The noise, the smell, the pollution of 2-stroke engines.
My favourite bat video (2009) shows my attempts to capture the bats with the night vision feature of my videocam, but, more importantly, captures the crazy tourists trying to squeeze the last moments of the day, risking life and limb in the process. Water skiing at dusk (around 0:47 into the video)??? Somebody out there loves you!
And those are just the people they caught. One guy drove his ATV and smashed into a rock cut and died.
This past week, at 4:50 p.m., July 10th: Swimmer drowns in Lake Muskoka
Mind you, we know safety has gone by the wayside but even etiquette of any sort seems to be lacking these days. People fish on swimming frontage, leaving behind lovely lures to hurt. This is the best editorial cartoon I've seen on the subject! The manners of people are awful. This is where we swim, and they are casting into our beach front.
More so on the water. When my kids were small they were never allowed to scream for no reason. It is hard to tell when they are truly in trouble. Now, it is part of the normal repertoire of a child's communication skills. I am so used to crowd control! It drives me nuts as a teacher. And it's not a long drive, not even a short putt! (To quote my man!)Now, in the old days, no boater would be caught dead with their fenders flapping in the wind like flippers on a dolphin. You can tell an amateur! I don't know what he was drinking...hope it was pop. The kids were being dragged around, doing donuts in the wake.
Last night my hubby spotted an interesting sight. It looked like a couple of guys and a PWC, but one was in the water. The other was blowing a whistle. No photos, as it was now dusk!
Now, in my world night noises are to be feared or ignored. It means another tourist, or citiot, is screaming around the lake. In this case, however, they really were in trouble.
And how many boats can you see in the photo, on a lake that is a mere 400m wide?! Answer: two, but the wake shows a 3rd that just zipped by, with kids on a tube.
My YouTube videos
Boating information
Muskoka Lakes Township By-laws.
Muskoka Lakes Township By-laws.
Rideau Canal Waterway (2006). Boating Rules and Regulations.
Transport Canada (2006). The Boating Environment.The Safe Boating Sign from Friends of the Rideau (Canal), Ottawa.
The Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Association offer a speed sign.
5 comments:
Good gosh Jenn, no wonder you hate the tourist season! Yikes.
Noise pollution is rampant everywhere these days. We boat, but I hate those watercraft that don't exist for any reason BUT to make noise (by the boat and the owner). We like to think, anyway, that we use ours to explore the River a little more than we could by land (at our advanced age -- kayaks are out.)
It is probably hard for a lake of that size but in Newport Beach, California USA, I remember admiring some ALL ELECTRIC boats. They usually had awning type covers so they were for peaceful touring. I am sure something like that still exists for low-power, low noise exploration. Informative post as they all are! W.C.C.
Do you ever stop complaining!!!!
And where???are their night time running lights?????...they say you now need a boat operators card to operate a boat....but I see they soon lose their sense of responsiblility as boaters to obey the water laws!!!!!so dangerous after dark if someone cannot see you .....and ten times worst with those fast running sea-doo's....so scary these days......
YES, @Ross, I do. Are you complaining that I'm complaining?! I am venting. I like to put a touch of humour on what I see. You know, you can change channels!!! Or blogs, I suppose, but then I'd be complaining about you!
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