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O Canada - Day 2 #69067 08/25/02 04:13 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
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mombo Offline OP
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Wednesday morning brought another beautiful sunny day. The TV news revealed the fact that I.O. and I were not the only out of towners visiting Toronto as Bill Gates and the Rolling Stones had shown up too! wink

After breakfast at the hotel we set off for Toronto around 9am. Traffic wasn’t bad and we got off the QEW at the Spadina Street exit. I think we were supposed to go right but couldn’t for some reason so wound up going around the block and trying again. Whatever we did we were where we were supposed to be to see the Queen’s Wharf Lighthouse (1855). For some reason I was looking for it on the right side of Fleet Street
and it wound up being on the left. They say it’s in a small park but it’s just a sort of triangular block. If it’s a park it’s not much of one and the combination of brown grass and a lighthouse painted brown made it difficult to spot. Once we did see it it was apparent that the best place to photograph it would be to go to a real park which was located just south on the other side of the busy Lakeshore Blvd.

All you have to do then is walk across a lawn, filled with grazing Canada Geese while carefully avoiding their droppings to the sidewalk opposite the lighthouse. You then have to patiently wait for the traffic to clear so as to not get car tops in your pictures.

http://a9.cpimg.com/image/B7/81/12312759-d14b-028001E0-R.jpg

This lighthouse is one of what by 1861 had been a pair of range lights located on a pier some 450 meters away. This light had a fog horn and red glass in the lantern while it’s companion light shown a white light. The lights were taken out of service in 1911 when a new western harbor entrance was created. The previous harbour was filled in and the other light destroyed. The remaining lighthouse was relocated to it’s present location in 1929.

This is quite near to one of the gates to the exhibition grounds. The CNE or “Ex” began August 16th and continues to September 2nd. I’d wondered if this would have caused traffic problems for us but thankfully it did not. The electric trolleys that ply Toronto’s streets end their run on Fleet Street and I saw a number of them while we were there.

We now left the park onto Lakeshore and went one block south to Queen’s Quay and drove west to Younge Street. We parked the car in a lot for $10 and spent $8 for tickets for the ferry over to Center Island to see the Gibraltar Lighthouse, I.O. having an old age $3 fare while we younger folks have to pay $5! wink

Facing the lake Centre Island is a crescent shaped main island plus a few smaller islands
towards the middle of the topmost section of Centre Island. These islands were sandbars
and at one time connected to the mainland. After a while the area was left to do it’s own thing and the connection with the mainland was severed and not filled in. For many years it was a resort community. On the western end of the crescent were ball fields, one of which was the site of Babe Ruth’s first major league home run. This area now serves as a metropolitan airport for small planes. The eastern section of the island is home to some year round residents while the remainder of the island is park land.

Now directions in the Penrose book tell you first of all to park on either side of Queen’s Quay. Well you don’t park on the side of a busy street in downtown Toronto unless you never want to see your car again. They also tell you to take the ferry to Hanlan’s Point. This is fine if you don’t mind walking. If you want to rent a bike or be able to get anything other than water or a soda from a machine take the ferry to Centre Island (the middle section). Ferries also run to the eastern end called Ward’s Island.

It’s just a short ride to the island, just time enough to take a few photos of Toronto’s skyline, including of course, the CN Tower and it’s newer neighbor the Skydome.

http://a2.cpimg.com/image/74/7F/12312692-9b26-028001E0-.jpg

When we got off the ferry we asked one of the ferrymen about the shuttle. He stated that
you don’t see them too often unless they know someone is coming. We then asked him
how long a walk it was to the lighthouse and he told us 10 minutes. (I.O. later said, “10
minutes, did he think I was Roger Bannister?”)

