Kingston in Summer: Wolfe Island

This weekend I took a trip out to Kingston, Ontario to pay Stef one last visit before I leave for British Columbia. She usually commutes through the city by either walking or using public transit, so we took full advantage of having my car for the weekend and arranged activities that required a vehicle.

I spent the full weekend with her, and each day she had a trip planned which involved travelling to a natural area that she had always heard great things about. It was glorious. For our first day in town, we explored a bit of downtown before heading on the ferry to Wolfe Island.

The ferry between Kingston and Wolfe Island is free, but it only loads every hour. We had a bit of a wait for the ferry, but we got ourselves some cold caffeinated drinks and relaxed by the water. The view of Wolfe Island from the ferry showcased some of its wind turbines. Eighty-six turbines make up the wind farm, and they are distributed throughout the island.

Once we got off the ferry we drove through a series of country roads to reach Big Sandy Bay Management Area, a protected environmental area that hosts a public beach.The entrance fee (including parking) was a steep $9 for each of us, but the experience we had definitely made up for the cost. There was a much better deal available for a full summer pass for those who intend to visit often.

To get to the beach, we first had to walk 15 minutes through a natural trail. The area was surrounded by lush habitat for birds, turtles, and small mammals. Apparently the area contains several rare trees and plants, as well as a fragile sand dune habitat.

The water was perfect. It was a hot and humid day, and the lake was a comfortable and refreshing temperature. Stef and I played in the waves and swam around for a while. The whole time I just couldn’t believe I was in Kingston; it felt like I was enjoying a beach along the ocean.

Stef and I stayed until the end of beach hours before we started to make our way back to the ferry. Once again, we drove through the country roads past farm fields and wind turbines. It seems like such an interesting way of life to me; being so close to country and nature, but also a short ferry ride away from the city. Someday, I’d like to meet someone from Wolfe Island and ask them about their life.

While waiting for the ferry, we grabbed some snacks and drinks from a local coffee shop to tie us over. The wait was quite relaxing by the water.

 

 

 

 

On the ferry ride home, the setting sun lit up the sky. The view was gorgeous. We ended up befriending a phD student named Jonathan who was planning his travels to Southeast Asia and western Canada. Turns out Jonathan had traveled a lot of India, so he and Stef recollected on familiar places.

I stood by and took pictures of the view and the rebellious strands of Stef’s hair that swayed around in the wind like a tornado. It was a great end to the day trip.