Port Carling, Ontario is ground zero for money in Canada. It is dead centre in the heart of Muskoka, lying where the three lakes – Joseph, Muskoka and Rosseau – converge. The place reeks of privilege and entitlement.
There is a route that one can drive from Bala, through Port Carling, to the little village of Rosseau that is so beautiful, you can hardly believe it. The road turns into a roller coaster ride in some sections, but the views on either side are eye candy of the sweetest kind. Cars contend for road space with bicycle riders and joggers, since these are training grounds for Canada’s top triathlon contenders.
By way of comparison, lying about one hour to the south of Port Carling is another well-known summer resort, Wasaga Beach. Both regions have their stunning vistas – Muskoka over sparkling blue waters set amid emerald-green pine forests and the kaleidoscopic rock outcroppings of the Precambrian Shield; Wasaga, over Georgian Bay to Blue Mountain behind Collingwood.
And make no mistake, sunsets along the east coast of Georgian Bay, particularly in August, are among the most beautiful in the world. The quality of light and the range of colours, moving from pinks through oranges and mauves reflect off a water base that shimmies deep blue, then royal purple, gunmetal grey and finally inky black.
But otherwise, the differences between the two regions are intriguing. Muskoka has its loons, with their haunting and plaintive cries. Wasaga has seagulls, lots and lots of seagulls.
Muskoka has money. You see it everywhere. The residents saunter about in their carefully chosen casual wear. The cars in the parking lots are expensive foreign brand-names or giant North American SUVs. The men have the hawkish features of Bay Street aristocrats or top-of-the-line professionals. Their women are either perfectly attired in athletic gear or bear a certain well-coiffed look that speaks of pampered care.
Wasaga is home to a more lunch bucket set and particularly a young adult crowd. It’s where Toronto high school graduates go after prom night “to party on.” And Wasaga is still capable of burning down and starting afresh, as it has been forced to do of late.
Wasaga has its tacky beachfront shops and joke stores. Muskoka would be appalled to see such trade open up anywhere near its boutique clusters and trendy eating spots.
Motorcycle gangs sometimes ride through Muskoka just to stir things up and send shivers of outrage through the local nobility. Wasaga, on the other hand, was basically founded by bikers.
If one concentrates hard, one can hear ghost-like strains of music from the big band era ringing across the Muskoka Lakes. In Wasaga, it’s rock music at the Dardanella and memories of raucous times at the Allistonia and the Windjammer.
In Muskoka, it’s all about the boating, especially heritage wooden boats, if you can afford one. For Wasaga, it’s the beach. These are two quite different cottage experiences. Muskoka is somewhat claustrophobic. Wasaga is more open to the new and the diverse.
Wasaga is changing too, though. It is moving upscale. The new cottage homes are being built bigger and fancier. Retirees are moving up from Toronto in waves. And ski-country-rich Collingwood next door has turned the southern tip of Georgian Bay into a virtual twin city, Collingwood-Wasaga Beach. Money invested by Intrawest, the owner of the Blue Mountain Ski Resort, has moved Collingwood into its own more pricey league.
But none of this is to deny the beauty that is the Muskoka region of only slightly northern Ontario. It is why some of Hollywood’s stars and the NHL’s top players have built residences there.
Do yourself a favour and make that drive, Bala through Port Carling to Rosseau, if you have not done so already. You won’t ever forget it and you’ll want to remember the route as it is now before too extensive development takes away any more of the charm.
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