By Thoma Goyer
Over half of local residents feel that they are not safe on the lakes in Muskoka.
This statistic comes from a survey presented by Safe Quiet Lakes (SQL) to Muskoka District Finance and Corporate Services Committee. The presentation was given by SQL Director Colleen Kennedy. The survey was conducted by ERIN Research and incorporates data from three other surveys covering a period of 12 years and surveyed residents in the Muskoka region.
The data shows that since 2013, residents have seen an increase in boat traffic, noise, speeds, and wake size. Residents stated that they were concerned about the dangers to paddlers, and swimmers, potential shoreline erosion, and damage to other boats and docks. Personal watercraft (PWC) was the most complained about, despite making up only 5-7% of water traffic. In response to this SQL is hosting a safety webinar for PWC users as well as a social media campaign to educate.
But the data point which is most concerning according to Kennedy is that over half of those surveyed feel less safe on the water.
“Just over half of the people in the district perceive that the level of their safety has gone down,” Kennedy said.
She stated that the downward perception of safety on the lakes is disturbing and concerning. According to Kennedy, the trend has been consistent for several years.
In response to survey results and in coordination with the group’s mission, SLQ has been focusing on the lack of laws limiting boat noise. The concern over this issue led to the creation of the Decibel Coalition which was founded in 2020 to bring together interest groups and work towards new regulations. This has brought together 65 member associations from across Canada which have gone to Transport Canada hoping for viable regulations. Kennedy stated that she was confident positive steps would be taken soon.
“We’re pretty optimistic that within the next year or two, there will be measures that will help the OPP to crack down on some of the really loud noise that we share in the region and across Canada,” said Kennedy.
Another initiative that aims to improve water safety has been the marina ambassador program which has worked with marinas to educate boaters about the damage that can be caused by large waves. After Committee Vice Chair Rick Maloney asked what District Council could do to assist SQL, Kennedy stated that increased education about boating safety and signage reminding boaters of laws and guidelines would be appreciated.
In response to the data on residents’ safety concerns, Councillor Guy Burry shared his own concerns about what he sees as increasing speeds on the lakes. He stated that he has witnessed boats racing at high speeds, paying little regard to others.
“But what it does do is for those of us that like to paddle canoes, we can’t. We’re no longer able to share the lake because we have people that don’t want us to share the lake,” Burry said.
Burry, who is a canoeing instructor, said he was especially worried for tourists or new Canadians who aren’t familiar with the area.
“I am afraid to go out. And yet I see people who may be new Canadians or potentially the travelling public, going out in canoes, with no idea how dangerous it is,” Burry said.
Further information on initiatives and information on boating safety as well as the survey results unveiled at the presentation can be found at the SQL website.
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Faye,
I fully agree with you, but for the sake of clarity, new drivers of automobiles and motorcycles are permitted on the road with only a written test passed. Automobile drivers require a fully licensed and experienced companion in the passenger seat, however motorcyclists can immediately ride alone after passing the written test.
Hi. I own property near the north end of little lake joe. The bay is fairly small and we get way too many huge boats and the waves are easily 3 feet soaking docks and rocking and bashing everything in sight. These mostly are kids who obviously have no regard for the mess they cause. They could at least wakeboard in the middle of the bay! and not 25’ off the end of my dock!!
My family has resided on Lake of Bays since 1905. I have watched the lake go from a nice fairly quiet lake to one polluted with faster than necessary, noisier than necessary and larger than necessary boats.
It seems that the horsepower on some of these machines is inversely related to the drivers courtesy and IQ.
A you have identified the PWC is one of the main offenders and I think this is partially because the noise is very variable, a loud burst, then a drop and then repeat. This tends to draw your attention which makes them more objectionable than a steady sound of a boat actually going somewhere.
Also, the drivers are usually very self focused and go faster than is safe in many situations.
The only people I have ever met that like these things are the ones riding on them. The rest are more or less universally in objection to these machines.
And all this has not even touched on the resources used to make and operate these things. Almost a crime against the environment in itself.
It is not just the noise of the boat, be it exhaust, hull or prop noise that is an issue. No, can someone tell me where it is written that one cannot wake board unless the boat has a 4000 watt stereo and a CD of some really really bad rap music?? Please can someone explain the need for this!
