2010
The Plane Leaves at 8 Be Under It
The first DC-3 aircraft were built by Douglas in 1935 under the military destination of C-47. Dakota’s or Gooney Bird’s as they are affectionately referred to are one of the most significant transport aircraft ever built. This machine is part of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and was on display at the recent Parry Sound Air show on September 11, 2010.
Please click on the image for a larger sized photo
2010
Shadows
Down the Indian River and through the Port Carling locks on a sunny afternoon. Where else do you get to see a scene like this?
Please click for a large photo
In: historic muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, tripin around towns
2010
Gullible
No its not a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” but I find sometimes black and white can add a certain amount of drama to a photo. Seen everywhere in Muskoka, beach communities, waterways and MacDonalds parking lots – the common seagull. Please click for a larger photo – thanks.
2010
Gentleman’s Racers of Muskoka
I dropped by the Antique Boat Show in Port Carling this past Saturday just as it was coming to an end. It was put on by the Muskoka Lakes Association better known as the MLA and this year they featured the Gentleman’s Racer. Many of the vintage boats were starting to make their way back home through the lock system and I hurriedly snapped a few shots. The locks in Port Carling straddle Lake Muskoka on one side and Lake Rosseau on the other. This is a very busy are and popular tourist destination. The hub of the lakes as its known.
If you are interested in the Gentleman’s Racer boats, check out Neil Honeymen’s book that documents many of the vintage boats of the area. And thanks Neil for including one of my photos of Dukes Marine
In: historic muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, tripin around towns
2010
Grace and Speed
This is Grace and Speed located at the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre in Gravenhurst. It contains a great museum that features the history of Muskoka’s boat building, grand hotels and the steamship era. The boat slips contain many different antique wooden boats that were built in Muskoka. It is well worth a visit especially if you are planning on going out on one of the Steamships.
Please click on the image for a boathouse sized photo
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, tripin around towns
2010
Pipe Dreams
Pipe Dreams as seen on the streets of Waubaushene, Ontario just off Hwy #400
lLease click on the image for biggie size
2010
Took The Long Way Home
We decided to head back home a little earlier as it was a rainy and somewhat chilly day. (Although that usually does not matter) I spotted another road side distraction on Highway #11 south of Gravenhurst (probably more like Orillia) at The Lazy Farmers Antiques. I think its a 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 but I could be out a year or two?
Please click on the image for Le Grande sized Mustang
In: in and around muskoka ontario, tripin around towns, uncategorized
2010
Tractive Force
I don’t recall exactly where I discovered this old Tractor. I was driving around in circles for a while that day. It was someones lawn ornament in front of their home around the Milford Bay area of Muskoka – me thinks. You never know what you will find meandering through the back roads sometimes.
Please click on the photo for a tractor sized 1280 pixel shot
2010
The Quiet Hills of Mount St. Louis
I was surprised to see that there was still some snow on the ski hills of Mount St. Louis. For those of you that travel up the highway #400 route to cottage country this will be a familiar view compared to the road side distractions of highway #11. As they say – there are only two seasons in Canada. Winter Summer and Hockey.
2010
Highway 69 Before the Meltdown
This was taken from the side of the road on Highway # 69 near Mactier, Ontario just before the meltdown.
And a real bargain on fuel at 70.9 cents per liter.
Please Click on the image for a large sized photo
2009
The Ghosts of Muskoka
I decided I would take the long way home and drove through Bala early this morning. It was dead quiet and I noticed an empty Bala Bay Inn parking lot so I did a little u-turn and headed back for a few quick snaps.
The Bala Bay Inn was built in 1910 by Ephraim Browning Sutton from Leads in Yorkshire, England. Initially it was named The Swastika Hotel and due to the unpolitical correctness of the times it was renamed to the Sutton Manor in the early ’30s. In 1945 the name was changed to The Bala Bay Lodge, and in 1998 to The Bala Bay Inn.
E.B. Sutton died in room #319 of the hotel in 1917 and many of the staff and patrons say the Inn is haunted by him. There are Muskoka ghost tours and even seances that have been held here for you paranormal types.
