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Point Pleasant Batteries

It was a sunny, warm day, and we drove into the parking area near the container pier beside Point Pleasant Park. Only a few moments in, and it was clear that this was a popular place as I watched people come and go, and an almost steady stream along the path. I got out, map in hand, and set out in search of three particular pieces of history, the Point Pleasant Battery, Fort Ogilvie, and the Cambridge Battery.

Vagabond Motel

I had known about this place for quite some time, as I had been visiting nearby several times per year. It hadn't been accessible, however, and I assumed it still wasn't until I saw photos from another explorer, and instantly recognized the place.

The Shoals Provincial Park

There was a skiff of snow on the ground as we rolled along Highway 101 and pulled up to the closed gates. As we began walking along the road into the park, I thought back to my earlier visit to Greenwater Provincial Park and wondered if it would be as well preserved.

MS Norgoma

Construction of SS Norgoma was completed at the Collingwood Shipyards in 1950. She would join a fleet of ships that provided packet and passenger service around what was known at the time as the Turkey Trail. This trail started at Owen Sound and wound its way through communities like Killarney, Manitowaning, Little Current, Kagawong, Gore Bay, Meldrum Bay, RIchard's Landing, Thessalon, and finally arriving at Sault Ste. Marie in a 5-day voyage.

USS Midway

The USS Midway, an iconic aircraft carrier, has a rich history that spans nearly five decades. Commissioned on September 10, 1945, just days after the end of World War II, the Midway was the largest ship in the world at the time. It was named after the Battle of Midway, a pivotal naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The Midway was the first of a new class of carriers that were designed to handle the larger and heavier aircraft that were being developed during the war. Throughout its service, the Midway played a crucial role in various military operations and was a symbol of American naval power.

Abandoned Metra Cars

Blindly following the directions of my GPS, I found myself at a strange little intersection with a gas station. The GPS indicating that I should go straight onto a dirt road and so I complied. I could tell from the mounded earth on the sides of the road that it was periodically maintained by graders. I suspect some time had passed since the last grader, as my organs vibrated in time with the washboard ridges punching a staccato beat against the tires.

Salton Sea

I arrived in my nice, clean, white, rented Equinox. The windows were up, and the cool air was coming from the air conditioner. The sun was shining, and I was loving being away from the cold and snow of Canada. When I arrived, first at Salton City, I drove close to the beach and stopped. I looked out over the shimmering water, turned off the engine and got out... THE STENCH! Nothing had prepared me for the smell. Like seaweed and rotting fish, yet somehow much, much worse. I looked around, noticed that some of the houses were actually occupied and thought, "how do they live with the stench?".

Greenwater Provincial Park

As one who frequents Provincial Parks for camping, when I heard that there were a few that had been closed, permanently, I knew I would have to take the opportunity to have a look at how nature reclaims these spaces. I spend a lot of time in Gogama, and that seemed the perfect jumping-off point for a trip to the former Greenwater Provincial Park. As it turns out, once wouldn't be enough.

Stephenville AFS

Belonging to the United States Air Force, construction of this radar station began in 1951 and was completed two years later.

Harmon AFB Hanger

Arriving in Stephenville, Newfoundland, it's easy to find yourself driving along an old runway. As you look around, you will see many buildings remaining from the former Harmon AFB, some of them dating back to its original construction in the 1940's.