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Torbay Cottage Resort Here we continue to showcase some ongoing news
items of stuff going on locally
Ok... New Years eve is over... but we had fun by the fireplace on the beach... not as much hoopla as for y2k though - dat's me on the right with the Walo group.
Experimenting continued with the 'live webcams' and this snap is from the Yard Cam showing some of the Yamahas and two Skidoos heading out... trails are excellent so far in January with conditions better than they have been in years!
Below is Team Tomco (build great snowmobile
trailers) enjoying the Hot Tub.
Above is Ryan MacDonald, a North Bay
Snowmobilers Club Junior Director running the Scandic with it's 4ft drag, a
2 1/2 hour round trip from the Portage on Trout Lake to Torbay on Lake
Nipissing. The small drag is used until the big (heavy) BR groomers
can run across Trout Lake.
Above left the test run of the early 'Beach Cam' caught this cool image.
Here are a few photos from the Jan 20 Radar Runs out on the lake by Torbay...
the morning started at -24C, but by mid afternoon had warmed to a perfect -5C and sunny... great day! Big turnout!
When I was there,
All trails lead to Torbay ha ha...
In February the Snodgrass group took over part of Torbay, tons of Arctic Cat and Skidoo fans! They also bought several new machines!
Same week, Cathcarts returned
once again and enjoyed some of the best snow and trails we have had in
years. Thing is, so much snow, and relatively mild
weather... if you fall off the trail, with or without sled,
Below right... Emily Kates enjoys a ride on a brand new Mini Z courtesy the Snodgrass group
Ackerman/Kates group with Emily enjoying the popular tub!
Another snowfall later, and the chairs on the beach in the left bottom of the photo have totally disappeared!
Also returning this week are Sean & Pam Harney, who
stayed in # 6 (right) look at that snow!!!
Below... Caldwell re-union... has it really been 7 years?
ok ok... then there came the Xtreme riders out of Ohio...
taking over Torbay for a week... 3 sleds out of commission the first two days...
Here is Dr. Hoch ... check out the hole in #3piston... got home on two of course... something to be said 'bout multiple cylinders eh?
Mild evening allowed for a great time at the fireplace... my coat still smells of smoke... thanks for the treats y'all...
Lots of
Nice Carving Jeff!!!
Above... the group's getting a little coloured... somewhat like the ice below...
...you know, the only thing extreme about he extreme riders is that they are extremely nice folk!
The Herbst/Schaffer gang came back for a second week this winter, but sorry guys...did not get your photo
Winter continued into March, and the webcam continues to be a popular item, acknowledging the folk back home here is the Schafer/Daigler clan
... and we must remember to watch the great sunsets...
Here is the Graham group heading out on their way to Sudbury for a few days...
and then returned for more sledding.
First weekend in March, and while Radar Runs continue on
the Lake in front of Torbay,
Ice Fishing is over (7th) for another winter. Word is that the walleye and perch fishing was excellent in January, but too much snow made the lake impassable for vehicles except snowmachines in February. Traveling on the lake was great in March, but the season closed early on Nipissing. Still, more snowmobiling continued through the middle of March as conditions and trails remained ideal.
Dan Harvey and his 'racing' group came for a stay (NY) with some nice graphics and studs (below).
Blew a couple of engines too... suspect bad fuel.
Same time (around St Patties day) the Sisti group (also out of NY) enjoyed great trails and weather!
As snow total peaked at a whoppin' 346cm this season, flooding concerns become more pronounced. As we near the end of March, there has been considerable erosion of the snow cover with gradual melt and no rain! This continues to ease the immediate concern, but April rains could change the scenario rather quickly!
The Yard Cam image shows the quick melt happening in the driveway... and NBSC snowmobile trails will officially close April 1, 2001. However Odis and I continue to sled on the Lake in front of Torbay - I for fun, Odis for his run.
And so March turned into April, and while I had several corporate clients here, I closed Torbay for two weeks and went with my father to Switzerland to visit with family we both still have there. This was a wonderful time, and upon my return, the ice was rapidly melting and nearly all the snow was gone - what a change!
This year, the official 'ice free' day
for Lake Nipissing is April 25th. You can see the ice thinning out in the images below...
Ok, the weather finally began to warm up as we headed into May, and during the first week there were several 20+ degree days, however it has been very dry, and although the lake level is a little high for this time of year, rainfall during the next 2 months will have a big impact on how the lake level behaves for the next 8 weeks or so...
Left is 'Vera', my 1967 version of the rare breed of motor home known as an Ultra Van has come out of hibernation, just sad that she gets so little use with Torbay being so busy and all...
April turned into May with Torbay busy with several Corporate guests from Bombardier AeroSpace who stayed with us through June. Busy time for planting many flowers and getting the 'yard' in order. Several great sunsets and webcam shots.
As May turned into June we had considerable rainfall and Lake Nipissing continued to rise...
During the first week of June
there was some concern about the lake level taking out the dock, but this
home of
You can see where the 'debris' line is on the beach, and - well - rather difficult to get on the dock without getting your feet wet! By the afternoon of the19th of June water continued to get higher, as the photo below shows...
Here is the sunset from the same day...
Several returning guests visited in June, (note great - but not very visible sandcastle)
June also brought various get-to-gethers and re-unions,
and the Closs Clan here...
And Corporate Clients were regulars at Torbay throughout the Spring, with guests from Bombardier Aerospace and Golder & Associates, whose occasional feasts (as witnessed below) would put Churchill's to shame...
... and how's it been with you? Return to HomePage Office 1-705-476-0076
or Toll Free at 1-888-7TORBAY or Fax at 1-705-474-4266
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seagulls and ducks stood up to the turmoil of wind and wave action...
