We had travelled out to Long Point to the provincial park for swimming and beach walks many times over many summers but the provincial park sits only a short distance out along this very large point that juts into Lake Erie.
Long Point is the worlds largest freshwater sand spit, is approximately 4000 years old and stretches 42km into Lake Erie. It's designated a World Biosphere site by UNESCO, one of only a few in all of Canada. The village of Long Point at the base of the point has about 500 year round residents but the population jumps to 5000 in the summer. The beaches on the southern side of the point are some of the best in Ontario!
To the north of Long Point is the Inner and Outer Bay which is relatively shallow with ever-changing sand bars. South of the point is Lake Erie with some of the deepest locations of the lake especially at the tip of the point and at times very extreme weather. Due to the ever shifting point and sand bars and the storms, over hundreds of years, there has been many, many ship wrecks around the point. In fact there are more than 400 ship wrecks and the area is sometimes called the Lake Erie Quadrangle.
The point is primarily made up of a nationally owned Wildlife Preserve and a large area privately owned by the Long Point Company. The Long Point Company was formed in the 1860's and was made up of wealthy businessmen and sportsmen who purchased a large portion of the point for $8540. This land has been preserved by the Company and used for hunting and fishing. It remains to this day a very private and highly secure area with public access denied. Googling the Long Point Company says that there are about 20 members of the Company today all of whom are very wealthy, keep a very low profile and from all over North America.
We had talked about going out to the tip of Long Point for many years and we finally decided to do it.
We arranged the trip through a Turkey Point company called Long Point Tours. You can see more information at www.longpointtours.com The owner and operator of the company and the zodiac is Garrett Reid.
We met there early on the Sunday, with the weather looking a bit iffy and suited up in full rain gear for the zodiac trip out to the point.
The zodiac trip was a fast and wet ride across the bay from Turkey Point to Long Point. We first stopped around Pottahawk Island and Point. Each year, for the past 30 years, on the 2nd Sunday of July, Pottahawk Point/Island is home to one of the largest boat based parties in North America. The area along the point is very shallow and full of sand bars so boats pull up and people party on the boats and in the water. This event regularly draws 2000 boats and up to 10,000 people.
After various stops out along the north shore of the point at places like Bluff Bar and Gravelly Bay, we finally reached the tip of the point and got off onto the shore. We were given about 45-60 minutes to explore along to the actual tip and visit the large and beautiful light house. The lighthouse is automated although the area is frequented often by Wildlife Preserve and National Bird Observatory staff.
After our visit on shore, we boarded the zodiac and travelled back to Turkey Point.
Here are some pictures from around the tip of Long Point.
Lighthouse keeper's cabin.
The tip of Long Point, 42km out into Lake Erie. Notice the crashing waves at the tip as the waves from the Inner/Outer Bay meet the waves of Lake Erie.
A "ghost" lake freighter plying Lake Erie.
The south shore of the point, facing angry Lake Erie.
Various lighthouse shots!
The lighthouse as we pulled away from shore.
Thanks to Garrett for a wonderful day.
What an experience to finally travel to and get to stand on this point 42km out into Lake Erie - something not a lot of people get to experience!
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