Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Details:

What: Lighthouse Tour Three (2009) Bruce Peninsula 2nights/3days
When: Fri. Aug. 7 - Sun. Aug. 9, 2009
Time: 10:30AM (note approx 2.5 hour drive from Toronto)
Where: Goderich Lighthouse -- http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=1043
Bring: Camera Equipment, Tripod, Remote Release, Extra batteries and chargers for all batteries, Over night bag with weather appropriate clothing for 2nights/3days, Warm Jacket/sweater for night, Quick and easy Breakfast foods or eat continental breakfasts at hotel/inn/motel, Simple Lunch Foods in cooler (sandwiches or bagels,etc), Money (hotel, gas, attraction you choose to do, dinner, extras, etc), Cooler with Ice, Etc.

Hotel accomodations are your responsibility. I would like to keep it to a few places as possible (3). You can book a room by yourself or shared accomodation from those wishing to share. See choices below:

1) Couch House Inn -- Hwy 6 -- http://www.coachhouseinnresort.com/
2) Blue Bay Motel -- 32 Bay St -- http://www.bluebay-motel.com/
3) Princess Hotel -- 34 Bay St -- http://www.tobermory-hotel.com/

I am booked at the Couch House Inn and a few others are already booked at the Blue Bay Motel. The Princess is right beside the Blue Bay Motel as an other choice.

Bruce Penninsula Lighthouse Tour Website info:
http://www.explorethebruce.com/maps_det ... houses.gif -- map of everything except Goderich Lighthouse
http://www.brucecoastlighthouses.com/index.cfm -- info of lighthouses, can also access info from above by clicking on the lighthouse picture
http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=1043 -- Goderich lighthouse
http://www.thebrucepeninsula.com/sights.html -- sightseeing
http://www.brucepeninsula.org/frame.htm -- the Bruce Peninsula
http://www.blueheronco.com/Boats/bhv/home.htm -- Tour Boat to Flower Pot Island with price for staying on & getting off.
http://www.blueheronco.com/Boats/gbh/boatsgbh.htm -- tour boat of 5 fathoms which goes to cove island and around fower pot island (view lightouses from boat)
http://www.blueheronco.com/Boats/rib/sh ... _first.htm -- shorter trip to flower pot island same price as longer trip
http://www.blueheronco.com/Boats/gbh/Su ... e/home.htm -- sunset cruise 2hours
Suggested Itinerary for Weekend:
FRIDAY
1) Goderich Lighthouse -- exterior shots
2) Point Clark Lighthouse -- exterior and interior shots ($5.00 ind or $3.00 for groups of 5 or more)
3) Kincardine Lighthouse -- exterior and interior shots ($nominal/donation fee for inside)
4) McNab Lighthouse -- exterior shoots
5) South Hampton Range Lights (2) exterior shots
6) OPTIONAL Chantry Island -- exterior and interior shots ($25.00/per person - pre booked reservations for up to 9 people on boat to island for approx 1.5 hours)
7) depending on time either go straight to Tobermory or stop at:
7a) Lion's Head Lighthouse -- exterior shots
7b) Cabot Head Lightouse -- exterior and interior shots ($donations)
7c) Big Tub Lighthouse (in Tobermory) -- exterior shots
Check into hotel/inn/motel
9) Dinner somewhere in town
10) Sunset in Tobermory -- Lighthouse or other places TBD
11) Star Trails of the sky
12) Sleep

SATURDAY
13) Sunrise -- place to TBD
14) Continental breakfast or own quick breakfast
15)Stay in Tobermory and explore the town and if haven't hit 7a and 7b above. Choice in town are:
15a) Flowerpot Island Lighthouse and flowerpots -- exterior shots ($boat ride and park fees)
15b) Five Fathoms National Marine Park -- boat ride viewing sunken boats
15c) Annual Boat Parade in Tobermory Harbour 9:15am
15d) Hike along the Bruce Trail
15e) The Ship Wrecks -- http://www.tobermory.org/public/jpage/1 ... content.do
15f) Walk onto Ferry to Manitoulin Island - take both ways, don't get off just do return trip -- see Cove Island Lighthouse from ferry and other sights on trip Leave 7:00am return at 10:55am ($27.50 return walk on fare)
16) Dinner
17) Sunset -- these 2 can be reversed
18) Star trails again
19) Sleep

SUNDAY
20) Sunrise place TBD
21) Continental breakfast or own quick breakfast
22) Check-out of accomodations
23) Cape Crocker Lighthouse -- exterior shots
24) Griffin Island Lighthouse -- view from main land
25) Wiaraton -- any sights -- Big Ground Hog???
26) Owen Sound Waterfalls -- http://www.visitgrey.ca/travel-experien ... fall-tour/
26a) Indian Falls
26b) Inglis Falls
26c) Jones Falls
27) Dinner on road some where as group or by car pools
28) Drop off passengers arrive home

Other things may be added anywhere along the way too.

Please registar under the appropriate accomodation and don't forget to make arrangements for your own car pool.

I have a few spaces in the van still available

Please PM me for my cell # and exchange yours should we become separated.

Please use the thread and PM's to arrange your car pools and room sharing accomodations.

I'm looking forward to the trip. It will be a full moon that week so won't be able to do star trails--maybe Moonrise instead? There is a lot for the Nature Photographers in the group in the area as well. Ican't wait to get out of the city! Thank-you Maureen for all your organizing and investigating sights to see!

