Lake St. Clair to Welland Canal

[thebig4-0]

I've just bought our second boat - Our first Sea Ray though - A beautiful 1995 400 Express Cruiser. This April I am going to be my own delivery captain and cruise from Harrison Township to the Welland Canal and to our home marina in Jordan, Ontario (near St. Catharines / Niagara on the Lake). This will be my first Lake Erie transit. My plan right now is to go to Sandusky, Ashtabula and then Dunkirk and across to Port Colborne (the Welland Canal). I've lived a few miles from the canal all of my life, so the canal part is no problem for me. Does anyone have advice or highlights they can suggest for the rest of the trip? Suggest a better itinerary or route? Maybe some tips on the cheaper fuel or good websites to help me plan the trip? We will have 4 or 5 days to do the trip to Port Colborne, Ontario.

Your advice and suggestions are sincerely appreciated!

-Captain George and his First Mate Leanne

 

[my3sons]

When going to the Islands or sandusky, we stay @ Geneva OH. Nice state park marina and neat little party atmoshere in Geneva-on-the-lake. Not a lot to do in Dunkirk. Were it I, I'd try Sandusky to Cleveland to Geneva to Port Colborne.
Cleveland is Rock hall of fame, Great lakes Science center, The Indians might be home, etc. Just some thoughts

 

[BeeBoating]

You cannot go wrong with a stop in Put-In-Bay, Kelley's or Sandusky. PIB can be a great place for adults and/or kids...just depends on where you hang out. Sandusky has many fuel options - our normal stop is The Cove Carry-Out, just east of downtown, right under the wind turbine.

 

[sb in gp]

Coming East across Lake Erie you need to be cautious of a strong wind from the E or SE. Waves can get in the 3-5' range in a hurry. We usually make the run early in the morning, and don't have a problem. With a boat of your size you should be fine with most conditions, but I know 40+ footers that have turned around half-way to Put-in-bay.

If you can wait, the fuel at Cedar Point is significantly cheaper than in MI.

Sounds like a fun trip. If you have kids, then a stop at Cedar Point is a must. If just adults, then an overnight at Put-in-bay is a must.

 

[RollerCoastr]

I agree with both posts above, and congrats on the boat.

FWIW, Put-In Bay often gets a unfair rep for being family-unfriendly. The "city docks" deserve that, particularly on the wkds, but PIB has many other options for dockage and those who plan carefully and take a little advice will enjoy the island. PIB is 70 nm from Harrison Twp.

Sandusky is a short 40 minute run from PIB, so it won't advance your trip much if you've stopped at PIB, but Cedar Point is a great stop and as mentioned above, there are plenty of good fuel options.

I like Geneva, and would recommend it over Ashtabula as a layover. Bring walking shoes so you can walk over to town. They also have a nice fuel dock.

 

[CIC25]

We have overnighted in Ashtabula on the way to the canal from Catawba, There is a bridge that needs to open to get into the fuel dock and Marinas. Once in it's fine to the first fuel dock, but ask the dock hand about passing beond that point as the river shoals and I did not see markers to point that out. Congrats on the new boat!

 

[MHARSANY]

Congrats on your new boat!! If you happen to be swinging through, stop in Vermilion...great boaters town with lots to do!! I am a fellow 40EC owner and if and when you come by, I'll buy you a beer and show you around!!

 

[RollerCoastr]

Congrats on your new boat!! If you happen to be swinging through, stop in Vermilion...great boaters town with lots to do!!

I agree. Nice port.

 

[Underwater254]

Yes Vermilion would be a great stop for you. Lots of little shops. There is a Quaker steak and Lube where you can dock right on the river and close to everything. Usually not very crowded and there is fuel close to there also at a decent rate. Very nice 40 also

Hey HARSANY did you by chance go to Firelands???

 

[Two Peas]

When going to the Islands or sandusky, we stay @ Geneva OH. Nice state park marina and neat little party atmoshere in Geneva-on-the-lake. Not a lot to do in Dunkirk. Were it I, I'd try Sandusky to Cleveland to Geneva to Port Colborne.
Cleveland is Rock hall of fame, Great lakes Science center, The Indians might be home, etc. Just some thoughts

Mark, how long a trip is it from Buffalo to Geneva? This sounds like a fun trip to do as you suggested - Buff, Geneva, Cleveland, Sandusky and back.

 

[RollerCoastr]

Just under 130 miles. (hope you don't mind me jumping in)

It's do-able on a nice lake, but otherwise could make for a long day. I've used Erie PA cut the trip. There's not a lot to do within walking distance, but a quick cab ride opens up more possibilities. Next time, I'll try to wrestle my way into the YC in the western corner. It was nicely kept and they had good fuel prices. Plenty of places to drop the hook in the bay too.

