Island rainfall exceeds norm

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-When it rains it pours.

Although it seems strange to consider now, the summer of 2007 on Manitoulin was a drought: grass fires raged, lakes dwindled, and farmers had to deal with patchy pasture and a poor cut of hay.

Flash forward to the rainfest of 2008. Fire crews are mostly idle, boats are bobbing comfortably in their berths, and the challenge for agricultural types has been to find an arid enough stretch of days in which to reap their copious crop of fodder.

Manitoulin may not have experienced the kind of record-shattering deluge that has visited other corners of the province, but the contrast between last summer's dry spell and this year's parade of precipitation is still quite dramatic.

Organic grower Paul Salanki has kept meticulous records of rainfall since he and partner Heather Thoma established their Loonsong farm on the edge of Little Current. "In the first half of August this year, we already have 96 millimetres (almost four inches)," he says. "Last year, during this same period, we had zero."

A lot of that recent rainfall occurred during one concentrated drenching on the weekend of August 9-10. Mr. Salanki says his gauge recorded 2.6 inches of rain during that single pelting. Other parts of the Island got even more: Tehkummah, for instance, received 3.5 inches of rain, while Spring Bay was doused with 3 inches, according to the reckonings of other farmers.

Gore Bay was a relative dry spot on this occasion. Robbie Colwell, who manages the airport in this locale as well as maintains an Environment Canada weather station on the site, says the accumulation at the West End landing strip was 17 millimetres-less than an inch-on August 9-10.

"It was very spotty," he says of the rainfall that weekend. "We got a lot more than that even where I live, at Nameless Lake, which I know because my wife and kids have a habit of leaving things up, and our wheelbarrow was a third full of water."

Data from the Gore Bay weather station is automatically sent to Environment Canada's headquarters in Toronto, and not terribly easy to access, but Mr. Colwell says that the figures communicated from the airport would not be perfectly representative of the Island anyway. He knows, simply from observing the radar images of storm cells sweeping across the Island on his computer, that Manitoulin's geography makes for a real meteorological mix.

"Because we're an island, with all these bays, sounds, capes and lakes, a system coming through will affect different places differently," he notes. "Sheguiandah could get six inches of rain while we get only an inch in Gore Bay. It depends a lot on the air mass below it; if you have heat from a plowed field, for instance, it will come down differently."

Still, the Island as a whole has definitely experienced more liquid over the course of this summer than it did last year, and you don't really need to consult a measuring device or Enviro Canada database to make that determination. You just have to look around at the lush canopy, bubbling streams, and chlorophyll-rich fields.

As one West End resident simply-but tellingly-remarks, "our grass is certainly greener than it ever has been."

There are other obvious signs: mosquitoes are out in thicker swarms; beach closures are fewer; frogs are flailing around in a state of slimy bliss.

The impact on the Island economy is tricky to assess, as each sector benefits (or takes a hit) to varying degrees, but generally the drizzler of 2008 seems to have been a nice change from last summer's sizzler.

"Most farmers prefer this summer over last year," says Birgit Martin, secretary of the Soil and Crop Association. "Pasture is doing really well, and the hay, in terms of abundance, is fabulous."

The trick with this year's hay crop is getting it off the field. "There's been untimely rain for haymaking," says Ms. Martin. "You need a series of three to four dry days to get the hay cut and dried, but we've been getting a lot of afternoon showers that spoil a hay day."

And since the hay is being cut later, "quality becomes an issue, because the protein content drops and the fibre is high," notes Ms. Martin.

Grain crops, meanwhile, "have suffered because there was too much rain in June," the Soil and Crop representative points out. Barley, for instance, "turns yellow quicker under wet conditions." Sweet corn, she says, "is doing okay this year, but it went in later than normal so we really haven't seen any yet."

On balance, though, the season has been relatively bountiful for farmers. "Yes, it's been a challenge to get the hay done, but at least we have a good quantity of feed," says Ms. Martin.

Veggie growers also seem quite pleased. "Our garden has been flourishing," reports Mr. Salanki. If he has a complaint, it's that the weeds are also jumping up like crazy, although he's quick to add that "this really hasn't been that problematic."

