“The exposure and the amount of sun a particular recreational property receives can seal or break the deal for a prospective cottage buyer,” says Gail McCormack, broker and owner of Kawartha Waterfront Realty. If the amount of sun you can expect at a cottage you are serious about buying matters a lot to you, research the sun’s path for the appropriate latitude. The latitude of the Kawarthas is 44°21′N. The 44th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 44 degrees north of the earth's equatorial plane. At this latitude, the sun is visible for 15 hours, 29 minutes during the summer solstice and 8 hours, 53 minutes during the winter solstice (Wikipedia).
If you are serious about a particular property, you can research the sun’s movement and sunlight phases - on any given day - for the cottage’s latitude with various online tools. For example, I used suncalc.net to find out more information about the sun’s path, sunlight phases, sunrise, and sunset for Kawartha Waterfront Realty’s office in Coboconk, Ontario. The online application has an interactive map that shows the sun’s movement and sunlight phases during that particular day. The map shows the current sun trajectory and the variation of sun trajectories during the year. For example, I learned the following characteristics about the sun in Coboconk on December 4 (just 17 days before the winter solstice):
You can also find a sun position calculator online, which can help you determine the sun’s path for your particular location. A sun position calculator is available at: http://pveducation.org/pvcdrom/properties-of-sunlight/sun-position-calculator. The above website also shows you how to plot the sun's position throughout the day with a polar plot. But if online research isn’t your thing, you can also assemble information on the path of the sun by talking with the current cottage owners and immediate neighbours. Ask lots of questions about the sun. You need to remember that you simply can’t obtain an accurate read on a property’s relationship to the sun without taking into consideration its unique characteristics at various times of the year. After all, the sun’s path evolves each day as we progress through the seasons. And the changes in the sun’s trajectory can be significant enough that they affect how you experience a cottage property.
Depending on the recreational property, the deck that’s fully in the shade on the afternoon you visit in May could be awash with afternoon sunlight later in the season. And the idyllic view of the sunset from the cottage verandah in April may have disappeared by July – as the sun’s path has shifted slightly. Perhaps your neighbour’s large cottage obliterates your view of the sunset in prime cottage season. It’s important to consider how the sun’s path will affect the cottage you’re thinking about buying. Will you have a view of the sunset from your verandah or your dock at the height of the summer? Is there a place on the property to enjoy the morning sun while you drink coffee? You also need to think about whether you’re a sunrise person or a sunset person. If you want to be able to watch the sunrise from your perch on the dock, you will probably want an eastern exposure.
If you crave the chance to watch the sun disappear into the horizon at the end of a summer day at the cottage, you probably want a western exposure. After all, the sun sets - for the most part - in the west. Indeed, prospective cottage buyers often seek a western view over the water to make the most of this iconic cottage experience. And some would prefer to enjoy the presence of the sun all day, which means they probably want to look for a recreational property with a southern view. Or if you want a view of the setting sun, but don’t want the direct sunlight heating up the interior of the cottage, perhaps a northwestern exposure is the best fit for you. And those who forego sunset views across the lake will enjoy the moonrise, and the reflection of moonlight across the water.
“There are also ways to make the exposure work for you by having a dock,” points out Gail McCormack.
“If your dock extends out into the water, you can lengthen your enjoyment of the sun,” she says. “With our southeastern exposure, we enjoy late-day sun on our dock, which we’ve nicknamed our ‘summer living room,’” she adds.
Photo courtesy of RichardBH No Alterations Made - Creative Commons
