Most Beautiful Boat Trip On Fresh Water: Fishing Unequaled (5 photos)

Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by René Hackstetter.

Remember that scene in Shangri- La, the movie about discovering the valley where you didn’t age? The party of explorers find an entrance to a magical place.

Georgian Bay is like that. To reach the dock at Midland or Penetang you took the train...to Allandale from Toronto, then through Elmvale. To reach a resort, further up the shore, you needed a Steamer. It was the John Lee circa 1913, or the Midland City.

Honey Harbour's Victoria House Resort, later known as the Delawana, was famous in its day. Minicognashene, Whalens, Copperhead, to name only a few, all had their events and programs for summer fun and fresh air on the Bay.

But this side of the Bay was not confined to Canadians only by the way.

The Americans had their own summer camps such as Manitou, Clevelands Iron City Club and, another more exclusive and remote club, which if named might cause death or otherwise. 'Just don’t float into our bay if you please.' I have this on good report from an old sailor who shall remain nameless.

None of this is nostalgia for a past, but rather, a reaffirmation of the enduring effect of Georgian Bay. The power of mighty waters was recognized by names such as Giants Tomb and Thunder Bay. The extraordinary power of a freshwater sea within the confines of a continent of which this area, in particular, features a mighty shield of igneous rock...a great molten slab of star material congealed in times void...ok...something like that.

Gordon Lightfoot said it better. The power of Kitchigumi. Let’s accept that the place is magical...sit out one night up the shore and watch the sun set and the stars come out...is this not the place you have always wanted to abide in? What is the magic? No cars or minimal sounds or the incursion of engines at full romp. The artificial motion of man-made toys you did not need. That is a story for another day.

Archipelagos are special places, places reserved for magic and the communing of spirits. This is this place, here, now, always. Great nations are to be found in archipelagos, some have returned to dust. These waters, our greatest asset, clear and crystal and perfect and as perfect a jewel as anyone could want.

Copyright René Hackstetter July 28, 2020.