Lettuces reaped at Loonsong are "some of the biggest we've ever grown," says the farmer, and moisture (along with fertility) is a big reason for that bounty. And while southern Ontario growers have complained about a fungal explosion, Mr. Salanki says this hasn't been a huge concern for his garden.

The rain has wreaked a bit of havoc on certain plants, like tomatoes and cabbages, which tend to split when conditions fluctuate from dry to wet, Mr. Salanki admits. And, like many other farmers, he found the oversaturated conditions in the spring frustrating because he "couldn't get a good grain crop in."

Still, he has "a buckwheat crop out there that is looking beautiful," and is glad to see the Island greening up for a change. "It's nice to see Manitoulin get some moisture."

Last year just about every Island farmer qualified for a crop insurance payout, says Ms. Martin, as compensation is offered any time there is less than 80 percent of an area's normal rainfall. Manitoulin experienced just 40 percent of its usual precipitation in the summer of 2007.

No such insurance claims will be made this year. According to rainfall data collected at Agricorp measuring sites over May, June and July, Manitoulin is already well above its typical total. The average rainfall for the growing season in this area is 204.9 millimetres; by the end of July, the tally for Manitoulin (averaged over 15 rain-collection stations) was 226.37 millimetres.

That's not the whole of it, either, as Agricorp stops counting when a site reaches 125 percent of its long-term average, as occurred at eight of the Island locations in May, seven in June, and two in July.

And once you factor in the August accumulations, which remain to be officially totted up, it seems safe to conclude that Manitoulin will have received a third more rain this summer than it usually would. If not more.

That's been pretty much the case across the province, with "extremes of rain...reported right across Ontario," according to Environment Canada's weather review for July. Totals in some cases were "double the normal amounts," the department notes.

Sudbury was wetter than usual in July by 28.8 millimetres, while Dryden was anything but dry, recording 29.2 more millimetres of rain for the month. Toronto was damper by a whopping 53.6 millimetres in July.

Not everyone welcomes the wet stuff, of course, particularly when it comes down in ceaseless buckets on a busy Saturday evening, like the one of August 9. The Debajehmujig main-stage performance, held in the roofless mission ruins in Wiky, was washed out that night, as were the Dusk Dances scheduled for a park in Mindemoya. Over in Tehkummah, stargazers had to pack up their telescopes and head for their tents-or something a little more waterproof.

Little Current's Country Fest squelched on, despite what organizer Craig Timmermans describes as "crazy amounts of rain." Performers had to abandon the main stage, which "was like a giant lightning rod," he says, but played abbreviated sets on the smaller wooden riser.

Headliner George Canyon "fried his mike" because of the downpour, notes Mr. Timmermans, and at one point "had to turn his guitar upside down to let the rain flow out of it." Low Island was a soggy mess by the next morning, and the Country Fest campground outside of Little Current was littered with a few flattened tents that people simply abandoned because they weren't worth attempting to stitch back together.

Golf courses would seem another venue that might suffer from adverse weather, but John Seabrook of Brookwood Brae in Mindemoya insists it hasn't been that tough a season. "We haven't had a bad year at all," he says. "June got so wet that sometimes you couldn't play, but our July numbers were as good as ever if not better."

Rain may have occasionally chased golfers from the links, but not as often as you might think. "It's good that golf is so addictive," laughs Mr. Seabrook. "They'll play in anything to get their game in, or come back as soon as there's a break in the weather."

And the moisture, while occasionally making for irksome puddles, has also made for excellent turf. "I've never seen this course in as good shape," says the Brookwood Brae owner. "The only issue people have is that we can't let the carts go out as much because the course is wet and they would chew it up badly. But that's the only inconvenience."

Things got a tad more inconvenient on the Rainbow Ridge course last week, although in this case it wasn't rain that was the culprit but its crispier cousin: hail. Ice pellets hammered down on the Island's southeast corner on Wednesday, leaving an inch-deep blanket of frosty balls in many spots, including the greens and fairways of the Manitowaning course.

A senior men's game was under way at the time, but the players kept up their spirits, and sense of humour, with one reporting, "I guess we can say everyone had a 'hail' of a good time.'"

Nature lovers have also taken the unusually damp summer in stride, sporting slickers and plenty of bug dope to see which species are flourishing in the puddle-strewn woods, and which aren't.

