Exploring the 'World's Largest Concentration of Freshwater Islands' Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands

Parry Sound, Georgian Bay - Parry Sound is located on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, about half way between Toronto and Sudbury. This is the rugged granite rock and windswept pine region that inspired many paintings by members of the Group of Seven. The town is home to the world's deepest natural freshwater port.

Our adventure started at the town dock in Parry Sound, at Georgian Bay Airlines (GBA) – a small wooden building where they also sell scooped ice cream and souvenirs.

Ten year-old GBA is owned by Nicole & Keith Saulnier, bush pilots who met at Confederation College flight school. Office décor includes file cabinets papered with drawings by their kids ages 6, 4 & 3. Tied to the dock are three 3-passenger planes: a Bush Hawk (the factory that makes them is in Parry Sound) and two Cessna 180’s.

The company offers a variety of opportunities, from a 25-minute sightseeing flight, to fishing trips (they drop you off where there is a boat and equipment waiting, then pick you up later in the day.) For the well-to-do business person, they even pick up at a cottage dock and shuttle to downtown Toronto, then return them back their dock when the meeting is through. We’re there to experience one of the most unique opportunities, a visit Henry’s famous fish and chip restaurant, which can only be reached by boat, plane or helicopter. GBA takes about 1,000 people out to it every summer.

Keity Saulnier - Georgian Bay Airlines

We climb aboard the 3-passenger Cesna with our young pilot James, and taxi out through the harbour. The wind is brisk, but the weather clearer here than the cottage area we came from just 20 km away. Quickly we lift up and are soon soaring over the islands, a scattering of tree-covered granite rocks, some with rustic cabins and a number with large cottages – one even has a swimming pool. The water is so clear you can the submerged bases and shoals surrounding many of them. Some of the land James points out is also part of Massassaga Provincial Park, so won’t be developed.

The Huron legend is that Georgian Bay, which is almost as big as Lake Ontario, was once guarded by a temperamental god named Kitchikewana, When the woman he wanted to marry turned him down he grabbed a large ball of earth and tossed it, creating the 30,000 Islands.

Doesn’t matter if you pull in, in a little boat or a yacht, a plane or a helicopter, you are treated the same. Young dock staff bound down to help with landing. Some cruisers are hooked up to power so they can comfortably spend the night.

In what felt like abut 15 minutes, we descended into the Sans Souci area, and after a smooth water landing and taxi up to Henry’s, several white wooden buildings, with at least five docks, on Frying Pan Island. The restaurant is actually federally registered airport for sea planes and is serviced by at least 5 commercial airlines.

No reservations taken here, it’s first come first served at Henry’s for fish and chips. There was an actual Henry, he was Henry Lepage, a Métis commercial fisherman, with a large family who turned this into a fishing lodge and developed the restaurant. Today’s owner, Paul Elliott, first arrived as a customer, and now runs it with his family and staff of 15 to 20. Many are university students who live on the island for the summer. Paul will still answer to the name Henry, though.

We settled in for lightly-battered perch and pickerel with sides of baked beans, coleslaw and fries. The food has earned the restaurant recognition and honours from Saveur Magazine and The New York Times. It’s probably the first restaurant to earn such notoriety while being located 16 miles form the closest road.

Paul Elliott - Owner of Henry's

Walls feature historical photos, from the original fishing boat to the island in winter, and the largest boat that ever visited. It was 128 ft long. Paul won’t tell me who the owner was. But I do find out that one of the many notable customers who have dropped in was Jimmy Buffet. I didn’t ask if he sauntered up the dock carrying a Margarita

Where: Parry Sound is about 3 hrs north of Toronto. You can explore by air with Georgian Bay Airways. The 2012 price for Fly & Dine at Henry's $163.95 per adult (+ HST + fuel surcharge), including 2 piece battered Pickerel meal. The summer of 2011 an option was added where you could Fly, Dine & Hike (including a swim to explore the remains of the steamer shipwreck The Waubuno which went down in 1879. Non-flyers can explore the 30,000 islands out of Parry Sound on the 550-passenger Island Queen (Canada's largest sightseeing cruise ship.) Henry's is open mid-May till mid-September. A second Henry's location in Midland is open year-round.

(c) Islands Photo by Kate Bishop, all other photos by Lucy Izon

Canada’s Coolest:

Welcome to a new feature on Canada Cool. I'll be presenting different 'Coolest' lists with my favorites and I encourage you to nominate suggestions from your own experiences. You can Twitter @CanadaCool or email [email protected]. Let me know what makes your suggestion exceptionally cool. Remember, by contributing your comments you are giving Canada Cool permission to quote you. Only a selection of submissions will be included, but all comments and submissions are greatly appreciated!

The first feature is: Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives

Here are some of my favorites...

The Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park, Alberta - This 229 km (142 mi) Rocky Mountain route from Banff/Lake Louise to Jasper passes 100 frozen rivers and nudges the base of the Athabasca Glacier - the most accessible glacier in the world. You can stop and explore it. It spills down from the Columbia Icefield, an area of ice so massive that you could fit the entire population of North America on it with each person getting at least a square metre of space.

The Corridor, Algonquin Park, Ontario – this 56-km stretch of Hwy 60 cuts through the southwest section of Algonquin Park. Less than three hours north of Toronto the park is a nature-lover's paradise with 7,725 km of lakes, rivers, forest, trails, camping, comfortable lodges and 2000 km of canoe routes. Offers hiking trails to stop and enjoy, but what makes it really cool is that it’s one of the best places in North America to spot moose (especially in May and June). And, on Thursday nights in August up to 600 cars will gather to listen to wolves howl.

The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia – Driving this 303 km (187 mile) route is like riding a roller-coaster: the road snakes around hairpin turns, rises to heights over 365 metres (1200 ft), weaves around headlands revealing spectacular coastal scenery, and plunges down to sea level taking you into the heart of small fishing communities. The most dramatic scenery is between the Cape Breton Highlands National Park entrance near Cheticamp and Pleasant Bay, so go slow. And, plan some flexibility into your schedule, so you can drive it on a clear day.

And here are some of your nominations for 'Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives'...

More from Canada’s Coolest

'Canada's Coolest' topics we'll be publishing in the future:

• Golf Course Features
• Haunted Hotels
• Hotel Special Services

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