First Nations Up Close

What an incredible privilege to be able to spend the afternoon at Okeechobee Landing in Georgian Bay! The owner very graciously makes it available to Viking’s guests onboard their expedition ships cruising by here. This remote private resort is in an inexpressibly beautiful part of Lake Huron.

Glenda and I took a Zodiac over these sunny waters to the landing just in time for a delightful cookout. There were hamburgers and lobster rolls aplenty, along with anything one might want to drink. I wasn’t surprised to see last night’s dinner companions, Johann and Nico, sharing in the grunt work. The general manager was flipping burgers, and his assistant was pouring drinks. The practice on this ship is that any crew member will perform ANY task that needs doing, regardless of rank. After the meal I took my place under a shady tree with another passenger. We had a leisurely conversation, each of us sharing a bit of our experiences in the Vietnam War. The resident dog, a big old bloodhound mix, came up and let me scratch him as we talked. Life is good.

After lunch we saw a demonstration by some local members of what is called the Three Fires Council, which includes the Potawatami, Odawa and the Ojibway tribes. They performed a welcome dance and explained about Native American customs.

We returned to the ship in time for a wonderful Zodiac ride that had spray coming from below and rain falling from above. We had a great time.Read more