I love Canada. Especially in the current political climate, with the orange Cheeto down south threatening our borders and economic annexation. But seriously f- that guy.

I love Canada as an American. I was born and raised in one of the fly-over states and left the country of my birth to come to the great white north when I was thirty-two. Oh, the privilege of living and working in Canada. It has been such a level-up in my own life and something that I was exactly expecting! Even on the bad days if I see a Canadian flag flying around town, I always take a moment and reflect on my life’s choices and how well they have worked out for me.

But one of the things I love most about Canada is its proximity to the great outdoors. Ya’ll have Great Lakes, forests, and more lakes! It’s incredible. But before I go on I want to make sure everyone knows that this is not my native land and it belongs to the First Nations. Now for the purposes of this blog, Georgian bay is the traditional domain of the Anishaabeg peoples to the north and the Huron-Petun to the south. This lovely bay fully situated in Lake Huron was a major Algonquian-Iroquoian trade route before the colonizers came. It is also known as Spirit Lake to the Ojibwe or Lake Attigouatan to the Huron-Wendat.

The first European to map the area called it, “La Mer Douce”, referencing the bay’s freshwater. Apparently in 1822 after Great Britian had taken over the territory the Lieutenant Henry Bayfield of the Royal Navy named it Georgian Bay after King George IV. This is another thing that I’m getting used to as a expat, the difference in culture and the influence of Britian. It seems to me that there is more British influence here, obviously since they are a part of the Commonwealth.

Did you know that the Georgian Bay is so big that if it were to be considered a lake in its own right, it would be the fourth largest lake located entirely within Canada? It is an four season playground for those lucky enough to live near/or travel to it. There’s even the highest vertical ski in all of Simcoe Country in South Georgian Bay!

In Collingwood there is a large trail network that encompasses over 60 kilometres of recreational trails that is open all year round. These trails lead to every major point of interest in the town. There are beaches too, Wasaga beach is the largest freshwater beach in the world, boasting more than 14 kilometers of white sandy coastline. Incredible.

So welcome to my blog about the Georgian Bay, I’m glad you’re here and elbows up!