Author: dan

It’s not an understatement to say that Northern Ontario is vast. After all, it covers almost 90% of Ontario’s landmass and is bigger than Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia combined. Given all this, it’s not somewhere that you’d readily think of when planning a weekend getaway. But you’d be wrong. It’s time for a Terrace Bay Getaway!

Across the North there are charming villages, towns and cities just waiting to treat you to a fun-filled two- or three-day “staycation” – or longer. One such area is the North Shore of Lake Superior, a stunningly beautiful section of the famed Lake Superior Circle Tour.

Let’s make this a couple’s getaway, departing from Thunder Bay. Terrace Bay, 218 kms to the east, is our destination but not before we’ve sampled some adventures along the way. This is not a trip that will require a lot of pre-planning but booking your accommodations in advance is a must as rooms fill up quickly in the summer on the North Shore (I suggest Drifter’s as it has a popular restaurant onsite and offers suites). You will also want to check with the Aquasabon Golf Club to make sure there are no tournaments on; otherwise, there are no tee times and usually no waiting to tee off.

A stop at one of the amethyst mines just east of Thunder Bay will get the trip off to a great start. Once revered as the “jewel of the gods”, amethyst is the official gemstone of the province of Ontario. For many, it symbolizes good luck, love and happiness. There are several amethyst mines in the area, with one of the best-known ones being Amethyst Mine Panorama. Created about a billion (yes, that’s 1000 million) years ago, Amethyst Mine Panorama offers visitors the adventure of mining for amethyst across a five-acre site.  What you find is yours to keep for just $5 a pound and you can also shop for handcrafted amethyst jewellery and souvenirs.

All that rockhounding and shopping has probably given you an appetite so plan a stop for lunch just up the highway in Nipigon. You can’t go wrong with Ducky’s Diner, renowned for its many variations on a fried chicken sandwich (try the Legally Blonde), its massive home-made burgers and its pizzas with freshly made sauces and crusts.

Terrace Bay is only about an hour away. When you arrive, you’ll have many options to stretch your legs and walk off that lunch. Start by getting your bearings—and some exercise—by climbing to the top of the Terrace Bay Lighthouse, located near the Simcoe Shopping Plaza. This 50-foot replica of the historic lighthouse on the Slate Islands offers a panoramic view of the town, Lake Superior and the Slates themselves from a walkway around the top of the structure.

Spend the afternoon at the Aguasabon Golf Club, where, as mentioned, you can tee off at your convenience. The course has a nine-hole layout featuring striking scenery that borders the winding Aguasabon River and skirts the Terrace Bay Beach on Lake Superior. Its signature hole is number seven, a short par-4, dog-legging to the right and boasting a beautiful view of Lake Superior and the Slate Islands.

You can freshen up back at Drifter’s and then head downstairs for dinner before dropping in to the Slate Island Brewery to celebrate a great first day of your getaway.

Boasting views of its namesake from the patio, Slate Island Brewing Company makes the town and land surrounding it an integral part of the brewing process, using Lake Superior water as a base to experiment with unique flavour profiles. At any given time, you’ll find local rhubarb in your beer or maple syrup and honey from the region. Slate Island Brewing Company is part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour Ale Trail.

Related Article: 5 Reasons to Visit Slate Island Brewery

A sound night’s sleep awaits you as you dream of tomorrow’s adventures. You won’t have to go far to fuel your engines in the morning as Drifter’s is known for its tasty breakfasts. Then, more outdoor adventures await you on the Casque Isles Trail.

Casque Isles is a 53 km trail that connects the towns of Rossport, Schreiber and Terrace Bay. It was first built in 1976 by a volunteer crew from this region and is maintained by the dedicated volunteers of Casque Isles Hiking Club. It’s known as one of the top ten hikes in all of Ontario.

