Blackflies aren't all bad. Really!

Spring in Muskoka sometimes requires a sense of humor. Like when winter hasn’t quite loosened its grip and we swing wildly from summer to winter and (hopefully soon) back again. Or when the sun is shining but the lake is still ice cold. Or when spring has finally sprung and everyone wants to be outside but Mother Nature decides that this would be the perfect time to unleash the blackflies. 

Blackfly season is, fortunately, short lived. For the uninitiated, blackflies emerge late in the spring usually from about mid-May to late June. (Our initial blast of warm weather this year has brought the first wave out earlier than usual but our recent snowfall will take care of those.) They look like miniature, hump-backed house flies. And the females bite, often working their way under waistbands, socks and hairlines where they can get their fill of blood unnoticed.

You’ll find plenty of unfavorable opinions about blackflies without searching too hard. To say they’re a nuisance is putting it mildly. But rather than repeat all the bad things about blackflies, we thought we’d share some of the good.

You didn’t know there were any good things about blackflies, did you? Well here they are along with a few other interesting facts:

• They are tasty snacks for trout when the adult flies emerge in the spring. A healthy black fly population can mean a healthy trout population.
• They are one of the biggest pollinators of blueberries. No blackflies, fewer tasty snacks for us.
• They can’t handle polluted water, so a thriving blackfly population is an indication that our streams and rivers are in decent shape.
• Only the females bite and they use blood meals only for egg production. Both males and females feed on nectar to get energy for flight (which is why they are such good pollinators).
• The average adult lifespan is just 3 weeks.
• Unlike mosquitoes, which thrive in pools of standing water, blackflies need running water to breed.

For more about both blackflies and mosquitos, check out this video from Science North:

While we don’t expect anyone to jump for joy the next time a blackfly bites, we can at least recognize them as part of a healthy ecosystem. And that’s what everyone comes to Muskoka to see.

When will we see you next? The May long weekend (the unofficial start of the summer season, even if it's not quite summer yet) is fast approaching. You can see our availability for May and beyond here. We hope to see you soon!

The Howell Family

Wildlife Babies in Muskoka

Wildlife viewing is a highlight for most visitors to Muskoka and when baby animals are spotted, the thrill factor increases significantly. Who doesn’t like to see an adorable bundle of fur hanging out next to its mama? But you may not know much about these cute little creatures so we thought we’d give you some fun facts about the young of some of Muskoka’s most popular animals.

Black Bears - Newborn bear cubs aren’t much bigger than a chipmunk (1/2-1 pound). A litter of 2-3 cubs is born in the mother’s winter den in January or February. They start to get active within a few months and by the time they leave the den are capable of climbing a tree. Bear cubs grow rapidly – their mother’s milk is high in fat and protein – and weigh up to 9 pounds by the time they leave the den and up to 65 pounds by the time they are 9 months old. Cubs stay with their mom until they are about 1.5 years old when she is ready to mate again.

Beavers – A litter of 3-5 baby beavers, called kits, are born in late April to late June. At birth, their eyes are open, they are covered with soft fur and they weigh about 1 pound (.45 kg). They begin to swim not long after birth (the same day!) and within a month they will be able to hold their breath and swim underwater. When the kits get tired, mom will carry them on her back. Kits are weaned at about two weeks and don’t reach adulthood in their second winter.

Loons – The loons return to our lakes in April or May. They begin mating and nesting almost immediately, laying 2-3 eggs per year. The eggs hatch in June and chicks can swim and dive within hours of hatching. When they are tired or cold, they will sometimes ride on a parents’ back. Chicks are fed by their parents until they can dive and catch their own food at about 8 weeks. They learn to fly by about 11 weeks but don’t fly south until late fall, usually long after adult loons have left. The young loons stay in their southern habitats and don’t return to the nesting area where they were born until they are three years old.

