a peek inside the fishbowl

The August long weekend is famous for cottage getaways. If you’re lucky you may have a cottage escape of your own, or you know a generous soul who will share an invitation to one with you. But what if neither are an option but you just want a pretty outdoor space to sit back and chill on the cheap? AND, what if you want to bring your dog along for the ride? Well for the low, low, price of $18, you can laze around in your favourite camping chair by a pretty lake, and fill yourself to the gills with the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest. And it’s just over an hour outside of Ottawa.

$18 is the cost of a day use pass to Sharbot Lake Provincial Park and it’s worth every penny.

Here is a verrrrry short walkthrough video if you’d like the two cent tour (apologies for my breathlessness, omg).

I have been itching to take our dog Sunny to the beach but never really figured out where to go. There don’t seem to be many nice dog beaches around Ottawa. Maybe I haven’t looked hard enough, but I was keen on a cottage-like experience so Mark and I could recharge our batteries and give Sunny an outlet for her “big dog in a small body” energy. 

Where is the dog beach at Sharbot Lake Provincial Park?

Great question, there is only one designated dog beach at Sharbot Lake PP and it you look at a map of Sharbot Lake PP (and squint, or use a magnifying glass because the icons are so small) you’ll eventually discover the dog beach is at the very southern end of the campground on Sharbot Lake (not Black Lake) close to the boat launch.

The dog beach has its own parking lot, and set of outhouses (which were very clean, AND stocked with hand sanitizer, TYVM), and three full-sized picnic tables.

Here’s the view as you approach the dog beach from the parking lot:

The dog beach is fairly small and enclosed. See how it’s surrounded by forest on each side? A HIDDEN GEM.

The water is shallow to a point, sandy in some areas and rocky in others. (See the aforementioned video tour for a view.) It is weedy a few metres out where it got deep.

Here’s a view looking one way, and the other. (You can click any of these photos for bigger versions by the way.)

We brought a cooler with cold drinks, snacks, and a picnic lunch, and some folding chairs so we were able to sit with our feet in the water and empty our busy brains by staring out at the lake.

This was our setup:

We saw a water snake. No mosquitoes, only the odd horse fly.

The folks we encountered were all very nice, with well-behaved dogs. All were leashed but one, but we had no problems.

It was quiet at the dog beach. Boat traffic was surprisingly minimal for a Friday before a long weekend. Unless it’s someone’s destination, there is nearly zero car and foot traffic here. Even though other folks came and went, I felt like we had our own little spot.

I took the paddleboard out for a spin and spotted a fisher or a marten of some kind on the shore. It was blissful, to say the least, being out there on the water.

We did a lot of wading and poking around. Collecting rocks. Digging our toes into the sand. Watching the fish. Listening to the birds. Exactly the kind of stuff one does when ones has nowhere to be.

Sunny, of course, had the time of her life. The Sharbot Lake PP dog beach is truly a gift for all canines… and of course their human family members.

Bonus tips if you’re visiting the Sharbot Lake Provincial Park Dog Beach

• Bring a towel for yourself as well as your dog.
• Waterproof shoes may be a good idea if you have tender tootsies.
• Bring poop bags. And always pick up after your dog! There’s a garbage bin near the dog beach (but far enough away that any wafts won’t reach the beachgoers if you know what I mean).
• If your dog is the retrieving type, a brightly-coloured floating toy is fun to play with and easy to spot in the water.
• Dog people are divided about retractable leads, but I think they’d actually be a good idea here. (It’s worth noting that domestic pets must be on a leash at all times in provincial parks. The fine is $95. Here’s the rule: “For the protection of wildlife and other park visitors, your pet must be under control and on a leash not exceeding 2 metres at all times. You must ensure your pet does not damage or interfere with vegetation or wildlife. You must also ensure your pet does not interfere with others’ enjoyment of the park. Pets are not permitted in the swimming area, on the beach or in a posted prohibited area at any time.”)

Our lovely road visit to Sharbot Lake had a bit of a ridiculous ending. I used the car to inflate our paddleboard. (I plug the electric pump into an outlet in the back.) I was so excited to get on the water that I forgot to turn the car off, hence draining the battery. Eek. We didn’t figure this out until we were packing up the car to go on a hike at the campground. We called the warden for a boost, and he tried his best but was unable to start the car. A kind stranger (and owner of an adorable rescue from Northern Canada!) had the right kind of battery pack and got us on the road. We were too scared to go on a hike because we would have  had to turn off the car so we went straight home. lol. Oh well. I learned a lesson, and besides, it gives us a reason to go back, right?