In September the basin experienced above average temperatures and less than half the usual level of precipitation. - Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are down 2, 4, 7, 5 & 9 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior & Michigan-Huron are lower by 2 & 2 inches, respectively, and Lakes St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 1, 3 & 11 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 3, 3, 11, 12 & 2 inches, respectively, above their long-term September average. All the lakes remain well below their
September 30 is Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. How will you mark the day? Think about the children and families of our neighbours who were and continue to be impacted by the residential school system Wear orange in honour of the children who did not come home, those who have lived as survivors and their families Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action and look for ways to bring action to reconciliation Commit to learning about the people who’s traditional territory we live on. Here are some great resources: Shawanaga First Nation has an interesting history of The First Peoples of Georgian Bay Georgian Bay Biosphere has an extensive collection of resources for cultural learning The National Centre for
Wakes have been an ongoing problem, and have been exacerbated more recently by wake surfing boats that are weighted down at the stern to produce large wakes for surfing. The wakes produced by these boats can be as high as 6 feet and have been known to flip boats up onto docks. All wakes can cause destructive turbidity threatening shorelines and fish, fowl and wildlife habitats. GBA has joined a new coalition to take on the wake issue led by Safe Quiet Lakes that currently includes: the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Association, Muskoka Lakes Association, Haliburton Property Owners Association, L’Association pour l’Amélioration du Lac Manitou, and the Township of Muskoka Lakes, and is expected to grow. The coalition is aiming to get Ontario to implement provincewide regulations
Boating from October through June can offer a very different experience steeped in solitude and excellent fishing. It is a beautiful time to be on the water. But boating during this cold water season also requires extra attention to detail and the ability to be self-sufficient given that there are fewer boaters on the water should you require assistance. Here are some helpful tips from the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters to make off-season boating safer for you. Dress for the water temperature rather than the air temperature this can help slow the progression of hypothermia should you find yourself in the water Check the weather forecast weather can change quickly and storms can be more violent fog is also
The Georgian Bay Biosphere's (GBB) incubation program preserved 1,728 eggs this year to help boost Ontario's at-risk turtle populations. Turtle nests are generally laid in soil that is easy to dig and provides proper moisture which makes roadside sand and gravel and appealing place to nest. GBB staff working with roadside construction crews to rescue vulnerable roadside turtle eggs which are then incubated at GBB's facility and released back to the roadside wetlands where they were collected. This turtle incubation program has collected approximately 9,000 vulnerable eggs from Blanding’s, Snapping, Painted, and Map Turtles over the last four years. All of the eight turtle species in Ontario are currently listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern by COSSARO (Committee
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are down 2, 2, 4, 2 & 8 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior & Michigan-Huron are lower by 3 & 2 inches, respectively, and Lakes St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 0, 3 & 15 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 3, 4, 11, 12 & 4 inches, respectively, above their long-term September average. All the lakes remain well below their September record highs, except for Superior which is only 10 inches below. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior &
It's September and that means bears are starting to prepare for winter. Most bears are focused on finding as much food as possible to prepare for winter. The quest for calories means bears are active and foraging. As the wild food sources bears rely on become more scarce. Improper food disposal, untidy garbage cans, poorly cleaned BBQ’s, and bird feeders may provide just the feast hungry bears are looking for. Whether you are closing the cottage for the season or just between stays, here are some precautions you can take: Before leaving your cottage make sure to: remove your garbage take it home or drop it off at an approved waste disposal site on your way use a strong disinfectant to eliminate all odours from garbage and recycling containers and lids never disca
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are down 0, 2, 2, 0 & 6 inches, respectively. Lakes Michigan-Huron is lower by 3 inches, and Lakes Superior, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 1, 2, 4 & 15 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 4, 5, 13, 15 & 7 inches, respectively, above their long-term September average. All the lakes remain well below their September record highs, except for Superior which is only 8 inches below. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair,
Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to the biodiversity of Ontario's waters, wetlands and woodlands by displacing our native species and upsetting the delicate nature of our ecosystems. And they love hitching a ride on your boat! In 2022, rules came into effect in Ontario requiring boat owners to take “reasonable precautions to remove all aquatic plants, animals and algae from any boat, boat equipment, vehicle or trailer” before transporting a boat or boating equipment overland. When getting ready to retrieve your boat this year, remember Clean, Drain and Dry to help keep invasives in check. Upon Retrieval of your boat: Clean As soon as the boat is removed from the water, visually inspect all equipment (watercraft, trailer and gear) for aquatic
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 0, 1, 2, 0 & 5 inches, respectively. Lakes Michigan-Huron and St Clair are lower by 2 & 1 inches, respectively, and Lakes Superior, Erie & Ontario are up 2, 3 & 15 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 6, 6, 12, 15 & 9 inches, respectively, above their long-term September average. All the lakes remain well below their September record highs, except for Superior which is only 7 inches below. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, M
With the increase in traffic on our waterways, one Muskoka cottager is encouraging swimmers and paddlers to be seen when out on the water to increase the safety of these activities and to cut down on marine fatalities. Martha Robinette, founder of ICU Safety Aware, is now selling florescent hats and stickers at local Muskoka retailers and online through her website www.icusafetyaware.com to raise awareness about high-visibility gear on the water. In a news article Robinette recounted her own close call when she was on her paddle board and saw a plane coming in. She didn't know if the pilot could see her on the water and described having a "deer-in-the headlight moment." Whereas children’s gear tends to be bright and vibrant colours, adult gear and items such as lifejackets and padd
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, Erie & Ontario, are down 0, 1, 0 & 4 inches, respectively, and Lakes St Clair is up 1 inch. Lake Michigan-Huron is lower by 3 inches, and Lakes Superior, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 1, 4, 4 & 14 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 5, 6, 17, 17 & 10 inches, respectively, above their long-term September average. All the lakes remain well below their September record highs, except for Superior which is only 7 inches below. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, M
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GBA will continue to work with government and non-government agencies in the US and Canada to determine if and how a better job can be done to improve coordination between the different control structures that affect our water levels. The aim is to do the best we can to mitigate and address the impacts of extreme high and low water levels which are expected to worsen if climate change impacts unfold as expected. We will also be surfacing any issues on the accuracy and completeness of water levels data and exploring how water levels data can be enhanced to improve ease of interpretation and better inform decision making including adaption strategies.
Learn more about this priority >>What are sea lampreys and why are they problematic? Sea lampreys are an ancient form of a jawless fish with a toothed, funnel like mouth, that suck blood out of fish. They entered the Great Lakes through the St. Lawrence Seaway. During the 50’s, Lake Huron’s commercial fishing industry was verging on collapse. In particular, one of the most valued species, Lake Trout, a favorite sea lamprey meal, was nearing extinction. The good news is Lake Huron’s sea lamprey population (once the largest in the Great Lakes with over 700,000 in the 1940’s and 1950’s) has been declining. For example, in 2015 the population fell to 70,000, well below the target of 90,000 set by the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission (GLFC), established in 1954 to oversee a Great Lakes sea lamprey control
The message from traditional Indigenous teachings is that catch and release is disrespectful to the fish (it can also harm their ability to eat properly after they are released) and one should only fish respectfully, which includes eating the fish we catch. Now it seems there is another reason to question this practice. Some bass are smarter than we might think, learn to avoid lures and can pass that knowledge down through the generations! Who knew! - Read more here. -
What’s your name and what’s your connection to Georgian Bay? Sheila Williams and I (Celesta Bjornson) are the co-presidents of the Bay of Islands Association (BICA) and have been enjoying our summers in the Bay of Islands since we were toddlers. My family is from Pittsburgh and we originally found the Bay of Islands in the 1950s by vacationing at a fishing lodge called Moredolpton Lodge. Sheila's family is one of the founding families of the Bay of Islands. Her grandfather discovered the Bay of Islands in early 1900s while working on the lakers, travelling from southern Georgian Bay to the North Channel, transporting lumber back south. He fell in love with the area and purchased an island around 1924 and began building a cottage. Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to yo
Luc Voorn is a cottager in the South Channel and a passionate advocate for Georgian Bay. He currently serves as the Membership Chairperson for the South Channel Association (SCA), Editor of the SCA “On the Waterfront” newsletter, and as Director, Friends of the Massasauga Park. This past summer (2019), he was nominated as a Guardian of Georgian Bay for his ongoing enthusiasm and efforts to protect and preserve the Bay. Note from Jamie Drayton, GBA Chair of Guardians of Georgian Bay Committee My Dad used to take us camping. His lure to get us to bathe was to promise us ice cream if we ran into the water first thing in the morning for a swim. I recall the water being absolutely freezing at 7 o’clock in the morning… I don’t recall ever getting any ice cream. A few years l
