By Paulette Peirol

It's full steam ahead for thousands of Chinook salmon pushing up the Sydenham River to spawn, a seven-kilometre run from the Owen Sound harbour to Inglis Falls. The salmon spawn only once in their lifetime, making their journey remarkable.

The Owen Sound Salmon Tour takes you to several places along the river to watch the salmon in action. Catch them leaping up the mill dam and fish ladder near downtown Owen Sound, swimming in the shallows at Harrison Park, or queuing up at the spawning channels behind the Grey Sauble Conservation headquarters on Inglis Falls Road. Each stop on the eco-tour offers salmon viewing and interpretive plaques to guide you.

This year's salmon tour features two special events: guided tours of the fish spawning channels this weekend and next; and a salmon tasting on Sunday, Oct. 5th from 1-3 pm. The spawning tours will be available from 10 am to 4 pm each day and leave from the Grey Sauble Conservation administration building on Inglis Falls Road. Admission is by donation, with proceeds going to conservation efforts by Grey Sauble Conservation and the Sydenham Sportsmen's Association, which maintains the spawning channels and a fish hatchery nearby, and also hosts an annual salmon and trout derby in Owen Sound. Bring solid footwear for the spawning channel tours.

Chefs from the Sweetwater Restaurant at Cobble Beach Resort, the Rocky Raccoon Cafe in Owen Sound and Georgian College's Culinary Programme will be on hand to offer samplings of Georgian Bay salmon cooked in a variety of ways this Sunday. You can't purchase this salmon anywhere, as it's strictly a sports fish. The salmon for the tasting has been donated by the Sydenham Sportsmen's Association.

Can't make the guided tours? Venture out on the Owen Sound Salmon Tour on your own, exploring the many kilometres of trails that weave along the Sydenham River and meet up with the Bruce Trail near Inglis Falls. Pamphlets and maps are available at visitor centre kiosks in the area or online at www.greatsalmontour.com.

Boats can be rented at Harrison Park on weekends until Thanksgiving, or you can paddle your own from the harbour to Harrison Park with one small portage on the way, at the mill dam.

You can hike, paddle or cycle parts of the tour at your leisure, or combine them for a real adventure.

Here's one suggested route: Start at the Owen Sound Visitor Centre on the harbour and bike to the mill dam and fish ladder. Stop to watch the fish then continue south to Harrison Park, following the beautiful wooded trail into the park that runs parallel to the road. Rent a canoe or paddle boat from the Putt 'n Paddle kiosk and head back up to the mill dam, enjoying autumn colours on the river's edge, stately old homes and a variety of wildlife, from geese and comorants to resident swans. Stop for lunch or a snack at the Harrison Park Inn then pick up the Bruce Side Trail at the south end of the park past the campground. Look for the blue side-trail arrows, which will take you to the Grey Sauble Conservation area spawning channels.

The spawning channels are a real treat for people who have seen salmon jumping before, but not actually spawning. They were built many years ago by the Sydenham Sportsmen's Association as a safe haven for the fish to lay their eggs. The males usually come first and stake out their territory, waiting for a female to approach and make a nest. The female lays her eggs in the gravel bottom and the male fertilizes them. The eggs typically hatch in spring.

The fish are hard-wired to head out to the open water of Georgian Bay a few months after hatching. They live in the cold, deep bay for several years then head back to the place where they were born when they're fully mature, spawning and completing their life cycle.

For more information on the salmon tour or tasting, call 519-371-9833.
Paulette Peirol is Tourism Co-Ordinator for the City of Owen Sound.