We set off walking, stopping for water a few times as well as making separate “pit stops”
to use the facilities. We did however, pass up the opportunity to swim at the “Clothing
Optional” beach. I suppose this would come in handy if you forgot to pack your bathing suit. Well it seemed as though our walk would never end and eventually I.O. parked himself on a bench in the shade and said he’d just wait there. I trudged on and before too long spotted the lighthouse peeking out between some tree branches.

http://a4.cpimg.com/image/9E/80/12312734-0aec-028001E0-.jpg

Just ahead was a mown area that led down to the lighthouse.

http://a8.cpimg.com/image/7A/7F/12312698-e600-028001E0-R.jpg

Is there a sign to announce where to turn off the roadway? No. I had previously asked a
young couple walking in the opposite direction if they had seen the lighthouse and they
looked at me as if I had two heads. Once you get to the lighthouse, however, there is a
plaque on the tower giving a brief history of the light including the tale of the first keeper
who was murdered in 1815. A couple of men were arrested but not convicted and some
years later bones were discovered near the lighthouse, supposedly those of the keeper.

The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse (1808) is the oldest existing lighthouse on the Great Lakes. The tower is 82’ high, it’s height having been increased by an addition in 1932. It’s last operating light was a white flashing light powered by electricity. By 1958 the surrounding trees blocked the light so much that it was discontinued and a light placed on a nearby tower. Currently the tower displays a green light so that it stands out from the city lights.

http://a7.cpimg.com/image/97/80/12312727-d7d8-028001E0-.jpg

The bright red trim is especially nice and makes the door really stand out.

http://a9.cpimg.com/image/85/80/12312709-9118-028001E0-R.jpg

Re: O Canada - Day 2 #69068 08/25/02 04:19 PM
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mombo Offline OP
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A second mown pathway affords a slightly different view of the lighthouse.

http://a0.cpimg.com/image/90/80/12312720-c9b1-028001E0-R.jpg

Just as I was beginning to take my pictures another couple started down the path to the
lighthouse. A few minutes later another group of people arrived. One of these folks was going to take some pictures of the lighthouse but one of the group said to him, “Don’t waste your film on the lighthouse.” Can you imagine that?????

Leaving the lighthouse I returned to where I.O. was sitting, which wasn’t really very far away from the light. We began our trek back to the ferry but I just had to stop and get a few more photos of the CN Tower

http://a4.cpimg.com/image/A8/81/12312744-1873-028001E0-R.jpg

and one of the tower and ball park from the island.

http://a1.cpimg.com/image/AF/81/12312751-2283-028001E0-.jpg

We arrived back at the ferry landing just in time to catch the next boat out. This was also
when the shuttle van showed up!

http://a8.cpimg.com/image/70/7F/12312688-3749-028001E0-.jpg

Re: O Canada - Day 2 #69069 08/25/02 04:31 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
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mombo Offline OP
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Lunch was a hot dog from a street vendor once we got off the ferry which we ate while sitting in the shade on a ledge in front of the Westin Hotel. During lunch a Chinese wedding party passed by on foot in front of us with the flower girl and ring bearer holding the bride’s train as they walked along. This was just after I had thrown some of the hot dog bun on the sidewalk for the pigeons who were attacking it voraciously.

We then returned to the car and headed west on Lakeshore Blvd looking for an entrance to the QEW. There was only one and we missed it. Unless we were mistaken the QEW seemed to peter out after a while anyway. So we wound up driving through the western part of the city on Hwy 2. We did not have the active, modern Toronto Harbour
Lighthouse in our itinerary which is located on the west side of town. After what seemed like forever we got on Hwy 401 which bypasses Toronto then turns south towards the lake.

We passed into Northumberland County which seems to be full of apple orchards heading for Cobourg which was to be our last lighthouse for the day. We could have gone on to the next light but decided to quit early as we were both beat from the warm day combined with the trek to Gibraltar Point. Besides the town where that next light
was located appeared to be pretty small and we weren’t sure if we’d find a place to stay.

Exiting at Cobourg we found another Comfort Inn so we got a room and took a break for a little R&R. Around 5pm we took Division Street straight down to town where we saw the Cobourg Lighthouse out at the end of the pier.

http://a2.cpimg.com/image/B6/CC/12315062-917f-028001E0-.jpg

http://a3.cpimg.com/image/99/CB/12315033-38d9-028001E0-.jpg

The Cobourg East Pierhead Light is a 40’ modern looking light similar to the pier light at
Burlington. I can’t find any information to tell when it was constructed. While it isn’t much to look at as far as lighthouses go the harbour is very pretty.

