08/02/2026
There was another accident in Muskoka this weekend involving boating at night. This one hits particularly close to home for me because it occurred just outside the bay where we live. In fact, I followed that same route home from dinner with friends on the night before the accident. Less than 24 hours later, we heard the search helicopters crisscrossing above and sadly, saw the recovery boats searching for bodies the next day.
What happened to the young couple who lost their lives could easily happen to anyone in similar circumstances. I have followed that route hundreds of times and I still get nervous approaching the area in the dark. During the day, the channel markers are clearly visible and the route is obvious, but at night, the visual cues of the shoreline disappear and the channel markers can be difficult to find. The gap between the rock shoals is maybe 30 feet wide and there is no margin for error on either side.
So here's my advice about night boating to all my friends, clients and fellow cottagers. DONT DO IT. Full stop. I think its important to recognize that boating at night is inherently dangerous. Even if the circumstances are less daunting than the ones described above and you've prepared meticulously for the trip, the potential to become disoriented and to make a wrong turn, or to simply hit something that you didn't expect to be there; like an unlit boat, a swim raft or (god forbid) a person taking a late-night dip, is constant. Chances are also good, that you're coming home from a fun event somewhere on the lake and have had a cocktail or two, reducing your decision making ability just enough to be deadly.
So lets make a deal today... No more boating after dark. If I can do it, so can you! Can I count on you to join me?
