We hope January has been good to you, whether you are here enjoying a truly Canadian winter, or traveling to try and avoid it!!
Here’s a a quick catch-up to highlight a few of the events the Georgian Bay Geopark has been involved with over the last little while, to share the amazing cycling adventure tour of the South Coast that’s just launched, and to pass along the link to a piece that our team geologists have had published recently.
As always, feel free to send us a note anytime.
Warm regards,
The Georgian Bay Geopark Team
As we continue to make our way around the Bay sharing information about our Geopark vision, we’d like to thank all the incredible people who have taken the time to come out to an event, stop by a conference booth, or simply just reach out to learn more. Over the last couple of months, we’ve engaged with many different groups, and have been met with overwhelming support.
Bryan Plumstead, who is part of our Geopark tourism team, attended the DNO Summit held in North Bay from November 19-21. This Summit has been bringing together tourism businesses, organizations, suppliers, and all levels of government since 2014. We were thrilled to be able to share our mission with this group which garnered some incredible interest.
More recently, Janet Lougheed and Laura Adams were invited to speak at the Thornbury Yacht Club’s monthly “Pub Night”. It was a great crowd, and we were happy to share our Geopark vision and answer all the questions. Thank you to Heather Reid for the invitation, who is also instrumental in the Beaver Valley Destination Stewardship group.
Come explore the southern coast of Georgian Bay on our inaugural Cycling Adventure Tour taking place September 7th to 16th!
The Tour is a demonstration project for the Geopark showcasing the geology and the geography, and how they have shaped the history, the people and the many incredible businesses around the Bay.
Our tourism team, lead by volunteer Robert Wong, have developed a fantastic 8-day cycling tour that is jam packed with incredible culinary, historical and indigenous experiences. Robert, who is also an avid cyclist, will be your guide.
We are initially targeting international visitors, and hoping to gather a diverse group from all over the globe, however we will certainly welcome enthusiastic Canadians as well. So, if you know of somebody “from away” who you think would love to experience Georgian Bay, and all it has to offer, please share. Thank you!
Our two Geopark team geologists recently had a paper on the Gowganda Formation published in Earth Science Reviews.
The Gowganda Formation, exposed along the north shore of Lake Huron, is arguably the most significant geological unit within the Geopark. At 2.3 billion years old, it has been a key focus of scientific study for over a century as one of the earliest known records of glaciation on Earth. Our research, based on fieldwork and sedimentological analysis, reveals that the rocks are a product of glacially-influenced submarine sediment gravity flow along a tectonically active continental margin, much like the offshore of Norway today. This contrasts with the earlier interpretation of the formation as a simple terrestrial glacial succession.
The journal has kindly provided a “share link” to allow free access to read and download for everyone until February 25, no sign up required. After that, it goes behind a paywall.
Here it is:
DEEP TIME’ is the themed expression of how exploring and understanding the past helps create a better future. The unique DEEP TIME story and its eight geological chapters encourages both visitors and residents to know the past, celebrate the present and help create a more resilient future for the Bay and its many communities.
2.7 billion years
Sault Ste Marie to Serpent River
The ancient mineral-rich rocks of the North Channel record the breakup of the planet’s oldest supercontinent – and the birth of the Huronian Ocean.
1.8 billion years
Serpent River to Killarney
The Group of Seven’s white rolling quartzite hills are the stumps of mountains formed when landmasses collided to form supercontinent Nuna
1.3 billion years
Killarney to Honey Harbour
The waterscape of the 30,000 Islands exposes the deep crustal roots of the immense Grenville Mountains formed when North and South America collided.
500 million years
Manitoulin Island
Much of North America was covered by warm shallow seas, teeming with early marine life that left fossil-rich limestones on Manitoulin Island.
350 million years
Tobermory to Wiarton
Within the last 2 million years, the Bruce/Saugeen peninsula was scoured by Ice Age ice sheets that cut deep valleys into the face of the Niagara Escarpment such as at Owen Sound.
13,000 years
Collingwood to Wiarton
The raised beaches of glacial Lake Algonquin surround the coast of southern Georgian Bay like staircases and hosted the camps of caribou-hunting Paleo-Indians 11,000 years ago.
Last 10,000 years
Collingwood to Honey Harbour
The ancient hard rocks of the Canadian Shield meet the softer limestones of the ancient seas creating a stark contrast in landscapes, ecosystems, and a diverse cultural history unique in North America.
4,000 years to today
Waters of Georgian Bay
In 1615 Samuel de Champlain called Georgian Bay ‘La Mer Douce’ (the sweet water sea). An early map also portrays it as Karegnondi, derived from ‘lake’ in the language of the Petun First Nation.
