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News and Events...

July 29/2010
Another month has disappeared! What a gorgeous month it has been and with record setting water levels to go with it!(shhh, don't tell the folks downstream) As usual the August long weekend is shaping up to be another great one. With the fantastic fireworks show planned for Saturday night, north end of Mississagua Lake, and the always awesome show of boats that go with it. As well, Hastings Marine will be on site here at LGM for another great weekend of wakeboarding and lots of new toys to ponder over or go for a ride in. The weather folks are promising us sun all the way through so we have to think, hmmmm, lots of water , sun, warmth, great things to do, must be going to the cottage!! We are already starting to book in storage and Sally reminded me this morning that we were at or a little above capacity last year so we definitely need to know who is coming to ensure there is a spot for those boats. Hope everyone has a safe drive up and enjoys what should be one of the traditional great weekends for mid-summer in the place we love to call home!

July 7/2010
I have said it a thousand times but where does the time go? It has been a great spring weatherwise for the most part but the last week has been unbelievalbe!! A touch too warm for those of us working or without hydro and working!! We, as usual are very busy and trying to keep up with all the fun that is to be had out there on the lakes!! Our summer staff are back in full force and enjoying seeing all the faces again. The girls and guys were kept so busy over the weekend they had a great time!! Upcoming, in the weeks ahead are a couple of great annual events for the area. Next weekend the annual rock bass derby hosted by Baldwin Bay Marina is in full swing and the following weekend is the One Big Day at the Cavendish Community Center. Please come out and join in on the great events and support,meet and enjoy the area and it's residents! One note, one must be really early to get the best of the best baked goodies at the One Big Day evernt! shhhhh!! The water levels seem to be at normal levels for this time of year now which is good news and the moisture has also been welcome for the surrounding woodland area to slow down the threat of forest fires. Sally has been busy trying to keep the toy section of the store stocked with toys for all ages. She has even managed to secure some toys for us mature folks to make us look good in front of the younger ones!!! Warning! towboat not to exceed 20mph!!! Have a great week and see everyone over the next few weeks!!,/p>

June 6/2010
Like usual, been busy! It was a different weekend weather wise but nonetheless there was a number of people around. Like the last few springs there were a number of new faces in. We welcome all the new people to the area and look forward to getting to know you better and offering you our services to assist you in any way we can to ensure you enjoy your time in the area. The water level is slowly coming up and it looks like we are getting close to normal levels. It looks like we are within about 12 inches of being at high water. ( having said that that would be for early May levels!) According to the people that are dangling lines the fish have been biting quite well. No monsters yet but lots of fish being caught and most being released. The size and quantitiy is promising to the fish stock level in the system! The boat sales have been going strong and if you have any desire to upgrade your ride please don't hesitate to give us a call to see if we can help out. As in years past Lori will be offering swimming lessons starting in July. The registration day is Saturday July 3rd at the point on site here at the marina. If you can't make that date for registration drop Sally a line and she can put you in touch with Lori to ensure you are signed up and ready to go. As most can see we are almost back in full force on the site. We have a shadow of the sales section up and running and are just tweaking it to be released and running within the week! The Float Trailer section will be disappearing as the company has decided to drop their dealer network, we will leave the link up for a while to help those interested in the product to preview and then contact the company directly. Have a great week and we look forward to seeing everyone again. Just one last note, our hours for June are still 8-5 seven days a week. Summer hours of 8-8 will resume on July 1st , 7 days a week.

May 20/10
Where does the time go? It has been crazy busy around here and no time to update. The boats are going in to the lower than normal water level and returning to their homes. The critters are starting to come out a little heavier now and seem alot hungrier. Pencil Lake area tonite was just unbelievable, more critters per square foot than the Congo!! I had so many bites I didn't know which one to scratch! The weather forecast is looking a little better for the weekend as long as the Thunderstorms forecast don't turn in to anything more serious like they are seeing to the south and west of us. Hope everyone has a safe drive up and enjoys the weekend.! Don't forget Lori Harper is doing the boat course etc. on Sunday at the community center(see back in news) so if you don't have the card it will be a chance to do so. Remember, the water is lower than normal so unless you want to keep our prop guy really busy adjust your travels to mid summer channels as opposed to spring levels. Bye for now. someone is waiting for their boat and must make sure it gets there!!

May 9/10
To all the moms out there Happy Mother's Day! Hope everyone is enjoying this fabulous weather. Nothing like a little snow in May to keep the blackflies to a minimum. The weather looks a little cool for the next few days so that should help to keep them at a minimum. Have a great week!

May 5/10
Rain, is finally crossing our area and bringing the much needed water we were looking for. The lake is slowly rising but we still need another 18-20 inches minimum to start the summer. It was so dry and dusty but the rain has brought out the leaves, grown some grass and fattened up the little black fly critters to a good healthy biting size!!! The dragon flies have appeared in the last few days as well so we will see how we make out with our annual ritual of feeding these little guys. We have been quite busy getting all the toys back in to the water and home to their respective docks. As always, Sally needs that two weeks notice or there is no promises on having your toy on the dock when you were hoping for. Our spring hours are now starting this weekend,, 7 days a week 8-5 for the month of May. The store is being stocked up with all the summer treats for kids young and old. A reminder about the mandatory boating card. Our friendly, neighbourhood law-keepers have been promising they will be here and charging those that don't have the card! As mentioned last week Lori is offering the course and test on the long weekend for the procrastinators in the crowd. Give her a call asap to ensure you can get in to the course and not be stuck paying the $250 fine! They are saying zero tolerance and no sense of haha!! Looking at the forecast for the weekend one might want to pack an extra sweater or two with the below zero temps promised for Sunday and Monday mornings! Gotta love May and the predictable weather for weekends! Have a great weekend and to all the moms out there have a Great Mother's Day!!!! (subtle reminder for the rest so they remember MOM!)

April 25/10
A mid-week for us marina people update. The black flies are starting to get a little hungrier now but with the dry conditions hopeufully they might not stay long. Really, really having dreamy thoughts on that one but we will see what happens. The water level is still low and seeing all the lakes I have passed in the last few days it looks like most of the province is in the same state( wishing for lots of rain!) I have received a solution to the mandatory boat license requirements for those that haven't been able to be ready for spring yet. The nice , young lady that offers the swimming lessons through the summer at the marina is offering a course on the long weekend. Have a great week!

April 22/10
Busy times trying to get the boats back in to the shallower water. The water is slowly coming up but not near normal levels yet. There is enough to start getting around but the temps at night are keeping us from wanting to launch any stern drives until the usual Mother's Day. There was a good snow storm just north of North Bay yesterday so keeps reminding me it is April. The Blackflies started appearing yesterday afternoon but are sleeping in this morning with the cooler temps today. The roads have dried up well and actually are a little dusty with the lack of rain. As a reminder we are still closed Sundays until Mother's Day weekend. Have a great weekend.

April 7/10
The ice officially cleared out on late Saturday the 3rd. As those that were up over the weekend saw, we need a pile of water! As always, watch out for the floating debris,docks etc. as there seems to be the usual flotillas of it out there floating around. Have a good week.

April 3/10
The ice is almost gone. Some good sized sections drifting around the center of the lake but today's wind and sun should take the rest away by late day. It is hard to imagine this early but we will see what the rest of the month brings. Have a great Easter weekend!

April 1/10
First question to answer, Yes, that is ice in the picture! Mississagua is still frozen across. Our bay is open but the main lake is still frozen. The back lakes are starting to open up i.e. Little Gold, Cavendish. Gold Lake still has ice in the center section but it should go out by tomorrow. I have a feeling Mississagua isn't going too far right away but who knows with the temps. forecast. We need a lot of rain as the woods are dry and the water level is still about 3 feet lower than normal. Even Lower Buckhorn Lake, Stoney are quite low. Remember that Sally needs two weeks notice for the boat to ensure you will see it when you would like. As usual, stern drives won't be launched until Mother's Day. It is still early and Mother Nature will bring us some nasty weather yet, she always does. We hope everyone has a safe and great Easter Weekend. As a reminder we are closed Good Friday, open Saturday 9-4 and closed Sunday this weekend. Have a good one!

Mar.28/10
Just a short note that we will be closed Good Friday and also on Sunday over the Easter weekend. We will be open Saturday 9-4. Back later in the week. Enjoy the forecasted weather.

Mar.25/10
Another nice week under the spring skies. There seems to be some frost in the forecast for tonite and the next couple of days. -14C will almost make it feel like winter again. This should slow down the melting of the ice. The ducks and geese are trickling back in to the area and trying to find spots where the water is a little more liquid state to wash off all the dust from their long flights. The wild leeks are even starting to poke their leaves out throught the ground on some of the southern facing sidehills. It is nice to get out and enjoy the area before the BUGS start. We actually saw some disoriented mosquitoes the other day. They were so lost that they weren't even thinking about dinner. The ice is still here but definitely not safe so watch the pets to ensure you don't have to find that canoe to go rescue them. Enjoy the weekend.

Mar. 18/10
Wasn't that just about one of the warmest St. Patty's days on record. What a gorgeous week it has been, but the forecast looks like reality and a touch of winter is on it's way back. There has been quite a few up enjoying the March Break and out enjoying the weather whether it has been skiing up in Haliburton or just walking the trails. There is still snow, not large amounts in the woods. A little further north by Salmon Lake etc. there is more to be found but again the vast majority is gone. The ice is pulling away from the shores a little now but that is more to do with the level of the lake starting to rise. Although, the ice is still quite thick it would be very wise to stay off of it in case one finds a drain hole where it will be quite damp and cold!!! The roads are still soft so be careful if venturing in to the cottage on the cottage lanes so you don't get stuck. Have a great weekend!

Mar.12/10
A quick update. The Buckhorn District Snowmobile Club has closed the trails for the weekend. The weather forecast obviously isn't condusive to snowmobiling. As a result we will be closed on Sundays until further notice unless Mother Nature changes her mind and gives us lots of snow to re-open the trails.

Mar. 12/10
Well, it looks like other than a few minor things to get back on like Sales and Galleries the site is going to be back for a while. It has been a trying time but it is now hopefully going to be a lot less painful in the future. Everything has been good up here with the weather spoiling us for the last few weeks. Nonetheless, March came in really nice so we all know how it will treat us at the end of the month. Some of the roads are quite soft and probably will be softer with the forecast for the weekend. There is still snow around but I would say that the sledding is done unless we get some more of the white stuff. The lakes are starting to soften up so if one has an ice hut out on one of the lakes surrounding us this would be the weekend to get it off the ice. We are gearing up for a busy spring so if there is some of those jobs you would like to see done before the boat is launched please let Sally know asap. Stuff like new tops, detailing etc. are easier to schedule now before the big rush!! Have a great weekend and keep the umbrella handy!

Mar. 02/10
Finally, I have some access to the site for a little while. It has been a few weeks trying to sort out all kinds of issues but I do believe we are curing all the problems of past. Within a few days everything should be stable and good. There has for whatever reason been a number of DNS,IP,hosting issues that have befuddled even the more (much more) computer literate people than I. Having said that it has been a good couple of weeks weather wise for everyone to get out and enjoy the second attempt at winter! We have seen lots of people up enjoying the area and this has been great! The trails were as good as could be expected and then the snow helped considerably to let the snowmobiling begin. The only complaints have been the fishing hasn't been up to the norm from years past. The fish aren't hungry so I am told as there is numerous sightings on the fish-finders. Numerous sightings didn't lead to numerous catchings!! Like I always say that is why it is called "fishing not catching!" The warm weather is starting to make it look a little more spring like this week but March is coming in like a lamb so we all know what that means. Have a great week and if the computer gurus in the sky permit I will be back a lot sooner than later!

Feb 11/10
A gorgeous week it has been. The snow gods haven't delivered though and this is causing the conditions to be a little worse for sledders. The trails according to those that are riding are great from here north. The lake is still being traveled but one has to watch for snow patches to keep the sleds cool running. The pressure cracks on Mississagua and Catchacoma are increasing in size so I would suggest checking them out in the daylight as opposed to finding them the hard way at night. Snow in the forecast is certainly going to help. Come up, enjoy and take part in some winter fun on the lakes. As one last note we will be closed on February 15/10 for Family Day. Enjoy the weekend!

Feb . 4 /10
Finally, I am back. It has been really crazy around here and between computer issues, being away the last week plus etc. I think we are getting back in to a schedule again. The lakes seem to be good to go now but there is only a light dusting of snow on them. This will make it not too bad for skating etc. but it will be a game of catching the snow to keep the sliders and machines from over-heating. As usual, one has to watch the areas that are never safe to travel and avoid those areas. The trails as of this evening are actually pretty decent considering we definitely need more snow. There is still some rocks sticking through but they are as flat as possible considering the base the club has to work with. The weather forecast is looking pretty decent for the weekend as well so it might be a good weekend to come and play at the cottage. The picture to the right shows the other hazard on the lakes as of the last week or so. There is some decent pressure cracks forming on the big lakes so beware of these so you and the machine don't end up needing attention of the kind you don't want!! They are about 2-3 feet high in places. It is better to venture out in daylight hours to ensure you know where they are than to go blasting down the lake at night and find out the hard way! For the fisherpeople it sounds like the fish are starting to bite again in the (legal ones to fish) back lakes. To the rest that can't make it up for the winter weekends, sorry but it is sure sounding like a nice weekend to be here. Cheers for now.t

Jan. 12/10
Well most of the trails are now officially open. The trails are in not too bad of shape considering there is definitely more snow required in the immediate area. The club has done a great job getting them ready. There is still a fair bit of water running in the woods so some crossings are still a little wet but passable. Just to the north of us the trails have lots of snow and are fabulous. Catchacoma Lake is still very unsafe to travel. Sunday it looked like it was still open on the North Central part. Some people are starting to travel Mississagua and the smaller lakes now. As always use caution and travel at your own risk. It has been great seeing so many people up last weekend enjoying the area in the winter. We were quite busy with all the folks out enjoying what turned out to be a nice weekend! A reminder if you are thinking about a new boat the Toronto Boat Show is on till the end of the week so stop in and take a peek at the new toys for summer 2010. Have a great week!

Jan.3/10
Happy New Year! The holidays have gone quickly to say the least. The lakes are still not safe and there is a couple of young fellows that can attest to that. Everyone is safe and the old adage of asking us locals still holds true, so before you venture be sure to check with the local fellows and definitely don't try it out after dark!! The rink at the community center is looking great and the fishing season is on again on the local back lakes. I haven't heard of any monsters being caught yet but they are out there so I am told!! We hope everyone has had a great holiday season and we are back in full swing again tomorrow. The snowmobile trails have been being worked on tirelessly, but nonetheless not officially open yet. There is a lot of prep work to be done yet and mother nature has to do her share too. Keep an eye on the link on our website to the BDSC site to know when the trails are officially open. Mississagua Lake froze over on the 29th but with the snow of late it will be a while before it is safe so please don't try crossing it for a while. The sled sales are going strong the last day or so if there is something that is of interest you better jump on it quickly because they are disappearing quickly. Back in a bit!

Dec. 23/09
Ho,Ho,Ho! Merry Christmas to all!! Well,the big guy in the red suit is due tomorrow night, weather good or bad! It has been a busy couple of weeks around here and looking a lot like a white Christmas. As of today it looks like the groomers have been out trying to mold the snow we have in to trails that might be traversed next week if mother nature agrees. The lakes are still not frozen enough to venture out on to but with the temps of late we will see what happens in the next few weeks. Mississagua only froze across last night and I for one am not venturing out there for a while yet!! We hope everyone has enjoyed their time out shopping for the gifts and thoughts they have in mind for those special people on their lists. We would like to say a very big "Thank You!" to everyone who have supported us in this past year and we look forward to taking care of all your (time away from work) requirements in 2010!!! From Richard,Leah,family and staff we wish to everyone a great holiday season and a super, healthy and prosperous New Year!!!

Dec. 12/09
The snow has finally arrived in a grand fashion. Although, we have received far less than our neighbours to the near north we still have received enough to start us practicing how to move it again. Unfortunately, with no frost in the ground yet it has been a little difficult to move snow without giving the laneways a good scraping as well. Without the cold weather first this means that the new white blanket is holding the heat for the swamps etc. to make it impossible for groomers to get out and start working on the trails. All clubs in this area are requesting that everyone stay off the trails as they are definitely not safe yet. There has been lots going on at the Cavendish Community Center in the last month or so. The ball diamond has been fenced in, the ice pad has all new boards and curb to help keep the ice in when the temps are not co-operating and a new state of the art playground has been installed. It looks great and beckons to be used by everyone. The main lakes are still open so needless to say unless you still have a boat that you are shovelling out then it is a good idea to stay off of them for a while. Have a great week!

Nov. 28/09
Ahem, apparently I have been remiss in keeping up with the site!! It has been a very busy month with trying to finish up putting all the boats to bed. They just kept coming and coming which wasn't a bad thing it just kept us hopping as the days and the water level just kept getting shorter. The weather hasn't been terribly bad considering it is Novermber. The second week was unbelievably gorgeous and warm. It was the first time in years that I can remember not seeing snow or ice that week. Our water level has risen a little bit in the past week but that is largely due to all the water above us draining down. There is still a few boats running around with contractors trying to get in every day they can before the lake starts to freeze. To all our friends and customers south of the border, Happy Thanksgiving!! I hope everyone is enjoying the fall and lack of snow so far considering the west has been getting their share of precipitation. Apparently, the big fellow in the red suit is due in the next few weeks so if there is something we can help you find for the boater/sledder/atver in the family just give Sally a call and we can help you put that under the tree. Have a great week!

Nov. 1/09
Halloween was here and then it was gone. The water was here and then it was gone! Even with the torrential downpours of Friday night the water level is a tad on the low side. Needless to say I haven't been back because the weather person has kept us very busy trying to put all the toys to bed. Trying to keep them dry, happy and content(boats and employees) has been a challenge the last few weeks but we have perservered and I think we are definitely the winning team in the home-stretch!! We are now in to November hours and that means 9-4 Monday to Saturday(we are still working just not dealing with phones or drive-bys!) This ensures we get the rest of the boats to bed in time and as it now will be dark by 5-ish we need to make sure we can run un-interrupted for a few minutes each day to succeed!!We are closed Sundays until the Snowmobile club says the trails are officially open. We are also closed the week of Nov.9-13th for inventory and year end stuff! Today was an absolutely gorgeous day out on the water with a shallow draft boat. The critters are everywhere. Deer standing on the shoreline, loons grouching about their end of summer and the muskrats busy building winter homes. It is a great time of year up here but Saturday's weather made it seem like a good day to watch the fire and see the leaves blow by! We just take the good days with the less than good days and consider ourselves lucky to enjoy them from here as opposed to the alternative. Have a great week and well you know the routine, I will be back when the time comes!

Oct.7/09
Thanksgiving, here we come. The final countdown to the traditional summer-ending weekend. It looks like the forecast is not even going to let us down with the weather that seems to be normal for the last few Thanksgiving weekends here in Ontario. The water level is continuing to decline and well I don't have to tell anyone about the weather the last week. Today, with the winds, it was a tad bit wavy on the lakes to say the least. Add the monsoon rain from time to time(hmmmm, most of the day!!) and it felt like Mother Nature was just trying to put a fitting close to the summer that started in late August/early September. We have, as usual been putting lots of boats to bed and trying to keep ourselves dry. (not very successful on that front.) We are looking forward to seeing lots of faces over the weekend to enjoy the weather whatever it may bring. Remember, the last few weekends the weather person hasn't been totally right and we have seen some nice days. The snow in the forecast seems a touch early but well I guess it is October. The west can't have it all and not share!! If you are trying to decide about shutting down the water or not the forecast is suggesting -4 for next Tuesday so that might help with the decision. Have a great end of the week and we'll see everyone soon!

Sept.28/09
Well, the weather wasn't totally as predicted and Sunday afternoon was not too bad at all. The lake level is dropping fast so lots of people were out enjoying the water while it is still here. Even the leaves are starting to fall. It looks like next weekend will be the weekend to enjoy the height of the fall colours. There was a few people even trying to get their docks and boats moved out to prevent the boat being fully out of the water.(trust me, been there done that, not fun!!) The forecast for the next couple of days isn't pretty but it is looking nice for the end of the week.We hope all the kids are enjoying the back to school thing and are getting out enjoying the fall as much as possible. Have a great week and we will see everyone out enjoying the end of summer over the next couple of weeks counting down to Thanksgiving!

Sept. 21/09
Still, unbelievable weather. It was another great weekend with some cool temps in the morning but tubers and waterskiers out by the afternoon. It was really busy here again on the weekend with the afternoons being somewhat crazy at times. The water level is continuing to go down quickly and thus we are seeing a large amount of boats coming in a little early in spite of the weather. The numbers of boats coming in are great to see as this ensures they go away well dried etc. because of the lack of rain lately. (I couldn't have said that in July!!) Not that the boats ever go away wet but it is a little nicer to work when the weather has been as nice as it has. We have had a very large group of new customers we are seeing this fall for storage and that has been great to see. Having said this we are getting to the point of capacity so as I mentioned a few weeks ago just to ensure a spot please let Sally know so she can make sure we can fit it in for this winter. Well we should all keep enjoying this late summer and we'll keep busy putting the toys to bed. Have a great week.

Sept. 7/09
The weather is finally, a little more than unbelievable. Hence, the delay in getting some prose on to the site. We have been very,very busy. It was an absolutely picture perfect Labour Day weekend and probably the nicest weekend of the summer! It was great to see so many faces out getting the tan they had so wanted earlier in the year. I almost think I saw more burns this weekend than any other. This week the lake has settled back in to the mill pond look with some more nice weather and virtually no wind days. We have been busy picking up alot of boats and trying to get them in to their winter quarters. If you haven't talked to Sally about the storage yet you should soon as the lists are piling up. As a note for this weekend there is a planned power outage from just North of Lakefield all the way up through this area. It is scheduled to be off Sun. from 7:30a.m. until 12:30p.m. So, if you are up at the cottage you might want to get the coffee brewing bright and early Sunday morning. Our fall hours are now 9-5 seven days of the week. Yes, we will be open on Sunday from 9-5 but hmmm, there won't be any coffe brewing but all other goodies will be available. Hope you are enjoying the early September weather and we'll be back soon. The water level seems to be staying so far this week but we will keep you posted when it starts to drop quickly.

Aug.26/09
The phones are back. It was kind of nice and quiet for a while. Quiet isn't good for a long time though. Have a great day!

Aug. 26/09
We are experiencing phone lines that are not working and awaiting Bell's service teams to cure our connections to the outside world. If you need to get a hold of us please send an email and we will get back to you asap. Sorry, for the inconvenience and hopefully they can get us working again soon.

Aug.24/09
What a gorgeous week last week followed by a great weekend. We'll have to leave Thursday out of the mix as that was to say the least a little bit of a rain day!! It has been quite busy and still lots to do with everyone that had a chance to get out and enjoy the summer weather that finally showed up. It seems that the weather of summer showed up just in time for the leaves to start changing. The water levels have been great so far and with the rain and apparently a log being put back in they should stay for a week or so yet. We hope everyone has been enjoying what there has been of summer and we look forward to seeing everyone over the next couple of weeks before the school thing sends all the folks back to the city!! Education is a wonderful thing but it sure brings a good summer to an end quickly! Have a great week!

Aug.12/09
Just a quick note on the photo. It was to capture the clouds we have been seeing the last few days but if you look closely you can see the deer standing on the sandbar last evening. She was out enjoying the breeze and escaping the bugs for a while wading around in the water.

Aug.9/09
Another weekend comes to an end with some mid-day showers. Saturday was a great day with lots of people out enjoying the sun and fun.Buckeye had a good day on the water with the boats and wakeboard demos. Likewise, Hastings Marine had an awesome weekend a week ago. Thanks to everyone for coming out and making the weekend worth these two great marina's time to come up here. They are promising the week coming up to be one of the best so far this summer. It won't have to be too spectacular to beat most of the weeks so far. If it didn't rain for 5 days that would be a record I think. The fireworks went off very well and it was an awesome show! Thanks to the folks that did all the organizing and actual lighting of the candles!! As always, it is great to see so many boats out on that evening. The light show the boats put on is quite nice to see on it's own. We are staying extremely busy and the service shop is still behind with all of the work coming in. This is not a bad thing as it means everyone is getting out to enjoy the toys when they can. It seems early but nonetheless storage units are starting to come in already. Unfortunately, for some it is a short season at the lake. Having said this we were at capacity last year and if you would like to secure a spot please drop Sally a line so she knows to save you some room. Inside storage is at a premium and pretty well full already so if that is your desire, again, let Sally know asap or it might not get in. Have a great week and we'll keep our fingers crossed the weather person gets it right for a change this week!

July 27/09
The weather seems to be as usual the topic of conversation this summer?fall?spring? It certainly isn't letting up it's desire to be less than summer like conditions. Nonetheless, people seem to be getting out and enjoying what nice weather we do get from time to time. There is some events coming up at LGM in the next couple of weekends. Hastings Marine will be here over the long weekend with a number of boats and some wakeboarding boats to take people out for a ride. Buckeye follows up on the 8th of August weekend with a free pass weekend as well. So come out and enjoy some rides in new boats and let the kids take some hints from some really awesome riders. The annual fireworks go this weekend on Gold Lake on Saturday night. There has been lots of wildlife viewing lately with the critters all wandering around during the day. There is lots of healthy looking fawns along the Beaver Lake Rd. so be careful while driving in the road as they don't seem to be road smart yet. Have a great week and we'll see everyone over the long weekend!

July 15/09
Summer finally seems to be trying to appear. Although, the temps. are cooler than normal it is at least sunny!! There has been lots of people around in sweaters but nonetheless they aren't wearing rain coats. The swimming lessons are in full swing and the kids seem to be enjoying them. The shop has been busy and we are almost completed with launching all the boats. That is a good thing because some will be ready to go back in to storage soon. We hope everyone gets a chance to get out and enjoy the weather while it is nice before the weather person changes their mind again. Have a great week!

July 2/09
Another couple of weeks have slipped by again. It gets hard to notice with all the rain! There was one really nice day tucked in there last Saturday but alas more rain again! Nonetheless, it has been still really busy and it seems everyone is out enjoying the weather! At least it has been warm and the water so I hear is warm as well! Again, we welcome all the new people to the area as there seems to be a number of properties that have changed hands in the last few weeks! We look forward to meeting everyone and helping with all of the needs that seem to jump out as you settle in. Be careful, as you will find out, the neighbours up here are more friendly than you might expect and you will end up with numerous friends for life. In reference to the numerous questions about the bears, they seem to be more a rarity than an every evening occurence now than they used to be. We hope everyone is enjoying the start to summer and the store and the staff are ready for another great and busy season. I will start to update the photos a little more often again if the weather guy co-operates soon. There didn't seem to be much point in showing day after day of rain. If I could have gotten some photos of rainbows it might have at least showed a glimmer of hope the weather person was wrong! Our hours now are 8-8 until Labour Day weekend so those evening treks to the candy counter are a reality for the kids for another great summer. Have a great weekend!

