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Lake
Erie And Area by
Craig Ritchie
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Spectacular
lakeside communities, several anchorages and breath-taking
beauty are just some of the highlights that make Lake
Erie an excellent boating destination for the whole
family.
Ontario's southernmost waterway, Lake Erie is a
boater's playground rich in history and ripe with natural
treasures just awaiting discovery.
 Its
the shallowest and fourth largest of the five Great
Lakes with a length of 387 kilometres, a width of 91
kilometres and a maximum depth of 210 feet. Its average
depth is just 62 feet and the only Great Lake with a
bottom completely above sea level. The lake is fed at
its shallow northwest end from Lake St. Clair via the
Detroit River. The only other natural outlet is at the
deeper northeast end through the Niagara River. In all,
the Ontario portion of Lake Erie covers more than 7,934
square kilometres.
Much of Erie sits south of the 42nd parallel, at approximately
the same latitude as northern California. This combination
of warm climate and fertile shores make the region home
to a wide variety of plants and wildlife, including
many species found nowhere else in Canada. During the
spring and fall, hundreds of species of birds and butterflies
migrate across Lake Erie on their annual migrations.
The best place to see this natural marvel is at Point
Pelee National Park, on the western end of the lake,
located approximately 48 kilometres southeast of Windsor.
The southernmost tip of land on mainland Canada, the
area is home to more than 70 species of trees alone.
Nowhere else in the country are there more variety species
of reptiles (27), amphibians (20) and spiders and insects
(50). Bird life abounds, including the rare Acadian
flycatchers, Carolina wrens, blue-gray gnatcatchers,
red-bellied woodpeckers and yellow-breasted chats.
History buffs will be interested to learn the area in
and around Point Pelee was at one time the northern
terminus of the Underground Railroad - the famous escape
route used by black slaves seeking freedom in the mid-
to late-1800s. Ontario's Black Heritage Route commemorates
the dedicated abolitionists who took great risks to
ensure freedom for those brave enough to escape slavery.
Many of these people went on to settle in the area,
finding new lives by farming the region's lush soil.
Farming remains an important industry along Lake Erie's
shores today. The community of Leamington, situated
just west of Long Point, is famous as Canada's tomato
capital and even has a huge tomato as its official town
information booth. A busy commercial center, there's
a marina with a max length capacity of 120 feet and
is complete with overnight dockage, pump-out facilities,
a launch ramp, fuel as well as shorepower. Simply moor
here for a night and take in Leamington's great shopping,
dining, entertainment or check out the Leamington Arts
Centre in the old Post Office/Customs building.
Of course, tomatoes aren't the only crop grown in this
fertile region. In fact, there are more than 40 different
kinds of crops including wheat, oats, barley, corn,
hay, soybeans, tobacco, potatoes, green peas, beans,
apples, peaches, strawberries and grapes. (Page
Top)
Just off the tip of the point, Pelee Island is famous
for its world-class wineries. In fact, it's located
on the same latitude as the prestigious wine regions
of the world, including Napa Valley, California, Portugal,
Spain, Italy, Germany and France. The Island has an
area of about 11,000 acres, much of it devoted to grape
production for the island's excellent Cabernet Sauvignons,
Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Rieslings. A main road
stretches around the perimeter of the island and boasts
excellent bicycle/walking trails offering wonderful
views of the lake and vineyards.
East of Pelee, you can see one of the world's most outstanding
sand spits in Rondeau Provincial Park, where centuries
of wave action shaped unique sand ridges and sloughs.
These sand dunes continue underwater, providing homes
for a huge variety of fish. In fact, Lake Erie may be
Canada's best-kept secret fishing hole. Wet a line here
and you can enjoy spectacular excitement chasing trophy-size
bass, walleye or rainbow trout. Smallmouth bass regularly
top the five-pound mark while walleye and trout reach
twice that size. Local bait shops and charter boats
are more than happy to tell you where to go and offer
tips to hook that big one.
Situated nearby is the town of Erieau. There's a full
service marina offering fuel, transient docking, a restaurant
plus a launch ramp. To stock up on supplies or groceries,
the town site is short distance away. If you have time,
it's worth the drive to the scenic municipality of Chatham-Kent.
Troll all the way across the lake to check out the sights
in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland waterfront is a popular
destination for Lake Erie boaters with its trendy restaurants,
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, summer Grand Prix and baseball
at Jacob's Field.
