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Maumee Bay State Park

MBSP
Park event information. MBSP reservations
and information.
People always ask me where I windsurf at and when you have the
best spot around the answer is easy. Maumee Bay State Park is
perhaps the best overall park facility for windsurfing in the
Midwest. Just a few miles from downtown Toledo the park is located
on the southwest corner of Lake Erie. You'll find a large parking
lot with grass rigging area and a short carry to the water.
For beginners there is a large inland swimming lake with a special
spot for launching small craft from.
The water quality has been monitored there closely
the last few years. If a problem does arise warning signs are
posted.
The above picture shows a people rigging up at
the 2004 regatta. The park lodge is in the background and you
can see people using the paved bike path. The lake beach is
to your left and is about 100 yards deep and three quarters
of a mile long.
There are
no trees in the immediate beach area to block the wind. Maumee Bay is shallow
and warms up fast in the Spring and stays warm into late October, we even sail
usually through the first weeks of November. The first 100 yards is chest deep,
after that just twelve foot or so.
Northwest winds are the best having a good five miles of clean
air and hit the beach full force - however due to the shallow
bay depths the waves seldom get bigger than three foot even
in 25 knot winds.
Southwest offshore winds mean gusty conditions near shore. However
you can sail just a mile out past the point into the main bay. There you'll usually
find steady wind and just light chop. Also that's where you'll find most of the
hot shot locals.
MBSP
has everything you need for a mini-vacation, a camp ground
or do the resort hotel, even rental cottages on the golf course,
bike and rollerblade trails, golfing and tennis courts.
InLand Swimming Lake at Maumee Bay State Park
This is a large 10 acre lake for swimming, kayaking and even
small sail boats that is right next to the main beach front
on lake Erie. On the far South side is parking Lot #1 and at
the back of that lot is a small craft launch area. This is where
we usually give lessons at. We can't say it's the best beginner
spot in the world but it's definitely a great one. If the wind
and waves are up too much for you on the lake then just head
over to this spot. During even the calmest of August dog days
a easterly breeze will build about 1:00pm that is perfect for
first timers.
Crane Creek State Park
Just down the road about 30 minutes East of Maumee Bay State
Park is Crane Creek State Park. In the late 80's and early 90's
this was the spot to go as MBSP had not opened yet. Sadly the
park and beach area was closed to swimming in 2007 because of
state budget cuts and the wish to return it to a wildlife area.
Kelly's Island in Lake Erie
There are on the water rental houses to be had at
Kelly's Island but they don't come cheap. Also there are
plenty of off the water places and you can then use the state
park public boat launch and beach to sail from. The state
park is on the north side with beach on a large cresent
shaped bay so traditional south west winds mean a big board
to get out. East to Northeast winds are premo. The best part
of Kellys is the waters out there are often clear .. yes you
read right clear clean waters. From Marblehead Kelly's island
is not much more then 4 miles offshore and about a 20 minute
ferry ride. A day trip out there taking your vehicle across
on the Miller ferry from Marblehead won't cost you much more
than $20.
East Harbor State Park
The largest state campground park in Ohio is right on Lake
Erie and as the name indicates it has a large protected inland
like lake called East Harbor. You can launch windsurfers on
Lake Erie just east of the main beach area. There is a lot of
boat traffic on the lake in that area.
Catawba Island State Park
Catawba is not really an island per sey as you can drive
to it. It's located about six miles north of Port Clinton on
the west side of Catawba point. There is a small stone beach
you can put in at. Again there is a lot of boat traffic in this
area.
Dempsey Access
This is a state ran public boat launch on Sandusky Bay south
of Marblehead Ohio. It is a popular spot to launch windsurfers
at because Sandusky Bay is protected from the large lake swells.
There are several resorts on the east shore of Sandusky Bay
you could stay at with water access. Boat traffic is not heavy
in the bay area.
Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie
Take the Miller Ferry from Catawba which requires advanced
reservation (www.millerferry.com).
From Catawba, Middle Bass island is around 9 miles offshore
and about a 40 minute ferry ride. A round trip ticket for your
vehcile and one person runs around $60. There is an Ohio State
Park campground with a nice little beach to launch from right
next to the tent camping area.(see picture below) This is a
great set up for those who can tent camp (rv trailers not allowed).
The campground is not used much and during week days you will
likely have the place to yourself. There is a fun restaurant
bar named GF Walleyes' within a 2 minute walk plus Sonny's water
taxi a ten minutue walk away runs over to the South Bass island
to the party town of Put In Bay. Also close to the park is St.
Hazards Resort. This
little resort has a little of everything, camping tent or RV,
a bunch of cabins, bar, restaurant, pool, bar at the pool with
entertainment on summer party weekends and also of course a
beach area.