June 18/09
Wow, where does the time go? It has been so crazy busy around here it is hard to believe the end of June is just around the corner! The flies have been fairly co-operative as of late. We are only feeding them dusk and dawn so far unless it is over-cast and then they seem to be hungry all day long like a 16 year old boy!! The weather this week has not been too bad. We have managed to miss most of the storms and carry on getting the toys back to their homes. The weather person seems to have a varied opinion on the weekend's weather but I think we will go with the thoughts of a former Peterborough weather forecaster! "There will be a 75% chance of weather this weekend!" The forecast hasn't been right for the past 7 weekends so why should this one be any different? We have been enjoying seeing everyone trickling back to enjoy another great summer in the area. We would also like to welcome all of the new faces that have been lucky enough to procure a piece of this great place we love to call home! Have a safe drive up, hope you had great luck on your exams(the younger folks!) and enjoy the weekend!

June 2/09
Snow on the weekend!! Who would have thought that possible other than it was still May? It was a weekend to remember weather wise for sure. The weather was less than desirable all of last week and hopefully with the start of a new month things will change for the better. Like a number of people have asked, what happened to global warming? We are still extremely busy and a little behind with all of the weather issues but perservering to get all of the toys back to their home bases. I have to apologize to those that have had some issues with the site. Unfortunately, our server/host company had experienced an attack on their servers and contracted some viruses. These slipped through the cracks and caused some issues for some customers and ourselves. They have assured me they are tackling the problem and everything should be good soon!! It has been great to see so many people up braving the weather and bugs. Depending on where you are and the wind you don't see many but others are really looking like well used pin cushions! The critters were out in full force late today and all types were in the hungry mode. We are hoping the weather person is right this week and we can finally enjoy some nice weather the rest of the week. Have a great week. Our hours for June remain 8-5 seven days a week!

May 25/09
Finally, not too bad a weekend! The weather and the bugs didn't mind co-operating for a change. Depending on the wind and where you were the weekend didn't go too bad. Some were overwhelmed with bugs while others complained there was none to be seen! Sunday was definitely the day to be out enjoying the cottage! The picture to the right today is our newest part of the welcoming commitee that everyone has been asking about. His name as most know now is Stormy. We have had the pleasure of enjoying this great fellow for almost three years now but have had to keep him in hiding because of his Lab tendencies to be a little playful! He weighs in at a modest 100 lbs. lately so we had to make sure he had calmed down a bit to be part of the team! He came to us through one of our more thoughtful customers that didn't want to see him destroyed after he had been through a few homes before he was 10 months old.(unfortunately, those homes didn't realize what a lab had for energy levels!!) He is a fixture now on the docks and store and only requires a pat on the head and a hello to become your friend forever!(biscuits he thinks add to the love and memory of who you are!! Don has been helping him remember people!!) We are still working around the clock to get all the toys in so please be patient and your treasure will be back on the dock soon. The time is required to ensure the treasure is parked beside the dock and not under it when you return to play with it for another great season on the lakes! Be back soon and hopefully the weather guy is wrong again this week so we can get alot more work done before the weekend!

May 18/09
How do you describe the weekend other than the May long weekend!! It was the usual mixed bag of weather that is for sure. The week leading up to it was the same and luckily the winds weren't as bad as Thursday but nonetheless it was the usual "what follows two days of bad weather?, Monday! Hopefully, regardless of weather, everyone enjoyed their first big weekend away from the city and made the best of it at the cottage. The critters weren't out in full force like usual so I guess we will be left to feed them ourselves this week when the temps start to warm up. The picture today is of the lake conditions on Sunday. There was a little bit of wave action on the big lakes to say the least. We enjoyed seeing everyone up enjoying the area (not the weather!) With the short week ahead we will continue to keep putting all the toys back on to their home docks for the masses to start enjoying the lakes again. If you have an extra dock hanging around please contact Sally so she can add it to the list and hopefully find it the owner to come and retrieve it. With all the high winds and high water they are ending up in the strangest destinations and we have a number of folks missing their perches for chairs, boats etc. to enjoy the view! Have a great short week and we'll keep the night candles burning to ensure the toys end up at home soon!

May 13/09
Busy, busy, busy!! Between the weather and huge amount of boats we are trying to get in to the water there is no sleeping lately. The weather has been co-operating a little but the little critters haven't! They are in good numbers late in the day because of the temps at night. I think they are hibernating until about mid-day. The water level has come up again and I am sure with tonight's forecast it will rise again. We are looking at a fairly wet day tomorrow and another on Saturday so it shall be interesting to say the least. With temps in the evenings around the freezing mark late in the weekend it reminds me of (hmmmmm, May!). We are trying to get all the toys in on time but needless to say weather is playing a huge part in the process so be patient. The toy will arrive when we can get it there. It is always interesting trying to slalom through the docks, picnic tables etc. floating down the lake on 3 foot swells some days to get the boat back safely to it's home. We are looking forward to seeing everyone up enjoying what the weather does or doesn't do this weekend so stop by and at least get out of the weather if necessary. Last word was the newspapers should be showing up again as of Saturday. We hope everyone has a great week, safe drive up and better weather than the guy in the sky is forecasting!

May 5/09
Wow, the ice left and it has been crazy here since. We have alot of boats in and alot more to go. Thankfully, the trilliums came out a couple of days ago and so did the blackflies!!Haha! They are starting to bite today and being their usual friendly selves. The weather looks like it might keep them hidden this weekend but we will see. For those trying to travel North of Pencil Lake Rd. the 507 is closed for a few days just south of Salmon Lake Rd. The highway developed a big sink section when a beaver dam let go a few days ago. They are in the process of trying to re-construct the road and have closed it until further notice. Our hours for May have changed to seven days a week and 8-5. If you haven't contacted Sally by now about the boat for the long weekend it would be safe to say you won't be seeing it!! The list is long and not really able to be compromised at this point. If you haven't received a reply to your emails then that means we didn't get them!!! The trees have started to let their leaves come out and the grass is starting to grow so be ready for the gardens and the mowing. A chance of frost again in the forecast so be careful about bringing too many flowers up until the forecast looks a little warmer for next week. Have a great week and we look forward to seeing everyone soon!

April 24/09
The ice left on the 17th and the lake is being travelled again for another season. Just be aware of the floating docks, picnic tables(two spotted so far!) logs, etc. that are on the waterways. It has been a busy week and the weather was terrible off the start but has definitely improved for the weekend. No bugs yet, so hurry up and do your raking now before they start. Most of the roads are drying out quite well but some of the shaded areas on less traveled lanes are still a little soft. As a constant reminder please remember to let Sally know when you need the boat. The two week rule is definitely in force now as the lists are filling fast! Also, if you don't receive a reply within 48 hours that means we didn't get the message so retry. If you don't receive a response that means you are not on the list!!!! Have a great weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone's smiling faces over the next few weekends. Actually, our parking lot is filling up quite well this afternoon with lots of people back up for the first time and heading to the places of cottaging bliss!

April 17/09
The ice is virtually gone. There is some bunched up around the shores to the south end of the lakes but todays high winds later in the aftenoon will take care of that. Have a great weekend and as a reminder we are still closed Sundays until Mother's Day weekend.

April 16/09
There is still ice out in the center of the lake that keeps moving up and down the lake depending on the wind. It might go late today if the wind comes up and the sun stays hot. Enjoy the day!

April 15/09
A quick update to say the ice is still on the main lake. It shouldn't be long now but nonetheless there is still a fair bit of ice out there. We will see what tomorrow's temps do to it. I'll let everyone know when it decides to leave. Enjoy the weather!

April 8/09
It has been another interesting week. Water levels are extremely high and still apparently going to climb a bit more. The dam has had 5 logs removed yesterday and it is still spilling over the wall. The levels in the river are really something to see. We have about 5 inches of fresh snow on the ground which has turned it back in to winter up here. There is still lots of ice in the lake so boats won't be a thing we will be seeing this weekend. Our website is finally getting back to normal. I have had a hard time even getting in to it myself because of the increased security levels at the host but alas that seems to be fixed now as well. This means I will be updating the sales, cottage rentals very soon. Thanks for the patience as I have had to show my share of it to with all the problems. I sure have learned alot more than I wanted to know about network stuff. Remember, two weeks notice required and have a great Easter Weekend! One note for the weekend, we are closed Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We will be open Saturday from 9-4. Gotta go, power is out now, one adventure to the next!

April 2/09
April showers bring May flowers! If the weather person is right for the next couple of days we should have lots of flowers!! The forecast is looking warm for the weekend but back to April next week. It has been nice enjoying the warm temps. but alas it is April and the weather will change daily. Snow in the forecast for the early part of the week to help keep the ice in for a few more days. The water level is rising quickly and the ice is starting to change colour. I would think the ice will probably hang around for a while yet and start thinking about it's normal migration south in roughly 14-17 days. Don't quote me on this because the weather person changes the rules far faster than I can keep up! It should go without saying but just in case, THE ICE IS UNSAFE FOR TRAVEL!!!(unless you have an airboat!) As per the official LGM rules if you would like your boat by a certain date,(two weeks notice required and Sally's acknowledgement to your request received!) the toy will be back in action. If you don't receive a reply to your email request within 48 hours then we didn't receive it so please try again! I have to apologize for the website troubles as of late. Our provider and a number of others in the last few days had some serious issues with something that might as well be martian language to me but hopefully we are up and going now. Our website was playing hide and seek for the last couple of weeks but I am told the game is over now and with just a couple of minor issues to sort out we should be playing "I spy" for a long time to come. The sales and cottage rental links are being worked on now to restore them asap. Have a great weekend, keep your puck on the "shore" and we'll be back soon.

Mar. 25/09
Just a short update. The ice is still looking strong and like it will be here for awhile. It is starting to pull away from the shores in spots and the getting on to it is a little harder. Anywhere there is water running it is strongly advised to stay away from those sections as the ice is very thin or non-existent. There is a history of some of our webcam shots now on the cavendish community centre site. We thought it was great that someone had taken the time to archive these and put them up.http://cavendishcommunitycentre.wordpress.com/ This link will put you there. Our hosting company for our website did some major server upgrades last weekend and since then some of our links. i.e. sales and cottage rentals go in to cyberspace for now. We are working to cure this problem and hopefully they will be back soon. Have a great weekend.

Mar.19/09
What a gorgeous week! The weekend is looking promising as well. It has been warm and quite nice outside this week and the folks that have been tapping trees are getting lots of sap and sunburns. The snow is slowly melting away but with the cool nights there is still a fair amount in the woods. The ice is still being traveled but the shorelines are starting to be soft in spots. With the trail conditions being very limited now we are closed Sundays until May. We hope everyone has been enjoying the March Break. If you can't get to the cottage this weekend don't forget the Toronto Sportsman show is on so one could go and pretend they are out enjoying the lake. Have a great weekend!

Mar.10/09
Just a quick note that we will be closed Thursday Mar. 12th as hydro is doing a shutdown for maintenance work on the lines for a good portion of the day. We will also be closed Sunday Mar. 15th as the trails for sledding won't be travelable unless the forecasted rain accumulations turn in to snow!

Mar. 8/09
Today is the calm before the storm again. It was a rather wet and interesting weekend. It made the sledding a little hard to do and skating required water wings to navigate all the, up to 14 inch deep, water in places. Certain sections of the lakes had at least that much water on top of the ice late Friday afternoon. It is an interesting feeling riding across the lake on a fourwheeler and plowing through water. This has since drained off and the lake is ready for all the snow they are promising tonight. It promises to be a true March week with a mixed bag of weather and the thermometer bouncing between pluses and minuses each day. The kids seemed to be getting excited about March break and all of it's fun to be had coming soon. There has been some buckets starting to appear on the trees around here as well so we'll see how they make out with the sap just starting to run. If you are able get out and enjoy the weather today.With the forecast ahead you might be out later but it will be with a shovel in hand! Have a great week! One last reminder, everyone must have the boat operator's card by September. If you still don't have yours follow the link above for an easy, on-line experience to get your card and stay legal!!

Feb.27/09
Well it was a nice week and it is promising to go back to cool wintry condition again. Today is just wet and wetter. It is raining pretty good and promising to wash the snow off the lakes again. We'll see what happens later in the day if it can turn to snow before it quits. If you are planning on coming to the cottage I wouldn't count on snowmobiling as the trails are being listed as closed or limited access. Have a good weekend.

Feb.19/09
The snow has arrived again. We haven't received a ton of snow but at least enough to cover the ice and let the sleds start rolling again. I ran in to some groomers this afternoon so they are out trying to pack down what we have before the wind blows it away. The lake is drifted but at least there is enough snow to lubricate sliders. The lake level started coming up this week and has shoved some ice up on shore in spots. There is some limited flooding around some of the shorelines on top of the ice but tonight's temps should take care of that. It shouldn't be hard to shovel off a rink with the snow being so fluffy this weekend to get some games of hockey going! It was great to see so many people up enjoying the long weekend and the weather. This weekend's weather isn't looking too bad either for those that are feeling the urge to come up and enjoy the quieter side of the cottage(albeit a touch cooler) It seemed that there was alot of towables behind four wheelers last weekend enjoying the harder side of the lake. Enjoy the rest of the week.

Feb. 12/09
Time to put the umbrellas away! It has been an interesting week weather wise but now that the snow banks are lower and the lake is done pretending to be liquid again it is time for us to get back to winter. A touch of snow this evening is helping the appearance of winter to return. The forecast for the weekend is looking quite good. Unfortunately, the sledders might not like the conditions until next week's snow that is forecast. Looking at the lake it might be a good weekend to go skating or get a game of hockey going. Just don't hit the puck too hard or it might end up at the other end of the lake. We have lost a fair bit of snow but it is still early in the game and there is lots more to come. Saturday the 14th of Feb. (nudge,nudge) for those that might have forgotten looks like it is going to be a great day weather wise. It might be a great day to get your significant other out for a walk, snowshoe, trek across the lake to the cottage, etc. We are still keeping quite busy around here with an amazing amount of people stopping in while out exploring the area. I think it is the Kawartha Dairy ice cream craving that is driving the masses!! The holiday weekend might have something to do with it as well. We are closed for Family Day on Monday and re-opening on Tuesday the 17th. We wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and a great winter long weekend.

Feb. 5/09
Just an update before the weekend. The trails are looking quite good and ready to use. Some of the small link trails between lakes are a little bumpy as it is hard to get the groomers across the lake through the slush. The slush is getting better and shouldn't be as bad this weekend. A reminder the Buckhorn District Snowmobile Club is having a pancake breakfast at the clubhouse this weekend followed by a 50/50 Rally and family fun ride. They would like to see lots of people out supporting this worthwhile cause. The trails to the clubhouse will be table top I am sure! The weather looks to be interesting but I am sure that like always they have been known to be wrong every once in a while. Have a great weekend!

Feb. 2/09
Back again, after a short time away. Sorry for the down time but we managed to sneak away to a warmer spot for a few days and now back to the reality of the good ol' north. The weather hasn't been too bad around here for the last while other than the snow just keeps piling up. There are a number of roofs that are getting quite deep with snow in the area. Some of the cottages out in the open are doing fine but the protected ones are sure holding their snow. I am starting to think that shovel thing is a permanent part of our arms as of late!! There has been no rest for the guys plowing around here this winter. The snowmobile conditions are fabulous with the exception of last weeks snow load starting to make the lakes quite slushy. On close inspection today the slush is probably over a foot deep in alot of places. Hopefully, the cool temps promised for the latter part of the week will freeze this back up again. The groomers have been out doing a great job and the trails are holding up quite well considering the large volumes of traffic that are out enjoying them. The long range forecast is looking like it will be a great weekend with warm temps and some more snow! This won't help for building rinks but will certainly make all the rest of the winter activities look good to be out enjoying! The folks at Anstruther Marina have been enjoying a great turn out each weekend for the great food they are serving up. Our community center is also open for soup and sandwiches on Saturdays and Sundays as well. They are open from 11-3 to feed the hungry sledders etc. in the area. We will be closed on Mon. February the 16th for Family Day so mark that on your calenders if you happen to be up and in the area. Have a great week and as always back again later!

Jan. 15/09
Brrrrrrr!!! There was a touch of frost on the pumpkin this morning. Actually, it isn't too bad. It is nice when the cold is dry and virtually no wind. It has been an absolutely gorgeous couple of days up here. OK there was a little more wood and oil being burned the last night or two but hmmmmm! that vs. shovelling? The groomers have been out in record numbers and the trails are looking quite awesome. There is a couple of trails still closed to, believe or not water still running and a bridge out above Salmon Lake Rd. Other than that everything looks great and it sounds like a lot of people are coming up to enjoy the fresh air! The lakes are looking pretty frozen but the usual spots are still a little dicey. This weather, you would think, would freeze the rivers up but with the amount of water still running, NOT! There is a number of pressure cracks on Catchacoma and one big one on Mississagua but for the most part they are well travelled. The forecast is looking pretty good for the weekend so get out and enjoy the great winter season. Rumours say that the Toronto Boat show is going well so if that is true we may see a number of new toys on the softer side of the lake in May! Have a great weekend and hope to see lots of people up enjoying the season this weekend!

Jan. 8/09
Snow and more snow. The trails are officially opened as of yesterday! First hand experience says that they are not too bad. They have for the most part been groomed and as of tonight they look pretty good. I can't say what they will look like after tomorrow and everyone gets out and enjoys them! From some sources that have been on the lakes there is a minimum of 3 inches to a maximum of 10 on the main lakes. I don't know if that is enough for me but nonetheless they are starting to travel the lakes by sled now. Any of the traditional flow areas i.e. any of the narrow spots are still open!!! There still seems to be alot of water flowing from the thaw a week or so ago. From what the birds are saying there is a couple of pressure cracks on Catchacoma that one must be aware of as well. The lake level is rising and shoving some ice up on to the shores in spots. For those that are venturing up, the folks at Anstruther Marina have opened up a Restaurant to feed the hungry folks that don't feel like cooking on the weekends. They are open Fri.3-8 and Saturday/Sunday 8:30-8:00. Their menu looks pretty appetizing and maybe I could be tricked in to taking Leah away from the stove to try some of their yummies! They also have a great view from the restaurant overlooking the lake! We hope everyone is enjoying the New Year so far. Remember, the Toronto Boat Show opens this weekend so if you can't make it North you can go downtown and look at the toys that will be shoving the ice away in the spring to enjoy the softer side of the lakes! We are now open 7 days a week again from 9-4 until Mother Nature closes the trails. Just when we were starting to enjoy that day of rest, ol' man winter decided we were to get back to the game to keep the fun in winter!! Have a great weekend and enjoy the weather whatever you may get up to. Bye for now!

Dec. 31/08
Happy New Year to everyone. We hope everyone has been enjoying the holidays. An update on the trail conditions. With the high winds from Sunday and Monday there is a lot of trees on the trails. It will probably be a few more days before they are all cleaned up. The trail is looking good but virtually impassable at this point. There is still a number of places without hydro since Sunday as well. Hydro is hoping to have those back on by late today or tomorrow. The lake is still not frozen to the point I would cross it yet. Hopefully, the cold temps over the next few days and the lack of snow forecast will help them to freeze up and become useable. Have a great evening and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Dec. 24/08
Merry Christmas to everyone! We hope everyone gets to see the Big Guy in the Red Suit! The weather is leaving a little to be desired on the eve of Christmas but it shall change too. We would like to remind everyone the lakes are not safe at all right now to travel on. They have covered over in the last few days but with the weight of the large amounts of snow and now rain they are a "NO GO ZONE" The roads have lots of snow and you will find no shortage in the woods so please play safe and stay away from the inviting water. We Thank everyone for a great year and look forward to seeing everyone enjoy a great holiday break and a safe and Happy New Year! From the Carrolls and the staff at LGM.

Dec.14/08
Definitely December weather. Changes are daily and lots of snow,lots of rain and temps are all over the place. The snow was getting pretty deep on a lot of roofs this past week. Hence, we spent our weekend shovelling the weight off of the buildings before the warm weather of today. The snow has remained with a fair bit of depth but the laneways in the area are fairly icy after today. Mother nature has rebounded with high winds and cool temps though so the snowmobile trails should survive and let the groomers get out and do their thing. The lake has frozen, thawed, frozen and thawed again. We are still busy getting the winter toys ready to go for when the trails are open and the lake is frozen!! I have had some limited success with the sales gallery and am now able to post ads again to update the toys available list. The pics are coming once that final obstacle has been overcome but if there is something you are interested in drop us an email and I will send you some pics. I have also managed to get back in to the galleries section and will start updating that again in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, the cyber space people have been bouncing around with our access points and have now landed so I am trying to extract as much info as possible out of them before they disappear again. Hope everyone is doing well considering the weather and soon to come is hopefully a live webcam as soon as I can crack the case on that little toy. I love wireless networks when they can all see each other but I think they like playing hide and seek more than 8 year old kids!! Have a great week and I'll be back soon!

Nov. 29/08
Wet snow, wet snow and more wet snow. It certainly makes the area look wintry. The trees are all covered and hanging on to the white stuff. It has caused a few power outages but nothing serious. We are busy getting the sleds ready for another hopefully, long winter season. If you haven't purchased your trail pass there is just a few days left before the increase in price. Give Sally a call and she can get one set aside for you. Our hours for December are Mon.- Sat. 9-4, closed Dec.25,26,27. Jan.1&2. If the snowmobile trails officially open before January we will be open on Sundays at that point. If you are looking for Christmas ideas for that hard to buy for person remember we have lots of goodies here. Everything from kayaks,canoes to the water toys that get towed behind the boat. Sally says there is some great deals on some new style life jackets as well. The ice is non-existent on the main lakes so if you want to cross bring your canoe. Have a great week!

Nov.20/08
From Halloween to frozen water in the bay and extremely low water levels! Most of the boats are away but they are still some out there testing the water. Some are finding their bays' water of the solid type and the lucky ones on the main sections are still finding it in the liquid state. It has been interesting to watch the weather in the last few weeks. I think we might be heading back towards the old fashioned winters again. Yeah!! It will certainly be easier to deal with all of this cold stuff with the price of crude where it is now compared to the summer time prices. One might be able to afford to heat their home this winter!! We have been still quite busy putting the rest of the "till the end" boats away! But alas, with the snow, the first of the snowmobiles have been starting to grace the shop floor. The switch in to the next season will be upon us before we know it. It seems that the last boat comes across the lake and the first (maybe, not so Smart!) sled goes racing across the newly frozen liquid! We hope everyone has been enjoying the fall so far. An update on the inventory closure, it went extremely well!(so I am told, I skipped that part but apparently my turn is coming!) We have lots of ideas for the cottager in you for Christmas presents so if you are looking for the unique, once only idea give Sally a call and see if she can turn it in to a reality for you. We have some neat stuff in stock and can get you even more stuff if your idea is a little out of the box. She just needs usually a few days to a week to make it happen. Our hours for December are the same 9-4 Monday to Saturday. I will let you know asap on the hours over the break. If I have my way (haha!) 15th to the 15th(same month or two months hmmmm?)we will be closed. Unfortunately, there is higher powers than me and we will be closed for a few days over the Christmas break but not all. In closing, yes we have snow on the ground, the roads aren't bad,it is only an inch or two but a little slippery in spots. Apparently, we have another high speed internet kid on the block. I will update you soon as to contact numbers, etc. It is coming from Bell through the phone lines and from the folks I have talked to it seems to work well. It supposedly comes with no contracts to sign as well, at this time anyways. Well, I know more right now but I will save it for later. Have a great weekend!

Oct.28/08
Happy Halloween! It's here in a couple of days and the weather is certainly here with it. For those that live to the east of us sorry about your night of snow! For those living out west wow what a gorgeous week you have had! We on the other hand have just been caught in the middle and not complaining either way. The only complaint around here is that the water is really low! We are on the down side now and have less than "alot" left to put away. They should all be to bed other than the ice runners in the next week or so! Crashing, banging the boat through the ice just doesn't call me like it used to but for some it is fun, lots of fun! Our hours for November are 9-4 Monday-Saturday. We will be closing for inventory Nov.10-14th. We have tried for many years to do this through the month of November and it just makes Leah's life and the rest of us, well,in a word'interesting'. So, in the spirit of trying something new we figure if we close and get'r'done then all our lives will be better! We will be open the Saturday either end of that week so feel free to stop by and cheer her and Sally on!! Have a great weekend and we hope all the ghost,ghouls and goblins don't have too sore of heads(adults) or tummies(young ones)on Saturday morning! Oh, the pic is a couple of us managing to sneak away a week ago for a night on the Moon River,Georgian Bay.

Oct.16/08
What a gorgeous Thanksgiving Weekend! I don't think we have seen one like that in a number of years, especially three days in a row of perfect weather, leaves perfect and well, sorry about the water level. The water just seems to keep going downstream. It is getting quite shallow now and making it a little more difficult to traverse between lakes.(not impossible but interesting!) The leaves are falling quickly and should be ready for raking by the middle of next week. I would think by the looks of the forecast early next week should knock the rest of the work from the trees. There is still alot up there so this weekend might be a good start to rake up a lot of them but certainly not all. If you are hoping to get your docks moved this would be the weekend to do so as I would think by next you won't be going too far with them. As a reminder we are now closed on Sundays and our hours through the rest of the week are 9-5. We are working much longer hours but that is the store hours. We have had an extraordinary week and have picked up a large number of the remaining boats but there is still a few more to go so that will keep us busy for a few more weeks. It was great seeing everyone last weekend and for those we won't see till spring "09 have a safe and happy winter. As Don says, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and enjoy the Easter and we'll see you after that. For the rest we look forward to seeing everyone up enjoying the winter that is sure to come. Have a great weekend and I'll be back! (notice, non-commital as to when!)

Oct.7/08
-3 Celsius last night, water is low and the leaves are changing/ falling all at the same time!! Must be Thanksgiving w-end coming. It has been gorgeous over the last few days. Refreshingly cool in the mornings but gorgeous afternoons. This morning the lake was like a mill pond and reflections of the trees were fabulous. We are looking forward to a great weekend with the weather threatening to be nice! As the usual we have been busy and have a large number of boats away now. The water is definitely getting much lower now so if you are out boating watch out for the obstacles that weren't there a couple of weeks ago. It is promising to be very busy this weekend so let Sally know your intentions in respect to the toys so she can schedule all of the requests. We are looking at pulling a very large number of boats over the next week so we need to be organized(as much as possible!)Our hours for October are 9-5 seven days a week until Thanksgiving w-end. After that we are closed Sundays until the snowmobile trails officially open. Usually that is early to mid-January. This will also be the last weekend until spring for the newspapers. They apparently don't feel like driving this way for us to stay in the loop/know over the winter months. We hope everyone has a safe drive up and as usual we can't wait to see all the smiling faces out enjoying the fall weather. See everyone soon!

