BOAT

Mini Vacation Part 4 - Discovering History

SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2018

By LANA CARBON & JOHN LILIES

[Lana] After the immense heat and all the activity from the previous day, we slept in a little longer than we had originally planned. Even though the Comfort Inn did offer a free continental breakfast, we rarely partake in this when we are away, since we never know about the quality of those free hotel offerings. We decided instead to use that time to check out and then travel to nearby Penetanguishene, Ontario where our next attraction was located, and pick up a hot breakfast there.

[John] Though free breakfasts are great for the budget, if we have an opportunity to try a local eatery we are quite happy to do so. They provide a much better idea of the area we are in and often give us some connections and/or ideas for more adventures. The people are usually cool, too.

[Lana] I usually use Yelp or TripAdvisor to scope out places to eat when we are in unfamiliar areas. I found what seemed to be this great little diner called Phil’s Casual Dining. I told John where it was and how easy it should be to get there, so we decided that it would be our breakfast stop. Once we pulled into Penetanguishene, the construction and all the detours had us worried we weren’t going to be able to find our chosen restaurant-de-jour. Luckily for us, we pulled back out onto the main route within view of Phil’s, so we parked in a convenient lot directly across the street and proceeded into the diner.

I must say that this was one of the best breakfast experiences that I have had outside of someone’s home. The waitress was one of the most personable and friendliest people that has ever brought me a meal. Both the food and atmosphere were excellent, and the price was incredibly reasonable for all that we received… dare I even say on the verge of cheap? So impressed were we, that we even considered returning for their dinner special (all you can eat fish’n’chips for $12.99).

[John] This is a restaurant where the locals gather, and that made me feel good. The waitress knew many of the patrons and I loved hearing the chatter. The waitress was so nice that when she learned we were just in town for the day and we were impressed by the dinner special, she told us if we returned and it wasn’t quite 4:00 yet, she would honour the fish’n’chips deal for us. She really was so kind (we didn’t get back for dinner but I really wish we had).

The décor was quite cool, too. The wall hangings were really well-done 3D renderings of various buildings in the town. Lana was so intrigued by them that he even jumped up as soon as he had an opportunity, to go over to the wall and examine the pieces to see how they were done. I think he gained some inspiration that morning and it won’t surprise me if one day in the future, I come home to find similar art work in our apartment; hand-made by Lana, of course.

Wall-hanging in Phil’s.

Wall-hanging in Phil’s.

[Lana] I must say that I was completely enthralled by the simple, yet gorgeous work they had hanging in the restaurant and totally will, one day, attempt my own version.

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With bellies full, we moved on to the main attraction of today’s events, Discovery Harbour. This is the location of a naval base that was built shortly after the War of 1812, to help defend the nation from any future incursions from the South. While most of the buildings are reconstructions, there is one original building where the officers stayed and entertained those from high society and the political arena.

The only other large authentic piece from the era was the retrieved framework from the sunken H.M.S. Tecumseth. At the end of the War of 1812, part of the peace treaty included limiting the number of warships that were allowed to remain active on the Great Lakes. Canada’s two ships, the H.M.S. Newash and the aforementioned H.M.S. Tecumseth, were taken to Penetanguishene to be decommissioned. The Tecumseth remained moored there until 1828 when she was used in an evacuation of the outpost. Once that mission was complete, the ship was ordered sunk. It wasn’t until 1953, that the vessel would be recovered. Its remains are now housed in the H.M.S. Tecumseth Centre along with other ship artefacts found near the wreck.

[John] Seeing this skeleton was like admiring a massive display of driftwood. The history in this structure is incredible. One of my favourite things to do is examine and admire driftwood and take photos of it. It takes me to a completely different place in my mind and I love the journey my imagination goes on. I know I’m not the only one in the world who loves the knots and twists and scratches and holes in the wood. There must be a Fans of Driftwood Club somewhere out there. Anyway… staring at these remains was much like admiring driftwood for me, so I quite enjoyed knowing there was true history associated with it.

[Lana] The other buildings on site were reconstructions; everything from soldier and guard quarters, to blacksmith and shipbuilder workshops were represented. The difference between the officers’ and enlisted men’s buildings were drastic and showed how much better the career military men were treated even if their postings were only temporary.

