyone’s laundry and trotted into Mindemoya to get that out of the way early, stopping in at the Espresso Bar for a delicious iced cappuccino while the clothes were drying.
On my return, Alexe, Bogdan and I piled into the truck with our swimsuits and went to the big beach at Providence Bay. We’ve been driving past it almost every day, since the Ride Manitoulin event took place at the Prov Fair Grounds, but we haven’t really lounged around and gotten swimmy with it. Providence Bay is one of the nicest public beaches on the Island with clean white sand stretching out in a several kilometre shallow horseshoe, flat Lake Huron rocks stepping in to the water at the eastern end of the Bay. The Prov sand dunes are unique to the south shore of the Island, formed 3000-4000 years ago from post-glacial lake deposits. An elevated wooden boardwalk traverses the dunes, heading east along the beach from the interpretive centre and playground.
Picking up another round of absolutely delicious fresh fish burgers from Lake Huron Fish & Chips two minutes from the beach, we picnicked in the sand then hung out neck deep in the rolling waves for a long long time. On a hot hot day there is absolutely nothing better. Except maybe ice cream — which we grabbed from Three Boys and a Girl in Mindemoya, and lingered over on the little beach at the Ketchankookem Trail turnoff on the way back to Mindemoya Court.
When Mike returned, we barbecued our homemade hamburgers at the cookout patio as the sun glowed orange and purple over the lake. After chatting with Greg and Jack Adams — owners and managers of Mindemoya Court for 26 years! — Mike and I jumped into the windy lake for a wild last swim in the waves as the sun set.
Goodbye P0P! (The postal code prefix for Manitoulin Island)
Tomorrow — The Chi-cheemaun ferry to Tobermory, and TaylorMade Bed & Breakfast in Lion’s Head!
Photo by Alexandra Sawicki
Speak Your Mind