If the Coach House Inn has a room available for that weekend that will accommdate pets, I'll be coming along. I'm waiting for a reply from them.

Who wants to share a hotel room?

Waitaminute... did I just sign up to get out of bed before sunrise two days in a row?

Yes and also star trails at night -- so how many hours of sleep were you expecting to get?

Is there a 24 hour tim hortons in Tobermory?

I could be wrong, but I don't think there is a Tim Horton's in Tobermory - the closest Tim's is likely Wiarton?

You might be able to find a guy named Tim ..... ?

The store locator on the Tim Horton's website shows the Tim's closest to Tobermory is in Wiarton.
(The store locator also has a trip planning function, where you put in your start and end points, and it finds every Tim's along the way.)

Sounds good -- now how long can these pets be left alone in the room - since we will likely be out most of the day shooting. Also most boat excursions in Tobermory will not allow pets on the boat.

There is another place that also takes pets but they are more expensive tto stay at -- The Peacock villa Motel -- http://www.peacockvilla.com/

Thanks for letting me know about the boats, that probably counts me out unfortunately as I was planning on bringing the dogs along. It would cost me too much to board the dogs for the weekend. Ah well.

There are a few Tim Hortons along the way from Meaford to Tobemory.

I think Chris is looking for coffee for AM and maybe breakfast. I don't even think there is a McDonalds there.

The Inn, hotel and motel all have continental breakfast so I'm sure coffee is on the menu there. Just glad I don't do coffee.

What route do you plan on taking to get there (and by extension, where's the pickup planned to be?)

Route not exactly worked out yet. Passengers are in many locations. Working on what will be the best route, or what will work with pick-up locations.

Plug Goderich Lighthouse into your GPS from your place and 401/400 and see which route works best. My guess is likely the 401.

The plan is to pick the last person in my van for 8:00am it is approx 2.5 hours to Goderich and meet-up time is 10:30am there.

Good news Maureen. I found my AC Inverter. We can charge batteries no problem in the car.

Here are the sunrise/sunset and also the moon rise/set times for those interested in possibly do any sunrise, sunset and star trails.

http://www.almanac.com/rise/results.php ... 5B%5D=Moon -- for Aug 7/09

http://www.almanac.com/rise/results.php ... 5B%5D=Moon -- for Aug 8/09

http://www.almanac.com/rise/results.php ... 5B%5D=Moon -- for Aug 9/09

For sunrise time we will likely want to be there about 1 1/2 hours before the time to set up etc. Sunsets will also need to be earlier approx 1hour or so for set up etc. Moon rise will effect star trail, as it will have to be shorter exposure times, but will have to see how it plays out. As Aug 5th we have the full moon. The more moon light you have the shorter the time to expose for star trails.

Hey guys im new here. I've been following this thread since I saw it and looks like super fun. I'm trying to get the Friday off to join (I'll be knowing today).

If you have 1 more space in your car going to and back it'll be great. Got the number for the inns for the photo finish reservation lol.

Canon user here. 20D and a few lenses. Cheers !!

Randy

Up early--heading out for sunrise shoot--was googling Lighthouses--saw Manitoulin has around 12 Lighthouses, some very old ones.

How powerful is your inverter? Will it run a coffee maker?

Good for 100W from a cigarette lighter (the cigarette lighter is the limitation).

Most coffee makers are around 1000W, so to quote Home Improvement: I don't think so Tim.

Should someone bring a power bar for all the camera battery chargers?

Maureen, do you have space in your car for any more people?

Don't quote me on this - but I think Maureen has the 175 watt converter. Failing that, 75w.

And no - it won't run a coffee maker, which probably pulls an average of 1000-1200 watts of power.

I was kidding. But if TPMGers buy other electronics the way they buy camera gear, is a 1000 watt inverter really that improbable? The usual suspects know who they are.

To save confusion on everyone's part my ac converter is 140 watts and plugs directly into the cigarette lighter with only 1 plug on it.

The hotels we are staying at all provide continental breakfasts so for those requiring coffee in the am it will be there. Maybe not top quality but coffee none the less.

My guess is that most camera batteries should run all day and you should carry a spare of that battery, just in case too. All batteries then can be charged over night at the hotel. Inverters can be used in the car if necessary too.

Oh Poo!!

I so wanted to go on this, Tobermory is my favorite spot in Ontario (haven't made it to Killarney yet)....but it is definitely impossible for me to get Friday off. Now I am gonna try to negotiate the Monday off work. Maybe I'll come up on Saturday and do the Sunday morning sunrise shoot....go back by myself on Monday.


But I best see if there are any hotel rooms still available.

Double poo!!

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pag ... ric_e.html

Looks like it could be raining all 3 of the days I would go for.
For everyone else, Friday looks good.

These weather forcasts change quite rapidly, maybe we'll get lucky.

Okay, my short list of items:

1. Camera bag #1 c/w cameras and lenses
2. Camera bag #2
3. Camera bag #3
4. Tripod x2 + monopod
5. 300/2.8 in hard case
6. Netbook
7. GPS x2 (one for car, one for body)
8. Battery chargers
9. Clothes
10. Toiletries
11. Food
12. Inverter (spare compared to Maureen's)