In Muskoka, Islanders are a tough and devoted lot. Many love to be at the cottage as much as possible and do not let ice, hail, sleet, or snow stop them.

Boating to a party on New Year’s Eve on Lake Muskoka can be considered to be great fun.

Minus 20 temperatures overnight December 29th has provided ice coverage on parts of the Muskoka Lakes.
It has been very mild and rainy, but the cold temperatures overnight has started the ice build-up.

Without ice, a lot of Muskoka’s recreational activitites are on hold, so let’s hope for more cold temperatures, with no snow, while the ice builds. (The snow forms a blanket and stops the ice from building well, making it soggy and wet.)

It is wonderful to get out on the lakes in the winter, but be cautious, as it can also be dangerous.
Freezing and thawing can create ice pushes that are as high as 5 feet in the air.
You do not want to run into an ice push on your snowmobile, and it is also dangerous to walk near them, as there can be some open water behind or in front.

Be cautious if going out onto the lake. Meausure the ice with an ice auger before you go out. We like 6 inches to feel safe. Take a phone with you, and let someone know where you are going.

Enjoy the beauty and the recreational opportunities of Muskoka in the winter.

September was a banner month for Muskoka Real Estate Sales on Lake Muskoka and Lake Joseph. Both of these lakes had more sales this month than in any other year. Lake Rosseau had a strong showing, although there were fewer sales in September on Lake Rosseau than in 2007 and 2006.

There were 20 sales on Lake Muskoka in September, compared to 10 sales in Sept 2008, 11 in 2007, and 10 in 2006

On Lake Muskoka 17 of the 20 sales were under $1,000,000.00

Altogether there have been 149 MLS sales to date in 2009 on the big lakes in Muskoka

For more information email us at Thelma@royallepage.ca and we will send you all the details of the sales across the three big lakes

Manytimes, over the years, we have hadguests comment to us that they are surprised at how few boats there are on Lakes Muskoka, Rosseau and Joseph.

These are big lakes, and unless you are in a specific traffic lane, like the normal pathway between some islands, or the pathway up the river to Port Carling, or the pathway to the marina, there is not a lot of boat traffic.

The long weekend of the the first of August is the time that there is traditionally most people out on the lakes, but most other times, there is lots of space for boats to run around without any feeling ofthe lakebeing crowded.

This year most people have missed seeing boats, as the cold and rain has kept boaters off the lakes.

We are so fortunate to have these three big lakes which are a perfect size. Not too big to be very dangerous,but big enough to enjoy boating for years and years.We are very thankful for what we have got here in Muskoka.

There are so many volunteerswho give hours and hours of their time to worthwhile organizations across Muskoka.

This is Brian manning the gates at The Antique and Classic Boat Show in Gravenhurst.

By the next week he was helping boats dock at the Muskoka Heritage Foundation Cottage Tour on Lake Muskoka, during which time guests toured four fabulous cottages.

You get as much back as you give, when you volunteer.

July was a banner month in terms of cottage sales on the three big lakes in Muskoka.

On Lake Muskoka there were 25 sales, which is more than in July 2008, 2007 or 2006.

On Lake Rosseau there were 6 sales, which is 3 more than in 2008 and the same as in 2006.

On Lake Joseph there were 8 sales, which was 5 more than in 2008, equal to 2007, and one more than in 2006.

If you would like to receive a Muskoka Real Estate Market Report, on a complimentary basis, by email each month, call us at 705-645-2110 or email Thelma@royallepage.ca

It is wonderful how friendly everyone is in Muskoka. These fellows kindly turned their boat around and headed right towards me when they saw I was trying to take a picture.
In return I got their address and emailed them pictures of their boat.
Wouldn’t it great if the world functioned in Muskoka mode?