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Our Journey to Bronte Outer Harbour

Our Journey to Bronte Outer Harbour

By Bill Hutt

Years before realizing my family and I would find happiness in boating, Bronte Village had been a tranquil calling for us. But, while living in our neighbouring city of Burlington, we normally traveled hours to our cottage in the Kawartha’s to enjoy the settling spirit of the waterfront. However, the drive was such an exhausting part of the journey, it had the reverse effect of stress relief. That was when we finally realized our calling to transition into boating. Our first boat was to be big enough to sleep on and to entertain our family and friends.

We had adventurous years boating from our slip in the west end of Lake Ontario, but we always found ourselves looking for a little more; more conveniences and well…protection for our investment that had now become our escape to stress-free living and entertaining. Our new boat needed a larger marina, the conveniences and security we were focused on. Bronte Outer Harbour fit the bill!

Our lives have now been satisfied with a fabulous marina that we call home more so than our house. Bronte Outer Harbour has the friendly staff, fuel/pump out services, security and all the local conveniences. This gated marina with walking security inspection has been a blessing when we receive a phone call that the walking security inspections had found at different times my pump running, my lights on or a quick retie of the lines for oncoming winds. Or, the call that alerted me that my forward line had broken in a severe wind storm and they had installed a loaner line….fabulous!!

The local Bronte Village area makes for a fantastic evening walk or an early morning stroll with the crowds, toting a coffee in hand. Mid-day, we enjoy a cruise on the lake to one of our favorite beaches; one day going west, the other eastbound. An evening walk to one of my many favorite restaurants, causal or fine dining, starts from the Compass on the marina grounds. It’s a pleasant walk to Plank, Cucci’s, or to the grocery store, a four minute walk to return to the marina BBQ and our boater friends to share a dinner at the BBQ “lounge” with our marina surprise of outdoor furniture!

We love  Bronte Outer Harbour marina so much that this past summer we moved footsteps up the street to be closer to our tranquility. Whether for family, local or international friends or to entertain our business, Bronte Outer Marina always offers perfect accommodation…even though I hope I don’t need to call the manager to get a lift on his crane because I got to close to a “floating rock”. After some deserved teasing, I always have confidence in manager Alan Connelly to help with a laugh and the lift. We can’t wait for the season to start!

Photos:

Photo 1: 
The country in the city–the beautiful clubhouse is a welcoming waterfront sight.

Photo 2:
It’s clear that Brontë Outer Harbour Marina is an easy walk from Oakville’s picturesque downtown core, shops and elegant townhouses.



Neptunus 650F Review

Neptunus 650F 400

By Andy Adams

Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.

We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario. 

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Destinations

The Other Virgin Islands

Sunset off St John

By Mark Stevens

I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.

A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.

Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.

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