Presqu'ile Provincial Park, Ontario

August 2013

Situated just 150 kms east of Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario, Presqu’ile Provincial Park is a major migratory path for birds and butterflies and is a good alternative to the busy Sandbanks Provincial Park.

 

The park has 2 visitor centres, Lighthouse Interpretive Centre which interpretes the parks cultural heritage and the Nature Centre which educates visitors about the flora and fauna of the park.

 There are 4 trails and a marsh boardwalk which total 10kms that pass through wetlands, marshes and forests. The Marsh Boardwalk is a 1 km loop that consists of a series of boardwalks and floating bridges is the best way to experience the large protected wetland. Other trails are Owen Point Trail, Pioneer Trail, Newcastle Trail, and Jobes Wood Trail.

In the spring and fall come to the park for birdwatching and in the summer for a refreshing swim or a walk along the 3 km long sandy beach. Be sure to visit the lighthouse which is the second-oldest operating lighthouse in Ontario.

A great way to explore the park is by bicycle. I parked my car at the first beach and cycled along the parkway stopping at the many points of interest.



Lighthouse at Presqu'ile Provincial Park

Marsh Boardwalk Trail

Lake Ontario

 

Owen Point



 

 

 

Pelee Island , Ontario

May 2010

In the spring I took a long weekend to visit Pelee Island and Point Pelee National Park. This is a great getaway as it is a 4 hour drive from Toronto.May is the height of the tourist season because of the yearly migration of birds. Pelee Island is part of an important flyway for migrating birds between Ohio and Point Pelee.So it is very popular with birders around this time of year.

Pelee Island is situated in Lake Erie 40 kms south of Canada’s mainland and is the southernmost populated point in Canada at latitude of 41 degrees. It has a permanent population of 256 residents and swells to over 1000 during the summer months. The island which sits on a bed of limestone has one of the mildest climates in the country making it an excellent area to grow grapes and produce wines. In fact the typical growing season is two weeks longer than the adjacent mainland.  The only way to get on the island is by ferry either out of Leamington or Kingsville. The ferry ride takes around one-and-a-half to two hours.

 There are many things to do on Pelee Island such as biking(The 34 km Lakeview Trail circles the entire island and passes the main attractions) , visiting Pelee Island winery, going for nature walks and browsing the local shops and galleries. There are 2 nature reserves which are a must visit: Lighthouse Point Nature Reserve and Fish Point Nature Reserve.

Pelee Island has many bike and hiking trails that provide access to unique environments and provide access to beaches, forests, sand dunes, marshes, wetlands and alvars.

 

Pelee Island trail lined with flowers



Hydrophyllum Appenduculatum is unique to Canada in the Carolinian zone. The flower blossoms on Pelee Island in spring and early summer

Pelee Island Lighhouse



Fish Point Nature Reserve

 

 

 

 

 

Pigeon Point Lighthouse, California

June 2009

Pigeon Point Lighthouse is a California State Park which is located in Pescadero along Pacific Coast Highway 1 in California between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. The location of the lighthouse is spectacular, it is perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. You can actually stay there in the restored lighthouse keepers housing, which I did, as it is also a hostel which is run by Hostelling International. The lighthouse is one of the tallest and most picturesque on the west coast of the United States measuring 115 feet. The lighthouse was designated as California Historical Landmark. In June when I visited the whole area was full with wildflowers.

It’s really nice to go for walk in the surrounding area around the lighthouse as it is rich with marine life. You’ll see such mammals as seals, sea otters, sea lions, dolphins, humpback and gray whales which can be seen from the shore as they pass by. The best time to see gray whales is when they make their annual migration from the Bering Sea to Baja California between January and April.




Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of California’s most photographed lighthouse.

Pigeon Point was named for clipper ship Carrier Pigeon which ran aground in 1853 and sank just 500 feet from the shore.

 

Lighthouse Tower is 115 feet high and stands on a 8 foot thick concrete foundation.

This part of the coast has rocky reefs and contains a variety of plant and animal life. There is a sandy beach which can be accessed from stairs near the lighthouse. From the beach, you can see a rock formation in the middle of the cove called “Prisoner Rock”. The rock got this name because often fishermen were left stranded on it in high tides.