Island Etiquette

Our Islands

We have 31 beautiful islands on our lake 14 of which are Public Islands (previously referred to as Crown Land), 14 being private property and the remaining 3 unnamed.  Before tying up your boat to go ashore, please ensure you are on Public land and not private property.  It is your responsibility to know which and respect the difference.

The greatest source of misunderstanding is the concept of the “high water mark” being the lower limit of private property on shore.  Boaters sometimes cite this as a right to tie to shore, or to go ashore to walk, swim, and light a barbecue or camp.  The legal concept of the high-water mark is far from clear in provincial law and may not even exist.

Please respect private property and only use public land for your lake activities.

Shoreline Safety

• Caution should always be used when tying up to the shoreline especially in areas with a sharp drop-off to the lake bed.
• Look for anchorage or tie up spots on the lee side of an island where possible.

Litter

• Please do not litter, take your garbage with you.  Respect the land.
• Please do not bring glass containers.  Broken glass can harm people as well as wildlife.
• On leaving make sure your site is clean and tidy for others to enjoy.

Open Fires

• Be aware of area ‘fire ban’ notices – call Fire Hall at 613-267-2596.
• Never leave an open fire unattended.
• Do not cut down trees to make a fire, use deadfall or charcoal.
• Set a fire in a safe location using fire pits where provided.
• It is recommended that you do not bring your own firewood due to spread of the Emerald ash borer and Asian long-horned beetle.  Christie Lake lies just outside of a regulated area for transportation of wood.
• Ensure that your fire is completely extinguished before leaving the site.  Fires not properly extinguished can flare up days later.  Fire Emergency – 613-276-2030.

Courtesy

• Sound carries across water.  Keep the noise level down and refrain from activities that may annoy others.

Wildlife - Do not feed wildlife or leave food on the ground.

Overnight Camping – Overnight camping is discouraged.