Islands, more islands, then still more islands. Approaching Parry Sound, the ship weaves through the 30,000 Islands archipelago, the largest freshwater island archipelago in the world, where wind-twisted pines and slabs of pink granite create the landscape that inspired the painters of the Group of Seven. Georgian Bay then opens onto the Big Sound, and the small town appears, dominated by its spectacular railway trestle bridge: 517 metres of steel suspended 32 metres above the water. Ships dock at the town wharf, right downtown, and the day begins where the Seguin River meets Lake Huron.

A biosphere reserve as a playground

This corner of Ontario is not protected by chance. UNESCO designated the region a biosphere reserve in 2004, in recognition of a rare ecosystem where forests, wetlands and granite shoreline meet. The waterfront trail, about 6.5 kilometres long, starts close to the wharf and follows the bay, the sailing school and two public beaches. Along the way you meet residents on bikes, loons offshore and, with a little luck, a great blue heron standing motionless among the reeds. It is the simplest way to enjoy the local nature without leaving town.

Bobby Orr, native son

A few steps from the wharf, the Stockey Centre houses the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame, devoted to Parry Sound's most famous son. Jerseys, trophies and archives trace the career of the defenceman who changed hockey forever. Even travellers who are not sports fans get caught up in it: the place also tells the story of a small northern community whose son conquered Boston and the Stanley Cup. The adjoining concert hall hosts the Festival of the Sound every summer, a renowned chamber music event in the country.

Tower Hill and the region's memory

Climbing toward Tower Hill, the regional museum exhibits Georgian Bay shipwrecks, life in the logging camps and the efforts of the first settlers to farm rocky soil. Right next door, an observation tower offers a complete panorama over the harbour, the railway bridge and the string of islands vanishing toward the horizon. The view is worth the climb: you understand at a glance why sailors have always considered this anchorage one of the best sheltered on the Great Lakes.

Heading out a different way

Many port calls offer an excursion at sea; here, an outing into the archipelago is a must. Local boats leave the harbour to cruise the channels between the islets, pass cottages accessible only by water and tell the Ojibwe legends of the area. The more active will instead opt for kayaking or a visit to Killbear Provincial Park, whose pines leaning over the beaches rank among the most photographed images in Ontario.

Within walking distance of the wharf

• Stockey Centre and Bobby Orr Hall of Fame: about 5 minutes.
• Shopping streets: 5 to 10 minutes.
• Waterfront trail and beaches: direct access from the harbour.
• Tower Hill museum and tower: about 20 minutes, moderate climb.

As the ship casts off and follows the channels again, the islands file past one last time, each with its solitary pine and its slab of glacier-polished granite. You leave Parry Sound with the impression of having sailed inside a painting, and a lingering urge to come back and count the islands, one by one, without ever succeeding.