Cruising Lake Erie

[Pytheas]

Boaters of the eastern Maine and similar shores, appreciate all that vacant land and enjoy it. I just returned from Erie, PA where I learned that every square foot of lakefront property is either verboten or available at what seems to this back-woods guy as expensive. After getting back from Small Reach Regatta 2012 (great time!) I wanted to make a first careful step at cruising by starting at Erie, PA and going west. I checked the Internet. Not being able to find many places where a small boat would be welcome made me wary but people boat there all the time so they must be able to land somewhere to get a lunch, see the sites of town, camp. Right? Apparently not. Does anyone have advice for this would-be beach camper?

[Catketch]

Check out the Bayfront Maritime Center, www.bayfrontcenter.org in Erie, Pennsylvania.

[StevenBauer]

I was at the Bayfront center yesterday. What an awesome place.


Steven

[Willin']

You can anchor and boat camp in Misery Bay or over by the houseboats (can't remember the name of that cove). The whole peninsula is a free state park and there is a free launch ramp by the water works pavilion, I don't know why you think it's expensive.


There's a small marina at the mouth of Walnut Creek, about 5 miles west of the foot of the Peninsula. That would be a good day's sail from inside the bay in a small boat. There's no town there, but it's a start.


http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.077...num=1&t=h&z=18


What kind of boat are you running?

[kc8pql]

What kind of boat are you running?

Good question. OP mentions beach camping, so I assume fairly small. Lake Erie is not benign. Things can get really bad, really quick.

[Pytheas]

Thanks from everyone for the responses. Daysailing there is no problem. As Willin notes, launching in the park is free. Everyone must be out of the park, including the vehicles, at night. There are also free launch sites on the city side of the bay. The problem is I am from two hours away and I found nowhere to leave a car and trailer while I go off beach cruising. The marinas, including Walnut Creek, do not want your car and trailer there unless you are using some other service such as renting a slip. The choices seemed to be renting a slip and using it only for the parking lot privileges or using a city parking ramp and taking a taxi back to the bay. But I have since learned that there are places east of Erie that are more accomodating to what I wish to do - and they are closer to home! I just started looking in the wrong place.

BTW, I am sailing Delight, a Caledonia Yawl. Erie Bluffs State Park at Walnut Creek was my destination and I had time to make it there but one thunderstorm had already formed to the east (instantly it seemed) and off to the west didn't look good so I turned around.

Yes The Bayfront Center is awesome. They are starting an new chapter of TSCA there. I missed their recent waterfront festival due to sickness (minor) but plan to be there next year.

[StevenBauer]

I think they are building a St.Ayles Skiff this year at the Maritime Center. I missed the festival by a week but it looked great in the pictures..