[John] As with Sainte Marie among the Hurons, there were some guides placed in various buildings, dressed in period clothing, and they were able to offer some insight into the history. I have to admit though, I often feel awkward when I enter one of these sites and talk to the guide. They give their memorized historic spiel and I ask my questions, look around, maybe ask more questions, and inevitably there is an awkward moment of, “Oh… I’ve exhausted my opportunity with you now. Okay, I’ll move on and have an awkward moment with one of the other guides. You’re free to go back to whatever you were doing before.” I’m such an awkward person, these moments are tortuous for me. Despite my social awkwardness, their knowledge was sincerely appreciated and these sets are cool to go through. 

[Lana] Side Note: If you have ever had or do ever have the opportunity to speak to John in person, you would have no clue she has this social awkwardness. I am so amazed every time I see her muster up the inner fortitude to put herself out there in a social situation the way that she does. I am the complete opposite. Get me in a crowd and I become the veritable wallflower, hanging back… my social anxieties getting the best of me. So, I just want to take this moment to thank John and tell her just how proud of her I am because I know it isn’t easy… not at all!

[John] *Blushing*

[Lana] Not too long after we arrived here and had gone through a small handful of buildings, we were particularly drawn by this one young man dressed in the uniform of a Private, marching along the trail carrying a rifle. He informed us that the musket firing demonstration was about to begin, so we finished looking at the building we were at before making our way to the firing area. We were told about the firing technique and given some history on the particular musket being used. For a brief moment, I thought we were going to, once again, receive a private session as on the S.S. Keewatin. Alas, just before the young man was ready to fire off his first shot, he saw other patrons in the distance rushing towards us hoping to catch the demonstration as well; he waited for them and then fired off multiple shots, showing us that it was not an easy or safe procedure. We found it absolutely fascinating.

On a personal note, one of my favourite parts of the entire attraction was King’s Wharf, a docking area for the replicas of the H.M.S. Tecumseth and the H.M.S. Bee. For as long as I can remember, I have been enamoured by everything related to water; lakes, rivers, waterfalls - the sights and sounds have always been so relaxing to me. This sensation expands to all types of boats but especially sailing vessels. I get incredibly happy every time I see a sailboat out on the lake, sail billowing in the wind.

[John] He exaggerates not. “Incredibly happy” may in fact be an understatement on Lana’s part. He turns into a giddy little boy each time he spots a sailboat and if the sails are up – well, I’m sure you can imagine the added elation.

[Lana] That is why these two ships held such appeal for me. Actually being able to climb aboard to see what it would be like to be part of the crew, was a thrilling experience for me. I went below deck and saw just how tightly knit these men would have had to become since there would have been no real privacy in these close quarters for the length of their mission. I don’t think I could have handled it. Now, put me out there for a leisurely tour on the lake, able to dock, investigating any port town that I wished, and I gladly would have signed up.

With a huge smile on my face, we walked away from the two beautifully recreated sailing vessels. My only regret was that neither of the ships had their sails up. That would have been magnificent.

With a quick perusal through the gift shop, we said goodbye to Discovery Harbour and started our unhurried route toward home. We followed along the shore of Lake Huron, passing through small beach communities along the way.

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[John] I had suggested that we take the Beach Road along the way to Wasaga Beach, which was where we thought we would reconnect with the main road back home. The Beach Road sounded like it would be a really pretty route and, on the map, it looked like it would take us along the water’s edge and provide some nice views…

[Lana] But there were nice views… through the trees, through the houses…

[John] Yes… this was more of a community route, taking us through all of the beach neighbourhoods but not really allowing the vistas we had imagined and for which we had been hoping. Consider this the beginning to our misadventure for this trip. Things had been going too well for the trip and the universe seemed to have decided that it was time for us to encounter some challenges.

So, we continued on this route, originally hoping to happen upon a little restaurant to feed our exhausted and over-heated bodies… but with the realization that the Beach Road was not what we thought it was going to be (and travelling no more than 50 kilometres/hour for the majority of it), we decided to wait until we reached Wasaga Beach to have some food.

Cue The Hangry.

[Lana] After all we had heard about Wasaga Beach and the tourist centre that it’s supposed to be, we figured we’d have no problem finding many restaurants from which to choose. Instead, we drove around. And, drove around. And, drove around. For us, Wasaga did not live up to its reputation.

