Christine's Journey Begins!

Hello from Toronto! I boarded the Clelia II at 4:30 p.m. at the former Rochester Ferry pier here in Toronto. I was met with a warm welcome, serenaded by a small drum and bugle corps and given ice cream even before I made it onboard! The cruise director, also a “Christine” but from France, met me with open arms and a big smile. My cabin is on the Leto deck (sounds like the “Love Boat,” I know), warmly furnished in mohagany with lots of mirrors and interesting built-in cabinets and closets. After a short meeting between the tour managers (French Christine, Brian, Janice and Elizabeth) and the two lecturers (me and Evan from Columbia University), we got to experience our first fun: the mandatory safety drill! After an alarm was sounded, we were all instructed to report to the main lounge after retrieving our life vest from our cabin. It was a bit humorous to watch 80+ people (most of whom are over 80!) trying to figure out how to get into their bulky flame orange life jackets! After we all passed the drill, I explored all five decks of the ship and just in time to see a large schooner (tall ship?) passing by, the “Kajama.” Several Tall Ships are traveling through the Great Lakes this summer, currently in Bay City, Mich., July 15-18. I’m hoping we pass more of them on the cruise this week! My dinner companions were Nancy Nelson and her son Paul Treuer from Duluth, Minn. Paul had some great stories of his own, including circumnavigating Lake Superior in a kayak in the early 90s. The food was tasty, as expected. I had red snapper over wild rice, along with a bamboo shoot appetizer, potato soup w/ coconut and peppers, salad, and apple strudel for dessert. Whew, off to bed now. We are still at the dock in Toronto. We set sail at 3:30 a.m. for the Welland Canal.

Day 3: Red Rock Ontario and Nipigon Bay

We arrive in the small town of Red Rock, located on Nipigon Bay, the northernmost point on Lake Superior. The beautifull cuestas, the rock formations that make up the local landscape and the islands that dot the bay render a stark contrast to the scenery in Thunder Bay. Like Thunder Bay, Nipigon Bay is a Great Lakes Area of Concern. {These are environmentally degraded areas across the Great Lakes. Originally, there were 43, but three have been cleaned up (2 Canadian, and 1 U.S.) and one is in "recovery." } The former papermill was the lifeblood of the town, but since the mill was closed down in the 1990s, the town's population has been cut in half to about 800.
We board zodiac dinghies to go ashore and are greeted by about 20 townspeople including the local mascot, moose, who are lined up on either side of the gangway who greet us with handshakes and warm smiles. I join the group going on a hike to Red Rock, the highest point in the the town and its namesake. A relatively short hike gets us to the high point where we have spectacular views of the bay and the islands nearby. The weather is superb and our Canadian guides don't fail to maintain the reputation of Canadians being kind and helpful every step of the way.
This stop was actually a change from the original itinerary which called for a stop in Houghton, Michigan. The change was made to go to Red Rock instead after the ship could not get permission to from U.S. Customs to stop in Houghton.

Day 4: Soo Locks and Mackinac Island

I awoke around 7:45 with the ship in the middle of the Poe Lock. Yes, that's what it's called. The people on the ship got a kick out of the name and local tour guide that entertained us on the bus from Sault Ste. Marie, Canada to St. Ignace also capitalized on the pun in the name of this largest of the locks at the Soo. Although I had seen ships go through the Soo Locks before, it was my first time going thrugh the locks on a vessel. My expectations were high and I thought going through the locks would feel more exhilerating. Instead, it was rather uneventful. I guess that's a good thing, as far as navigation is concerned. Still, I'm glad I had the experience. In St. Ignace, our group took a Catamaran to Mackinac Island. Our group had arranged for lunch at the Grand Hotel. The buffet was filled with treats of all kinds of treats. I wished I was more of a dessert person. At the height of tourist season, I couldn't bear to sit 12 in a pack on the horse drawn buggy for a tour, which was the group option after lunch. We opted for renting bikes instead and had a leisurely pedal around the island, stopping for a sunbath and a splash in the azure blue waters that surround Mackinac Island. We met back up with the group at 5, boarded the bus and were back on the ship by 6:30, to get ready for dinner with the Captain. Never a dull moment .