John Smith, president of the Manitoulin Nature Club, says it's been a bit of an unusual year for flora and fauna, although he's not sure how much of this has to do with rain and how much is connected to other factors, such as cyclical patterns.

Still, he's made a few rain-related observations. One is that the flowers that prefer sunnier, drier conditions, like those of the geranium type, as well as daisies and hawkshead, "are not as thick," while something like Queen Anne's lace is flourishing. "It's a root crop," he explains. "It's a wild carrot, so it will do well in this weather."

Berries aren't as abundant, a circumstance Mr. Smith attributes to the overly soggy and chilly June. "We didn't get the normal spring for pollination," he theorizes.

The biggest beneficiaries of the damp spell, in terms of the natural world, seem to be those species that, while important, don't tend to win a lot of beauty contests. "I think the things that are doing extremely well are probably mushrooms and fungus," chuckles Mr. Smith.

Those, plus a few bumpy-backed amphibians. And those scaly, legless reptiles that dine on them. "You see a lot of toads. And snakes. Garters love toads," says Mr. Smith.

L. Manitou spared effects of killer fish virus

by Tom Sasvari

TEHKUMMAH-Thus far, Lake Manitou is free of the viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) fish disease, says a representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).

"Lake Manitou is a VHS-free lake area," stated Paul Vieria, manager of both the Blue Jay Creek Fish Hatchery in Tehkummah and Tarentorus Fish Culture Station in Sault Ste. Marie, at a Lake Manitou Area Association (LMAA) meeting last week. He explained, "VHS is a viral-like invasive species disease, and is a totally new strain. It does not have any effect on humans, it just affects fish."

"Prior to 2005 VHS was found on the east and west coasts of Canada and the United States," said Mr. Vieria. He pointed out the disease spreads through the water, on infected fish, or with their body fluids. It may be spread from one waterbody to the next by any method that involves the movement of fish, water, vessels or equipment that has had contact with the virus.

The disease can survive in a fish without being detected for 14 days, said Mr. Vieria. He said in areas such as the Bay of Quinte and Lake St. Clair there have been "big dieoffs of fish and it has been found to be caused by VHS."

The Great Lakes strain is new, said Mr. Vieria. "In April-May 2006 VHS was found in a several different species and is now found in about 25-28 species of fish."

"One of the funny things about the VHS disease is that some of the fish will show signs of the disease, while in others you can't detect it," said Mr. Vieria. Symptoms include pale gills and organs, bloated abdomens, bulging eyes, hemorrhages (bleeding) on body and organs, and darker body colour. VHS has been found in Lake Huron (including Georgian Bay), Lake Erie, the Detroit River, the St. Lawrence River, Lake St. Clair, Lake Ontario and the Niagara River.

"VHS has been found in waters in the lower Great Lakes and major connecting tributaries so it's important to understand the disease is out there," continued Mr. Vieria. "What is being done now is a process of trying to slow down the spread of the disease."

"Manitoulin Island is surrounded by the VHS zone and we are continuing to monitor the spread of the disease," Mr. Vieria told the meeting.

When VHS enters any waterbody it affects the whole ecosystem. "One of the biggest concerns with the disease is that if the disease spreads to the point a whole spawning population dies, there will no longer be any fish of that particular species, of any age," said Mr. Vieria.

"In 2007 again there were many dieoffs of fish due to VHS, and several waterbodies that tested positive all around the Great Lakes," said Mr. Vieria. "And the big problem is it's now moving into inland lakes in areas like New York State and Michigan."

"We are trying to contain the disease as best as possible, trying to find out where they are from, what caused the disease and keep tabs on where it is spreading, and try to prevent this (spreading)," said Mr. Vieria. "All MNR hatchery fish are being tested, and in Sault Ste. Marie all stocks are being tested, not just brood stock. And there is a lot of monitoring and surveying being done on the waters."

There is a definite financial cost related to VHS disease, said Mr. Vieria. He noted that "$1.5 million is being spent to do VHS research and surveillance, such as taking samples from the most susceptible species."

