Georgian Bay Waterway

Exploring Georgian Bay and The Trent-Severn Waterway; two of Central Ontario’s premier boating destinations

Our task at hand was to photograph two of Central Ontario’s most iconic waterway’s for recreational boaters; The Trent- Severn and Georgian Bay. Being more of a land based photographer (and motorsports enthusiast), the idea of doing a photoshoot on the water for two days was not only exciting, but also unfamiliar territory. I went into this project with the goal of learning why these regions are so popular with all fascists of the boating community.

As someone who has spent my limited time on the water in mostly small fishing boats, I was curious about the types of vessels we would be using for our trip. When we pulled into the slip at The Wye Heritage Marina my jaw just about hit the floor and I stared in amazement at the sight of nautical perfection before my eyes; a brand new 52’ SeaRay. Thanks to our Captain Daryl, we would be travelling this trip as one of the ‘one percent’. I don’t know much about boats, but it’s safe to say this beast had a nicer finish than most luxury condos. Once our gear was loaded we grabbed a quick bite at Henry’s Fish and Chips. Henry’s is well known to the area and serves up great food and friendly service.

*As a side note the original Henry’s is located in Sans Succi. This makes for a great ‘day trip’ for local cottagers and their visitors but you should know the waters and/or have charts to follow due to Canadian Shield. Charts are updated on an annual basis.

After lunch it was time to un-tie the lines and start our voyage. As we idled through the marina it was surprising to see so many other large vessels docked at the Wye Heritage. I’d never seen this many big boats at one place (If you own something on the large side, and are thinking of finding a new slip consider this as an option). As we left port and headed out into the open waters of Georgian Bay, it’s easy to see why this waterway is so popular with recreational vessels of all sizes. It’s like a giant ‘playground for boats’ and within 15 minutes, we passed everything from small run-abouts, to various wind powered craft, right up to eight person sleepers larger than our behemoth. Once we reached Midland Town Dock (a popular attraction in the area) we snapped a few pics of the PWCs blasting past a giant mural that’s been painted on an old grain elevator, making for a very unique backdrop. From there we throttled up and made our way to one of Georgian Bay’s trademark locations; The Island of Giant’s Tomb and Beausoleil. There are spots at these islands that remind boaters of the sunny south. The water is crystal clear aqua and in the summer it’s a very hot spot for boaters to gather together and enjoy the boating lifestyle. Another unique attraction to the area is Hindson Marina’s floating motel, which they affectionately call a ‘floatel’, it provides luxury rooms located right on the water, perfect for a night off the boat or if you have more guests than your sleeping quarters allow.

If having fun with the family is your top priority, our next stop is the perfect location. The Delawana Inn, established in 1897 and is a Muskoka favorite that has been welcoming families to its resort for over 100 years. What makes this place so unique is the sheer number of recreational activities offered for all age levels (I counted over 75 of them listed on their web site!). Throw in a spa, multiple restaurants, spacious lodgings and this might be the best bang for the buck in the area.

When planning your next boating adventure be sure to check out GoRide Ontario.

• Next Waterway: Trent-Severn Waterway

Gregorian Waterway Photo Gallery