Back on the Canadian side, there's also plenty to do
at Port Stanley. Simply dock at the local marina, complete
with shorepower, transient docks, a restaurant and even
service if required, and enjoy some of the sights in
this tiny community. Railroad buffs will be happy to
learn the Port Stanley Terminal Rail operates over a
scenic seven-mile portion of the former London & Port
Stanley Railway line, between Port Stanley and St. Thomas,
Ontario. This historic section of line, built in the
mid-1800s, is fully restored, complete with two historic
stations. Many young people today have never had the
opportunity to ride the rails, so bring the whole family
for a train ride. Choose a seat in an open coach for
an unobstructed view while crossing two bridges or traversing
the boat-lined banks of Kettle Creek. Deer are also
commonly spotted in the apple orchards along the way.
East of Port Stanley, Long Point is another town of
great historical significance. Designated as a United
Nations Biosphere Reserve, this expansive sand spit
pokes more than 32 kilometres into Erie and is known
for its lush Carolinian vegetation and shoreline marshes.
Long Point Provincial Park protects much of this natural
area from development, preserving it for everyone's
enjoyment.
Superb beaches exist at adjacent Turkey Point, where
there is another large provincial park of the same name.
The only provincial park with a golf course, Turkey
Point is a naturalist's paradise. Its diverse ecosystem
includes marshes, bluffs and oak savanna. Hiking trails
lead to a fish hatchery and magnificent, panoramic views
of Lake Erie. Definitely bring a camera for this venture.
Golfers can hit the links at the nearby Greens of Renton
or Woodside Greens courses or choose to hike along the
picturesque Lynn Valley Trail. (Page
Top)
The Lighthouse Festival Theatre in nearby Port Dover
is a great spot for a night on the town. Live theatre
is a small-town Ontario tradition and nowhere else is
this legacy so alive. Each year local performers stage
a variety of wonderful productions. These shows sell
out fast, so it's recommended to book ahead to reserve
seats.
Sport divers flock to the Long Point region every year.
Lake Erie's surprisingly clear water (look over the
side of your boat and you can see the bottom to depths
of 30 feet or more) makes it a top destination for everyone
from swimmers with a snorkel and mask to serious scuba
enthusiasts. The entire area around Long Point is home
to dozens of shipwrecks, providing tremendous opportunities
for divers to explore Ontario's maritime past. Prior
to the Second World War, shipwrecks on the Great Lakes,
and on Lake Erie in particular, were quite common due
to primitive weather forecasting technology and a lack
of modern navigational aids such as radar, radio and
depth finders. Even lighthouses did not appear until
the mid-1800s. So, there's plenty to discover on the
big lake's sandy bottom. Lake Erie's most important
wreck sits no more than four miles off the tip of Long
Point - the 266-foot steamer Atlantic, which sank in
1852 with more than 200 passengers on board. Other wrecks
sit in as little as 12 feet of water and are clearly
visible from the surface. Please look but don't touch
- many wrecks are protected as historically significant
sites.
While Erie's bottom may be a resting place for wrecks,
it also covers large reserves of natural gas and numerous
gas wellheads can be found in the area between Long
Point and Port Colborne. In fact, more than 2,500 offshore
gas wells have been drilled in Lake Erie since 1913.
The wellheads are usually marked by a single white stake
with a red tip. Give them plenty of clearance.
Situated near the east end of Lake Erie, at the southern
terminus of the Welland Canal, is Port Colborne. Well-groomed
golf courses, dining, shopping, pools and miles of sandy
beaches - including the nearby Sherkston Shores with
more than one mile of white, sandy beachfront Ð are
just some of the attractions. Lock Eight, near the entrance
to the Welland Canal, is one of the longest locks in
the world. The annual Canal Days Festival is a community-wide
celebration of Port Colborne's marine heritage. Each
year hundreds of people gather for this waterfront family
festival that includes tall ship cruises, fireworks,
multi-cultural food, kids zone, heritage displays and
much more.
Between Port Colborne and the eastern tip of the lake
is Fort Erie, offering two marinas just before this
scenic area. Boasting a rich heritage, tradition, history
and modern city services, Fort Erie is a year-round
home for approximately 30,000 people and hosts miles
of beautiful beaches plus a number of renowned festivals.
Although Lake Erie is often calm throughout the summer,
it remains a big open lake worthy of respect. Storms
can arise quickly, as a result of the big lake's large
surface area and relatively shallow depth. Strong winds
are mostly likely to occur in autumn, although summer
thunderstorms can produce hazardous conditions. Lake
Erie's maximum reported wind occurred on July 4, 1969,
at 87 knots or more than 100 mph. In extreme conditions,
waves of 15 to 20 feet have been encountered on Erie,
although the norm is more like one to two feet. That
typical calm weather may be bad news for wind surfers,
but ideal conditions for anchoring, lounging in the
sun, barbequing some steaks or taking in the sights
on what many people call the greatest of the Great Lakes.
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