Toronto Islands

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The Toronto Islands are a cluster of 17 different tiny islands, nestled into one another in such a way that it's basically one island with a bunch of channels that separate the different land masses.

Paddling to the Toronto Islands

The Islands are so close to the mainland, it's an attractive destination for recreational paddlers. Or at least it should be, but there's very little activity that way.

The easiest ways of getting there is to put in at Cherry Beach and paddle across the harbour channel. Paddlers in sea kayaks or other boats with a pronounced keel will have trouble putting in. Some paddlers have asked the yacht club near Cherry Beach for permission, and have been allowed to put in there. [This entry needs additional details on where to put in with a sea kayak. If you can help, please click on “Edit Text,” above.]

According to the Toronto Police Marine Unit, there is no restriction on paddling to or around the islands, or through the harbor. However, this is a shipping lane, so make sure you're not cutting in front of any large or fast-moving vessel. And hug one side or the other (the Island side is better) as you go through the channel. The gap itself is only a few hundred yards across, but it's made slightly more daunting by the fact that the islands at this point are blocked off by a vertical concrete retaining wall about 10 feet high. In order to actually land safely on the islands, you either have to go north through the channel, into Toronto Harbour and around a reasonably short breakwater, landing at Wards Island; or you have to go south toward the open water of Lake Ontario, around another small breakwater, and then land at a beach.

If you take the southern (open-water) side of the islands, there's no access to the channels that wander between the islands. And for the eastern half of the south shore, the shoreline itself is a ten-foot concrete retaining wall. So not very interesting or accessible. Farther west, there are several places where beaches meet the water, allowing boats to land, though sea kayakers will again face challenges with their hull shape.
From the south shore, if you land at one of the beaches, you could conceivably portage in and put in at one of the channels.

In one of the Police Academy movies, there's a lame boat chase scene. It was filmed in the channels in the Toronto Islands.

Toronto Island Ferry

Rollerbladers, hikers, bikers and others wanting to get to the islands without paddling can take the Toronto Island Ferry.

This entry needs additional details, including:

• boat rentals
  
• cycling or Rollerblading on the Toronto Islands
  
• other recreation on the Toronto Islands
• accommodation, restaurants and other attractions near the Toronto Islands
  
• directions to the Toronto Islands
  
• the nude beach at Hanlon's Point

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