A highlight of the trail is Aguasabon Falls which came to life in the late 1940s, through the Aguasabon Hydro Development that created a source of hydro-electric power for the soon-to-be Township of Terrace Bay and the local pulp mill. The project established a dam at the north end of Long Lake to redirect water southward and away from Hudson Bay, where the water traditionally flowed. As a result of the diversion, Hays Lake just North of Terrace Bay enlarged to massive proportions and the spillway created the falls you will see today.

Related Article: A History of Aguasabon Falls and Gorge

Next stop is the beautiful sandy Terrace Bay Beach with its pavilion, visitor information centre, gift shop and illuminated walkway. After you explore the amenities, settle into a Parks Canada Red Chair and take the time to savour the view of the world’s largest freshwater lake, as the sound of the waves lulls you into a state of relaxation.

There are more dinner options available in town and just down the road in Schreiber including Asian, Italian, fast food, country style and more. For a nightcap, head back to Slate Islands Brewery to toast your Terrace Bay getaway.

Heading home the next morning, you will want to take the time to explore some of the other attractions you spotted on your way east including the Nipigon Lookout, the Red Rock Interpretive Centre and Ouimet Canyon! Take in what you can and put the others on a list for your next Terrace Bay getaway!

Hello, craft beer fans! We’ve got a hidden gem for you. Slate Island Brewing Company is a small craft brewery on Lake Superior’s North Shore, about a two-hour drive east of Thunder Bay or a five-hour drive north of Sault Ste. Marie. Operating since 2021, it offers a rotating collection of great craft brews, a tap room and a view of Lake Superior that is endlessly beautiful. Here are some top reasons to pay a visit to Slate Island Brewing Company.

1. The Beers are Delicious

Local ingredients go into the making of Slate Island’s beers, including pristine Lake Superior water. “When we use honey in some of our processes, we try to source it as locally as possible. In the fall, we’ll make a maple beer that has maple syrup in it, and we’ll get that out of St. Joseph Island,” says brewery owner Brian Doig, referring to an island community south of Sault Ste. Marie. What’s the fan favourite? “Our Experience North kölsch is by far our best seller,” says Doig. “It has more of a universal appeal for the people who are not diehard craft drinkers—it has a nice taste but it’s crafty enough so it also appeals to the craft beer drinkers. It’s just a very easy-drinking gold ale and a well-rounded beer.” Another popular brew is the Slate Island Red. This ale is medium-bodied and offers a blend of specialty malts to impart caramel, toffee and buttery notes. Currently in the testing stages: a hard cider.

2. You can’t Beat the Location

Terrace Bay is a small and friendly community right on the shores of Lake Superior in Northwestern Ontario’s Superior Country. There you can find incredible opportunities to soak up all the natural beauty of the big lake, rocky shorelines, islands, the boreal forest, soaring cliffs, deep gorges and mesmerizing waterfalls. It’s truly an outdoor playground for those who like to hike, fish, camp, boat, explore and hunt—as well as those who are happy to kick back and relax, paint or snap pictures in a tranquil natural setting.

Slate Island Brewing Company is centrally located on the main street in a local plaza, overlooking the lake. While the site was formerly a 5,000-square-foot Canada Post office, Doig just knew it would have a great second act as a craft brewery. “It had all the necessary kind of elements. It had three-phase power for the kettles for the brewing process, it also had a loading dock, and it had the whole area at the front counter which makes an amazing tap room,” says Doig. Simcoe Plaza has a lively blend of retail shops, businesses and restaurants, with lots of parking too. The brewery hosts community events too, so you may find yourself visiting during dart night or the Books & Brews book club.

And the Slate Islands in the name? Those are some small islands (a bona fide archipelago) about 12 km (7.5 miles) offshore of Terrace Bay and visible from the mainland. A Provincial Park that’s classified as “natural environment” (i.e., no visitor facilities) and only accessible by water, these islands are remarkably beautiful, historic and geologically interesting…and home to a woodland caribou population and many species of unique plant life too.