Mr. Vieria further noted that, through monitoring, "Lake Manitou is a VHS-free lake area. The VHS zone 2007 is in "all water tributaries flowing from Lakes Huron, Ontario and Erie, up to the first impassable barrier. As Lake Manitou has a 15-foot dam, it makes it impassable for fish to get through as they would with normal flowing waterbodies, he said.

"There is a fact sheet put out by the MNR that tells you what the disease looks like and what to do if you find fish that look like they have VHS," said Mr. Vieria. "The VHS disease does not affect humans, and even fish carrying the VHS virus are safe to eat and to handle," he stressed.

He noted that there are a number of measures, included on the MNR fact sheet that people can do to prevent VHS from spreading. And, "there are other things you can do, for instance if you catch fish on the side of the road somewhere, don't just take them and dump them into a neighbouring lake," said Mr. Vieria. "In fact, don't move live fish of any kind, even goldfish or tropical fish that you have in a bowl at home-don't put them into other waterbodies."

A meeting attendee was concerned that VHS could affect household pets; however, Mr. Vieria emphasized that the virus does not affect other animals. He said the MNR sends fish samples to the University of Guelph fish laboratory to monitor the possible spread of VHS.

"It is good practice to empty your boat bilge on shore," said Mr. Vieria.

The MNR suggests that people can take a number of precautions to slow the spread of VHS. Use bait fish that have been harvested locally; use roe (fish eggs) as bait only when fishing in the same waterbody where roe was collected; do not discard roe or bait fish in lakes or rivers: place unused bait in the garbage; do not move live fish from one location to another; remove all mud, aquatic plants and animals from all gear, boat motors and trailers before leaving a body of water; when cleaning/gutting fish, ensure that the waste products do not contact waterways; dispose of fish internal organs, skin, scales, heads and tails in the garbage; equipment and clothing used during angling activities should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected; after angling at a waterbody known to contain VHS, clean and disinfect live wells with a 10 percent household bleach/water solution (i.e. 100 millilitres of household bleach to one litre of water). Rinse well to remove residual chlorine and discard away from fish-bearing waters. Chlorine is toxic to fish; empty baitfish containers, live wells and bilges away from water in an area where the water will be absorbed into the ground.

Blood donor clinic returns

to Little Current on Sept. 9

by Lindsay Kelly

LITTLE CURRENT-Islanders will have an opportunity to give the gift of life next month when the Canadian Blood Services blood-donor clinic returns.

Manitoulin has been without a clinic for the past seven years, but thanks to diligent efforts by the Little Current Masons, Canadian Blood Services has agreed to return for a one-day session.

"The Masons in Little Current generally look after it and we try to bring it in," explained Mason and local organizer Bob MacDonald.

The clinics stopped coming to the Island when the organization couldn't meet the quota of 87 pints set by Canadian Blood Services. But Mr. MacDonald said that Island support for the clinics has been very positive in the past, and he's hopeful people will come out on September 9 to contribute.

According to a Canadian Blood Services press release, the organization is hoping to recruit 144 donors at the Little Current clinic, and donating only takes an hour of time.

"On average, every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood or blood products," the release notes. "And the hour it takes to give hast he potential to save up to three lives."

For the uninitiated, clients giving blood go through a multi-step process on each visit. Clients will first be asked to fill out an information form, following which they'll receive a booklet on the dos and don'ts of blood donation, and finally they'll be directed to the screening area where it's determined whether a potential client is appropriate for the procedure.

"Everybody has to be screened every time," Mr. MacDonald said, noting that some people don't qualify due to health issues. "A lot of people have too high blood pressure or low iron and they fit into that category."

Once clients have been approved they are directed to a chair where their blood is taken, following which there are refreshments to help boost the blood-sugar levels of participants before they leave.

The clinic is still three weeks away, but Mr. MacDonald is hoping that by generating interest now, the clinic will be able to meet its targets and the Island can once again host regular blood-donor clinics.

"We want to get people aware that they're coming because we haven't had it for seven years," he said. "If we have a good clinic, they'll start coming back."

The clinic will be held on Tuesday, September 9 at the Little Current curling rink from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Potential clients are asked to make an appointment ahead of time to make it easier for organizers to draw up a schedule. For more information, or to make an appointment to give blood, call the Canadian Blood Services toll-free line at 1-888-236-6283.

