Car Modern 2011

Toronto has a love/hate relationship with the name of the area just on the east side of the downtown core (starts at Coxwell Avenue) of the city - even their website shows "The Beach/Beaches". Whatever you call it, the area starts at the sandy foot of Lake Ontario and continues north. The favourite part for many is the long and wide stretches of beach full of sun worshipers, swimmers and volleyball teams in the heat of summer. This place is so much fun that even the bell telephones are happy (although it could be one of those new fangled emoticons  and not really a sentient telephone who appears to be happy).

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.

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.

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.

Surprisingly, water is key to the waterfront and we are lucky that it is not a foul, stinking mess of liquid crap. Instead it is a pretty clean complement to our beautiful city. I always look forward to visiting the area and taking in the fun of the Queens Quay area. From the new wave decks and boat tours to the HTO beach their is plenty to see and do along the shores of Lake Ontario.

Wind, ice, snow, it can't possibly get colder than this! Damn, even today my windows were frozen and I had to get out of my car and actually go into Tim Hortons. It's already time to think back over the gorgeous weather that we had this summer. A seagull flies beside the clothing optional beach that is known as Hanlans Beach in the photo at top while a game of volleyball goes on at beach volleyball central - Ashbridges Bay.


The dog days of summer spent hanging down at Cherry Beach, Harbourfront or Queens Quay.
Or maybe even taking your donkey for a walk during Toronto Horse Day.

Oh well - time to grab a beer - at Hooters.

The Scarborough Bluffs face bravely into Lake Ontario, bravely because the water and the extreme slope of the cliff face means that erosion will slowly bring down the grey clay wall over time. Large chunks of the hill fall to the base and large cracks appear along the cliff face. When you walk along their edge it is hard not to be nervous at the possibility that today will be the day that a piece will just happen to come fall down. There was a nice smattering of fall colours in the trees on the slopes.

More pictures after the jump.



A fall weekend usually means large crowds on the park along the lake front which looks back to the Bluffs. The cold weather and light drizzle kept those crowds away when I visited, but it was still a good day to be out taking pictures.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association sponsors the October 2nd, 2010 edition of WindFest which is  Toronto's Waterfront Kite Festival held at Ashbridges Bay. I haven't seen a hot air balloon festival yet but I am hoping that this kite festival comes pretty close. As they say "WindFest is a chance to celebrate autumn, wind power and the breathtaking are of kite flying, on Toronto's largest beach". It's a little cool today so you might want to leave your bathing thong at home.
The kites take to the sky from 11am to 4pm. They also had kids having parachute races.