Luna Pier City Beach
North of Toledo about 8 miles is Luna Pier Michigan, the town
has a small sand beach and parking lot right where the road
dead ends into the Lake(all just 1/2 mile off I-75). Southern
or west winds mean big boards to get out as trees and houses
line the shore. However in traditional southwest winds you are
rewarded with some nice flat water sailing and gentle chop.
After launching head south about a half mile and sail just beyond
the power stacks as winds are a little nicer there. Sometime
around the year 2009 the city started charging a beach parking
fee. However the fee does mean that you will likely be able
to find a sport to park there even on weekends. On week days
you'll have the beach to yourself.
Any type of easterly is prime there though backwash from the
pier and shore walls make launching a little nerve racking.
On a good east blow there are some very nice swells to be found
(though I've not seen them personally I've heard they can be
six foot or so ( sail down to the power house stack to find
them).
Erie Rd - Consumers Power
Just south of Luna Pier Michigan with an entrance from I-75
is Erie Rd and the Consumers Power plant. At the end of that
road is a secret spot that's great during easterly winds. This
is a wildlife area and has like 3 miles of sand beach that's
good for general hiking. Down side is there are no facilites,
you must unload and then park your car about 100 yards up the
road and it's about a 100 yard carry to the water. The power
stacks sorta loom over you .. but nature is everywhere else.
Also I'd not leave any valuables in the vehicle either as this
spot is kinda in the middle of nowhere.
Monroe - Michigan - Sterling State Park
Sterling
State park is at exit 15 on I-75 just a 20 minute drive
north of Toledo. Once off I-75 the park entrance is barely a
1/4 mile away with another mile drive inside the park to the
main beach area. As with most all Michigan state ran parks there
is a daily entrance fee or one can purchase a yearly pass. The
beach area, parking lots and campground area were remodeled
a few years ago and the restroom facilites are about as good
as they get for a state park. If your camping overnight it's
possible to get a spot right on the sand beach within 50 yards
of the water. Parking at the main swimming beach lots leaves
you with a long 100 yd carry to the water. I prefer the farthest
south lot which is even a longer carry but moves you farther
away from the swimmers. There are some nice shade trees there
by the water and alot of nice sand. The beach runs north and
south so an easterly wind means a nice onshore wind. In all
this is a pretty nice place to windsurf from.
Hidden Harbor - Holland/Toledo
This is the largest inland lake I know of in the Toledo area.
It is a private residential lake perhaps 20 acres in size located
just west of Toledo near the corner of Albon and Angola roads.
Several residents windsurf or sail small boats there on nice
summer days. As I mentioned this is a private lake.
Maumee River - Walbridge Park - Perrysburg Area
There are several launch spots like Walbridge park by the Zoo
and Maple Street in Perrysburg. An old favorite was Rossford
City park but they posted signs there years ago and wanted out
of towners to buy a permit. There is a nice small launch area(along
side the park across from where old Coral Burger used to be
on river road) in Maumee about a half mile north of the Maumee-Perrysburg
bridge. The winds are fickle in the river because it's down
in a valley, however once in a while on strong North or South
wind day there actually is good short boarding to be found.
However perhaps the biggest downside is the water quality can
be ugly at times especially just after a big rain. There is
no monitoring of water quality that I know of. The river can
be quite fun to longboard on but don't use a long or a good
fin as the bottom is all rocks!
Perrysburg - Three Meadows Pond
Located on the east side on Perrysburg along I-75 a nice couple
acre pond ran by the city. Winds are blocked there by trees
but that's fine if your just starting out or giving a lesson.
The water quality is usually excellent there. There was a city
ran swimming area on one end of the pond but that we have heard
is now closed.
Maumee River - Grand Rapids Area
About 25 miles south of Toledo you get to Grand Rapids where
a dam is, behind the dam the river is deep, slow and wide for
several miles and the river is not in a deep valley like it
is in the Toledo area. The difference between water level and
the top of the banks I'm guessing is less than 20 feet.
Just south of Grand Rapids is Mary Jane Thurston State Park
which has camping and a marina, however the dam is right there
so I'd avoid that area. But two miles further down the river
is Lally's Marine. Behind the Lallys building is a small stone
launch with parking and grass rigging area. Summer of 2010 there
was a $3.00 launch fee. From my house in Monclova Lallys is
just 18 mile drive most it down traffic light free US 24 so
it doesn't take me long to get there. Below is a picture of
the river there from the Lally parking lot. There is a bit of
boat traffic on weekends as the river is lined with cottages
in that area but if the weather if just a bit off you'll have
the water to yourself. The water quality is nice here!
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