Boating from October through June offers a very different experience steeped in solitude and excellent fishing. It is a beautiful time to be on the water. But boating during this season also requires extra attention to detail and the ability to be self-sufficient given that there are fewer boaters around should you require assistance. Here are some helpful tips from the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters to make off-season boating safer for you. Check the weather forecast. The weather can change quickly and storms can be more violent. Fog is also more common. Ensure that your boat and engine are in good working order. Ethanol-based fuel can allow water contamination in the tank. The use of a fuel additive prevents water in the f
As nominated by Heather Sargeant My Phragbuster Hero About 5 or 6 years ago, at an event jointly put on by the Georgian Bay Association, Georgian Bay Forever, and featuring Dr. Gilbert, an ecologist with Phragmites expertise , I first learned about invasive Phragmites and the harm it can have on wetlands. I decided to investigate if Phragmites was a threat in Woods Bay (my favourite area of Georgian Bay), and that’s when my journey tackling this plant began. I wasn’t sure if a plant across from the family cottage was indeed the invasive type, and so I was nervous and queasy about leading people to help me cut it. What if it was the native plant, and I’d taken all these people out to cut down something benign? One of my neighbors told me there was a hero on Georgian
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is asking motorists to look out for vulnerable turtles on our roadways. Road surfaces provide an attractive source of warmth for these cold-blooded reptiles, particularly in the spring and early summer. During this time, turtles are mating and nesting; in late summer and early fall, newly hatched turtles are travelling from their nests to nearby wetlands. The Nature Conservatory of Canada has an informative video and tips for safely moving turtles. Watch the video and read the tips here.
Here are some things to think about around Fire Safety at the cottage: Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are present and working. Have a list of local emergency numbers posted for all to see. Include all pertinent cottage location information. Have the right fire extinguishers in the right places. Have an individual fire plan for evacuation. Make sure your plan has two escape routes. Respect local fire ratings. Have a fire pump and use it regularly to ensure it is in good working order. At the very least have a list of neighbours to call for assistance. Follow your association’s emergency plan if it exists. Make sure you have insurance. Make sure you understand what it covers and that it is adequate to rebuild and covers contents AND fire de
The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario has just released a useful guide on how to how we can all reduce our environmental footprints. Being a Guardian of the Bay also means doing what we can to reduce our individual consumption of carbon based fuels. - Here is a very good fact sheet and here is a full presentation on this topic. -
What’s your name and what’s your connection to Georgian Bay? Cory Kozmik, Anthony Laforge, Samantha Noganosh, Chevaun Toulouse. We are the Lands and Resource Department for Magnetawan First Nation, in Britt, Ontario. - Source: Magnetawan First Nation Our connection to the Bay is the dense biodiversity that it hosts and the role its ecology plays in our lives, including the environment. It is also where ancestors of the Anishinabek Nation walked and practiced each day what it means to live with the land in reciprocity. The connection to the land and water is sacred to the Anishinaabe culture, and held very close to the communities that inhabit the area. - Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to you? We take great pride in being “Guardians” because it is our
Large wakes continue to be a bone of contention. They cause damage to docks and shorelines and can be very disruptive to cottagers enjoyment of their docks. What can be done? The occasional disruption and damage caused by excessive wakes are an ongoing source of irritation between boaters and cottagers. Boaters are responsible for their wakes and any damage caused by them. But the OPP tells us that damage caused by wakes is a civil issue. And so what you need to do is be able to identify the vessel and the operator and pursue the matter in small claims court if a reasonable result can’t be agreed upon between the parties on their own. However, if a boater is observed to be operating their vessel in a dangerous or careless way then the OPP should be called. They ideally would like t
This past summer there seemed to be a search & rescue operation happening and it left many cottagers confused about what was going on. The questions were about what to do in a situation like that - where to get information, and potentially how to help. When involved in a current investigation the OPP generally will not disseminate info through the media. They most often feel they have the resources to adequately conduct a search. Note that, if the OPP does ask the public for assistance, they are civilly liable if a member of the public gets injured while searching, and so tend not to involve the public. If the OPP is not successful then they will ask the public for assistance through media channels. If people have questions they can call the OPP non emergency ( 1 800-310-1122 ) num
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