Day 5: Little Current, Manitoulin Island: Finally, An Internet Connection!

Today is the fifth day on the cruise, but the first day I've had success accessing the internet. If you read my posts according to title (e.g., Day 1, Day 2, etc.) you can follow along chronologically. We woke to a warmly glowing morning sun speckling the islands in the Northern Passage that flanked either side of the ship as we entered the small town of Little Current on Manitoulin Island.

After an uneventful docking at the pier, most of the passengers disembarked and mounted a charter bus for an excursion to a nearby church where members of the First Nation community would engage them in a traditional sage-rubbing ceremony. I can't really elaborate on that excursion, because we didn't participate. Instead, I reviewed my notes for the evening lecture, then we walked around the lovely marina. We inquired with locals about a nearby beach, and after taking a few photos of the sailboats in the marina, we got our bathing suits and towels and headed off to the nearby "beach." The access was disappointing: about a 10 foot opening amidst shoreline vegetation where pier jutted out about 200 feet into the small area of Spider Bay.
The "beach" may have been wanting for shoreline access, but the water was clear and inviting. Standing on the pier, one could see down 15 feet or more to the sandy bottom. We waded in the water, relaxed on the pier and when it got too hot, dove into some of the most refreshing water I've experience in my life. Another nice surprise was the backdrop: looking out onto Spider Bay, and beyond the North Channel, there, one can see the skyline of the La Cloche mountains. (hope the spelling is right:) This little jewel was a wonderful find.

Day 1: Arrive in Duluth

We are greeted at the airport by a lovely lady from Duluth named Pat. She greets us with a smile and tells us about local lore as we ride the coach from the airport to the ship. The peninsula off of Duluth, she notes, holds title to being the longest freshwater peninsula in the world. I wonder about the Keweenaw, which is magnitudes larger, or the entire Upper Peninsula, also jutting into Lake Superior. And what about the entire lower half of the state of Michigan, commonly known as the "lower peninsula."



A short walk along the Bayfront area takes us to a few shops and eateries along the canal that give life to this northern Great Lakes city that like many, is struggling to reinvent itself.

We leave Duluth and head for Thunder Bay around 6:30 p.m.

Day 2: Thunder Bay Ontario

We arrive in Thunder Bay around 8 a.m. We had thunderstorms during the night but the ship did not stir. I take my camera to the deck to take some photos of our arrival, but see nothing worthy of a picture. On one side is a factory that appears to be abandoned. On the other side are several piles of large rocks, intented for rip-rap likely, but ended up as a convenient canvass for local graffiti artists.
We rent bikes and go to the local bookstore so I can fact check some points I want to make during the evening lecture I'm scheduled to give. I find an encyclopedia of Great Lakes lighthouses and get lost in it for the good part of an hour. We go to hop on the bikes and head back to the shore, where there is supposed to be a blues festival, but the cloudbursts, literally rain on our parade. We catch a local bus (with bikes and all) and call our jolly-natured pedi-cab owner who rented us the bikes. The bus drives notices that he is in his car in front of the bus: he has come loyally to our rescure. He puts the bike on his car, we get in and return out of the rain to the ship. The afternoon clears up and we try the bikes again. This type to a local pub where we want to catch the final match of the world cup. The score is tied 0-0 (Spain and Holland) when I need to return to the ship and prepare for my evening lecture entitled "Navigating the Freswater Seas." I later learn that Spain has won the 2010 world cup in "extratime."

Hello from Victoria Pebbles and Christine Manninen. We will be co-lecturers aboard the Clelia II during July 10-17 and July 17-24. We are looking forward to sharing information about the Great Lakes. Check back after July 10 after the voyage begins. Details about the voyage, ship and ports of call online at traveldynamics.com