The orange glow of the sunset slowly gives way to the darkness that blankets Georgian Bay. As the ship you are on passes Rose Island, you recognize the unmistakeable smell of smoke. And just as your brain scrambles to make sense of it, you see them. 

Campfires, hundreds of them.
Like fireflies against the night sky, they are blinking through the trees at the Kilcoursie Bay and Beaver Dams campsites of Killbear Provincial Park. Their open-air flames provide a gathering spot for warmth and fellowship and signal a summer and fall ritual steeped in tradition.
Indeed, Killbear Provincial Park, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, has seen a lot of campfires. And each of its 881 campsites has a designated campfire ring just for that purpose.
“Normally, visitors are allowed to have a campfire at any time of the day,” explains Kenton Otterbein, Killbear’s head park naturalist, “But under extreme drought conditions, the park superintendent can issue a complete or a partial fire ban.”  
During the early years at Killbear, firewood was provided free of charge. Now visitors pay $6.50 for a bundle of wood.  Last year they sold 17,000 bundles!
“It is illegal to gather deadwood or cut dead or live trees in the park,” adds Kenton. “Our wood is supplied from private contractors through Ontario Parks.”  
That doesn’t mean you can come from elsewhere in Ontario with your own firewood. Banning the movement of firewood helps prevent the spread of forest diseases and insects, such as the emerald ash borer. Healthy forests ensure that future campers will also get to enjoy the campfire tradition.
Anniversary Campfires
Jim Cox and Todd Ruggles have done what many would consider impossible. Thirty years after meeting in Grade 9 English class at the Parry Sound high school, they still make the annual June fishing trip to Partridge Lake.
“We went on the first trip with two other buddies in the summer of 1979,” explains Jim. “I haven’t missed a trip in all 30 years. There are six of us now that are the core group: Sean Emery, Todd and myself from the original 1979 gang, along with Doug Cameron, Oscar Springer, and Steve Stella.”
Many things about their four-day excursion have remained constant over the years. Sean and Jim always paddle together during the six-hour trek to the site, most of the guys are out fishing by 6:30 or 7 a.m., and evenings are spent around the campfire.  
“The campfire is the hub of everything and it is pretty much lit all the time,” says Todd. “We cook everything on the fire and the smoke keeps the bugs off.  Usually Saturday afternoon we just talk about life in general and we always bring some form of music. One year I arrived at camp with about twenty stitches in my knee that were past due to come out. So, we all sat around the campfire pulling out my stitches!”
As the men discuss their years of fishing together, you sense a real bond of friendship.  Their annual trip is now a cherished ritual and the anniversary years are commemorated.
“1994 was our 15th year, so we had hats made up with our nicknames on the back of them,” says Jim. “Then we had group jackets embroidered for our 25th anniversary.”
Todd Ruggles describes the trip as: “Something in life that you look forward to that you wouldn’t think of missing.”
The van der Valk brothers wouldn’t think of missing their annual trip either. Thirty years of Georgian Bay boating excursions have strengthened the blood bonds between them and today Peter, Ron, and Conrad are solid friends.
 “We began in ’79 with our Lasers,” reminisces Conrad.  “The first trip we took we went south around Parry Island and that became the beginning.”
 Eventually the brothers switched from using sailboats as their mode of transportation to using kayaks.  “We transitioned by pulling the kayaks behind the Lasers, until we discovered that wasn’t a very efficient way to travel, especially when you’re loaded down with gear for a ten day stay. We switched over to kayaks entirely about 2005.”
Like most annual events, the planning of the van der Valk trip occurs off season.
“The planning is a ritual,” continues Conrad.  “We plan during the course of the winter what we want to do the next year.  Should we go to Snake Island, the McCoys, Rapier Island, the Bustards, or maybe up to Britt?  We’ve done them all.  It just depends on where our whim takes us.”
Firewood is not always easy to locate on the outer islands, so campfires are only built on particularly cold nights, if it’s not too windy, and if they can find enough broken kindling. Then the brothers gather around the flames and engage in a lot of talking, reflecting, joking and laughing.
“It’s pleasant to sit around a fire in the evenings until it gets pitch black and you get tired from kayaking all day and then head off to bed,” says Conrad.
Few people know more about campfires or have gathered around more of them than the Girl Guides of Canada, who will commemorate 100 years of guiding in Canada in 2010. To jumpstart the celebrations, a Canada-wide ‘anniversary campfire’ is being organized on October 21.  Thousands of girls across Canada, including Parry Sound area girls, will be gathered around a campfire that evening and singing such favourite songs as ‘Land of the Silver Birch’ and of course, ‘Fires Burning.’  (Many non-guiders know the words to that last one.)
“We will definitely be taking part,” says leader Tessa Gardner.  “We’re not sure where we will hold our campfire yet, but we are hoping at Market Square.”
An Inspirational Campfire
The inspiration for singer /songwriter Tom Cochrane to compose his song Good Times came from a night around a campfire with friends at his Georgian Bay cottage.  He can still visualize one friend in particular.
 “She was dancing around the fire without a care in the world!” Tom says.
In Good Times, he sings:
“When the fire burns out, and the water runs dry
The mountains have fallen, we’ll remember those times
The seasons roll by, and the youth slips away
The glory has faded, then what will we say?
The good times we had
Wouldn’t worry about tomorrow
‘Cause tonight was all we had…”
Indeed, good times are had around a campfire. Whether singing, guitar playing, story telling, or making S’mores are involved, campfires are an enthralling tradition. Their dancing flames keep us spellbound and provide a perfect ending to a summer’s day.
Campfire memories remain long after the ashes have cooled.

How to cook s’mores over the campfire:
Roast a marshmallow over the fire until it is golden brown.
Carefully place it on one half of a graham cracker.
Top the marshmallow with a large square of chocolate.
Place the second graham cracker half on top of the chocolate.
Gently squeeze the sandwich together and eat immediately.