Q: Is smoking permitted?
A: Smoking inside the cottage is not permitted.
Q: Do you allow pets?
A: Well behaved pets are permitted.
Q: How is the sleeping arranged?
A: Sleeping accommodation is as follows:
Master Bedroom, 1 queen bed.
Second Bedroom, 1 double lower bunk, single upper and pull out lower trundle.
Living Room, 1 queen sized sofa bed.
Q: Is there car parking availability at
Birch Island Landing?
A: Yes parking is available at both marinas.
Q: What type of boat can I rent from Still
Water Marina?
A: Still Water Marina rents aluminum
fishing boats that are ideal for the waters of McGregor Bay. Their boats typically include 15 HP outboards. Please call Still Water Marina if you plan to rent a boat from them and ask for their current rates.
Q: Are there docking fees at Still Water
Marina?
A: No but there is a launch fee if you
bring your own boat. It depends on the size of your boat but it is nominal.
Q: What is the address and phone numbers for
the marinas?
A: Still Water Marina, McGregor Bay
Road, Birch Island, Ontario. P0P 1A0 -- Phone # (705) 863 2972. email: stillwater@manitoulin.net
McGregors Landing (Formerly - J & G Marina), 18 McGregor Bay Road, Birch Island, Ontario, P0P 1A0 -- Phone # (705) 285-4293. email: jgmarina@hotmail.com2
Q: What is the distance and time to the cottage
by boat?
A: It's 10 miles (16 Kilometers) and time depends on the
size of boat and the load but typically it takes 30 to 40 minutes in a smaller
boat.
Q: How big is East Sampson Island?
A: The island is one of the larger islands
and is over 2 Kilometers long and 1.5 Kilometers wide.
Q: How many other cottages are there on the
island?
A: When the land in McGregor Bay was originally
sold by the Government to cottagers only one plot was sold per island regardless
of the island's size. This has preserved the quiet and unspoiled nature of McGregor
Bay.
Q: What is the distance to other islands?
A: There are hundreds of islands in McGregor
Bay, probably over a thousand. They are of all different sizes, some with cottages
and many without. It is possible to make the trip from the mainland out to the
cottage without being more than a few hundred yards from the shore of one of
these islands. It is also possible to choose a route that favors more open water,
more popular with sailors.
Q: Can I use my cellular telephone at the
cottage?
A: Cellphone coverage has drastically improved over recent years and it is now possible to get good coverage throughout most of McGregor Bay.
Q: Can I access the internet at the
cottage?
A: Yes, we now provide free WIFI connection to the internet. (Starlink) Guests have been easilly able to work remotely from our cottage (Zoom etc)
Q: Is there heating for cooler nights or fans for warmer days?
A: Yes, the cottage has electrical baseboard heating as well as ceiling fans in all the rooms for warmer days.
Q: Where can I buy groceries?
A: Espanola has two good large grocery
stores. There is also a small store at J&G Marina at Birch Island which
has some basics.
Q: How do I find my way to East Sampson Island
and the Cottage?
A: If you are using your own boat we suggest using Navionics Boating , which is an excellent Marine GPS app. We send you a pre planned route file and brief instructions for downloading and using the app. If guests would prefer
to be guided in they can use the services of a water taxi from either marina. This
will typically be a larger boat which can take much of the luggage and some passengers, which
will also speed up the trip. This service is approx. $130. and should be booked
from the Marina ahead of time.
Q: Do I need to bring my own drinking water?
A: The water that is supplied to the cottage
comes from the lake and is unfiltered. There is a ceramic filtered drinking water system
installed in the kitchen.
Q: What are the check in and out times?
A: Check in is after 2:00 p.m. and check out by 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays.
Q: I have been to McGregor Bay before and
would like to know your island number?
A: When McGregor Bay was first surveyed
by Thomas Paton earlier in the last century, all the islands where given numbers.
East Sampson island is TP1800.
Q: Can you tell me the coordinates for the cottage?
A: 46deg03'33.17N 81deg35'44.22W . Here is the location in Google Earth. Satellite
Q: How's the fishing?
A: In a word, excellent!.