A Bridge Too Far

 The Sinclair Bridge, at the end of Billie Bear Road, way up at at the top end of Limberlost Road.

The Big East river is living up to its name.

This is part of the flooding you are hearing about that has caused Huntsville and Bracebridge to already declare a state of emergency.

I was stopped by a ratepayer yesterday while surveying another site that has washed out -- we have about 12 roads closed in the Lake of Bays.  She did not understand why the MNR had advised that the flood waters have not yet crested. After all, it had stopped raining...

I tried to explain that there is still a lot -- and we do mean a LOT -- of snow in the bush. Check out the road on the far side of this bridge to get an idea!  I tried to explain that water takes time to work its way through the system -- that snow and ice melting at the top of the watershed in Algonquin Park will need a day, or two, or three, to get down as far as Lake of Bays. And then on to Huntsville, Bracebridge, Georgian Bay.

So yes, there is more to come. If you are planning to come up to check your cottage (and it is not one of ours at Bondi Village where we are -- thankfully -- high and dry and have excellent access!) then do use great care. Roads are soft, many culverts have been compromised, and there are places that right now just aren't safe to go visit.

Stay away from rivers and creeks -- especially keep your children and dogs well clear. That water is running hellishly fast, and since the lakes are still nowhere close to being free of ice, that water is running cold.