2 Amazing Lakes You Must Ride With Your PWC

Lake Joseph and Lake Rosseau in the Muskoka region are picturesque lakes to spend the day riding your PWC. They boast beautiful and varied landscape from gently sloping shorelines to dramatic cliffs. 

Exploring numerous small bays in each lake on your PWC make for a great day on the water. Whether sunny or overcast, the scenery is stunning. Work your way in and around the coves and loop past the many islands. Stop at the cliffs near Burnegie Bay and take some pictures. You can ease in close to the vertical rock face as the water is quite deep. 

Photo credit: Marion Knaus

Lake Joseph is the smallest of the three big lakes in Muskoka. Often referred to as Billionaire’s Row, you will see impressive vacation homes and boathouses along the shoreline. While touring on your PWC take your time as you cruise by and admire them, many of which are owned by entertainers, professional athletes, and corporate leaders. 

Riding your PWC off-season on Lakes Joseph and Rosseau you may find yourself being one of a few vessels out there. The waters are quieter and you can take in more of the natural beauty of the region undisturbed. When you shut your engine off, take time to listen to the solitude of nature. If the wind is blowing in the right direction you can smell the scent of the pine and cedar trees that grow along the shoreline.

The marina we chose to launch from on this particular day is The Cove Marina at Footes Bay. This is a full-service marina that includes fuel docks, washrooms, ice cream shop, and a general store along with a few other services. 

Riding your PWC from Lake Joseph to Lake Rosseau, you can go two different ways. One of the places you can transit from one lake to the other is Port Sandfield. There is a marina at the junction where you can refuel and do a little shopping. Note that the area, known as The Narrows, is a slow-speed zone as you travel through. Maintain steerage and moderate speed if you encounter oncoming traffic. There are often people fishing along the edges so watch out for lines in the water.

The other route to take to Lake Rosseau is the Joseph River. The Joseph River is narrow in places with speed-restricted zones. This river has more protection from the wind if you find yourself out on a windy day. There is a story that Lady Eaton had this river blasted out of the rock to accommodate their steamship, however after searching for more information it’s been noted by many that this has not been fully documented so the real story may be lost to history.

Coming out of Joseph River make a left and head north towards the JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa for a lunch at the Deck Restaurant. It’s open only in the summer. 

Photo credit: Marion Knaus

Enjoy a beautiful view of Lake Rosseau while dining there. Transient dockage is available and you never know who else will be docked alongside you. On the day we were there, we shared the space with a small float plane. 

Photo credit: Marion Knaus

After lunch, head northeast towards Skeleton Bay. Continue north to see more of Lake Rosseau, ride around Tobin Island or loop to the south and work your way back to the launch as it’s been a full day on the water. Of course you won’t see everything on your first time out. This area begs to be explored time and time again. 

Photo credit: Marion Knaus

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