Clean up after the Saturday storm continues. About the only sound all day Sunday was that of chainsaws. Did several cottage checks for friends and the results were mixed. In my very unprofessional assessment, the south shore of the lake got hit harder than the north shore. The number of huge (over 2 feet in diameter) trees down along that shore is hard to comprehend. In one case I could not even get to the cottage I was trying to check as the tangle of limbs, tree trunks, and downed Hydro poles was impassable. It will take probably most of this summer for things to get back to somewhat normal, and for many, it will take a generation to re-grow lost trees. If you are a cottage owner in this area and were not here, check on your cottage. Virtually 100% of properties have sustained at least some damage. Lot easier to tarp a roof or board up a window before the next rain or before trash pandas make a new home inside your home.
Hydro One is texting those who have the notification apps that it will take up to 4 more days to restore power. I think that is wildly optimistic, especially here where the high line goes over land in places that is water access only.
Going on a rant here, I find the lack of official communications on weekends, especially holiday weekends to be totally unacceptable. We had a violent thunderstorm on July 26, 2006 that brought down trees and knocked out power (and was a fatal tornado not far from here), we had a violent thunderstorm on Canada Day 2016 that brought down trees and knocked out power. On Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020 we had a violent thunderstorm that brought down trees and knocked out power. What do we hear from the government or the official media on these occasions? Crickets. One update on the municipal website Saturday afternoon with useless, generic information. Disasters do not occur between 8 and 5 on weekdays, but that is all that is prepared for. We pay for an emergency coordinator. Where is she?
For those of us driving between the US and Canada, the restrictions and questions seem to change at random. 5th border crossing for me in the last few weeks (1000 Islands) and this time (April 28) was asked for proof of vaccination southbound. Word of warning is to be prepared with all documentation on printed paper to avoid delays. Travelers must use ArriveCAN northbound, but that is fairly easy to comply with. Asks a lot of questions the first time, but remembers the data and subsequent uses are much quicker. Since the implementation of ArriveCAN I typically spend less than 30 seconds at customs.
There is an update to ArriveCAN dated March 18, 2022. If you installed it prior to that date it will need to be updated. Suggest you do that in advance of actually needing it in case of glitches.
Internet service on the lake has been handed off to Northern Rural Net. There are a few alternatives. Folks are starting to get their Starlink (a satellite service by Elon Musk) hardware. The wait list is about 10 months, so might be worth placing an order and getting on that wait list now. Council approved a new Rogers tower on Sutton Road just south of St. Ola Road which should help cellular data availability once it is built. Learned recently that tower had been delayed as Rogers was having difficulty securing a location for the next tower to the north. That has now been rectified and if I got the news right, that tower will be located where Switzers Auction service is along 62. There is a company called MapleWiFi that is offering unlimited cellular data packages. I will be using a Bell cellular router for this summer. Stupidly expensive, but it works quite well.
The Limerick chain of lakes are in fisheries zone 15. Bass season will open on June 25th, 2022. Lake trout opened on January 1 and remains open until September 30. REMEMBER -- CATCH AND RELEASE OF BASS BEFORE JUNE 25TH IS AN OFFENCE. YOU CAN BE CHARGED. As they say in the old time movies, "Tell it to the judge."