[John] The key here is “for us”. I suppose most people who venture to Wasaga are actually Beach people. We aren’t those people. If we do go to a beach, it’s to quietly walk along and enjoy the view, pick up some stones and shells, and admire the area. Wasaga however, is not really the town for that quiet time. So, we drove around and found ourselves in frustrating construction traffic, desperate to find a decent restaurant to sit down at and enjoy some good food. I suppose we needed to park down at the beach and walk around to find a pizza joint or something like that, but we really weren’t feeling inclined for that after driving along that strip and seeing how incredibly crowded it was. So, as our frustration continued, The Hangry began to grab hold. As I was navigating the unfamiliar roads, I tasked Lana with keeping his eyes out for a decent-looking place to eat – perhaps a family restaurant or a pub. Nothing seemed to tickle the taste buds upon sight, so we finally reached our familiar situation with The Hangry… “Baby I just need you to choose a restaurant and tell me to turn there. I don’t care what it is… you’re the picky eater… choose something!”

Sorry baby. Again. And, thank you for also hitting The Hangry this day and not leaving me alone in my not-so-stellar-moment-of-love-and-appreciation.

[Lana] Keep in mind, I am not the decisive one.

[John] Not an exaggeration. At. All. I’m not all that decisive myself but Lana usually tasks me with the decision-making and I often push him to do it instead. This was one of those moments. It may have been a bit rough for him. Or for both of us.

[Lana] When The Hangry hits, especially when it hits both of us, things can get tense.

[John] Seriously dude… there was a Swiss Chalet right there but you weren’t “feeling it” so, we kept driving around. And, driving around. And, driving around.

Finally, we settled on Don Cherry’s Sports Grill and due to the time of our arrival we were the only customers in the entire establishment. Granted, it was an early supper, but still… it was slightly uncomfortable being the only people for the waitress to focus on.

[Lana] But, what service! And, it’s not like it was that bad – it was decent. Maybe I won’t go back to Don Cherry’s or Wasaga, but it was decent.

[John] Yes, it was absolutely fine and there was nothing really wrong with it… just not what I’d had in mind when we had set out on our trip home. And, we maybe had a little too much attention from the waitress, is all.

[Lana] But you love being the centre of attention. *Snicker, snicker*

[John] She was nice. She was doing her job. She did a good job.

[Lana] She was extremely friendly.

[John] Moving on… which is what we did as soon as we finished eating… it wasn’t a bad experience. It just wasn’t what either of us had imagined or hoped for, so it was a bit of a let-down for us both. But, that was neither the restaurant’s nor the waitress’ fault.

We hopped back in the car with our appetites satisfied, The Hangry a distant memory, and we proceeded to take a main route back home. As you know, we don’t typically opt for the main route but after the Beach Road experience and with the evening quickly progressing and the clouds rolling in, we decided the straight forward route was the best. Sadly, it meant that the ice cream I had promised us both on the way home, never manifested. This main route was too main for many businesses – it’s more of a by-pass to quickly get travellers through the towns – and with the rain now pouring down and the business hours coming to a close, we drove home telling ourselves it was better to not have the ice cream anyway.

[Lana] All in all, our mini vacation worked out just perfectly, even down to the misadventure at the end. After all, what would a Carbon Lilies tale be, without a little misadventure?

[John] Too true. We need to have a little hiccup to make it a classic time for us.

[Lana] That’s what makes it memorable.

[John] Really? Sainte-Marie, Keewatin, Discovery Harbour, Cellarman’s Alehouse, Phil’s… none of those made this trip memorable? It was the Beach Road, Wasaga, The Hangry, and Don Cherry’s that did it for you?

[Lana] All those other things, anybody could do those. No one else can do The Hangry like us.

[John] Oy.

Mini Vacation Part 3 - Last of its Kind

SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2018

By LANA CARBON & JOHN LILIES

[Lana] The first place we had actually planned on visiting during our time away was the town of Port McNicoll, which is home to the S.S. Keewatin. This luxury passenger ship was built in 1907, travelled our Great Lakes until 1965, and still sits docked as a floating museum to this day. We were quite lucky as it turned out, since John and I were the only ones to show up at our specific tour time, we were treated to our own private tour and were able to take our time.

[John] This is an attraction that I had been wanting to get Lana to, for much of the summer. I was really interested in it too but I knew that Lana would be so excited for an opportunity to tour a ship like this, so I kept it on the radar for a day when we would be able to take our time and enjoy the experience. We honestly could not have asked for a better opportunity. Not only did we have our own private tour of the ship, but the tour guide was knowledgeable and quite friendly. She allowed us to mostly go at our own pace and ask all of the questions we wanted to; this really made for a wonderful experience for both me and Lana.

