Stoney Lake Cruises
610 Mt Julian Viamede Rd, K0L 3E0 Apsley, ON, Canada

Merry Christmas - https://mailchi.mp/stonylakecruise/merry-christmas-13070954

The PERFECT GIFT.....

https://fareharbor.com//b/stoneylakecruises/items/219440/

Sam Buchanan this almost makes your job look easy

It is with the greatest sense of absolute sadness and dismay that I announce that the Spirit of The Kawarthas will not operate this season. I made every possible effort to be able to offer a couple of hours of relief after 6 months of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of our passengers were rebooked as many as 3 times, I am sorry about this but it was an honest effort to get you the opportunity of enjoying Stoney Lake. The Provincial Government has totally devastate...d the Passenger Tour Boat Industry. I have been in this business 35 years and the Ontario Government has never done anything for our industry. I would like to Thank so many of our passengers for their best wishes and support. Thanks ever so much I'll see you next summer! Best Wishes/Stay Safe Captain Bill Thomson

It appears for the most part that people are acting this way and are much more understanding. Every one of us is experiencing terrible hardships. Of course there are always a few exceptions.

Our Passenger's Health and Safety is our #1 priority. The COVID-19 protocols we have employed exceed the requirements of the Federal Department of Health, Ontario Ministry of Health and the Passenger & Commercial Vessel Association Guidelines for dealing with COVID-19. This has been a challenging time for all of us but we hope you take the opportunity to enjoy a cruise aboard the Spirit of The Kawarthas

Spirit of The Kawarthas START DATE has been changed due to our inability to get an inspection this past week.There is only one in our area and he has been overwhelmed inspecting all the boats in Tobermory. I ended up aT THE BOTTOM of the list. Our inspection will take place this week and the Spirit will move to Stony Lake Thursday or Friday. CRUISES NOW START August 8th. The COVID=19 Pandemic has caused every one of us stress and difficulty. Overall I see that people seem ...to be more friendly, understanding, empathetic and apologetic. Of course there are exceptions, those who are highly stressed, angry and misbehaving. A friend of a friend got home from shopping yesterday. Her house sits on a hill a ways back from the road. She came home yesterday to discover two car loads of people having a picnic on her lawn, which, apparently they also used as a toilet. Asked to leave they replied that they were nearly done and were in no rush to depart, Of course they left their garbage and their excrement on her lawn. I was shocked to hear this but apparently some people need to leave the city and get some fresh air. In fact this behaviour has closed one of our local Conservation Area Parks. We all need to work together and do whatever we can to help our families, friends, neighbors and struggling small businesses. https://caen-keepexploring.canada.travel/canada-nice

We are now able to accomodate 49 passengers and have many open dates for Weddings, or any other event

At long last!!! The SPIRIT of THE KAWARTHAS Sets Sail on August 1. Our safety plan has been reviewed by Peterborough Public Health and exceeds both Federal and Provincial Guidelines.... The SAFETYof our passengers is our #1 Priority. Our capacity is reduced to 25 % Tickets must be purchased online

There are a number of boats across the province that will not operate this season. As PCVA president Kurt Huck points out many took out the Small Business Emergency Loan and are now not sailing - how do you pay it back? The Federal and Provincial Government constantly talk Tourism but don't even pay us lip service.

Family Outings - due to the restrictions on our passenger capacity we are offering the following 'FAMILY CRUISES beginning July 15th. These are private cruises for up to 10 guests in an approved close knit group. You will have the SPIRIT of The KAWARTHAS exclusively to your group. Lunch Cruise sails at 11 am and returns at 1pm $ 995.00 Sightseeing Cruise 2pm - 4pm $ 750.00... Prime Rib Dinner Cruise 6pm - 8:30 pm $ 1995.00 Prices do not include HST and Gratuity. You must call our office and prepay by credit card. This offer will be removed as soon as our capacity is increased. Call our office at (705) 977-3986 to reserve yours....

We do not do Party or Booze cruises we offer sightseeing and dining Cruises on the Kawarthas most scenic lake

Date For Immediate Release Ontario Policies Devastate Passenger Vessel Industry With Ontario starting to open again, the rules being applied to the Passenger Vessel Industry drop the industry between the cracks. The rules being applied to our operators reflect food and bar service, not tourism, says Kurt Huck, President of the PCVA. One of our operators who has a Transport Canada rated capacity of 200 passenge...rs is reduced to 3. The most any operator can do now is 10 including a crew of 4-6. All businesses have had a difficult time surviving, but with these policies, it will sink some of us. Many operators took advantage of the $40,000 federal loan to cover start up costs and are concerned, with that money spent and no revenue to result from it, they won’t survive. As an industry we have a record of safety and passenger care. We’ve had COVID-19 protocols developed and tailored to our operations. We are not looking for special treatment, just fair treatment, said Huck We have been asking the Ontario Minister of Health and the Premier to allow 30% capacity. With borders closed and travel restrictions in place, we are looking to local staycationers who want to start exploring their own communities. Economic devastation of our industry will not just affect passenger vessel operators. The villages of Rockport and Gananoque are resort villages. They rely on tourism and for the community’s survival. Tying in the activity of the Thousand Islands and Kingston area, there is a huge impact, Huck says. We employ 400 fulltime staff and 800 part time seasonal, many of whom are students who have been hard hit by the pandemic. We contribute $60 million in tourism revenue in the Province of Ontario alone. We have been asking the Ontario Minister of Health to work with Cabinet to approve a reasonable operating capacity for passenger vessels immediately. Transport Canada’s restriction on sailing ends on June 30 with many operators set to open July 1. The Passenger and Commercial Vessel Association (PCVA) is established to represent the passenger and commercial vessel industry in Canada as a significant and successful contributor to local economies, to promote the general health of the passenger and commercial vessel industry, and to promote and encourage excellence in safety aboard vessels of PCVA members. For more information: Kurt Huck, President 613-223-2774 [email protected] www.pcva.ca Passenger & Commercial Vessel Association 249 Queens Quay West, Unit 110 Toronto ON M5J 2N5 www.pcva.ca

The Spirit of The Kawarthas will begin sailing July 15th. To ensure the safety and health of our passengers we will be sailing with a maximum capacity of 25%. Be assured that we are meeting and exceeding the requirements of the Federal Health Regulations and the Guidelines of the Provincial Ministry of Health. You must purchase your tickets online no less than 48 hours in advance.... I am anxious to see you aboard !! Captain Bill Thomson

UPDATE - unfortunately Transport Canada has designated our capacity to the local Board of Health, each of whom are coming up with radically different solutions on how to deal with excursion ships. Toronto is allowing the vessels in Toronto Harbour to operate at 30% capacity effective July 1. The Peterborough Board of Health has restricted the Spirit of The Kawarthas to 7 passengers, which is ridiculous and not feasible. In a conversation with local health officials yesterda...y the thought process appears to be that we will remain in Stage 2 for 2 weeks while Toronto is closely monitored as they enter Phase 2 today. Hopefully the number allowed to gather will increase from 10 and make it feasible to operate once we reach Phase 3. I am going to attempt to place a survey on here or our website www.stonylakecruises.com to garner your input and suggestions. In the meantime we are operating a Pop Up BBQ at the Apsley Legion and a Truckload Sale on Great Restaurant Quality Food Items - Check out ilsesfinefoods.com and the burleighstreetbbq.ca Thanks, Captain Bill