BAYFIELD INLET, 1993, CRAZY. YA. CRAZY LIKE A SNAKE

MAY 1993, ISLAND D40, BAYFIELD INLET, ONTARIO, CANADA

OUR FIRST STAY AS ISLANDERS

I’m sure like many of you, I have been wondering now that it’s been twenty years since the once popular TV series “Cheers” has gone off the air, what the cast are up to today. Also looking back twenty years, it was when we bought our island.

We started our search for a property up”north” in 1990. Through ’91 and ’92 we with help of others went hunting for something that matched our wish checklist. Pines, rock outcrop, off the Jet Ski trail, water access, snakes……. With the help of a variety of real estate agents and one business associate, Dave Dillon, we plied our target area, Georgian Bay.

After many fun, but ill-fated voyages in the search for our perfect property, we set out in beautiful crisp fall weather on one last potential sail for 1992, on October 31. Our little girls were home with grand folks. Breaking through early morning fall ice from Thompson Marine, we headed out Bayfield Inlet. Our showing agent, Bill Draper, made us aware quite quickly that this would be the last possible trip this year. Ice cover won’t slow down anyone around here but “MOOSE SEASON” starts tomorrow and in this part of the country, there are priorities.

Bar stools from the Industrial Cottage.

Kate and I being relatively quick to “like or dislike” something quickly, there had been, like here, many properties we didn’t waste our time with. We got on D40. Did a walk about. Went through our mental checklist. I personally recall thinking that it’s a possible, but nothing of real significance jumped out. I was on a mode of discounting any building on anything we visited, as I was intent on building our own cottage. (Ya, that’s working 20yrs later)

Our future outdoor kitchen spot.

I don’t remember much detail after we returned home other than knowing that like any significant real estate purchases, one would expect , but we would be unable to visit again if we were seriously interested. (I have to mention that during our search we did put an offer on an island property close to Parry Sound that was not accepted. THANK GOODNESS!!!!!!!.  Crazy high price for not as nearly nice as our D40}

At the time D40, having buildings that we weren’t interested in (I didn’t remember the Cabin being as nice as it has turned out to be) was priced within our target range. Nothing in or around, even in 1983, Georgian Bay was cheap. Still much more economical then the Muskoka region. Thinking that we had nothing to lose we made what I thought was a rather silly low offer. Having only been once, we were more than cautious before blowing a bundle on something that we only kick the tires once.

Looks like we were glad that the stove worked

We over this period of time also were part of a tree planting program on 350 Kilman. Here we brought some White Pine. Please come and see this tree today. But call ahead.

SURPRISE!!! OFFER ACCEPTED. WHOLLY HWY 400! So here we are siting on Forest Hill Crescent in Fonthill during the winter of  92/93 wondering what the hell did we buy. 

Yes we were crazy. Crazy like a snake.

Behind Kate is where the bunk bed now stands.

In front it looks we were enjoying the High Life

Knowing absolutely nothing about the area, when May 1983 rolled around, we hire our later go to guy and marine owner, Peter Thompson, to water taxi us in for our first visit. So unawares of what to expect we brought most everything to set up a bush camp. I imagine that it wasn’t more than an afternoon and we were moved into the very cabin were I write this today. 

On the left is a kerosene stove. We've never used it but it will go in our new cottage's kitchen as a fire hazard.

To the left is our viewing POINT. The water in the foreground is GONE! Lowered.

NOT FOR SALE!

I cannot write what the past twenty years here have meant to me and us. Seeing the girls age with our island.  

Up till now, it’s only the island that I will guarantee will be on my last will blog post when I’m gone and DEAD. (please do not spread my ashes here. I find even at the best of times, the water is COLD. Maybe I’m meant to “Go to Hell” and warm up there)

                                                                                                CHEERS!

I thought there is suppose to be cake with an anniversary. What would be good is a Dairy Queen frozen ice cream cake if anybody cares.