Torbay Cottage Resort
... news ...page 3 (first half of 1999)

Here we continue to showcase some on-going news items of stuff going on locally
(Torbay and City of North Bay) and of potential interest to you.

Last update: October 2005

Dec 1998 turns into Jan 1999... Busy with snowmobilers, but trails are marginal through New Years due to the ground not being frozen yet and a foot + of snow on top.  Many creeks/waterways etc. still open under the snow and thin ice, so trails wont be open probably until mid Jan.  Meantime folk are trailering and having fun just the same.

 

Update: Jan 7th 1999 - trails are about 60% open.  Still soft under 1 to 2 ft of snow.  Some areas ground still not frozen yet.  Trout Lake and Nipissing not staked yet.  More info on trails go to Torbay "Links" page (see below) and link to trailconditions.com for update...thanks - Steve

 

 

Mid January to mid February riding was marginal.  Lots of ice and little snow.  Nonetheless folk came out to play and had a good time!  Lake Trails did not get staked until third week of January, but as we got into February lack of snow followed by big thaw and a day of rain sure made conditions miserable.  At one point there was a foot of water on the lake in front of us.

Next day it froze solid and has stayed that way to end of February.   But the glare ice did little to improve things as without some snow for cooling sliders etc it was still touch and go.  You can see the ice this photo of 14 guests on 7 sleds.

 

One day the pressure crack got moving and heaved up some ice that allowed for some great photo opportunities...

This 'ridge' stood 7 ft high on the left and had to be traversed with care since there was open water along parts of the edge.

 

 

 

 

Thats a lone ice shack and 4 wheeler with trailer going for it...
more on ice fishing later...

These reproductions hardly do the real thing justice - shoulda been there!

 

 

February brought radar runs most weekends out in front of Torbay.   Speedo is at the left end of the photo.  There were plenty of speed demons around and fun was had by all, but some weekends when the lake was pure ice, ... well these runs just could not be held!

 

 

Torbay in the background eh?

 

 

 

 

 

Alright, Odis (left) and Milo (below) had to get themselves noticed.   Odis is out for puppy play every morning at 8:30 and in the afternoon around 4 p.m.   Has a great time with some doggie friends out on the ice.

 

 

 

 

Milo will spend his time carousing the cottages for TLC and food, but when it gets cold he's back inside pretty quick.

 

 

In spite of the marginal conditions much of the time, we were quite busy - partly because conditions were iffi all around the province.

 

 

 

 

 

Nevertheless, great fun was had by all, and the hot tub remains a popular apres-sled spot!

Hmm...lets not forget the popularity of the workshop/garage...Wondering? - its a Polaris!

 

 

 

Signs from NB309 and SS703.  Both trails run together up the shoreline of Nipissing in front of Torbay toward the City of North Bay Core 5 km to the north.

 

Sunsets remain spectacular even if the riding conditions don't.   This was taken from inside.

 

Ice fishing on Nipissing has been OK this winter.  There are new (reduced) catch and possession limits for Pickerel (Walleye) and Pike - down to 4 from 6.  Also there is for the first time a catch and possession limit for Perch.  25 catch, 25 possession.

The news item on the right should be just readable - shortened January catch due to ice conditions means from about 15 Jan on.  Average catch rate of .21 Walleye per hour means one every 3 hours.  Many had no such luck or lunch!  In addition, the winter fishery seaon closes early - March 7 1999.  Yup, and so it goes!    For the spring/summer fishery there will be a slot limit in place as well...40 to 60 cm!  get those sticks ready!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, so that's Odis and I ... what a life!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the new slot size limit for spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Bayites set new 24 hour snowmobiling distance record (Guiness Book) in March 1999.

April 1999

Winter 1998-9 is now over.  It brought similar snowmobiling conditions to the previous winter with a general lack of good snowfall.  In turn, business was about the same as last year... still good and we thank all the fine folk who came and stayed at Torbay. 

Last big crowd was the group from Ohio that Chuck Phipps organized for the end of February.  Here are a few photos they sent to me.

 

Great Group, Great Fun!

Patricia Kimerer was part of this group (stayed in Cottage # 3) and she wrote this neat article for the 'Sunday Driver' in all of us.  The newspaper is called The Vindicator out of Ohio.

You can view a readable version of this article.

 

 

Ok Y'all - It's OVER !!!   --->>>   

 

Yes, the water level across the Great Lakes and Lake Nipissing is well below normal as seen in this early April photo below.  It was low last year at this time, but in fact is lower this year.  Still, it is expected by those in the know that the water to come up with some rains in April/May/June.  (Believe it - ha ha!)

 

Ok, This is the no water situation late April/ early May1999...

Yes, we were ALL a little concerned about the lake levels...!
Sure was great for 'puppy play' with Odis...

 

... and how's it been with you?