Exclusion Zone for Battle of Lake Erie Labor Day

To All:

I stumbled into this when looking for a boat to go out on to see the big Battle of Lake Erie reenactment out on the Lake on Monday (Labor Day). I thought it best to post it here where fisherman will see it. After a few hours of Internet research and two days of phone calls, including the Toledo Coast Guard and Sandusky State Division of Water Craft Office, here's what you should know. There is a lot of misinformation out there.

Here is information on the exclusion zone around the battle event location, which is scheduled to be west of Green and Rattlesnake Islands out near the Battle commemorative buoy (approximately Latitude North 41°45.4′ and
Longitude West 82°57.75′.) , this is the Coast Guard site info:
http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/...ships-festival
If you want all the lengthy details go to this site:
https://www.federalregister.gov/arti...-put-in-bay-oh

There is a group that is / was selling yellow flags or similar of some sort you put on your boat that supposedly got you a special area to view the Battle. There is no special paid viewing area. The flags or stickers are donations and do not give you any privileges out on the water. It is "open water" around the event, but you must obey the regulations and the directions of law enforcement.

At all times you must stay 500 yards from the event tall sailing ships. Within a 4,500 yard radius (over two miles) of the center of the event (a sound barge that will be anchored) you cannot anchor and your speed must not be more than no wake speed. Law enforcement boats from Federal, State, and Power Squadron will be enforcing the zone (circling the event). This exclusion area will be moving around the Lake as the ships sail to / from and maneuver during the battle reenactment.

This all means if you are planning to go fishing on Monday, Labor Day, from about 11:00am to 6:00pm in the area from South Bass Island to Green Island to West Sister Island back to North Bass Island area this event could effect you and you will need to stay out of the way.

The whole event is weather dependent, is will happen as weather and wind direction/speed allow it to happen. IF the weather is not favorable to the scheduled site, the event will be moved to east of South Bass Island between South Bass and Kelleys Islands.

Just be aware of all this and that there could be a LOT of boats around this whole event. It will be a very large area. SAFETY FIRST!

West Basin
Friday, August 30