But wait! There’s more to know about Muskoka

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Popular TVO series returns with captivating documentary about Ontario’s recreational jewel

You may think you know everything there is to love about Ontario’s Muskoka Lakes cottage region, but there’s always something new to discover, says retired boat builder Stan Hunter, who has called Muskoka home since 1982 and knows all about its hidden gems.

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Which is why he made the perfect subject for the next instalment of the popular TVO Original series Tripping, a three-hour scenic tour that begins in Gravenhurst on Lake Muskoka and ends at the historic Sherwood Inn on Lake Joseph.

From the opening frame, viewers meet Hunter and his partner Kathleen as they set out for one of their daily summer excursions aboard Heather, a prized vintage mahogany runabout crafted circa 1933 by Duke Boats of Port Carling.

At first Hunter simply agreed to show filmmaker Mitch Azaria around as the crew started to scout out the area. Next thing he knew, he became part of the process.

“As we started to explore stuff and they asked what about this or that around the corner, my common response was, ‘But wait, there’s more,’ and it became a real joke among us,” said Hunter, adding it was “an honour and a privilege” to showcase the place he calls home, as well as his passion for boating.

Filmed across an entire summer, weeks at a time, Tripping The Muskoka Lakes uncovers fascinating stories like the origins of the iconic Muskoka chair or the dramatic kidnapping of beer magnate John Labatt, as viewers journey back in time through animated sequences.

It also showcases present day highlights, from the opulence of what’s become known as “Billionaire’s Row” to a quaint community church accessible only by boat.

There’s very little dialogue and no background music, yet the film mesmerizes as Hunter, a year-round resident who made his living restoring and servicing vintage boats, navigates the serene waters in the newly electrified Heather.

Unscripted moments were captured — like the moment a deer darted across a marsh or when a couple of American teenagers jumped off a rock — and for the most part, “Muskoka sold itself,” said Hunter.

With second homes accounting for 47 per cent of all households in the region, and a waterfront property priced at nearly double that of a house in downtown Toronto, Muskoka is considered prime real estate today. But it wasn’t always the case.

“We’ve ridden a wave that I think is not unusual to the whole province,” said Hunter. “… All you had to do was buy when you could and cling to it, and all of a sudden, we’re sitting on nice nest eggs.”

Subtle changes have occurred over the past three decades, he added, with miles of what used to be empty shoreline now home to gorgeous waterfront “mansions.” Yet, despite what the nay-sayers think, abundant beauty remains.

“People don’t like change, but it happens,” said Stan, noting that people still embrace the majesty of the trees and swim in the clear water. He calls the film a fitting tribute to the culmination of everything he’s enjoyed about Muskoka, including his passion for restoring, electrifying and playing with vintage boats.

“Mitch struck all the right notes. He listened, he told me what he was after and it fit for me,” said Hunter.

Starting April 20, Tripping The Muskoka Lakes premieres on digital via TVO Docs YouTube channel, website and Smart TV app, and broadcasts at 9 p.m. EST on TVO.