SummerFest Planned for Muskoka

Politicians were thinking ahead to midsummer last week when they approved several bylaw exemptions for Muskoka SummerFest.

This will be the second annual SummerFest and, this year, the event will include live music and entertainment, local cuisine, a kid zone, a wine/beer/spirits tent, shopping, exhibits and cultural activities, among other attractions.

The event is planned for July 10-12 in Bracebridge’s Kelvin Grove Park. A temporary road closing, noise exemption and sign variances were all approved at the town’s recent general committee meeting.

The noise exemption will permit amplified sound in the park and Bracebridge Bay areas on July 10 between noon and 10 p.m., on July 11 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. and on July 12 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The temporary road closure affects Wharf Road from Ontario Street to Dill Street, including one lane of Ontario Street from Wharf Road to Manitoba Street for four consecutive days, beginning July 9 at 7 p.m. through to 11 p.m. July 12.

The sign variance allows festival organizers ExpoFest Event Management to place directional/promotional signage on municipal road allowances, advertising Muskoka SummerFest.

Lakeland Power has said it would see what it could do about having low flows at the falls for the event. Lakeland operates hydroelectricity generating plants on the Muskoka River, and can restrict flow levels if necessary.

Town clerk Lori McDonald explained that event organizers will make use of a barge in Bracebridge Bay during the event. “They may not want major forces of water pushing up against it.”

The Bracebridge Examiner and Gravenhurst Banner - Town approves plans for SummerFest

Technorati Tags: summerfest, muskoka, tourism, attractions, ontario

Fishing the Niagra River

Fallsnewspress.com - Niagara River provides fishing challenge in all seasons

Most fishing spots have a prime season for catching fish.

For most waters, spring and summer are the common hot times. Mention fall and winter and many anglers just shrug their shoulders.

Well, the Niagara River is a unique fishing spot because it is hot during all four seasons of the year.

Connecting Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, not only does this rather short river have large amounts of resident fish, but it also experiences migrations of fish from lakes Ontario and Erie.

The most common tactic for catching these fish uses a three-way swivel rod with a pencil lead for a sinker. A fluorocarbon leader tied to a hook baited with live bait completes the outfit.

The means angler is actually fishing -- feeling the bite and setting the hook the old-fashioned way.

Here's a brief primer on some of Niagara's top fish:

Salmon

King or Chinook salmon start making forays into the lower Niagara in September.

Migrating upstream from Lake Ontario, some of these fish exceed 30 pounds. These are the giants that test the mettle of the angler and his tackle. Clusters of salmon eggs are the bait of choice for salmon.

During the salmon season, an occasional steelhead (rainbow trout) and brown trout also are landed.

Once in a while, a sturgeon will grab the bait. Though some exceed six feet in length, if landed, they must be released.

Technorati Tags: fishing, niagra river, ontario

10 Tips for Planning a Great Ontario Cottage Vacation

If you’re planning a cottage vacation this summer, get started on the planning early. It’s all part of the fun - get the kids involved and have regular family meetings to talk about what you should take with you, what you plan on doing when you get there, and who has responsibility for what.

Here’s a few tips to get you started.

Read the contract and Terms and Conditions thoroughly.

Make sure you know when check-in an check-out are. Don’t plan on arriving earlier than the appointed time. Owners have only a short amount of time to changeover a cottage between guests and often have a lot of work and general maintenance to do. Arriving early does not mean you will gain access to the cottage or the waterfront and you may have to leave and come back again at check-in time

If you plan on taking your pet, make sure the cottage owner permits them.

Taking a pet to the cottage is a privelige and not a right. Often, owners will not permit pets in their property because their children have allergies, or they simply do not like dogs or cats. Please respect that and don’t put the owner in the embarrassing position of having to ask you to leave and find alternative accommodation for your pet.

Buy a good map of the area, plan your main route and an alternative.

The main cottage country roads get very congested at the weekends in summer. Buy the MapArt book that covers the area you are visiting and plan your route well in advance. Make sure the directions you have from the owner or agency can be followed from the map. Put the directions, address of the cottage, and access details in a clearly labelled plastic folder. This should be the first thing you put in the car, and the last thing you check!

Write a packing list and get all the family to add in their lists.

When you arrive at the cottage late at night, 15 kilometres down a cottage country road, it’s not the time to realise you forgot to pack the toilet paper. Most cottages will have a supply so that is perhaps an extreme example, but good packing lists are vital to remembering all those little things that make self catering more comfortable. Check out our tips for packing.

Check what time the stores shut in the area.

Cottage country stores stay open later in the summer season, but not as late as the city. It may be better to stop earlier rather than later if you are planning on picking up groceries on the way.

Buy water shoes.

Zebra mussels are commonplace in many lakes now despite all efforts of lake associations to prevent them. They are razor sharp and can cause quite painfulcuts. I’d recommend taking water shoes wherever you go, particularly for the children. They are also useful if you’re in an area where the lake bed is soft and squishy, unless you like it squidging between your toes!

Find out if life jackets are provided and check the sizes.

It is the law that life jackets,or personal flotation devices (PFDs) of appropriate sizes for the occupants, are carried in any watercraft. Of course it is far safer and more sensible to wear them! Some cottage owners will supply a selection of PFDs but you need to be sure they fit correctly or you may find yourself subject to a hefty fine. If in doubt, purchase your own.

