Sunday 4 January 2015

Wolfe Island - what an interesting spot!

Donna, an historian
Joe and I decided to go to Wolfe Island to spot some owls, and since they'd lived there for 4 years, we asked if they'd like to go!  The ferry ride was amazing. The skies were wonderful. Such blue, blue skies at first. We had lunch in the pub. I loved the signage. Of course, Donna and Norma knew a lot of the people there! Hubby had his first Shirley Temple!

Off we went to pick up our friends. They live in Kingston. Married 25 years, they are a precious Donna wrote a book about Rene Caisse, a famous Muskoka nurse who treated cancer patients successfully and fought the medical community.

couple, managing various health issues. They are busy, active in the historical society, Donna is a retired librarian and researcher. They knew my late mother, Donna worked with her, and sang in the Elderberries – a Muskoka choir, and were great friends.
A feature of Wolfe Island is the Wolfe Island Wind Project, a wind farm developed by Canadian Hydro Developers and now owned and operated by TransAlta. The 197.8 MW wind plant consists of 86 wind turbines, which have been in commercial operation since June 26, 2009.This is currently the second largest turbine project in Canada.
We visited them in Kingston
There are a lot of bad feelings from the Wind Farm, with farmers permitting this use of their land. I find them reassuring, that they are harnessing the winds for clean energy. There was a home being built, and they knew there were these machines. It was harder for our friends, since they endured the trucks and the damage to their roads, crowded ferries to and from Kingston -with trucks and workers. I rather like them, but I know I'm in the minority.

It is a small island, and the bakery and restaurants were mostly closed. They depend upon tourists for their income, and it was a cold, bitter ferry ride Dec. 31st. There are several beef farms, and a small town, Marysville. It is a popular place for people to bike, and many birds migrate across it, with wide open roads and startling views.

We visited the cemetery, and drove from one end of the island to another. The largest of the Thousand Islands,  Ontario -124 km², there are many birds. With a population of 1400, people must take the ferry to and from Kingston. Some people don't even have cars, hopping onto the ferry to go to work downtown.

6 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

Lovely photos! I loke windfarms if they're in the right place, they can look quite beautiful in a strange kind of way. in the wrong place they can be very desctructive though, eg damaging wildlife habitats or killing migrating birds.

Hilary said...

I wish I had made the trip over to Wolfe Island during one of the many visits I made to Kingston for the four years that my son attended RMC. But it's nice to see it through your eyes. You always provide and interesting and informative post. Thanks for that.

Nancy J said...

We have a wind farm a few hours from our home,I think they are like graceful ballerinas, and if in the right place, no better way to harness nature's wind for power. Love your story, as always. Hugs,Jean.

Red said...

This is certainly a beautiful little day trip. Whether we like it or not we're going to have have more wind energy. the technology will change so that we get more power from it.

William Kendall said...

It's a beautiful island. I've been there, but it's been awhile now.

Wind farms, when placed right, are a good idea, though I get some of the issues people have with them- I've felt a wave of nausea come over me passing among them up in the Shelburne area- the spinning of the blades bothered me.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
What a wonderful trip... I am a fan of windfarms. If the blades make folk dizzy they have the option to look away... They are relatively new on the landscape and birds need to adapt to their presence; it will happen. The benefits FAR outweigh the negatives... YAM xx