As many of you readers may be aware by now, my family owns a lakefront cabin in the Whiteshell Provincial Park. I thought I would share how what life is like owning a cabin. My personal belief is that while I have no regrets about it, there are some challenges that non-cottagers may not realize. It’s definitely a unique lifestyle that requires the right personality and mentality.
The Beginnings
Around ten years ago, my family along with a real estate agent went to check out a ton of cabins. We came to the one that we would eventually buy. The owner happened to be there. He turned out to be the husband of the former dean of the Faculty of Music of the University of Manitoba. As someone who played tons of piano as a kid, I’ve met him before. He was an elderly man who love the cottage dearly but was forced to sell it after the urging of his concerned family. Seeing how much he loved the lifestyle, it wasn’t hard to decide that this was the one for us. Plus it had a very nice lakefront view and a dock.
I thought it was an amazing place at the time. It’s your typical shield lake with walleye, perch, pike and crappie. There are some nearby lakes to fish if you want a different experience. There are hiking trails located nearby. Tons of bushes of blueberries, raspberries and saskatoons are close by for picking. Being in the middle of the Canadian shield is amazing for scenery.
The Experience
Typically we would spend the weekend fishing, hiking or doing some sort of outdoors activity. As there is no stable cell phone coverage, browsing the internet is very impractical. When we are not doing outdoors activities we are watching movies, reading or doing offline homework. Having zero distractions is actually pretty good to have. Sleeping is very peaceful as there is no sound but the wind or the sound of pressure ridges grinding in the winter.
I love taking a bunch of friends to the cottage. It’s a great way for non-outdoorspeople to experience the outdoors. Camping may be a cheap way to experience the outdoors but it can be miserable at times when the weather is non-cooperative. A cottage is far more comfortable and can’t be ruined by the weather as easily. I love seeing the reactions of non-outdoorspeople when they experience the outdoors. Tasting a fresh walleye from the lake or eating fresh berries of the bushes are some of the things that truly amaze these people.
Repairs, Maintenance and Upgrades
While it is a lot of fun, there can be a lot of work at times. In the spring, docks have to be lowered and the plumbing must be reset. In the fall, docks need to be lifted, gutters needs cleaning and the plumbing must be emptied. It was tough in the beginning but eventually we got good at it.
Renovations and maintenance can be tricky. Without any hardware store or services, it can make things difficult if parts or repairs are needed. Oftentimes it’s all about being able to improvise with what you have on hand and learning how to fix things by yourself. Sometimes going to the neighbor for help works. Pretty much every trip to the cabin involves a bit of work around the place.
One time the pipe to the holding tank was plugged and had to be taken apart to be fixed. The amount of human waste coming out of that pipe was unbelievably disgusting but in the end we were able to resolve the issue ourselves and reinforce the pipe. Some tasks are not for the squeamish but getting a plumber would take time and a lot of money. Overall the cottage lifestyle requires a lot of self-sufficiency unless you are willing to shell out lots of funds.
Work is not necessarily a negative. Sometimes it really feels therapeutic and rewarding to do cottage work. It can bring the family and neighbors together. Many times I’ve gotten to know the neighbors by borrowing tools from them.
The Fishing
Since this is a fishing blog, I better talk about fishing a bit.
The best part of owning a cabin by the lake is not having to wake up early. We keep a small boat that can be lowered by a winch which means we can be on the water in a matter of seconds. Whenever I want to come in for lunch, I can just park the boat by the dock then head out later. It’s far more relaxing than my usual fishing trips.
Even the dock has some pike and walleyes to catch. Sometimes when taking a break from a hard project, I like to fish off the dock to catch a fish. Usually I only fish it for a few minutes at a time. My biggest pike of the lake came off that dock so it has provided some nice memories.
The fishing isn’t super spectacular but it is where I really learned how to fish for walleye on shield lakes. The advantage of fishing the same body of water a lot is truly understanding the movement of fish. It’s a great opportunity to try new techniques as well. I learned lindy rigging and bottom bouncing on this lake. Even after ten years on the lake, I still feel I know so little about it.
I will admit as a multispecies angler who loves fishing all over the place, it does feel conflicting to decide whether to go to the cottage or to fish somewhere else. One thing that motivates me to fish the lake is that I have a lot of attachment to it. I caught my very first northern pike, walleye, smallmouth bass and crappie on the lake. It’s definitely a big part of my fishing career which is why I don’t mind trying to learn all of its secrets, even if the fishing is not extremely spectacular.
Winter Wonderland
We do actually use the cottage in the winter, despite the amount of challenges faced.
One obstacle is that it needs to be warmed up to room temperature. We let the place freeze over the winter rather than keep the heat on. Usually a few heaters with the fire can get the place warm enough to sleep within a few hours. Those are some very long hours to endure in the cold.
Lack of running water is an obstacle for our cottage since we shut down the plumbing for the winter. The best way to get water is to drill a hole in the water and fill buckets with a jug. The hard part is the steep incline to the lake with a series of steps and rocks to climb. Washing dishes and flushing the toilet take a ton of water so I had to climb those steps and rocks many times carrying buckets of water, often in the dark. It really makes you appreciate having proper plumbing at home.
Going to the cottage in the winter definitely has its perks though. Ice fishing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing are great activities to do. Cottage country also tends to be a lot quieter due to fewer people around. At night, aside from the occasional sledder, it’s often dead quiet. For waterfront properties, it is much easier to do repairs on the dock in the winter when you can stand beneath it on the ice.
Final Words
The cottage life is a great lifestyle but only for the right kind of people. It’s important that you really can enjoy the outdoors and at the same time be able to handle a lifestyle of doing lots of hands-on work. Often, renting is an excellent way to experience the outdoors without having to go through the work of maintaining a cottage.
Let us know in the comments if you want to bring up anything else about cottage life! Every cottager has their own unique situations and stories to tell.
