Misery Bay

Misery Bay is a freshwater bay on Manitoulin Island in Ontario. It is noted for its alvars and large dolomite pavements.,[1] ground flat by glaciers. It also contains grykes and ecologically significant wetlands.[1]

Misery Bay
Location of Misery Bay in Ontario
LocationManitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates45°47′23.6″N 82°44′26.9″W
Area1,079 ha (4.17 sq mi)
Founded1989 (1989)
Governing bodyOntario Parks

History

Misery Bay is a young landscape. The area was covered by the Laurentide Ice Sheet 20,000 years ago. It was only exposed 10,000 years ago, with most of the area being inundated with glacial lake water 4,000 years later.[2] The land has been slowly rising since then as it is no longer weighed down by the glacier.[3]

The land surrounding Misery Bay was privately owned, purchased by the Sifferd family in 1959.[4] They recognised its significance and worked to protect it. A visitor's centre was built in 1982,[5] and the land donated to Ontario Parks in 1989.[4]

Provincial park

In 1989,[6] Ontario created a provincial park containing Misery Bay and the surrounding forests. It covers 1,079[6] hectares and features 15 km of coastal and inland trails. A volunteer group, the Friends of Misery Bay, runs the visitor centre and maintains the park.[7] Misery Bay is the only provincial park that is entirely volunteer-run.[8]

References
  1. "Ontario Parks: Misery Bay - Activities".
  2. "Friends of Misery Bay: Fall 2017 newsletter" (PDF). p. 4.
  3. "Friends of Misery Bay: Fall 2016 newsletter" (PDF). pp. 14–18.
  4. "Sifferd family estate donated to continue work on Friends of Misery Bay cottage". The Manitoulin Expositor.
  5. "Friends of Misery Bay: Spring 2017 newsletter" (PDF). p. 4.
  6. "Ontario Parks: Misery Bay".
  7. "Friends of Misery Bay: Projects".
  8. "Friends of Misery Bay: Fall 2017 newsletter" (PDF). p. 1.
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