Moose – Moose calves are born in mid-to-late-May, weighing 25-35 pounds at birth (less if there are twins). They are very vulnerable at first and the Cow (mom) will keep her calf hidden for a few days after birth. The calves can stand within a day, are capable of outrunning a human within a few days, and learn to swim within a few weeks. Calves grow at an incredible rate in their first summer, gaining more than 1 pound a day in the spring and later more than 4 pounds a day. By fall, the calf will weigh 300-400 pounds. In Ontario, the natural mortality of calves can be high due to extreme spring weather and predators. Up to 75% of calves may die in their first six months of life.

Wolves - A litter of 3-8 pups is born in mid to late April in a den site, usually a hole in the ground. The pups are nursed by their mom for their first 6-8 weeks. After weaning, they rely on other pack members to feed them. By July, the pups are big enough to be left in a sheltered area while the adults go hunting. Adult pack members carry food in their stomachs and regurgitate it for the pups. By late summer and early fall, the pups are able to eat solid food brought back by the adults.

Nearby Algonquin Park is an ideal place to watch wildlife. We hope that the next time you visit Colonial Bay, you’ll be lucky enough to see one of these adorable babies. You can view the availability of our waterfront cottages here. (And don’t forget – the May long weekend isn’t far away. It’s the ‘official’ start of the summer season in Muskoka.)

See you soon!

The Howell Family

Image via Flickr user MaugiArt

It’s Spring in Muskoka!

Mother Nature was sure in a hurry to be done with winter this year. Spring arrived with a week of summer-like temperatures that melted the snow so fast it seemed to vaporize. We’ve since returned to more seasonable temperatures but there’s hardly a patch of snow to be found anywhere and the ice is gone from most of the lakes already.

In this in-between season, after the winter sports are done and before the lakes are warm enough for watersports, you might wonder what there is to do in Muskoka in the Spring. (Hint: there's lots!) Check out some of the activities below for some ideas to get you started.

Golf – With the early arrival of spring, some area golf courses are already open. You can find a list of local courses here. Contact them for their Spring hours of operation.

Cycling - Get out your bike and take advantage of cooler temperatures and lighter traffic! Check out the Bike Muskoka website for routes and maps

Hiking – Spring is a fabulous time to go hiking! Less foliage means more wildlife viewing opportunities. Click here for our list of suggested trails.

Art – The Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Downtown Huntsville – After you’ve explored all of the murals in the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery, why not check out some of historic downtown Huntsville’s shops and cafes?

Local History – Head just south of downtown and learn about Muskoka history at The Muskoka Museum at Muskoka Heritage Place. It’s open Monday to Friday from 10-4 (The Pioneer Village and train open for the season on May 19).

The Easter long weekend is just around the corner. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore Muskoka in the Spring. If you decide to visit, make sure you take advantage of this special offer from Explorers’ Edge:

Explorers’ Edge Fuel & Fun package - Book a 2-night minimum consecutive stay before March 31, 2012 for a getaway in Explorers’ Edge between April 3, 2012 and May 17, 2012 at participating Accommodation Providers and YOU COULD BE 1 OF 500 TRAVELERS TO RECEIVE A $50 GAS CARD AND $50 IN TRAVEL VOUCHERS!

We are one of the participating accommodations! You can see the availability of our waterfront cottages here.

We hope you’ll visit us this Spring!

The Howell Family

Muskoka Maples

It’s almost Spring and you know what that means…warmer weather, longer days and maple syrup! Humans have been harvesting the sweet nectar from maple trees for centuries. (One of the first recorded notes was in 1606.) You’re probably familiar with its delicious, rich taste and how it gets from tree to bottle, but here are a few facts about maple trees and syrup that you may not know:

