Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Hi All it is that time of year again -- Lighthouse tour time.

This is just a feeler to see how many people would be intereseted in this type of trip and which location you would prefer.

We would leave Fri. July. 23 early in am say 8:00am- 8:30am depending upon pick-ups for car poolers. We would return fairly late on Mon. July 26 evening approx 11:00pm or earlier if more or less if you come straight home.

I am looking into a few accomodations:

1) In Tobermory with 3 double beds per room or 2 beds per room but cot could be added to that room. Both with 3 people sharing accomodations it would be approx $40.00 - $45.00 per person based on last years prices less if more people per room. They have a contenental Breakfast in the AM. We could bring coolers for lunches (sandwiches etc) to help save money and then just eat dinner at night. Rooms have a/c and a small fridge in the rooms. They have 2 rooms only with the 3 bed accomodation one on lower level and other above that room on second floor.

2) Manitoulin Island accomodations:

a) Providence Bay -- so for this place $110.00/per 2people, $120.00/per 3 people, $130/per 4 people (+ tax for each price). They have rooms with one queen bed, 2 double beds, or 1 queen, 1 double & pullout couch. They have air, small fridge, tea & coffee - no breakfast. This location is CAA/AAA approved. Beach to stroll or walk on boardwalk at the beach. (South Central Area). -- this likely my 1st choice, but I am up for a vote by the participants.

b) Gore Bay -- this place has rooms with 2 beds and double occupancy is $200.00 + tax/per night with 2 people this does include breakfast and dinner each day. However we would be tied down to be back for the restaurant hours for dinner and it could interfer with sunset locations and times. Not sure of times of restaurant as of yet. They have a swimming pool and internet but no air and no fridges. (North Central Area).

c) Little Current -- Just recieved info. Rooms have 2 beds, air, fridge, coffee maker, hair dryer. No breakfast. The room rate here is $79.00 + tax/per double occupancy and each additonal person is $10.00 + tax. (3 = 89; 4 = 99). In the village, close hub of town action and also on the main highway for noise in evening. (North East end Area). -- This likely is my 2nd choice, but I am up for a vote by the particpants.

* People can each have their own bed, or double up in a bed and lower the cost per room. ie in choice a) with 3 bed - 3 people = $43.50 + tax a night or 4 = 35; 5= 30; & 6 = 27 all+ tax vs option c) 2 = 40; 3= 30; 4 = 25 all + tax.

Now accomodations would have to be reserved so once it is decided who is SERIOUSLY ATTENDING we can work out room buddies and car pools.

I'm trying to keep the costs as low as possible as these trips can get expensive as we still have to factor in the gas which will be at least 3 - 4 full tanks of gas or so shared between car poolers.

Other major price factor is the Ferry. The cost is $35.00/per vehicle + $20.00 priority booking =$55.00/per vehicle. Also each person also costs $16.00. The cost of the car would be divided between how many people are in the car and then add on the $16.00 gives you an estimated price here.

We would be returuning by land from Little Current around to Sudbury and down to Toronto again so expect a late return home

Another option should you not be able to get off both days is to leave Toronto Friday night say by 6:00pm or so and drive up to Tobermory and catch up with us then. It says it is a 4 hour drive. I live in Scarborough and would say it is closer to 5 hours. You would aslo have to contend with the traffic on the way up some too. You can arrange a car pool if there is interest in this choice as well.

*Now this is just a feeler, but I am looking for people who are very serious about this trip and are committed to go and not change their minds.* Cancellations cost extra money in some cases and some places need more notice than others.

Once things get more decisive I will move this to an Official Outing. Please select which preference you prefer from the above boxes. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

** all locations above also have single rooms for those not wishing to share accomodations remember this would be at a higher rate. **

*** Each Driver would be responsible for booking their own ferry booking to be shared by thier carpool. ***

**** All rooms with your room mates would also need to be booked by one party in that room. ****

All details of the ferry time and hotel location will be provided when it is moved to an official event for easy booking by all.

To help keep the cost down for everyone, if the room on the Island has a fridge you can bring both breakfast and lunch foods and then all you would have to worry about was dinner and any snack (ice cream, etc.) along the way. Remember there is no Tim's or Starbuck or fast food places (McDonald's etc) in either Tobermory or on the Island.

