Georgian Bay Water Level

[bobowski]

Just wanted to give a heads up that if you're boating on Georgian Bay to be very careful if you don't know the water especially when venturing outside of the buoys. The water this year is the highest that I have seen it in 20+ years. Entire islands are now submerged just below the surface. Lots of potential hazards out there. Good news is that the high water has given a lot more spawning areas for Bass this year. Be careful guys. 

[irishfield]

Wondering if all the "stop the drop" crowd is happy yet, that wouldn't listen that the issue was cyclic and spent millions of $$'s on studies and town hall meetings??!!  

Last week the "tide" came in to Penetang Harbour and had the entire wharf, parking lot and the Dock Lunch under water.

[bobowski]

44 minutes ago, irishfield said:

Wondering if all the "stop the drop" crowd is happy yet, that wouldn't listen that the issue was cyclic and spent millions of $$'s on studies and town hall meetings??!!  

Last week the "tide" came in to Penetang Harbour and had the entire wharf, parking lot and the Dock Lunch under water.

I believe you've  been in the area for a long time. What's your expert opinion on why the water is up so high? A few years back they were preaching the "stop the drop" campaign when the water was so low. Is it just a natural cycle? 

Edited May 29, 2020 by bobowski

[misfish]

1 hour ago, irishfield said:

Wondering if all the "stop the drop" crowd is happy yet, that wouldn't listen that the issue was cyclic and spent millions of $$'s on studies and town hall meetings??!!  

Last week the "tide" came in to Penetang Harbour and had the entire wharf, parking lot and the Dock Lunch under water.

And there are the ones whining about getting funds to build break walls for their cottages now. Water levels are back to norm from what I remember seeing as a kid. My pops buddy had a cottage that was on the side of the road in Honey Harbor. Water was only feet from his place. I went for a memorial drive to just see the old camping grounds. There was nothing but grass for a 100 ft or more just  years ago.

[irishfield]

I've been here for 35 years, the wife lived on Sturgeon Bay as a 4 year old so I won't say how long that is, but I'm 58 and she's 2 years younger than me! lol It's a cycle, when her Father bought their place he had something like 235 feet of deeded front yard. When I went there in '82 there was about 60 feet of front yard. When the stop the drop crowd was crying that they'd bought "waterfront" (sold to them during a high water cycle with dredged channels to their docks) most in Sturgeon Bay were back to a few hundred feet of dry land in their front yards, or very shallow water with long docks as what was land was washed away. The current water level is the highest I've ever seen it,  Father in Law is now approaching 80 and still on he Bay. Says he's seen it at this level before or damn close.

Edited May 29, 2020 by irishfield

[moxie]

As Wayne said it's cyclical but weather patterns have changed over the last bunch of years as well. To those who were whining one way and are now whining back the other way? Take their cottages from them  , revoke their cottage ownership cards and rent the units out to someone that will enjoy the respite they offer , then send the former owners a cheque every month until they're paid in full. Some people are never happy i guess .

Edited May 30, 2020 by moxie
Clarification

[grimsbylander]

On 5/29/2020 at 4:54 PM, misfish said:

And there are the ones whining about getting funds to build break walls for their cottages now. Water levels are back to norm from what I remember seeing as a kid. My pops buddy had a cottage that was on the side of the road in Honey Harbor. Water was only feet from his place. I went for a memorial drive to just see the old camping grounds. There was nothing but grass for a 100 ft or more just  years ago.

Funds to build break walls?? If they stall for a few years, the property owners will want to use the money to extend their docks!

[AKRISONER]

Amen to the dangers of navigating this year. Going from one extreme where we bottomed out in “The S” turn a famous navigation channel in pointe au baril to now the highest water in history. 
 

not only is it scary because obvious shoals and entire islands are now under an inch of water, there’s dead heads and all sorts of crap floating around from people’s now destroyed boathouses and docks. You wouldn’t believe the number of rogue docks littering the shorelines around here now from people that had put their docks on shore In the fall before the big fall store came and brought some of the highest water that’s been seen in history. The water was so high that the road in town was totally under water.

we joked we should start a business salvaging docks, there’s so much free lumber floating around that almost every stretch of land/island has at least one on shore. I can think of 10 right now just off of the top of my head.

most challenging in all of this is remembering perception while fishing. I’m so used of knowing where things are in relation to the shoreline and now I’m all out of whack.

The best part of this is the timber fishery That now exists because the entire forest on the shoreline is flooding is making for some really really fun largemouth fishing. Reminds me of fishing down on Guntersville or Marion.

[Cast-Away]

It's for sure a cycle. My Dad explained the same thing back in the 60's when we had a cottage on the 14th concession north of Balm Beach.

I have been boating on the bay most of my life and love the high water because I know all of the shoals in the Moon Basin and 12 Mile Bay area where I do most of my boating. They are all well under water and make for some great high water small mouth bass habitat.