MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Summer 2018

86 ML BLUE SUMMER 2018 47 Sitting in our camp chairs we watch as the sun descends on the 30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay. We're camped in the French River delta where there is no sign of civilization: no buildings, no people and no roads. There is only the sound of water lapping against the rocky shoreline, the breeze brushing through the treetops and the laughter of our travel companions. It is a wilderness seemingly untouched by humans. The shoreline on this eastern side of Georgian Bay is jaw- droppingly gorgeous. Every few kilometres of travel rewards us with new vistas. In August it’s like a Caribbean island chain; paradise in a freshwater sea. Much like the famous white pines of Georgian Bay, our trip is shaped by the wind; as it picks up speed crossing the Bay from Tobermory, or down from the North Channel, it creates waves that are difficult to navigate in a kayak. But with so many islands surrounding us, there is endless opportunity for shelter. Wind coming from the west? We’ll duck behind the Bustard Islands. Wind coming from the north? We’ll head out to the Chicken Islands. This labyrinthine archipelago provides shelter wherever and whenever we need it. We’d set out from Key River. Putting in at a small marina just off Highway 69, we paddled downstream then into the Bay. Our end goal is Killarney in seven days and about 80 kilometres to the northwest. A totally attainable goal. My travel companions are avid sea kayakers who have done it all: Haida Gwaii, Mexico’s Baja, Greenland, Alaska, Peru and beyond. But the simplicity of travelling in Georgian Bay is impossible to overlook. You don’t need a tide chart, a float plane, or a bottomless budget. And if you’re from Ontario, world-class scenery is a three- to four-hour drive from the GTA. With night descending upon us, the sky fills with the bright light of a full moon. We climb into our tents grateful for the fresh air, the new friends, and this incredible landscape. —Colin Field DIY: Check out local outfitter blackfeather.com to simplify the logistics. Every few kilometres of travel rewards us with new vistas. Shaped by the Winds: Sea Kayaking Georgian Bay MULTIDAY TRIPS