Hank, Jeff, Debbie, Tina and I arrive at the starting point of our tour, Port Colborne, via Highway 407. This may be the most expensive toll road in North America, but we successfully avoid torturous Toronto by using it. One of thirteen ports on the shores of Lake Erie, Port Colborne lies on its north shore, about 34 kilometres from the Niagara River. Fondly called \u201cOntario\u2019s South Coast,\u201d Lake Erie\u2019s historical shoreline captures my interest. Cruising along beautiful Highway 406 we cross over the old Welland Canal and I can\u2019t help but wonder how large ships managed to navigate this narrow passageway with only a few inches to spare.<\/p>\n
At the west edge of town we begin our trek, following Lakeshore Road. While negotiating the constant slow-speed twists and turns, I catch fleeting glimpses of Lake Erie between non-stop cottages interspersed by gorgeous mansions owned by the well moneyed. The random architectural styles tell of a transition from old family cottages steeped in memories, to modern year-round residences. At Moulton Bay, we stop near Long Beach Conservation Area, where the unique and sometimes malodorous smell of Lake Erie\u2019s warm shallow waters permeates the hot summer air. Although the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes, Lake Erie has an average depth of only 19 metres, with the deepest part near Long Point at 64 metres. Because it is so shallow, Lake Erie heats up quickly and has a much lower water-retention time of only 2.6 years; by contrast, think of Lake Superior\u2019s 191 years. Amazingly, the Great Lakes hold 20% of the entire world\u2019s fresh water supply, and because of their size, they each experience a lunar tide twice daily, with Lake Erie peaking between one and four centimetres in height.<\/p>\n
It is 23\u00b0C, and puffy clouds that look like cotton candy move imperceptibly across the azure sky as we quietly continue our ride, basking in the essence of a perfect Ontario weekend, far from the frenetic crowds of the urban Golden Horseshoe. Lakeshore Road transitions to North Shore Road, and when we arrive at Port Maitland, we find that there is no bridge to cross the Grand River. Detouring north to Dunnville, we take the Dover Bridge, follow Rainham Road to County Road 49 and then head south, where we rejoin Lakeshore Road. As we pass Selkirk Provincial Park, the tall smokestacks of the mothballed Nanticoke Generating Station poke their heads above the tall shoreline trees. A coal-fired electrical generating plant, Nanticoke was shut down, but if needed it may reopen using natural gas or biomass at some future date.<\/p>\n