Town and Country Sea Kayaking

For all but the most advanced and experienced sea kayakers, the open waters of Lake Ontario are out of bounds. Even in the best of weather, sudden changes in wind and wave conditions can occur, turning a routine recreational paddle into a skill-challenging test of endurance. But in many areas along the Lake's Canadian shore, sheltered beaches, bays and inner harbours offer paddlers the opportunity to combine the thrill of sea kayaking with the pleasures of sightseeing-even on the doorstep of Canada's largest city.

Exploring the Toronto Islands - Park your car at Cherry Beach, on the Lake Ontario shore just east of downtown Toronto, then launch your kayak and head southwest towards the "Eastern Gap." Paddle north through the Gap, make another turn to the southwest, and start your tour of Ward's Island, Algonquin Island, Snake Island, Centre Island Park, and Olympic Island. The 11 kilometre route makes a loop around Toronto's Lake Ontario playground, following a canal-like inner channel to Long Pond, and around Mugg's Island to Toronto's Inner Harbour, before taking you back along the northern shoreline. Enjoy boat-watching, bird-watching and people watching on this day-long urban odyssey.

Paddling Around Presqui'ile - Just south of Brighton, Ontario, less than 2 hours drive east of Toronto, Presqu'ile Provincial Park juts 10 kilometres into Lake Ontario. The outer section of the peninsula is formed from a limestone island, and is connected to the mainland by a sandbar. A combination of marshes, sand dunes, sandy beaches, rocky shorelines and mixed forests make Presqu'ile a destination attraction not only for campers, swimmers and paddlers, but also for birds: the peninsula hosts almost 320 species, giving it one of the highest bird count totals in Ontario. From a launching point at Calf Point Pasture, sea kayakers can head west into the massive marshes along the northern shore, or east to the octagonal lighthouse at Presqu'ile Point. In calm weather, more experienced paddlers may wish to continue around the point and along the southern (Lake) shore, past the cobblestone beaches of the Park's extensive campgrounds