#Mazinaw Rock

[lindaseccaspina]

The Mazinaw Rock Collection... More on the Bon Echo Inn -- The Ouija Board Conversation

Photo- Collotype Reception room, Bon Echo Inn, near Pakenham, Ont., circa 1910Unknown / UnknownMP-0000.726.6   Flora MacDonald Denison, an Ontario-based inn owner said that The Bon Echo Inn had her favorite poet’s words etched forever into a granite cliff. Mac-Donald-Denison decided to model her quiet piece of paradise after the spiritual humanism and democratic idealism of her poet hero,…

[alluneedissunshine]

🇨🇦 Mazinaw Rock | Bon Echo Provincial Park by Dave Wong

[ashleysjourney2healthy]

K and I hiked at bon echo provincial park today. We both really love it there. We took a boat across to Mazinaw Rock and we completed the 3km round trip hike. It was actually quite difficult 🥵

[fleurcareil]

East Ontario: Bon Echo and Ottawa areas

And off I go! 9am Thursday 1st June I'm starting my cross Canada road trip with an overloaded car and at 54,836km...

First stop is one of my favourite things in Ontario; paddle boarding along the Mazinaw Rock in Bon Echo Provincial Park, midway between Toronto and Ottawa. After having traversed the entire GTA one last time on the QEW, Gardiner, DVP and 401 highways, I finally escaped the madness and got to spend a few lovely hours on the water, searching for the pictographs that Indigenous people created a long time ago. The first time I tried to find them was with my mother by kayak, but not having a clue what it exactly was that we were looking for, we found none until we realised on a boat tour that they're tiny and just above the water, whereas we had been craning our neck to scour the high cliffs for anything that seemed remotely like a drawing 😂. Since then, I had already come back once to explore by SUP, however now in the mid-week quiet without other tourists & motorboats it was magical!

Starting my trip during an unexpected heatwave (32C!) has been tiring as I was constantly sweating but at least it meant I was not freezing at night which had been my fear. In the morning I did my regular 20-minute hulahoop wake-up routine but this time on the beach overlooking the cliffs... Great way to start the day and as bonus there were no mosquitos!! I kinda had forgotten how bad it can be in spring, but after two miserable attempts at a hike, I realised I will be doing most of my exploring by water until the bugs have died off. That said, so far it's only been mosquitos which have mass-targeted me, without the deer/black/sand/other nasty flies, so I guess it can & will still get much worse.

Instead of hiking, I ended up paddling two little lakes at Sheffield Conservation Area just south of Bon Echo, which is the most southern location to experience the Canadian Shield... it was not as majestic as up north but the bare granite rocks hold their beauty wherever they are! The channel between the lakes turned out to be blocked by a beaver dam, which made me realize that the pretty water lilies that I had seen earlier were basically the beaver's vegetable garden 😜. I had never seen a beaver dam up close from the water, so it was cool to see how it's constructed with a slope of soil upstream, intertwined with branches for extra stability. I tried to spot the beaver as well, but no luck (the only time I've seen a beaver was at Leslie Spit in Toronto of all places!). Someone had already created a little portage trail around the dam so that I could continue to the next lake and eat lunch on a little island (with my feet out of the water as the fish were trying to nibble).

Am now on a campground on the Quebec side for 3 nights to spend some time around Ottawa; after not having done a campfire on the first night I was looking forward to one and bought a 1-kilo bag of marshmallows and my favourite chocolate (dark, orange & sea salt) for s'mores, but the entire province is under a fire ban due to the many forest fires that are out of control.... Am afraid this is going to be a recurring theme this summer, we need to fix climate change asap!! Without a fire to chase them away, I'm already completely fed up with the mosquitos at the end of the 2nd day, so I spent the evening in my "living room" tent, which is a blissful haven to eat, read and drink some wine.

Spent Saturday very chilled in the capital; although downtown Ottawa is small it is very lively due to all the tourists (like me) and I always enjoy walking around the highlights; I had planned to visit the National Art Gallery but wasn't attracted by any of the current exhibits so gave it a miss and visited the neighbouring Royal Mint instead for what turned out to be a private tour of the facilities - cool to see how they make 99.99% pure silver and gold coins! Thereafter past the Rideau Canal to Parliament Hill which was disappointing because of the construction but also because I couldn't find my favourite sculpture 'Women are Persons!" celebrating the suffragette movement that allowed women to vote...I did find it later in front of the Senate building, but only after I attended (unplanned) the annual D-Day commemorative ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We cannot afford forgetting the horrible impacts of war so it was a sobering but important moment. I ended on a Byward patio; nothing beats drinking a beer in the sun and watch the world go by!