3. There’s a Dream-Come-True Backstory

“What’s the best way to put it? Kind of like a midlife crisis!” jokes Doig. With an engineering background and 25 years spent in IT, he says he was looking to do a “total 180-degree turn.” After years of dabbling in amateur brewing and enjoying beer tours, he took the plunge and got the process started in 2017. “I thought I’d dip my toes in the water and see where it would lead.” After lots of research into different types of brewing equipment and processes, he opted for a BIAC brewing system, which stands for “Brew In A Conical.” Doig says he liked the simplicity of the system. “We didn’t have to transfer from tank to tank—it was all done in one system, everything from the boiling to the fermentation to the clarifying. It does everything all in one tank,” he says. “It reduces [the possibility of] contamination and it also reduces the amount of equipment that we need in order to brew.” After completing the training and obtaining the necessary provincial and federal licenses to open a microbrewery (including a COVID-induced delay), Slate Island Brewing Co. opened on March 17, 2021…just in time for a lockdown. They pivoted to take-home orders, but opened again when they got the go-ahead, and have been slowly building their business ever since. Today, Slate Island beers are available on-site at the brewery taproom in Terrace Bay, of course, and also at venues in neighbouring North Shore communities including Marathon, Schreiber, Rossport and Thunder Bay.

 

4. It’s on the Lake Superior Ale Trail

If you love craft beer and the beauty of Lake Superior, the Lake Superior Ale Trail is a must-do. This self-guided tour includes 20 interesting craft breweries located in Lake Superior communities in both Canada and the United States. As you and your designated driver make your way around the world’s largest freshwater lake (a true inland sea) you can check out the breath-taking scenery and visit some small cities and towns to discover northern-style beers of every description. (If you have a coffee lover in your party, you may want to consider the Lake Superior Java Journey too. The route around the lake helps you realize just how enormous Lake Superior is: approximately 2,092 km (1,300 miles)—wow! There’s a Circle Tour App to help you plan your trip too.

5. That View is Something Else

The tap room is an inviting spot, but for true-north beauty, be sure to kick back on a comfy bright red chair on the patio. “You have a beautiful view of the Slate Islands and the lighthouse right across the way,” says Doig, plus you can do a little people-watching while you sip and chat too. The red-and-white lighthouse is a 50-foot (15 m) replica of the original on the Slate Islands. Bar trivia: the Slate Island Lighthouse is the highest elevated lighthouse on the Great Lakes, at 224 feet (68 m) above sea level.

Be sure to plan a visit to Slate Island Brewing Company in Terrace Bay! Slate Island Brewing Company is located at 9 Simcoe Plaza, Terrace Bay, Ontario, on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Visit their Facebook Page for current hours.

A visit to Aguasabon Falls and Gorge just west of the small North Shore community of Terrace Bay, Ontario, is a must! For many, a waterfall is a feast for the senses: hearing the roar of the falls, watching the water tumbling over ancient high cliffs, pointing out the rainbow colours as sunlight passes through mist droplets, feeling the spray against your face. Aguasabon Falls is particularly impressive, cascading 30 m (100 feet)in a narrow gorge, past a rock face that’s billions of years old. Fiercer in the spring, gentler in the summer and fall and intriguingly icy in the winter, it’s an awe-inspiring sight that happens to be easy to access from the Trans-Canada Highway and is also part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour route. As well, Augasabon Falls is linked to incredible feats of engineering to harness the power of the water and contribute to founding of the town of Terrace Bay. Read on to discover more about the fascinating history of Aguasabon Falls and Gorge.

Related Article: A History of Terrace Bay

Going Way Back

The geology of Augasabon Falls and Gorge dates back to 2.5 billion years ago and the Archean age. The exposed rock you see at the falls is igneous rock called granodiorite, made up of mainly feldspar and quartz. Brittle fractures called joints cross this granodiorite rock, and over millions of years, as the earth shifted, these joints grew larger. During the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago, this landscape was further shaped by glaciers—as the glaciers melted, the heavy pressure of the ice on the earth’s crust began to ease (called “uplift”), leading to even wider joints. The combination of uplift and longtime erosion helped create the landscape you see today.  Joints form the vertical walls of the gorge as well as parallel to the river above the falls, causing the pronounced right-angle bend in the river. Be sure to check out the interpretative panels at the lookout for more details about the geology of the area.