Breakfast can be simple - a margarine container/ dollar store container with a lid with your choice of cereal and a box of milk in the fridge; or granola bars and fruit; or muffins and juice in fridge; etc. Also with the in room coffee or tea. Don't forget to pack some disposable spoons as if you use the margarine container you already have a bowl.

Lunches can be packed and put in a cooler to eat anywhere along the way. These can include some type of bread or buns with luncheon meat or peanut butter and jam -- packaged with 3 or 4 slices in each bag and even some sliced cheese and a bottle of mayo. Add some cookies, fruit, yogurt, pudding, a drink of water, juice boxes, canned or bottled pop and you have it made. Even some prepackaged small salads work well. Don't forget to pack a few disposable forks, knives, spoons, napkins, etc.

Dinners would be at a sit down restaurant with a resonable price.

The rough itinerary would be to see the lighthouses on the way to Tobermory. Sunset in tobermory after dinner. Sleep over in Tobermory. Sunrise in Tobermory. Breakfast in Tobermory. Ferry crossing during high noon. Touring of Manitoulin Island seeing the lighthouses, historic mills, old ferry, waterfall, possible a scenic hike on boardwalk at beach or along a trail over the next two (2) days. As well as anything interesting along the way that we may see. We would do sunrise and sunset each day. Two (2) night sleep over on the Island. Eat dinner out somewhere along our travels both nights. Monday do sunrise, eat breakfast and then we would head to Little Current and cross the bridge stop at a waterfall or two (2) or more and head toward Sudbury and back to Toronto either via 69 or 11 to the 400. Stop for dinner somewhere and head home and drop off all passengers at home or a convenient location.

http://www.manitoulintourism.com/Maps%20&%20Mileage.htm -- map of Manitoulin Island with many interest points

This should be fun. I need to check availability on those dates if I can get away with a Friday and Monday off. Would be nice if we can stop briefly if we pass by rustbuckets on the way. I'm into it lately

Thank you Maureen for ..putting this together

Just a word of caution: from Tobermory the only way to get on Manitoulin island is by ferry. If the main attraction is the island it would be cheaper to book rooms on the island rather than in Tobermory.

That is to say I'm interested

Hi Maureen, I am coming with my sister.

Thanks for organizing this!

I'll put myself down, but need a few days before I can confirm I'm in for sure on account of work etc.

I'd love to do this. Does anyone know if these dates coincide with the pow-pow?

I'm still eager to get a shot of that row of colored birdhouses along the fence. That one really got away.

I believe the dates were selected specifically to avoid the pow-wow on the Aug 1 long weekend.

I'd also be fine with c) Little Current.

Thanks for looking into this, Maureen!

Just got back from Bruce on Monday. Did not make it to Manitoulin Island. Wish I could go back with you guys again. Hopefully next time...
Here is teaser for those who have not made up their mind yet:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramesh_n_k/sets/72157624117532653/

The Pow Wow is the next weekend -- the long weekend. It would be more difficult to get rooms and bookings on the Ferry, so I moved it a week a head.

We certainly cna be on the lookout for rust buckets or other interesting things along the way.

Yes, the Ferry is the only way onto the Island from Tobermory, and if you planned on being on the Island the first night it can get either a bit rushed, or you are arriving in the dark; and you still need to drive to the hotel. You also wouldn't get much shooting in along the way up and it would be mostly straight driving. I prefer a much more relaxed drive with time to stop and shoot along the way. This way with 4 days and 3 nights you get to see and shoot alot more.

Room rates are fairly close to the same, for both locations. Again the more people who share a room the cheeper it is, but then everyone's comfort level is different.

Haven't been to Manitoulin in a while. A couple times we took the Chi-cheemon ferry from Tobermory to South Baymouth and last time we drove it. The Cup and Saucer trail is nice with a good vista and there's a scenic lookout overlooking South Baymouth.

Lots to see in the Tobermory area as well. A few lighthouses, Flowerpot Island etc. Sounds like a fun trip with LOTS of photo ops.

Here's the ferry schedule and rates for those going.

http://www.ontarioferries.com/chi/engli ... fares.html

Wish I could join you guys, but I am working on a corporate event from
Sunday-Tuesday in Collingwood. And we load the truck on Friday, and drive there on Sunday morning.

Okay, work is booked off.

Darn you Maureen for screwing my vacation day rationing plan. I was reserving a 3-day weekend for this, and you go and turn it into 4.

