The Bruce Nuclear Generating Station and Pinery Provincial Park

Lake Huron - Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in distance

We start the day with one last bike ride through McGregor Point Provincial Park out to a point on Lake Huron where we can see The Bruce Nuclear Generating station in the distance. We plan to visit it as we drive south today. 

Parked at the Bruce Nuclear Station

Bruce Nuclear Generating Station Visitors Center

Picture of a picture - Bruce Nuclear Generating site on Lake Huron

Once inside the visitors center, we watch a 25 minute film that is super informative and we learn a lot. Fun fact:: Lake Huron has naturally occurring 'heavy water', which is required to moderate neutrons in the process. Who knew?? 

The Bruce Nuclear Generating Station is the world's largest operating nuclear facility and is Canada's only private nuclear generator. It provides about 30% of Ontario's electricity from eight CANDU reactors. It is currently refurbishing its units to extend their operational life until 2064. 

After the film we walk through the visual portion of the visitors center. It is basically a repeat of all we saw in the film but one big take away is the amount of safety practices that are in place. 

Sheila on shift :)

Our neighbors back in Cochrane, Jeff and Liz, have a nephew who is a nuclear engineer here and we have fun texting them about how Joel is off today but I fill in for him...lol

Transmission lines delivering power to Ontario

On the road out we cross these transmission lines...that is a lot of electricity. 

Waterfront in Town of Kincardine

We make a quick stop in the nearby Town of Kincardine as we were told it is very nice. As usual we walk about the marina. 

Swank home in Kincardine :)

Corn harvester on highway

Heading south we get behind a local corn harvester. It's slow going but he finally turns off the highway. This is definitely farming country and we have been  making regular stops at the vegetable stands along the roads. 

Local vegetable stand

We are in need of some veggies before heading into our next provincial park so we make a stop for sweet corn, peaches, mushrooms and strawberries. It is also pumpkin harvest season but we pass on those. 

Pumpkins and gourds

Pinery Provincial Park

Eventually we make it to Pinery Provincial Park near the Town of Grand Bend on Lake Huron. 

This place is absolutely huge - 6000 acres of campsites, bike and hike trails, rivers to kayak and 10 km of freshwater sandy beaches to relax on. 

Map of Pinery Provincial Park - 6000 acres

It takes us 10 minutes of driving to get to our first site only to discover we don't have power. We call the park office and get switched to a power site, but it is literally 12 minutes drive another direction. 

Best diesel price ever :)

We were getting low on fuel when we came in here, so after setting up the RV, we figure we better head out and find fuel or we'll be out of fuel driving around this place...lol

Best diesel price to date. During Covid the price of diesel soared to $1.70 per liter and has been up and down from there. When Carney recently got elected, he took off the carbon tax placed on Canadians by Trudeau. It's made a huge difference on our fuel bills as we have been paying about $1.35 average over the trip so far. This is the best yet. We call that a win and call it a night.