Showing posts with label Chi-Cheemaun Ferry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chi-Cheemaun Ferry. Show all posts

Thursday, May 7, 2020

1 Year Ago I Was On A Spring Cruise On The Chi-Cheemaun!

                             So 1 year ago well about days later from the actual 1 year anniversary, to be politically correct 5 days. I went on a Spring Cruise on the Chi-Cheemaun Ferry! Boy what a long but fun trip and it was weird to see snow there. Also the fact Flower Pot was really quiet and just odd to see anyone and plus the town of Tobermory was quiet and never seen a town so silent and quiet. I still remember exactly what we had, potatoes, Roast Beef and some kind of square which I believe was lemon actually.  I know there was a ton of down time between the departure and arrival but I was always looking around especially when I got around the Grotto. One thing I loved was the Captain blasted the Chi Cheemaun again on the way out at the entrance/exit to Owen Sound Harbor. Also those hanging out at the Grotto as there was 1 or 2 people there if I remember correctly.  I believe there was a few people even in Tobermory when we arrived to greet the boats arrival for the brand new Ferry Sailing Season. Feels like it has been longer then 1 year and definitely a memorable moment. It was neat we got to enter through a side hatch on the side of the ferry which is a very rare occurrence as you normal enter from the "bow" or "stern" as that is the proper terms or the side ramp either side Tobermory or South Baymouth (Manitoulin Island). It was amazing to see what a great turn out it had and unfortunately the ferry service is on hold due to our situation with the virus but glad I got go last year with my dad and my dad traveled from pretty far from the South East end of Ontario like 3 hours away from here. 


                           I would love to complete it all and do the Fall Cruise with my dad next year which would be pretty beautiful up there but we would have to book a hotel and get a school bus from Owen Sound and up to Tobermory. I am on their social media pages liked and following them on a regular updates and asked them questions if I had some. Either way there is 2 more things on my bucket list with Tobermory and that is for another post for another day. It is a fun trip and if you live in Ontario and when this is all done and hopefully things go back to normal, I highly recommend this trip even if it isn't a Spring or Fall Cruise it can be a normal trip from Tobermory to South Baymouth or the southbound trip but it don't matter really what direction but it is worth the time to go up there. Finally I have been doing this trip for ages and like I said there are 3 things still on my bucket list. What the heck really, they are the 2 hour cruise around the islands during the day, exploring Manitoulin more and finally the Fall Cruise. I know the fall cruise will be similar but it will be in the opposite direction which is south down the peninsula.  Either way it was a fun time and I enjoyed it and cannot wait to do the fall one. 


- Chris

Thursday, May 9, 2019

First Ride On The M.S Chi-Cheemaun Ferry (Throwback Thursday Story)

           So this is very fitting being a week later after going on the Spring Cruise on the M.S Chi-Cheemaun and this was actually inspired while being on the ferry boat that day so that is where today's post came from. Anyways today's throwback story is my very first ride on the M.S Chi-Cheemaun Ferry. Now this is going way back like way back in the late 1990's into the 2000s when my dad and I made a trip up there for the very first time. Now back then Tobermory was different compare to now. The Seaview III was still operating and did even several years ago under Blue Heron Cruise Company which I found out by looking at the boat later on. So anyways, the night of us heading onto the boat and across the lake into Lake Huron was different and it was the first time getting up the next morning at 5 am to get down to the docks for 530 am in advance. Anyways those were the days when the Dockside Restaurant was still around. I remember my meal very well even to this day being 10 + years ago now and it was a western sandwich which had eggs, onion and ham in it and honestly I haven't had a western in a very long time. Of course I remember hanging out on the back deck of the boat and always has been our hangout place.


          Honestly I do miss the old days but we did find another restaurant to go to in the morning of the ferry boat even though we had a very bad experience there and waited till we got to Manitoulin Island which made me very, very crabby person all together. I do not know why the Dockside had to go but it is what it is I guess and have to just deal with it I guess and that is what we had to do but it will be a place for me to definitely remember. This feels like forever nearly 20 years of going up there with my dad and I am sure we will be up there again while he can still make the long trips like that as he will be 75 next year but age does not stop you whatsoever and I think either next year or the year after we are planning to do the Fall Cruise from Tobermory to Owen Sound but we never know what we are planning but it is not the last of us seeing the town of Tobermory, Ontario.




Chris

Friday, May 3, 2019

Chi-Cheemaun Ferry Spring Cruise 2019

         So obviously with the podcasts being late tonight however their all up on the platform makes you wonder where I've been lately. Well I have been away up north yesterday in Owen Sound for the Chi-Cheemaun Spring Cruise. We left early as we had a 3.5 to 4 hour car travel to do and that included the stop for breakfast at Timmies on the way up. Well we got there near 10 am 2 hours before the departure which is more then enough time till we left. As you can see there is a picture of the Chi-Cheemaun sitting in the port of Owen Sound and was easy to find when we got there as it sticks out pretty easily so it is very easy to find between Mid October and end of April when it is sitting in port there during it's winter birth. Anyways we go on between 1050 and 110 am EST and we went in through the side of the boat through a door that is on the car deck of the boat which I never knew there was a door there technically but probably for emergency uses I am pretty much guessing


      So throughout the trip we hung out on the deck towards the stern of the boat and up above where the funnel where the diesel smoke came out which you can see on the left side. We had lunch, they gave up Roast Beef, potatoes, cooked beets, I didn't have green or yellow beans and carrots as I am not much of a green or yellow bean kind of person. Also at the bow side inside we had entertainment and it was good and same with the food as well. We also got to go by the Grotto which wasn't visible and some caves as well. I posted it on my Instagram with tons of pics for you guys to see. I will post up some more this weekend. We also to go by Flower Pot Island and saw the Flower Pots. Also leaving Owen Sound the boat gave two final toots of the horn salute goodbye which was really neat to hear. Also arriving the usual horn and it is like she saying hey I'm back home. So it was a good trip overall even though we had to wait 20 minutes for a bus that wasn't full but still a great trip and both my dad and I are planning on going on the Fall Cruise down the road but we do not know when but it is still in the plans but we got some family vacations setup for the next year and a few months. Boston this year and Calgary the following of the year. 



Chris