3rd Annual Tobermory Excellent Orchid Adventure
- June 17 to 19, 2005
 Tobermory welcomed us with a blast! It was the Chi Cheemaun weekend and we were treated to a wonderful display of fireworks on Friday evening, 17 June, over Little Tub Harbour. After breakfast at the Princess Hotel we were off to Flower Pot Island on the Blue Heron V (route map | Blue Heron V to Flowerpot - images). Our ferry took us around the island so we could see the flowerpots from the waterside. As the water was low we went ashore on a Zodiac. Ross Mclean provided much information on the geology of the island and led part of the group, a special thanks to Ross. The rest of us were off to look for flowers and we were not disappointed. There were many spotted coral root orchids and a striped coral root all waiting for their picture to be taken. I’ll add a list of all the flowers seen at the bottom of this. As the island is made up of a series of three bluffs there are caves to gaze into, which we did. Lunch at the Light Station by the water was relaxing and we continued the trail around the island. As we were not rushed we walked the length of the Marl Bed Trail and found a Calypso Orchid. Flower Pot Island also provided a very good show of the Northern Holly Fern (Polystichum lonchitis).
Map > GPS track of Blue Heron V
Map > GPS track of our hike on Flower Pot Island - proof that Jeanette walked on water?
Picture > Large image of fireworks showing theChi Cheemaun.
Picture > Our leaders Jeanette and Greg visiting with a fellow hiker, Larry.
Dimitros, our chef at the Princess Hotel, provided a fine dinner and many enjoyed his white fish. A pleasant walk after dinner around Little Tub Harbour to see the sunset.
Sunday morning we walked the Singing Sands (photo) property on the Lake Huron side. [Picture > Greg the Teacher.] We started on a boardwalk over a fen (limestone with some water and not much soil) to see many insectivorous Pitcher Plants (see photo links in list below). There were many flowers to see and the yellow lady slippers were numerous. We walked the shoreline on the way back and could see the glacial striae, long scratches gouged into the limestone by hard rocks that were imbedded in the glacial ice. The shore was strewn with glacial erratics, another reminder of the last ice age. A short walk up the Old Dorcas Bay road, now a trail, provided three showy lady slipper orchids (see photo links in list below).
 Again lunch by the water, this time Lake Huron, then off to the Bruce Alavar Reserve. This tucked away alvar, limestone pavement with little soil, is home to the lakeside daisy (see photo links in list below), and is one of the very few places it can be found.
We finished our weekend at Larkwhistle Gardens, an excellent perennial garden. Larkwhistle Gardens was created from what almost looks like wasteland and thanks to these two excellent gardeners it has been turned into a small paradise.
Thanks to all who came and especially our photographers, Wally and Jamie.
... Greg
>>> Listed below are some of the wildflowers we observed. Note that some of these links are to an external website, namely, the Connecticut Botanical Society.
Flower Pot Island Flowers
Singing Sands Flowers
Bruce Alvar Reserve
|