Sept.23/08
Wow, look at the date! This month has just flown by. The leaves are starting to think about changing but I am pretty sure they had enough to drink this summer they don't know what to do. On the backside the lake knows what to do it is definitely heading south! The water is ever so slowly but nonetheless going downstream. We have been so busy putting the toys to bed it just ends up so late every evening to keep this up to date. There has been a ton of new boats coming in and we're not complaining, it is just keeping us really busy!! If you haven't talked to Sally about putting the toy to bed please give her a call to make sure there is a spot. I need some more firewood for the winter but don't have the time to clear off some more land right now. We hope everyone has been enjoying the fall whether it be at school football practices, walks in the evening or the really lucky ones that have been spending alot of their time up here enjoying the cool mornings and seemingly hot afternoons!! There was a large number of planes around on the weekend also enjoying the fall flying. They seem to congregate in this area hoping to catch the changing of the colours. If nothing else apparently ( I didn't get to go) it was a great weekend to be up and enjoying the scenery. Maybe next time they will let me leave for a few hours to go and play!! There is still a few deals in the store to clear out some stuff before we store it for another season. Come and see me for some deals on everything from stereo speakers, to hand held gps units(I know it doesn't help when trying to explain you were lost as an excuse for being late!), some towable toys, and some kayaks and canoes. There is also some great deals on boats that the owners are willing to talk so they don't have to carry them over the winter. (maybe I should have said GREAT DEALS !!!!) Have a great week and enjoy the weather while we have it, who knows it could snow tomorrow. Bryan has already seen snow in Yellowknife and it unfortunately isn't that far away!! I am biting my tongue so that we don't have to pay the huge oil bills already to keep the heat on. Bye for now!

Sept. 1/08
Summer at last! I haven't seen weather like this since April. Wasn't it a fabulous weekend? The picture says it all. Nice quiet sunset this evening, lake like a mill pond and oooops the kids start school in the morning. Nonetheless, there is a number of people that have delayed the return trip to reality until later in the week. It would have been so hard to have to leave today and drive back to the routine starting for another season. It was for us a great weekend and super to have seen so many faces out enjoying the weather. The candy counter took another beating today as well. Good thing that the sweet teeth got filled up one more time before the rituals of early to bed and early to rise start. There was a large number of boats coming in for storage over the weekend and alot of new faces. If you need to have us get your baby attended to and put to bed let Sally know early so she can ensure you a spot. Hopefully, the water level will slow down in it's inevitable decreasing depth! It looks like the people controlling the dams have done a little better job this year and the water has held off a little later than normal. Nonetheless, it is still slipping downstream and leaving us with a little less each day. We are looking forward to a very busy fall and hope everyone enjoys the weather throughout this week. Gustav might cause some weather issues later in the week but hopefully minimal. Thanks again for a great weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone throughout the changing of the leaves! As a reminder our hours for the fall until Thanksgiving are Sunday-Thursday 8-5 and Friday/Saturday8-6.

Aug.20/08
This week promises to be gorgeous for a change. The weather is finally co-operating unless you live in Florida. It has been nice to see so many people out enjoying the continuous sunshine throughout the day without the rainforest feel. As most of you have noticed the water is slowly dropping away. According to some sources all 6 logs have been pulled as of the first of the week so the water will be going sooner than later now. Apparently, there is a very large volume of water above us and they need to let some go to relieve the pressures in the lakes. Also of note to those that might not be aware on Green's Lake the dam is being opened on or about Sept. 12th so all of the boats need to be out by then. If they aren't then they will be on shore hundreds of feet away from any running water. It has been a busy year and unfortunately for the kids (big and small!) it seems to be heading for fall very quickly. (temps in the morning suggesting this) If you haven't made arrangements for storage please contact Sally asap as there has been a large number of new customers requesting space so to ensure your spot please drop her a line. We are going to be selling off all of the display water toys asap, come in and haggle with me and we'll get you the one your kids want on a great deal! Have a great week and hope everyone enjoys the last couple of weeks for the summer.

Aug.10/08
Another gorgeous liquid Sunshine day in the Kawartha Highlands! It is still quite busy around here and lots of new faces coming in. The Hastings Marine crew had a fabulous weekend with lots of board riding and demos with the new boats. The Fireworks were fabulous and the number of boats that attended was awesome. The water levels have been staying well but apparently there has been a couple more logs taken from the dam in the last week so it will start disappearing soon. Thanks to all the supporters for the Poppy Truck donations to help out the children of our fallen soldiers. At least with the Olympics on the box now the weather will give us a chance to watch our athletes perform. Rain or not let's keep getting out there and having fun because it isn't that far away before the kids are back in school. Three full weeks and bon voyage to another summer. Have a great week and if the weather forecasters are right????? we might have a fairly nice week!

July 28/08
Weather, weather and more weather. This is what the forecasters keep saying! They seem to have one thing right as there has been no shortage of rain. Nonetheless, the lake level is fantastic and there seems to be a few hours everyday of sunshine. It has been a great month with lots of people around. The Buckeye team had a very successful weekend and enjoyed taking all the people out for wakeboard,ski etc. rides. The Regatta for the lakes was a great success until about 2:45 when Mother Nature unleashed her rain and lightning again. Add the power outage for a good number of folks around the lakes and it wasn't too bad a weekend.(Better than the alternative in some years past!) There was a number of great social events around the lake on Saturday evening including a wedding with generator assisted music that all went well. The big weekend is upon us soon. A reminder the Fireworks are on Beaver Lake this year, Saturday night August 2/08. Be sure not to miss the highlight of the summer. Hastings Marine is on sight as well Saturday and Sunday offering demo rides, wakeboard rides and displays of the talent from the younger folks that might not feel it as much when they miss the landing that I only dream about now. As well, this weekend there is some big discounts on all of our display tubes, water toys spread around in front of the store. Stop by, save some bucks and be the Super MOM/DAD to take the kids out to play on one of the neat toys. Like I tell our daughter, I'll drive you be the test pilot.(so far no arguments) Looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend on the biggest weekend of the summer(pssst, someone pass that on to Mother Nature and hopefully she'll co-operate!) Have a great week, safe drive up and an AWESOME weekend!

July 14/08
Still busy and having fun! The lake level seems to be staying(don't tell the guys that remove the logs!) It has been great and very busy! The kids are enjoying their swimming lessons and unlike last year aren't showing up in snow suits before having to get in to the water. There seems to be alot more action on the lakes and more people out enjoying their toys. I think after the month of June the weather couldn't have gotten much worse or wetter. A reminder that Buckeye Marine is having their annual "Weekend on the Water" here this coming weekend. It should prove to be a great weekend for the participants again this year. Come out and learn how to wakeboard or look at all the new boats and test drive them. The annual August long w-end fireworks are scheduled for the Saturday on Beaver Lake this year. Don't miss the show as it is usually well worth attending. The sight of all the boats is enough reason to get out and enjoy the evening!(as well as all the ooooohhhs and aaaahhhhh's!) We have in the store a great fundraising idea brought up by one of our good customers. It is a replica of the highway tractor that was painted to commemorate our soldiers that have been lost. This replica is selling for $50 and all proceeds go to a scholarship fund that has been set up for the children of our heroes. I think it is an amazing idea and we are supporting this as much as we can. Stop by and check this out and let's help to make this project work. Have a great week and hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far.

July 1/08
HAPPY CANADA DAY! The weather even has co-operated today for a change so hopefully everyone is out enjoying the Birthday!

June 26/08
Wow, what a week. Still busy around here and the weather was different too. We, for a change, didn't get some of the weather experienced around the province earlier in the week but it did still have it's ups and downs. The weather is looking like it will be a great weekend contrary to earlier reports. As a reminder swimming lesson registrations happen this weekend on Saturday out on the point here at the marina. Our hours starting this weekend will be 8-8 seven days a week until Labour Day! This is the opening weekend for Bass fishing as well so everyone that has been itching for a good feed of fresh fish can go fishing hopefully catching, this weekend as of Saturday morning(providing you have a license) Some dates to mark down 1)Buckeye Marine will be here on the weekend of the 18th of July with a large number of boats and presenting the Free Pass weekend for wakeboard rides. 2)Hastings Marine will be here on the August 1st weekend with a similar type of showing and lots of wakeboarding and nice new boats to look at. 3)Town and Country Marine will be here mid-August (date to be announced). We are still keeping busy putting the boats in to the water and look forward to seeing everyone this weekend. The yard has lots of colour now with alot of the newest water toys out and ready to hook to the back of the boat to put the kids and big kids out behind the boat having fun! Have a safe drive and beware of all the extra officers on the road to ensure your safe arrival. Apparently, the word is out that they will have a very strong presence on the water here this summer as well! See you all soon!

June 17/08
I have said it before and as I get older I probably forget but where does the time go? It has been such crazy weather and crazy busy around here that the months just keep slipping by. We can't complain about our weather though compared to all the people south of the border from us! We have had our share of tornadoes and such but we have to keep it in perspective with no casualties etc. (touch wood!) in our peace of paradise. Our thoughts are with all of the families in the Mid-West and it seems like most of the US with the weather they have been experiencing the last few weeks. It seems as some of the docks are starting to find their way home but there is still quite a few people missing theirs. If you happen to have an extra hanging around please drop Sally an email and she will post it on our board and hopefully it will save someone a lot of money and time searching or replacing their piece of tranquility(not to mention a place to tie the boat to!) The water level has decreased about 6 inches in the last week but the forecast seems to think it will be back shortly. Now the topic of hot conversation, BUGS, well to say the least they have been HUNGRY the last few days. Our usual request this time of year is please come and share in the feeding!? The weather is almost perfect the next few days to keep them healthy. Sally in her infinite wisdom has the store stocked with her new secret weapon! We have a really garlic smelling concoction that you are able to spray around the property and apparently it keeps the critters(including geese) away. Now, I have to trust Sally on this one because where she lives North of here the bugs require landing clearances from the tower to carry you away!! Apparently, we are all just feeding them a little until they grow up and head north to feed on her. The water toys are starting to appear with the warmer weather and the candy store is almost ready to feed all the kids so we look forward to seeing everyone to enjoy. Come quickly because the staff seems to think that the candy counter looks really good too! Fortunately, the calories are being burned by the staff as they are all so busy working on getting the boats on to their docks. They are having fantasies of demo testing the water toys to but until the boats are out (MEAN Boss I am told!!) they are stuck doing the preparing of towing devices. Have a great week and we'll see everyone soon!

May 29/08
Another gorgeous week in paradise. The frost at night and the critters to eat you late afternoon have made it just like spring. Actually, the critters haven't been too bad here this week. They were starting to get a little hungrier this afternoon when it finally warmed up. A little farther north(Pencil Lake) they are really hungry so it is always a perspective thing. It looks like the weather is threatening to not be so nice this weekend, so if the forecast is right it should be absolutely nice! There has been a ton of lost docks and requests coming in about any sightings. If you happen to have an extra on your shoreline drop the office a line with description etc. and we will try and help them all return home. The leaves are in full bloom and the wild flowers are lining the roads so it is definitely a nice drive in now. Have a great end to the week and we'll see everyone soon.

May 21/08
There it was another gorgeous May Long W-end. Well it must have that way somewhere! It was a unique blend of weather we had. I think the mode of transportation could have been sleds if the water had been a touch harder. Nonetheless, we have put another one in the reservoir of knowledge that reminds us that Mother Nature can still bring us anything she wants in May. It was great to see everyone over the weekend enjoying their three or more days getting some work done without too many little critters chewing on them. We are still quite(EXTREMELY) busy getting all of the boats back in the water. Hence, the delay in pics and updates. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Be sure to stop by and see all the new towables to add to the collection. We now have some really neat and fun toys. I (if I have time) might even be tricked in to trying some of these new ones out. Our daughter keeps on volunteering but that would mean that she was playing (testing in her words!) instead of helping to deliver the toy that tows these toys. Actually, she checked on the temperature of the water the other day and conceded that delivering on top of the water was still more desirable than being in the water for at least a couple of weeks "daddy"! Be sure if you haven't booked your delivery date and heard Sally's giggle to do so sooner than later. Have a great week and I won't jinx the forecast by talking about it and we'll see you on the weekend if you are coming to help us feed the critters!

May 15/08
Here comes another May Long W-end. As usual the weather person is forecasting their mixed bag of tricks for the first long weekend of the summer. They are even saying we should cover the plants(flowers)here tonite with a chance of 0 forecast. The boats are steadily heading for the lake to enjoy their time on the water. The water has receded a few inches over the week and some of the debris is starting to come to rest on shore. Hopefully, a bunch of it has plugged the dam and we can keep some extra water for a while this year. Having said this there is still a lot of logs,docks etc. floating around the lake so be careful when you are out boating. My propeller rebuild guy is still busy right now and well if you find this stuff he will only get busier! There is a lot of neat new water toys in the store so stop by and check them out to make the kids and the big kids happy on the water this summer. Right from the newest, hottest knee boards to the new skate waterboards etc. she has stocked them all at great prices. I'll be the driver as my bones might not take the rattlin" that some of these toys promise. There is trampolines, kayaks, canoes,water lounges(count me in!) tubes,etc. We have also sold a fair number of boats in the last few weeks so if you are looking to upgrade your toy stop by and let us know how we can help to park something new on the dock! Have a safe drive up and we look forward to seeing everyone again over the weekend. As far as we have been led to believe newspapers start again this weekend and of course for sure the freezers are stocked with "Kawartha Dairy ICE CREAM" See y'all soon!

May 7/08
Well, the Trilliums came out today and we all know what cute little dark critters come from them!! The little fellows started showing their "forever in your face" smiles today. They aren't biting yet just showing us that they too are starting to enjoy Spring and maybe us tasty morsels in another day or so. The water levels are at the highest we have seen them in a number of years. With this comes a large number of docks floating by and large trees etc. Luckily, for us they are all heading downstream but for some of the unfortunate owners that will mean a tow back upstream to their rightful homes. We are told it might head for the magical 0 again tonite so that might freeze some of the flying critters. The weekend is shaping up to be nice so far. I hope this means that everyone remembers MOM on Sunday and takes her out to enjoy the nice weather and doesn't ask her to rake up the yard at the cottage. At least not this Sunday! We are as usual at this time of year crazy busy. The weather hasn't been helping but we are perservering and delivering as many as possible every day to their homes. Sally has said that if you haven't contacted her yet for the boat before the long weekend then install dark sunglasses,close eyes,dream of what the boat was like and that will be your picture for that weekend but feel free to contact her for the following weekend! Have a safe drive up and we look forward to seeing everyone soon! Cheers!

April 30/08
The scene from here today at the end of April. I thought the winter toys were fitting for the picture. We had three separate sets of snow squalls today. The temps have been -3C that last couple of evenings. I guess it is just a reminder that the farmers always know best when they insist on planting crops after the May long weekend. The water level is now up to normal height for this time of year. I am hearing lots of reports of floating debris and docks again this week. With the forecast for the weekend we will see how much more the water will come up. Hope everyone as usual is having a great week and I'll be back soon!

April 24/08
The ice is definitely gone. The Leeks are a blooming and so are the mosquitoes. The Dragon flies are here in limited numbers too which is really early for them. And, of course the loons are here and singing away. Most of the snow is gone except for the large piles which haven't completely melted but almost. The yards are still a little wet to navigate and we are trying to do our best to get at the boats but it is a work in progress so far. Lake level has come up quite a bit and is looking good to start the summer. Apparently, there is a few docks etc. floating around the lake finding new homes but that will straighten itself out in the coming weeks. There is also a large number of floating logs etc. so be careful if you are out boating around. Our hours for May are as follows. 7 days a week 8-5 except Sunday May 4th which will be the last Sunday closed until I decide to close again on Sundays(probably late fall!) Sally is overwhelmed with requests for toys so make sure she has the two week notice or beware! As I have said in the past if you haven't received a reply or notice your request has been received try again or it doesn't count! The phones are being answered as much as possible but she seems to stray from the office from time to time so try again or send an email(she always deals with them) Oh, by the way the phones only get answered during business hours, other than that we are probably out trying to get more boats delivered,ready etc. and just can't be in two places at the same time! Have a great end of the week and hopefully the weather person might be a little off in the forecast for the weekend. We had to get the April showers some time though!

April 22/08
The view from here! The ice is for arguments sake gone as of late last night. There is still some around the shores and such but that should disappear fairly quickly today. There is a lot of stuff floating out there so beware if you are boating around. As can be expected we are crazy busy now. Remember the two week notice is a must if you want to see your baby back on the dock. As in years past I never feel comfortable launching the stern drives or seadoos until at least Mother's Day weekend. It is still April and you can ask the folks in Edmonton about that after this weekend. I think it might have quit snowing there now. Have a great week and we'll start seeing everyone soon. The roads are fairly dry now but I have seen and witnessed some really wet soft spots in certain lanes so be careful when you are driving in.

April 17/08
That's right there is still ice on the lakes. The snow is starting to really subside now but any roads that weren't plowed are still snow covered a bit. The ground is starting to dry up really well in spots. Other spots are still really wet. The forecast of two days of rain at the end of the weekend should finish off the snow. The ice is anyone's guess at this point. It might be early next week with the rain but we still won't lay any money on the table until the next card is played by Mother Nature. We hope everyone south of us are getting all their lawn work done so that when the time comes the chores will shift Lakeside! What a better place to be raking than on the edge of the lake watching the loons go by. I think if I have to rake here is better than the alternative. Not much else to update other than we are really busy and trying to get moving in the yards but the ground is still really soft. This could delay some launching but as usual we will do our best to get all the critters out of my yard and on to the docks. Have a great end of the week and we'll see everyone soon!

April 10/08
HIGH SPEED internet on the lakes!!! Finally, after all these years we have high speed. There is about 10 of us so far that have hooked in and it works great. We hooked up today and we are running about 3000 plus down and about 900 upload speed. For us in the great white north(still) this is great. If you want this, Nexicom are the people to talk to for the wireless hook-up. Anstruther Lake has had a tower put up as well and they should be up and running soon. We still have quite a bit of ice on the lakes and we will see how we make out after the next few days of weather. The Trent is flowing strong and it doesn't appear that any logs have been put in yet on our chain. We were raised about 2 and half feet in January and it seems to be holding so far. This is good so that all of our docks don't get ruined with a sudden rise in water with the amount of ice still here. I will keep upgrading the pics on the conditions as they change. I'll be back soon. Enjoy what you can of the weather promised for the weekend!

April 7/08
Ice, lots of it!! The lake is still pretty frozen, and doesn't look like it is going anywhere very quickly. The narrows and anywhere the water is running is definitely not safe at all but the rest still has a bit to go. I drilled two holes this afternoon,one in the center of Mississagua and one in our bay. Both locations had 18 inches of ice. There is still, as of today about 18 -24 inches of snow in the woods. The southern exposures are all bared off but who knows when the rest is going to go. The temps of late are certainly taking away the snow but when there is as much as there is it is taking awhile. As a reminder we still need the traditional two weeks notice for the boat to be back out and floating. Remember, if Sally doesn't answer your email within a day resend it. Our spam filters sometimes jam the odd email. She replies to everyone received when it comes to launching so make sure she does. Now we can only float it if the ice and snow let us, so with the way spring is shaping up be patient the ground may make it a little interesting this year. Lots of people seem to be getting a fair amount of sap running with the thaw so it should be a good year for the syrup. There has been quite a few ownership changes again this winter on the lakes so we welcome all the new folks and look forward to meeting everyone in the next few weeks. Have a great week and I'll be back like usual some time!

Mar.28/08
Just for those that are wondering this is the Apsley Holiday Inn!! We declined staying as the bellhop and valet guy were on break and we were fairly close to home! Have a great weekend!

Mar.26/08
It doesn't get much better than today when you live up here. After yesterdays snow and todays warm temps. it was absolutely gorgeous today. We managed to sneak away and put a few hundred clicks on the sleds and if we weren't breaking trail, we were on virgin groomed trail!! There will be a few pics in the next few days of the trails and the riding that is available up here for the next few days. A highlight for us today was our receipt of our latest environmental audit. We are now a five anchor rating out of five possible. Our score was an average of 99.5%!!! This is a great accomplishment for the marina and our lakes. We will be very proud to display this recognition and Thank all of our friends,customers and neighbours in helping us achieve this level. The pic today is some of the snow that is lying on the roofs in the area. Have a great evening and more pics to come in the next few days. Sorry, we love winter so no spring pics yet!!!

Mar.25/08
Here it is yet another gorgeous windy,snowy and cool day in beautiful downtown Cavendish. We are expecting more snow to add to our piles of beautiful white stuff. At the rate we are going we could be still walking on the water in May! It has been making ice for the last few nights. The sounds have been great. From what I hear there is well over two feet of ice on most of the lakes. We have lost some snow in the last week or so but the winds have certainly curtailed any damage the sun was trying to create. We are trying to gear up for another great season but Mother Nature is setting the rules on when the season might actually change. If anyone has some jobs they want to get done before the spring rush hits please let Sally know and she will get them on the list. We have alot on the go now so be sure to let her know asap. We have also brought in a bunch of neat and new tubes,trampolines etc. to be ready when the ice does go?? I should check and see how well they can be towed behind the snowmobile if we are still using them in June?? For those wanting to get to the cottage in the next few weeks it looks like snowshoes will be the mode of transportation. A reminder to everyone to check out our link to the Paluski canoes and kayaks. We will be stocking a good assortment this summer and there is sure to be one to keep you happy quietly cruising around the bays. Have a great week and don't put those shovels away quite yet.

Mar.18/08
March Break is here and gone and I am sure like the weather guys/gals said it set some records. It has been an unbelievable winter and one to remember. The snow is still deep up here and tonight we are not sure if it isn't going to get deeper. We aren't seeing the rain yet just some more snow. Not breaking my heart, we have waited a few years to have a real winter again. Bryan has been extremely busy shovelling roofs. The snow has been so deep that a number of roofs have feet not inches of snow on them. Hopefully, the rain forecast doesn't come in the quantities they are forecasting. Easter is especially early this year and we certainly will have some snow for it as well. I think the kids(large and small) will need snow shovels to find the eggs. Good thing ol' Rabbit Guy has some big feet to get through this stuff! Last weekend saw record numbers of people out enjoying the weather on a number of the lakes. Pencil Lake had well over a hundred people on Saturday just out enjoying the weekend. I don't think there was any other reason.(there wasn't a party planned or at least one that I was invited to.) For those that are tired of shovelling and looking forward to soft water again Mother Nature should be delivering in the next few weeks. Have a great week!

Mar.5/08
Here it is March already! I think I kind of missed February in between shovels and March doesn't seem to be curing that! It has been snowing and snowing and well you know. As of late today the conditions were perfect(it quit snowing!). We don't have to worry about any more snow until tomorrow night. All joking aside it is a winter wonderland up here right now and we are loving it.(4 broken shovels, 2 tired kids and one worn out plow truck) This afternoon was great and the groomers are out. It is looking like the conditions for March break are going to be just fabulous for gettin out and enjoying one last romp with winter. The surrounding ski hills are showing lots of snow and the best conditions in a number of years. Trust me there is lots of snow for skiing and snowshoeing. I know, I forgot those two pieces of equipment and it really isn't much deeper than the waist in the woods right now. So, everybody do their snow dance, pay the kid down the block to shovel the lane and come up and enjoy a great March break. We look forward to seeing everybody next week(remember snowshoes, not boats, I haven't had the two week notice yet!!) Have a great weekend and I'll be back!

Feb.21/08
Absolutely perfect, were the words we heard from a number of snowmobilers today! The trails are great, the lakes are pretty solid with some pressure cracks starting to form. I covered a couple hundred clicks yesterday and with the exception of about 20 km. the trails were table top and perfect. The weather was great today and the forecast is looking pretty good for the weekend. The Rathburn trail is still closed because of the inability to get some ice formed on some of the ponds. It is not even pretty to drive across it with all the people that have tried to use this trail. It looks really bumpy to my back and not something I want to try. Enjoy the rest of the week and we'll be back soon!

Feb.13/08
Happy Valentine's Day(tomorrow)Well I have to say this is probably the best winter conditions we have seen in years. That is if you are a winter person. The trails are great, the snow is deep and a long weekend in February is coming!! What more could a person ask for? Someone else to shovel the snow would be one thing I could think of! So whatever your fancy it is looking like a great weekend to get out and enjoy good old Canadian winter. Sir Sam's is boasting great downhill skiing, snowshoeing is great, cross country skiing, or my favorite snowmobiling is all going to be at peak this weekend. Wakeboarding will be possible at the first bridge but the loop would be short and don't dare fall in! Apparently, for the ice fisherman even the fish are co-operating in the lakes around the area. The TALES are coming in of lots of large fish that got away. Have a great weekend and we'll talk to you soon!

Feb.7/08
Lots of snow and the conditions are great. I managed to put a few clicks on the sled yesterday before the storm and it was great. Today a whole crew took off and with the fresh powder everything was fabulous. Hope you aren't too tired from shoveling to make it up this weekend. The word is we didn't get as much as south and west of here but we did get some and it has made everything winter again. The lakes are still marginally good going but definitely stay away from the narrows and anywhere you think water might be flowing. Have a great weekend and enjoy the rest of the snow forecast!

Feb. 1/08
It definitely is snowing today. We are expecting around 20 centimeters if the weather person is right. The weather doesn't look too bad for the weekend to get out and enjoy the snow before the rain next week again. This has been one crazy winter for weather that is for sure. The lakes had no slush as of yesterday. We will see what the snow does for them. There is some traveling them with lots of caution. Have a great weekend!

Jan.21/08
The groomers have made it out and the trails are looking pretty good again! There is a couple of spots that are washed out but they are marked and traversable. The Beaver Trail is a little rough but I will try and fix that up tonite. I am not sure about the Rathburn Trail as we don't have a whole lot more snow but E108 and the trail to Gooderham are both groomed. I know they are good to the north but I am not sure about the south and I would think it is better to venture northward anyways until we get more snow. The lake is still questionable. I have had some reports of attempted break-ins. If you have a chance to get up and take a look around it might not be a bad idea. It seems like if it happens now there isn't much chance to catch them when all the evidence is gone in the spring. Have a great week!

Jan.17/08
The snow is still elusive and the lakes are NOT SAFE. The water level has come up about 2 feet and pulled the ice away from the shores. It is starting to freeze again but we will need the cold temps. that are forecast to help us get back out and enjoy winter. The snowmobile trails are not safe to travel right now until we get some more snow. The warm weather caused a lot of water to flow across the trails and leave some dangerous washouts. There is a couple I saw yesterday that if you were travelling at any speed you would definitely be getting yourself in to trouble and probably meeting the guys/gals from the local rescue units. There was some info today that the ice thickness is not great now. His thoughts were after the weekend it should be much better providing we get the cold and not the snow. At least the good news is if you want to go for a walk in the outback you probably don't need snowshoes because the crust is pretty strong and you could hike right along. With the forecast as it is we will be closed this Sunday and probably looking at the long term open the following Sunday. Once the trails are open again we will be open on Sundays again. I hope everyone has had a chance to go look at all the new toys at the TO Boat show. Before we know it this ice we're hoping will get solid will become liquid and the boats will be floating again. Have a great weekend and bundle up for the Canadian weather promised!!

