North Channel - Meldrum Bay

At the west end of Manitoulin Island, and at the end of the road across the island, lies the small town of Meldrum Bay.  The natural bay is large and open to the north, so to create a protected harbor a large breakwater was constructed.  The red building along the shore was the net shed, where nets were kept and mended when fishing was the largest industry.  It has now been repurposed as the Museum of Meldrum Bay, filled with historic items from all the families in town.  Meldrum Bay is now home to only 37 people year round.  The museum docent was a high school boy, a multi-generation resident.  He is the only high school student in town and has a two-hour one-way bus ride to school.  A very isolated spot is Meldrum Bay.

The breakwater extended a small, natural peninsula that protruded into the bay, one much too small to provide protection from winds and waves.  The peninsula and breakwater have been made into a park for all, with a few RV spaces.

The newly constructed marina lies just inland from the breakwater.  The old, fixed commercial wharf remains with the new floating docks for recreational boats beyond.

A couple commercial fishing boats remain in Meldrum Bay, a far cry from the large industry that once existed here.  Andave H. is a great lakes fishing boat design with one variation from the norm.  The high enclosed bows are designed to penetrate large waves, allowing the boat to pass through rather than over the wave.  Andave H. has a lifting strake along the hull, which should allow the boat to ride over middle-sized waves.

Dolphin, a downeast Maine style trawler with whom we had anchored in Long Point Cove, had arrived a day earlier and Last Dance was docked just opposite. There are only so many "roads" upon the waterways and paths of cruisers continually cross, providing reacquaintances with old friends.

A view from the floating docks includes all of the commerce in Meldrum Bay.  The brown building is the marina and campground office, laundromat, and fueling station, operated by the town.  The first building up the road is the Meldrum Bay Inn, the second is the Country Store.

Being at the end of the road on a sparsely populated island makes for a very quiet place.  Walks with Bonnie could explore the town from the middle of the almost trafficless roads.  A peaceful place is Meldrum Bay.

The country store was the social and commercial center of Meldrum Bay, until two years prior.  It provided the only opportunity for grocery shopping, contained the most important LCBO, post office, and gift items for the tourists.  The young proprietor became pregnant and felt that the store was much too time-consuming.  It is difficult to understand how a store serving 37 residents could have a viable business plan.  However, it has recently been sold with plans to reopen as a store again.

The Meldrum Bay Inn is the most active business in town.  It has always been an inn, with a restaurant downstairs and rooms on the upper floors.  It is owned and operated by a couple who fled the corporate world in California for a more peaceful life.

The Inn still has its old charm.  A dinner here was planned to spend the remaining Canadian money.  It was an outstanding way to invest the money.  The fish is from the local fishermen, most fresh and prepared in interesting ways.  Dinner on the porch also provided a continual show of hummingbirds as they feasted on the flowers in the hanging pots.

After dinner, a concert was held on the porch, another reacquainting with cruising friends.  Jim Krause, on the mandolin, and wife, Anne Hurley, on the cello, were cruising North Channel on their sailboat.  We had met them at Little Current on a morning when the current was not little, but raging and dangerous, preventing our departure.  To pass the time awaiting for the current to subside, the crew took a walk down the docks, always an interesting view of boats and meeting of people.  We met Jim and Anne for only a brief discussion before deciding to cast off the lines, continuing west.  Jim helped with the lines.  Little did we know at the time of their talents.  Jim and Anne met in the School of Music at the University of Indiana in Bloomington.  They found they had more in common than music.  Jim is still at the University of Indiana, as a professor in the College of Media, and Anne operates a business in town.  They were accompanied by another professor, at a university in Illinois, who is a summer resident of Meldrum Bay.  Jim and Anne eschew the tradition of exchanging boat cards - they give new friends a copy of one of their CDs.   (Jim Krause Music link)  Enjoyment of their music has continued with the album "Madeline Bay," its cover decorated with beautiful photos from the waters of the Pacific Northwest.  It contains a quote from Edward Abbey,

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.  May your mountains rise into and above the clouds."

Meldrum Bay provided more enjoyment than could be imagined when it was planned as the last stop in Canada before returning to the United States - interesting town, interesting history, interesting people, and wonderful experiences over a great dinner.  A marvelous place is Meldrum Bay.