Around Georgian Bay

The Joy of Flight: Around Georgian Bay

By Fred Simpson

I would have to say that my favorite trip is to circumnavigate Georgian Bay in southern Ontario. I endeavor to make this trip at least once every year. It is not only my favorite, but my wife’s too—and flying is not often on the top of Janice’s list of things to do. So what is it that entices her to be the first one up in the morning to check the weather on the day we plan to make this particular trip? Well, for starters, lunch will not be a hundred dollar hamburger.

For Janice to enjoy a flight several items must be added to the preplanning checklist. First, it must be CAVU (ceiling and visibility unlimited). Turbulence has to be virtually nil, at least during cruise flight. She is OK with a few bumps on approach as, for the most part, her eyes are closed during short final anyway. The flight has to include spectacular scenery. Endless acres of farmland just do not cut it. Finally, and most importantly, there has to be a really great lunch involved.

So how does circumnavigating Georgian Bay meet these criteria? Well, the weather is simply a matter of good luck. The hardest part here is making that go/no-go decision, not to go, when I know perfectly well that the weather is VFR but not CAVU. I just have to look long range. If I were to go with less than ideal conditions it would probably be the last time that we would make the trip together. Like I said, long range planning, and by that I mean next year’s trip.

Janice can handle some late afternoon bumps. She figures that it is part of the price to pay for all that scenery and the wonderful lunch, but it is best to limit it to the descent and landing back home. As for the scenery, well just look at the chart. From departure at Lake Simcoe Regional Airport we head toward Collingwood and follow the Nottawasaga Bay shoreline to Owen Sound. We have done the trip often enough that Janice reminds me to keep clear of the restricted airspace near Meaford. Then it is up the Bruce Peninsula to Tobermory, island hop across to Manitoulin Island, follow the south shore of the island northeastward, past Manitoulin East, and then head straight to Killarney.

Killarney is on the east shore of Georgian Bay, closer to Elliot Lake than Parry Sound. It is a small fishing village nestled alongside a protected channel, the headland of which juts into Georgian Bay. The town sits on the edge of Killarney Provincial Park and is home to several outfitters. It is also the home of Killarney Mountain Lodge and the Sportsman’s Inn. Killarney Mountain Lodge, built in the late 1940s as a wilderness corporate resort, was opened to the public in 1962.

The lodge operates a unicom, and I always try to reach them during our descent into the airport, but to date, I have never been successful in getting them to answer. There is also a pay phone at the airport, but you require a calling card (remember those). If you do reach the lodge and mention that you plan to have lunch there, they will send a car to pick you up. Janice and I though, prefer walking the 20 minutes to town.

There is plenty to see and do in town, so we always plan on spending several hours. The scenery is breathtaking. This is after all, the landscape that Frank Carmichael, Arthur Lismer, A.Y. Jackson, and A.J. Casson, all members of the Group of Seven, sketched and painted. On our list of places to poke into is the Quarterdeck, a gift shop operated by the lodge, and Herbert Fisheries. Herbert’s is the local fishmonger. You can buy the catch of the day, which they vacuum seal and put on ice for you to take home. We never leave without at least half a dozen fillets. If we go to Killarney late enough, typically September, Janice’s favorite, pickerel, is available; otherwise we can count on bringing home trout or whitefish. You are not limited to getting your fish packed on ice as Herbert’s also runs a chip wagon. For $8 you can enjoy the catch of the day battered and served with fries.

After strolling through town we sometimes head over to the Sportsman’s Inn or the Rock House Inn for a refreshment before heading to Killarney Mountain Lodge for lunch. Heading along the waterfront on the way to the lodge, I can see why the Group of Seven lobbied to protect the area as a wilderness reserve, resulting in the creation of Killarney Provincial Park. Lunch at the lodge is always the highlight of our trip. It is after all, what enticed Janice to come along in the first place, and we usually order the fresh seafood.

After lunch we walk around the lodge heading out past the last cabin to a headland that offers a spectacular view of the North Channel. It is soon time to be thinking of heading back to the aerodrome. I brought along a knapsack so the 20 pounds of fish and ice from Herbert’s are not an issue. Besides, I can count on Janice finding a rock or boulder that catches her fancy and just has to be added to her rock garden at home.

On departure I make a pass over town so that we can take a few pictures. We then head southeast, following the shoreline of Georgian Bay toward Parry Sound. It is late afternoon, and I stay close to shore to avoid the effects of late-day heating inland. It takes close to 90 minutes to get to Killarney via the Bruce Peninsula, but by taking this route we can anticipate arriving home in just under an hour.

Another perfect day, if not a perfect landing at Lake Simcoe Regional, as we both enjoyed the day, and Janice is already looking forward to our next flight to Killarney. Mission accomplished.