Saturday, August 06, 2011

Port Credit Mississauga Snapshots : Boats, Chopper, Lake Ontario, Credit River Summer in Ontario Canada

Summer in Port Credit Mississauga (Ontario, Canada): Here are some pictures of boats, a helicopter, the full moon and men on a raft along the Lake Ontario waterfront near the mouth of the Credit River. Something is always happening in Port Credit!
TRCA Electro Fishing Boat Credit River
 Just after sunset one evening, I noticed the Toronto Region Conservation Authority staff on the electrofishing boat, taking samples near the mouth of the Credit River off Saddington Park in Mississauga. I took a short video of this (to me at least) very interesting process. See Electrofishing video.

Credit River - Port Credit Harbour - Snug Harbour Restaurant
 The full moon was just rising over Lake Ontario when I was crossing the Credit River foot bridge at the close of the annual Port Credit Art Show. I took this photo using the Vivid setting on my camera (Canon SX30 IS).

To the left are the lights of Snug Harbour restaurant and boats docked in Port Credit Marina. To the right are the deep lake charter fishing boats at their moorings on the west side of the Credit River, just south of the landmark lighthouse.

Men on a Raft - Credit River off Saddington Park Mississauga
 Now I have absolutely no clue as to why these men were sitting on lawn chairs on a raft, nor do I have any idea as to why there is a sofa of sorts on one end. Furthermore, I have no idea whether or not this form of boating on Lake Ontario or the Credit River is legal. If you know the answers to any of the above,  please let me know.

Forces Griffon Bell 412 Helicopter
 A few days ago, this helicopter was flying back and forth for about 3 hours along the Lake Ontario shoreline; this is the best photo I could get. The bright yellow and red colors set this chopper apart from the usual commuter helicopters seen in the area, as did the flight pattern: Back and forth from around Oakville in the west to Etobicoke in the east. It flew mainly offshore, but a few times it went south towards Niagara Falls.

I took this picture to send to a friend who knows his helicopters: "That's a Forces Griffin Bell 412 used by Canadian military and Search and Rescue. Google it."

Peel Regional Police Boat Marine Unit Port Credit Mississauga
 On the first rainy day in weeks, winds whipped up onshore waves and whitecaps. I noticed the Peel Police, boat blue light flashing, coming from the east heading just past Port Credit harbor. When the boat turned and cut speed just at Saddington Park, I grabbed my camera, took this photo and some video of them rescuing some canoers. The waves kept moving the police boat out of my view behind the trees. 

Dark Clouds - Front Moving Across Lake Ontario
 Early one morning, I saw one of the most unusual cloud formations over Lake Ontario I have ever seen, a long, dense and well-defined line of clouds rolling into Port Credit. This appeared on a day when rain was forecast (though never occurred). The boat in the middle of the picture is the Ridgetown, a sunken laker that's now a breakwater in Port Credit harbor.

Sunrise Lake Ontario at Port Credit
 A day or so later, this gorgeous sunrise colored the morning skies over Lake Ontario.

TRCA Boat at new Buoy Lake Ontario at Port Credit.
 I took this photo so I could zoom in close enough to see this boat near the new buoy offshore Port Credit one misty morning. When I downloaded the picture, I could see it was a Toronto Region Conservation Authority boat.

Snug Harbour Restaurant Port Credit Ontario
 Here's the view of the Port Credit lighthouse, west end of the Lakeshore Road bridge over the Credit River. I took this picture from inside Snug Harbour Restaurant at sunset earlier in the year, when there are no boats in the marina to hog the view.

Brueckner Rhododendron Garden Port Credit Mississauga
A few blocks west of the Credit River on Lakeshore Road West, the flower gardens are in full bloom at Brueckner Rhododendron Garden. The rhodos are done blooming until next April or so, but the annuals, perennials, wildflowers and hydrangeas are at their peak. See BRG blog for pictures, map, info.


August in Port Credit means it's time for Buskerfest 6, this year taking place the weekend of August 19 - 21, 2011. See photos from Buskerfest 5.