Two Drums Festival

Caribbean steel meets powwow drum in South Baymouth

by Lindsay Kelly

SOUTH BAYMOUTH-The sound of the Caribbean islands will echo across an island of a different kind this weekend when the Pan Fantasy Steel Band arrives on Manitoulin for a drum interchange with First Nations drum groups from Wikwemikong.

The Meeting of the Two Drums will take place at the Southbay Gallery on Friday and Saturday evenings and will feature the Caribbean-inspired music of steel drums mingled with the First Nations drums of Wikwemikong.

In bringing Pan Fantasy to Manitoulin, organizer Jose Garcia, who is of Caribbean descent and at one time played a steelpan, is seeking to infuse tourism on Manitoulin with a new event, while encouraging the meeting of the two drum groups whose cultures and traditions are rooted in similar backgrounds.

"The Native community will welcome these folks who also come from an indigenous tradition from the Caribbean, especially Trinidad and Tobago, where now we're seeing an incredible revival of tradition in the indigenous population," he says. "Contrary to the Eurocentric position on the history that says people in the Caribbean were wiped out, that's not the case. We're all through the Caribbean and we're seeing an incredible revival of the indigenous population."

Through their music, Pan Fantasy aims to bring the spirit of that culture to its audiences. The band was formed in 1986 in Toronto as a subset of the North York Inter-Community Youth Group, and over 22 years, the membership has expanded to 25 people ranging in age from nine to 65 and representing Islands from across the Caribbean.

The group placed first at the 2006 and 2005 Pan Alive competition in Toronto and placed second and third in the New York Panorama competition. Most recently the band performed in Toronto's 2008 Caribana, the annual street festival celebrating all things Caribbean.

Anne Barr, who is assisting in organizing the event, notes that the backgrounds of the two cultures are very similar in that they both make their drums and that the instruments represent an important piece of their identities as indigenous people.

"They each have a saying, in their own language, that says 'drum is heart,'" she notes.

This should make for a good connection between the two groups, she adds, and if the event is successful, organizers hope to hold the event annually, with an eye to developing it into a Manitoulin attraction.

Over the course of the evening, Pan Fantasy will interact with Wikwemikong's Rocky River youth drum group, but Mr. Garcia also hopes that the men's and women's drum groups will take part in the interchange.

The consul general of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Michael Lashley, will be on hand for a special welcoming ceremony on Friday at 5 pm, and Ontario Minister of Tourism Peter Fonseca has been invited to attend. Wikwemikong Chief Robert Corbiere, Jeanette Corbiere-Laval and Tehkummah Reeve Gary Brown have also been invited to speak.

Mr. Garcia emphasizes that this is not just a celebration for people of First Nations or Caribbean heritage, but for people across Manitoulin and the North Shore to enjoy the music and learn about the cultures of the two groups that will be performing.

"The key is bringing these two cultures together and having them interacting," he says. "We want people to come celebrate and feel the music, feel the heartbeat of the drum and we want to fill this place with music that people can appreciate."

The Meeting of the Two Drums is open to the public and admission is free of charge, although donations are gratefully accepted with proceeds going to offset the cost of the show. People are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs for the event, which starts at 6 pm on both evenings, and there will be refreshments available after the show. The Southbay Gallery is located at 15 Given Road in South Baymouth.

EDITORIAL

Special Olympics epitomize striving for personal best

After reading about and watching the "youth of the world" demonstrating their skills in an enormous variety of sports events over the past two weeks, we have the opportunity of visiting a homegrown Olympic event, and doing so in person.

This Saturday, we should be primed by a fortnight of watching athletes at the peaks of their careers to appreciate a kinder, gentler Olympics: the Manitoulin Special Olympics.

On Saturday, the Manitoulin Special Olympics organization hosts the Northern Ontario regional softball tournament where the winning team will qualify to represent the North at a provincial Special Olympics event.

The contrast between the Beijing Olympics and the event we can sit in the shade and enjoy in person this Saturday from 8:30 am until 5:30 pm at the Mindemoya ball diamonds isn't as great as one might think.

Certainly, the athletes that we send to represent us in Beijing have had the opportunity, most of them, to train with some of the best coaches in the world in state-of-the-art training facilities.

