Navy reservists train in Muskoka

The waters in cottage country were filled with Navy reservists on Saturday, but it wasn't because of any threat in the area.

Members from HMCS York were at the Muskoka Wharf Boat Launch and the Milford Bay Government Dock on the first day of the long weekend for routine training exercises. While based in Toronto, their geographic reach is far beyond the GTA.

"However, the Muskoka region is in our area of responsibility, so it's incumbent on us to really understand the area, so we're doing area familiarization," says Commander Paul Smith, HMCS York Commanding Officer. "We decided to move the boat team and our divers to get familiar with Muskoka Bay, Milford Bay and Skeleton Lake."

On Saturday, three boats were in the water, with one of those boats consisting solely of members of the dive team. Reservists were looking to understand the shoreline and hazards in the area and the depths of the water so they can respond to a crisis at a moment's notice.

"So that when we're called out to provide support to domestic operations, be that a flooding, any sort of storms, anything that the government needs, we need to be able to move and able to understand the area," says Smith.

HMCS York is one of 24 reserve divisions across Canada.