Pelee Island

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1) ahhhhh, pinot noir grapes!


Still onwards G and I went .. to the deep south of southwestern Ontario. In fact, to the farthest, most southerly place you can go in Canada, and still be actually in Canada: Pelee Island, a wee island 5kms wide and 14kms long sitting in the middle of Lake Erie – an hour and a half ferry ride from Kingsville.

So why Pelee? …. well, you’ll remember  back in the mid-1980s the federal government was in serious negotiations with the Turks & Caicos Islands (in the Caribbean) for them to become part of Canada. This idea resurfaced a couple years ago, and, I suspect in my lifetime we shall have a Turks & Caicos Territory just like Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. ANYway, it’d be great to have a southern island to head to (sans passport) but until that time comes, Pelee is as far south as you can get.

…. oh, and did I mention they have a winery on the Island? Okay, so that was a draw as well: the wonderful wines of the Pelee Island Winery.

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2) the Jiimaan takes on cars at Kingsville; and 3) docks mid-isle at Pelee


We decided to take our bikes and it’s a great way to see the island (not to mention cheaper than taking a car on the ship). The roads are perfect for cycling – asphalt and packed gravel and distances are tolerable for any cyclist. There is also a bicycle rental hut right at the port when you arrive, if you perfer.

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4) a strange tree we found on route; 5) Scudder’s Beach, where we stopped for lunch


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6, 7& 8) the roads on the northeast side of the island are perfect for cycling


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9) G surveys the beach; 10) beaches on the east side are nicer and wider than those on the west; 11) the “public” beach


After cycling the north half of the island, it was time for a well-deserved stop at the winery. Pelee Winery has established a Pavillion on the island that sells all their wines and provides a picnic and bbq area for folks to hangout at. I suspect many of the people who arrived on the ferry with us at 10:30am had spent the entire day at the winery drinking … lots of ‘happy’ people here when we arrived at 1pm.

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12) the entrance to the Pavillion; 13) the picnic area


G and I sampled a host of wines in the pavillion then bought glasses to take out onto the patio to chill with. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon!

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14) approaching the Pavillion by bike; 15) the vines; 16) the reason for coming, finally in our hands!


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17) don’t drink and cycle!; 18) fortunately the ferry was in sight

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19) the rocky west coast; 20) exiting the ferry back on the mainland


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3 Responses to Pelee Island

  1. YNOTswim says:

    Dyke Road? ha ha… u should ride motocycles on it. :)

  2. Fatcat723 says:

    So how was the wine! Actually, a day on the island seems like a good idea.

  3. Cloudy day? Admit it. You went for the wine.

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