Below are many questions and answers to most frequently asked questions. Please look them over and if you still have a question please don't hesitate to ask. If something is unclear please bring it to our attention.
Contract, Application and Rules in one document
PDF format of Contract, Application and Rules in one document
Cottage Rules:
- Bedding
- Washroom Supplies
- Electricity Usage
- Fire Pit
- Paddle Boat/Canoe
- Air filled floating devices
- Dock
- Dock Furniture
- Awning
- Deck Furniture
- Mosquito Magnet
- Parking
- Dogs
- Plants and Planters
- Cellular Service
- Can I hook up my laptop?
- What about long distance telephone charges?
- How do I located a marina for boat rentals and what about fishing?
- Can I drink the water at the cottage?
- What happens if the barbeque runs out of Propane?
- What do we do about noisy neighbors?
- What do we do with our garbage?
- Safe boating regulations.
- What do I do if I have a question while I'm at the cottage?
- Television reception.
- Lake water levels.
- What about cottage life of the unwelcome four-legged kind?
Bedding
The linens for the beds are not supplied. Pillows, comforters, blankets and sleeping bags are provided. The bed sizes are as follows: Master Bedroom - 1 Queen size bed, Bedroom1 - Bunk Bed - single over double, Bedroom2 - Bunk Bed - single over double, Living Room - 1 Queen size pull out bed, 1 single folding Cot.
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We provide toilet paper that is suitable for the Septic System. The Septic System can not handle anything other than a reasonable amount of toilet paper being flushed. At no times should Kleenex, Wet Wipes, Sanitary Napkins, Tampons, Diapers or anything else other than the provided toilet paper be flushed. If it is found that Septic problems occur and anything other than toilet paper has been put into the toilet and flushed the renter will be responsible for any repairs required. The Septic System is only three years old.
Cleaning supplies for the washroom will be provided.
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Please be aware of energy consumption. For the sake of the environment turn lights off when not in use. Also please use the Air Conditioner wisely. During the day when no one is in the cottage have it set to a higher setting on low or energy efficient setting. Of course it could be off all together. It cools down quite quickly. Always leave the windows and doors shut if the Air Conditioner is on.
The way to make the Air Conditioner work most effectively is to use the floor fan in the Dinning Room to direct the cold air towards the Bedroom Hall / Living Room area. There is another fan by the hall to direct the cold air into the bedrooms. We have found that at night it is too cold with the A/C on high since the doors are not being opened and closed to let the hot air in.
The light by the waterfront is a solar light. It can be turned off. The switch is by the Kitchen - Mud Room entrance door. There is a motion sensor light on the deck this will go on and off automatically. The back light is a photo sensor light as well. This stays on at night unless you unscrew a bulb. There are house lights by the back and front of the Mud Room that have a switch in the Mud Room.
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There is a fire pit near the waterfront on the same side as the Boat House. There have been summers where there are complete fire bans. If there is a fire ban in effect you will not be permitted to use the fire pit. You will be notified if this is the case. When using the Fire Pit caution must be used at all times. Never leave children unattended near or around the fire pit. Never leave the fire unattended. Always make sure the fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving the premises. Keep a pail of water filled with water at the Fire Pit when burning. Make sure you know where the fire extinguisher is.
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Every boat has a maximum weight capacity. Even though the boat may say 5 persons it would not be 5 adults. Never overload a boat of any type that's when accidents can happen. Make sure the rope on the paddle boat does not get tangled in the propeller. Always make sure the safety kit is on board the paddle boat and canoe. The paddle boat can be safely stored in the water. Tie it to the east side of the dock. Never let the bottom of the boat bang into rocks. The canoe should be moved carefully onto the rocks at night. Lifting the canoe not dragging it to make sure the bottom is not damaged.
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There may be an air row boat and paddles provided and a Sea Biscuit. If these are damaged during the season they may not be available for your rental. If they are damaged during your stay, you will be responsible for replacing them. An air compressor will be available to top up the air if required. There also may be noodles and other floating items. All of these items must be put away nightly to avoid them from being damaged in the night.
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Docks get slippery when wet. Use caution when on it. Never run or rough house on the dock. It has always been safe in the past to jump off the south end of the dock (furthest point) but you must check the depth of water before jumping in. The water is a gradual slopping water line. So that means different areas of the dock have different depths of water. Even the time of year affects the depth. Check water level always! It is your responsibility to be safe in and around water.
