Get To The Point

It's only an hours drive from Rondeau to Point Pelee Provincial Park. You aren't allowed to check in at the Henry campground until 3 pm so we had time to stop for gas before arriving. 

There is not a lot of signage to direct you to Point Pelee, but once you enter the park there is a large sign that looks almost like a sculpture of birds. 

Upon arriving at the park, I was greeted by a friendly attendant at the gatehouse who provided us with a detailed map of the area. She informed me that the Henry campground, our destination for the night, was located approximately 5 kilometers further down the road.. While her warm demeanor was appreciated, I was somewhat taken aback to discover an additional entrance fee was required, despite having already paid for our overnight camping reservation online. 

The only over night camping that Point Pelee provides is in something called an Otentik. It is a cross between a tent and an A-frame cabin, with raised floors, beds and furniture. Tonight we were excited to be staying in one of these because it meant we didn't have to spend the time setting up a tent or taking it down the next day. 

We pulled into the parking lot of Henry campground and made our way to the registration office, which was charmingly situated beneath a canopy of towering trees

As we got out of our cars, one of the first things we noticed were the amount of birds around the buildings. Most of them were Barn Swallows. 

But there were others hanging out in the rafters there too, like a Northern House Wren. These birds often seek refuge in the nooks and crannies of man-made structures, such as rafters, where they tend to build their  nests. The diversity of birdlife in this area was exactly what I had been hoping for when I planned this trip. 

The office, though modest in size, served a dual purpose as the campground's store, offering essential supplies and local souvenirs for visitors. 

Inside, the decor complemented the natural surroundings, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly, and provided us with information about our campsite, park regulations, and other information. A $100 (refundable) deposit  on my credit card was required for using the Otentik. 

As Carsten waited on a cup of fresh coffee, I took the opportuntiy to look around. The park store may have been small but it was the little things that counted. There was a puzzle lending library and a board game lending library. You could rent a lantern for your tent if you so chose to do so (but a deposit is also required in order to use one of these). These types of items showcased the park's attentiveness to the needs of campers.

Lined up outside the park store was a convenient row of wagons, specifically designed to assist campers in transporting their belongings from vehicles to designated campsites.  We selected two wagons and efficiently filled them with our gear. 

We had site number 6 which was a little further away from the bathrooms than we would have liked. I had tried to get a closer one, but this was one of the only sites left when I had gone to reserve it 5 months earlier. 

The Otentiks are all on walk-in sites.  Each Otentik has a set of 2 Adirondak chairs outside, with a different colour for each site. Our chairs were yellow chairs. 

And our Otentik came complete with our very own wild rabbit visitor. 

The Otentik is a uniquely designed accommodation that comfortably holds up to six individuals, making it an ideal choice for families or small groups seeking an immersive outdoor experience. In our case, we had only three occupants, which allowed for a more relaxed and spacious environment.

​The lower level features four high-density foam mattresses, providing ample sleeping arrangements. For those who appreciate a bit of elevation and privacy, there is a small ladder leading to a loft with two additional mattresses.

​There is a small living area with a table, chairs, overhead light, and 15 amp electrical outlets for everyday low-power use.

​It was a pretty hot day and they already had the fan running for us. 

Opposite the table is a little kitchenette complete with things like dishes, utensils, pots and pans, and water jugs. On top of the counter was a book that outlined the prices of each individual item if you lost them, stole them, or broke them.

​What it didn't tell you is what to do if you arrived to find that one of these items was already missing. We noticed that we were missing a utensil. We didn't do or say anything about it and no one ever came to ask us about it after the fact. 

Next to the door was a little wood stove. The Henry campground is open year round so, this would be an important thing to have come winter time. 

We decided to explore the campground a little bit.  We were hoping that there was a shortcut through to the bathroom from our site. It looked like there used to be, but a fallen tree now blocked the way. 

The Otentiks are situated all along a looped trail.  Our Otentik seemed to be located almost halfway away from the bathroom no matter which direction we took. 

Faced with two options—heading right towards the office or left around a quaint little field—we opted for the latter, curious to see whether it would prove to be a quicker route.

As we passed by the field, we were greeted by the sight of another small rabbit at the far end, adding a touch of charm to our walk.

We determined that it was just slightly shorter to get to the bathroom by going left and past the field. At least, it felt that way. 