• There are 13 different maple species in North America that can be tapped for syrup. Two of them can be found in Muskoka: Sugar Maples and Red Maples.
• The Sugar Maple is the most common species tapped because it has the sweetest sap. It takes 40 litres of sap to produce one litre of syrup. Other maple species require more sap (5­0-70 litres) to produce one litre of syrup.
• Sugar Maples can live more than 200 years. They don’t reach tappable size until they are about 40 years old. Depending on its size and weather conditions, a Sugar Maple will provide 35-50 litres of sap during the sugaring season.
• The leaf of the sugar maple appears on the Canadian flag.
• Most maple syrup hobbyists use traditional metal buckets for sap collection. Large commercial operations use a plastic pipeline system that was patented in 1959. In 1997, permanent tubing was introduced allowing producers to leave their collection systems in place year-round.
• Canada produces 83% of world’s supply of maple syrup. The top three producers are Quebec (the #1 producer in the world), Ontario and New Brunswick.
• Maple syrup is good for you (at least as far as sugars go). It has no fat, no preservatives, fewer calories than honey, and, because it’s not refined like white sugar, contains a variety of vitamins and minerals.

You can find maple syrup throughout the summer at local farmers’ markets, but if you want to see how the syrup is produced you’ll need to visit in the spring. Muskoka unfortunately does not have a maple syrup festival but there are several within driving distance. The closest is the Powassan Maple Syrup Festival, held this year on April 28. (Powassan is 50 minutes north of Huntsville on Highway 11.)

It’s March break right now and the forecast for the rest of the week is gorgeous! If you’re looking for a quick get-away, why not come and visit us? And remember, Easter is just around the corner. By then, our waterfront cottages may just have a water view again (but a bit too cold for swimming still!). We look forward to seeing you soon!

The Howell Family

It's Still Winter In Muskoka! (March Break Activities)

Winter hasn’t left us yet. Southern Ontario may be experiencing spring-like conditions, but here in Muskoka we still have lots of snow (and the fun that goes with it!). With March Break only two weeks away, it’s the perfect time to get your winter fix. Here are just a few of activities you can try out over March Break:

Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area is open every day of March Break for downhill skiing. Tuesday, March 13 is their annual Boogie With Your Boots On, an all ages dance party and BBQ.

Arrowhead Provincial Park has 29 km of groomed track set cross-country ski trails and 12 km of skate skiing trails. Plus, they have over 6 km of snowshoeing trails, a terrific tubing hill and, new for this year, a skating trail. Ski and snowshoe rentals are available and tubes can be borrowed free of charge (a day-use park permit is required).

Limberlost Forest Reserve is just 10 km north of Colonial Bay. Access is free to the public and they have 70 km of trails for backwoods skiing or snowshoeing.

Rockridge Tubing Park is open from 10 am to 10 pm every day of March Break. They have 7 groomed runs and a lift to pull you back to the top.

Dogsledding adventures are available at North Ridge Ranch. Advance registration is required.

There are still lots of snowmobile trails open. Check the Trail Conditions before you head out.

Come and visit us for one more winter adventure. You know you want to! Our waterfront cottages offer gorgeous views of the winter landscape and we’re just a short drive away from tons of winter fun! View our availability here.

We hope to see you soon!

The Howell Family

The Ontario Parasport Games are coming to Huntsville!

The Ontario ParaSport Winter Games are being held in Huntsville February 24-26, 2012. For those of you unfamiliar with the events, here’s a quick rundown for you:

ParaAlpine events are being held at Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area and include two competitions: Slalom and Giant Slalom. Skiers with blindness or visual impairment are guided through the course by sighted guides using voice signals. Athletes with physical disabilities use equipment that is adapted to their needs including single ski, sit-ski or orthopedic aids.

ParaNordic athletes compete in a short distance sprint and middle distance race using classic or free techniques and using modified equipment if needed. An athlete with a lower-body disability uses a sledge, a specially built chair that can be attached to a pair of skis. The skis are almost identical to standard cross-country skis, although shorter, and are attached to the chair with a standard cross-country binding. Visually-impaired athletes compete with a sighted guide who uses their voice or a radio device to guide the athlete through the course.