Please click on the image for a 1280 pixel sized photo
In: historic muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, tripin around towns
2009
Roadside Distractions
I have been driving by this abandoned old farm house on highway #400 for years now. The traffic was light Sunday morning so I pulled over and took a few quick snaps, sans tripod. I don’t recall when it was last occupied. Most cottagers that travel on Hwy #400 which was once referred to as “the extension” would see this place neatly tucked in the field near Mt. St. Louis.
Please click on the image for a large sized photo
2009
Weird Waubaushene Walk Way
Many cottagers that take highway #400 will be familiar with a place just south of Port Severn called Waubaushene Ontario. You cannot see the town or village from the road as its nicely isolated from the highway. I did the obligatory main street drive and at the very end of the street found this walkway that reached out onto Georgian Bay.
2009
A Pinball Wizard, There’s got to be a Twist
Ever since I was a young boy
I’ve played the silver ball
From Huntsville down to Barrie
I must have played them all …
Just a few doors down from The Kee I could not resist a little peek inside the Balacade. It was like a journey back in time (gee now I’m dating myself) with vintage pinball machines and games crammed into the small room. Balacade is an arcade shop that was started in Bala Ontario over 50 years ago and is still run by the original owner Paul Arney and his wife Patricia. Please click on the pic or HERE for a biggie 1280 pixel photo
In: historic muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, tripin around towns
2009
The History of the Old Stone Crypt
Driving around the back roads of Muskoka I recently found this old stone crypt near Torrance, Ontario.
I discovered this is the final resting place for William Odell Darling Pine Whiting and family. (Boy, they had long names back then) W.O. Whiting was from England and fell in love with Muskoka in 1885 when he was returning to Toronto while serving with the Northwest Grenadiers after the Riel rebellion.
He later returned in 1892 and bought a large piece of beachfront stretching from Sandy Point to Coulter’s Narrows on Lake Muskoka. William built a 210 room, 4-story hotel called the Brighton Beach Hotel which was a replica of a hotel back in Brighton Beach England. Unfortunately the hotel burned down before it ever opened. Later, William and his wife Clara Cronkhite built a second smaller hotel named the Brighton Beach II which operated for a short while until it burned down in 1917.
Here is a good article about the Whiting family called; Ninety-Three Muskoka Summers
2009
Rocky Roads
Its quite common to see rock cuts through the granite outcroppings around Muskoka or Northern Ontario. In order to make roads you have to blast them out. This is Peninsula Road near Minett, Ontario. Most of the trees have started to shed however there are still some vibrant colors hanging on.
Please click here or on the image for a giant sized photo
2009
I’ve got a Trike and you can Ride it if you Like
Going Green – another photo from the Cranberry Fest.
I noticed this dude in his electric tricycle thingy cruising down the road in the CranFest traffic.
2009
The Organ Grinder
The Organ Grinder Klaus seen at the Bala Cranberry Festival this past weekend
Click on the image for a large sized 1280 pixel photo
2009
Crowds with no Clouds at the 25th Annual Cranberry Festival
The 25th annual Cranberry festival was on in Bala, Ontario this past weekend. I don’t recall seeing crowds like this at the Cranfest before. Usually its cold and rainy so I think the sunshine brought many people out to Muskoka this year.
More photos to follow soon.
Please click on the image for biggie sized photo
2009
Blazing a Kodachrome Trail
I got a Nikon camera …
I love to take a photograph
so mama don’t take my Kodachrome away
(Paul Simon)
There are explosions of colour everywhere you turn in Muskoka but not for long. Natures final emancipation preparing for winter.
The photos on this blog are 72 dpi and contain relatively small files in order for the blog to load quickly. Unfortunately that diminishes the quality of the photo substantially. I wish I could show you some of the high resolution shots like this one which is about 15mb in size. The colors and details are truly mind blowing on a large sized high res monitor.
Don’t forget Muskoka’s Cranberry Festival is on this weekend in Bala Oct 16, 17, 18 – if you spot me in the beer tent I’ll buy you a beer 🙂