And today I had a beautiful day at Gatineau Park where I had never been despite having wanted to on previous trips, due to rain/snow etc...I initially did not plan to hike and go supping instead but there was a lot of wind and it turned out no mosquitos due to the cooler weather, so I ended up doing several hikes after all, up to some viewpoints that were no longer visible (as is often the case as they don't cut the trees so that beautiful view when the bench was installed 10+ years ago is long gone), around Pink Lake which is green from the many algae, and to a waterfall that hadn't seen a lot of rain but was pretty nevertheless. I always struggle with making forest hike pictures interesting as it's very green without much variation and not able to capture the true essence of hearing the wind & the birds, the dappled light on the forest floor etc. Tried anyway, and also made a picture of the forest along the parkway to capture the bright apple green of the trees in spring, so refreshing! Ended the day at the Champlain lookout over the Ottawa valley.

Not sure I'll keep up writing so much each time but am clearly excited about how the trip has started so far! 😍

Wildlife: 1 marmot (Bon Echo), 2 male mergansers fighting with each other (Bon Echo), 10,000 mosquitos (Bon Echo), 2 snakes (Toronto Island and Sheffield), 2 turtles (Gatineau), 2 deer (along the road in Gatineau)

SUPs: three (Toronto Island, Bon Echo, Sheffield)

Hikes: one small one (eaten alive) and one aborted (more eaten alive), both at Bon Echo. Three hikes at Gatineau (no single mosquito bite!)

[camperdreaming]

Camping in canada ontario: Exploring the Natural Beauty of Ontario

If you're a camping in canada ontario enthusiast looking to explore the natural beauty of Canada, Ontario is a great place to start. Ontario is a camper's paradise with its stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities.

Choosing the Right Campsite in Ontario

Ontario offers many camping options, from backcountry camping to family-friendly campgrounds. For backcountry camping, explore the beautiful parks in Ontario's northern region. Killarney Provincial Park offers stunning vistas and many trails for hiking, trekking and photographing. Bruce Peninsula National Park is great for wildlife watching and provides breathtaking views of Georgian Bay.

Ontario has many provincial and national park options, such as Algonquin, Arrowhead, and Bon Echo Provincial Parks, for those who prefer more developed campgrounds. These parks offer car camping, RV sites, cabins, and yurts to accommodate various camping needs and preferences.

Activities and Attractions in Ontario's Campgrounds

Ontario's campgrounds offer plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities. Take advantage of the numerous hiking trails available, canoe or kayak on one of the many lakes or rivers, or experience the thrill of fishing. In Algonquin Provincial Park, visitors can paddle the historic canoe routes and scenic lakes where wildlife sightings are common. In Bon Echo Provincial Park, hikers can follow the challenging Mazinaw Rock Trail, which features a view of the Mazinaw Lake and the Mazinaw Rock Cliff. Bruce Peninsula National Park features hiking trails with unparalleled views of Georgian Bay and the surrounding region.

Tips for camping in canada ontario Ontario

When planning a camping trip in Ontario, Canada Ontario, checking for local regulations, obtaining necessary permits, and following leave-no-trace principles are essential. Ontario's wildlife, like bears, can be seen all across the province, and precautions should be taken. Be prepared for changing weather conditions, pack accordingly, and bring a map and a compass if you plan to camp in the backcountry.

Conclusion

Whether you're seeking serene seclusion and the natural beauty of the backcountry or the comfort and amenities of a convenient campground, Ontario offers an incredible range of camping experiences. Pack your bags and discover the natural wonderland that Ontario has to offer. Whether you're a seasoned camper or just starting out, the beauty and adventure of camping in canada ontario is something you won't want to miss.

[romeotangowhiskey]

Also, in the same vein as my previous post, here's the (start) of a watercolor painting of the Mazinaw Rock in Bon Echo Provincial Park.

