By Harold Merton

Pelee Island is located a few miles off shore from the Leamington area.
Today it is known for its winery and as a place with a lot of bed and
breakfasts. To reach Pelee Island you take the ferry. For the first 140 years after settlement of Pelee Island, passenger and freight movement connecting the island to the mainland was limited to private ventures that operated about eight months of the year. In the1830s the schooner Adelaide provided a regular link to the mainland. With the turn of the century came continued efforts to service Pelee residents and some island residents formed a stock company and purchased the SS Saugatuck which was renamed the Alfred Clark. They had reliable service from 1909 to 1913. The Collingwood Shipbuilding Company built a reliable freight and passenger steamer named SS Pelee that would accommodate the residents for the next 50 years. Other vessels - including the Islet Prince and SS Waubic served the island during the same years as the Pelee. In 1951 the MV Avon and then the Leamington in 1957 serviced the route. Within a few years the Canadian government legislated more stringent safety requirements which increased operational costs. This forced the private sector out of business. The federal government responded with the construction of the MV Pelee Islander in 1960. In 1979 the vessel was transferred to the province for one dollar. The MV Upper Canada also began service in 1977 but the smaller vessel was limited to 12 vehicles and 100 passengers. By the later 1980s the return of viticulture drew interest from tourists and with more people establishing summer residency on the island the existing transportation system was not adequate.
The MV Jiimaan was built in 1992 and could transport 400 passengers and 34 vehicles. It is still in operation today with the MV Pelee Islander.
Long-time Scope reader Jim Matthews of St. Thomas, Ontario recently took his motorhome on the ferry to Pelee Island and supplied us with the
following information. One way transportation for a 30' Class A motorhome was $71.00, Cars are about half that price. It takes about four hours to make the crossing with waiting, loading, the trip (which is about an hour and a half on the water) and unloading on the other side.
He found only one very basic campground on the island without services ($10) per night. Many Rvers stay on the lighthouse parking lot overnight without services at no cost. The main interests are bird watching and the wineries. The Pelee Island Bird Observatory catches, bands and releases about 7,000 birds per year. Pheasants are popular and over 30,000 young pullets have been released. The ferry operates a special Pheasant Season schedule from mid-October to early
November. In the summer months from late June to July 31st there is ferry service from Leamington. From August 1st to September there is service from Kingsville on the Jiimaan. From late June to July 31st there is service from Leamington and from August 1st to September from Kingsville on the Pelee Islander. For further information on the ferry schedule and exact times see their website schedule at www.peleeisland.com

Of course there are plenty of bed and breakfast operations on the island but we understand that they have to be booked well in advance.
At least one winery offers a tour on the island and the Pelee Island name is a familiar one to buyers of Ontario wines. While a trip to the island may not be for everyone it can be of interest to many.

Southernmost point of Canada at Point Pelee a popular spot for birders and other nature lovers!

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