July 30, 2025

TOOTING MY OWN HORN AS ‘MATERIAL GIRLS’ MAKE ME WET MY WENONAH WHISTLE, TOO

GRAVENHURST — “One long … and two short.”

That was my advice from Captain Dave Sutherland as we came through the Narrows last night and I tooted my own horn on my 70^th birthday.

Actually it was the whistle on the Wenonah II.

I wanted everyone to know I was celebrating with family and friends.

**Tooting my own own horn. Er, the Wenonah II whistle. That was me last night as I celebrated 70 years with Captain Dave Sutherland the ‘Material Girls.’ PHOTO Alex Hogg, MuskokaTODAY.com**

I’ve heard that sound all my life growing up from the window of my crib a block from the Muskoka Steamships.

And I’ve always wanted to blow that whistle.

Check off one more on my bucket list.

We were out on a Peter’s Players cruise to hear the “Material Girls” — Madonna, Shania, Adele, Cher, Tina, Alana Morrisette and Lady Gaga (“In the sha-ha sha-hallow…”) among them.

And what another show on the ship. Every Tuesday in July and August. Live music on Lake Muskoka.

After a Pirate Cruise early in the season this dinner cruise was nice to escape the blarmey little scoundrels and enjoy a “girls night out” with a lot of them women who filled the stern as the band backed up the sensational lady singers.

With Segwun mechanically done for the season and the Wanda III not yet fully up to steam — er its electrical power — the Wenonah was the only game in town Tuesday.

And while thankfully the weather wasn’t nearly as hot as it’s been the past week, the singers certainly were.