Great Canadian Beach Thread

[TownGuy]

Gotta love some of these real estate drone shots. Here is Cobourg Beach from above.

[megadude]

High of only 18 with a stiff breeze on the waterfront up in Tiny Township. Still a few people ventured into the water. At least the sun was out. Explored a few small beaches I hadn't been to before despite going up this way for 15 years. My inlaws haven't been to almost all these spots either and they built the cottage in 1972. Furthest spot being a 20 minute drive away, but actually on the way to the cottage.

Despite all these places being with a few kms along the coast, you can really notice the differences in terms of sand granularity and colour, volume of rocks/seashells on the beach or in the water, vegetation, number or sandbars, etc.

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures! I can feel the cool fall breeze in some of those pictures, especially with those clouds.

A couple of those spots with the windswept dunes look like western Michigan, or even like Cape Cod for an instant.

[megadude]

Thanks.

Yeah, the dunes are not on the level of say Sandbanks in Eastern Ontario, but still a nice feature. I haven't been to the beaches on Lake Michigan so can't compare, but walking on the boardwalk, my wife and I both were reminded of Myrtle Beach. I have been to beaches in MA, RI and ME, but that was three decades ago.

[megadude]

At a kids birthday party today was talking to a neighbour who used to act in YTV/Nickolodeon shows and such and whose wife still does theatre for a living. He mentioned she recently did theatre in Port Hope and we got to discussing Cobourg as well. He talked about how big and great the beach is. He said a bunch of family did an air bnb for a few days half hour north of Cobourg and they actually spend most the time going to the beach in Cobourg.

Anyway, the area I go to on Georgian Bay is down 4 inches since we last went 11 days ago. Not sure why but so many more sandbars now.

And also saw a sturgeon for the first time washed up on a sandbar at Allenwood Beach in Wasaga. Only saw one before at Ripley's Aquarium and possibly Bass Pro Shops. Still haven't seen a burbot or bowfin but both are in the Great Lakes and related watershed. BIL and cousin have caught bowfin before and they can be caught around the Toronto Islands. I have however seen a gar pike in the Etobicoke Creek in Mississauga right under the foot bridge. Made one cast at it but then it disappeared.






























https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbot...Walchensee.jpg


https://bearsdenlodge.com/why-is-the-bowfin-green/


https://northernontario.travel/fishi...ne-bucket-list

[megadude]

As mentioned, beaches are always changing. First time this year at Burlington Beach and looks like the water receded recently and left a layer of mud for some reason. Mud that was so unappealing that most people avoided going in the water, even though it's very inviting given that it was warm today, it's shallow and water is warm.

And I hadn't noticed seashells there before. Just like on Georgian Bay, where this year there's an abundance. But these ones in Burlington are smaller than the ones up there.

[Doady]

Burlington Beach looks like a nice place to swim, despite the City of Hamilton dumping 396 million litres of raw sewage into the lake the past 26 years.

[megadude]

Was in Miami Beach yesterday. The one in Keswick, Ontario. But it looked and felt just like the one in Florida with the white Miami Modern architecture, supers cars driving around and large swaths of sandy beaches. And just like in Florida, I caught a largemouth bass.

The street names even say Miami, Tampa, Pompano, Hollywood and Pasadena. Fun fact, I got a parking ticket in Pompano Beach, FLA one time, but we went to city hall to dispute it for the hell of it and said we believe the meter was faulty. They said they didn't have anyone available to test it out so they tossed the ticket. It was for $25.

[xzmattzx]

Wow, a Miami Beach, Ontario? That is a new one to me.

[xzmattzx]

It would be nice to put together a little list of beaches to swim at in each province with the warmest water, for beach nerds like me trying to swim in as many states and provinces as possible. I've been to Nova Scotia before, but a 5C difference in water between towns or counties due to some little factor like a change in directions for a cold-water current would help decide on possible beaches some time.

[megadude]

And how many states and provinces have you crossed off the list?

I would like to see a ranking of the best beach in each one.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

It would be nice to put together a little list of beaches to swim at in each province with the warmest water, for beach nerds like me trying to swim in as many states and provinces as possible. I've been to Nova Scotia before, but a 5C difference in water between towns or counties due to some little factor like a change in directions for a cold-water current would help decide on possible beaches some time.

Beaches along the Northumberland Strait are generally the warmest in Nova Scotia and the warmest waters north of the Carolinas. It's because its relatively shallow and sandwiched between NS and PEI. I've been to Rushton's Beach and Melmerby Beach. Rushton's was the only time I've been to a Canadian beach and not felt even the hint of cold. It felt like bath water that had sat for 30 minutes. If you like white white sand and turquoise water, Carter's Beach is the best one. It's on the Atlantic coast so the water is colder (19-20C in late August) but very pretty.


