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Long Point Bay Navigation Hazards
My experience has been that Long Point Bay is a relatively safe place to boat. The wind
and wave protection afforded by Long Point provides for superior Lake Erie boating and
swimming conditions. However, the same sand formations that make for great recreation can
also make for hazardous boating. The sandbars in Long Point Bay can change location from
year to year, are sometimes very near the surface, and in some cases, extend miles from
shore. The following list of hazards includes some sandbars that I would recommend that
you locate (by means other than hitting them at 35 mph) and avoid.
- Bluff Bar (the second sandbar) is in the Outer Bay and is several miles
in length. It originates at the Point and hooks back in a northwest direction. It is
marked by several green marker's including the green buoy
listed in Stomp's Waypoints, which marks its west end. This bar is ankle-deep in sections!
There may be places where it can be safely crossed, but I would recommend going around and
not across. On several occasions, I have witnessed boats steaming across Bluff Bar and
then coming to an abrupt halt as they drive into the sand. Bluff Bar is particularly
dangerous as it prevents one from hugging the shoreline when heading to the end of Long
Point. It is seemingly "out in the middle of the lake" and rises up quickly from
20 to 25 ft depths to less than 3 ft. If you're heading to or from the lighthouse,
determine where Bluff Bar is and make sure you avoid it.
- The First Sandbar runs between Turkey Point and Pottohawk Point and is
the boundary between the Inner and Outer bays. The are two channels, the North and South
channels which allow for passage over this bar. The North
Channel is the much deeper of the channels and is clearly marked by several buoy
pairs. The South Channel is only marked by a blue
barrel and is a little harder to find. This bar is very shallow in places, particularly
around Pottohawk Point. Locate the channels and use them for passage across this bar.
- The Sandbar at the end of Long Point extends out from the tip,
continuing as an underwater extension of the Point. If you're boating in this area, watch
your depth finder or the water for signs of this sandbar. If you're downrigging in this
area, keep on eye on your sonar and be prepared to raise your cannonballs when you pass
the end of the Point.
- The waters off the North Beach at the end of Long Point hide a series
of concrete groins. These structures extend out from the beach into the lake. Exercise
extreme caution when approaching this area.
- Commercial Fishing Nets are often found in the Outer Bay. They are
usually marked by a tall black flag at either end and by a series of cans which extend the
length of the net. The nets generally run in a north-south direction and can extend for
long distances (1000's of ft). I have crossed these nets between cans, as the netting is
submerged well below the surface. Be on the lookout for nets when downrigging and steer
well clear of them. If your fishing equipment becomes entangled in a net, a good general
rule may be to cut your lines and try to recover your equipment from the commercial
operator.
- Gas Well Markers - now usually marked by a single white stake
with a red tip. These well markers are found throughout the Outer Bay and can be
confused with gill net markers. It is possible to get downrigging equipment hung up
on a well marker so don't get too close if 'rigging.
If you know of other hazards to navigation in the Long Point area, please drop me a line and I'll add it to this list.
To minimize the risk of encountering the above hazards obtain and study a chart before
venturing out on the Bay. A depth finder with a shallow alarm can be very helpful as can a
GPS unit.
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