[kbenvs3000f21]

[photograph by Ali Kazal on Unsplash of the dedication to Walt Whitman carved into Mazinaw Rock, with canoeists visible paddling in the background] Privilege is the advantage of wealth and power.  It is the rights, immunity, and benefits that someone holds.  Your privilege is everything that you don’t have to worry about that someone else does. It’s not being tailed around an outdoor supply store by a clerk who’s slapped a negative stereotype on you because you look black, or indigenous, or poor.  It’s not having to worry about how you’re going to get home.  It’s not being spoken over, for, or down to.  It’s feeling like you don’t have anything on the line when someone talks about race. It’s everything that your position in society buys you, and everything that you get to do that someone else doesn’t, because of their position.

Privilege shapes who nature interpretation is done by and who benefits from it.

It’s not an accident that so much of the imagery of people in nature features white people.  It’s not an accident that in Canada so much more land is dedicated to national and provincial parks in the north than the south; by and large Canada’s parks systems are comprised of less agriculturally desirable land, while the desirable agricultural land has largely been colonized by settlers.

1885 saw the founding of Canada’s first national park, Banff, and its superintendent seeking the exclusion of indigenous people from it [1,2].  As members of Keeseekoowenin Ojibwa band left Riding Mountain National Park for a reserve in 1936 they saw smoke rising from the fires that park wardens set to their barns and houses to keep them from coming back [1].  The Algonquin people were forced out of Algonquin Park [2]. It has been very clear, historically, that not all people are welcome within Canada’s parks. 

Black people share a similar history of white people forcing them from their lands, during the slave trade and after.  In Forsyth County, Georgia there were several years of effort by white people, beginning in 1912 when a lynching occurred, to force black people to leave [3].  In 1912 there were 41 black landowners, in 1913 there were 31, and in 1918 none were listed in the tax records; the black population dropped from 1,098 in 1910 to 30 in 1920 [3].  It’s not an accident that the term “urban” has been used as a synonym for “black”, and it is hardly surprising that some do not feel welcome in “nature”, today.

Systemic racism has fueled diversity gaps in nature interpretation.  It has created access barriers, to physical sites and to educational opportunities.  It has defined the lens through which nature interpretation is permitted to occur and facilitated land theft in the name of ecological conservation as part of a “green colonialism” [2] that has been enabled by a colonial view of “nature” and “wilderness” that excludes humanity.

Mazinaw Rock in Bon Echo Provincial Park features 300-1000 year old indigenous pictographs [4] and, (pictured above) carved into the rock in 1919, a massively large dedication to the democratic ideals of Walt Whitman.  It feels like an apt metaphor for the colonial lens that has shaped and directed nature interpretation.

1: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-shady-past-of-parks-canada-forced-out-indigenous-people-are-forging-a-comeback 2: https://thewalrus.ca/canadas-national-parks-are-colonial-crime-scenes/ 3: https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/16/us/restitution-to-blacks-unlikely-in-georgia-county.html 4: http://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/bon-echo-wanderer-boat-tour/

[wethenorth-archive]

Mazinaw Rock, Ontario

[cdnart]

Charles Comfort; Bon Echo Rock, Lake Mazinaw

[lizlagomorph]

Photos from our summer trip to Bon Echo Provincial Park. 

My sketch of Mazinaw Rock; Pat’s sketch of a pine near the beach; our ridiculous faces; a dramatic tree; close-up picture of bark, as is required by my art school pedigree.  

- Liz

[lindaseccaspina]

Missanoga Rock? Bon Echo Rock? Mazinaw Rock?--THE CANOE TRIPS TO THE ROCK 1895 and Ontario's Answer to the Overlook Hotel

Missanoga Rock? Bon Echo Rock? Mazinaw Rock?–THE CANOE TRIPS TO THE ROCK 1895 and Ontario’s Answer to the Overlook Hotel

CLIPPED FROMOwen Sound SunOwen Sound, Ontario, Canada16 Nov 1917, Fri  •  Page 11 I wrote an interesting story about a Lanark Cave a few months ago Mystery of the Lanark Cave — Lanark Village and this week I came across stories of a cliff rock with Indigenious markings called Missanoga Rock and could not find much about it– so I started to dig more. CLIPPED FROMThe Menasha RecordMenasha,…

[brenvs3000-19]

The Nature of Art

             Art comes in many forms, whether it be physical or merely sound. It evokes emotions in people and can help people connect their inner thoughts to tangible expressions. I have always felt that nature has emulated this same power. Being immersed in the wildness of nature has always had a strong impact on me, bringing forth my inner emotions and allows times of reflection. 

