August Means Cruising

August 8, 2024

In the summer, there is no place that is better for cruising than here, at home, in Canada. Consider what we have to choose from without enduring luggage carousel madness: BC’s Salish Sea has enough scenery and anchorages for years of enjoyment.  Georgian Bay  is clearly the freshwater boating capital of Canada (the world?) and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The unique fresh/salt Bras d’Or Lake is another UNESCO Biosphere Reserve right in the heart of Cape Breton.

And yes, the Canals. Europe is canal boat central and the Erie Canal is dripping with history but it’s hard to top the Trent Severn or the Rideau. The inland freshwater lakes are world class. Lake of the Woods is remote beauty while the Muskoka Lakes draw international stars. There they are in your own backyard.

Even if your boat isn’t a weeklong cruisier, you can charter or improvise. Don’t take these waterways for granted. They are special.

You can get a taste of going on a Georgian Bay cruise in this issue’s Maple Leaf Rendezvous story or even better, head out yourself. Get away from it all and discover news spots to enjoy, or head back to the ones you love. And please send us your own report on discoveries and adventures.

August, like Christmas, comes but once a year. Get out there.

John Morris, Online Editor

Related Articles

Video Gallery

Bennington 22 MSB

By Andy Adams

If you’ve already had firsthand experience with a pontoon, you will easily understand the appeal of the Bennington 22 MSB. But if you haven’t, let’s start by reviewing a few of the reasons why pontoon boats have become top sellers in markets across North America.

Pontoon boats began in the early 1950s as basically four steel drums lashed to a frame. They were not unlike the log rafts of ancient cultures and not much more sophisticated at first.

Read More

Destinations

The Best of Two Worlds

By Mathew Channer

Interior British Columbia might not be as famous for recreational boating as Canada’s Great Lakes, yet it is no less a world-class boat­ing destination. The mountains offer their own flavour of marine adventure with their series of long, deep ribbon lakes, and there is perhaps no area that embodies this more uniquely than the iconic Okanagan basin in southern B.C. One could be forgiven for assuming this valley was purpose-built for nautical fun, with a few delightful perks thrown in to make the area entirely irresistible (wine-tasting, anyone?).

Read More

Lifestyle