Well, seeing as you'd be driving I'm just gonna have to suck it up.

A little mental math.

If Maureen and co leave Maureen's at 8:30am, hopefully routing to pick me up at home (it's more or less on the way), the direct drive to Tobermory ranks at approx 4.5 hours. Let's call this 6 hours for all intents and purposes to include for stops on the way.

http://www.ontarioferries.com/chi/engli ... fares.html

Ferry check-in is minimum 1 hour before departure.

That means an arrival at the ferry for 2:30, right on time for check in for the 3:40 ferry, arriving on the island at 5:25pm.

Now, using everyone's favourite sunset software found in this thread: http://tpmg.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14 ... t+software
Direct link: http://stephentrainor.com/tools

Or, if we drag out the drive longer, we check in before 7pm to catch the 8pm ferry, but this is at the price of catching the sunset from the boat, which occurs at 9:04pm in Tobermory (9:06pm EDT on the island), with us arriving on the island at 9:45pm. I suspect none of us want to miss a good sunset from terra firma, so it looks like we should aim for the 3:40 ferry.

What would be the plan for the return? Ferry again, or drive down via Sudbury? If we were to drive this way, we're talking a 7.5 hour drive without and breaks, or 12+ with breaks.

Good going Chris.....
looks like great planning ...
Cheers
Yeshwanth

Well chris that is some calculation, but if you look at the top in the original post at the bottom in the last paragraph you will see that there is a rough itenerary.

Yes you would be a picked up along the way up - you've get shot gun seat.

Here it is again a bit differently layed out
* travelling to Tobermory doing lighthouses, etc on the way up
* dinner and sunset in Tobermory
* sleepover in Tobermory
* Saturday - sunrise and breakfast in Tobermory
* crossing on Ferry during high noon - eat packed lunch on Ferry, some shooting of lighthouse, islands, boat, etc
* rest of Saturday touring Manitoulin (lighthouses, mills, check-in, dinner, sunset, night shooting if want, etc)
* sleepover on Island
* Sunday - sunrise, breakfast, pack lunch, mills, lighthouses, waterfall, snacks, possibly a lookout trail, dinner, sunset, anything we see along the way, etc
* Monday - sunrise, breakfast, pack-up, check-out, head to Little Current and stop at swing bridge???, waterfalls, head towards Sudbury, etc and head down 69 or 11 to 400, dinner, drop off passengers, head home.

Meh, literacy for the win.

Apparently I'm not the only one who got tired trying to read all of your initial post

I checked availability and it's all booked. I'll try to finagle this maybe in exchange for a kidney

But if I get this, I'll bring a simple lighting set up for outdoor portraits using the sunset as background.

Looking to move this to official events by the weekend and would like to try and arrange carpools and room assignments if possible by then.

I PM'd many of you unless I spoke to you on the weekend about car pools and also about room mates, or even drivers who can take passengers with them.

I will post all Hotel info when posting so one member of each room can book both rooms 1) Friday night in Tobermory and 2) two nights on the Island. I will also list all the details for the Ferry booking - all drivers will book this and all drivers will need their passengers first and last name to book the ferry.

Please let me know any info required so I can help hook people up with carpools and also room mates if this is the case.

Hope those still trying to get the time off are successful in doing so.

Got the vacation approved! Count me in.

Lin got the vacation approved too. I'm still waiting....

Pam good to know you are booked off and ready to go.

Alice good to see your sister Lin is booked off and yours is still to come.

I am hoping to find a second driver, and possibly a third driver depending upon who all attends. It would be nice to have all the vehicles full comfortably (cars 4, vans 6) to help with the costs of gas, ferry fees, etc.

We currently have 6 above listed + a sister + myself + dauther/mother combo interested + husband/wife interested and + one potential person = a possibility of 13 people.

My van can seat 6 comfortably including myself. Currently some people are confirmed, others awaiting holiday approval, and a waiting list to get in the van is growing.

I don't mind driving up (from Brampton up Hwy 10) but don't want to go alone for obvious reasons. (cost, boring, etc...) My car seats 4 comfortably, but I also don't really want to fight rush hour traffic to detour into TO to pick people up. :S

Anyone in the north Mississauga/Brampton area going?

Thanks Sue, sent you a pm in regards to this.

Got a verbal approval today I'm in!!!