Here too there were various birds (mostly Barn Swallows) nesting under the awnings of the building. 

It was obvious why this would be a great place for them to be nesting. All around us were the Shadflies that are plentiful in June.  This was an bundant source of food for both themselves and their fledglings. More than once I saw a bird swoop down, grab a Shadfly and bring it to the nest. They didn't have to go very far or search very hard to find food. 

Only one vehicle per Otentik is allowed to be parked in the Henry parking lot.  So, the next thing on my list of things to do was to move my car down the road to the West Beach parking lot where the additional parking is located. The West Beach parking area is situated just down the road, and the accompanying walk back provides an opportunity to enjoy the serene surroundings and natural beauty of the area. Overall, the slight inconvenience in parking arrangements is a reasonable trade-off for the experience of staying at the Otentik.

I parked my car and locked it up. I figured that since I was already at the beach, I may as well take a quick look around.  I followed the little boardwalk from the parking lot to the beach. 

There were a series of picnic tables, one notably situated on a wooden platform, providing an inviting spot for gatherings. A hibachi was available for those wishing to prepare a meal.

The sandy beach was empty of people and the waves were rolling up to the shore in the wind. 

The lake, with its distinctive grey-green hue, mirrored the feel of the partially overcast sky. 

Opposite the parking lot, I noticed a spacious, covered picnic shelter painted in a charming cottage blue colour. It was a picturesque setting for outdoor activities and gatherings.

A female Red Winged Blackbird sitting in the safety of the tree tops, watched me walk down the road towards camp. 

On the walk back to the Otentik, I noticed a walking trail that presented a more direct route from the campground to the beach. It was a wide trail but you couldn't drive down it. You could only go on foot. 

Back at camp, the next thing on the agenda was to take a shower.  The shower and the bathroom are together in the same building. 

The Barn Swallow was still sitting in its nest under the rafters. 

Inside the building, the bathroom stalls were all lined up on the right and the shower stalls were on the left. 

There were stainless steel sinks, large mirrors, a baby changing station, and a machine that dispensed free sanitary napkins. 

The toilets were flush toilets and everything was very clean. 

The showers were a bit on the small side. There was a fold down bench you could use to sit on while getting dressed. It was fold down because a regular seat would not have fit in there. 

The water was dispensed by pushing a green button on a box on the wall. Adjusting the water temperature was a little tricky to figure out, but once you did, it came out warm and there was good water pressure. 
The only thing that I think that needed improvement was the lighting. It was pretty dark in the showers, once the doors were closed, compared to the rest of the bathroom. At least on the girls side anyways. Carsten said that on the boys side, the lighting was just fine. 

Walking back to the Otentik and past the little field we saw the little bunny again. It hadn't left its spot in the grass the whole time, so we knew that it felt safe and comfortable there. 

We stood and watched it for a minute or two as it stood up on its hind legs to reach for the leaves on the lower branches of the nearby bushes. I guess he preferred those over the grass at his feet. 

At about 6 pm we decided to drive down to the point to climb the look out tower that is there. But as we got closer to the Visitor Center, it became clear that we would not be able to go there today. The road was gated off. Apparently you can't drive to the point. You can only go to the point by walking or by shuttle which only runs from 10 am to 5 pm. We had missed it by an hour. 

We saw the shuttle parked by the side of the road. It was all painted up with pictures of birds and marsh scenes.  We didn't feel like walking to the point even though it was only a 2 km walk. ​It was getting too late in the day and we hadn't eaten supper yet. We decided that we would come back tomorrow to take the shuttle instead.

But since we were already here, we figured we may as well check out the outside of the Visitor Center and explore a little. 

When we pulled into the parking lot there was only one other person there.  A gentleman with a professional looking camera was taking photos of some Marsh Flies on some flowers. I stopped to chat with him for awhile while Cartsen and Penny went up ahead to the Visitor Center. 

A few minutes later I went to catch up with Carsten and Penny at the Visitor Center. Outside the building was an area where people could sit on benches to wait for the shuttle. It was coverd with a large canopy to help protect from rain and to provide some shade. 

Outside the front door of the Visitor Center is a sandwhich board sign encouraging people to submit their sightings of birds and nature to both inaturalist.ca  and ebird.ca of which I am currently a member of both. I find inaturalist to be very helpful in identifying species that I am not familiar with. 

