2019
Muskoka Magic Returns
It has been an unusual spring in Muskoka. With the recent flooding and continuation of chilly weather it has not been ideal for gardening, boating, swimming or just sitting on the patio or dock to enjoy a drink. There is promise in the air. Here is a photo I took during sunset the other night casting a very warm Muskoka magic glow.
In: boathouses of muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, on the water
2019
Catastrophic Flooding Hits Muskoka
As you are probably aware by now Muskoka and other parts of Ontario are experiencing catastrophic flooding. It is not unusual to experience high water in Muskoka during the spring freshet however it is not normal to experience such serious flooding as we are getting now. The first large flood was in 2013 and I documented it on this Blog. There was another in 2017 and now an even bigger and likely more damaging flood happening right now.
Below are some of the photos of this disastrous 2019 flood mostly taken on Lake Muskoka. The brunt of the damage is on Lake Muskoka as both branches of the Muskoka River flow into it as well as water from Lakes Joseph and Rosseau. The Ministry follows a guideline set out by the Muskoka River Water Management Plan and draws down the lakes through the dam located in Bala, Ontario which exits into the Moon River and down to Georgian Bay. The draw down is supposed to prevent this kind of flooding. It appears everything was done according to plan however we still received disastrous results. There was a record amount of snow this winter combined with lots of rain during the run-off. It is difficult to say whether anything else could have been done to mitigate the damage resulting from these floods.
Photo disclaimer:
Please note that none of these photos belong to me. They have been gathered from various social media posts mainly Muskoka 411 News and RS Muskoka. I always like to acknowledge the original source of photos however it has been difficult to track everyone down due to the influx of photos posted. If I have posted your photo please let me know and I will gladly credit you and thank you for sharing.
In: boathouses of muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2018
The Last Breath of a Muskoka Autumn
The last days of fall were upon us when this shot was taken. And now the winter has approached just like that.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2018
Thinking About Spiders on my Dock
I’m fascinated by the design of spider webs. The strength of the silk and the overall design of the web itself are key factors in its resiliency. They are designed to sacrifice some failure points in order to preserve the overall integrity of the web. Even after facing extreme winds and torrential downpours they still survive. How spider webs achieve their strength.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2018
Nobody Loves Me Anymore
I posted this photo of a run down boathouse over on my Instagram account. It got quite a few comments from you Muskoka people who are out there and know whats going on. I have been watching this Lake Rosseau boathouse slowly deteriorate over the years. I would imagine with the cost of lake front property, taxes and low inventory that this property will be transformed into something new someday. You rarely see any old relics that are falling apart on the lake any more. Even the boathouse up on Fairy Island is gone now however the cottage still stands among the trees.
In: boathouses of muskoka, historic muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, on the water
2018
Sullivan Island, Lake Joe
I was cruising back home via Seadoo after visiting a friend at the bottom end of Lake Joe. I headed due north passing by Caniff Island and then by Sullivan Island. I looked over at Sullivan Island and it looked perfect with the backdrop of clouds. I have not been traveling as much with my big Nikon camera so I whipped out my trustee iPhone X and got this shot.
In: boathouses of muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, on the water
2018
Blasting By
There was still some light as I headed back to the cottage at the end of a long run up the lake. Even though we are at peek summer this is the only boat I happened to see blasting by on the north end of Lake Joseph. And I’m OK with that.
2018
The Protest to Stop Waterfront Subdivisions in Muskoka
Here is a short video I made while participating in the Sound the Alarm Boat Rally in Muskoka August 25th, 2018. This is in protest of developers turning existing waterfront resorts into subdivisions. The environmental impact of high density housing on shorelines is the main driver. The protest was held in front of the old Lakeside Lodge which was torn down and will have 43 new cottages built on 470 ft of shoreline. Normally 1 or 2 cottages would be built on a lot this size not 43. This all has to do with the new official plan and a developer friendly Mayor and a few Councilors. I assure you this is more than a NIMBY situation. I copied from the Save Muskoka website below.
Official plans set the rules of land use and development for a municipality. This new plan would allow any of Muskoka’s 80-plus waterfront resorts to be redeveloped into high-density residential enclaves – thanks to a developer-friendly redefinition of what constitutes a “Resort”. The District of Muskoka’s planners, in a misguided attempt to prop up the ailing resort industry, are proposing that 50% of all new units may be sold and operated as fully residential units, without the requirement to rent. The other 50% can be sold with minimal (and unenforceable) rental obligations. It is, simply, residential densification under the guise of being a “Resort”. Ironically the real effect maybe doing away with resorts entirely.
http://savemuskoka.ca
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2018
Sunset Cruise
What a great summer this has been. Maybe the best in a decade especially if you are spending time on the water. I’ve been using my trusty Seadoo more than my boat these days especially when traveling solo. I love to do a final run on the water as the sun drops to conclude the day.