Rushton's Beach, Nova Scotia

https://www.touristplaces.ca/marshvi...ovincial-park/

Melmerby Beach, Nova Scotia

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/another...8487685723318/

Carter's Beach, Nova Scotia


https://www.pinterest.ca/maffer/carters-beach/

[MolsonExport]

^they look like really nice beaches, but I reckon the water is ccccoooollllddd. Can't be colder than one of my favorite Beaches anywhere: Long Beach (Vancouver Island), where in the summer the temperature gets up to 47 (Fahrenheit).

[WhipperSnapper]

The post speaks the truth. The Strait is typically over 70 degrees

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^they look like really nice beaches, but I reckon the water is ccccoooollllddd. Can't be colder than one of my favorite Beaches anywhere: Long Beach (Vancouver Island), where in the summer the temperature gets up to 47 (Fahrenheit).

West Coast water is surprisingly cold given the mild winter temperatures. In the Pacific, warm water from the south meets cold water from the north then flows east to BC. There's more to it than that but it's harder for warm water to reach places like Vancouver Island. On the East coast, ocean currents send warmer water from the Caribbean north up the coast. Canada's warmest waters are in the Maritimes. They have the best beaches in the country imo: long and wide, a seemingly endless number of them, fine sand, the warmest water in the country, and there's hardly anyone on them.


Rushton's Beach (July)

https://seatemperature.info/july/rus...mperature.html

[xzmattzx]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Beaches along the Northumberland Strait are generally the warmest in Nova Scotia and the warmest waters north of the Carolinas. It's due to relatively shallow and sandwiched between NS and PEI. I've been to Rushton's Beach and Melmerby Beach. Rushton's was the only time I've been to a Canadian beach and not felt even the hint of cold. It felt like bath water that had sat for 30 minutes. If you like white white sand and turquoise water, Carter's Beach is the best one. It's on the Atlantic coast so the water is colder (19-20C in late August) but very pretty.

I never would've figured it, but it makes sense. I will have to try and make it there if I am in that area in the late summer some time!

I think there's warmer water north of the Outer Banks, because the water gets fairly warm in late summer in Delaware and even farther north. I think Long Island (and Connecticut, being on the shallower sound) is as far up the coast you get before the water really gets to be cold. I've gone to Nauset Beach on the Outer Cape of Cape Cod, and the water can be frigid in the summer, even with favorable winds or no updrafts. That gulf stream goes out to sea past Long Island, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket, so Chatham and Orleans on north to Canada is where the really cold water begins.

[xzmattzx]

Originally Posted by megadude

And how many states and provinces have you crossed off the list?

I would like to see a ranking of the best beach in each one.

Not as many as I would have liked, especially considering most of my traveling is in warmer months.

Here are the states and provinces that I have gone swimming in a natural body of water in:

~ Massachusetts
~ New York
~ New Jersey
~ Delaware
~ Maryland
~ Florida
~ Wyoming (!)
~ California
~ Puerto Rico
~ Ontario

Internationally:
~ Costa Rica
~ Bahamas
~ Cayman Islands
~ Iceland

I have been to many waterfront locations too early in the summer to swim there: Wisconsin, Illinois, New Brunswick

I have been to bodies of water at the right time of year in other places, but didn't have time to go to a beach or go swimming: New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, Quebec, Nova Scotia. I also missed a chance to go swimming in Alaska in a town lake, when there was favorable weather, so who knows if I'll ever have that chance again.

[Nouvellecosse]

The difference between the Northumberland Strait and the open Atlantic really is quite surprising. I grew up with the Strait being the closest ocean beaches and would regularly go in. But the first time I tried getting in the water near Halifax I only got as far as my shins before giving up and abandoning the cause.

[isaidso]

^^ Very true. The Atlantic coast, unfortunately, is a few degrees too cold for me too. Perhaps, with ocean water temperatures rising all over the world this won't be the case 20 years from now.

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

I never would've figured it, but it makes sense. I will have to try and make it there if I am in that area in the late summer some time!

I think there's warmer water north of the Outer Banks, because the water gets fairly warm in late summer in Delaware and even farther north. I think Long Island (and Connecticut, being on the shallower sound) is as far up the coast you get before the water really gets to be cold. I've gone to Nauset Beach on the Outer Cape of Cape Cod, and the water can be frigid in the summer, even with favorable winds or no updrafts. That gulf stream goes out to sea past Long Island, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket, so Chatham and Orleans on north to Canada is where the really cold water begins.

Yes, Canada is too far north to enjoy warm Gulf Stream water but thankfully we have this little pocket of warm water between NB/NS and PEI. If you're just planning to spend time on the sand, there are tons of fabulous beaches but if you want warm water as well head to the Northumberland Strait.

[ssiguy]

I believe Christina Lake in BC's Boundary/Kootenay area is the nation's warmest. After that I'm not quite sure. Lake Okanagan, Lake Osoyoos, and Lake St.Clair are probably next but I don't know in which order. Lake Erie is the warmest of the Great Lakes but I think St.Clair is warmer due to being in hot SWO while being extremely shallow with a max depth of only 8 meters. All 4 of these lakes have some of Canada's best beaches.

As far as beach cities go, I think there are really only 3 major ones, Vancouver, Kelowna, and Toronto.