We have spent our summer holiday canoeing and kayaking among the 30,000 islands around Killarney for the last 35 years. For those years when something prevented us from making the trip to Georgian Bay, it felt like we hadn't had summer that year.
I love the turquoise clearness of the water and the contrast with the smooth red granite of all the shoals and islands. We have been privileged to see rattlesnakes, otters, bears, sandhill cranes (dancing!), and, over the last decade, bald eagles while camping and paddling amongst the islands.
Over the 35 years, we have seen the number of visitors go up, a little more wear and tear on some of the choicest spots to camp, and, occasionally, some garbage left behind. But mostly, we and others travelling through seem to respect the place and work to keep it clean and beautiful.
I consider this one of the most beautiful places on the planet and hope that I will always be able to go there, watch line squalls roll across the sky, marvel at the multi-coloured sunsets, and sit on the edge of that exquisite blue water and let it feed my soul.