Another way to break up that leg is to stop in Fairport Harbor / Grand River for lunch at Pickle Bill's. Not much dockage there though, so you'd want to call ahead to make sure they can fit you before you make the long-ish ride in.

The Mentor Harbor Yacht Club is about as easy-in as you can get. Fuel dock and restaurant. (might need reciprocation? that's easy enough though)

If you stop in Cleveland, I recommend The Olde River Yacht Club. From there, take a cab to the Warehouse District for dinner.

 

[Two Peas]

Mind, hell no, you're helping!

Coastal Explorer is a great tool to play with these routes. I've just spent (wasted) an hour playing... Erie and Presque Isle sure look nice flying overhead into/out of Buffalo - it is a shame it doesn't seem to be a great place to overnight.

It looks like another 55 or so miles to Cleveland from Geneva, or about 110 all the way to Sandusky. (Using straight lines maybe only 95 miles from Geneva to Sandusky)

I guess if you had great weather you could do this with one stop at Geneva between Buffalo and Sandusky. Otherwise, it looks like there are ample options to make shorter runs with multiple stopovers.

 

[my3sons]

Hi Andrew,
Rollercoastr is correct on the distance, about 5 hrs. from the small boat harbor. We have been to that end of the Lake 3 times and fortunately, the weather cooperated each time and we were able to get to Geneva. We leave early AM and get there before 11, so try to beat the southwesterlies building. You could always duck into Erie if necessary.
We visit Erie for weekends and when going further west, prefer to keep going. Erie's waterfront has improved in recent years and is quite nice IMO. We usually stay at Wolverine Marina, buy gas at presque Isle State Park Marina (cheaper). A Few nice restaurants in walking distance. Presque Isle beaches are rated in the top 10 freshwater in the world. If you don't want to move your boat from the dock, there is a water shuttle that runs to the state park.
If you're going that far, you HAVE to go to PIB. We have been there with and without our kids. There's plenty to do with your kids, so don't skip it because alot of folks say it gets rowdy, it does, but when we were there with the kids we just stayed away from the municipal docks (but were intrigued enough that we went back without the kids a few years later when they left for college :grin Learn about the battle of Lake Erie, rent a golf cart and tool around the island, tour a cave, visit a winery. When you go back without the kids, party your butt off.
We stayed at Olde River in Cleveland all three times, as stated above, nice place, friendly folks, pool, hot tub,restaurant. No affiliation needed.
The other ports mentioned above are definitely nice, we did "drive throughs" but did not stay

 

[Two Peas]

Thanks Mark. Presque Isle always looks amazing from the air, and from pictures on the web it looks like we need to visit. Glad to hear from you that it warrants a stop, too.

 

[RollerCoastr]

If you're going that far, you HAVE to go to PIB.

:smt038

 

[thebig4-0]

WOW! Thanks for all of this information guys - I'm going to get my charts out and start putting pins in them! That's one of the best thing about boating that those without their sea legs don't "get"... Boaters help boaters.

Thanks again for all of the time taken to respond to my post!

-George

P.S.: If anyone gets down to the Buffalo end, check out Port Colborne. Some dangerous rocks (shallows) in the area - watch your plotter closely - but lots to do and lots of festivals in the summer. I'm also buying the beer. My boat's on the Lake Ontario side, so if you get to the far end of the Welland Canal I'm buying the beer and giving the tours.

 

[my3sons]

WOW! Thanks for all of this information guys - I'm going to get my charts out and start putting pins in them! That's one of the best thing about boating that those without their sea legs don;t "get"... Boaters help boaters.

Thanks again for all of the time taken to respond to my post!

-George

P.S.: If anyone gets down to the Buffalo end, check out Port Colborne. Some dangerous rocks (shallows) in the area - watch your plotter closely - but lots to do and lots of festivals in the summer. I'm also buying the beer. My boat's on the Lake Ontario side, so if you get to the far end of the Welland Canal I'm buying the beer and giving the tours.

Let us know how your trip went and post up some pics of the new boat when you get a chance

 

[thebig4-0]

Will do - Thanks! (If I don't get that boat home soon I am going to explode!)

 

[Two Peas]

Forgot over the winter how great the Richardson's Lake Erie Chartbook is to read. I see a "South Shore" route plotted from Buffalo to the outer marker at Presque Isle as 77 miles.

Looking forward to making this trip.