Kawarthas Houseboating Trip Report May/June 2017

The Kawarthas always sounded like a great place to visit let alone to do it on a houseboat. I haven't been there since I was a kid and in different parts of the region for fishing. You can check out the maps of the area including the lakes and rivers to get an idea of how big the region is, you can watch videos of how beautiful the place is but you can't experience it any other way than in person.

Dates: May 23 - June 2, 2017 (low season)

Houseboat Rental: Happy Days Houseboats

Excessively high water

I knew the water levels were high and you could notice that as part of the dock at Happy Days Houseboats was underwater and twisted. In parts of Bobcaygeon you could see numerous docks on cottages that were under water and the water flowing through all of the waterfalls seemed high and dangerous.

Day 1 - Happy Days Houseboats - May 23

The first day was more than just driving to get to Bobcaygeon but it's nice to get unpacked and settled. It was also a chance to check out some of the other houseboats that Happy Days has and getting a chance to see their luxury boats was a treat and you'd call this more like glamping than camping. The luxury models had a dishwasher, fireplace, plasma TV, BBQ on the upper deck.

Day 2 - Big Island - May 24

Big Island is really big and surprisingly doesn't feature any cottages or buildings on it. There seems to be some spots on the north part of the island including the north right part of it where you can moor your houseboat and tie up to a few trees.

Day 3 - Buckhorn Lock - May 25

Today started off dark and rainy which is ok for fishing but it was a big contrast from the day before which got around 24°C and was hot and sunny. Getting into Buckhorn was nice as it was a remote enough place where you could get electricity at the docks and spend the day there. There is a bait shop, LCBO and a grocery store near this lock so it is a very important place.

Day 4 - Wolf Island - May 26

We were the first ones through the lock to start the season. After talking to the Parks Canada people about recommended spots to moor, they suggested just past the Lovesick Lock on Wolf Island as a popular spot for houseboats. It's a nice spot with a few spots to moor and many firepits there from previous campers.

Day 5 - Burleigh Falls - May 27

The morning started in Wolf Island with a nice sunrise and followed by some canoeing and fishing in the morning. Burleigh Falls is a place that seems smaller than Buckhorn and there isn't much to do here unless you want to fish.

Day 6 - Lovesick Lock - May 28

Lovesick Lock is a nice place to spend the night. There are a few park benches and you can walk over a few of the dams and get to see some of Wolf Island as there are some trails that you can access. The Lovesick Lock is only really accessible by foot or by boat so the park rangers have to take a boat to get to work.

Day 7 - Mississauga River - May 29

Mississauga River is not an easy place to spot but after talking with Parks Canada staff and the nice friendly folks at Reach Harbour marina, we learned of a popular spot for houseboats which happens to be very close to the Buckhorn lock. The spot is great for canoeing and supposedly great for fishing.

Day 8 - Bobcaygeon - May 30

The plan of action is to leave Mississauga River, pass through Buckhorn lock and make the long trek to Bobcaygeon which is a bit over 3 hours. Bobcaygeon is actually a nice town. You can get the sense that in the high season this place gets a little crazy with more people coming into cottage country or boating. Also Bobcaygeon has quite a few restaurants, Tim Horton's, LCBO and the evil Bobcaygeon Bakery which makes the best cookies, brownies, pies and bread.

Day 9 - Bobcaygeon - May 31

The weather to start the day was nice but the forecast is showing strong winds and even more storms. The plan is to skip Big Island and save it for another trip and stay put in Bobcaygeon for another day, which really wasn't that bad at all as it's a nice place to be and the fishing in the area is really good.

Day 10 - Happy Days Houseboats - June 1

Leaving Bobcaygeon this morning, take the short drive of about 45 mins or so to get back to the headquarters at Happy Days Houseboats. The last night was spent at Happy Days so it makes it easier to get on the road in the morning.

Kawarthas in the off season

Overall the offseason was nice but of course the high season is what almost everyone chases after. That said what's nice about these trips in the offseason is you have less boaters to deal with, you're almost always guaranteed a spot at a lock or a good place to moor. The water was still warm enough to swim in and the spring can be great for fishing.

The Kawartha Lakes & Trent-Severn Waterway

The area features really large fresh water lakes that are connected by a series of locks. This area is pure cottage country with a few small towns located throughout. It is about a 2 hour drive from Toronto and the area sees about 1.5 million visitors every year.