Friday Two Cents: Vacationing In Ontario With George Part 5: Trailer Camping

August 3, 2015 Leave a comment

Well this past week I could not post on Friday because I was up at a friend’s trailer enjoying nature with the comforts of civilization. I say this because I for one love camping with a tent and cooking over an open fire. But there are times when I do enjoy the conveniences of modern living. Running water and flush toilets to mention only a couple. This was emphasized with one point of the trip while I was in, what is known around here as cottage country.

The region is about 1 – 2 hours drive north of Toronto in the great community of Midland and Penetanguishene. My friend’s trailer is situated in the outskirts Penetanguishene with wonderful scenes of nature and beaches within driving distance, which we partook.

Besides the beaches and natural beauty, the community has a wonderful and rich history. One such venue was our trip and exploration of Discovery Habour. This historical site was a naval base built to help safe guard Upper Canada (Ontario as it was known then) after the war of 1812. It has many buildings and is rich in historical features that it took us a day to see them all. The site being a naval base has full-scale replica sailing ships, the H.M.S Bee (a Gaff Topsail Schooner) and the H.M.S. Tecumseth warship, plus others. They also have buildings with period specific items that bring out the history. Yet the showstopper is a new building, The H.M.S. Tecumseth Centre. Here they have artifacts and the original hull of the H.M.S. Tecumseth pulled from the Penetanguishene Bay in 1953. This climate controlled building gives you a wonderful look into a piece of Canadian Naval history.

As well, the trip was enhanced with the communities’ celebration of the Rendez-Vous Champlain Festival – a celebration of the arrival of Samuel de Champlain on the shores of Georgian Bay in 1615. 400 years ago Samuel De Champlain arrived on the shores of the Georgian Bay area and began a series of events that would see French settlers arrive and leave their mark on the area. A few facts about the Penetanguishene region and the French connection:

Sainte-Marie-among-the-Hurons, founded in 1639, was the first French-European settlement in North America, thanks to the guidance and generosity of First Nations.

The Huron-Wendat First Nation inhabited the area between Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay long before Europeans, building thriving commercial and agricultural communities.
Nearly 612,000 Francophones call Ontario home. This is the largest French-speaking community in Canada outside of the province of Quebec.

They had a parade and events for the three-day event and it was wonderful to see and experience.

The experience then topped off with a clear night so we can view the Blue Moon. A blue Moon happens with the second full moon of the month. This only happens every few years. The full trip was wonderful and upon reflection a great segue to the upcoming events that I, and George, plan on experiencing for the rest of the summer. Stay tuned, the summer many be half over but adventure is always just around the corner.