DESTINATION HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: Western Lake Ontario I By | Steven Bull (Host - Water Ways TV) start every article, story or TV segment about boating out of the biggest city in Canada the same way. Citing the multiple people who told me I would " quickly get bored of Toronto harbour " or that " there's nothing to do in Lake Ontario " and that it was only a matter of time before I moved marinas to a much more appropriate setting just north of the city. With all due respect to my pals who boat in Georgian Bay, I don't foresee that happening anytime soon. Next year will be my tenth in Toronto Harbour and I love it more each year. Before you call me crazy, allow me to clarify. Georgian Bay is an absolute geographic gem. The natural beauty of the islands and anchorages blows away the shoreline of western Lake Ontario - with all due respect to the Scarborough Bluffs. But serene solitude and Group of Seven-worthy natural backdrops aren't all there is to boating. As someone who lives in Toronto, and whose wife works downtown, the ability to get to our boat in 30 minutes from our house is certainly appealing. Friday nights spent on the boat beat fighting traffic. But there's so much more than convenience that makes me love this region. There is easy access to the Thousand Islands, the southern shore offers New York State destinations and, of course, you have access to the Trent-Severn Waterway. But those are all longer trips. We do take those but usually when we have a week or two of vacation booked. When we're in weekend-warrior mode we're largely tied to the inside of the Golden Horseshoe; the shoreline that wraps from Toronto westward to Hamilton and loops back eastward 26 CANADIAN YACHTING | FEBRUARY 2023 Smooth sailling in 350-feet of water, 10 nautical miles offshore. Getting lost in the solitude of the Toronto Island lagoons.