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[Lana] The first thing of interest to note is that the Keewatin was one of the smaller predecessors of the Titanic; a cousin of design so to speak. Not that this is a small ship at all. At a length of 336.5 ft (102.6 m), beam width of 43.8 ft (13.533 m), and depth of 26.8 ft (8.108 m), when it was being delivered from Montreal and to get through the Welland Canal, the ship had to be cut in half to be towed to its destination port. The lock just wasn’t long enough for the ship in its full length, so it was separated and put back together in the water. The Keewatin made the trip without sinking and was reassembled in Buffalo. After running continuously for almost 60 seasons, carrying up to 288 passengers and 86 crew on each journey, the ship was retired from passenger ship duties and is now in fact, the last British-built Edwardian-era steamship in existence.

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We went to the main entrance that the passengers would have used when the ship was in use. The purser’s office/room was located here as well as the gift shop and the barber’s shop. The highlight however, was the gorgeous staircase that led up to the second level of the ship. It was masterful woodworking and as we placed our hand on the railing, our guide explained that the grip was specially designed to fit a person’s hand to make it easier to hold on should the weather get rough while they were on the stairs.

[John] It seems, to me, to be strange to feel excited about a staircase railing but as I put my hand on it, I suddenly understood why the design was so important and impressive. It really made me feel like I would have a sense of security had I been out on the stormy lakes so many decades ago. Additionally, to know that the designer of this railing was the same who did the railing on the Titanic a few years later, provided even more of a connection to the history.

[Lana] Upon reaching the top of the stairs, we saw a wall of keys. They have collected nearly all the original room keys, which is quite impressive considering they have had over a hundred years to lose them; they are only missing four or five. I think I have lost more than that in the last five years, let alone how many I would lose over a whole century.

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This area also housed the communication station for room service. Ship staff were quick to learn the heavy tippers and were known to give preferential treatment.

[John] One of the cool things about the Keewatin is that many people over the last few years, have visited and/or contacted the museum to donate original pieces that they have been holding. People who worked on the ship and/or their family members, have donated many original artefacts and these cabin keys are among the collection. I love the fact that we can all walk the halls and go inside these rooms and look at some pieces that are original to the ship; hearing stories of people who have visited and told their own stories from when they and/or their family members worked or travelled on the ship.

[Lana] As soon as you step out from the crew section, the difference is immediate. The cabins, while not what I would call spacious, were much larger than the quarters for the crew. Each one we saw was designed in a way it might have been during each separate year the vessel had been in use. In the centre of the ship, between the rooms, was a sitting area with a piano and multiple pieces of furniture where passengers could relax and mingle. Of course, the downside of this section was that it was also the area where they took the victims of seasickness since it was the most stable part of the ship. Nothing says, “How do you do?” like clammy hands and a wonderful green complexion… unless you are Kermit the Frog.

The Flower Pot Lounge was a beautifully unexpected area that you could view from both the second and third decks of the ship. It made me think that John’s green thumb would go wild trying to contribute to the care of these plants should we have ever been passengers back in the Keewatin’s voyaging days.

[John] I don’t really have a green thumb. I like plants and flowers and a few years ago I discovered the enjoyment of gardening and pulling weeds. To say that I have a green thumb though, might be a significant exaggeration from a slightly biased husband. Just sayin’.

[Lana] My bias… or it may just be your modesty.

[John] Nonsense, silly.

Considering how many flower pots are on this deck, yes it likely would have been an interest to me in that era.

[Lana] Next, we were led to the bow of the ship where we saw the mechanism that was used to raise and lower the anchor. The chain links were massive and apparently hand-made. Our guide showed us the damage in the ceiling where one of these massive links had broken and the chain flew up with enough force to dent the metal.

[John] Looking at the size of these chain links makes it incredible to me that they could be hand-made. Also, how incredibly scary it would have been for one of those links to break and the damage it caused. That would not have been a minor incident at the time.

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[Lana] We climbed a steep set of stairs and found ourselves outside on the front deck of the ship. It was a beautiful view looking out over the water but I saw something else with which I was eager to interact; a large bell was hanging right near the captain’s cabin. As soon as I was given the okay, I rang that bell, which was much louder than I had expected. It once was a warning to all that the ship was about to start its voyage. A short walk along the side of the ship ended our time outside as we entered back inside on its luxurious third floor.

[John] I spotted the bell before Lana did and I immediately knew what would happen once he saw it. The glee in his eyes when he was told he could ring that bell, was that of a small child on Christmas morning in front of a pile of massive wrapped packages all with his name on them. He may have regretted the bell-ring however, once the volume hit. I think his head was spinning and his ears were ringing for quite some time after. It was fairly loud.

[Lana] Oh, it was so worth it. I truly don’t know why I didn’t expect it to be as loud as it was but I was so delighted indeed.