Longtime First Nation Residents

Lake Superior is known as gichigaaming (the big lake) to the Anishinaabeg peoples who live on its shores. Archeological evidence shows that Indigenous peoples have lived and travelled on the lake’s shoreline and islands for about 9,500 years, paying close attention to the lands, waters, weather and seasons. As Parks Canada notes, “Their relationship to, and stewardship of, the land is reflected in ceremony, songs, craft and language. As you travel along the highway corridor, you will see place names that are rooted in the Ojibwe language. Examples include: Shuniah, Nipigon, Opwaaganasiniing, Mazukama Falls, Kama Cliffs, Wabasta Lake, Pawgwasheeng, and Aguasabon Falls.”

Remarkable Engineering

The Augasabon River looked very different a hundred years ago. In 1939, however, the quiet Augasabon stream became a rushing river, when the north end of Long Lake was dammed by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario (the predecessor of Ontario Power Generation or OPG). Now, water flows southward into Lake Superior, rather than northward to James Bay via the Kenogami River. This actually raised the water levels of Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes! Then, in 1945, power commission gave the green light to the construction of a 40,000 kilowatt (53,000 horsepower) generating station. The hydroelectric power derived from the Augasabon Generating Station meant that the growing industrial demands of the area—mainly the new mill of the Long Lac Pulp and Paper Company, later the Kimberly-Clark Pulp and Paper Company—could be met. Power was also supplied to the Thunder Bay area via a 110,000-volt steel transmission line.

Construction of the generating project began in spring 1946. A massive dam contained the waters of the Augasabon River, vastly enlarging a small lake called Blue Jay that was renamed Hays Lake, after Charles L. Hays, the general superintendent of the project. The dam, about 3 km (2 miles) north of the outlet to Lake Superior, is about 427 m (1,400 feet long) and 37 m (120 feet) high, containing three sluiceways, each 4 m (14 feet wide). The dam, the generating station and the intake structure are all at some distance from each other, presenting significant engineering challenges, not the least of which was excavating a 1,066-m (3,500-foot) tunnel through solid rock in order to transport water from the intake structure on Hays Lake to the powerhouse on Lake Superior. The entire project saw an average of 700 people working on it per day (with peak employment reaching 2,000 at times) for a total of 5,000,000 hours of labour. It officially opened in October 1948.

 

A New Town by the River

The new town of Terrace Bay also came into being (formerly the tiny railway settlement was known as Black Siding) as a site for the mill’s workforce and their families. An article in the July 8, 1948 Terrace Bay News reported that “History was made this morning at Terrace Bay when two steel gates in the newly constructed Hydro Dam across the Aguasabon River were lowered into position,” followed by comments by  a mill representative that “he was thrilled beyond words” and “noted that with the closing of the gates in the dam a new era was beginning in this area where an entire new community was being built around a river.” By 1950, the population of Terrace Bay had settled out at about 2,000 residents, rising higher in the 1970s with a mill expansion and boom times, and then dropping to about 1,500 in 2021. While the mill operations have declined over the years, the Augasabon Generating Station continues to be one of OPG’s 11 hydroelectric generating stations in Ontario. It can power approximately 45,000 homes at peak capacity.

 

 

Aguasabon Falls and Gorge Today

Today, visitors and residents alike visit Aguasabon Falls and Gorge in all seasons, to contemplate the majesty of the rock and water. You can relax at the picnic tables, see the falls from a lookout and stroll the wheelchair accessible boardwalk (yes, there’s parking, including for RVs). Before or after your visit, see Terrace Bay itself to discover its amenities, including shopping, restaurants and a craft brewery, and the sandy shores of Terrace Bay Beach . To get a closer look at the Augasabon River, try the 3.25 km (2 mile) round-trip Terrace Bay Beach hike south from the falls and along the river to reach its end point at Terrace Bay Beach, or head northeast from the falls along the river and into the community of Terrace Bay, a round trip of 3.75 km (2.3 mile), on the Danny’s Cove Trail.