I try to stay away from the lake on weekends, especially holiday weekends. I either work, away from the lake or take guests from our resort on shore based activities as the lake is not really a restful place at these times. This I suppose is “progress” to some but to me it is just sad.
I do not mind the occasional antique boat, they are not that loud and their interest level is usually enough to offset any noise they might make and no boat needs to be making an objectionable wake. Wakes are entirely the result of the operator and if the operator thinks otherwise they are poorly trained, badly experienced or simply being totally inconsiderate of others.
I fly a small float plane too. Granted it makes some noise on take off, but only for about two minutes, then one throttles back and conserves fuel and goes “somewhere” so the noise is brief. There is virtually no noise on landing.
Sometimes it is hard to take off or land due to boat traffic. I don’t know if many boaters know it but a seaplane is considered a “boat” while taxiing and it follows most boating rules. Once the throttle has been opened for take off however the plane has the right of way over boats.
All planes are a bit at the mercy of the wind too. They must always consider it in maneuvering and often they cannot maneuver in certain ways due to this fact
As a matter of self preservation for all of us, once the throttle is opened to take off, no quick changes can take place. Similarly, once set up to land, which starts a mile or two back from the actual landing area, the point of landing is sort of “locked in”. Up to a point the landing can be aborted but after a certain point we are going to land no matter what. There have been times when I have had to circle for 15 minutes and abort several landing attempts trying to find a gap in the random paths of PWC’s and their wakes.
All in all there seem to be too many fast water toys on the lakes at times these days. More courtesy is needed.
I bought my cottage for the piece and quiet I thought I was going to get. I did not want waterfront because I felt that it would be the same as putting a lawn chair beside the 401. I wasn’t wrong.
I fell asleep in my lawn chair only to be aroused by a beautiful wake boat that almost tossed off my dock and into the lake. I yelled slow down and was verbally accosted and threatened physically. Low and behold that person claimed they did not about the 200 foot safety zone on shore encroachment.
I was cruising on the lake one day, just puttering around, only to have PWC’s jumping my wake. Not fun.
Some boaters seem think that because they are towing tubers or skiers they have a right of way . Siting there are no lane markings on the water.
I feel that reducing the motor size will not reduce the pools of gasoline and oil you see emitted from the vehicles . Pollution? NOT FUN TO SWIM IN.
Do we need more officers patrolling our lakes so that social awareness and environmental considerations be
Enforced?
IT’S OUR LIVES, OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR TAXES.
LET’S JUST SMARTEN UP FOLKS.
Implementation of an operating/driving test for obtaining a boating licence would certainly help. Driving/operating a boat is very different from operating an automobile. An online or classroom test is inadequate. If you grew up operating a watercraft from a young age, you would hopefully pass such an exam with ease.
Would you want a new driver to operate an automobile or motorcycle on our highways without a driving test requirement? Why are we allowing it on our waterways?
As with all motorized and non motorized vehicles on our roadways, we need to operate safely to accommodate everyone.
Perhaps it is time for change.
I also feel unsafe. I regularly sail, powerboat, and canoe on the lakes and rivers around Huntsville. The behaviour I am witnessing lately is unbelievable. Last month I was at the Port Sydney beach and it was packed. Mine was the only boat tied up to the dock at the time. A middle aged man with a huge PWC kept flying by the dock makeing waves. Two boys were yelling at him to make waves so he started doing donuts right of the end of the dock and there were dozens of kids swimming around the dock at the time. He was getting to within 20 feet of the dock at full speed. My boat was secured correctly so not at risk of damage, but this kind of behaviour is ridiculous. This continued off and on for at least an hour. I see people in large power boats flying at full speed and barely paying attention. You would have to be crazy to swim across our lakes these days – which is sad. The next accident is just around the corner.
As a new resident, who does not own waterfront property, I agree with increasing laws and penalties for those people who act as if they own the lakes. With no regard for others. Danger to children, erosion of shorelines and deafening noise should not be acceptable in any form. Everyone should have the same usage, whether canoist, paddleboarder, or sailor, on any of the lakes, without fear of their lives. Some engine noise is so loud that wildlife could also be affected negatively To limit noise and speed is an important step, in a place known for its natural beauty and tranquillity and I hope the various townships in Muskoka can find some common agreement on new laws to limit such.