Blind River, ON, CA
Our next stop was Blind River, a convenient stop on the north shore of the North Channel as we worked our way to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The marina was not very big, but looked nearly new, with steel floating docks covered in non-skid, adjustable cleats that the dockhand can loosen and move to the captain’s liking, and good power and water. Reviewing this entry, it appears we may have crossed over to the other side (port or starboard - LOL) describing dock details like they are old masterpieces or fine wines. LOL
With multiple days of thunderstorms in the forecast we decided we needed to continue to move west and find a safe haven to wait out the weather and Blind River seemed like a good choice. It was a straight shot across the Channel, and the water was as smooth as silk so off we went. We were glad we got there when we did because the storms followed us across the Channel and being out on open water during a thunderstorm is not a fun thought.
On our second day in the marina, we jumped on our bikes before the storms hit and rode into the town, which was too far to walk. We found it to be a sleepy little town with a small main street, a couple of shops, and that was about it. The marina however, has a building on site that housed a really nice art gallery that featured local and surrounding area Canadian artists. Some of the pieces were really well done, beautifully capturing the culture and essence of the land and water of the area. Once again, such a pleasant surprise where we least expected it.
On our ride we saw The Northern Ontario Logging Memorial on the main highway into town near the visitor center. The memorial was designed by Laura Brown-Breetvelt, unveiled in 2007 and honours the spirit and industry of the workers and companies involved in logging in Northern Ontario and the Blind River area. Logging was Blind River’s primary industry in the 1800s and 1900s.
Weather aside, we had a really enjoyable stay, met and had docktails with a really fun Canadian couple, and hung out well in to the night talking about our travels and theirs.
