Kahshe Lake
| Kahshe Lake | |
|---|---|
| Location | Muskoka, Ontario |
| Coordinates | 44°52′N 79°16′W / 44.867°N 79.267°WCoordinates: 44°52′N 79°16′W / 44.867°N 79.267°W |
| Basin countries | Canada |
Kahshe Lake is a lake situated in the Muskoka region in Ontario, Canada (just south of the town of Gravenhurst). It is one of the main cottaging lakes in the region and is the fourth largest of these lakes by area. There are approximately 600 cottages on the lake. The lake is tea coloured, containing a high level of dissolved organics.
Name
The Indian word Kah-she-she-bog-a-mog is defined in a dictionary developed by early Jesuit missionaries and located in the archives in Ottawa. The morphemes break as follows: Ka-shesheb-agam-ag: 'where there are-ducks-lake-place', thus 'Lake of Many Ducks'; compare Ojibwe jishib 'duck'; the following are spurious (Carl Masthay, St. Louis, 2009): Kah-Lake, She-Many, Bog-Ducks,a-and, Mog or Maug-Loons, therefore Lake of Many Many Ducks and Loons (researched by Ken Little). Other people swear that it means Lake of Many Islands or "Lake of Healing Waters". Yet others, especially those with powerful motor boats, nickname it Lake of Many Rocks and "The Minefield". The lake's west end is shallow while the east side is deep, yet both areas have many shallow rock hazards with no marker buoys that just seem to appear "out of nowhere" as the waterways are navigated. There is a section in the middle of the lake that is so rugged that if marked with sonar, it appears as the pulses of a heart beat on a pulse reader. These many distinct areas in the lake provide for easy fish locating for avid fishermen.
It is notable that there is a public beach off North Kahshe Lake Road. The beach is a gathering point for residents and cottagers. There are public boating docks and a boat launch. The lake has been featured on several fishing shows, it has also been featured on television, most notably in a Tim Hortons commercial. There are many organized events in and around the lake, particularly Kahshe lake regatta, Several barn dances, End of Summer labour day concert, and Rockhaven Inn craft sale.