Jan.8/08
The snow guy seems to think we have too much!!! It seems to have almost completely disappeared. The weather certainly has been warm and No we can't put your boat back in yet!! The one good thing out of this weather is that hopefully we will get some cold weather to freeze the lake up a little bit better. If we can get some cold weather before the next snow storm we will be in a lot better shape to play on the lakes. Lots of fog, lots of rain and lots of snow disappearing.( some folks were looking at tapping the trees it was so warm!!!) Good ol' January thaw just to trick us Canadians in to thinking we wasted our money going south or we were going to get rid of that darned cold that wouldn't go away!! If the weather guy/gal is right we are headed right back in to the oil companies getting rich again early next week! Those trees that fell down during the tornadoe might have a use soon just to keep us warm this winter. Hope all is well and everyone gets out and enjoys the Toronto Boat Show next week. If you have any queries or just want to chat about the new toy please give us a call. We might be in a couple of different booths this year and would love to see you. I can't tell you which ones just in case the weather is nice and well, where would I rather be? Have a great week and we'll be back soon!

Dec.28/07
Here's hoping everyone had a great Christmas/Holiday season. The weather certainly co-operated with lots of snow to keep the skiers and sledders happy. The trails are open but only fair condition so far. There is a lot of water still under the snow and this makes it hard to do the trails off of E108. The lakes are NOT SAFE to travel yet so please stay off of them. The temps are too warm to create much ice right now. From us and the staff at LGM Thanks for a great year and Have a Super New Year!!

Dec. 11/07
Been gone a long time. There has unfortunately been no in between seasons this year. We were trying to get boats away and sleds out all at the same time. It has been crazy busy here but the good news is there looks like there will be snow for Christmas. The snowmobile club has been trying to pack the main trail and it looks like they are having some success. All of the lakes have surface frozen over as of yesterday but they are definite "no go" zones at this time. We have about 8-10 inches of snow on the ground now with promises of more to come tonite. We hope everyone has had a good fall and is looking forward to a winter with lots of snow and ice. Our hours for December are still 9-4 Mon.-Sat. We are closed Dec.23-26th and Dec.30-Jan.2/08. By the looks of the weather we will be back open 7 days a week in the New Year from 9-4. That is unless Old Man Winter throws a curve ball and warms things right up!! Have a great week and we look forward to seeing everyone up enjoying the Christmas break. Remember don't go near the lake unless you call and ask what the conditions are!!!

Oct. 29/07
Here we are closing the end of another month! The ghouls and goblins are out in force in a couple of nites and then we are in to the great white fall. Well, we can only hope that we will have a white winter this year. If you haven't shut your water down then you better hurry. We were well below zero last night with frozen water lines everywhere. Tonight isn't supposed to be as bad but then we are in to warmer temps. for the rest of the week. This weekend will be one of the last to make sure you don't have any unexpected surprises next spring! On the found list is a pair of prescription glasses found on the docks this week. If you are missing a set please give us a call to identify them and they will be returned to their rightful owners. They look nice and if I wore glasses I certainly might notice I didn't have them. With November coming our hours are going to 9-4 Mon.-Sat. As mentioned previously we are closed Sundays until the snowmobile trails officially open. For those that haven't been up in awhile the water level is non-existent. We haven't seen levels this low in a lot of years. There is rocks showing their faces to the air that haven't been subjected to the harsh real world in years. There is even some that have now have aluminum deposits that wasn't in their core makeup to start. Have a great week and keep guessing as to where the photos have been shot. One hint, it is in Ontario and usually between here and Georgian Bay.

Oct.9/07
There it was another Thanksgiving weekend that had weather that was at least warm. It wasn't much in the way of sun and fun but nonetheless warmer than some of the past years. It was a busy weekend and it was great to see so many people up. The weather this week doesn't look much better than the weekend but at least it isn't snowing! Our fall hours are now 9-5 Mon. -Sat. and closed on Sundays until the snowmobile trails are officially open. If anyone is looking we have a couple of interesting items dropped off to our lost and found over the weekend. One is a front boat cushion tan/beige in colour. A navy backrest and a green front bow cover. These have been found floating in the lake over the past week. If you think one of these is yours please give Sally a call and lay claim to your lost item. We hope everyone has a great fall and I would like to Thank everyone for the patronage this summer. It was a very busy and great summer and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did. The work is a long way from over but we will continue putting all of these critters to bed and getting ready to pull the winter toys out. Again, Thanks for a great summer and we will be back soon!

Sept.26/07
I shouldn't have said where did the summer go! The weather has been absolutely what July should have been this last few weeks. No rain which unfortunately also means no water. It is low, really low. It is a little bit difficult to get between lakes right now but not impossible for some boats. A lot of the bigger ones are now locked to their own lakes. Don't worry we have the ability to get them from there to here unscathed! It is still crazy busy around here with no rest for the weary. It has been great to see so many (not having to work everyday) folks around enjoying the fall. The leaves are starting to change and actually some of them fall. We just can't wait until it is time to rake them all up!( ya,right) There has been reports of record numbers of mice this fall. We thought last year was bad but that was nothing from what we have seen and heard about already this fall. We have picked up a lot of boats that have mice in them when we pick them up. Bryan has been great at giving them swimming lessons as soon as he sees them. Yup, they do swim quite well and land on shore looking for their next victims! The cottagers that have been up are saying that their places are full of them. What can we do other than catch them and feed them to our septics. Long term (if that's possible beyond 6 hours in Ontario) forecast is that Thanksgiving weekend is looking pretty nice. Hope everyone is enjoying their Sept. and we look forward to seeing everyone on Thanksgiving to enjoy the weather and everything else this piece of heaven has to offer.

Sept. 10/07
Where did the summer and the water go?? It is raining hard here tonite so I finally managed to get in early and sit at the little box and catch up! The summer has been fabulous and of course the weather was probably some of the best we have seen in a long time. Unfortunately, the lack of rain didn't help the level of the lake. Once we got rid of the rain from early July it just kept getting better and better right up until now. I am not complaining, we certainly need the rain. There seems to be a lot of people that are experiencing very low levels in their wells. Storage season is in full swing with record numbers of boats coming in early this year. I trust this is due to the low water levels that are making it almost impossible to get around between the lakes. The summer fireworks show went well and was extremely well attended. Our Thanks to the guys that put on the show. The events that were held at the marina over the summer were also extremely well attended and we along with the crews from the marinas that sponsored the events "Thank You" all for attending. It certainly seemed like the summer just flew by and was enjoyed by a large number of people. I don't think we have seen so many people in a number of years out enjoying the lakes as much as this summer. The weather was great, the lake temp. was great and the fish were biting. What more could someone ask for to enjoy a great summer on the lake. Ah, yes and even the loons were calling every evening to remind us where we love to enjoy our time. We have noticed a clean up crew along the Beaver Lake Rd. in the past week brushing and getting rid of the branches and debris left over from last years "One Big Evening" It certainly is helping and much appreciated. Our hours from now until Thanksgiving are 9-5 for the store 7 days a week. After Thanksgiving we will be closed on Sundays until the snowmobile trails officially open. Newspapers will be available on weekends only until Thanksgiving. We hope everyone is enjoying the early fall and we are looking forward to the changing of the leaves(and some higher water levels!) to lead us in to the fall. Have a great week and we'll see everyone soon!

July 26/07
Surprise!!!, I eventually made it back. Talk about a crazy summer. It has been to say the least an extremely busy year. The water was here, then it left and now it is back. I want one of those controllers so we can play the water game for a season or two!! The events that have been here so far this summer have gone extremely well. The Women on The Water event went well with the exception of Mother Nature throwing a few large buckets of water on the ladies in the afternoon. It might not have been so bad if she hadn't thrown in the subarctic wind and temperature to start the day! It has been great to see everyone enjoying the lake when the weather has allowed it. The weather of late has been fabulous. The Buckeye crew is back on the August 11/12 weekend. If you are interested in going for a wakeboard ride with a pro, getting a boater's license or test driving one of the new toys available stop by and enjoy a couple of great days on the water! This crew puts on a fabulous weekend and it is sure to keep the young and old entertained. The community center had another successful Big Day last weekend and from what I hear the younger folks legs held up to win the bragging rights to the baseball tournament. Congrats to the young crew and watch out the old folks( not really!!) will be back and well practised for next year! The young swimmers have also enjoyed the change in weather. The first week or two was a little hard on them learning to swim in parkas. Be sure to stop by and see all of the new water toys before they are all gone. I think there is alot of very happy kids out there this summer with all of the toys that Sally has been tricking the parents in to purchasing! No promises as to when but the gallery of photos should be getting updated in the near future as I hope to be back in the air to get some fresh perspective on to the pages of the site. Have a great week and as usual we look forward to seeing your smiling faces(minus rain jackets!) coming through the door to keep our young staff busy. Don't forget the big fireworks display on the August long weekend which is being held on the north end of Catchacoma this year. Rain date yet to be told to me but I will find out and let everyone know. Have a safe holiday at the cottage and we'll be back!

July 5/07
Where did the water and the time go? It has been really crazy around here and the time just keeps slipping away! Of course anyone that has been up has noticed the water is doing the same!!! The lake levels are really low for this time of year and as bad as the weather has been I think we really need to wish for alot of rain. If we don't get it we better hope for a ton of snow for next year!! Better hope that Thunder Bay and area gets two or three tons to help the levels in the Great Lakes come up so they quit stealing our supplies. It was a successful weekend with the Buckeye Team and their water demos and show and we are happy that so many turned out to enjoy the weekend. The swimming lessons are in full swing now and if you are interested in getting the young ones involved please give us a call and we will steer you in the right direction to getting in the water and having the young ones right there beside you. It has been fabulous seeing so many back enjoying the summer in this area. Remember to mark your calenders for the Town and Country teams arrival here on July the 15th with a number of toys to entice you. The Women on the Water course is a go with a large number of eager ladies looking forward to the fun that will be had that day. Hope all is well and being enjoyed by everyone and we'll see you when you are up! Have a great weekend!

June 17/07
Well, the rain has certainly subsided. It has been an absolutely gorgeous couple of weeks.(Well with the exception of one really bad Friday afternoon) It has been great to see so many faces back up enjoying the lakes as of late. There has been a lot of new faces as well and we welcome you to our piece of heaven. The Women on the Water course is pretty well full and starting to book for a second group so if you are interested please let Sally know and she will add your name to the list. Don't forget next weekend the Buckeye team will be here with a number of boats including a Mastercraft for the Free Pass event and some awesome demonstrations of what someone younger than myself can do behind one of these great boats!! Our congratulations to Andrew (one of our technicians that keeps your toys running) and his wife Kira! They are the proud new parents of a baby boy. This 8lb. 8 oz. young fellow arrived early Fri. morning. Everything went well and from what we understand there is a new boss in the house that will run Mom and Dad's life for(well we all know the answer to that one but don't tell them). We hope that all the younger ones are studying hard and getting great marks so that ma and pa will have a stress free and proud summer ahead of them. Good luck to them on their exams and we all look forward to seeing their smiling faces on the other side of the candy counter in the weeks ahead! If some are looking for some photos from last years tornado happenings there is some neat photos that can be seen at Google Earth. If you download the software and then click in the search section on Mississagua Dam Rd. you will get close. Scroll a little North and you will see some little boxes to click on for a couple of photos. There isn't many but some imagination will fill in the blanks. Have a great week and we'll see everyone soon.

June 4/07
We needed some rain but enough already! Looking at the forecast maybe it will end with the lower evening temps forecast in the middle of the week. This should help the mosquitoe guys to keep their horns in for a while. It has still been a little crazy around here but we are having fun!! We are busy booking spots for the ladies course coming up and if necessary they will have a second course available. It might be on the same day but we will see what happens. Info to follow! Events on the table coming up will include: 1)June 23,24th ( correction from last info) Buckeye weekend! 2)Women on the Water on July13th. 3)July 15th Town and Country Marine in water show at our docks with demos and boats including their new skiboat line. 4)August 11,12th Buckeye Marine returns for another great weekend with the Team. All the new water toys are out on display now waiting for the young and young at heart to tackle the water that is warming up. Hope everyone has a great week and we'll be back sooner than later I hope!

May 28/07
It's been a while but it has been kind of busy to say the least! The blackflies as most know had a record almost no show season. The mosquitoes are definitely making up for it the last couple of days. It has been great to see everybody back enjoying what the spring has had to offer. Water levels are still up and most of the floating obstacles are starting to disappear slowly. The boats are hitting the docks on a daily basis ready for another great season. It is also great to welcome so many new faces to the area. On an events schedule we have a two day event scheduled in June with Buckeye Marine coming in on the weekend of June 24/25 for some wakeboarding rides and demos as well as some new boats to look at. For the ladies there is a "Women behind the Wheel day" scheduled for July 13th. This is a full day event for the ladies that would like to get their Operators certificate and have a day with ladies only behind the wheel of a new boat. Carly Poole from Buckeye Marine delivers this great day with the emphasis on making everyone comfortable behind the wheel and increasing their skills at driving the family toy. Contact Sally asap if you are interested as the day is filling up fast with eager participants. The girls have been busy stocking the store with lots of neat new toys and supplies for the coming summer months. Stop by and they are sure there will something to grab your attention that will make this a summer to remember. Well gotta go and get some more boats ready. Have a great week and oh one more thing! Go Ottawa Go!!

May 17/07
Well, the critters are at bay with the temps and weather this week. It has been a little, Ok, a lot wet this week, but the weekend is promising to be sunny and nice. No record breaking temperatures but nonetheless no snow in the forecast yet! We are, as usual a little more than busy this first LONG week of the year. The staff's spouses say hi and bye in the same breath as they come and go through their homes. We don't know where we would be without them working all these long hours to get all the boats back to where they belong(in the water!) It has been a trying week to say the least with the weather, but hopefully after another long couple of days the boats that were promised for this weekend will be on their own docks. If you show up tomorrow nite and your baby isn't there, then be patient and it will probably show up Sat. morning at some point. Be sure to come and check out all the new toys we have to tow behind the boat. We are now a Float Trailer dealer as well. These are an awesome,unique and very useful boat for the right person and application. The link to this toy will be up and going in the next day or so! Well, it's late and apparently we need to launch a few dozen more boats tomorrow so we'll see everyone on the weekend!

May 8/07
Short Update. According to very reliable sources(our necks, backs of our ears, ankles,wrists and any other exposed skin) THEY GREW TEETH IN THE NIGHT!!! We are asking that any good donors please come up and help us with the onslaught of hungry critters this weekend. Be forewarned to wear lots of cologne and perfume if you are to help US to not get eaten!! They are healthy newborns and are kind of cute for, oh, at least the first 30 seconds. Barring the slight annoyance they cause look forward to a gorgeous weekend and we hope to see everyone enjoying the great outdoors as much as we do this weekend. Back in a bit. I think it is time to set up the mosquito traps tonite just in case they wake up too.

May 7/07
The trilliums are out and like usual we know what that means. Yup, the critters are here. Clouds of them so far but alas they aren't biting yet. Teeth must not be developed! Unfortunately, these guys don't take long to grow them. Hopefully, the weather will be hot for a week or so and burn them off. It was great to see everyone on the weekend. We are extremely busy right now(surprised!) so if the phone goes to the answering machine please leave a message and Sally will get back to you asap. Sending emails works too and then she can reply and give you the sad news if you haven't asked for your boat yet. Please don't expect it for the long weekend. Way too many ahead of you now!! If you are up to the cottage please refrain from being careless with anything that could start a fire. We are in a very dry state right now and there have been numerous grass and small bush fires in the area. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon. We have a large stock of inflatable toys in stock ready for the little and big kids. Stop by and see what would work great behind the boat or floating from the dock.The store is well stocked with lots of new and neat toys, everything from beverage holders to bags stocked with lifejackets to keep the guys in blue from ruining your day! There is GPS units to help you find your way home, VHF radios to call home to say you don't know how to run the GPS, and stereos to listen to while they search for you wherever you might be. Have a great week!

April 27/07
What a gorgeous weekend they are forecasting!! Well we need the rain to bring the lake up a little more. It also helps to wake up the black flies. It would be terrible if they didn't wake up soon. The boats are starting to go in. Sally is up to her ears in requests so remember we need the two week notice. Our hours until the end of the month are Sat. 9-5,Sunday closed(last one until fall) Mon.-Fri.9-5. In May we are open 9-5 seven days a week again. Have a great weekend, stay dry and we'll be back when time permits. The sales section is supposed to be back in the next few days.

April 22/07
There it was, Gone for another year. The ice was moving very well yesterday and traveling was possible around the lakes if you dared by about 3 in the afternoon. We awoke this morning to some ice in the center of the lake and then by about 10 a.m. it was gone. Official (LGM, looking out of the bay!!) time of ice out was Sunday morning, April 22nd. I am just using the theory that ice was gone and travel was un-challenged other than lots of logs and floating docks. Hope everyone enjoyed the fabulous weather this weekend and managed to get all of their yard work done so they are warmed up and ready to do all the yard work at the cottage!! We are in full gear now and getting the boats in. Outboards only for a couple of weeks, one never knows when ol' Jack Frost will show his head at this time of year. Let Sally know in lots of time when you are going to require your toy so that she can schedule the delivery in. As always, not a surprise, we require two weeks notice to get the boat ready and on to the dock for your summer to start. Have a great week and we'll have the sales section back soon . ICE OUT and let the 2007 Summer Games begin!!!

April 18/07
The picture is for the summer dreams to come!! The big question is? No, sorry the ice is still here for a few days yet by the looks of it. The weather forecast suggests that it will be warm and that will certainly help but I would count on this weekend for cleaning yards and enjoying the area. The warm weather will help to take out the ice in the near future but it is also helping to dry up the roads. Some of the lanes have been rather interesting and mucky!! Boating might be an option by next weekend if our yards dry up. Remember, Sally needs her two week "heads up" that you are looking for the toy. Also, remember for everyone's sense of "ha,ha" I won't be delivering any sterndrives until Mother's Day weekend because of the strong chance of ol' Mother Nature giving us a one last kick at the below zero thing!! From the staff and ourselves our thoughts and sympathies are with the Lawson family. We will all remember Roy and his unselfish,huge and generous contribution to our community . We are looking forward to a very busy season and I am sure that with the weather forecast it is getting ready to roll. Enjoy the weather and we'll see everyone soon!

April 12/07
Cavendish in April!! What else can a guy say? This was the weather in our area today. Spring, I think is still something that people to the way south of us are experiencing for the next while because we know better than that up here. The ice will be a bit yet and then well who knows? On the up side the water is steadily filling up our lakes and they are getting to the levels we expect. Hope the grass isn't growing too fast in your neck of the woods and I hope not to have the lawn mower out for a few weeks yet! Have a great weekend and we'll be back soon!

April 3/07
Just a short note to let everyone coming up know that we are closed Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We will be open 9-4 on Saturday for all of those fortunate enough to escape to the North! Have a great Easter Weekend and enjoy whatever the weather has to throw at us.

April 1/07
April fool's day has come and gone for another year. The ice is looking like it will be hanging on for another few weeks. The lake level is slowly coming up but we will definitely need some more rain to bring it back to where it should be. Looking at the long range forecast it looks like we will see some more snow before the winter finally comes to rest. The roads are a little soft yet, as the frost is taking it's time to come out. The loggers seem to be done in the area. It sure looks alot different. I am sure once the green starts happening(same time as the little black fly critters!) it will look a lot better. Anyone that has some late requests for work that they would like done should let Sally know in the next couple of weeks. The store is stocked right up now with new water toys, stereos, gps',lots of new ropes, tow ropes, fender lines, and a lot more neat new goodies for the summer. Some of the more unique items include inflatable kayaks and floating tubes that will accomodate a number of adults with seats and beverage holders. We have also expanded our EcoLogo environmentally friendly products section. This includes dish soaps, laundry soaps, bug repellant,hand soaps,shampoos, etc.etc. Hope everyone has been out enjoying the weather the last few days because the weatherman says that April showers are about to start. Our server is still causing some minor grief but the sales section should be back to normal soon and we will be able to get those toys back where they belong. In the limelight and on to some new docks to be enjoyed. Our new catalogs are available now for your accessories. If you can't wait to get up and see them just click on our Boatsmart link and go shopping. Drop Sally a note and she'll make sure it is here for you asap. Have a great week!!

Mar.15/07
From awesome to almost non-existent. What a difference a week makes in March. As you can see by the picture the rain yesterday certainly hasn't helped the sledding conditions. Judging by the forecast it might be a nice weekend to get the tree tapping equipment out or attend the Toronto Sportsman show. The trails are very limited now and the roads are completely bared off. The lake is still frozen but the snow is gone off of the surface which will make it a little hard on sliders. Presently, it doesn't even look that good for skating. Hopefully, the thermometer will drop and make the skating better. With the conditions being what they are we are going to be closed on Sundays until May unless the conditions happen to change drastically. Hope everyone has been enjoying a great March break and I'll be back!

Mar.8/07
I am back. Sorry for the delay but there wasn't much to report on. The conditions were, well, there but nothing to write home about. Now, they are in a word AWESOME. The groomers have been out in full force and it shows. Every trail that they can work with is table top!! We are hoping the weather man is wrong for a few days so that everyone can get out and enjoy the conditions. Leah and I managed to sneak away and explore for ourselves. We thought we would put a few miles of snow under the skis of our tracked explorers. From here to Gooderham,Haliburton,Eagle Lake, Whitney, Lake St.Peter,Harcourt, Mississagua Lake and all points in between. It was 400 km. of perfectly groomed, not a bump to be found, sun in the sky, awesome riding. I hope everyone is ready for a not so bad looking week of March break. The weather people don't know what we can expect so why not wish for something that will keep the kids out enjoying the last weeks of winter. One might almost think it is the start of being able to enjoy this snow stuff that finally arrived. Unfortunately, the sun is very warm now so it doesn't take it too long to melt the good stuff when it is out. Hope everyone has a great spring break and we'll be back.

Feb. 22/07
Snow, snow, snow!! It has been snowing off and on all day. It is pretty wet stuff and there hasn't been a huge accumulation but nonetheless it is snow. The groomers are out packing the stuff and hoping everyone can go play this weekend. The trail from Cold Lake to Apsley has finally been attempted by the groomers and the rumour is "Not too Bad" The forecast isn't looking too bad for the weekend and one must think that if they are going to go and enjoy winter this might be the weekend. The calender is saying that warmer temps are just around the corner but alas in Cavendish we must listen to Mother Nature. She is known for giving us something other than what we would like to see! Other than a few ice pellets in the long range forecast it looks promising for some more playing in the snow for a week or so yet. Those big Maples(what is left of them!) aren't ready (I hope) to give up their sap for us syrup hungry folks. We hope everyone is making the best of what winter has offered so far. Our new Boatsmart catalogues are in and if anyone would like a sneak preview you are able to do so at our Boatsmart link on the page above. Please let Sally know if anything is catching your eye and she certainly will make sure you have it in lots of time for the toy to be launched. There is a certain amount of slush on the lakes after today so please pay attention to this when traveling around.(Rubber boots if walking!)Enjoy a great weekend and we'll be back soon!

Feb. 15/07
Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. We are still chugging along and so far missing all the important snow storms. We certainly didn't get bypassed on the extra cold weather though. There has been quite a few people through on sleds in the last day or so. The trails aren't fabulous yet but the groomers are doing what they can with what they have to work with!! The forecast looks promising with a few days of snow coming up. We'll see what we get out of this system. Winter is here finally and maybe it will hold on a little bit later. I guess it is better late than never. The lakes seemed to be stiffened up and there is a few rinks starting to appear around the lakes. I have even seen a few brave souls out enjoying the cold weather and slapping the puck around. Have a great Friday and we'll see a bunch of you over the weekend. p.s. Sorry about the website problems in the last week or so. We have had to change servers because of hacker issues and everything should be back to normal soon.

Feb. 8/07
A little more snow last night. It was only about 2-3 inches of powder but it is slowly adding up. It is nice to see eqpt. like this pic being able to finally get rolling. The trails are starting to shape up and the groomers are doing what they can. They still don't have alot to work with but they are trying. There is some people starting to travel the lakes now. There isn't tons of ice but there is some. I will never say they are safe but if one checks it out for themselves then they will know if it is in their zone of safeness or not. It is shaping up to be not a bad weekend to get out and enjoy winter if it keeps going the way it is. Looking forward to seeing everyone out this weekend. Have a great time with whatever you get up to in the great white north.

Feb. 1/07
The groomers got out!!!! I was over checking the trails last night and the groomer had just gone up E108. The Beaver Trail is groomed as well. I don't know how far the groomers made it and which trails. I was talking to some folks last night that had ridden 95 miles from here yesterday and their report is that it is not too bad. There is still some rocks protruding but overall it was fairly decent running. WE NEED MORE SNOW! The lakes are still not safe to travel but with the weather promised they should be getting to be OK by next week. We will be open this Sunday from 9-4 for those requiring fuel etc. Have a great weekend.

Jan.25/07
The big question is can you go snowmobiling yet? You can but not necessarily in this area. Our conditions are still not good. The trails aren't opened yet. The consistency of our snow is still very light and fluffy powder that isn't allowing a base to be created. There is enough snow to get out but it is awfully hard on the machines as a few people have found out. All the rocks etc. are still protruding and they do a nice job on skis and side idlers on the suspensions. The lake is frozen over but NOT SAFE to venture out on. There might be an inch or two in the center of the lakes. Our bay only has three inches in the center. The small amount of snow is insulating it very well and slushing it up as well. Hopefully, in the next week with the cold temps and a little bit more snow we can get going and play by next weekend. I hate being the guy that delivers all the good news but someone has to do it! If you do come up to play please be safe and take it easy. Even the folks that have been fishing are walking out on the back lakes as they say there isn't enough ice to carry the weight of their machines yet. There are no huts out on any lake in this area. I checked with a few of the fisherpeople yesterday and they are saying Salmon, Salerno, Pencil etc. have about 4 inches of ice. I don't know about you but I am not going out on 4 inches of ice. Hope everyone who attended the Boat show had a good time and enjoyed looking at all of the new toys. Have a great weekend and I'll be back!

