Car Auto Design

The inner harbour of Toronto is a busy place in summer and really sleepy in winter. Lake Ontario's ice cover is almost done and precious few chunks remain so the late spring weather will see the return of pleasure boats and harbour tour ships. A large freighter remains tied at the dock off Cherry Street as the sun sets to the west of Toronto.

I was out at night checking the sights around Sunnyside Park and the Bathing Pavilion. The edges of the beach still had hunks of ice gathered along the beach. Surprisingly there were no one in bathing suits taking a dip (you can check out some previous Polar Bear Dips on these posts - 2010, 2011). The large pool looks like it has finally been rebuilt and should be ready for this years swim season.

I wanted to remember what the water looked like when it wasn't full of ice: The cute little tugboat the M.R. Kane rests on Lake Ontario at Queens Quay during summer. I was surprised to know there is a Tugboat Festival called Tugfest (no not a rub and tug fest) that happens annually in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. Across the harbour is the Cherry Street lift bridge all green and strong metal.

While taking pictures of Toronto's skyline from Burlington Beach I had a chance to walk on the buildup of ice that had been pushed toward shore, full of beach sand as it grinds along the bottom. The ice extends pretty far out into the water and seems to be shaped like frozen waves. The beach grass below is just above the beach sand which is surprisingly still visible, uncovered by snow, which then heads out onto the ice field.

Toronto has at least two Polar Bear Dips going on New Year's Day January 1, 2011 - 12 noon at Sunnyside Beach (Habitat for Humanity) and 1:30pm at Ashbridges Bay (Sears Great Canadian Chill) and the waters of Lake Ontario are ready for the plunge. Temperatures are expected above the freezing mark so we may only have to watch for rain - you don't want to get wet before the dip! Update: It was both foggy and rainy!
Bring your costumes, thongs and footwear then some warm clothes for afterwards.
See more of my pictures of the Dip and the Chill after the jump.


You can also check out my 2010 photos from the Sunnyside Habitat for Humanity Polar Bear Dip.

The City's skyline stands tall above the waters of Lake Ontario, but there is not much colour in the view. Most of the dominant colours are the blue, green and concrete grey.

 I think the skyline should be more like a Rubiks Cube mixture of colours. Here is a little more grey from the airshow (CIAS) down at the lake front.

Not wanting to join the immense crowds flooding into the malls and stores for all manner of Boxing Day sales  (and Boxing Week sales) we decide instead to check out nature and head down to the waters of Lake Ontario. Only birds are swimming in the lakes' cold water which will soon be full of Polar Bear dippers.

The Canadian International Airshow (CIAS) is a good time to go down to the shores of Lake Ontario and across to the Islands and watch some fantastic planes fly over Toronto Harbour. I always like the fighters, both the prop driven WW2 planes and the sleek, powerful, modern jet-fighters.
It is one of the few times every year that I cross the mighty waters and head to the Toronto Islands. As previously noted my favourite viewpoint is from Hanlans Point Beach. If it is really hot, and many years it is, you can cool off in the waters of Lake Ontario and get some great shots of planes and the city's skyline.

See more photos of exciting planes after the jump.