A sign outside the Turkey Point Marina helped set the tone for an annual tradition on Lake Erie over the weekend.
“Let’s Rock Pottahawk!,” it called out to boaters who launched their vessels starting on Friday and headed to Pottahawk Point, an island near Turkey Point.
For decades, on the second Sunday of July, thousands of partiers gather there for what’s been dubbed the “Pottahawk Pissup.”
Acting OPP Sgt. Ed Sanchuk, who was stationed at the Port Rowan Marina, with a large contingent of Ontario Provincial Police officers and vehicles, along with the RCMP, the Canadian Coast Guard, and the Canadian Border Service Agency, estimated that by 6 pm on Sunday 500 boats carrying about 3,000 people had traveled out to Pottahawk.
At that point Sanchuk said there had been no serious incidents and any Liquor License Act or Shipping Act charges would be reported later in the week because officers were still out on the lake.
Sanchuk said a fairly strong east wind was making the lake choppy and some boaters decided not to risk the trip.
The Pottahawk party has previously been billed on social media as “North America’s biggest boat party” with more than 2,000 boats and 10,000 people in attendance.
In a media release issued earlier in the week, Norfolk OPP said “every year, emergency services respond to numerous injuries and impaired boaters while at Pottahawk Point. The majority of the incidents investigated involve alcohol and, in some instances, people left stranded without a ride back to shore.”
Sanchuk said police spent the weekend patrolling the water, speaking to boaters and checking for alcohol. Officers in uniform and plain clothes were at local marinas ensuring public safety.
Police conducted random vessel checks to make sure necessary safety equipment was onboard and patrolled Norfolk roads for speeders and those drinking or taking drugs and driving.
“We’re not here to ruin anyone’s fun,” said Sanchuk. “We want to make sure everyone’s safe.”
Matt Brimmer of Oakland was helping pull his boat, Life’s Good, out of the water at Turkey Point around 2 pm on Sunday.
“We went out after lunch and there were lots of people out there but they were kind of split up this year. This is our least involved year. Usually we have the boat filled up with about 15 people.”
Brad Thomson, general manager at Turkey Point Marina, said they’d launched about 200 boats from there by mid-afternoon on Sunday.
“I’d say it’s one of the busiest Pottahawks we’ve had in seven or eight years. It’s a beautiful day and people are enjoying it.”
Thomson said boats had been coming in since Friday and, while most come back to shore by Sunday night, some people opt to stay out on the lake until it’s less busy on Monday.
