Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario, Canada
Join me on Saturday May 31st for my inaugural and unique workshop / photo tour, being sponsored by WorkCabin, to the tip of the Long Point Peninsula on Lake Erie. Long Point is a 40 kilometre sandspit that extends far out into Lake Erie and remains one of the last most remote wild places in Ontario, only accessible by boat. It was designated a UNESCO World Biosphere in 1986. The Long Point peninsula is of international significance and comprises one of the most important wetland complexes in southern Canada. Many threatened and endangered species call Long Point home. The typical terrain at the tip of Long Point is one of sand dunes with some wetland habitat in close proximity to the lighthouse.
We will plan to arrive on the tip at 7:30 am and will remain there until 11:30 am at which time we will assemble for the return trip. This means that we will meet the boat captain at approximately 6:00 am at Pier 67 Restaurant at the Turkey Point Marina to sign waiver forms and be given a full orientation on safety before boarding the vessel. The boat that will take us across Lake Erie is a 24 foot Zodiac, previously used by the Canadian Coast Guard as a rescue vessel in the North Atlantic Ocean. This vessel is fast, but smooth and is designed to ride over top of the waves, absorbing them. The boat also meets the strict regulations of transport Canada’s small vessel registry, and is a registered commercial small vessel. Our boat captain is very experienced and knowledgeable on Lake Erie (one of his great ancestors was the second lighthouse keeper back in 1844) and will ensure our safe travel to the tip. Lake Erie is known for its changing weather conditions. If it is not safe for us to cross to Long Point on the morning of the workshop he will inform us, and if he anticipates approaching weather conditions that are adverse while we are on the tip he may need to assemble the group earlier than planned to ensure our safety and return to the mainland. Do keep in mind that we will be more than halfway across Lake Erie and the Long Point Peninsula contains the largest collection of shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. This is simply the nature of visiting such a remote photographic destination.
I would advise folks to bring along a plastic bag to protect their photographic equipment from wave and wind conditions while traveling across the lake and a warm weather resistant jacket as well. Temperatures on the point can be cooler than on the mainland. Once we arrive at the tip it we will have a wet landing so folks should plan to wear rubber boats, I will be wearing my hip waders.
My brother Gregg McLachlan is the founder of WorkCabin.ca, Canada’s largest conservation-focused environmental job board, and is also a nature photographer who lives near Long Point. He will be assisting me with this workshop.
The cost of this workshop is $250+HST, which includes the zodiac trip to the tip. We will need a minimum of 4 participants for this workshop to run and it is open to a maximum of 9 participants. Folks interested in attending this workshop should shoot me an email for further info to my personal address: mclachlan@bell.net in case I am away from the office or out in the field.
Hope you will join us to this remote destination.
Long Point Sand Dunes
Long Point Sand Dunes
Andrew McLachlan 