Jan.18/07
Well off to the start of another year. Hope everyone had a great holiday season. The snow clouds haven't been co-operating too well as of yet. We have received about 10 cm of new snow but it is very fluffy and not providing much base. The lake has just frozen over the night before last. I would think it is going to be another week before we will get any kind of conditions to get the sleds out and going. There is still quite a bit of water and mud under the snow in the woods. We are still busy in the shop with all the preparation for another busy boating season just around the corner. For all of those dreaming of summer remember the Toronto Boat Show is on this week. Be sure to go and check out all those new summer toys. For those avid ice fisherpeople I am hearing the back lakes i.e. Salmon, Little Clear, Pencil etc. should be starting to be safe to venture out on. Please check the ice yourself before proceeding but the fish must be getting hungry by now with such a late freeze up. They haven't had their usual amount of folks giving away their bait to keep them fed. With the forecast it looks like we should be right on schedule with last year to get out and play in the snow by next weekend if the snowmobile clubs are able to go and groom. We couldn't wait for snow so we went looking for it last weekend. For those that ski we'll see if you know where the pic at the right is from. Bryan is living out west now so that might narrow it down. We spent a long weekend visiting him at his new home and did some skiing and snowmobiling. I don't know if I will ever want to sled in Ontario again after being up in those mountains. Have a great week and we'll be back.

Dec.31/06
The end of another year is drawing near. We wish everyone a very healthy,prosperous and Happy New Year!! We have a little bit of snow but nothing really in the way of ice up here. The long range forecast doesn't look promising for a while when it comes to winter activities. The fish will be safe for a while because it certainly doesn't look like the water is going to get hard anytime soon either. For those that don't enjoy winter this is a nice break from shovelling. If this year is anything like last be prepared for it to turn nasty mid-Jan. This will be for us that do enjoy the winter. We hope everyone has had a good holiday season and again all the best in 2007!!!

Dec.21/06
The first day of Winter???? It certainly doesn't look like it around here! The weather has been unbelievable for this time of year. I hope everyone is enjoying the easy drives to work and asking the Big Guy in the Red Suit for a little(ok, ALOT of snow) for Christmas. We are still working away at getting all of the snow trekking toys ready for the inevitable dropping of the white stuff. Our sincere appreciation for the thoughts and invitations extended by the Thompson and Donner families for last weekend. It was an honour to be able to attend such a memorable weekend for these families! Hope everyone is ready and done their shopping! (note: men the 24th is a Sunday this year so ya have to go on the 23rd!) We have a fairly decent selection of used sleds in right now so give us a call if you are in the market for a set of skis that don't require more energy than your thumb can handle. From the Crew at LGM we sincerely "Thank" everyone for a fabulous 2006 season(Tornadoe summer #2)!! We wish everyone a super Holiday Season and a Fabulous 2007!!!!! Sincerely, Thanks again from all of us here at LGM and we look forward to a safe, happy and memorable 2007!!!!As a final note, our thoughts are definitely with all of the soldiers and their families. A huge Thanks from us!!

Dec. 11/06
Snow is finally here for a little while. They are forecasting pretty warm temps for the next week or so. This will determine whether or not the Big Guy in the Red Suit needs wheels or skis on his sleigh!! Our bay is frozen in at this time but with the forecast it is sure to open again before the big freeze that will inevitably come our way. Sleds are rolling through the shop and we are still quite busy. If you are at loss for a gift for that special someone on your list and need some ideas please visit our Boatsmart link and maybe there will be some ideas there for you. Remember to just drop Sally an email or call and she will do her best to make sure it is under the tree for that big day! We are now a Satellite provider for XM radio so if that appeals to you then give us a call and we can get you set up and going for the cottage, boat whatever your requirements are. Everything from paddles to inflatable kayaks are now coming in to stock so give us a call if something fits the bill for the tree decorating. Hope everyone is having a great December in spite of the weather and we wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Christmas break. We will be closed Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. As well, the following week we will be closed New Years Eve day and New Years Day. For people like me that translates in to the following days Dec. 24,25,26,31 and Jan. 1st. I like to keep it simple for my mind. Looking forward to seeing a lot of folks over the break and we'll talk to you all soon. Have a great week!

Nov. 21/06
Where did that month go? It sure has been busy around here but the end is in sight and the last of the boats should be away by early next week. Just the ones that are building with lake access to go and with our bay starting to skim around the edges this week with ice it is time to go to bed for the boats. The yard is starting to fill up with sleds so if you need your pre-season start up done please let us know and we'll get it scheduled in. As well, the trail pass deadline is fast approaching so if you are wanting to save some dollars please give us a call and we'll get it processed before Dec.1st. There are no one day passes available this year. You can purchase three or seven day or a season pass. The loggers have been busy and it sure looks barren in spots but it is coming along. I hope to be flying on Friday and will get some more photos to freshen up the home page with some new pics. Sorry, for the absence but it has just been too crazy and busy to even find time to get to the site updates. Unfortunately, even at this time of year there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day! Our elections have come and gone and most of our council has stayed the same. The Reeve and Deputy Reeve remain the same. Water levels have come back a bit and seem to be stabilized. With the amount of rain we have had I was sure the banks should be overflowing! Looks like sunshine for a few days so that should dry things up a bit. Be back sooner than later now that we are getting in to a touch quieter time now before the snow flies and the lake freezes. A reminder we are still closed Sundays until the trails officially open. Our hours through the week are 9-4. 9-4 on Sat. Cheers and have a great week!

Oct. 25/06
No Snow this week so far! We have sure had a ton of rain though. The lake has come up about 8 inches in the last week or so. It will probably drain back out but it sure has made it nice to get the last few boats in. Cool nights are promised in the next few days so we are crazy busy trying to get the last of the boats tucked in for the winter. It will be nice to get them all away. The ladies are really getting tired of bailing boats day after day! The Snowmobile trail passes are available now so don't delay purchasing so you can get the discounted price before Dec. 1st. I hope everyone is enjoying their fall and not wishing for snow too soon! We will be starting to pull out the sleds in mid November so anyone wishing to have their toy serviced please feel free to start dropping them off at that time to ensure we have them ready to go. There is quite a few lined up now waiting to come out of storage and hit the snow( there should be lots this winter according to the way all the critters are getting ready for the winter!) The ballots have been mailed so be sure to vote and be heard for this election! Remember those that don't vote have to be quiet and not complain when they aren't happy with the results. Back in a bit and hopefully for all of our sake we get some nicer weather for the next month or so!

Oct.12/06
SNOW!! Yes, we had our first taste of snow today. It didn't stay but it did share the day with hail, rain,rain and a little more rain. It was like a monsoon last night with the large quantities of liquid moonshine(sunshine at night) and high winds. For whatever reason though the hydro only flickered and managed to stay on. (maybe after the tornadoe there isn't enough trees left near the lines!) There was icing on the roads tonite briefly but it is the warning that the white stuff is coming. With the high winds experienced in the last few days the leaves are virtually down with the exception of the mighty oaks and stubborn poplar trees. If you still haven't turned your water off it might be worth doing this soon. Although the forecast is for warmer temps. next week we all know what the weather man in this part of the woods knows. The same as us, it is getting colder sooner than later! Just as a reminder we are closed on Sundays until the snowmobile trails officially open. It was a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend and I am sure most enjoyed it. Now, fall is here to stay. The election is closing in us and there sure is a handful of candidates to choose from. Choose wisely because they will decide how our Township will go forward (or not) for the next few years. As you can see by the picture the loggers have been working at a feverish pace to get the area cleaned up. It sure looks a lot different with all of the gorgeous trees now disappearing along the Beaver Lake Rd. Even when they were laying down covered in leaves there was some colour. This is not the case now as we are looking at cutover. Ahh!, it will be green again next spring just a little shorter. The animals will be happy with all of the growth down at their height to feed upon. Enjoy the fall and think snow for about Dec. 23rd and things will be good. Back soon!

Oct.5/06
Thanksgiving here we come! Frost was a little thick on the pumpkin this morning. It was actually a nice fall day very brisk this morning and temperate this afternoon. We have had to remove the community discussion board unfortunately because of too many spammers. It has become a full time job just trying to keep ahead of them. This will be replaced in the near future with a community board that will include services, phone numbers,key contacts in the area and if possible cottages that are available for rent. I will post when this is going to happen and any requests will have to come through us to add these to the community board. After this weekend our hours for the fall will be Mon. -Sat. 9-5 closed on Sundays until the snowmobile trails are officially open. The loggers are still hard at work and cleaning us up. The weather is looking promising for the weekend so we expect to see alot of people around. Hope everyone enjoys a very Happy Thanksgiving and we'll see you on the weekend.

Oct.1/06
Like usual we have been really busy and don't seem to find the time to get back here often enough. The loggers have moved in to the area and are working at clearing up the fallen trees. It looks really bad when you drive in the road but all in the progression of getting new growth to start. As bad as it seemed it sure beats a forest fire!!!!!!!! Hope all is well with everyone and we look forward to seeing everyone next weekend for a great Thanksgiving weekend! Have a great week and make sure you all have lots of help lined up for shutdown. Many hands make short work of the jobs at hand and plus it is all about the comraderie at the home away from home! Back later????????

Sept.17/06
Where did the water go? It seems to be all down stream now. Hoping everyone had a great summer! It has been, as usual, crazy around here trying to get all of the boats picked up while there is still some water left under their bellys. There isn't much room in the yard to park right now but we are working at making this disappear as quickly as possible. The rain in the forecast slows things down a little but we will perservere. The kids seem to be happy to be back at school(hehehe!) Some are happy anyways. The fall colours are starting to show and it is starting to look really nice around here. Unfortunately, with the leaves starting to fall it also starts to show how much damage was done by the storm. The views from certain parts of the road are really getting to be quite graphic. Having been so busy lately has curtailed any chance of flying so as soon as Leah isn't looking I will try and sneak up to get some more photos of the area to have a collection to put up on the galleries section. If you haven't been up since Labour Day you should try and get up to make sure there is still water around the dock and consider getting the boat in before it is too late. We will be starting to get some sleds out in the next few weeks for anyone that is considering a new ride this winter. I also have a super clean ATV here for sale. Please drop us a line for a description and price if you are in the market for a new toy! Sorry, still don't have time to update the sales section but will get there soon. Have a great week and we'll be back!

Aug.29/06
The summer is just flying by. By the water levels you would swear it was October already. The levels are just so low for this time of year. Anyone with a stern drive is definitely having their season cut short. The gorgeous summer and lack of rain days has caught up with us and apparently we have to pay the price for no rain. The Fireworks were great as usual and we have to Thank the guys and gals that put on this show for a great show as usual. The Fire ban has been lifted as of yesterday but please be careful if you are burning. The area is still quite dry and with all of the timber that is down after the tornadoe we must be aware because it would be rather hard to fight a forest fire with all of the accesses in to the woods still blocked. This weekend marks the back to school rush. I hope everyone has enjoyed the summer and the kids are ready for another great learning fest!!! Storage is coming in fast and furious and if you are thinking it might be time please drop Sally a line so she can schedule you in. If you are looking for inside storage please book sooner than later as it looks like inside is pretty well booked. There is a couple of spots left as of yesterday so make sure you call her or you might be left outside(not a bad thing but if you want it inside, let us know) We have been still very busy and haven't had time to update the galleries section but will do so later on. There will be some great photos from the air that might be able to be shared around the table at Thanksgiving!! Our sales section has been a little ignored as of late as well and I will hopefully get to that soon. Unfortunately, there is only so many hours in a day and all of our staff have been really busy as well so they haven't been able to keep up with all of the requests. Lucky for us most of the toys have been selling before we get a chance to put them on anyways!! To all of our customers that have returned to their homes out of province we hope you had another memorable year in Cavendish(tornadoe aside!!) and we wish you a great off season(can't say winter to some because it just isn't the same in your parts of the globe!!) It was great serving again this year and we look forward to seeing you again next spring!! Have a great Labour Day Weekend and we'll be back. (I don't even promise when now, just that I will be!)

Aug.14/06
Back again after a brief reprieve and a very busy weekend. There was a little less activity up here this weekend with hydro workers. It seems almost all of the hydro has been restored. The phone lines are slowly coming back. I have heard a few reports of phones when restored ringing in to the wrong cottages so please be patient while the guys figure this out. The weather was great and again a busy weekend but nothing compared to last. Still lots of chain saw work going on but I am sure this will be going on for awhile. There is a complete FIRE BAN on until further notice in the township right now. We have had a number of brush fires and are trying to prevent something more than that happening. Some spots might be a little hard to fight a fire in right now. Speaking of fire the FIREWORKS have been rescheduled to this coming Sat. night. They will be at the south end of Mississagua Lake. So mark your calenders for Sat. the 19th. All roads are now open to the best of my knowledge and travel is almost back to normal. Have a great day and we'll be back soon. The aerial photos over the next few days were taken by Leah at the end of the week. I will be putting alot of these photos in to our gallery section as time permits.

Aug.11/06
Good morning. According to hydro crews last nite if you have a good mast on the building you should now have hydro. There will be some exceptions in the odd place but everything should be up and running. The phones are not all up yet and could be another week. Hydro is helping Bell with this but there is alot more to those lines than there is to the hydro. Hope all is well and we'll see everyone on the weekend.

Aug. 9/06
Lights,lights and more lights. Hydro was restored to about 90% of the lakes at 8pm this evening. Phone service is still trying to get their lines back up but are behind the hydro guys because of pole replacement etc. A big round of applause for these hydro guys who have pulled off an amazing feat to accomplish what they have in this short of time considering the amount of damage. Last count that I heard was 300 poles had to be replaced. I just can't Thank everyone enough for all of the support shown in the last week. Firefighters,police, cottagers,locals, OUR STAFF, all of our suppliers, friends, family and I am sure I am missing a pile of people. Hydro crews, Bell crews and all of their families. It was so great to see everyone pull together and get the job done. No use crying over spilled milk, let's just clean up and enjoy the rest of the summer. We're from Cavendish and it'll take alot more than a few trees to ruin our summer! Also a big Thanks to Bob McGill and all of the customers that helped pull off all of the water taxis and parking issues created over the weekend. This was greatly appreciated!!! Where would we have been without our website guy??? 47,000 hits since the first of the month!!! When the lines were down he was there! Thanks Chris!!! As I said earlier the hydro is pretty well restored but there is alot of clean up to do yet. The road is still closed(Beaver Lake Rd.) but they are allowing cottage owners and local traffic through now. If there is delays please be patient and they will get you through as quickly as possible. Keep smiling folks and help thy neighbour clean up and enjoy this weekend. Cheers and we'll be back asap!!

Aug.7/06
Busy,busy,busy! This place was crazy today. The Beaver Lake Rd. was closed today so it meant alot of traffic through the marina to be taxied to their respective abodes. NOTE: Beaver Lake Rd. will be CLOSED again tomorrow to facilitate clean up of the hydro issue. This is necessary to allow the fellows to work. If they had to keep stopping for every car we would be months getting our hydro back.. Please be patient and remember this is all in OUR best interests and these guys are trying to help. Besides, take the time to watch all of these big, neat toys work. There is everything from choppers,skidders, feller/bunchers,helicopters,horses etc. up here plus hundreds of hydro workers. The number of hydro trucks is staggering. Their safety depends on us so lets keep them safe and offer them a cold drink when they are doing their best to get us back to some semblance of order. We have to remember their families are without them this long weekend and they are in hotels to be here with us. Hmmmm, where would I rather be??? The closure will be from 7-7 again tomorrow so plan your day accordingly. Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend considering what they had to do to get some extra firewood. Sleep is somewhat of an option lately but tonite a necessity so goodnite and I'll be back asap. Thanks for all of the support this weekend, it was greatly appreciated!

Aug.6/06
Wow, it has certainly been another very busy and interesting day! There is a lot of HUGE Thanks to be handed out to a number of groups and individuals. Right from Hydro crews, volunteers,fire,police,Bell crews etc. I am sure I have forgotten some but they won't be forgotten in the long run. It has been confirmed as a F1 tornado that tore through our piece of heaven on Weds. evening. This has been a fabulous showing of what a small community of great people can accomplish when put to the test. The comraderie and general all around help has been great. We have had support from a number of surrounding townships and their fire personnel and volunteers to help this whole clean up continue. Hydro is restored to most of the East shore of Mississagua Lake as well as the west shore as of late this evening. Phones are now starting to come on board on the south and north ends of the big lakes(Catch and Mississagua) There is approximately 150 Hydro workers plus eqpt. and helicopters in the area now trying to restore the hydro. The damage is great down the Beaver Lake Rd. and will take a long time to clean up but alas I am sure it will be done and there won't be any shortage of firewood for a while. One big item to remember, if the tree looks dangerous then it is. Please don't try to do anything you aren't comfortable with. There still hasn't been any directly related accidents so please don't ruin this by doing something dumb when it could be done by somebody that is comfortable and knows how to deal with these trees. Through this I have to also add a huge Thanks to my website guy who has been able to keep the updates coming when our phone lines and hydro were out. Thurs. alone saw in excess of 11,000 hits to our site. 20,000 plus since Tues. These numbers are astounding to us in our little neck of the woods. Our apologies if our humour has been off the last couple of days if you have been in but sleep has been an option and humour might return soon. 507 is definitely open now but Beaver Lake Rd. may have some intermittent closures over the next few days to allow the work crews to replace poles and lines safely. Please be patient because they are probably working hard to give back the stuff we need coming from those two littles lines above our heads. Have a great evening and we'll be back.

Aug.5/06
Back again! 1255 am. The crews are doing a fantastic job. The highway is open again. Hydro crews are working hard to restore power but I feel like most are going to be quite a while before power is restored. Our phones are back at the marina but most are still out around the lakes. Still the most amazing thing is that no one was hurt in this major storm. Please excuse grammatical errors as it is late/early and well you know the news has to go to print!!! Most roads are open again and the mood is absolutely amazing considering the amount of damage. The fireworks have been cancelled for this weekend but I am sure the alternate will be announced soon. Thanks for all of the support everyone has shown in their patience with us and we will try to keep up to all of the needs of the community over the next few weeks. We are pumping fuel, have ice and the propane is going(note: until power is restored we are filling tanks of propane once a day, please drop off and pick up the next day!!!) I will be back asap. Adversity,challenges and the odd little storm will come and go, lets stick together,work together and it will soon be just a memory (The STORM of 2006!!!) Have a good nite and we'll be here to see you tomorrow and welcome the fact that no one was hurt!!

Aug 4/06 9:00 AM
The phones are not working! It appears that the back up battery at the switching station has gone dead. Due to the amount of work Bell Canada has from the storm it may be Tuesday until the phone are operational.

HWY 507 north to Beaver Lake Rd as well as Beaver Lake Rd are open. HWY 507 north from Beaver Lake Rd is still closed. This web site will be updated as information becomes available which may only be once a day. Please check with the Ministry of Transportation for road access information if you have to get through.

It appears that the marina and boats stored at the marina were not damaged from the storm. It will be a few days until we can fully survey the area to be sure.

We are being swamped with emails which Richard has limited access to through his wireless device. Please only email us if it is an emergency.

This would be a good time to start using the Community Discussion Boards Because of spamers we have to approve each user prior to activating their account. Be patient, we will try to check for account activations a couple times a day.

Aug. 3/06
STORM!!!!!!!!!!!! We were hit really hard by a major storm possible tornadoe at approximately 8pm last night. This update is coming at 4:15a.m. I have just come in from trying to clear roads. This storm makes 95 look like a walk in the park. If you are trying to come North please wait, as hard as that may seem. 507 is closed as well as the Beaver Lake Rd. We have numerous power lines down and the Beaver Lake is impassable about 1km before the first bridge. It is going to water access only for awhile. The news channels should have some updates soon. Our phone lines are one of the few in operation and most of our employees will not be allowed to pass down or up the roads so please bear with us while we try to answer phones and deal with what has happened!!!!!!! If you are concerned about family or friends at the cottage we will try and do our best to let you know what is happening. Hydro will probably be out for awhile and most of the phone lines are down around the lake. Please only call if it an emergency as it is going to be very busy dealing with the cleanup for a while to come. I will let you know what is going on asap but it is shaping up to be a really LONG WEEKEND so again please bear with us while we try to help everyone out as much as possible. Hope everyone is safe and if you are talking via cell to friends or family at the cottage emergency access is available through the marina and we have an open road to the highway and services for these emergencies. Thanks and hope to be back on a better note soon!!

July 4/06
The big Long W-end is history for another year. Hope everyone enjoyed the weather although it was extremely windy. We have and continue to be very busy. This keeps causing the delay in me getting back to this updating. Apparently, the bears are starting to conduct visitations as of last weekend. There have been numerous reports of these furry black critters coming over for dinner unannounced. Remember to keep your garbage inside an out building and don't leave the sweets out on the counter unless you are willing to share!! Lori is back and the swimming lessons are in full swing. If you are looking for times,dates and other info please contact Lori at her summer number. (705)657-9128. Remember she will also do the boat operators course and test. The Mastercraft Free Pass event is back on our docks again this Sunday. This event has been a huge success in the last few years. Added to the event this year is some free wakeboarding lessons and tips offered by the guys that know this sport better than most. You must be pre-registered before Sun. the 9th of July. Give us a call and we can give you the info to make sure you are registered in time. Lots of toys have been selling lately. I haven't had time to keep the sales section updated because it seems for most of the items they are here and gone before I can get a chance. Looking forward to a great summer and we have all the toys to help the kids stay busy and the parents happy! Have a great week and holidays are just around the corner!!!

June 20/06
Sun is shining, summer starts tomorrow and the bugs aren't quite so hungry! What more could we ask for? It was great to see so many faces last weekend. We were extremely busy and it certainly was warm enough. Again, welcome to all the new faces we have been seeing. For all of those folks that saw our baby pups they are growing fast. Four out of the five have found homes and there is just the Black Lab looking young fellow left. He is a great looking and intelligent little guy that has just turned a tender age of 10 weeks. So if you know anyone that can give this great fellow a good home let us know. You only have to be interviewed by Leah to ensure that he goes to a good home!!! I have been through the interview a number of years ago and trust me it is a tough one. Hope all is well with everyone and the kids are doing well with their exams. For the long weekend and throughout the rest of the summer until Labour Day our hours will be back to 8-8 seven days a week. Sales of toys have been brisk and I think we might need air traffic control for all of the new flying tubes we have been sending off. It is really neat to see them all flying up and down the lake. I'll try to be back sooner than later but until then THINK SUN!!!

June 1/06
Ouch!!! Just when we thought the critters had somehow been shortlived, they are back. We are requesting all available able-bodied people that are able to donate to the black fly,mosquitoe, deer fly foodbank please come North! We are just about out of supplies. The weather this week sure woke them up for some reason. Hopefully, the forecast means they will slow down in their appetite for us. Looking like a good weekend ahead which is what we like to see at this time of year. After a questionable spring with our chances of doing the fresh water thing we have cracked the case and are now back in business with supplying fresh water in all popular sizes. Please feel free to stop in if the thirst bug gets you. We have been busy,busy,busy so as always please respect our desire for the two week notice for the boat. This only makes it fair for everyone and allows us the time to properly prepare the boat for a trouble free season. The lake temp is up to about 70 now(sorry, old school!) and from what I hear the trout are biting! Apparently, they are still within 20 feet of the surface. I guess it is still pretty cold down there. Not the kind of depth you will catch me at that's for sure! Until next time enjoy the sun! This is the kind of evenings that we look forward to all summer long!!!

May 23/06
Brrrrrr!!! Wasn't that a nice warm weekend? As predicted the black flies were smart enough to stay inside. It was great to see everyone up enjoying the weather with us. From what I hear there was some brave (I don't know a better description) people out enjoying some water sports this weekend. We were busy as usual and plan this to be the way of the summer. Looks like a nicer weekend in the forecast but with this also comes our friends. They are back in moderation today but we will see what the warm weather brings. I was kind of hoping they froze to death this past few days. As a request I would like to mention that we do have a great selection of environmentally friendly soaps, dish washing liquids etc. available in our store. These are in response to our desire to keep our lakes the way we enjoy them. Clean,deep and weed free!!! We also have a great selection of the most popular water toys available now for the warming of the lake. I am trying to keep up with all of the toys that are available as of late. Stop by and you may get a chance to score a good deal on something before I get a chance to get it on the website. We also wish a warm welcome to all the new folks that have chosen to purchase their dream spots in our area. The lake level is great so far and should we expect anything different after the weekend. As usual at this time of year keep a keen eye on the water for anything that might be floating. There seems to be no shortage of objects out there. Hopefully they will all end up as firewood on someone's beach sooner than later. Enjoy your week and think summer!!

May 15/06
Critters, critters,critters!! Those black flies are sure enjoying this weather but I think with the forecast for the rest of the week we might not have to worry about them for a little while again. The weather is sure going to do it's best to ensure this week will be very interesting to get the boats in. If you haven't already made arrangements for your boat before now for this weekend please don't ask. You can, but Sally has a great giggle to share with you. We are going to be very hard pressed with this forecast to get out the ones that are already promised. We have been, like usual, very busy ensuring everything is going out on time and of course, in great shape. Toy sales have been brisk so be sure to stop by on the weekend to check out all the new stuff to make your summer better than ever in Cavendish. Well gotta go and get some more boats ready so we'll see everyone this weekend. Until then don't leave home without your umbrella!

May 7/06
A short note on a Sunday evening. We were in North Bay this weekend to celebrate Bryan's graduation. They even let the guys prove to us they could actually fly helicopters safely and allowed each one to demonstrate their abilities to us. This pic is of Bryan hovering in front of the crowd. This machine is one of the ones he learned to fly while gaining his license. Nice bird but I really like the bigger one that he can fly!!! Oh well, us boys have to have something to dream for. Have a great week everyone and we look forward to seeing each and every one in the next few weeks to come!!

May 3/06
Well, we know for sure Spring is here now. The little black critters showed up in full force late this afternoon. They were teasing us the last few days but tonite the games began. Being the generous people we are, and my mother always said to share, I think that it is only fair that everyone makes an effort to come up and help feed those less fortunate insects. If we don't feed them then they might not make it till next year!! As expected, we are extremely busy getting all of the toys back in to their summer residences. It has been great seeing everyone again and look forward to each weekend of catching up on the winter happenings. There sure is a lot of tanned people coming in so we are to assume that TO had great weather this winter. Sorry for the delay in getting some of the new sales on to the site but most of them sold before I could get them up. Old school phone calls seemed to be the order of the day and there they were GONE. Word is that more are coming so I will do my best to keep up even if it means working to the wee hours of the morning!! As always, we hope everyone is well and can't wait to get back to this fabulous area for another (sure to be) great summer!

April 24/06
Wasn't that a gorgeous weekend. I hear it was really nice in Vancouver!!! The upside was that with the rain the blackflies weren't a problem when it came to raking. Better wet than bitten! Speaking of the little critters they haven't shown their horns yet but the trilliums are about to burst open and well the rest will be another feeding frenzy. We are busy launching the boats that can go in and playing against the weather. We are looking at some sub-zero temps at nite again this week just to remind us all that it is still April. I will be updating the Sales section in the next day or so with a bunch of newly available toys. There is quite a few so keep an eye out to not miss the toy of your dreams??? Please, as always remember we do require the two weeks notice to ensure you receive your treasure back on the dock in tip top shape and ready for the extra nice summer weather sure to be coming. Be sure to stop in to the store and see all the new watertoys and towables that we are now stocking to keep everyone enjoying the lake this summer. Have a great week and we'll be back soon!