 

A History of Aguasabon Falls and Gorge Photos

Images courtesy of Catherine Swimming, Collection of Terrace Bay Public Library.

The rugged Northern Ontario forest is the reason for the existence of Terrace Bay, named after the terraces left behind when glaciers receded about 20,000 years ago. This is a history of Terrace Bay.

Terrace Bay began its life as an undeveloped area catering to the needs of the forestry industry. The decision to develop the town was made in the early 1940’s by the Longlac Pulp and Paper Company which changed its name to Kimberly Clark Pulp and Paper Company in 1958.

Related Article: A History of Aguasabon Falls and Gorge

By the end of 1948, Terrace Bay consisted of about 230 houses serviced with sewer, water and electricity but surrounded only by bush. The roads were rough, and the highway was still not completed through the town. The residents had to travel for medical attention, to attend church, to pick up and send mail and do their banking.

Despite these hardships, the newly arrived workers and their families must have been pinching themselves to make sure they weren’t dreaming when they found themselves in such stunningly scenic surroundings. Built attractions such as the community’s iconic lighthouse, its golf course, hiking trails and beach development were years away in the future but, in the meantime, they could feast their eyes on spectacular Lake Superior views, the majestic Aquasabon Falls and Gorge and the beauty of the forest and cliffs around them.

In 1951, the Lakeview subdivision was started, with sewer, water and electrical services provided for over 100 houses. Other additions to the community were two new churches, a 22-bed hospital, post office, bank, liquor store, theatre, clothing store and railway station. Construction of the Memorial Recreation Centre was completed in July 1953 with the building consisting of an arena, curling club, restaurant, bowling alley, library, offices, meeting rooms and public washrooms.

In 1955, the Aquasabon Golf Club was built, adding to the list of amenities that both locals and visitors could enjoy.

The town’s mill has had a checkered history, having gone through cycles of shutting down, changing ownership, then shutting down again. In 1972, the Kimberly Clark Pulp and Paper Company Ltd. and Kimberly Clark of Canada Ltd. amalgamated. From 1972 to 1977 the population of Terrace Bay increased from 1,755 to 2,299, directly attributed to Kimberly Clark’s expansion program. At that time, the mill was the lifeblood of the region.

Around the same time, a group of young locals set out to build the Casque Isles Trail, a recreational nature trail that this group of volunteers cut through thick boreal forests, weaving 53 k along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Eventually deemed to be one of the top ten hiking trails in Ontario by Explore Magazine, Casque Isles was a key step in establishing the community and the region as a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and it is still meticulously maintained by dedicated volunteers.

In 2005 Kimberly-Clark sold the mill to Neenah Paper Inc, who then sold the mill to Buchanan Forestry Products in 2006. It was shut down in 2009 when it ran into financial hard times but after a reorganization, it reopened in October 2010 amidst strong pulp markets. Soon after, though, the mill ran into financial trouble again and had to declare bankruptcy and look for a buyer. In July 2012, the Aditya Birla Group agreed to purchase the mill.

This latest period of uncertainty spurred the town’s leaders to look for ways of diversifying the economy, and not surprisingly, they saw the natural beauty of the region as the foundation for moving forward. The municipality carried out a plan for growth in 2010/2011 including a downtown revitalization initiative, a cultural centre project, and a rebranding of the township based on Lake Superior and the Terrace Bay Lighthouse attraction that had just been built in 2011.

Terrace Bay’s status as a tourism destination got another boost on September 1, 2015, when the federal government announced the establishment of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. The largest freshwater marine protected area in the world, it extends across the top of Lake Superior from Thunder Bay to just east of Terrace Bay, and south to the Canada-United States border.

