nature, Photography

Big Lake, Manitoulin Island

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We stopped to wander around Big Lake, which is on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, Ontario.

It’s an incredibly lovely, clear lake, popular with campers and boaters. A wide range of water sports such as windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, swimming and paddle boarding are also common but I understand that anything with an engine isn’t allowed, so if you’re in a boat, you’re also getting your arm exercise!

Summer cottages, many of which can be rented, dot the lake’s beaches.

We had a lovely ramble around the water’s edge and saw this mother loon with eight very little ones!

The birch trees were wearing their new pea green leaves and we enjoyed walking inside their canopy. We encountered a few blackflies but nothing much, really. At a stop the next day they were terrible, but that’s another story!

Happy Thursday.

26 thoughts on “Big Lake, Manitoulin Island”

    1. We weren’t able to comfortably walk or take pictures because the bugs were so bad and we didn’t have good protection with us, either (a total lapse – we should have known better!). We survived, though. 😊

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  3. Lovely scenes Lynette and great capture of momma loon and babes. As to the black flies, they are horrendous in Ontario and Manitoba lake country. Time for a bug jacket. Happy Thursday. Allan

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    1. The loon family was adorable. We encountered a bad patch of black flies the next day (and weren’t really prepared, either, like good Canadians should be!). The following day next we had terrifically bad weather – pea soup fog, rain, wind, and eventually, chunky rain with snow that settled on the windshield and 0C. We got off the road at the nearest motel!

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    1. We had one bad encounter with the black flies but even worse was some of the weather: thick fog, wind and rain that eventually became snow. We got off the road right away. No-see-ums are awful. You need a good eucalyptus spray!

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    1. Yes, lots of spring growth in progress. The further north we travelled around Superior, though, the newer the growth became. Lots of trees were still bare, too. We had some very bad weather that turned to snow, so yes, definitely a gamble at this time of year, both bugs and weather!

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    1. Hi Maggie, my understanding is that the rattlesnakes on Manitoulin are endangered and their habitat is now protected and has been made inaccessible; it’s unlikely (right now at least with their numbers so low) most people would ever see them.
      There are lots of their close relatives in southern Alberta, though. When I went canoeing on the South Saskatchewan or Red Deer Rivers or hiking along city trails, I always took a snake kit along (also for my dog). Most rattlers will try to get away from humans but I have seen them, especially the young ones.

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