Trip Rating: 4/5
Jordan Harbour a sheltered bay on the Niagara Peninsula. From the launch you can head up in to the Twenty Valley and explore the creeks, marshes and train bridges. If you are a confident sea kayaker, it makes a good starting point to head under the QEW bridge and into Lake Ontario.
Launch Sites:
There is a solid dock for launching, parking, washroom facilities and even a place to rent canoes and kayaks. There are a few places to launch on the Harbour. The most convenient and easiest option is at the Jordan Harbour Conservation Area parking lot. To find this location, enter 43.184179, -79.378823 into Google Maps.
Trip Length: To see the entire harbour and the shipwreck, the total trip is about 9km. It take approx 2-4 hours, depending on conditions. Getting to the wreck involves some tricky paddling under the bridge and some open water. Make sure you are up to the challenge, the waves can get tricky in this spot.
Cost: Free
Please be careful and use gear as required to be safe.
From npca.ca/conservation-areas/jordan-harbour
“Nestled in the picturesque Twenty Valley watershed, this water body is a Provincially Significant Wetland located along the south shore of Lake Ontario at Twenty Mile Creek. The kilometre-wide harbour site offers a public launching dock for non-motorized watercraft offering visitors the opportunity to experience the magnificent gateway along the Twenty Mile Creek. The waterway is one of the largest uninterrupted natural corridors left in Niagara between the escarpment and the lake. The site is protected as an Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) containing a variety of unique wildlife and tree species that are rarely seen elsewhere in the peninsula.
The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority acquired the site from the Province of Ontario in 2005, and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation has made a commitment to assist the Authority in raising funds to revive the site as a visitor hub. To date, sufficient funds have been secured to commence with the project by making improvements to the access road, providing a dedicated parking and picnic area.
The re-development project will move forward in phases as appropriate funding is secured. A priority component of the restoration efforts is to make this passive conservation area accessible to visitors of all abilities so they can enjoy and explore the picturesque and extensive marsh habitat while discovering the wonders of the Jordan Harbour and Twenty Mile Creek.”