2018
Feet In Cold Water
There was this awesome Canadian band from the 1970’s called A Foot in Cold Water. Maybe you’ve heard of them? They had a hit song called; Make Me Do Anything You Want. I seem to recall they had an album cover with some dangling feet in cold water. I took this photo with my trusty iPhone off my dock thinking about them. There’s nothing like dangling your feet off the dock on a warm day.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2018
onecallaway
ONECALLAWAY – is the name of the cottage. Years ago when we were thinking of purchasing this cottage we weren’t sure what to do. Should we or shouldn’t we? Our friend Rob was visiting the office and gave us a little push. He said “do it, it will be a great lifestyle choice” Rob continued “You never know about life, it could be over tomorrow. We could be One Call Away from the Doctor telling us so”. Over the years Rob has visited and also referred to our cottage as onecallaway and it stuck.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2018
Dog Days of Summer Solstice
Today is the longest day of sunlight in 2018. Of course that is only true if you live north of the equator. The summer solstice is upon us.
These two skimmed by my cottage a few years back. I didn’t know what else to do with the photo so I’m posting it here. 🙂 Don’t forget to visit my Instagram where I post at least one photo per day. Mostly Muskoka related but sometimes my travels get in the way.
http://instagram.com/edboutilier
2018
Show Ski Canada – Off the Docks at Clevelands
I was enjoying lunch and a brew at Pie Wood Fired Pizza on the upper deck at Cleveland’s House recently and noticed Show Ski Canada practicing. The SWS Muskoka people with the marina next door are very involved with some of their people on the team and their Mastercraft boat powering up the talented skiers. It’s SWS that runs the amazing water ski shows around Muskoka. If you haven’t seen a show I highly recommend you check one out. Schedule here. This year the Deerhurst in Huntsville Ontario is hosting the World Water Ski Show Tournament September 7-9, 2018.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, tripin around towns
2017
Sunsets on Lake Rosseau
I decided to take a tour over to Brackenrig Bay on Lake Rosseau. It was a beautiful warm autumn night as I stopped my Seadoo in the middle of the lake and soaked it all in. There are not many of these nights remaining this season so I savor what I can.
2017
Bestest Friends Revisited 7 Years Later
Back in August 2010 these two lovely ladies visited Muskoka to celebrate a 16th birthday. It’s now 7 years later and we had a fun time trying to recreate the original photo as best we could. There were a few challenges such as different light, high winds, new camera, large waves and an annoying drone that someone insisted on flying around us. I hope we won’t have to wait 7 years for the next visit.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2017
SUP Muskoka Style
Have you tried Stand Up Paddle Boarding? Its lots of fun. It takes a bit of balance, dexterity and Ninja skills and you might go for a few little spills in the beginning. Kind of like learning to ride a bike I suppose. I picked up this sweet Muskoka themed board from Canadian designer Lee Kline.
https://klinesup.com/
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2017
Kicking off the May 2-4 Weekend at Clevelands House
It’s the kickoff of the quintessential Canadian May 2-4 weekend. This is an early morning shot taken at Clevelands House in Muskoka. Apparently there has been renovations and new food operators for the boathouse this year. Always a great place to check out.
In: historic muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, on the water
2017
D. A. Dunford Painting
It is always a great feeling when people recognize and appreciate your work. Recently I had the privilege to connect with renowned Muskoka artist D. A. Dunford. Doug asked if he could create a painting by using one of my photographs as a reference. Here is an image of the painting with my original photo below. What an honor!
The original Blog post for this photo entitled Therapeutic Exploration.
2017
The Spring Melt
I visited Muskoka yesterday for the first time since the fall season which explains my Blog inactivity. I spent the winter months in the warm climes of the Hawaiian Islands. It was blissful!
I was in Bala yesterday checking out the falls (and the construction) and there is significant water flowing out of Lake Muskoka into the Moon River to Georgian Bay. The ice should be off the lakes by the end of this week. Water levels are down to summer levels on the lakes at present and will rise over the next 10 days. Hopefully no flooding this year.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, tripin around towns
