My Muskoka

Many times I go down to the lake to find the peace and solace one can only find in the nurture of nature. The water laps the shore. Robins sing loudly of their new nest-building project. The dragonflies swarm and protect me from those merciless deer flies - who like to take chunks out of me! The loons call in the bay around the corner. The frog takes a giant leap for amphibian-kind and vainly makes a bid for the hummingbird who comes to my lakeside blue Canterbury Bell flowers. If I sit quietly, the blue heron will pass by on its regular visit to my shore. It cruises up and down, caressing the blooming water hyacinth, searching for frogs in that mystical circle of life.

I feel the sun warming my back, giving sustenance to my soul in my grief. We endured a long winter and we are happy to welcome our neighbouring cottagers and other tourists who help us laud and respect our Muskoka. I can see teenaged cottagers learning to paddle, crossing across our wee lake. Despite its name it is neither long nor large. The sun glistens on their paddles and I hum familiar tunes, as music soothes the soul. I hear a young girl across the lake, singing a camp song. Since 1960 I have had the honour to visit these shores. Every rock, every bit of vegetation, every arc and twist of its hydrogeology is familiar to me. Our family has invested much time and energy contributing to this community, of which I am proud to be a part.

I am happy that our township has thought to protect the vision of a safe, harmonious, beautiful place to visit, live and work. We have the noise by-law: 2005-83. There is a law protecting us from the noxious fumes of burning leaves, which puts harmful hydrocarbons in the air and cause us to close all our windows on these hot summer nights.

As I sit contemplating my life in Muskoka, I regard the beauty and tranquility of this region as a blessing and a gift. I am grateful that we are able to live here year round. The Canada goose family honks its way up and down in front of me, coming up on our lawn for a feast. One parent remains on guard, while the others eat. The three ducklings are kept under close watch. Their downy golden-yellow feathers look adorable. They spot me, and remain vigilant. I soak up this healing energy – as beautiful as any painting I might create in my mind. With a start, the heron takes off in fear and terror. Both geese honk once and they all line up: one parent in front, the other bringing up the rear. The duckling morning meal is threatened by my peace is shattered with the young man who comes in sight. He zips around in figure 8’s and circles directly in front of our shores. All of nature responds in fear. The mallard and her 6 ducklings (there used to be 9!) are nowhere in sight. My senses are assaulted with the noise, smell and sight of this sudden transformation from peace to clamour.

A boat, full of happy tourists screams by at warp speed with a rooster-tail wake that washes the ducklings from their little rock haven. The young canoeists teeter in an attempt to stay afloat. In this day and age of technology and respect for the environment I am surprised that tourists will not buy quieter boats and engines that don’t drop gas into the water, polluting our air and water: precious resources. I do not understand how a small lake like this needs a boat that can motor from one end to the lake to the other in 7.5 seconds, whether they need to or not. The stink of their gas-guzzling boats fill my nostrils. I fear for the little kids out tubing at high speeds.Two deaths this week: aseven and eight year old in separate incidents.

I must admit I am grateful to our neighbours.

1. My neighbours keep their music to themselves, know how far sound travels, and understand that we have different tastes.
2. When my neighbours build a fire to cook, they ensure that they don’t let the smoke waft across our property. They compost leaves, rather than burning them and putting hydrofluorocarbons in the air.
3. They only rent their property to people who keep their pets under control. They keep their dogs off of our property, and they don’t let their pets chase the wildlife off of our lawn or scare our pets.
4. They teach renters about the etiquette of lake life and teach them how to paddle a canoe, run their boat properly,and sail without ending up in trouble and requiring rescue! They waterski only duing daylight hours and keep well away from sailboats & canoes.
5. They refrain from lighting fireworks seven nights in a row, especially week nights they know that some of us have to go to work in the morning.
6. They have never fished thirty feet off of the dock of cottagers and respect the personal space. We only fear those who do, and their lures that get left at the bottom of our swimming area.
7. They don’t cruise aimlessly up and down the lake, dumping gas into the lake from their boat or Personal Watercraft – polluting the air and water with its gas smell and noise.
8. They stay 100’ away from our shoreline, keeping their speed low so as not to ruin vegetation, enervate us and dislodge wildlife from their shoreline habitat, respecting our “Watch Your Wake” sign. In most provinces there is a 10 kph speed limit within 30 metres (100 feet) from shore. Fine is $125. Maximum fine is $500 or six months imprisonment. (Canada Shipping Act: Boating Restriction Regulations)
9. If they waterski they don’t go into our lake’s little lagoon, which is narrow and not suited to their noisy machines. They stay away from swimmers and only ski during daylight hours. They refrain from swearing and assaulting our ears with fouls language, which carries easily across the water, and respect our right to living in a peaceful Muskoka.
10. They keep their boat clean, and refrain from dumping pollutants in our waters. Many of our fellow cottagers must use lake water for their cottages.
11. Some neighbours shoot buckets of golf balls into the lake .Fortunately not everyone does this. Such a lack of respect for the environment.
12. Little kids should be supervised carefully. Here are two little girls wandering around the barge dec, at the end of the dock 30 m from mom on the cottage deck. They do not have lifejackets on.

References

[ PHOTOS; July 8 - 29, 2007 boat action on our lake and on July 1.2007. ]

YouTube videos [: sailboats fight for water, | PWC & boat traffic | August boats | boat wash onshore ]

Muskoka Lakes Township By-laws. Retrieved July 14, 2007 from http://www.township.muskokalakes.on.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=61

Pat's Safe Boating Guide. Retrieved July 1, 2007 from http://boating.ncf.ca/speed.html

Rideau Canal Waterway (2006). Boating Rules and Regulations. Retrieved July 1, 2007 from http://www.rideau-http://www.tc.gc.ca/BoatingSafety/sign.pdfinfo.com/canal/boat_rules.html

Transport Canada (2006). The Boating Environment. Retrieved July 1, 2007 from http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/TP/TP511/environment.htm

The Safe Boating Sign.http://www.tc.gc.ca/BoatingSafety/sign.pdf from Friends of the Rideau(Canal)

The Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Association offer a speed sign.