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On the third floor, just as it was on the floor below, each of the rooms was decorated with items that would have been found in one of the specific years the ship was active. Of course, these rooms were both larger and nicer than the rooms from the floor below.

At the front of the ship was the ladies’ sitting room. Here the women could meet together to smoke, gossip, listen to music, and even read. The men’s smoking lounge lay at the opposite end of the vessel. I always find it so odd to see these rooms dedicated to those separate genders. I am so glad times have changed since those days. At least they were allowed to mingle in the ballroom which, though now covered by a roof, was open under the stars of the nighttime sky back in the day.

[John] Times probably haven’t changed quite as much as we would like to see or even as much as we think they have but yes, definitely happy that we aren’t separated in quite the same way today.

[Lana] We then passed into the opulence of the dining room. Everything inside was gorgeous although I must admit, I would never have been able to fit between the table and where the chair had been bolted to the floor. Our guide told us that the television show, The Murdoch Mysteries, while shooting an episode in this dining room, donated all of the authentic era set pieces for the Keewatin to keep and display. We also heard the story of the waiter who, one night, accidentally ordered one steak too many. Upon learning of his error, and knowing the trouble he would be in if his mistake was discovered, he hid the steak in an empty drawer. After everyone left the dining room, he had to get rid of the evidence. In those days, the crew were not fed nearly as well as the passengers so I imagine you can guess where the steak disappeared to that night. Since he had clearly gotten away with it, an extra steak was ordered each night going forward. To this day, that drawer still has the grease stain from many an evening of hidden meals.

We proceeded through, what I imagine would have been, a stifling hot kitchen.

[John] No doubt there. On this day it was really hot for us and if that kitchen had been running and filled with workers, I don’t know how they would have been able to handle it. I would have been passing out from heat stroke without a doubt. I gained a huge appreciation for what those employees would have gone through and likely without much choice, as employment was not so easy to come by for many especially if English was not one’s first language, as was the case for the majority of these kitchen workers.

[Lana] Here we saw some dishware labeled with the ship’s name, which we would find out later had a story of their own. These dishes, it seems, had disappeared the year the Keewatin had been retired from active duty. Believed to have been stolen and all hope of recovery given up, it was a mystery that left many people baffled for decades. It wasn’t until they were refurbishing the ship in the hallway of the crew’s rooms when they realized the pattern of doorways did not match the way that it should. On a hunch, they broke through the wall and discovered there was a room that had been plastered over. Inside, aboard the ship the entire time, were the historical pieces everyone thought long since lost to time.

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[John] The theory is that one of the original crew members had hidden the dishes before the ship’s official retirement, intending to return and steal away the treasure but never did find his way back. What a cool surprise to find these dishes after so many years.

[Lana] The final leg of our tour took us below deck to the cargo hold and into the engine room. Our guide showed us some of the markings on the walls up near the ceiling, just to demonstrate how high the cargo would be piled in the section we were now walking through. We then followed tight walkways into the true power centre of the ship and, let me just say, the engine was massive. I can’t even imagine working down in that section of the ship with the heat, noise, and the coal. I must admit though, it was pretty awesome to see the old engine crank the piston even if it was just once and no longer run by coal.

[John] Yes, our guide offered to run the engine for one rotation for us and we excitedly agreed. After she rang a warning bell to alert the others on the ship with us, she started up the engine. I felt a swirl of anticipation, having never seen an engine like this run and despite how slow the movement was, it was so impressive to see. Moments like these really put my mind back in time and I was immediately drawn to thoughts and images of what it would all have been like back in its era and the amount of organization required to ensure safety for all and a smooth ride.

[Lana] We were led out of the belly of the ship towards the small modern souvenir/gift shop they had set up where our guide bid us a fond farewell and thanked us for being so interested and interactive. We truly appreciated her knowledge and allowing us the time to check things out at our own pace. We did pick up a couple of items from the shop before returning to solid ground once more. ­

[John] Realizing we hadn’t yet eaten a proper meal since early morning, we drove back into the heart of Midland and found a little pub to sit down at and reflect on our great, albeit really hot, day. A nice and relaxing meal at Cellarman’s Alehouse cooled us off and re-energized us (somewhat). We eventually left there, went for a nice and cold ice cream treat and returned to the hotel for some good sleep (it wasn’t long after sitting on the bed that I was out cold, done-in for the night).

[Lana] It had been a full day since first arriving in Midland, so we needed the rest. After all, we still had plans to visit Discovery Harbour the next day.