The Toronto Island ferries have never been all that convenient, especially on hot summer days, when lineups make it an ordeal just to buy tickets (which, by the way, are now $7, round-trip, for adults). This year, Transport Canada has exacerbated the problem by forcing the Citys three main ferries to meet marine safety standards by reducing the number of passengers they carry. Fortunately, there are other ways to make the trip.

Swim for it Pro The Islands are about 1.5 kilometres away from the mainland. The world record for swimming that distance currently belongs to Sun Yang, of China, who did it in about 14 minutes and 34 seconds, during a 2011 competition. Thats about the length of a typical ferry journey. Con A normal person, swimming in Lake Ontario rather than in an Olympic-sized pool, would obviously take some amount of time longer, depending on their swimming ability. Also, anyone attempting to swim to the Islands would be risking their safety. Torontos inner harbour gets a lot of boat traffic, and Toronto Port Authority rules prohibit swimming outside designated areas.

Rent an unpowered boat Pro Paddle Toronto, at Queens Quay and Rees Street, will rent a kayak or canoe to anyone with paddling experience (and they offer lessons for anyone who lacks that experience). The City allows unpowered boaters to drag their craft up onto the Islands shores, so this is effectively like having ones own, personal ferry. Just beach the boat in a safe location and enjoy the weather. Con A two-person canoe goes for $60 a day, which is $23 more, per person, than a ferry ride. A two-person kayak is $85. Also, canoeing or kayaking requires a certain amount of athleticism. Most people are able to make it to the Islands in 20 or 30 minutes.

Take a water taxi Pro This is probably the most convenient way to cross the water. Passengers are ferried across the harbour by an experienced boater, then dropped off near picnic areas or other island attractions. Con Toronto Harbour Water Taxi, located at the foot of York Street, charges $10 per adult, one-way. Thats more expensive than the ferry. But passengers dont necessarily need to pay return fare. Since there are no ticket booths on the Islands, taxi riders can take the ferry back to the mainland for free.

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Newsmaker: How to get to the Islands without waiting in line