Category Archives: cottage life

cottage life, Muskoka Activities, Muskoka Watershed Council, Volunteer

Muskoka Minutes

I just finished the final edit and posted a couple of videos to YouTube that I shot back in July: Muskoka Minutes Slog, Muskoka Minutes Zoe.

The idea behind Muskoka Minutes is to show work being done by scientists and others in the field here in Muskoka on the Muskoka Watershed Council’s YouTube Channel. More details are here on the day spent tracking Blanding’s turtles, a species at risk in Ontario. My thanks to Jeremy, Kelsey, Mike and also Glenda.

Blanding’s Turtle

They used to have a much larger range in Ontario and were much more common in Muskoka – see below. They have many predators and like other turtle species have had their habitats carved up by roads.

Historic and current range of Blanding’s Turtles.
client activities, cottage life, Muskoka Activities, Muskoka Watershed Council, water

Muskoka Moments starts with a winner!

I posted a few videos today. One is the 1st of a Muskoka Moments collection.

The idea of Muskoka Moments is to show people and places in Muskoka, but more importantly, to try to show the connection between the two.

Our first video Backyard Swamp, Bracebridge, is a perfect example to lead off. The star of the video, shows off his knowledge of the natural world around him and his excellent backyard! The video was created by a newbie to Final Cut Pro -nice work!

If anyone has a 1 or 2 minute video (or aspires to shoot some) that shows the connection between people and our beautiful environment here in Muskoka, let me know.

We can even do the editing for you!

cottage life, Muskoka Activities, Stewardship

Our Lakes: How they have changed over the last 25 years.

I recorded this lecture by Dr. Michelle Palmer in July. One of the Muskoka Watershed Council lecture series.

Our Lakes: How they have changed over the last 25 years.

Dr. Michelle Palmer discusses how recent climatic warming, changes in acidic deposition, and human-related activities such as road salting and the accidental spread of invasive species have altered the water quality of our lakes in Muskoka, with a focus on changes in lake temperatures and water chemistry since the 1980s.

At the end there is an extensive Question & Answer session.

Calcium decline may hold answers to lake changes.
cottage life, Invasive Species, Muskoka Watershed Council, Volunteer, water

Cottager’s questions about lake quality answered.

Last  Saturday I made a presentation on behalf of the Muskoka Watershed Council to the Sparrow Lake Association. The SLA was founded way back in 1926,  and is one of many lake/cottager’s associations throughout Muskoka and elsewhere.

Sparrow Lake Association webpage.

As always, there were a lot of questions at the end of the talk and because we ran out of time, more questions one-on-one after the meeting.  It thought it might be helpful to repeat them here as sort of an FAQ about water quality and cottage waterfront living. But after typing out a few Q&As, I thought I should send you to a better source.

Michelle Palmer received her doctorate based on lake studies; specifically changes in our lakes over time. Recently I recorded, edited and posted a video of Dr. Palmer’s lecture which includes a Q&A session at the end: Our Lakes: How Have They Changed Over the Last 25 Years?

Buying a cottage, cottage for sale, cottage life, Lake Muskoka, Listing, Muskoka Activities, Muskoka Properties, Uncategorized

Classic Muskoka Cottage & Boathouse; View From Above

We have a magnificent property listed at Pine Point on Lake Muskoka.

The key feature about this property is the land itself; the rare privacy afforded by 895 feet of Lake Muskoka frontage on this beautifully level point. Nevertheless, the buildings, specifically the boathouse, has found its way into a number of classic Muskoka books.

As an iconic Muskoka boathouse, the boathouse at Pine Point doesn’t dominate the scenery; it plays an important supporting role.

Iconic in summer.
Standing resolute to the winter cold and winds.

We wanted to feature all of it somehow; the boathouse, cottage and the truly wonderful property itself in our own way. So, up in a battery powered remote-controlled helicopter went a carefully mounted digital camera, and softly(whew) down it came with the following pictures on its memory card:

… beautiful!

cottage life, Muskoka Activities, Stewardship

It’s not too late to catch the MWC lecture tonight.

Admission is by donation to the Muskoka Watershed Council. Just head for the Port Carling Community Centre at 7:00pm.

Our Lakes: How they have changed over the last 25 years.

Dr. Michelle Palmer will discuss how recent climatic warming, changes in acidic deposition, and human-related activities such as road salting and the accidental spread of invasive species have altered the water quality of our lakes in south-central Ontario, with a focus on changes in lake temperatures and water chemistry since the 1980s.

Buying a cottage, client activities, cottage life, Lake Rosseau, Muskoka Activities, Muskoka Properties

Lake Rosseau “escape”

We had another cottage closing for great people who, if you knew how much helping people is the essence of their “career life,” you’d really know that only Muskoka can truly offer them the serenity for the “escape” they’ve earned.

The request: was to look like Muskoka, need no renovation, be level, be peaceful, be private and be a good deal. We found them all this on Lake Rosseau!

Dusk view to the west.
Catboat, cottage life, Lake Muskoka, Sailing

Hot, but breezy

We had a couple of hours available after a pre-closing cottage walk-through on Lake Rosseau, and before a cottage showing on Lake Muskoka, so we got out sailing.

Wind was primarily from the north west, gusting to 15 knots + at times; to the extent we had to tie in 2 reefs in the sail.
Lake Muskoka’s south bay was loaded up with whitecaps. Despite the double reef, or thanks to it, we had great control and the 18′ catboat reached the theoretical maximum hullspeed often – exhilarating!

The Segwun in the background under the reefed sail, bugging-out around Eleanor Island in Lake Muskoka

The Segwun was out for a while, then shot back toward the Narrows from Eleanor Island– either the cruise was overdue or the forecast was not good. We were pretty much headed back by then.
Muskoka does need the rain.

Bicycles, cottage life, Lake Muskoka, Muskoka Activities

Gravenhurst Triathlon

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Hey! Chris completed the Olympic distance triathlon this morning in Gravenhurst; 1500m Swim | 40km Bike | 10km Run. It’s definitely the coolest of any triathlon because all competitors are taken out on the Segwun and the Wenonah II to begin the swim!

I was preparing to catch Chris ride by on his bike when I snapped a photo of the guy, who managed to catch one of the pylons with the bikes on his bikerack. He must’ve been heading for the auditions for Canada’s Worst Driver, or I’m sure he would have stopped and picked it up.

Oops!

Here’s Chris with just a couple of blocks to go to Muskoka Wharf and the dismount for a 10k run.

Energy left for the run? Not so much.

Chris said he may have walked 85% of the run, but he saved some energy for an impressive final kick: [wpvideo M9x9Opp3]

Buying a cottage, cottage for sale, cottage life, Gravenhurst, Listing, Muskoka Properties, property

**Now Sold**! Cottage on Pine Lake + New Boathouse $499,000

This just may be the best value in Muskoka. It’s the first time ever on the market for this spacious cottage on sought after Pine Lake. Cherished family memories have been built up over 43 years. Specific listing details are available here.

Boathouse viewed from Cottage patio.

Enjoy all-day sun on the deck of a brand new 2 slip boathouse. With four generous bedrooms and two full baths, there’s lots of space for family and friends.

Cottage as viewed from the boathouse deck.

Some great updating has been completed, particularly in the kitchen. Everything is all on one level and is super-clean.

Updated cottage kitchen.

Use the cottage just as it is or renovate to your heart`s desire. Pine Lake is just minutes from Gravenhurst for shopping, theatre, events and the famous Gravenhurst Wharf.

Please contact us and come and see this property!