April 16/06
The word is out. The ice left us on Fri. night!! We will be busy launching now. Remember, we need two weeks notice and as usual because of the unpredictable weather I am a firm believer of not launching the stern drives until Mother's Day weekend. There is a reason the farmers don't plant crops until late May. We can usually always expect some cold weather between now and then. Lots of pics to prove from years past. We are busy enough at this time of year that we don't want to have a bunch of frozen stern drive engines to deal with as well. This would certainly delay use of the boat even longer. Hope everyone is enjoying their Easter and we'll see everyone soon. So, for those that had a pool going my official ice out date this year as we witnessed would be just before dark Fri. April the 14th.

April 14/06
Just a quick update. The ice is still in although it looks like it will probably go out late this weekend. Hope everyone has a great Easter Weekend.!

April 9/06
The ice is still hanging on. Looks like it will be another week at least before it disappears. We are proud to announce that our son Bryan earned his Commercial Helicopter License officially last Thursday evening. He has had a busy year and has successfully completed the Transport Canada requirements and is on his way to what we hope will be an exciting career. It was great to see a lot of familiar faces again this weekend. The weather was fabulous and it looks like a nice week coming up. I'll be back later in the week so we'll chat soon! Have a great start to your week!

April 5/06
Winter keeps showing it's face around here. We had a few nice days and now, today, more snow. What started out looking like an early spring has changed and now it looks like it will be right on schedule. The water is coming up fast and pulling the ice away from the shores. The ice though is looking like it will be holding on for a while yet. The trees are now done giving up their nectar for the pancakes. The sleds are now gone to bed for the season. It is now ATV season and soon to be boating season. The lanes are starting to clear of snow and becoming passable. They are soft now so if you venture up be careful about keeping to the center. If you don't, well, you will be good and stuck! There is alot of water running in the area and this means keep an eye on the little ones so we don't have any misfortunes. As usual, we are still busy but looking forward to seeing everyone in the next month or so.Hope everyone is having a good spring and we'll be back soon!

Mar.22/06
Well, it looks like Spring may be springing for a few days. Like usual, we have been very busy and are continuing to get ready for the spring launch. Sorry, for the non-update on the photos but someone(no names mentioned) dropped the camera and temporarily disabled it. It will be back in action soon. Just like us apparently parts can be BACK ORDERED! The snow is still deep in spots and the sleds are still running on the trails. The southern exposures are starting to bare off but the trails as of today are still not too bad. The lake doesn't have a whole lot of snow but isn't too bad for skating. Just check before you go out. Spring has a way of making some spots safer than others. The sap is starting to run very well, from what I hear, in the area. Unfortunately, I don't see as many buckets hanging from trees as in the past. Our hours for April will be Mon. - Sat. 9-4 and closed on Sundays until the ice has left our area. I hope everyone will enjoy the weather until we get our true summer and we can play again. Back soon!!

Mar.15/06
Where does the time go? It just seems like yesterday. We have been very busy and are now starting to swing in to gear for summer stuff. We have a lot of work ahead and are looking forward to a busy season. What is it with the weather of late? We have needed everything from water wings and umbrellas to our big winter parkas with complete wind screens attached. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much need for sunglasses. Only March can promise such weather! I am starting to see lots of buckets hanging from the trees and the rumour is the sap is running well. There is lots of people around this week and it is great to see everyone enjoying the break. We are hoping looking at the long range forecast that the sun will come out and let everybody enjoy the last half of their spring break. Remember to give us a call if you have any requests for spring launch and we'll do our best to accomodate you. To all of our slip tenants remember April 1st is our deadline and we will be trying to help those on the waiting list to get in and have a slip for the summer. Have a great week and we'll be back!

Feb.28/06
Well the forecast was right and we are definitely having winter now. It has been fabulous up here. A little chilly the last couple of nights but nice! The forecast is for some more snow but more seasonable temps so more winter yet to come. This won't be too bad for the sleds so at least we can feel like it was worthwhile owning these critters. We have been still quite busy with a lot of traffic coming through for gas and what not while they are out traveling around enjoying the scenery. It has been quite nice with all the snow hanging off the trees etc. We have been doing a little flying but not enough to keep me happy yet. With the weather comes the wind and the weather guy just hasn't co-operated enough. I will be talking to him/her later this week to try and rectify this issue. We are busy as well trying to get back in to the boat mode. So, if you think of anything you might want done before the spring rush give us a call now to ensure we can get this scheduled in for you. Enjoy your week and we'll be back.

Feb.22/06
Another week, another day or two of snow. Winter is finally, really here. The forecast promises more winter to come and that is what we have been waiting for. There is still a lot of traffic out there and apparently on the back lakes the fish have been biting like crazy!! A guy may have to go and wet a line just to confirm the stories. We have a fair bit of snow now and the roof thing may start to become an issue if we get too much more. It seemed like in Jan. this wasn't going to be a problem but good old man winter didn't let us down. Hope everyone is enjoying this other than the drive to work every day. There is a couple of additions to the sales site so please check them out to see if one of them suits your fancy. Have a great week and we'll be back soon. Oh, by the way for the sledders, the trails are great and just waiting for sleds to enjoy them!

Feb.14/06
Happy Valentine's Day! We can never forget this day! The media won't allow it. The weekend was fabulous and we were very busy. It was great to see so many faces out and finally able to enjoy the trails. The club has been working very hard to try and get the trails driveable. They are still encountering problems on some of the trails with water but they are trying to get around that this week. Our plane is back from the paint shop and we are now hoping to get some weather to be able to get up and take a bunch more photos of the area. Unfortunately, the long term weather forecast doesn't look good for that so far. So, get out and play while we have some winter and I'll be back soon!

Feb.6/06
Well, I think winter might be here for this week anyways. We finally arranged to have some snow delivered this weekend. The temps for the week seem like they may co-operate in letting us keep this white stuff. The BDSC club event this weekend went fairly well considering the weather. There was a good turnout and everyone went away with a little more 'biling under the belt. The groomers are out and trying to do what they can with the trails. There is still alot of water running in the woods and this is making it extremely difficult to groom some of the trails that cross swamps etc. They just don't make water wings that big to keep these machines floating. Nonetheless, they are doing a great job this week on the trails that they are able to access. As you might notice we have added some links on our home page. Feel free to check them out and see what you might want to add to your collection of toys and or accessories. Have a great week!

Jan.31/06
It is supposed to be winter isn't it? Hopefully, the snow will find it's way back again before the weekend. We have been busy though in spite of the weather people have been able to get out and break some stuff. The Buckhorn District Snowmobile Club's event for the weekend is still a go. At this time please check our link to the BDSC on the links page for updated trail conditions. Some trails including the Beaver trail are closed as of now. This is due to all the warm weather and large volumes of water flowing. The creek on the Turtle trail is preventing the groomers from coming up from the clubhouse on the east to Apsley. There is just too much water and not enough ice on the ponds and marshes. Hope everyone enjoyed the weather on last Sat. and got out to play at one event or another. Have a good week and we'll be back soon!

Jan.23/06
Well the boat show has come and gone for another year. Hope everyone had a chance to go check out all the new toys. The weather has finally turned a little bit like winter. There is now enough snow to go sledding. The trails are not too bad! There is a fair amount of water running so one has to be careful on the main trails as there is some creeks flowing across the trail. The lakes are being traveled but no where near the narrows. These are still open and dangerous to be around unless you want to go swimming. Note: the Water is cold at this time of year. We have been busy keeping up with all the winter work. With the show over and thoughts of boats around the corner be sure to check out the Boatsmart.com site for all of the toys we can put on your boat or tow behind for the summer ahead. We have alot of the merchandise in stock now and ready to go. I have really expanded our water towables collection with a lot of new styles and designs to keep everyone in the family happy. Lounge style towables for the wee ones or the moms and dads. For the young brave set we even have the new Wego that acts like a kite as well. This one is sure to be a big hit this summer. The week ahead doesn't look too bad for weather so get out and enjoy while we can. Our plane is away getting painted and hopefully back soon so I can get up and get some more shots of the area. I will post some unseen from last winter and keep the guessing game going as to where each of the shots are from. Please remember the prices on the Boatsmart link are US dollars and if you drop Sally a line she can give you the Canadian price and make sure we have what you want here for you. Have a great week and we'll be back (when, is the surprise)

Jan.13/06
Friday the 13th. That explains why the trails are non-existent and the lake has no snow. That would be the snowmobile update for this w-end. Apparently, high winds and maybe a bit of snow tomorrow but doesn't look promising. The lake is great for skating though. The weather looks like it will be cool and sunny on Sunday so I guess we will have to wait and see. I just wouldn't plan on sledding up in this neck of the woods this w-end though. Bye for now.

Jan.9/06
Here we go again for another year. We are still awaiting some real winter conditions. The bad roads and marginal driving weather just aren't cutting it for the true winter enthusiasts. The lakes according to the official ice cutting guys around here, (not me)are getting there. There is about 6-8 inches of blue/white ice out there. The ice around the narrows(both!) is non-existent(meaning, don't go there!) As well the cut between Catch and McGuiness is a no go as well. The groomers have been out packing but still haven't got a whole lot of snow to work with. Having said that the trails that have been trampled aren't too bad. We will see what the next few days of weather brings us. If the weather guy is right(imagine that!!) we won't be doing much sledding this w-end. On the other side of the weather spectrum is the opening of the Toronto Boat Show this w-end. I hope everyone has a chance to take in this big event. It is good for, if nothing else, dreaming. If you see something you really like and aren't sure please give us a call and we can help you make a decision that will be hopefully help you be better informed. Enjoy your week and if we have any more great news before next week we'll be back sooner than later!

Jan. 4/06
Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a good holiday season! We have been busy making sure all the toys are ready for the snow season. It has been a little slow coming but nonetheless we are sure it will arrive. The ice is on the lakes but not very thick yet. There shouldn't be much traffic out there for another week I hope. The warm weather of late isn't helping make ice that is for sure. Remember to check out the Boatsmart.com website for lots of great ideas for your boating pleasure. If you find something you like drop Sally a line and we'll make sure we get it here for you unless we of course already have it here. There is a few more toys on the sales section now so check it out and you might find something that is a belated present to yourself. We'll keep you posted and have a great w-end!

Dec. 22/05
Just a short drop in to say everyone have a Happy, Happy bunch of holidays! We are looking forward to the Big Guy dropping by for a visit. We will be back around on the 27th for anyone that is in the area and stopping by for a visit. We close the 24th at noon. This is so well you know, that's when most men go shopping. Better deals and less lines. (ha,ha!) Well have fun and we'll be back soon!

Dec.18/05
Well, it's that time of year again when the Big Guy in the Red Suit starts to make his rounds again. There is certainly some snow up here for his sleigh. Unfortunately, not enough for our sleighs yet. The lakes have started to freeze but are by no means safe to venture out on yet. It has been and continues to be a very busy season for us. We have been going very steadily all fall and it shows no sign of letting up. The weather of late is suggesting a very good winter season ahead. We are looking forward to seeing everyone over the Christmas break. Just a reminder we will be closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Our hours continue to be 9-4 Mon.-Sat. and closed Sundays until, well I don't know, it has been kind of nice. We will probably open Sundays again once the trails are officially open. Hope everyone has a great holiday season! We have a few more previously enjoyed toys available now so if there is something pulling at you give us a call and we'll see if we can put you in to that new to you fun. Stay tuned for a bunch of new products available from us in the next few weeks. We will have a whole lot of new toys for you and the family to enjoy this summer. See them here and be ready for summer when it strikes. Until next time, Cheers!

Nov.28/05
What a person can see when they are coming in our laneway at the right time. Thanks very much for this picture taken by John and Glenda Lavery as they came in to the marina yesterday afternoon. These critters have been frequenting our place a lot lately and enjoying our hospitality. The weather has warmed up a little today and apparently tomorrow as well. The sleds are about to start getting some attention late this week. We are now a member of the Boat Smart group. You can check out their website at boatsmart.com On their site you will see a link back to us. If you find something you like and would like to order just drop Sally a line on the link above and she can get everything in and deliver for you. There is some great Christmas ideas for the boaters in your family. There is some great deals and savings available and we will be happy to set these aside for you in the spring as well. Your boat can be delivered back to the dock with all the gifts onboard. Anyone that is thinking about getting their sled out should give Sally a call in the next couple of weeks to arrange any work required and schedule a date for service. Remember, just like the boats we need two weeks notice to secure your ride for pickup. Hope everyone is starting to get in to the holiday spirit. The big guy in the red suit is starting to lean out the reindeer for their big nite and apparently the Mrs. has put him on a diet to. He only has so much room for all those milk and cookies encountered along the way. If this weather keeps up we'll have no problem for the sleigh around here. I'll be updating the sales section in time for Christmas so if anyone finds that special toy give me a call and we might arrange a bigger tree to put the toy under! Back soon and to all a good nite!

Nov.23/05
This picture from this morning raises the question, Is your boat out yet and the water turned off at the cottage? Amazingly, there is still a number of boats trying to float around out there. With the weather of late they will be floating in ice till they sink in the spring. It has been awhile since we have had time to update. The boats have been keeping us busy around the clock. I haven't even had much time for the phone calls to be returned. The weather was so nice late in to fall that many decided to hold on till the end. This has made it a later than normal rush to get everything to bed. Well we can say that 97% of them are sleepy, sleepy now. The other 3%, well who knows when they get here we will try and deal with them. There is still alot of people around enjoying the weather and everyone seems to be thinking snow. I can wait a few weeks for this until we get a chance to pull out those toys and get them ready for the next season. You know the one right after CHRISTMAS! For the month of December our hours will be 9-4 Mon. -Sat. Sundays will be on the agenda in the New Year after the snowmobile trails open. We will be closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day for sure at this point. Hope all is well and I'll be back sooner than later.

Oct.17/05
Busy, busy as always trying to get the toys to bed. I have had a few people think the photo might be Green's Mountain. As Sally says," NOT!" For those that remember Jim Tozer, a technician of ours for a number of years. We attended Jim's wedding in Kamloops over the w-end. (Quick trip, boats to put away remember.) This was a view atop Silver Star Mountain outside of Vernon. So congrats to Jim and his new wife Kristin. They make a great couple and the wedding was a true Western event that was more than enjoyed by all! Everything else is well in Cavendish and the water does just keep disappearing. The leaves are slowly starting to drop but they are definitely quite behind other years in their trek for the ground. We are starting to think about sleds in about another month or so. You can give us a call at the end of the month if you are going to need some work or the sled to come out of storage. This will hopefully ensure your name goes on the list early enough. Not much more in the way on news as we have been just so busy getting all the boats away. Cheers until next time.

Oct.11/05
Thanksgiving has come and gone for 2005! It was a great w-end and we were very busy! It was great to see many faces over the w-end. The boats were abundant and from what we hear the turkeys didn't fare so well. All in all it sounded like a great w-end was had by all. We are still very busy putting boats away and will be continuing to do so for a while yet by the looks of it. The lakes still seem to be harbouring a number of craft at their docks. The Claremont water towers are now closed down for the season and possibly for the future. We will be arranging some fresh water in the very near future to keep everyone with their water requirements happy! Apparently, the standards and equipment upgrades were just too much for Claremont and they have had to close their doors. Our hours for the remainder of Oct. will be 9-5, 7 days a week. Starting in November the hours will be 9-5 Mon. -Sat. and closed on Sundays until further notice. We hope everyone continues to enjoy the great weather and we'll try to keep updating as often as possible to keep everyone in the loop for the winter. Have a great week and we'll be back soon!

Oct.6/05
Where does the time go? It has still been just fabulous weather. We are still quite busy putting the boats to bed. Hence, the tardy fellow hasn't been able to keep up with the website. I am still trying to keep ahead of this but there just seems to be not enough hours in the day. After we get this "promising to be not too bad" w-end out of the way hopefully I will find time a little more often to keep the site updated. I hope everyone has enjoyed the fall/hot late summer. I have never seen so many people walking around in bathing suits and still swimming as this week, and trying to remember this is OCT. Apparently, it is snowing further north from here. They can keep it up there for a little while yet. The leaves are starting to get in to full colour now and should be great for a week or so. Then comes the fun of cleaning them all up. If you haven't seen us about the boat storage you better call quick so that we can try and find a spot for your treasure. We like to get them away before the snow flies. Looking forward to seeing everyone this w-end and I'll be back, well hopefully sooner than later.

Sept.19/05
Wow, what a gorgeous couple of weeks. We have received a little bit of rain which has helped us retain a bit of water. This isn't helping much in the grand scheme of things. The water is still quite low and I certainly don't expect it to gain in the near future. We have been very busy here putting the bateau's to bed. The late season holiday folks have also been quite busy enjoying the lakes. The leaves are just starting to change. I think they might actually be just about on time for Thanksgiving this year. As always, the fall seems to be the most spectacular time of year in this area. The colours are unmatched and the waters are beautiful(albeit a little low!) It is with great sympathy to the family and friends that we have to pass on this news. Robert Honour (Mississagua Lake) died Sat. Sept.17th in a tragic helicopter crash in Duncan, BC. The local media have cited his heroism in the accident in missing a farmhouse full of people. Robert will be certainly missed in this area and our thoughts are with his family. Bob was only 51 and certainly touched every life he was a part of. That's all for now and I'll be back soon.

Sept.7/05
Labour Day has come and gone for another year. The wee ones are back to school and we all know where the grandparents are. They are at the cottage enjoying the peace and quiet that these lakes have to offer at this time of year. Well, it used to be that way. I think the celebrating is getting a little louder each year!!! Maybe not, there just might be more of these folks sticking around to enjoy the early September weather. Needless to say it has been a very busy summer. We would like to Thank everyone for the patronage shown to us for another great season. We would also like to Thank our Summer Staff very much for another great year. Our summers wouldn't go as smoothly without these students around to do all the things that they do to keep things rolling along! We had a very busy w-end and met a lot of new faces. To all of the new owners on the system we welcome you! The boats are coming in early this year because of the low water levels. The water just seems to keep going away day after day. Honest, we didn't pull the plug but I might know some guys that could stop the water leaving!! Might get in trouble for that!!! Don't forget to give us a call and arrange your toy's home for the winter. We'll try to ensure the pillow is fluffed and everything is in place for a peaceful sleep. For those that are looking for the white stuff already we received this year's OFSC trail passes today. Give Sally a call and she will put your name on one. If you buy before Nov. 1st your name will be entered in a draw for some great cash prizes. You must buy before Dec. 1st to get the early discounted price of $180. This is the same price as last year. The sales section is being brought up to date again now. I finally have cracked the case on getting in to the site again. I will be continuing to update over the next few days. Don't hesitate to take a look and grab that new toy for next season. Well that's it for now, we'll be back sooner than later!

Aug. 30/05
Well, summer is almost over! It has been a record summer for nice weather. We have been very busy in spite of the cost of FUEL. It seems with this weather we all had to play and enjoy it before the dream ended without warning. The fireworks were fabulous as usual and as always the light show from the boats was spectaculour as well. Bears have been an almost non-existent presence this summer. Maybe, too hot to wander!! We are gearing up for another busy fall and trying to get all the boats to bed before the water is totally gone from the lakes. It is really low for this time of year and promising to get lower. You could almost say we could have used some of the water Katrina left south of here. Hopefully, we only see the rain for a few days and not the wind. We are sorry we haven't been able to update more often but the summer was so busy and flew by so fast. We have lost some very long time residents of Cavendish in the past week. Eletha Manley and Roxie Downer have both passed away. Their presence will be dearly missed and all of our thoughts go out to their families and friends. Labour Day is coming quickly and all the junior folks are surely rushing back to their educations. As parents we really don't like to see this coming??? Please don't forget to give us a call to make sure we can fit you in to fall haul out. Space in our indoor storage is very limited so we would like to make sure we can accomodate everyone that requires this service. There will some updates to the sales section after the w-end if I can get back in again. Passwords are great when they work!!! There just might be some toys that interest you at great end of season savings!! Cheers for now and we'll look forward to seeing everyone this w-end. By the way, 8-2 on the clock dial when coming in to our bay and everything will be fine. On our shot from the air it will self explain. This will make it easier for everyone and I'll leave this shot up for a few days.

July 6/05
Summer is here and going strong. Bugs are a minimum and the sun is ever present. There has been a few stories of bears, but they to are not a huge problem yet. There is alot happening in the area right now. Swimming lessons are happening at LGM again this year on a daily basis. Please contact us for more info. The annual fireworks will be held on Gold Lake this year on July 30th. We are hosting the Free Pass day again this year on two occasions, July 24th and Aug. 17th. This will be sure to be a fun filled day again. Our community lost a very special person last weekend. Mary Hetherington passed away as the result of a cycling accident. We pass on our thoughts to her family and friends at this very difficult time. It has been very busy and super to see everyone back in the area again enjoying the Cavendish summer. Don't hesitate to stop by and say Hi. We look forward to seeing everyone. This is short and sweet and hopefully more to add next time. Enjoy the weather and I'll be back(sooner than later I hope!)

June 26/05
Wow, how time flies! I thought I was a little behind last time but here it is the end of June. Needless, to say we have been very busy. The weather has been very good lately, at least through the week. This w-end was absolutely fabulous, (maybe a little too humid) The bugs have definitely subsided to a bearable level anyways. We are looking forward to a great long w-end coming up. Leah has been very busy paddling away with the Dragon Boat Team from Peterborough. The girls had a very successful w-end on the 18th. They raised over $102,000 for donations to the various organizations related to the awareness and treatment of Breast Cancer. The team from Ptbo. traveled to Vancouver this w-end for the 10th Anniversary of Breast Cancer Survivors Dragon Boating events. Leah and girls had a great time and competed with teams from Poland, New Zealand, United States, Italy and all over. There was 64 teams of Breast Cancer survivors from all around the world. Congrats to all the ladies and their desire to bring awareness and early treatment to the front page. The area has certainly been busy and there is alot going on to keep everyone entertained this summer. I will update as new events are announced. We will again be hosting the MasterCraft Free Pass Event this summer on two occasions. The first will be Sun. July 24th and then again on Weds. Aug. 17th. If you go to Buckeyemarine.com you can pre-register for a ride behind or in a new Mastercraft ski boat. We again welcome all the new people to the area. It is nice to see so many new faces. I will try and update the sales section later this week so everyone can see the new additions. Have a great week and we'll see everyone soon!

June 8/05
It has been very busy as of late. Sorry, for the delay in updating but we have been working round the clock to get all of the toys back in the water. We thought that we might have missed the black flies this year. They were around earlier but not anything like years past. Well, they have decided to fool us! Wow, they have been a little bit thick this last day or so. Hopefully, the weather this week will put them to bed for good. At least until next year anyways. It isn't fair when we have to deal with them, the mosquitoes and the deer flies. Thank goodness the dragon flies are out. This is the one time of year we really appreciate the bats as well. The community has been busy getting ready for another great summer in Cavendish. Check out the 507 Express to stay on top of all the happenings in and around our area. We are seeing a large number of loons this year which is a good sign. Please remember to slow down around the islands if you see any of these great birds nesting. It has been great seeing everyone again and we look forward to seeing all of our International friends and customers in the coming weeks. Please remember you need a burn permit for any outside burning. These can now be picked up at our marina for your convenience. Sales have been brisk and unfortunately I have been unable to keep up on our sales section. If there is something specific you are looking for please drop us a line and we will see what we can do to put that perfect entertainment device at your place of solitude. As a reminder we also have a good selection of water toys in the store now along with all of the tow ropes etc. to keep you on the water enjoying the great weather. The fishing section is well stocked up again to lure that big one in to the boat! Rumours around suggest that the Trout are biting well. Remember bass season doesn't open until the end of the month so please let these guys do their nesting and then chase them when the season opens. As always, please remember that we need two weeks notice to get the boats out. We will do our best to ensure everyone is happy but with the emphasis on fairness and our desire to deliver on time and properly we must almost always insist on the required notice. Hope everyone has enjoyed their first weeks back to the cottage and I'll be back sooner than later I hope.

May 26/05
Back again finally! It has been a little bit busy as of late. The weather has been, well, you know, Mayish! This weekend isn't promising great things as of yet but we all know the weather guy can be wrong from time to time. The black flies have shown their faces a little more this week but still not what they are capable of. We had a little link problem today with the weather side of the site but it apparently was at the host end and has now been cured. The Cavendish Hall of the GCH fire dept. will be receiving a great bonus on the weekend from a group of ATV enthusiasts that were helped out a few weeks ago. They have decided to donate a new set of axles, tires and lights for our rescue toboggan/buggy to provide a more comfortable ride out of the nature trails to civilization(AMBULANCE)! This is being gratefully accepted and acknowledged at 10 a.m. on Sat. morning at our fire hall on the 507. Thanks alot guys, this is great and well thought of up here in Cavendish. The Catchacoma books are now out and available. We will hopefully have some here to be handed out to the pre-ordered folks in the next couple of weeks. The sales section is about to have a number of new additions in the next couple of days so be sure to check it out. I will be adding some new photos to the galleries section next week as well. The plane should be back in the air in a week or so. I am awaiting the AME to install the floats and inspect the plane and apparently he is just as busy or more so than the marina guy. As soon as I have time and the toy is ready we will definitely be adding some more photos of the area so that everyone can enjoy guessing where I am. Hopefully, we will remember where they are too! Hope all is well with everyone and we will hopefully regain some sanity in the next week or so and get back to updating faster and with more happenings. And, as always, two weeks notice or well you know, it might not happen!

May 10/05
The Trilliums are blooming as of today! Having said that, there is also SOME of the little critters out in full force today. You only need some fine mesh surrounding you to not notice them! The weather has been not too bad the last couple of days and the water level seems to be stabilizing. There is still a lot of debris floating around out there so still keep an eye out when traveling around. The markers are not in on the lakes as of yet either so watch where you are going or I'll be even busier trying to fix up the little ouch's. Looking at the forecast it is promising to be a cooler w-end but still no snow in sight which isn't a bad thing. We are extremely busy trying to get everything back in the water so please be patient and call ahead by at least the two weeks required to ensure your happiness and my piece of mind. Again, nice to see all the familiar faces again each w-end and we are enjoying meeting all of the new faces to our chain of lakes. So, remember the bug essentials before venturing North this w-end and if you happen to forget it we have some in stock to help you play with the creatures. Our water machines are back in full swing again as well the coolers are stocked with all of the essentials for the BBQ or the dessert tray. Have a good week and we'll see you soon!