Our Manitoulin-and other Northern Ontario-Special Olympians benefit from the best efforts of volunteer coaching staff and a myriad of fundraising events that pay for transportation from other home communities-in the case of visiting teams, to Manitoulin.

Bust, just like the elite athletes we've been watching as they run, row, and wrestle their way to Olympic glory, the Special Olympics teams we can come and watch on Saturday will be trying their hardest, to the very best of their abilities, to perform well.

Both groups of athletes, those in Beijing and those in Mindemoya, will be doing their best.

Typically, Special Olympics organizations do not have a lot of money on which to operate; they exist to give special athletes a venue where they, just like Beijing Olympians, can post personal bests.

And these athletes, perhaps even more than their elite counterparts, need to be appreciated: fan support goes a long way towards helping Special Olympians achieve their goals.

The Mindemoya ballpark, whose bleachers are cleverly attached to the back of the community centre, is a shady spot to while away a day, eat a hot dog and cheer on the local contenders (and, in the spirit of the Special Olympics, the visiting squads too).

It will be a fitting way to celebrate the close of the Beijing Olympics.

Letters to the Editor

Attempt to ban horse riding on municipal roads misguided

Better to encourage riding and the use of the great outdoors

To the Expositor:

Much to my dismay, it has come to my attention that an attempt to pass a motion to cease horse riding on certain municipal roads was put before council this past week. As an avid horse rider and an equestrian facilities operator, this greatly saddens me. Horses bring enjoyment to many people; the opportunity to ride is valuable and the places to ride are invaluable.

I do understand that perhaps sidewalks and main streets in town are not the ideal location; however, instead of trying to ban riding in areas, perhaps a polite word of encouragement about cleanup in town areas would suffice. We need to encourage our young people to go outside, exercise and enjoy the fresh air that we are so lucky to have here on Manitoulin. People should also understand that the equestrian facilities and trails may not be readily available to all persons with horses, as trailering is costly and not time effective. So let's encourage riding and use of the great outdoors and just ask for a little respect in return and I am sure our community will blossom.

If we begin trying to ban horses and this mode of transportation for certain municipal roads, we are also being very discriminatory against certain religions whose members travel only by horse and buggy. Let's be an open-minded community. On this note I, along with Miss Holly Felton (also an avid rider), would like to invite all council members to join us for a trail ride to see and enjoy the presence of horses and the enjoyment riding can bring. Please contact me at Honora Bay Riding Stable to set up the arrangements.

Kyla Jansen

Honora Bay

Kudos to Haweater Lions and Country Fest crew

Visitors emjoyed fine entertainment and frequented local merchants

To the Expositor:

Once again, Little Current has outdone itself for two great weekends in a row. As usual, the Lions should be proud of a very entertaining Haweater Weekend.

And accolades to Kelly and Craig Timmermans for the Country Fest. Despite the damp weather, the turnout and participation were great.

The town council and local merchants owe the organizers of these two a big thank you for their effort, as they brought many visitors to our area. Not only did these visitors enjoy fine entertainment, they also frequented most of the local merchants.

Vicki Raabe

Beauty Island

River rocks sculptor scolded for disturbing fish habitat

Any disruption of stream bottom can undo the work of rehabilitators

To the Expositor:

On page 18 of your last edition you featured a photo and short caption ("River Rocks," August 13) of a person creating "art" below the dam on the Manitou River.

I should like to point out to this individual, and any others that may be so inclined, that the Lake Manitou Association and other volunteers laboured long and hard, and at considerable expense, to create habitat for spawning fish in that exact area. Any disruption of material from the bottom of the stream is in effect destroying part of that habitat. If Mr. Kendrick had seen the barren state of that section of river a few years ago he would perhaps have more concern for his actions.

Manitoulin Streams continues to rehabilitate other sections of the Manitou and other streams on Manitoulin in the hope that those who come after us may be able to enjoy these natural wonders as our forbears did many years ago.

It is the mandate of Manitoulin Streams to bring every stream on Manitoulin as close as is possible to its natural state. This will be a long and costly process and one that will hopefully be carried on by generations to come.

Paul Moffatt

vice-president,

Lake Manitou Area Association

chair, Manitoulin Streams