Sledge Hockey is a fast-paced, highly physical sport played by athletes who have a physical disability in the lower part of the body, including amputees, spinal bifida, cerebral palsy and other conditions. As in Ice Hockey, teams play with six players (5 skaters and a goalie) and attempt to outscore their opponent by shooting the puck into the opposing team's goal while preventing the opposing team from scoring. Games consist of three 15-minute stop-time periods. The players are strapped into custom-made aluminum frame sledges with two blades and a runner. They use 2 double-ended sticks each. With a quick flip of the wrist, the players are able to propel themselves using the spiked end of the stick and then play the puck using the blade-end of the stick.

Wheelchair Curling is open to athletes with a physical disability in the lower part of the body. Each team must be comprised of both male and female players. The sport is played according to the rules of the World Curling Federation (WCF), with only one modification - no sweeping.

Wheelchair Basketball was designed for athletes who have physical disabilities that prevent running, jumping and pivoting. It is played by two teams of five players. The aim of each team is to score into the opponents' basket and to prevent the other team from gaining control of the ball or scoring. The measurements of the court and the height of the baskets are the same as in able-bodied Basketball.

Wheelchair Rugby was developed in Canada during the 1970s by athletes with quadriplegia. It is an intense co-ed team sport and can be very physical as athletes attempt to carry the ball over the opponent's goal line. Two teams of at least four players each compete for four periods of eight minutes each.

Swimming events are similar to those at the Olympics: Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly, Breaststroke and Medley. Athletes are classified based on their functional ability to perform each stroke and swim in a standard eight-lane 50m pool. Events are conducted as heats for eight competitors per class, and with the fastest eight swimmers per class competing in the finals. There are various forms for swimmers to start their race: in the water, a dive start sitting on the starting platform or the typical standing start. During a Swimming event, swimmers who are blind wear blackened goggles and are required to have an assistant to “tap” them as they approach the swimming pool end wall, either to make a turn or for the finish of the race.

More details and a schedule of events are on the Ontario Parasport Games website. We hope you’ll come out to cheer on these inspiring athletes! For those of you coming from afar, we have cottages available that weekend. You can see our availability here. (And remember, we're already taking bookings for the summer!)

We hope to see you soon!

The Howell Family

Ice is Nice (but be safe out there)

Muskoka’s landscape is dramatically different in the winter. Snow-covered branches replace the fiery foliage of fall and the lakes become a frozen expanse of ice. One of the highlights of visiting a lake community in the winter is heading out on the ice for a variety of activities. Rinks get cleared for skating and impromptu games of shinny. Ice fishing huts create mini-villages where there were once rafts and boats. Tracks from snowmobiles and cross-country skis crisscross the lake.

But all that fun on the ice does have risks and it’s important to know how to stay safe. Clear, hard new ice (usually blue-coloured) is safest. White or opaque ice is weaker and should be treated with caution. Ice that has a honeycombed look (common in the spring or if there is a thaw) should be avoided completely.

When possible, measure the thickness of the ice before venturing out. Ice less than 3 inches thick is unsafe and should not be travelled on. At 4 inches, the ice is safe for ice fishing, walking and cross-country skiing. At more than 5 inches, one-way snowmobile and ATV traffic is okay. But remember that ice doesn’t freeze uniformly. Even 10 feet away from a safe area, the ice could be thinner.

Regardless of the ice thickness, you should always stay away from permanent structures on the ice like docks and boathouses. The ice around these can be weak and should be considered unsafe. Also avoid slushy ice, ice that has thawed and then refrozen, pressure ridges or cracks, and layered or ‘rotten’ ice due to sudden temperature changes. Also avoid areas with lots of snow - heavy snowfall insulates and may even melt existing ice.

This winter, we have seen fluctuations in temperature from above 0C to below -20C. That means that ice in some areas should be treated with extreme caution. Always check the conditions before heading out and “if you don’t know, don’t go”. Choose another location for your activity instead.

Being out on the ice can be an amazing experience. Just remember to stay safe out there.

Do you have fond memories of being on the ice in Muskoka? Leave us a comment to tell us about it!

The Howell Family