Boating on Lake Ontario

notl-marina
One of the many great reasons for living in this area is the quick access to Lake Ontario and the great selection of Marinas in the area. If you are a keen sailing or power boat enthusiast, this will be an important factor in your decision to purchase a house in NOTL.

To be honest, I don’t actually own a boat. It is on my shopping list but my wife has pointed out on several occasions the fact we have several friends with boats and those friends often invite us to join them so why buy a boat when we already have access to several! I can see her point but it is not the same.

Anyway, one of my friends keeps his 26 feet sailboat at Port Weller Marina. This attractive marina is right next to the Welland Canal and is at the very edge of the Niagara-on-the-Lake area, almost into St Catharines.

It is a great spot with good amenities and you can be out of the marina and into Lake Ontario in minimal time. Just keep a watchful eye open for the big ships entering and leaving the canal!

From here, it is a quick sail towards St Catharines and Port Dalhousie where there are two marinas – Port Dalhousie Pier Marina and Port Dalhousie Port Marina. The first is on the edge of the lake and is the larger of the two with moorings for boats up to 100 feet long. It has great facilities including a restaurant and is a very popular marina.

The port marina is much smaller but is very conveniently located in the centre of the urban area so if you want to step off your boat and be right by the great selection of restaurants, pubs, bars and café’s, this is the one to go to. For visitors, there are lots of mooring spots along the harbour wall and with the sandy beach, historic carousel, and an eclectic selection of stores, there are lots of reasons to visit the area.

The town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has its own marina: The Niagara-on-the-Lake Sailing Club, conveniently located where Lake Ontario meets the Niagara River.

From here, it is easy to explore the Town as it is about a 10 minute walk to Queen Street. The marina has a great view of Fort Niagara (on the USA side of the river) and our own Fort George is just a few minutes’ walk away. In the summer months, there are many sailing competitions that take place.

As you travel a little further up the Niagara River in the direction of Queenston, there is another small, secluded marina that is so well hidden, I lived here for three years before I even knew it existed! Smugglers Cove Boat Club. It has been there since 1954 so pretty well established!

This small marina has the river as it’s backdrop and is located at the end of East West Line and on the world famous Niagara River Parkway so if you moor here, you can get to cycling paths, wineries and restaurants very easily.

Slightly further afield or just across the river into New York State, there are many other marinas to explore – Youngstown, Lewiston, Wilson, Olcott to name a few. If you are a boating enthusiast, there is plenty to keep you interested for years to come, whether you enjoy competing out on the lake, sitting in the port with a beer and barbecue, or just exploring the area at your own pace.

It’s wonderful how much one can learn while working with Bosley Real Estate. I have learned to love and enjoy Niagara on the Lake, and everything it has to offer! If you are considering buying real estate in Niagara-on-the-Lake, please contact me.