The township was quick to act on this significant development. The Township of Terrace Bay Waterfront Masterplan was commissioned in 2016 and completed in 2017, signaling the beginning of a major waterfront enhancement project that would complement the town’s beautiful sandy beach and would see over $3 million invested. Features of the Terrace Bay waterfront include a pavilion with a Parks Canada store and visitor centre, a 300-metre illuminated boardwalk, kayak and canoe launches and Parks Canada red chairs.

Also fairly new in town is the Slate Islands Brewing Company. When the local post office vacated a 5,000 square foot office space, Brian Doig imagined a small craft brewery taking over the location. His dream is now a reality. Next door to the brewery is the Lighthouse Gallery, a contemporary venue for local artisans to showcase and sell their arts and crafts.

Terrace Bay really knows how to celebrate. Beginning in February with the winter carnival, Terrace Bay Winterfest, the fun continues in the summer with Canada Day celebrations, the Terrace Bay Beach Festival, the Terrace Bay Lighthouse Festival and Dragfest, the immensely popular automobile drag race held at the Terrace Bay Airport and celebrating its 25^th Anniversary in August, 2024. Dragfest attracts some 5,000 spectators over the three days of the event. In September, as the leaves are starting to turn, the township comes together at the Terrace Bay Simcoe Plaza to celebrate the region’s creativity with the Fall Street Market featuring unique vendors, community groups, artists, and artisans from across the region.

 

Uncertainty about the mill’s future still lingers with operations having been put on hold in early 2024 but Terrace has forged ahead, establishing itself as a place for outdoor adventures, arts and culture, special events and Northern hospitality. With the groundbreaking ceremony recently held for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area Visitor Experience Centre in nearby Nipigon, and the visiting of cruise ships, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for Terrace Bay and the Superior Country Region.

Terrace Bay’s Aguasabon Golf Club hosts many golf tournaments during the season. For details about the different tournaments and their descriptions, you’ve come to the right place. Make sure to check back as we will be updating information as it becomes available. Information is also shared through the Aguasabon Golf Club Facebook Group so make sure you join! While Golfing in Terrace Bay remember to plan your accommodations, grab some food, and visit some local shops!

 

Best Ball Golf Tournament – June 22, 2024

This Terrace Bay golf tournament, taking place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, is open to all ages and skill levels and requires a team of four people for $400.00. Registration will start at 9:00 AM, there will be a welcome ceremony at 9:45 AM, and then the shotgun start will be at 10:00 AM. The proceeds of this tournament go towards the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Urology fund. Make sure to register your team of four by Wednesday, May 22, 2024 by calling 1-807-229-6663 or email Jason Nesbit.

AGC Senior Open – June 25, 2024

The Aguasabon Senior Tournament is proudly sponsored by Brokerlink Inc. and Adey Brothers Construction Ltd. This exciting event takes place at the picturesque Aguasabon Golf Course on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The tournament features a two-man scramble format with a team entry fee of $160. Participants will have a chance to win novelty prizes and enjoy a shotgun start at 10:30 am. Eligibility is open to players aged 50 years and older, and the first 18 teams to register will secure their spots. Flights will be determined by handicap, ensuring fair competition. The deadline to register is Sunday, June 23rd by 12:00 pm. Signup through Stan Spadoni Sr. (807)229-7892 or Bill Hiller (807)823-0869

 

Aguasabon Masters – July 26, 27, 28, 2024

The 26th Annual Aguasabon Masters is one of the most popular Terrace Bay Golf Tournaments! This year it will be held from July 26 to the 28th of 2024. The entry fee for each team is $680.00. The first 42 teams will be accepted so be sure to enter soon!

 

Aguasabon Men’s Open – August 17, 18, 2024

Additional details coming soon!

 

Aguasabon 3-Man Windup – September 21, 22, 2024

Additional details coming soon!

 

Twilights – Weekly

Can’t make any of the Terrace Bay Golf Tournaments? No worries! Visit the course during regular operating times to play a round or attend an Aguasabon Twilight!