May 4/05
Wow, it is finally working again. We have been experiencing tech. difficulties again and well you know probably just the tech!(me) But, alas I am back again. It has been a busy,busy,busy few weeks. Between the snow,hail,rain,snow,hail,rain and oh yeah the bright thing in the sky showed it's face for a little while today! Our temp. tonite though is expected to drop below that zero thing again. I always thought the previous generation was crazy but their words seem to be pretty true about the first of May. Blackflies and cold, snowy weather go hand in hand until Victoria day. They were all farmers and what does that have to do with cottaging? I just have figured out that (well maybe!) they have a few more years on us and they seem to remember more about the weather than our ever fearless forecasters do! Weather aside, the lake level is up to it's normal spring self. One word of caution for the early boaters. There is alot of stuff floating around out on the lakes. Everything from logs to limbs to your neighbours docks to pieces of your neighbour's dock. Just be careful while touring around and don't forget your PFD. The water to anyone over 18 is still a lot on the cool side. The little black critters haven't started as of yet but the trilliums are about to bloom and we all know that means OFF! (or just a good old fashioned screened door wrapped around your body)(affectionately called by cottagers as a bug jacket) Oh, did I say that `out loud' The Weds. night baseball games are about to start again and as always everyone is welcome. The nice thing about these games is that the always end in a tie. Hmmm, I have to figure that out but when the teams are picked fresh every week it seems they end up pretty even. The roads in to the abodes of the lake are drying up quite well. There still seems to be a few potholes(few means millions) but I am sure with less than winter weather they will disappear. One word of caution please yield the right of way to friends but if you don't know them make sure you aren't the one stuck in the still really soft stuff on the shoulders. Now that I maybe have figured out the tech stuff again there will be some new toys showing up on the sales section in the next week or so, so be sure to check it out. For all the MOMS out there HAVE A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! and we hope to see alot of familiar faces around in the next few weeks. Remember though, without two weeks notice for the boat you might be swimming the lakes to visit so drop Sally a line so she can make sure the rest of us can do our part to keep everyone in the lakes happy,happy,happy!

April 20/05Shhhh! Don't tell anyone but I think the ice is pretty well gone as of late today! There is still some chunks floating around on the east side of the lake but by the w-end it should be pretty well gone. Unfortunately, looking at the forecast it looks like the April showers are about to begin. There is even talk of some wet snow maybe on Sat. Oh well that is what we expect for weather at this time of year. I can almost guarantee some below freezing temps. yet to come. There always is in the first part of May. Nonetheless, it is time to start thinking about the little black fly critters. Mosquitoes have already been hanging around testing their new wings and transfusion equipment. Our first Loon of the season was in the bay tonight and making lots of racket. I think he was thinking that summer was starting to think about showing up sometime down the road. As always, a reminder that we require at least two weeks notice to have your toy ready and delivered to your dock. If you are having a hard time getting through on the Ma Bell system just click on one of our email links at the top of the page and drop us a line. We will get back to you asap and set up timing etc. for toy delivery. The water level is almost all the way up to spring level. Have a great week and don't forget your umbrella for the next few days through the w-end!

April 14/05The ice is still in and hanging on tough. As you can see I have switched back to showing the bay so everyone can watch the progress of the lake. There is still a fair amt. of snow in the woods as well. All of the southern exposures are bare but some of the low lying areas are still quite deep. There is a fire burning ban in place as of yesterday until further notice. That means no outside burning at all. There has been a large number of grass and bush fires in Ptbo. county so our Fire Chief has put a ban on to protect all of our interests. I will try to keep the pics up to date as possible so that the ice out will be on que. I think we are looking at least another week to two weeks before this disappears. Have a great w-end.

April 4/05Weather, what else do we Canadians talk about? This past week has been a mixed bag to say the least. We awoke to about 6 inches of snow on the ground again this morning. It has since melted today but there is still a pile of snow left in the woods. The lake is still well frozen. I saw a truck running down the lake again today and back up again so I guess who ever it was made it! We are guessing the ice out will be late April this year with the thickness and weather of late. We have been really busy putting sleds to bed and getting ready for a great spring! I was wondering whether or not to put the sleds away after this w-end. Our store is undergoing some minor renos and additions to stock so Sally is busy, busy, busy making sure that we have lots to keep everyone playing this summer. We have added a big water trampoline to our rental section so if anyone is wanting to try out one of these toys let us know so we can book it in to your holidays. There is also a good selection of new water toys at very reasonable prices to keep all of those adventurous type happy on the water. The gallery of photos is again starting to grow and will be updated as time allows. The plane is grounded while I await spring break-up of the ice. I will probably get some photos of ice out from another platform if the boss allows me to go play! Our sympathies go out to the King Family. Jim King (Jr.), a long time Catchacoma Lake cottager and resident passed away last week in Vernon,B.C. Jim's sense of humour, love of the area and people will certainly be missed by all. I hope everyone is enjoying the extra hour of daylight at the end of the day. I know the kids are happier knowing the street lights don't come on for another hour in the evening! Remember those days? (like they were yesterday!) If you have any last minute requests on things you might need done to your toy please let us know early so we can accomodate everyone. Our sales section is about to grow very quickly as well. I have heard rumours of some new toys coming to town so that means there is going to be some good partially enjoyed toys available at a great marina near you! Give us a call or drop a line and we'll see if we can put you in to one of these pre-enjoyed not over-enjoyed deals. Till next time, keep smiling spring is just around the corner!

Mar.23/05Well, here we are. Someone said that Spring is now officially here. It sure looks alot like winter from where I am standing. Only the temps. are leading us to believe that those little black critters are just around the corner! I never know what all the fuss is about. They aren't that bad. Yeah, I'll just keep repeating that to myself as I am scratching away in the evenings. The weather has been gorgeous and it has been nice to have snow for the March break. I am seeing a bunch of buckets hanging from trees so that would lead one to believe there must be something coming out of them. I will be sure to check with one of the local experts and find out. The snowmobiles are still rolling and the trails are not too bad. The BDSC has put away the big groomer and are maintaining the trails with a smaller one for as long as possible. Just a reminder to give us a call if there is anything that you would like done to the boat before we are getting ready to launch. A more important reminder is to make sure that we are given two weeks notice before you would like to see your boat. This is something that is very important so that everyone is kept happy,happy, happy. We just have to ensure that one's request is reasonable and there is actually a dock to tie the boat to when we get it there on the requested date. We hope everyone has a great Easter and we'll be back soon.

Mar.2/05The snow just keeps a coming down. Not a bad thing. It's about time we received some winter. Sorry, for the delay in photos but I had to go away and try some fishing in Quebec. Notice, I said fishing not to be confused with catching! The weather here has been absolutely winterish! All is well here in Cavendish with lots of people coming through and enjoying the moderate temps. etc. We have sad news for alot of people that have been coming up here for a number of years. Ross McKnight passed away this week. He was a well known fellow in this area having worked and lived here with Roxie for a number of years. Our sentiments go out to the family! The rink is still going strong at the community centre and just looking forward to energetic, skating type to enjoy. Keep up the queries on the photos, it is fun to see the different ideas. For those snowmobilers, the word is the trails are great, great, and great. Hope everyone gets out and enjoys this before the infamous black fly fellows start to show. Have a great week and for now "That's all Folks"

Feb.21/05More Snow! We received another 4 inches last nite and the trails are great. Apparently, there was more in the southern ends of our province but this was enough to help us along. Everyone that was in today were really enjoying winter in Cavendish. If you notice there is a new section added to the site with a gallery for our photos. This will be growing over the next few weeks and will be edited according to seasons! (Hopefully, if I can stay ahead of the computer.!) It is great receiving all of the questions and queries as to where some of the photos are. Some days I have a hard time remembering myself partly because I am the one flying and Leah is the one snapping (pictures) away in the back! The rink at the community centre is enjoying lots of use as well as the rinks that are dotting the landscape out on the lakes. A word of caution, the pressure cracks are still plentiful and please take your time to navigate around. The lakes still seem to have alot of ice but there are still some spots to avoid. If you have been putting off coming North over the winter don't prolong it too much more. The scenery is perfect and the conditions never better! Have a great week and we'll keep adding to the site as the computers allow us to.

Feb.15/05Happy Belated Valentines! I hope everyone is having a good week with the exception of the weather. We are being promised 10-15cm of snow tonite and colder for the rest of the week. This should bring us back to true winter again. Our photos should be getting updated again by tomorrow I hope. Technical difficulties again but like I always say they are only machines we can beat them. Congrats, to the Kelly Shires Snow Run for Fun Event held at Deerhurst last weekend. Kelly, a very special lady in our hearts, passed away after a long fight with Breast Cancer this past fall. She and a close friend of hers started a fund raiser a number of years ago. This year they had over 200 women riders and raised over $200,000 dollars in one w-end. You can view her website at www.snowrunforfun.org Again, congrats ladies to another very successful year and as always our thoughts are with you Kelly, we know you are watching over us. I'll leave with one of Kelly's favorite lines "Dance like no one's watching" Have a great week!

Feb.7/05Wow, what a w-end! I think everyone that was up should have thoroughly enjoyed this one. Other than the smog on Sat. Yes, even we had smog up here in the good country. You will notice some more aerial shots coming on line now. The game will be to identify which lake and maybe whose cottage we are looking at. A hint not all of the lakes are on this direct chain but are within a 5 mile radius. This w-end will hopefully make up for the weather they are promising this week. I guess I'll have to put the bird back to bed for this week anyways. We have managed to put over 10 hours on it this past week. Locally, the rink at the community centre has been enjoying lots of use. Hopefully, it doesn't get wrecked this week. The trails have been fabulous with record numbers of users this past week. Even all of the back trails out in any direction were well traveled both by snowmobiles and tons of skiers. With this rain a reminder to stay away from the running water sections of the system. There is a lot of open spots out there now with this warm weather. They are clearly visible from the sky. So, if you're coming to play, Play Safe and Play Smart! Everybody do a snow dance and we'll see if we can make the weather guy wrong STILL! Till next time, Cheers!

Jan.25/05Finally, I have managed to start updating the sales section again. Technical difficulties have been the name of the game. Not with the computer I don't think just with my mind and well we all know what that is like some days. I have added some fresh new listings and it sounds like there is more to come in the days ahead so stay tuned. There just might be something in this that will suit you or others in your family's fancy. Oh, by the way I am sure it is the computers that create the technical difficulties in all of our minds!

Jan.23/05
Frosty is the word this w-end. Certainly a little cool for any more rain. The conditions are very much winter up here now. There is a fair number of people traveling the lakes now. There is still a lot of water moving in the system so it is imperative that everyone stay away from anywhere there is suspected water flow. The trails are supposed to be in really good condition. The ice rink at the community centre is up and going as well now Thanks to all of the hard working volunteers. The weather of late has certainly made it easier to freeze the water. Hope everyone that had a chance to take in the Boat Show had a good time. If nothing else just looking at all those new summer toys makes a person feel a little warmer. So, now that real winter has finally came to Cavendish it is time to get up here and enjoy! There is about 2 inches of snow on the lake so skating is even possible with a limited amount of shovelling to be done. We are very busy with boats again so if you have any requests or things you would like to have done before the spring launch give us a call or drop us an email and we'll get you on the list. Our hours are still 9-4 every day. Until next time enjoy the weather and stay warm.

Jan.12/05
Rain, Freezing Rain, and more Rain! What a way to start the sled season. The snow is still here although getting a little bit limited with this weather. It is supposed to get cold again on the w-end but we'll see what happens. The Toronto Boat Show is starting soon so that will have everyone thinking about those toys again. We have been away for a week but hope to be back in to the swing of things and caught up again very shortly. The ice conditions are not great yet but with the cold weather coming hopefully they will get better soon. I hope to get the plane up and get some photos for the site soon so everyone can see the lakes from the air over the next few weeks. I hope everyone is having a good winter so far and I'll be back soon.

Jan.2/05
Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a great holiday and a good New Year's Eve. The weather up here was pretty good until the end of the week. Unfortunately, with the weird conditions a lot of people had problems with their roads and icy conditions. That is what can be expected up here at this time of year! The picture at the right is just some inspiration to be ready for the boat show coming up soon in Toronto. The lake is a little solid right now(not enough, but covered over) The picture would look the same everyday with the weather of late so let's mix it up a little! I am sorry but it will be at least a week until it is updated again. If I'm not here I can't do the deed! The snowmobile trails are begging for snow as of this w-end so check in before you come expecting to ride and see how the conditions have changed/or not. The ice conditions are not great as of yet. We have had a couple of machines through the ice but luckily just machines and everyone was ok! Please call us and check before you ride. I will never tell anyone it is safe but at least we can give you an idea of what to expect. Hopefully, no one has to be told but if you show up at night and don't know, then definitely DON'T GO! Again, hope everyone had a good holiday and we'll see everyone soon that is coming up to enjoy Cavendish at what I think to be the nicest time of year!

Dec.22/04
Ho!Ho!Ho! Merry Christmas Everyone! It is that time again and with all of the snow up here in Cavendish I don't think the big guy in the red suit will have any problem following those reindeer around! We certainly have our share of snow up here. They are promising quite a bit more for tonite and tomorrow. The lakes have just frozen over and are not safe, I repeat NOT SAFE! for travel yet. With all the snow and weight on the limited amount of ice it probably won't be safe for a while yet. The snowmobile trails are in great shape and there is enough snow on the roads to get where you want to go without crossing the water. The community center is hosting a family New Years party again this year. It has always been a popular and well attended event. If you are looking for somewhere to go that nite check it out. For info sakes we will be closed Christmas and Boxing Day, re-opening at 9 on Mon. the 27th. We will also be closed on New Year's Day. We are busy, busy trying to get all of the sleds out and going so if you are thinking you might want your toy give us a shout because we are a week or so booked ahead at this point. From the Carroll Family and staff of Little Gull we wish for you and your families health,love,joy and prosperity in 2005! Have an enjoyable Holidays and we look forward to seeing everyone in the New Year!

Dec.7/04
It has been awhile! I just can't figure out where the time goes. We have still(believe or not)been putting boats to bed. The fall was so nice up to a few weeks ago that a few hardy souls held on until the bitter end. We are now in sled mode with only a couple of boats to go. They aren't big, just some fishing boats that are easier to get out of the ice if need be! We were away attending the Ontario Marine Operators Conference for a week. It is always a great conference with a lot of excellent speakers and presentations. This venue is enjoyed by the majority of marina operators in the province to network and exchange views of what is happening now and in the future in this rapidly growing business. A stop on the way home was to the huge, new Bass Pro Shop on Hwy. 400 at Vaughan. What a building! This place is a must see for the family. The displays, aquarium etc. are amazing. It was an educational and fascinating "box store" experience. We will for the next couple of weeks be trying to keep up to the web cam so that everyone can keep an eye on the lake for the infamous "Freeze Up" I will be updating the sales section in the next couple of days, as well as some new areas to keep the senses provoked/curious! We are sorry for the tardiness to the site but it has just been an abnormally busy fall and well you know (We won't complain!) If anyone has some projects for their toys that they have forgotten to mention at haul out please let us know asap. We have a fairly busy schedule for the winter and would like to make sure we can accomodate everyone before spring launch to ensure a trouble free and enjoyable summer 2005. You can see by our webcam as of late our bay is frozen and their is snow on the ground. We expect weather permitting a freeze up by early Jan. The sleds should start to roll by the same time. Give us a call if you require your sled out before then and we will do our best to ensure it is ready for you. In closing, for this week a short note on the educational side of the aforementioned experience. Little Gull came out of the comparison a much better deal by far!

Nov.16/04
Busy, Busy, Busy! It has been that and then some trying to get all of the boats to bed. We are finally on the downhill side and have most of the fall jobs winding up. As the fall progresses I hope to get up and get some more shots of the area and display these so we can continue with the game of "Which lake is this today?" We have been grounded for a few weeks just trying to get caught up. Halloween has come and gone and all of the kids I think should have their shell-outs eaten by this time next year if we caring parents don't confiscate and eat it before then. The water is, I think done draining out of the system for the season. It is down to regular winter levels now and hopefully holding. Just as a reminder for those snowmobiling folks the trail passes are in and it is a substantial savings if you buy before Dec. 1st. Just give us a call and we can process this for you even if you aren't up here to make sure you save the $50.00. We have had some ice in the bay last week and a lot of the ponds in the area were froze right over. So, if you haven't drained your water it might be something to get done asap. All of the leaves are down and begging to be raked for those that haven't been up for a while. Boy, is that job ever fun! I am thinking those trees would look better in the wood pile about half way through that job but then once it's done it wasn't really that bad. Good job Sally and Leah they make it look so easy! We hope everyone is having a good fall and the sleds will be starting to come out for their chance at fun in the next couple of weeks. So, until next time enjoy the weather. It could be snowing!!

Oct.25/04
I thought Ptbo. had enough water for one year! Apparently not, they just keep draining us to give them more. The water is really down now and almost at winter levels. It has been another week of WEATHER. Last week wasn't so good but this week is not bad so far. It has been unseasonably warm which hasn't been a bad thing. We are still busy getting all of these water toys to bed. We should be able to start looking at the snow toys in another 2-3 weeks so that they will be ready for the fantastic winter we are going to have. Positive thinking, it will work wonders for those that look forward to winter. It has been nice seeing all of the people that are still up and enjoying the fall here. I was out on the lake today and couldn't help but notice all of the projects on the go. Wow, there is alot happening in this neck of the woods. I think next spring will be interesting to drive around and look at all the new things that have happened. I will be updating the sales section this week so check it out and see if anything grabs your fancy. I saw Howie yesterday and (she) seems to have made some new friends and has settled right in to her winter home. Have a great week and I'll try to mix up the photos this week so everyone can keep guessing the lake of the day. Cheers and have a Happy and Scary Halloween!

Oct.17/04
Hello again, Sorry for the tardiness but I haven't had much time in the last week or so to update. As all of you know that were up last w-end the water is still dropping pretty fast. The weather has certainly changed to more fall like conditions the last week or so. We are still putting lots of boats to bed and will continue to do so for a few more weeks to come. I hope it doesn't snow too early. We now have the snowmobile trail passes and suggest that everyone buys before Dec. 1st this year. It is a substantial savings compared to other years. Keep an eye on the webcam as I will be still displaying some more aerial photos. You never know whose lake will be next. Thanks for all of the comments on the photos so far! The leaves have been really gorgeous to see this year but the weather the last few days is bringing them down fast. Have a great week and if your boat is still on the dock give us a call before this weather puts it somewhere other than beside the dock!

Oct.6/04
Just a short note to say Howie was located and has since been given a ride to Santa's Farm. He has moved in there for the winter to be with the rest of the ducks and do what ducks do when it gets cold. Thanks for all the tips as to Howie's possible whereabouts.

Oct.3/04
Thanksgiving is almost here again. The year has flown by very quickly. This fall has been absolutely one to brag about considering the summer we had. As you can see from the pictures the bumble bee(lawn ornament) does fly. I did manage to put 10 hours on the plane last week and it felt great to get the bird back in the air again. It was a beautiful week and the skies were a calling so off we went. Amazingly, it still runs well and flew like a bird. I know there was a lot of non-believers out there but it's back and ready to bore a lot more holes in to the sky. So for those that are wondering the water has dropped a fair bit with only more to go down the river. Don't delay too much longer on the sterndrives because well you know it does tend to get colder at this time of year! We have a lot of boats away and as always alot to go. Even though it seems early don't forget about those snow buggies. We are already getting some in and want to be ready for a fabulous winter of snowmobiling. (According to the Farmer's Almanac!) There are still some great deals to be had on some of the toys in our sales section so take a peak and see what might fit in your stable. If you are going by we have in the store some tickets for a chance to win a brand new Yamaha four wheeler. The tickets are $10 each and there is only 1600 available. The funds are being used towards the Galway/Cavendish and Harvey Fire Dept. Association. We also have raffle tickets for a beautiful homemade quilt. So stop by and get in on the fun and see what you might add to your cottage collection. Everyone have a great week and we definitely as always look forward to seeing you all next w-end!

Sept.20/04
Where does the time go? I just don't seem to find enough time to keep this going at this time of year. It has been a couple of busy,busy weeks trying to get all of the boats in and to bed. The weather certainly has changed for the better! I think summer has definitely finally arrived. The water has been dropping slowly and consistently over the past few weeks. We have recently received a Four Anchor Rating from an independent Environmental Assessment. We are very proud to have received such a high rating! This is the result of an indepth on-site analysis of our day to day operations and our commitment to an environmentally friendly and responsible property usage. This is a project started by the Ontario Marine Operators of Ontario to help ensure the longevity and ecologically sound usage of our waters for generations to come. We are in search of Howie again and if anyone knows our white ducks whereabouts please let us know. We are going to try and round him up and give him a nice warm home on a farm over the winter. I just don't think he is the kind of guy who wants to fly all the way south and back when he can put his feet up here and have dinner served every night. As I said earlier it has been a busy couple of weeks and a time when we are seeing everyone closing up for another season. We hope everyone has a safe and happy winter and we look forward to seeing everybody again next spring. For those more fortunate that are here throughout the year we are glad to see you guys every w-end. It makes it a little less quiet up here! Please continue to check out our sales section as it does have a habit of changing. You never know there just might be something that a person needs at the cottage on there. Well until next time enjoy the fall/summer weather and we'll see everyone at Thanksgiving!

Sept.6/04
Labour Day is over and the kids have gone back to the education program! The weather guy/gal was right and we had an absolutely gorgeous w-end. Second one this summer! Or is summer yet to come? The boats are coming in fast and furious hoping to find their bed for the winter. If anyone is still interested in getting a copy of the Catchacoma pictorial history book please drop us a line asap. This project will be looking for all proceeds very soon to ensure they have enough orders to go to print! We are looking forward to a busy fall and hope to see everyone enjoy autumn. Our hours are now 9-5, 7 days a week. This will continue through the fall season until further notice. Please feel free to join in on the community discussion board and keep in touch with your friends, friends to be or neighbours. Thanks again to all of our customers and friends for a great summer and we'll see you all soon ! Our summer staff has had another great year and been kept very busy servicing all of your needs. We Thank Them very much for another great summer and look forward to seeing them all again next year. To Carlie,Leah,Matt,Mike Thanks again and have a great winter! Have a good week all and we'll back soon!

Sept.1/04
This is it! Labour Day W-end 2004. It is fast approaching and the weather is promising to be great. We'll believe that when we see it. It is nice to see the loons still coming around with the little one. I am glad this little guy made it through the summer. Remember to give us a call re: storage and all those little things you would like fixed up over the winter. We have already started to put alot of boats to bed. The leaves have started to turn and that is a sign of things to come. I have heard the Farmer's Almanac has said to expect an early winter. Might as well get right to it because I think the summer kind of skipped us by. Everybody have a great week and we'll see everyone on the w-end.

Aug.25/04
Boy, it feels like fall in the mornings! Summer if that's what it was has slid by very quickly. This week has been nice and warm in the afternoons and sunny for more than two days in a row. I guess you could say that the nights are good for sleeping. It certainly hasn't been a summer to overwork the air conditioning systems! We have some tickets available for a draw for a brand new ATV. These tickets are $10 each and the proceeds are going to our local firefighters association. There are only 1600 tickets to be sold so the odds aren't all that bad. The cost on the Catchacoma book is $45 for those that are interested. It is that time of year again to start thinking about storage. If you would like indoor storage please let us know asap as our buildings are filling up fast. Our rates are set so give us a call to book your toys in and we'll make sure we keep a spot for you. Leah's dragon boat team has donated a cheque for in excess of $175,000 to the local hospital. This money will be used for the local breast assessment centre in the new hospital. The new facility will be named after the team "Dragon's Abreast Breast Assessment Centre" Congrats ladies you have done a great job! Thanks to all of those people that donated to the cause.Howie our duck has disappeared out in to the lake somewhere. He has been reported at different locations so be sure to keep an eye out for him/her. All functions seem to be working well on the site again so feel free to join in on the discussion boards. Have a great week and we'll see everyone soon.

Aug. 17/04
I do believe this is working the way it should again! I have been successfully able to update the sales section and everything else and all seems well! Time will tell. As per usual the weather has not been co-operating the way it should but ahhh! we are a hardy bunch up here in Cavendish and a little rain will not dampen our spirits. Just a reminder that the book is still available for order on the history of Catchacoma. We need lots of orders to ensure this will go to print!! It is a very rare chance to have a chance to own one of these. Drop us a line and we'll add your name to the list with a deposit so that you will have one. Our storage and winterization time is coming quickly so please drop us a line to ensure that you won't be missed on our back to bed program for your toys! Have a great week and we'll be back soon!

Aug. 15/04
Well, I think we are back! It has been a long few weeks of frustration with the site. Here one day, gone the next. Our server has been the victim of hackers for over a month. Unfortunately, they are putting him out of business. So, we have changed hosting/server companies and hope to be problem free for a while to come. I will be updating the sales section in the next day or so as long as the site stays stable. I hope everyone has been enjoying the summer albeit the weather hasn't really co-operated very well. Unfortunately, the discussion board was lost during the changeover but it is back up and going as well. It shouldn't take long to fill up again with lots of interesting topics. Please feel free to join in with your comments/questions for the masses of our cottage area. The fireworks were a great success and we Thank everyone for coming out to enjoy the evening! I'll be back and updating soon and hope everyone has a great week!

July 19/04
Rain, rain and more rain. I think we can turn off the tap for a little while!! The w-ends events were busy and well attended from all sources reporting in. We are looking forward to the MDCA Regatta this w-end. Come out and enjoy a great day and participate in all of the fun. The Annual Fireworks display will be held on the south end of Catchacoma this year. The w-end of choice is the August long w-end. Apparently the water will be deeper then and the hope is that the props will survive the evening. (I am not sure of whether or not to support this reasoning.) We hope everyone will get out and enjoy this usually fabulous show. I missed Thanking the Buckeye Team. The day with the Mastercraft ski boat and team was a great success. They were fully booked all day and everyone had a great time. I am sure that everyone that attended went away with a big smile and a little more knowledge. The word around the lake is that the fish have been biting as of late. I can't divulge the secret spots but I am sure with a little scouting everyone can enjoy a little fish with their eggs in the morning. We are hoping our website server has finished up their upgrading of hardware so that we can be a little more faithful to our updates. Technology is great but sometimes can be a little frustrating but ah! computers are our friends! Welcome to all of our new customers in the last while. It has been great seeing so many new faces. Like I have said before sshhhh! We don't want everyone to know about our little secret up here in Cavendish. Have a great week and we'll see everybody on the w-end!

