Port Elgin is the place to be when the sun goes down

There is an urban legend in Port Elgin, Ont. claiming National Geographic magazine selected it as the town with the world’s best sunsets. And even though this has never been authenticated, and no one can locate the article, people still refer to it. Reading this claim makes you wonder whether or not the town is overestimating its sunsets. Besides, aren’t sunsets the same everywhere?

Along with its beautiful beaches, parks, trails, and picturesque town, Port Elgin tourism champions the myth with slogans like “Come to the sun’s favourite destination!”

“We undoubtedly have the best sunsets in the world,” says Cheryl Beamish, Port Elgin’s tourism coordinator. “They are impressive enough to have made the short list in CBC’s is 2007 Seven Wonders of Canada Contest.” And sure enough, the CBC website confirms 7,493 people voted for “Saugeen Shores Sunset” as a Canadian wonder.

But being skeptical by nature, I had to see for myself. So one summer, my wife and I rented a cottage near the beach in Port Elgin. As twilight approached, we walked to the harbour and watched. That night and the following two nights, the sky was dull and the sun hid behind the clouds. “Some sunset,” my wife quipped, and we started to wonder if the sunset claim was just a tall tale.