Purchase a fishing licence.

If you plan on fishing, even off the dock, buy a fishing licence. Go to the Fish Ontario website for more details. Lakes are patrolled by the OPP in summer just as the roads are, so make sure you have the correct licence to show.

Check you know the size of beds in the property.

If your cottage does not supply linens for the beds, check the sizes before you go. Struggling to stretch full size sheets onto a queen size bed is not what you want to be doing on your first night. Most owners will supply linens for king beds but it’s best to check on that too. And if you are planning on using sofa beds or pullout couches at the cottage, ask the owner if she supplies comforters, blankets and pillows for those.

If you are going on vacation with friends, establish your ground rules.

This is the subject of another article so for now, plan on a couple of get-togethers with your friends to discuss how you plan on making the vacation work for you all. Talk about your expectations and be realistic and honest about anything you may not be prepared to compromise on. Bed-times for the kids and eating patterns are often the issues that become cause for disharmony.

Good planning will pay dividends in creating a stress free and enjoyable vacation. Start well in advance and you’ll have a great time.

Traditional Family Cottage on Big Bald Lake

There are so many new cottages arriving on the rental market that are very beautiful, but lack the feel of a traditional Ontario cottage. I'm talking about the warmth of pine and cedar; the eclectic mix of comfortable cottage furniture that just speaks of relaxation and an overall welcome to kick back and enjoy the waterfront.

Granite Point is just that - a traditional family cottage that offers welcome, comfort and a cozy feel, yet in a spacious environment. It was a winter day when we visited and the ice was still on the lake and we will be taking new exterior photos soon, but it was clear this cottage is a gem to be enjoyed. With water on three sides with both shallow and deep entry, this is great for all ages and swimming abilities. Call us for more information on 1-866-323-6698.

The Draw of Wasaga Beach

Beach blanket Ontario

If you have a vintage motorcycle, a really, really loud car stereo or a well-tanned body you want to show off, Wasaga Beach is the place to do it.

Wasaga Beach, about 90 minutes northwest of Toronto (assuming light traffic), has been a tourist draw for more than a century and the beach itself is the reason why. Stand in the middle of it, and the arms of Nottawasaga Bay enclose you on either side. To the northwest, you'll see the Niagara escarpment, known to local residents simply as "the mountain." And, yes, from the beach the mountain does appear to be blue.

Technorati Tags: ontario, travel, wasaga beach

Mississaugan survives reality show

Mississaugan survives reality show - The Mississauga News - Mississauga.com

April 3, 2009 05:47 PM - A Mississauga teen will try to show the world he's a survivor when he appears on a 13-episode reality television series that premieres Tuesday night.

Adam Deganis, 15, is one of eight Canadian teenagers participating in YTV's Survive This.

The show features city dwellers who are thrown into the Ontario wilderness, just north of Huntsville, with camera crews around them. The show, filmed last summer, is not competitive and participants can leave when they decide they've had enough.
They're put through various survival challenges.

"I've always actually been involved with the outdoors so I enjoyed everything that we did," said Deganis, a Loyola Secondary School student. "I had fun with it."
Deganis, who applied online for the show, picked up nicknames like Nature Boy and The Sportsman during the series, stemming from his passion for the outdoors. Some of his favourite activities include fishing and hunting, and he and his dad spend a lot of time outdoors.

Survive This is hosted by Les Stroud, a survival expert and host of Outdoor Life Network's Survivorman.

"We did a lot of fun things that Les Stroud did, like build shelters, start fires, boil our own water. It was really cool," Deganis said.

"I was going into it to learn something and have fun," he added. "I think if I were put into a survival situation, I probably learned enough to survive for a couple of days."
Because participants had to catch their own food, Deganis said their diet often consisted of frog legs.

For more information, visit www.ytv.com.

Technorati Tags: mississaugan, outdoors, reality show, ytv, les stroud, survivorman

Ontario, Prince Edward County

Don't rush to the beach

Even on a road map of Ontario, Prince Edward County looks alluring. With a northern border of blue provided by the Bay of Quinte, the ragged peninsula juts into the inland sea of Lake Ontario.

Nature created the county as a presqu'ile, almost an island, but technically it only became Quinte's Isle when a canal was cut through the narrow spit of land linking the peninsula to the mainland at Trenton.

Best known for its Sandbanks Provincial Park, Prince Edward County is a sort of miniature Prince Edward Island with astounding similarities to the Canadian Maritime home of Anne of Green Gables.

"Cradled in the waves of the Great Lakes" could be its motto.

Commercial fishing boats dock in cove harbours, and tractors ply green fields overlooking blue seascapes and rocky bluffs.

Country roads crisscross the interior offering automobile shunpikers and bicyclists endless discoveries of authentic rural scenery and characters mixed with fine art galleries and home-baked delights. Local taste treats have become a big tourist draw here, from U-pick berries and organic veggie stands to gourmet pub fare and wineries.

Be sure to pick up the map Harvestin' the County, with directions about where to buy beef and lamb direct from the farm, fresh lavender, even emu sausages (www.harvestin.ca).

Technorati Tags: lake ontario, ontario travel, prince edward county, bay of quinte