The safest and easiest way to exit the water is by the ladder. If you are leaving by walking straight up respect that rocks are slippery. Always have water shoes on. Rocks can be sharp as well. We like to leave near the dock so if we choose to hold on we have something to hold on to. Also we just are in the habit of leaving near the dock. Be aware that natural nocks are not perfect surfaces so be aware of high and low points.
If a boat is being tied to the dock the mooring whips must be used. The dock is only two seasons old and cost a lot of money. We only dock boats on the East side using the Mooring Whips. You must let us know if you will be docking a boat on our property ahead of time. We will provide the pamphlet showing how to tie the boat properly to ensure no dock damage.
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There is an umbrella for the dock that is placed in a stand and secured with a screw. Please do not remove the rocks from the base this gives extra stability to the stand. The Umbrella should not be used on windy days. It will end up in the water and could hurt someone when it falls. It is very heavy to get out of the water. It must be closed at night or anytime you leave the property. It is fine to leave the Umbrella closed at night in the stand. The lounge chair would need to be closed and laid flat on the dock at night or anytime you leave the property for an extended amount of time. It could get blown in to the water. If any of the wood chairs are moved to the dock they do not have to be moved. They are heavy enough that nothing can happen to them.
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Awnings are great to protect against the sun and the rain but can be dangerous if the winds are high. Most of the time the winds are not bad and it can be left open safely. If the winds are strong and it looks like it is getting blown too much, then it is! Shut it immediately. It is secured very well but in strong winds things can become loose. Always close the awning at night or if you leave the property for any extended amount of time. Wind patterns can change rapidly without notice.
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There is a table and chairs provided for your use. The chairs have seat cushions that if wet can hold the water for an extended amount of time. If the weather calls for rain it is best to cover the chairs at night so they are dry for you to use in the morning. We will provide a tarp for you to cover them with. We found that stacking them and putting the tarp over the stack works best. The awning is useful to make an outdoor room if it is raining without strong wind.
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The Mosquito Magnet works by attracting and vacuuming in the female Mosquitos (the ones that bite) and then dehydrating them to death. It reduces the number of females reducing the number of eggs being laid which reduces the number of Mosquitos on the property. Mosquitos are territorial so the longer the Mosquito Magnet has been on the property the less Mosquitos on the property. This will be the 4th season it is in use. Do not touch the Mosquito Magnet and do not turn off the bottom switch in the Kitchen area - it will be marked to leave on. This is the power to the Boat House which the Mosquito Magnet would be getting it's power source from. You should still use insect repellant and or coils. If you see standing water please remove it and let us know at the end of your stay.
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There is ample parking at the back of the property. There are two areas, one on the south side of the road and the other on the north side of the road. Under no circumstances should a vehicle be on the lawn. The parking has rocks to designate the area. The back lawn has the tile bed from the Septic System. This tile bed can easily be broken or cracked if a vehicle of any type including ATV are driven on it. We will be setting up a Badminton Net to show the area that is out of bounds for any heavy traffic.
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Pick up after your dog. If your dog urinates in the cottage you must immediately clean the area using the carpet cleaning machine. We have provided "Rainbow Stain Remover" which will work well but dog urine is very hard to remove if it gets a chance to be absorbed into the carpet and under pad. Put a couple of squirts in to the water tank and fill to the line with hot water. Saturate the stain then extract well. This can be done on any type of stain. The stain remover can be used full strength but is very concentrate and hard to get off.
If your dog is known to urinate or destroy things when left alone, then never leave him alone or use a crate. If the cottage smells like dog or dog urination after your stay you will be charged with a professional carpet cleaning fee. If the smell of urination does not go away after the cleaning you will be responsible to pay for the full amount required to get rid of the problem. This may be to lift the carpet and replace the under pad or replace the carpet and under pad in the entire cottage. This would be very expensive. We know we replaced all the carpet in the entire cottage three years ago. Supervise your dogs at all times. Excessive dog barking is not allowed. Keep your dog on our property at all times or with you on walks.
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Plants need water to live. We will be watering the plants on the Fridays between stays but if you see the planters are in need of water prior to that time please water the plants. If the plants die throughout the summer they will not be replaced. To ensure everyone gets to enjoy the beauty please take the time, especially the planters. The water supply is the lake so unless there is a water restriction in effect you can use the hose to water anything without worry of drying out a well.
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Our cottage area has quite good cellular service. Depending on your provider and quality of your phone will determine the signal quality. We use bell mobility and have full range in most places. I have found if there is no service in an area, turn your phone off and then turn it back on. You will usually get service after.
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We do have the necessary phone jack and touch-tone line service that will permit you to hook up your lap top, a fax machine - or even call home to check messages.