July 15/04
I'm back! We have been really busy and then our server was having problems again as you could see by the absence of the site from time to time. It is going to be a busy next couple of weeks coming up. We will again be a transition point this w-end for the Frontier triathalon. The canoes will be coming through to climb on their mountain bikes for the final leg of their race. We have available in the store now order forms for the book Lake Catchacoma An Illustrated History. This is a full colour book containing approx.100 pages of memories and history of the lake. These are a once in a lifetime memento. If we receive enough orders before Sept.6/04(400) required that would be fabulous. Also happening this w-end is the One Big Day at the Cavendish Community Centre. This will feature a ball tournament and lots to do for the whole family. The Annual Mississagua/Gold Lake Cottager's Regatta will be held again this year on our point on the w-end of July 24. Please come out and support the Association and enjoy a day of swimming and canoe races. A big Little Gull Thank You goes out to Cory Stillman who graced us with a stop in today with the Stanley Cup!! It was greatly appreciated by all!!! We are really getting spoiled in Cavendish as this is the fourth appearance of the Cup in the last 10 years. Thanks again Cory and enjoy your day! Howie the duck is still hanging around so stop in and let the kids have a gander. Have a great w-end and we'll be seeing you soon!

June 30/04
Is summer ever going to start or did we miss it earlier on? The weather this week or so has been more like September. The weatherman promises more seasonal temps. later this week. I hope he is right for a change! Stop by on Sunday as we are hosting a FREE PASS Day! This event will start at 11:00a.m. and run to 3:00p.m. Buckeye Marine is going to be here with a brand new Mastercraft Ski Boat towed by a Toyota Tundra. The wakeboard team will be here offering demo rides and a chance to board behind the boat. Pre-registration is advised. This can be done by e-mailing me here before Fri. or going to www.buckeyemarine.com Once you are on their website go to the events section and register online for this Sun. July 4th. It promises to be a great day! It seems the bears are still active so please remain vigilant in keeping food stuffs from laying around. Remember to contact Lori Harper if you want to get in on the swimming lessons or boat operator's course. Her numbers and contact info are listed below under the June 14th heading. Have a great week and we'll look forward to seeing everyone this week-end!

June 22/04
It has been another very busy week. We still don't have a final total on the Dragon Boat Festival but rumour has it they did very well on their quest! Bears, bears and more bears. They seem to be everywhere. There has been a lot of action from these critters lately. So far only property damage but just remember to clean up and put all your garbage at the landfill every week to help slow down their desire to break in. If you are out enjoying the area sing along or wear a bell just so they know you are out there. The bugs are still around but are selecting very carefully their feeding times. I am hoping this means they are coming to an end(wishful thinking) Actually, they don't really seem to be as bad as in years past.(I think that our Mosquito Trap is catching alot of them) The weather has been a little cooler this week but it is really nice for trying to get some shut-eye at night. Congrats to all of the students out there. This week should mean the end to another successful school year!(at least that is what they are telling us until the report cards get here.) We are looking forward to seeing everyone out and enjoying their summer break after this week. Don't forget to check out our sales section. It is starting to really move around in the last week or so again.

June 14/04
Another update from the w-end! Little Gull will be carrying on the tradition of hosting swimming lessons again this year. Lori Harper from Gold Lake has graciously offered to run the lessons this summer. She is able to provide lessons to all ages and levels. Lori is also offering the Boating License Course and/or exam. She will be conducting lessons at the marina as follows: Session 1 July 19-29, Session 2 Aug.2-12 Registration will be happening on Saturday July 3 & 10 between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Lori can conduct private lessons as well. If you have any questions/queries you can contact Lori at the following email address: lori.harper@sympatico.ca We are pleased to have Lori doing this and look forward to seeing everyone out enjoying the lessons again this summer!

June 13/04
Well it was a great w-end again! Finally, I have beaten the computer website monster and am now able to upload to our sales section again!! Perserverance and a number of phone calls to exponentially more intelligent folks in this field finally led me down the right path. Like I said before computers are our friends as long as they get their way!!! Thanks again for all of the support for Leah's Dragon Boat Team (Survivor's Abreast) and their very successful Dragon Boat races this w-end in Peterborough. 96 teams participated in this 4th annual event. The event had fabulous weather, lots of fan support and huge financial donations. It has become a very popular venue and unfortunately a number of teams had to be turned away. Leah's team placed 2nd among the Breast Cancer Survivors. Well done ladies!!! I will give you a final total on pledges as soon as they are done counting. The money raised goes to a great cause and is donated in a large part to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre's Breast Assessment Centre. Thanks again and like the computer website monster, with perserverance we will beat this disease and keep all our wonderful ladies alive and healthy!!!

June 8/04
What a w-end! Today was another gorgeous day and the water is starting to warm up and drop a little. The only thing that isn't gorgeous is the amount of little critters that think we are tasty! They have been out in record numbers the last couple of days. I think this heat will slow them down quite a bit in the next day or so. Again this w-end we met a few new people to the area and we welcome them to enjoy what the rest of us already know to be the (not so much anymore) best kept secret in Southern Ontario! I apologize for the sales section and the technical difficulties experienced as of late. I thought I would have them fixed by now but (NOT!) Computers are our friends I keep telling myself. I have been working on this and will win soon I am sure. It is great to see some people enjoying the forum and we hope to see more in the future. Please check it out and add your thoughts and queries. Looking forward to a beautiful week and we'll see everyone soon!

June 2/04
Another gorgeous day! It seems summer is finally trying to show her face. Unfortunately, the critters with horns are also a little hungry this week. I think another couple of days like today should burn them off though! The w-end was fabulous and well enjoyed by the people that were up. For those that are wondering Howie is still hanging around and getting a little more plump! We have our Mosquitoe Traps in stock now for helping to make your cottage a little more bug free. Also a new addition to the store is some new BBQ's that are compact and burn hardwood to give you that nice smoked taste. They are very easy to light,fuel and very portable to boot. They won't help our propane sales but will definitely work well for those entertaining evenings! There have been lots of sightings of wildlife recently. The moose,deer etc. seem to be everywhere. It is really nice to see the local populations doing so well. We have seen a couple of loon families(incl. little ones) As well, there have been a few families of Geese frequenting the bay as of late. A sure sign of spring when you see all of the little ones buzzing around! The water level is starting to level off this week with a drop of about 6 inches. As usual it was nice to meet some of the new folks to the area last w-end! As can be seen in the sales section we still have some toys to find some new homes for. Check it out and maybe one of them will fit on to your dock to provide you with some more excitement this summer! Bears seem to be around but not as much as in years past. Hopefully, the trend will continue. I am hoping for their sake and ours that the place to view them will be at the landfill site as usual. Have a great week and we'll look forward to seeing everyone soon!

May 24/04
Well, it's been a couple of weeks. Busy, busy weeks! I am sorry I haven't been keeping the cam up but we will try a little harder again. Not that there has been much to show other than(well if you were up here this w-end you will know) It was great to see so many faces again. There was lots of inside jobs being taken care of this w-end by most of the fearless! Blackflies were almost non-existent but I fear that they were only teasing us in to believing that they are short lived this year. The water is definitely at a high after the amount of precip. received in the last few days. I am wondering how we can send some of this liquid joy out west where they really need it. I am working on some glitches with uploading pictures to our sales section and hopefully will have these fixed this week.(maybe, it being a short week and all!) As some of you saw this w-end we have a new addition. Howie the white duck appeared here this week. He seems to have settled in and is getting to be one of the "welcoming critters" Contrary to some believers he actually does like to be out in the rain ruffling his feathers!!! I am sure though he would rather be sun tanning and swimming to get wet than just being outside! Hope all is well with everyone. To all of our new owners in the area WELCOME. We look forward to meeting and helping you settle in to what we believe, to be the best area in Southern Ontario to realize your dreams and/or sit on the dock and create the dreams of tomorrow!

May 10/04
THEY'RE HERE! The little creatures started showing their faces and teeth in big numbers today. We're hoping that this warm weather they are promising will put them to an early rest. As usual nobody will know the answer to that until it happens. If you are one that doesn't like the little critters(who does?) we will have some new Mosquitoe Traps in stock this week. Let us know if you would like one for your abode to help control these thirsty individuals. We are now extremely busy and must insist on a two week notice before launching your boat. This wet and cold spring hasn't been really condusive to launching large numbers of boats. Hope all is well with everyone and we are looking forward to seeing everyone on the holiday w-end!

May 4/04
May is here! The weather hasn't been co-operating like it should but nonetheless the calender does say MAY. We had well below zero temps here again last night. We are still being cautious about putting the I/O's in but they should all be starting to float in the next few weeks. We know the spring is coming because the little black creatures have been sticking their noses out (bears and black flies) Neither one has been highly visible yet but the trilliums are about to bloom and so shall they. We have sold quite a few boats in the last week or so. You might want to check out our sales section to see the new additions. If you are going to be doing any burning this spring please remember to contact the township in order to get your burn permit. It is much easier to do this before you actually need it then later. The water level is up and actually a little higher than last year at this time. Please remember to give us the two week notice that we require to get your boat in so that you aren't disappointed when we have to say no to the last minute requests. Finally, just so none of us forget this is MOTHER'S DAY this w-end.

April 26/04
Well the ice is definitely gone and we are geared up and in full swing to get all the boats back in to lake. It is nice to see so many familiar faces again each w-end! The newspapers will be starting again on w-ends the week before the long weekend. Temperatures are still bouncing back and forth from freezing to the high teens. We are expecting some below zero weather again this week. As you can see we have added a discussion board to the site. Feel free to join in and add some of your own topics to keep up to date with your neighbours. The store is becoming stocked again with all the candies etc. (Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream!!) so stop by and we'll see if we can help you with any of your needs. We will again be selling the Mosquitoe Traps this year. Drop us a line and we can make sure we set one aside for you. We have seen the odd black fly but the cooler weather is still keeping them at bay so far.

April 19/04
The ice is still hanging on this morning out on the main lake. It has pulled away from the far shore (south) It looks like it will go out late tonite or tomorrow. So the games have begun again!! Please remember without 2 weeks notice the chance of having the toys back on the dock will be slim. Remember to check out our website for sales to see if there is something that might look good on your dock.UPDATE ICE OUT AT 3:30p.m. TODAY

April 17/04
Just a short note about the ice. It is out of our bay now as you can see by the webcam shot. The main lakes still have ice though. Expected departure probably will be the middle of next week.

April 13/04
Winter was back again today with another inch of snow to start our day! It was pretty wet stuff but nonetheless it was here. The lake is up another 12 inches this past week. It was great to see so many familiar faces again over the Easter w-end. There seemed to be alot of people up enjoying the great weather that we experienced. As usual the guy with the big long ears was good to all the kids in Cavendish. The ice is looking like it will be hanging on for another week or so yet. As a reminder burn permits are still required before lighting any fires. They can be obtained at the township office or at District Chief Ken Warren's house at 657-8912.

April5/04
Well we are seeing winter giving us another tease. The temps are well below zero at night again this week. This is ensuring that the ice is not going anywhere for a while. The lake level is up about 18" this past week. The w-end even saw some more snow in the air. The upside is that the blackflies still aren't here yet!!! The maple sap tapping seems to be winding up for another year. The local reports are that "there seems to be more than last year" Unfortunately there were some reports of some more thefts over the w-end. Remember to keep everything locked up and out of site. Pay attention to strange vehicles in your roads and please get the plate number if possible. This can be reported to the Community Policing office and maybe we can catch these guys. As a reminder don't forget we need two weeks to get that toy out for you!!Cheers

Mar.29/04
Goodbye to another winter here in Cavendish. I am sure we'll see one more kick at the cat before it's officially over but it sure is looking like spring now. Most of the snow is gone but there is still 18" of good blue ice on the lake as of yesterday morning. The level of the lake is starting to come up with the run-off. The weather promises to be quite warm for the next few days so we'll see what happens. With the amount of ice out there we'll probably be looking at April 20th-25th before the lake becomes liquid again. Most of the cottage roads are quite soft right now so beware if you're planning on coming up to bring the rubber boots just in case you have to do some walking! All the critters seem to be appearing back in the woods again. Along with the deer, raccoons and our first Robins yesterday, the bears have found their way back from their winter sleepies to start wandering around again. Hopefully, they don't need to bother too many buildings this year to fill their tummies. For those that love them so much NO BLACKFLY sightings as of yet!! But they will be here that is a given. Cheers for now until next we update again.

Mar.24/04
Spring has sprung and we are going to see a lot of warm weather in the next few days. I believe today might have been one of the last days of snowmobiling around here this year. The lakes still have a lot of ice but the weather sure is promising to heat things up. It was great to see alot of familiar faces over the break. We're looking forward to a busy spring so if you have any jobs that you would like us to take care of Please let us know asap. Don't forget we need at least two weeks notice to put the toys back on the dock. Check out our sales section to see if there is something you think might spruce up the dock for this coming season!! Drop us a line with any of your requests and we'll do our best to accomodate you. Just remember April showers bring May flowers and the start of another great summer in the Kawartha Highlands.

Mar.10/04
March break is about to start!! The lake has been really making alot of noise every night this week. They have been starting to bring up the water level. Travel on the lakes is still continuing with lots of sleds making their way back and forth. With the lack of snow in the woods it is about the one place you can still get around. Having said that be extra careful around the moving water. According to the forecast the temperature is going to drop towards the end of the week. They are also forecasting some snow. So if you are going to be bored in the city next week why not try a trip up north to enjoy the cottage. For all of our slip tenants just a reminder that the fees are due by April 1/04 to ensure your spot. Have a great week and look forward to seeing some of you in the next week!!

Mar.3/04
Just a short note to say sorry about the web cam updates this last week. I have been away enjoying some of the weather myself. They will start being a regular item again in the next day or so. The weather has been alot milder these last few days and the water/sap has started to run. I have seen a few maple syrup trees with buckets hanging. We will see if this will hold or winter will be back. Looking forward to Mar. break? It might not be a bad time to get up and enjoy a day or two at the cottage.

Feb.25/04
The sun is out, the snow is here,the rink is perfect,the thermometer is co-operating. What more could a person ask for?? This last week or so and on through this w-end have been absolutely perfect. So come on up and enjoy a great Cavendish winter while it lasts.

Feb.16/04
Well, again this week is promising to be gorgeous. The trails are still great and are quite enjoyable. Check out our new sections. We have added a links section so you can check out snowmobile conditons, contact the township etc. If you have any suggestions or requests for links please let me know and we can add to our section. We have also added a services section and we are in the process of updating that as time dictates. The lakes are still a little slushy this week but as of last night they have gotten a lot better. Temperatures are cool but promising to warm up later in the week. It's February so everybody get out and enjoy winter before that spring stuff starts and we can't do anything until the lake gets liquid again!!

Feb.11/04
Another gorgeous week. We are finally in the center of winter!! The trails are getting to be fabulous. We know this for two reasons. I have been out personally inspecting them and there is a lot of, through the week, traffic at the pumps. Everyone seems to be quite happy with the majority of the trails. There is some bad spots but overall the trails are great. It even looks like the weather is going to co-operate for a while yet. The rink at the community centre is doing very well with lots of people enjoying all the hard work being put in to keep the ice in tip top shape. The snow has reached about 14 inches in depth so anyone that is concerned about snow load on their roof should start to worry about, now!! It is starting to head towards spring by the sound of our phone. We are starting to add some new additions to our sales section for boats. It seems the bug is biting and this could mean some new toys tied to the dock this summer. Don't hesitate to drop us a line and we'll see if we can help you put that special toy on the end of your dock!! Again, the same as last week please be careful on the lakes. The ice seems to be really thick and safe in most spots but there is still alot of slush to deal with. It is up to 18" deep in spots so play SAFE!!! Till next time, Cheers and happy sledding from the crew here @ LGM!

Feb.3/04
Well we had an extremely busy w-end. It was nice to see alot of familiar faces again. The weather co-operated perfectly and the trails were not too bad until Sun. There was a lot of sleds out enjoying them so they did take a bit of a beating. The groomers have already been over all the trails again and they are looking pretty good. We have received about 10 cm of snow today so that will give us some more base to work with. For those of you who have been watching the webcam you will notice that the "lawn ornament" has moved down on to the lake. Yes, it actually made it in to the air this w-end and again on Mon. I have finally gotten a chance to get back in our plane and start using it again. It still does fly!!! A few more days of getting reacquainted and who knows what adventure awaits. After the snow today the lakes have become very slushy so watch out when you're riding. It definitely isn't fun to get stuck in that stuff. Have a great week and we'll be back soon.

Jan.28/04
10p.m. Just in from a trip out to the trails and met two groomers. Needless to say the trail was table top!!! The trail was perfect up to Picard Lake and back so I would say we are good to go and finally enjoy winter. The weather forecast looks fabulous and the trails are great, what more could a person ask for?? The lakes aren't too bad but slushy in spots so as always check them out during the day if you must and leave the night travel out of the picture. Looking forward to seeing everyone out to enjoy what we have been waiting for.

Jan.27/04
Well, we finally have enough of the white stuff to go play with the sleds. We haven't received as much snow as the Oakville area but nonetheless about 15cm of snow has fallen and still coming overnite. Just in case ya didn't have any plans for the w-end this might help you decide. I will try and update on the trail conditions before the w-end.

Jan.25/04
Brrrr!!! It certainly has been cold this last couple of weeks. -38C last night here without the wind chill! Well the good side is that it has helped make lots of ice. There is still a lot of water flowing so one has to still be careful and pay attention to where they are going. They are calling for a few days of snow this week so hopefully the groomers can get out and do what they do best. It was great to see alot of familiar faces this w-end with a lot of people finally being able to venture up to enjoy some of the winter at the cottage. As a reminder our hours are still 9-4 Mon.-Fri. and 9-5 Sat.&Sun. It has been great to hear from so many through the e-mail. It lets us know that people are checking in on a regular basis. I am still trying to keep the webcam updated on a daily basis so that everyone can get a glimpse of the lake even if they can't be here. This is also a great time to drop us a line if there is anything that you are thinking you might want done to the boat before spring. It is easier to fit in those little extra's at this time of year than at the last minute in May. As always keep checking the sales section for any one of those special toys that might look good on your dock or carrying you around the neighbourhood.

Jan.9/04
Hope everyone had a good New Year!! We are still quite busy here trying to get all the toys ready for the snow. The temperature this morning is -25C. This is what we needed to freeze the big lakes. Mississagua and Catchacoma finally froze over on Weds. evening. A couple more days of this and then lots of white stuff and we will start our winter, finally!! As far as snowmobiling the trails are still not useable as of today. Our snowbase is only about 2 inches with lots of rocks showing. There is snow in the forecast starting on Sunday afternoon so hopefully the w-end of the 17th and on should be a go for the sledders in our area. There is still lots to do at the cottage. The back lakes are almost perfect for skating with a shovel in hand. The rink at the community centre is also in great shape with lighting till 11:30 each nite. So come up and enjoy a Cavendish winter.

Dec.24/03
Wishing all of our friends and customers a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year! We hope your holidays are safe and enjoyable. From the Carroll family and staff at LGM all the best in 2004!!

Dec.11/03
Just a short note from everyone here at LGM. It is with great sorrow that we pass along the news that our beloved Springer Spaniel P.O. passed away this afternoon. Usually, well received, our SMILING welcoming pal succumbed to liver failure late today. We know there are a lot of children out there amongst our customers who felt no day was complete without candy and a smile from this little fellow! He was in his 14th year in our years and had enjoyed in our mind, a great life. I know I wouldn't want to live anywhere else as a water dog!! So, to a great friend Cheers! and rest in peace our dear friend!!!

Dec.7/03
The bay be froze and we are doing the sled thing now!! I think all the boats(almost) are gone to bed now. We are definitely heading for the winter season with the temperatures below the 0 instead of above. The snowmobiles are coming through the shop daily and are slowly lining up for their chance at playing. With this time of year also comes the Big Guy in the RED SUIT with all those deer pulling him around. If you are at a loss on what to buy that special someone for the cottage drop us a line and see if we can help!! We have lots of unique ideas(sometimes!!) There are still some toys in the yard looking for homes so check out the sales section and see if one of them would fit under the tree!! The rink at the community centre is being flooded as I type. If the weather stays cooperating it won't be too long before the blades will be singing! Please keep stopping by the site and we will continue to try and update as often as possible. We are trying to add a few more unique sections and ideas and look forward to hearing your thoughts on what we have done! Thanks and have a great week!

Nov.23/03
Whew! I think we finally have almost made it. 99% of the boats are in bed for the winter. There are still a couple to go but that job is done for a couple of months. With all of the rain we have had this fall the water level is the highest we have seen it at this time of year in a long time. We are now changing gears and starting to gear up for the sled season. Trail passes are still available at the lower price until the end of this month. Sorry, we haven't kept this updated more often but we will try and stay on top of it now that things are getting back to a better pace. Our hours from now until Christmas have changed to Mon.-Fri. 9a.m. -4p.m. Sat. and Sun. 9a.m.-5p.m. You should notice the bay is a little more devoid of boats now through the webcam eye. I will hopefully have more time to update that picture on a very regular basis. Our servers are still (LOW SPEED) up here. That can be nice at this time of year because it can make us think slower too!! We have received some great suggestions in regards to the website. Keep them coming and I will try to implement as many as I can in the coming months. The sales section will be getting some new updates in the next few days as well so be sure to check it out. Hope all is well with everyone and we'll update again soon.

Oct.13/03
Well here's to another great summer! Thanksgiving 2003 is now history. We would like to Thank everyone for a great summer! We are still busy trying to put all of the boats to bed. If you still haven't done this give us a call soon. The water is getting very low and they are promising some nasty weather over the next week or so. I like adventure but floating sunk boats at this time of year is NO FUN! This last week and w-end's weather was very,very nice. I don't think there would be too many people that didn't enjoy this w-end's weather for a Thanksgiving w-end. We will be starting to get in to the snowmobile season in another 6 weeks so give us a call in early Nov. to think about getting the toys ready for Dec. The dedication and grand opening of the Cavendish Sports Pad was this past w-end and understandably a great success. Thanks again to all the many volunteers that made this project the huge success it was. It looks great!! We have added some toys to our sales section so please keep checking back and you may see that special thing you have been looking for. Thanks again for a great summer and we'll try to keep everyone up to date on what has and is happening up here in this Cavendish community!

Sept.20/03
The water is still dropping fast! We are almost at Thanksgiving levels already. Hopefully, the storm (tropical Isabel) will slow the process a little. The storm caused a few power outages and a few trees down but nothing nearly as exciting as the eastern seaboard had to deal with. We are still busy pulling all the boats out and putting them to bed. If you still haven't confirmed please do so shortly to ensure a spot for your baby! There are still a few good deals on the 'for sale' line so please give us a call if you are in need of a new ride for next season. The 'Sports Pad' at the community centre is coming along great! Many thanks to all the volunteers and workers who have turned the dream into a reality. It looks great. The boards will be going up shortly and the rink will await old 'Jack Frost' to help with the rest. Remember, if you haven't bought a brick yet please contact us to arrange your place on the walkway for your contribution to the Cavendish Community. OFSC snowmobile trail passes are now available at the marina so please call or drop in to get your trail pass for this season. You save $35.00 per pass by buying early so don't delay! We are still trying to stay on top of the webcam. We will try and update as often as possible but on those really nice days we are really busy trying to get all the boats to bed. As always, any suggestions or comments please drop us a line. Looking forward to seeing everyone on Thanksgiving and hope everybody is having a good fall!

Sept. 8/03
Well we can say summer is drawing to a close. The water has been dropping extremely fast! The annual fireworks was a huge success again. Thanks to all the customer's that took in the fabulous show! As the water keeps dropping please don't forget about the boat before it might be too late. A big Cavendish Thank you goes out to Scott Stevens and family for sharing the Stanley Cup with us again this summer. It certainly is extemely appreciated that Scott takes the time to share this with us! We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Thanksgiving! Hope everyone is enjoying the great fall weather and we'll see everybody soon!

Aug.26/03
The summer has certainly been flying by. Our webcam is now up and running and we will try and update as often as possible. Remember this week-end is the annual customer appreciation fireworks event. It will be held on Beaver Lake this year. Come out and enjoy a fabulous event! All charitable food bank donations can be made at any of the marinas. It is that time of year to think about putting the boat to bed. Please give us a call to ensure your spot for the winter season. The new shed is complete and ready to put some more boats in to the building for the winter. Please feel free to drop us an e-mail. Our fall hours will be starting after the Labour day w-end. They will be 8-5 Mon. -Fri. 8-6 on Sat. and 9-6 on Sun.

Aug.12//03
Well, the Canadian Adventure Challenge came and went and what a spectacular event! It was a huge success with over 210 racers crossing through in some amazing times. We are finishing up our new shed for more indoor storage! The number of requests has already started to fill this shed. We will only have a few spots left by the end of this week so please let us know right away to ensure your spot if you desire indoor storage for that special toy! The fish are still apparently still biting quite well. So if you are looking for the elusive big fish don't be scared to go out and chase him. He is still out there looking to make your day! On a sadder note our deepest sympathies go out to the Donner families, Asling family and the O'Brien family for the losses they have suffered in the last week! Our thoughts are with you. On Saturday Aug. 30th the 2nd Annual "Customer Appreciation" Fireworks will be staged on Beaver Lake at the Sunken Island. We hope it goes as smoothly as last year. Any food bank donations will be gratefully accepted at the local marinas. If last years event was any indication it is sure to be the must see event of the summer!

Aug.3/03
The summer is rolling along with us now hitting the halfway mark. It has been a very busy summer with lots on the calender. Our water is now starting to slowly drop and already some of the trees are starting to change. We are looking forward to next w-end Aug. 9th as we are a transition point for the Salomon Adventure Challenge. Over 80 3 person teams will be coming through the marina by canoe and leaving on their Mountain Bikes. Feel free to come and watch as over 240 racers tackle the Kawarthas Long Course. The racers should be starting to come through around 10 a.m. through to about 3 p.m. Don't forget to start thinking about the boat storage. We are looking forward to an extremely busy haul/out season and want to ensure we have a spot for all our valued customers. Coming soon will be a web cam with live update to help everyone see the weather and lake conditions from their own location.

July 6/03
Well summer has finally come and we are enjoying lots of hot weather! We are looking forward to some big events coming up. Enjoy the annual Mississagua Lake annual regatta and annual meeting on July 12th right here at the marina. On July 19th it is the One Big Day at the Cavendish Community Center on Hwy. 507. This day includes a ball tournament,auction, baked goods and lots of fun for the whole family. Bass season has opened and there seems to be no shortage of successful young anglers! The Mosquitoe Traps that are out seem to be doing a great job of catching alot of those pesky little critters. We are hoping they continue to do a good job. Any visitors to the area Please remember to thoroughly dry out your boat for a few days before launching in to our lake system if your boat is coming from a Zebra mussel lake.

June 12/03
Check out our rentals section we have added 2 more boats to the fleet! This brings it up to 3 boats that are available for your needs at the cottage

June 11/03
The Blackflies are still hungry but we have the answer with the new Mosquitoe Trap. Please drop us a line for more info.

June 10/03
We are finally getting this section up and going. Keep checking back for updates to what is happening in the Kawartha Highlands and our area.