Thursday 23 July 2009

Flowerpots

After cruising over the shipwrecks, we headed out into Georgian Bay, passing Big Tub Lighthouse. The original lighthouse was built in 1885 at a cost of $675. It was later replaced by this six-sided, 14 metre (43 foot) wooden lighthouse.

The summer waters here look calm, but the autumn storms can be furious. Cove Island Lighthouse has marked the safe passage for sailors between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay since 1858.

The shore of Cove Island is rugged and rocky, and the water is cold and clear. Too cold for swimming or diving without a wetsuit.
Some of the cedars clinging to the cliffs are among the oldest living trees in the world at over 1500 years old. There are even black bears and mississauga rattlesnakes living on Cove Island, and of course, it's a birdwatcher's paradise.

And on to our final tour boat desination.... Flowerpot Island, so called because of the strange rock tower formations on the shore.

Only two of these rock formations survive. A third rock stack collapsed in 1903.

Erosion from the stormy waters of Georgian Bay has worn away the softer rocks. Efforts have been made to strengthen these "flowerpots" in the past, by fortifying the base with more rock.


It's possible to take a ferry out to Flowerpot Island and spend the day on the hiking trails and explore the "flowerpots" on foot.... maybe we'll do that next time.

20 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful area and the water is so clear!

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  2. I LOVE the lighthouses...and those rock formations are quite unique!
    Wonderful post! I would love to visit this area!!

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  3. I have never heard of this island, it looks beautiful. The water is so clear and the light houses so picturesque. The rock formation also is very interesting. Thanks for posting this.

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  4. wot's going on in Canada? everyone's on these LONG scenic vacations!!!!

    wonderful photos!

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  5. Looks like a great place.. and a possible destination sometime. Lovely shots, Shammie. :)

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  6. It all looks great, but I would want to visit especially for the old trees.

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  7. I LOVE lighthouses too!! Your pics are excellent! The water so clear and green. Never heard of flowerpot rock formations. Thanks for taking us with you. Those trees are sooo old - I can't imagine them still being there.

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  8. I love lighthouses and I have never seen a wooden one before. This looks like such a beautiful, picturesque area.

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  9. Hi Rooks Nest
    Greetings to you from Coimbatore,India. This is my first visit to your blog.Superb pictures of Cove Island, the lighthouse, flowerpot island and the strange rock formations.Enjoyed reading your post. You are welcome to visit my blog.
    Have a great day.Ram

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  11. Beautiful place. Loved the unique rock formations.

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  12. Those rock stacks are excellent! Never saw such a thing before.

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  13. What a fascinating plpace--Really both places....I LOVE Flower Pot Island...If you didn't see it, you wouldn't believe it, would you? And the "new" lighthouse is quite beautiful....Everything about that area is so lovely and peaceful looking...I guess it isn't when there are stoems...But, it sure looks peacefil in your pictures!

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  14. An amazing natural outcropping of rocks!

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  15. You are really making me jealous, Shammickite! I want to be there...right now! ;-)

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  16. Gorgeous scenery! Wish I could have explored it with you. So different from our west coast views.

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  17. Lovely photos of a beautiful place. The story of the erosion of the rock formations reminds me of ours here in Victoria; the original Twelve Apostles are now only two or three...

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  18. Beautiful photos. I was looking for your ABC Wed. but these photos are wonderful.

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  19. Thanks for sharing photos from this very beautiful area.
    I will definitly have it on my list next time we visit my Son in Michigan.
    What will be the fastestway from SW Michigan - via Detroit or up North via Sault St Marie?

    I found several more photos here:
    http://images.google.no/images?q=Georgian+Bay&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:nb-NO:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=WzeRSq-FHJLs-AbC2cDzDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4

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