LAKE ERIE

[wescarroll]

Hi, I have been as far east as Lorain Ohio. I was trying to get to Cleveland for the tall ships but had mechanical problems and ran out of vacation (I m retired now, more time, heh heh.).
As to ports in Western Ohio, I like Huron, a small town built mostly around the marina, but haven't been there in a few years. Vermillion always gets high marks, but is a bit full of itself for my tastes. I also like Kelly's Island, at the entrance to Sandusky Bay, kind of a slow easy going version of Put-In-Bay which is every thing you have heard good and bad and expensive. The Sandusky Sailing club is a good friendly place across the lower arm of Sandusky Bay from the Cedar Pointe Amusement Park, which has a rather nice marina attached in it's own right. Also the Sandusky Yacht club is a very nice place, very traditional requiring shirts with collars and no shorts in the formal dining room, ect. From the islands area, PIB and the other Bass islands there is little I have been to. There are many yacht clubs in the Maumee bay area and Maumee Bay State park is a very nice place if the water is deep enough to get in, it shallows quite a bit in Maumee bay, check your charts and stay to the channels. Otherwise there is little on up the Michigan coast of Erie, Toledo Beach is just an isolated marina miles from town, and the other towns have little to offer. Bolles harbor also is little more than a place to overnight. North to Detroit there may be more, but it has been a few years since I have done anything other than pass through on my way to Lake Huron. Hope this helps, and check out any descrepencies, as I am now and have been for 2 years in Portland Oregon, kind of out of the loop. I will be back this summer though aboard MO ANAM CARA, I am at Bay View Yacht Club in Toledo but don't know which dock this year. Later Wes Carroll

Originally Posted by MitchM

Hi from erie Pa on lake erie. we sail a nauticat 321 pilothouse and will be circling Lake erie on vacation this august. any good suggestions for intersting harbors and sights from Cleveland to toledo ?

and by the way if you ever come east, look up presque Isle tate Park Marina -- a lovely protected inexpensive marina with 7 miles of sand beach you c an walk to from teh marina. and look me iup on pier C...

Mitch and the Eagle's Wing

[MitchM]

Wes, thanks so much for a fine and informative post. we have the large chartbooks for the Great Lakes, but information such as whether the marina is close to a good grocery store or restaurant is hard to come by. we are looking forward to getting up to the Erie islands, particulary Pelee which is quiet and lovely when not inhabited by billions of mayfles. please look us up if you venture towards the eastern end of lake ere... erie is about a 7 hour sail over to canada, jumping from presque isle to long point ontario.

[SURV69]

been lurking for a while though.

Have a Venture 25, but just bought a Pearson 26(keeping at Brand's Marinia in Port Clinton), which I'm looking at as a full-time cruiser(only me), or as a boat that will give me a better idea what I might need in a step-up boat. The venture 25 was a purely sailing day-use boat, although I have slept on it a few times.

I presently have a room sized and outlined to the Pearson's cabin and now expect to fill it with the seating and such of the Pearson layout. THEN I plan on seeing how much living I can expect to do in a 7' X 7' space(not including the fron 1/2 of the boat, which I'll "reserve").

I even plan on powering this room with battery power to simulate the boat, so, hopefully come spring, I'll be ready for the boat.

I'm 4 years from retirement and have already begun making plans to liveaboard/cruise then, maybe offering my services to other surveyors during my travels.

Is late March too early to put the boat in?

[Paul Ouellette]

Hi Mitch :

Have a look at ActiveCaptain for lots of helpful information.

A quick list for you in the area of the Erie Islands would include...

On the USA side...
Vermillion Y/C
Sandusky Sailing club
Kelley's Island (Seaway Marina)
Kelley's Island anchorage (North side)
Middle Bass island (Schoolhouse bay anchorage..east side)
Middle Bass Island marina
Middle Bass Island (Post Office Bay anchorage...west side)
Put In Bay (anchorage, mooring balls & marinas)
Port Clinton (several marinas)
Toledo Beach (@ the far west end of Erie...North Cape Y/C nice & quiet)

On the Canadaian side...
Erieau Marina
Pelee Island (Scudder Marina)
Leamington Marina
Cedar Beach Y/C (a small place)
Colchester Marina (another small place)

[SURV69]

I began(about 2 weeks ago), compiling lists of libraries(for internet), cheap grocery stores(close to the water) and "in the pinch", anchorages, in case of sudden storms.

My plan is to have a compilation of various things so that if I feel the need to get certain supplies, that I don't waste my time anchoring in an area where the store I want, is not available.

I have begun making locations of drug-stores(whew), Save-A-Lot grocery stores, Aldi grocery stores and of course, libraries, from the Port Clinton area to Buffalo, New York, including telephone numbers and addresses. I'm considering LAT & LONG.

IF and when my list becomes worthwhile, I plan on making it available.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by SURV69

I began(about 2 weeks ago), compiling lists of libraries(for internet) ...
IF and when my list becomes worthwhile, I plan on making it available.

Great idea! Thanks.
I thought libraries were "for books" - what a dinasaur, I am.

[JerryA]

Full of good stuff. My wife is a librarian. She can get just about any book through inter-library loans, and also DVD's. I just watched Wind the other night. Most of them have pretty good Internet to use too.

JerryA

[MitchM]

surv69's question:"Is late March too early to put the boat in?"

i have found that you can get a bad freeze on the south shore of erie until about 2nd week of may. if you have an inboard engine you may be risking a lot of freeze damage to put her that early --- unless you have a fail proof electric connection and can put a thermostatically controlled 110 v heater on board to maintain the temp? we used to have the taylor cruisair AC unit with reverse-cycle heat, wow what a great unit for early may conditions...

and thanks for all the great suggestions about places to go in west lake erie... can't wait to haul in this year!

[ronc]

Great info in this thread.

Anyone have some advice on some decent launch sites around the Port clinton / Sandusky area?

[Paul Ouellette]

Ronc :

What are you intending to launch ??

Both Sandusky & Port Clinton have many facilities to look after the needs of area boaters.

Take your pick of the lot !!

P.

[ronc]

More then likely just launch out of Port Clinton.

I looked at then site called Activecaptain and that has giving me a ton of information. Since it is going to be a weeklong cruise I have a little concern of leaving my truck and trailer alone for a week, but I guess if it is not there I can always just keep cruising.

[claskey]

I'm new here as well. Sail from Gibraltar Boat Yard. We have been to Put-in bay and are also looking for interesting cruising ground in western Lake Erie. We have been to Lake Huron twice and love Tawas and the Thumb for there harbor towns.

[ronc]

This will be my first trip in Lake Erie, so I am going to have to plan my trip well weather wise. I think I will spend most of my time just sailing around the islands. I want to be able to duck into something protected if the weather changes quickly. I am planning launching June 29 or 30th and staying for 5-6 days.

Being not familiar with mooring balls are they readly available around the western Islands? Or since that is perhaps a busy week does anyone think I will have trouble finding open ones.

I figure I will spend most of my time either at anchor or at a mooring. The only time I plan on docking at a marina is to recharge my batteries and provisions.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[gettinthere]

Ronc
I think the only mooring field is at Put-In-Bay. I too am looking for more info on protected anchorages. They seem pretty sparse.

Also looking for info on the Rock N Roll Hall, I've heard you can dock there.

[ronc]

If I find out anything I will forward it to you. I think I will just play it by ear when I get there and hope for good weather.