Georgian Bay conjures up visions of pines bent from the incessant wind but the very edge of the Bay is populated by tough little cedar trees that somehow defy some very nasty winter winds to grow in little or, seemingly, no earth.
A week camping and canoeing through the Georgian Bay archipelago brushes stress away like a broom through cobwebs. Perfect canoe weather with lots of sun and more sun and even more sun. 
After visiting the cheek to jowl State campgrounds in New York and Pennsylvania in August, it was a treat to canoe out into the peace and quiet of northern Georgian Bay’s archipelago.
At some point in the past some really, really, strong individuals arranged a few really, really, massive stones into a fireplace complete with seating with, of course, a wonderful view. The sketch was an attempt to capture the tangle of trees on the opposite shore.
At the moment, what I like about this print is the total absence of snow. Perhaps even more is that it reminds me of a sunny afternoon sitting on a huge rock with a friend drawing rocks and trees and water and rocks and trees and water, but mostly enjoying the sun.
As you move away from the mainland to the edge of eastern Georgian Bay the pines give way to cedars and vast expanses of rock ground smooth by glaciers. I spent a few days canoeing, enjoying the sun, doing ink washes of cedars and trying not to scratch multiple spider bites.
The ubiquitous Georgian Bay cedar. This is a three colour engraving that attempts to juxtapose the permanence of the rocks with the impermanence of the life around them. 
Georgian Bay is the place to go if you like drawing rocks, a landscape of rocks ground smooth by the glaciers then cracked over millennia by ice and heat.
This ink wash was done in the Bustard Islands but could have been done anywhere on the east side of the bay.
A quick oil as the sun was going down. This was in The Outer Fox Islands, a beautiful collection of islands on Georgian Bay.
Love the name ‘Outer Fox Islands.’
A quick sketch during a break from paddling down the French River. There are a lot of canoe drawings in my sketchbooks; it”s easier to do them than get back in and start paddling:-)
As one of my friends wrote of me, I “don’t do winter too well.” I’m ready to move on into warm weather.
This is the time of year when I pull out the maps and the sketches and gaze longingly, my imagination drifting through islands that are still covered in snow and ice.
May 18th seems a loooong way off.
Nice when the moon is out, when it disappears the islands and mainland become one big, black shape.
4/c, 6.5×8.5 engraving.
Georgian Bay gets rough in a hurry and finding a flat camping spot out of the wind on an island like this is great.
A huge thunderstorm with torrential rain is quite enjoyable from inside a tent. Bring a good book.
3/c, 8×13 engraving.
clive lewis, printmaker 