Parry Sound. Famous for being a summer destination and being the birthplace of Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Orr. I’ve passed by the town many, many times and even spent several summers at a cottage just northeast. Yet, until this past weekend, I had never been to the centre of town and the waterfront.
Even then, I stopped for just a short of a couple hours, after sundown, in the middle of October. It turns out, Parry Sound has a pretty cool waterfront area that should not be missed. The advantage to visiting when I did was the nearly complete absense of other human beings to interfere with the long exposure times necessary in that kind of lighting.
Parry Sound, Ontario
Located 225 kilometres north of Toronto and 160km south of Sudbury, Ontario, Parry Sound is situated just off the main highway 400 on the eastern shores of the body of water also known as Parry Sound. This is an inlet off Georgian Bay and at the mouth of the Seguin River.
Parry Sound has a permanent population of around 6,200. The town was established in 1857 and is named in honour of Sir William Edward Parry. The town is the seat of Parry Sound District.
The above image was taken from the end of the main dock, looking east.
This ship parked here is the Still Watch, currently a Canadian Coast Guard survey vessel. The ship was built by Russel Brothers in Owen Sound, Ontario and was launched in 1960 as the Ville Marie. The ship has been called Still Watch since 1995. For more detailed info and some historic images, check out this site: Still Watch.
The above image shows the main office and fleet of Georgian Bay Airways. You may have to click on the image for a full size shot for a better view of the airplanes. I did get close ups but with the water flow coming from the Seguin River and the long exposure times, the float planes were bouncing a little too much and came out blurred.
Georgian Bay Airways consists of three float planes, two Cessna 180’s and one Found Bush Hawk. The airline operates tours between from May through October. Tour lengths range from 25 to 35 minutes over the 30,000 region of Georgian Bay. These short but impressive flights cost from $103 to $310 per person, plus taxes and a fuel surcharge. The airline can also be chartered.
Above the trees, at the right of the above image, the Parry Sound lookout tower can be seen. This is a replica of fire towers that existed throughout the region a half century ago. The tower stands 96 feet above the ground at Tower Hill Park. This tower is similar to the Dorset Scenic Tower, located east of Parry Sound.
Throughout these images, the CPR Train Trestle is almost always visible. Completed in 1907 by Canadian Pacific Railway, the trestle is 517 metres or 1,695 feet in length, making it the longest train trestle east of the Rocky Mountains. At it’s highest, the trestle is 32 metres or 105 feet above the ground.
The trestle crosses over the mouth of the Seguin River. The Seguin is relatively short at around 40km in length. At the mouth, just below the trestle, the river goes over a series of drops that are a cross between a waterfall and heavy rapids.
No, the above image is not of the CPR trestle. This is an abandoned rail bridge across the Seguin River that has been coverted into a walking bridge. The next two images show the view from this bridge.
Looking upstream along the Seguin River at the Seguin Street Bridge.
Looking downstream, to the west, as the Seguin River flows below the CPR trestle. This image gives a better perspective of the amazing length of the trestle.
One more look upstream at one of the main pillars of the trestle and the nasty rapids of the Seguin River.
Hometown of Bobby Orr
Supposedly, Bobby Orr learned to skate on the frozen Seguin. Orr played in the National Hockey League from 1966-67 to 1978-79 with the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. He won eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHL’s top defenseman. Bobby also won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer twice, something unheard of from a blue liner. He was awarded the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP on three occasions and helped the Boston Bruins to two Stanley Cup championships.
Orr was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979. Along the waterfront, just across from the main parking lot and dock, another Hall of Fame can be found. The Bobby Orr Hall of Fame is a museum that celebrates his hockey career.