             I think one of the most important things to remember as an interpreter is that every person has their own definition of beauty and what brings them joy. Although I may be fascinated by the visual patterns of tree rings, another person may simply see a stump. As Beck and Cable (2011) said, “Interpreters can carry out the profound act of interpreting beauty only if they first perceive it themselves and know strategies to bring it to the attention of others.” Everyone has a different view of the world, but it is our ability to open the minds of others that allows us to guide people towards what we may see in something. In the case of a fallen tree, I am able to see the tree rings, a way of viewing not only the how old the tree is, but how it thrived year to year in a dynamic landscape. In thicker rings, I can see good years, where resources were plentiful, whereas in thinner rings I see the struggle. Just a simple pattern can tell you so much, if you know how to look at it. In most cases, something so small is not seen as beautiful, as there is so many large rugged natural beauties that capture the eye. Being an interpreter and sharing the story behind such a small feature can “help them see beauty in the ordinary, miracles in the mundane” (Beck and Cable 2011). Directing their attention to the small details that might otherwise be overlooked can help others understand the true significance behind them.

(Tree Stump - retrieved from Colourbox)

             When thinking of the intricate relationship between art and nature, I am reminded of the work of the Group of 7. Arthur Lismer was famously known to visit Bon Echo when it was an inn for artistic retreat rather than a provincial park. It was here where he found inspiration for his famous painting, The Sheep’s Nose, Bon Echo. As a former employee of Bon Echo Provincial Park, it always amazed me how powerful art can be in conveying the beauty of nature to the unknowing eye. People traveled from near and far to stand in the same spot as Lismer to see what he saw in Mazinaw Rock in person. Artists can be nature interpreters in some ways, as they paint what they see as beautiful. Their ability to share with others what they find beautiful help open others’ minds to different forms of beauty that can be found beyond a canvas. 

(Arther Lismer’s painting The Sheep’s Nose, Bon Echo, On - retrieved from In the footsteps of the Group of Seven by Amy Kenny)

(The Sheep’s Nose, Bon Echo as seen today - Photo courtesy of Jim Waddington | Retrieved from In the footsteps of the Group of Seven by Amy Kenny)

(Mazinaw Rock from the Narrows at Bon Echo Provincial Park | Sheep’s Nose rock or what the park staff now call ‘Turtle Rock’ is located in the very far right edge of the rock from this view - Photo taken by me in 2017)

             Interpreters of every form should be able to share what they find beautiful in an open and non-condescending way in order to help guide others in the same direction. In the end, people are more likely to protect and preserve something they can see the beauty in. In the case of Mazinaw Rock, people’s belief in the spectacular beauty and value it held was a factor that ultimately contributed to its designation as a provincial park. 

References:

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

[carbombrenee]

Indigenous pictographs on Mazinaw Rock, Bon Echo Provincial Park 2019

[the-world-travelers-blog]

Mazinaw Rock from the shores of Bon Echo, Ontario [OC 4096 x 2726].

[thebeautifuloutdoors]

View of the 100 meter (330 ft.) tall Mazinaw Rock form my campsite. Bon Echo, Ontario, Canada. October 13th 2018. https://ift.tt/2P1cIzX

Hey Tumblr! I found an awesome travel contest that I want to share with my followers. Travel for free to France, The Netherlands, Switzerland, or Serbia. Just click here and read my blog for more details!

[ladyagring-blog]

Grateful for this breathtaking views! In a world where "busyness" is valued more than presence, today I'm posting a photo collage oh how I relax. To end our camping trip today we went to the Mazinaw lake once again to say goodbye and just enjoying the breathtaking views! Today I wish you a moment of peace and contentment too! #optoutside #hikinglifestyle #hiking #theinstagramplan #camping #bonechoprovincialpark #bonechopark #ontarioprovincialpark #mazinawlake #mazinawlakebonecho #breathtakingviews #naturelover #rocks #pictographs #nativepictographs #discoverontario #ontarioparks #ontario #nature #getoutside #campsitepictures #discoverON #outdoors #getoutside #natureaddict #natureporn #natureshots #ontariofunzones #exploreontario #explorecanada (at Bon Echo Provincial Park)