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What about long distance telephone charges?
Renters are responsible for all long distance telephone charges made from the cottage during their occupancy. If a telephone is provided at the cottage, you are welcome to use it for local calls or incoming calls - without charge. If you make long distance calls, we would ask that you use a calling card. If you cannot - we will re-bill you, adding a $25.00 admin. charge - this will be deducted from your security deposit.
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How do I locate a marina for boat rentals and what about fishing?
There is no marina on our lake. It is a quiet clean lake. There are several marina's within a 10 minute drive. You can also check for a marina at www.marinasontario.com . It's worth noting that some marinas do not handle rentals at all while others are limited to certain types of watercraft.
The nearest Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) is your best source of information on fishing in the lake you'll be on- you can check with the local Chamber of Commerce or Tourist Information Center for their location.
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Can I drink the water at the cottage?
Our cottages uses the lake as the primary source of water. We do have a UV filtration system on the water supply but I wouldn't use it for drinking. It is safe to use for cooking and or brushing your teeth. We have a water cooler (hot and cool) there so we recommend you bring in some bottled water or boil the water prior to drinking. We bring in drinking water and we recommend that you do the same.
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What happens if the barbeque runs out of gas?
Our cottage has a propane BBQ. We will have the tank filled at the beginning of the season and have a second tank available. Please let us know if a tank is empty. The tools required to change the tank will be provided if required.
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What do we do about noisy neighbours?
Sometimes, but not very often, there will be a party at our neighbours. They are very respectful people and not be loud to interfere with your enjoyment of our cottage. We ask you to respect them in the same manner. There are only about 8 cottages on our side of the Peninsula. It is a very quiet place and we are usually the source of excitement. There haven't been any noisy watercrafts or construction projects nearby but if there are it is out of our control.
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What do we do with our garbage?
Cottage Life is very different than life in the city. Everything you bring up to the cottage has to be disposed of, one way or another, including garbage.
Our cottage has curb pick-up with a two bag limit and recycling (either paper or plastic and cans rotating weekly) every Monday morning. You can put your weekend garbage out Monday morning not Sunday night as the animals may get to it. All garbage at the end of the week must be taken away with you. There is a local dump about 10 minutes away. There is a fee per bag for dumping. If garbage is being collected nightly it needs to be stored in the boat house or the shed with the door shut.
The most important thing to remember is NEVER leave garbage outside overnight. If you can't get to the dump on your last day - please take your garbage home with you.
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The Federal government produces a "Safe Boating Guide" we encourage all renters to read. It covers the safety equipment required in ALL watercraft (including paddle boats and canoes) and covers the new Operator Competency Requirements that are being phased in over the next few years. Since 2002, all operators of motorized watercraft under 4 meters have been required to have on board, proof of competency. And there are age restrictions for youth in place now. Please obtain a copy of this booklet - (call 1 800 267 6687 or visit their web site at (Boating Safety)... Safe Boating is Everyone's Business...
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Our lake has a much higher water level at the beginning of the summer than at the end of the summer. It can fluctuate by 1-2 feet. Before jumping off the dock ensure the water level is safe. The end of the dock facing south is the deepest level and usually doesn't go below 6' - 7' at all times. Our lake is a rocky lake and if you don't know where you are going you may loose your propeller. Don't assume all water is safe boating water.
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What about cottage life of the unwelcome four-legged kind?
Since we insulated the cottage we have not seen any mouse droppings in the cottage. We also always keep the screen door closed to keep any unwelcome guests from entering including flying insects. Since we have had a Mosquito Magnet set up every season for the last 3 years, Mosquito's at the front of the property are not in excess. You will need insect repellant but you shouldn't be overly bothered by them. Keep the sliding doors closed when possible to minimize insects entering the cottage as well as allowing the air conditioner to do it's job.
I have not found our cottage to have any more ants or spiders than our city house. If you clean up as you go and don't leave food on the counter for an extended amount of time you should not have any problems beyond what you are used to in the city. We haven't in the past so I hope it continues.
Don't leave patio doors open - chipmunks and squirrels are brazen little things - not to mention mice - and will enter at the slightest invitation. Lights at night will attract moths - and other types of flying insects, some small enough to penetrate screens. Be energy efficient and it will help with the invasion of any kind that isn't welcome.
The time of year will depend on what flying insects would be around. In the last three years I have not been annoyed by any insects above what I would expect at a cottage that is not located in the bush. Our property is dry and level so there are not many mosquito breeding grounds. Protect yourselves appropriately since you can never be too sure.
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