whitby ontario
Great-Lakes-Sailing.com
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Whitby, ON Lat: 43° 50.983 Long: 078° 55.659 |
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DESCRIPTION Whitby Ontario lies at the eastern edge of the 'Golden Horseshoe' - the huge urban metropolitan region that stretches around the west end of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls. Yet, Whitby retains a small-town flavour reinforced by a charming historic downtown and extensive waterfront parkland and harbour. Traditionally an active working harbour, from the 1800's, Whitby harbour is now a major recreational area. Less well-known was its role in WWII. Camp X, the famous WWII secret school for spies and saboteurs was located along the nearby shoreline. A cruising sailor will find a large, well-kept marina and a friendly, welcoming yacht club. |
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APPROACHES The approach to Whitby Ontario is straightforward. Visible landmarks on approach include a 300 ft/91 m police radio tower due north of the marina and a large blue Ameristeel building about 3/4 mi/.87 nm east of the harbour. The Whitby Ontario harbour entrance is marked with a pair of RED and GREEN buoys. An ISO REDE marks the end of the east wall. Follow the channel carefully as it shoals rapidly. As you pass the yacht club wall on your port, there will be a Fl GREEN light. Continuing north in the main channel will bring you to the marina office and the fuel dock. Bearing to port, you can follow the secondary channel to the yacht club dock. |
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MARINAS, YACHT CLUBS, MOORINGS, ANCHORAGES Port of Whitby Marina (915) 668-1900 VHF 68 This large, well-maintained marina is operated by the Town of Whitby Ontario. It has 420 slips. Transient docking is available. There is fuel (Diesel & Gas), water, power and pumpout. There are showers, washroom and picnic areas. There is a very nice lounge and bar and a comfortable patio. Internet service is available as well as bicycles for short trips to nearby restaurants and other shops. Whitby Yacht Club (905) 668-1391 VHF 68 WYC is located on the northwest side of the harbour. This is a very active club with 250 slips, 25 of which are for transients. on a reciprocal basis. The clubhouse is a warm, friendly place and there is an inviting patio. The club does not have fuel but there is water, power, a pumpout station, washrooms and showers available. Amenities also include a beach, playground and picnic areas. There is internet access. There are 4 mooring buoys off WYC. The bottom is sand with depths in the 10 ft/3 m range and the holding is good. On the south side of the breakwater, WYC has several mooring balls. These are intended for day use only. Durham Regional Police Service marine rescue boat is based at Port of Whitby marina. Local Canadian Coast Auxiliary patrol vessels use the marina for refueling. |
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REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE, PROVISIONING, BANKS/ATM's Custom Fibreglass Repairs is adjacent to the marina. They offer hull repair services. It also has mobile and on-site engine repair services. Arrangements can be made for canvass, electrical and prop repairs. Port Whitby Marine Supplies is a well-stocked chandlery with a full range of electronic, engine, hardware and other supplies. They can make arrangements for repairs to be carried out at dockside. |
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MEDICAL SERVICES The closest hospitals are Lakeridge Health (905) 576-8711 in nearby Oshawa and the Rouge Valley Ajax-Pickering Hospital (905) 683-2320 in Ajax. There are a number of clinics in the Whitby Ontario area and several pharmacies as well. The closest pharmacy is Lovell Pharmacy (905 668-3394). |
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PLACES TO EAT The Lake Grill is a short walk from the marina. It offers a hearty breakfast and varied lunch and dinner menu. The following and most other locations in Whitby Ontario will require an easy-to-arrange short taxi ride. The Greek Tycoon is a typical Greek/Canadian restaurant with takeout available as well. Nice Bistro is a French/Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that has won recogtnition for its fine quality food. It is well-regarded locally. Pimentos is a local restaurant specializing in mediterranean dishes. It is located 5-10 minutes from the marina. Mondo Restaurante is a well-known Italian-style restaurant that offers a more expensive dining experience. |
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THINGS TO DO/SEE/VISIT Downtown Whitby Ontario is far enough to warrant a taxi ride or bicycle trip. Closer by is the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail which offers miles of shoreline walking or biking. About 20 minutes east of the marina is the site of Camp X. This secret 'school for spies' was set up during WWII to train spys and secret agents for undercover work in occupied Europe. One of its famous alumni was Ian Fleming, the creator of 'James Bond'. Another was William 'Wild Bill' Donovan, the creator of the OSS - predecessor to today's CIA. The Camp was founded by a Canadian - Sir William Stephenson, famously known as "The Man Called Intrepid". Fleming once wrote that the character 'James Bond' was modeled on this real-life, Canadian hero. Iroquios Park Sports Centre is located within walking distance of the marina. It contains an indoor pool, skating rinks, ball diamonds, soccer fields and tennis courts. A few minute's walk from the marina is the GO Train Station. GO Train is an inter-urban commuter rail system that can have you in downtown Toronto in 60 minutes for a modest price if you wish to explore one of the largest cities on the Great Lakes. Harbour Days is an annual boating festival held every summer. It includes a variety of activities for all ages as well as visits by tall ships and a night-time marine parade of lights. A quick look at this Whitby Ontario tourism site will give you more ideas on getting the most of your visit. Return to Home Page Return to Lake Ontario |