We decided to eat at the Old Cobourg Jail which has been converted to a restaurant and inn.

http://a8.cpimg.com/image/9E/CB/12315038-2b43-028001E0-.jpg

It was a pretty neat place to see and tour but we should have stopped with the tour as the food was pretty dismal. This place actually housed prisoners until 4 years ago. Maybe they still had some prison food leftover? There are two new cement walled areas constructed and painted to look like stone which are pretty cheesy looking but you can still see the bars on the windows of one of the original buildings. Well we ate outdoors overlooking the harbour and it was a beautiful evening so it wasn’t all that bad.

Re: O Canada - Day 2 #69070 08/25/02 04:42 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
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mombo Offline OP
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After dinner we went over to the other side of the harbour to explore Victoria Park. The
part of the park that is closest to the pier is actually a campsite where folks set up their
small trailers for the season. The front row of these is directly on the beach. This made
for an interesting walk as we could stare at the campers while they stared back at us. After our walk we discovered that we could drive right out onto the pier. There’s a small Coast Guard Station on one side of the pier and we saw a good sized Search and Rescue boat moored nearby, also one of those inflatable jobbers. Folks were zooming right past the station on their way out onto the pier. We drove out as far as we could go, then I hopped over onto the farther end for a few more
photos of the light.

http://a2.cpimg.com/image/A2/CB/12315042-a7c3-028001E0-.jpg

http://a9.cpimg.com/image/A9/CB/12315049-f8b5-028001E0-R.jpg

We saw a boatload of kids who were practicing in a strange boat. They sat 2 abreast each
with a paddle. The coach is the guy standing who was controlling the rudder. Not sure just what the person in the coxswain seat was doing.

http://a2.cpimg.com/image/AC/CB/12315052-467e-028001E0-.jpg

Turning to walk back to the car I snapped these shots.

http://a4.cpimg.com/image/AE/CB/12315054-9662-028001E0-.jpg

http://a0.cpimg.com/image/B4/CC/12315060-2e4b-028001E0-.jpg

And even captured the sun ducking behind the clouds.

http://a9.cpimg.com/image/95/CB/12315029-544b-028001E0-.jpg

Once again we adjourned to the Comfort Inn in anticipation of the next day’s
lighthousing. smile

Re: O Canada - Day 2 #69071 08/25/02 06:16 PM
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Elmer Offline
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Hi Sue,

Nice information and detail on your trip. smile The photos are great ..... really like the one of the CN tower shot through the "vee" of the tree. You are giving the rest of us a target to shoot for when we take our trips. Keep up the great work. smile smile

Dan

Re: O Canada - Day 2 #69072 08/25/02 08:44 PM
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pierhead Offline
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Sue,
Sounds like your having a good time. Thanks for the pictures. And don't waste too much film on those lighthouses. wink

Re: O Canada - Day 2 #69073 09/05/02 03:38 PM
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mombo Offline OP
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I have since discovered that the boat being paddled at Cobourg is a Dragon Boat!

Here's a link to it:

http://www.voyageurcanoe.com/DragonBoat/survivors.html

These boats don't come cheap!

http://www.voyageurcanoe.com/DragonBoat/dragon.html

Here's a bit on the history of Dragon Boat racing:

http://members.tripod.com/HamiltonDragonBoat/dragon01.html

Re: O Canada - Day 2 #69074 09/05/02 09:31 PM
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According to the currency converter, the price of the boat in USD is $9,600 approx.

Or 18.4 million IT lire.

Or 1.1 million Japanese Yen.

Re: O Canada - Day 2 #69075 09/06/02 10:13 AM
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rscroope Offline
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Wow! Two Canadian LHs that aren't red and white. When we went to Toronto a few years back we were there 20 hours and managed to stay at the Skydome Hotel, watch a baseball game from our room with a Stadium view in left field, go to the top of the CN Tower, and eat at the Hard Rock Restaurant.
Thanks for the travelogue Sue.
Bob


LONG ISLAND BOB

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