Day 3

I overslept. Knowing I generally wake up early while camping, I foolishly did not set my alarm. But last night I didn’t sleep well. I was up late trying to make plans and reservations for the next week. Mostly, I was successful, but by the time I shut the phone down to sleep my brain was racing too fast. I don’t think I actually fell into a deep sleep until five-ish. I woke up at 7:40, woke Kati up, and the quickly set about breaking camp.

We ate a quick breakfast at Tim Hortons, then headed down to Point Pelee National Park. It is Canada’s second smallest National Park and the Point is Canada’s most southern point—hence our being in the Deep South. It’s easy to spot on a map because it dangles into Lake Erie. We parked at the visitor center and took the shuttle down to the half kilometer trail that leads to the point. The shuttle was only ten minutes, the walk less than five. The walk to the point reminded me of a beach my friend Bonnie took us to visit years ago when Kati and I visited her in Washington. It remained Kati of Orient Point out in Long Island. Of course we all had to take pictures standing at the point. Swimming is prohibited because the currents whipping around the point are intense. People have been dragged out into Lake Erie and died. We weren’t supposed to wade into the water either, but I couldn’t resist kicking off my sandals and stepping into the lake. I guess I didn’t set a good example for G3 because he too walked along the edge of the water.

After a brief visit to the gift shop, where I bought G3 a patch and Kati picked out a Christmas ornament, we drove up to the mash area. G3 and I walked the one kilometer marsh trail—a boardwalk that cuts through the pond. The three of us then took a forty-five minute ranger canoe tour. The canoe holds ten tourists, but we were the only ones who signed-up so we ended up with a private trip. I definitely enjoyed it more than I would have if more people had joined us. While I have fun canoeing, paddling meant I was unable to take notes. Therefore, I will do my best to recall what we learned.

The actual most southern point of Canada is Middle Island. The US briefly contested ownership of the Island since it sits close to the border. Evidence of Indigenous presence on the island dates back centuries before the first Europeans arrived. During prohibition, the island was used for illegal activity, including gambling. Now it is under the authority of the National Park and the wildlife and their habitat is protected.

French explorers were the first Europeans to traverse this part of Canada. Pelee is a French word that means bald. So translated the park is called Point Bald. The indigenous people were here first, centuries before the first white people arrived. According to the guide, it was the Caldwell people who resided in this area and they are related to the Ojibwa who lived on the American side of the Great Lakes region. The Caldwell people still work with the national park, sharing their knowledge of the marsh. In pre-European times, the cattails that grow in the marsh were extremely useful. Not only did the indigenous people eat the roots, they used the flowery part to make shoes and clothes. I think the guide said they also used them to stuff pillows.

There are several different types of lily pads. If I had been able to take notes, I’d be able to list them, but my memory is not that good. Two types of turtles live in the marsh: painted and map. Painted titles got their name because they have yellow and red markings on their shells and the sides of their faces that make them appear to have been painted. Map turtles have shells that are almost spiky and they have markings that resemble the marks on topographical maps. We saw—from a distance—both types of turtles on our short excursion. We also saw several beavers, one of whom covered himself with lily pad leaves as if trying to hide from our cameras. Many of the leaves in the marsh have tooth marks from the beavers who eat them. There are over four hundred bird species that live in the national park. Floating in the water was a carnivorous plant that the guide identified as bladderwort. It has hollow sacs that capture and digest insect larvae, aquatic worms and water fleas.

We now have a long five hour drive ahead of us. We are heading back toward Toronto and from there we will head north, charting a course that will eventually carry us around Lake Superior, our absolute favorite fresh body of water. G3 and I are looking forward to swimming in it. Hopefully, it won’t be too cold on the Canadian side.

Some awesome news to start the new month. Al-Khemia Poetica published my essay titled “The Mini-Mart.” It is about G3 growing up, pulling away from me, and being embarrassed by my very presence. You can read it here:

https://alkhemiapoetica.blogspot.com/2024/08/thursday-august-1-2024-elizabeth.html?m=1

Our five hour drive turned into a six plus hour drive. The traffic at one point heading towards Toronto was practically at a standstill. We inched along at a crawl. Not long after we got through the worst of it, rain beat down on us. It wasn’t too bad, but the rainbow that accompanied it was gorgeous. It was bright and all the colors were distinct. I think it was the first time I ever clearly saw the purple band. It also touched down on the road, coloring the tires of trucks that drove through it and it stretched across the sky in a perfect arch. Of course, I couldn’t resist the urge to make a snarky comment about the degree to which Canada loves and embraces queer people.

Due to the awful traffic, we didn’t get to our campsite at Awenda Provincial Park until after nine thirty. It is no fun to set up a tent in the dark, but we did it. It is one of the nicest sites we’ve ever had. I am severely disappointed that the campground is booked tomorrow night and that we have to leave so early in the morning. It’s sad that we won’t be here long enough to enjoy it. The site is in a big clearing surrounded by tall trees that completely cut us off from our neighbors. I love that Canadian provincial parks give you the option of selecting areas that are generator and radio free. I wish state parks back home had that option. It would make for a more pleasurable experience. But back home people would probably complain that their freedoms were being trampled on if they were told they couldn’t run their generators or listen to music. However, what I appreciate about campgrounds in some states back home, such as Michigan and Wisconsin, is they have first come first serve campsites which fit our mode of travel so much better.