Little Current

We arrived early for our ferry crossing to Manitoulin Island, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy a cappuccino and a cinnamon roll before boarding. The Chi-Cheemaun is an impressive vessel, with ample space in its belly for transport trucks, campers, passenger cars, and motorcycles. Ursula and I found a sunny, sheltered spot on the upper deck and enjoyed the smooth 1-hour and 45-minute crossing.

After disembarking, we followed Highway 6 to the village of Little Current. Along the way, we stopped at an Indigenous trading post that also offered beautiful views of the lake and its many small islands. The store itself was somewhat disappointing. The owners were not Indigenous, and many of the souvenirs appeared to be inexpensive imports. Still, I bought a small bottle of sage essential oil that will remind us of Manitoulin Island whenever we add a few drops to our home sauna. 😊

Since it was too early to check into our motel, we stopped at Hawthorn’s for a light lunch. At the next table sat a woman who appeared to be Indigenous, and before long, we found ourselves engaged in a fascinating conversation. Now a grandmother, she was born and raised on Manitoulin Island and still lives on a nearby Reservation. During the long winter months, she handcrafts skirts featuring Indigenous designs, while her husband builds traditional Indigenous-style furniture. In summer, they travel to Pow-Wows throughout the island and mainland Ontario, where they dance and sell their creations.

Her spiritual name is “Early Rising Woman,” or Wabah-Kwe in Ojibwe. We learned so much from our conversation with Wabah-Kwe that, before leaving, we asked if she would allow us to pay for her lunch. She happily accepted, and that simple gesture brought us as much joy as it did her.

By then, it was 1:30 PM, and with such a beautiful day, we spontaneously decided to go for a hike. Google suggested the Cup and Saucer Trail, only 19 minutes away. It turned out to be an excellent choice. The 5-kilometre trail climbed steadily to spectacular lookouts overlooking the blue waters and countless islands below. Even the walk through the quiet forests of pine, cedar, and aspen was a pleasure in itself.

After a refreshing shower back at the motel, we relaxed for a while before heading down to the harbor for pizza and beer on the rooftop patio of a waterfront restaurant. The beer was excellent. The pizza, not so much. Still, sitting there as the sun slowly set behind the harbor made the evening worth its weight in gold.

Later, we took a stroll along the waterfront boardwalk when a voice called out from a nearby balcony: “Hey guys, how are you doing?” It was a couple who had crossed on the ferry with us that morning. Moments like that remind us how friendly Canada can be.Read more