Special Insider Offers

Be sure to pack your camera and paint brushes as your creative spirit will be unleased when you receive your FREE copy of An Artist's and Photographer's Guide to Wild Ontario (Value $29.95). Learn about the natural wonders and landscapes that inspired the Group of Seven in your FREE Canadian Geographic Trans Canada Eco Tour Highway Guide (Value $14.95). Click here for more details on these Special Insider Offers.

Ask an Expert

Rob Stimpson, a professional photographer has been captivated by the extraordinary beauty of Superior’s north shore. And, Neys Provincial Park is one of his favourite locations to record this true wonder of nature.

In his newly released book The Artist and Photographers Guide to Wild Ontario, Stimpson claims that some of the best vantage points to view the magnificent Superior sunsets can be found here. “I arrived at Neys in late July to photograph the spot where Lawren Harris painted Pic Island in 1924. Following the long trail up to the panorama, I was not disappointed as a fabulous view overlooking the largest freshwater lake in the world unfolded in front of me. I captured some stunning images.”

Stimpson did manage to snap some perfect shots. But how did he do it? Well, here are some pointers he suggests one should follow to get that perfect image:

First, spend some time observing the place you’re about to photograph, especially if you’re camping there for a few days. Walk around and look through your viewfinder for something special, then return when the light is right - proper light conditions set the mood for good photographs.

Now, which lens or focal length to use: lens selection is another key to success. Remember the human eye is equivalent to 50 mm focal length on your DSLR camera, which is the common lens placed on the camera when you buy it. If you’re looking at the great expanse of the landscape, however, then it’s a wide angle lens you’ll want to use. Using a wide angle lens the image dynamics will dramatically change. The wide angle lens (28 mm) flattens things out; hills lose their height, the sun becomes a small circle. Zooming in with a 200 mm lens will compress the view and can create the illusion of height and size.

How much is too much: Remember what you leave out of an image is as important as what you put in – try to capture the “bare essentials” with your images – this can be difficult in a busy environment. Take out the clutter. The most dominant part of an image can be called the centre of interest; this is the part of a composition that is stronger than the rest – use the rule of thirds to help set up the shot. Divide the image into thirds – vertically and horizontally - then place the centre of interest at the intersecting lines. You should never put the centre of interest in the middle of your photo.

Sound confusing? Just remember that the image your brain has interpreted is not the same one the camera will record. That’s why photography is considered a true art form.

Did You Know?

Neys Provincial Park was the site of a prisoner of war camp for German officers during the Second World War. The area of the main campground was once a small city of canvas and wood huts, stacked tightly along the beachfront and enclosed by a fence of triple-layered barbed wire.  Most of the prisoners (POWs) were sailors picked up from sinking ships or pilots who had crash-landed overseas. All were ferried by train from the loading docks in Halifax to Neys or other remote camps along the north shore. The prisoners all worked for local lumber companies.  The one exception was George Hoertz, whom the guards considered such a skilled water colourist that he was kept in the camp to continue his paintings of the north shore.  It would seem that Lawren Harris was not the only painter to capture the park on canvas.

Prisoners in these camps did try to escape, but none were successful. One POW made a pair of skates out of springs and fittings from his bunk in an attempt to skate across Lake Superior. He travelled just over a kilometre before realizing that Lake Superior rarely freezes over. One group of prisoners at Neys dug an elaborate system of tunnels using tablespoons. They eventually made a run for it, but by the time they reached the train station at nearby Rossport, they had so many black fly bites that they asked to be returned to the camp! Two other escapes followed shortly after, but it was just to the local dancehall. In fact, a good portion of the prisoners, including painter George Hoertz, liked living on the north shore so much that the only time they attempted to escape was when they heard the war was over. Escape attempts were at their peak after the war ended!

Follow in Famous Footsteps

Franz Von Werra’s claim to fame was that he was the only successful German POW to escape North America and return to action in Europe. The fighter pilot was being shipped to the camp at Neys when he made the risky move of jumping off the train somewhere along the way. Eventually he made it to the St. Lawrence River and used a rowboat to cross over to the US, only to be arrested shortly after for vagrancy in New York. Somehow he managed to slip away again, travelling through Mexico and South America to Spain and Back to Germany. He received several commendations upon his return and ironically died during a training flight in October of 1941.

John Henry Lefroy

In the mid-1800s John Henry Lefroy set out to locate the correct positioning of the magnetic North Pole.  During his journey he found himself stranded on Pic Island. This mound of granite sitting straight out from the beach at Neys was the middle-ground, or rather a safety net for all the fur brigades crossing over from Peninsular Bay to the left and to Bottle Point to the right. The group of voyageurs Lefroy was travelling with at the time left him and a couple of men behind so he could do his calculations and observations. He finished his observations in 1844, having taken measurements at over 300 stations.

Recipes - Non gooey S’more recipes

Even parents like S’mores. After all they’re a camping tradition and there’s no doubt kids love the practice of piercing a marshmallow with a holder, holding it over the campfire until it ignites, then squishing it with a chunk of chocolate and two graham crackers.  There’s no taste like it.  We won’t mention that this gooey mess may get all over the kid’s clothes!

S’more Crepes

• Think of S’mores as an odd version of a fancy French crepe. Use a nut spread  on a soft tortilla, sprinkle icing sugar and coconut shavings, roll up in a piece of tinfoil and roast in the campfire. 

Mexcian S’more

• Spread a generous amount of peanut butter on a soft tortilla shell, add a layer of chocolate chips and mini-marshmallows, then roll up the tortilla. Wrap in tinfoil and cook it over a fire grill for just under five minutes. Unwrap and eat with a spoon. Remember to ask if anyone has any food allergies!!

Chocolate-squirt S’mores

• Toast the marshmallow over the fire and then, without removing it from the stick, roll in a pie plate one quarter full of chocolate syrup and crushed graham crackers.

Nearby and Interesting

The picturesque town of Terrace Bay has much to offer to the visitor.  Spend time exploring Aguasabon Falls and Gorge and the scenic Casque Isle Hiking Trail.  Consider a boat ride to Slate Islands Provincial Park

Share a Tale or Say It with Photos

Sure, we'll give you a glimpse of what you can expect on your northern adventure, but the best stories and photos are always first hand.

It might be a story of the lake trout which got away, a picture of the incredible Northern Lights, or even a poem about that first time you heard the call of a loon!

For a chance to have your story or photo featured in an upcoming issue of the Insider, email us your story or photos today! Everyone who makes a submission will also be entered into a monthly draw for great parks gear!

Travel Survey