Trip Rating: 4.5/5
Martindale pond far out reached my expectations. It is a man made lake/pond created when the original Welland Canal was routed through the 12 Mile Creek. I knew that there were some remnants of the canal but I had no idea just how amazing it was going to be. The scenery is absolutely stunning. Part of the charm of this area are the options for exploration. If you head east, the canal ruins and a very interesting damn can be found, to the west is the Richardson’s Creek and to the South is the 12 Mile Creek. Please note, there is more trouble than you care to get into if you are looking for it, so extra care is needed on this pond.
Launch Sites:
The launch area is on Henley Island beside the rowing club. There is an old dock for launching. Parking is up what appears to be an old un-maintained boat ramp. There are no washroom facilities in the park To find this location, enter 43.191129,-79.275712 into Google Maps.
Trip Length: To see the entire lake, the total trip is about 10km. It takes approx 2-4 hours, to explore most of the scenery.
Cost: $0.
Difficulty: Please be careful and use gear as required to be safe. This route requires extea care when exploring, there is no barrier on the damn at the North West side of the pond, this can be extremely dangerous. The 12 Mile Creek has extremely dangerous currents in places. Stay close to Martindale Pond to be safe. Finally, never cross any hydro barriers.
More information on Wikipedia, click here.
Feature Image by Sarah Janes see her work at Sarah-Janes.ca
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Wow..you are an urban kayaker. I do like to go gunk holing but prefer the open water and for kayaking it is simply a matter of taste as it is ALL good. I have not paddled as much this year because I fell in with sailors. Again, it’s ALL good, way better than sitting on the couch watching TV.:)
Hey Dunelight,
Thanks for the comment. The intention of this site is to assist people finding safe and environmentally responsible day trips. If you know how to get there and where to park, people won’t venture into areas not previously disturbed.
As you said, for this year I’m focusing on urban routes.