November marks a transition to winter, and this year winter weather has come earlier than usual. Despite some cold nights, the water is still too warm to freeze. As long as the bay is open, we’ll continue to get lake effect snow. In case you’re wondering about the temperatures, I get this data from “the weather underground” and for whatever reason historical weather data for Wasaga Beach and Collingwood has been redirecting to CFB Borden the past few months. Our temperatures close to the water are likely more moderate than these temperatures shown reported from CFB Borden approx. 20km SSE.
Tuesday, November 20th, 2018 – This picture taken near 16th street looking east. It was pleasant to walk on the sand today because it was frozen solid. Just like walking on a sidewalk. Slippery near the shore because wherever water pools, it freezes.Tuesday, November 20th. 2018 – Slightly closer to 13the street ahead, the sun briefly appeared. It’s been a little depressing the past week or two with so little sunshine so we’ll take the sun whenever we can get it. All the homes / cottages along Shore Lane have plywood barriers facing the beach to prevent drifts of sand from destroying their lawns. (A necessary precaution – otherwise they would easily have a foot of beach sand drifted across the lawn in places)Tuesday, November 20th. 2018 – At 13th street looking west. Normally you would see Collingwood, but it appears to be snowing across the bay. Nice to see some blue sky!Wednesday, November 21st, 2018 – Entering the beach at 18th street. Strong winds today and just below freezing. The north winds have swept most of the snow away. It wasn’t practical to walk along the beach today. The waves were too high reaching all the way to the grass (which we are not supposed to walk on).Wednesday, November 21st, 2018 – This picture taken from Beach drive near the Beach one pavilion with the road in the foreground. You can see that the sand dunes erected by heavy equipment have been washed out in places but they are clearly helping. High waves are bringing water all the way up to the road. I think summer visitors would find this hard to imagine because this is the widest point of the beach. In the summer, the waves never make it up to the road.Thursday, November 22nd, 2018 – Thursday was cool and crisp with a high of -8C. This picture looking west early afternoon. The beach was easy to walk on again today because it was frozen solid, but in places there was glare ice and pools of water heated by the sun on the dark sand.Thursday, November 22nd, 2018 – In the foreground you can see that the grass is frozen and bent over under the weight of the ice. Yesterday, the waves and spray were coming all the way up to the grass near the entrance to the park at 13th street.Thursday, November 22nd, 2018 – I exited the beach into the park at 13th street to walk back along Shore Lane. Looking south.Friday, November 23rd, 2018 – Friday was very cool. We had a strong south wind today and it lowered the water level approximately a foot. To the left (we are looking west) you can see where water that was along the shoreline frozen solid from yesterday. The waves kept the sand in the middle area clear. Today, new ice is forming along the lower water-level to the right. The trail was like a sidewalk – Smooth and frozen solid.Friday, November 23rd, 2018 – You see the same effect here looking east. Yesterday was not particularly windy, but the two frozen shorelines show how a strong south wind dramatically lowers the water level in 24 hours.Friday, November 23rd, 2018 – At first I thought I spotted the same Fox I’ve met several times, but I think this may be a Mink. I couldn’t get close. The Mink was clearly interested in something at the waters edge. Taken with a telephoto lense. You can see someone else walking down the beach approximately 1km to the west. I rarely meet people this time of year except right near Beach one.Saturday, November 24th, 2018 – My Mom joined me today and we walked east from Beach one to the end of the boardwalk and further along the Nottawasaga River. This picture taken on the river near where I launch by Kayak in the summer. It’s above freezing and the ice on the river is melting.Saturday, November 24th, 2018 – This is the road along the provincial parking area east of beach one following the river. Few people drive along it this time of year and you can see that even early in the year it is a mess with six inches of sand mixed with snow drifted across it in places. It’s quite a clean-up job in the spring to remove all the drifted sand.