Out front they have built a Miniature Marsh where you might find all sorts of wildlife to take pictures of. 

You might not recognize it as a miniature marsh because it looks like an ordinary pond or feature fountain. 

At first we thought there were no fish in it, but then we spotted a little Sunfish swimming beneath the lily pads. 

The walls of the building were covered in Shadflies. It reminded me of home because every June we see literally millions of these come up from the lake and cover our streets and buildings. They are highly attracted to light and they make their way in swarms to the city's streetlights and settle on storefronts, lamp posts, houses and well, basically everything. ​Shadflies do not bite. They don’t sting. They don’t damage property. They don’t even have functional mouths as adults.

Shadfly larvae live underwater and cannot tolerate high levels of metals or pollution. That means a large hatch is actually a powerful indicator of a clean, healthy lake or river ecosystem. When you see shadflies, you’re witnessing proof that the water system is thriving. Their presence is environmental reassurance – nature’s way of saying things are in balance. In other words: the bigger the hatch, the better the health of the lake.

The adult Shadfly lives for only about 24 hours after hatching. They emerge, swarm, mate, lay eggs, and complete their life cycle in a single day. Shadflies are an incredibly important food source for fish, birds, and other wildlife. In fact, their emergence provides a seasonal buffet for the entire ecosystem.

Amazingly, in some areas, shadfly swarms are so massive that weather satellites have mistaken them for storm clouds. 

Although there were an impressive amount of them here, they were not even close to the numbers of them we see in the city I live in. 

I noticed that the park provides a bike repair station at the Visitor Center which I thought was a great idea because there are quite a few cyclists in the park. By supporting cyclists in maintaining their bicycles, the park demonstrates a commitment to fostering a welcoming and accommodating atmosphere for all visitors. 
​It enhances community engagement and promotes healthy lifestyles.

Eventually it began to rain so we made our way back towards the parking lot. We passed a Canadian flag along the way. 

What drew my attention to this flag in particular was the engraved maple leaf in the cement at the bottom of the pole. I thought this was a nice touch. 

There were Broad Leaved Sweet Peas growing in both a dark pink and a light pink along the walk ways towards the parking lot. 

As we were getting into our cars to drive back to our campsite, a Red Winged Blackbird watched us from the tree top. 

It had stopped raining by the time we got back to camp. So, Carsten began to cook us dinner on the BBQ that is provided with the Otentiks. While we waited for supper to cook, Penny made a trip to the park store and brought me back a present.  It was the cutest little green Hummingbird stuffie. 

After supper we gathered up our dirty dishes and carried them over to the designated dishwashing station that is provided to the campers of Henry campground. This dishwashing station is in the same building as the bathrooms and showers. The entrance is a different entrance and in a different section of the building though. As we entered, we looked up to find a Mourning Dove nesting in the rafters in the awning of the roof. 

Inside, we found 2 sets of stainless steel sinks. Also, a jug of dish soap was provided. 

Between the 2 sets of sinks was another very tall  wash tub where you could wash large pots and big things that would not fit in the sinks. 

We brought our now clean dishes back to camp and prepared to get cleaned up and ready for the night  We  figured we would put our food in the bear bins provided outside.  

However, when we opened it, we found it to be full of many different kinds of insects. Plus it didn't seem all that clean.  So, instead we opted to carry all of our food back to Carsten's car to be stored in his cooler for the night. 

It was getting dark by the time we got back. We went inside and played board games until about 10:30 pm. 
The only downfall about the Otentiks is that the light attracts all the insects to the doors and windows. So the minute you go out to use the bathroom the bugs come in. This happens both when you leave and when you come back. 

As a result, we ended up with a June Bug flying around the inside our Otentik. I tried to catch him to put him outside, however he flew quite far in under the bed where I couldn't reach him. And I wasn't about to crawl under the bed to get him. So, we let him stay the night in the Otentik with us. 

It was very windy out on this particular evening and from the comfort of the bed I could hear the sound of the waves crashing on the shore of the lake. It was a lulling and soothing sound.  By 5:30 in the morning I woke up and opened a sleepy eye and took note that the sound had changed to the chorus of a multitude of birds singing in the forest around us.  I smiled to myself and happily went back to sleep. Five thirty might be a good time for birds to wake up but it is much too early for me.  I would rather be refreshed and have a good night sleep before exploring the rest of what Point Pelee has to offer.