Thunder Bay and Kakabeka Falls

8/20/2019 

Witnessing the sunrise over lake Superior from bed was a glorious way to start the day. Beth did a great job choosing Eagle Ridge Trout Ponds for an overnight stay.

Our spot high on the hill.

Fog shrouded the offshore islands in Lake Superior.

At 0853 we were looking back on our perch from the trout pond. It was just across the road from the uppermost cabin. The road is steeper than it looks, but the front wheel drive ProMaster pulled us up without any trouble.

While we had planned to spend the day at Fort William Historical Park, the forecast called for 58° F and rain. Being flexible we decided to explore the area around Thunder Bay by car instead. Our first stop was Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park.

Easily accessed from the parking lot, the waters of the Kaministiquia River drop an impressive 40 metres (131 feet). Even in August a good flow of water moved towards Lake Superior. It must be very impressive in the springtime. While there is a campground and lots of trails in the park, we elected for the $5.50 two hour pass due to the rain.

Looking down from the top, showed how daunting a barrier this was for canoes headed for the interior of Ontario.

With a bridge just above the falls, I couldn't resist getting a photo of our Lexor in the frame. Beth humored me and drove across at a slow pace. With the rain, we weren't holding up any traffic.

From Kakabeka, we headed into the city of Thunder Bay. Drawn to the waterfront area, we parked and explored on foot. A lot was going on even on a rainy Tuesday. Junior sailing races provided entertainment inside the breakwater while a big freighter anchored outside. 

Enjoyed seeing a Nonsuch, sister craft to our favorite old sailboat docked in the marina. It's the one with a wishbone boom and no standing rigging.

Walking past the Railroad Station and over a pedestrian bridge brought us into downtown proper. The visitor's center pointed us towards a nice art gallery and gave us brochures for a self paced walking tour of historical architecture.

Cool temperatures gave us an excuse to stop and warm up at The Groggy Toad Coffee House before heading back to the van.

Heading out of town we passed a Bombardier factory making commuter rail cars. Looking for a place to spend the night we drove to Chippewa Park in the indigenous section of town. There must be some kind of tax difference here as gas prices were significantly lower. The park was in sad shape, as were the approaching roads, but the campground looked okay. The price was $38.03 per night.

That was more than $28.25 at Fort William, so we left Chippewa Park behind. Less than an hour later, we were seated inside the theatre here at Fort William Historical Park getting a head start on tomorrow by watching the introductory movie. 

An Astronomical Observatory is also on-site, but they weren't open on Tuesdays.

Taking advantage of a break in the rain, I walked along the river while Beth enjoyed a nap.

One of our neighbors was visiting from Europe. Judging from all the stickers, they have traveled more than the average camper. The elevated storage box was an interesting feature.

After dinner, we utilized these shower facilities. Despite looking temporary, they were clean and quite nice.

As you can see from the photo below, the campground here is just a big field. With overcast skies, we were fine with no power or water, and you can't find a more convenient spot to the Historical Park. We're excited about exploring it tomorrow morning.

Today's short drives from south to north and west to east.