At Foot’s Bay, in the northwestern corner of Lake Joseph where Highway 169 meets Lake Joseph Road, The Cove Marina has been part of Muskoka boating history since 1919. For many years this was the hub of activity on the upper lakes — and it holds a genuine claim to fame: the RMS Segwun, the beloved steamship still cruising Muskoka waters today, made her maiden launch from the Foot’s Bay wharf. To this day you can watch the Segwun and her sister ship Wenonah II glide through the chain of lakes right past the marina docks.
A century on, The Cove remains a working full-service marina with 31 docks for boats up to 24 feet, including transient slips, gasoline, and repair services for boats, engines and trailers. The shop sells boats, parts and accessories, offers rentals and indoor and outdoor storage, and the yard runs a launching ramp and 15-ton forklift. Washrooms, groceries, a variety store, drinking water and ice cover the practical side of a day on the water.
The marina is one half of The Cove, a family operation run by the Shaws for 25 years; the other half is the main store on Lake Joseph Road, handling parts, sales and service across boats, Sea-Doos and powersports. Steeped in steamship history yet thoroughly modern in service, The Cove Marina is where Muskoka’s past and present meet at the dock.