Paddling the Nottawasaga River: Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada

Distance: 10-kilometres one way on the Nottawasaga River

Average time to complete: 2-hours

Difficulty: easy paddle with some low-level rapids

Parking: free at Wasaga Beach Sport Park (1888 Klondike Park Road, Wasaga Beach) and free at Schooner Town (28 Sunset Court, Wasaga Beach)

General safety tips: check weather conditions and water levels; wear your life jacket; carry safety gear; and always let someone know when and where you plan to launch and your expected return, especially if paddling alone

I have paddled this stretch of the Nottawasaga River dozens of times, in canoes, kayaks and most frequently on a paddle board. This paddle is 10-kilometres one way and takes on average about 2-hours to complete. I have finished the paddle in just over an hour, early in the season when the river is really flowing, but later in the season, it could take up to 2.5-hours and sometimes even 3-hours to complete, when the river is barely moving.

The Launch

The launch at the Wasaga Beach Sports Park is more than ideal, since you can drive your car right up to the water’s edge to launch your craft. Once you are on the water, you will pass through forested areas, crest shaped sand dunes and even a series of low-level rapids that are easy to pass through, which add that little bit of adventure to an otherwise calm paddle. Late in the season, however, when the water levels are low, you may need to wade, and drag or carry your craft to pass through the rapids.

The river is windy, and the scenery changes from about an hour of forest and sand dunes to about an hour of cottages. The split between the forested and cottage areas is what is locally known as the ‘oxbow.’ The oxbow dune is a geologic formation and a stage in the development of an oxbow lake, it is generally formed from the erosion and deposition of sand on the meandering curve of the river.

The face of the oxbow is also home to Bank Swallows and their nests. At certain times of the year, what seems like hundreds of birds can be seen flying around, protecting their nests and feeding their young. Bank Swallows are on the Ontario species at risk list, due to loss of breeding habitat, destruction of nests and many other concerns. If you are planning this paddle, it is important to be a good steward and respect the face of the oxbow, its many residents and the natural beauty of this fragile landscape.

The Home Stretch

After you’ve passed the large oxbow dune, you will see many smiling cottagers and watercrafts, sometimes creating waves against the break walls as they pass through. As you paddle on, you will eventually approach the Mosley Street bridge and exit the river to your right at the historical winter quarters of the Royal Navy of 1812, known as the Schooner Town parkette. You could of course continue your paddle out to Georgian Bay, but this stretch of river can be quite busy with many boaters speeding by as well as a dangerous undertow so exercise caution if you venture on.

Every time I have done this paddle, I have seen something knew… from a deer and fawn crossing the shallows of the river, to countless turtles basking in the sun, to Egrets and Blue Herons. To many many beavers building their homes and damns, to fish jumping out of the water and even a few Bald Eagles soaring overhead. If you are paddling along quietly, you never know what you will see around the rivers bend.