St. Hazards Blog on Middle Bass Island

Middel Bass Turkey Shoot

2011-10-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

A Fall Classic on Middle Bass Island in October is the Turkey Shoot. Residents and guests do not actually shoot at turkeys, but at fixed targets with shotguns. Good food is part of the day.

Middle Bass Island Sunrise

2011-10-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

There's something about this October sunrise...

View of Ballast Island From Waterfront Condo 203

Morning on Middle Bass

2011-10-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

Last week we had one of the most beautiful mornings of the year. No wind, warm air and the sun burning off the dew. A ride on the Miller Ferry is a welcome 45 minute journey to start the day.

Waterfront views from condo 203

2011-10-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

September and October are great months to be on Middle Bass island. Here are a few photos taken in the morning from condo 203. All of the condos face Lake Erie, so this view can be seen from every condo.

Over 20 Palm Trees Leave Middle Bass Island

2011-10-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

At St. Hazards, all of the queen palm trees, bananas, elephant ears and fully bloomed hibiscuses have been dug out and taken off of Middle Bass Island by Justin and Tom of Ott's Nursery. A total of 37 plants.

Justin Wheels Out a Banana

Tom and Marc Dig Out a Big Banana by Hazards Pond

Palm Trees Heading To Greenhouse

The plants will spend the winter in a warm greenhouse until next summer where they will be replanted at Hazards in May. Justin and Tom said that the plants grew well on Middle Bass Island this summer and that they will only get bigger and greener in the years to come. Our banana plant is about 6ft tall right now--eventually it can grow up to 15 ft!

We look forward to having the plants back again next summer. Until then, it's good to know that Justin and Tom will be looking after them.

Island Beer Special from the St. Hazards Microbrewery

2011-09-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

Brew Master Clint in the Microbrewery

St. Hazards is the only Microbrewery that makes and servesits own beer on Middle Bass Island.

This weekend, we’ll be having an island special: Our St. HazardsSummer Blonde for $2.00.

St. Hazards head brew master Clint McLaughlin has a knackfor brewing. He’s been doing it for over nine years and brews regularly for theMaumee Bay Brewing Company.

He considers Summer Blonde to be within the broadercategory of pale ale.

We invite you to take advantage of the last of the warmweather. Come treat yourself to some of our fresh and finely brewed island beer!

St. Hazards Employee Party

2011-08-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

The St. Hazards employee party brought together 19 people from six countries: Bulgaria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Macedonia, Moldova and The United States.

The party started at 9:00 pm with a toast to Hazards followed by a candlelit dinner. Head cook, Nelly, made all sorts of good food including pizza, cheesy mashed potatoes, barbecue meatballs, fresh bread and even a cake!

After the meal, the bartenders made special drinks from their countries for everyone to try. The rest of the night was spent talking, dancing, shooting pool, and reminiscing about the summer. A great time was had by all...

What a shame that summer has to end.

Ozan, Iana and Greg

A Toast to St. Hazards

Ed and Nelly

Cornelius and Georgi

Viki in her hammock

New Middle Bass Jewely Arrives in the Gift Shop

2011-08-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

Today, new jewelry and key chains arrived in the gift shop. All were hand-carved in Bali. They feature Lake Erie and Bass Island designs and are made from stainless steel, leather and shells. We also have shark tooth necklaces and colorful braided bracelets.

The shipment was supposed arrive on Middle Bass by June. And it almost did. The shipment from Bali showed up safely in Cincinnati. But then customs sent it back across the Pacific. The mistake, error or whatever it was caused the shipment to be late. It was supposed to be here at the start of summer.

We're just glad that it's finally here. Due to the lateness of the shipment, all jewelry and keychains are on SALE. More pictures will be included soon.

Shipment of Bass Island Jewelry Arrives

St Hazards Saints and Sinners Beach Bar

2011-07-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Saints and Sinners Beach Bar in July 2011

Oh, to be where there's beach!

The St. Hazards Saints and $inners Beach Bar opens every weekend at 12:00 pm! Our quaint little bar has the feel of a place far away!

Relax among the planted palm trees and potted tropical plants under the shade of an umbrella. Soak in the sun on one of our hammocks. Take a picture with our mysterious statues from the far far south. Or venture into the warm July water.

We play all sorts of interesting and refreshing music that will be sure to put you in the spirit of summer. We serve ice cold beer, wine, rum punch, margaritas and more!

Join us during the day and meet new island friends or in the evening for a bonfire on the beach. Bring your boat to the shore and bring your friends!

4th of July at St. Hazards 2011

2011-07-06T05:58:00.000-07:00

Scott Wright Jams Poolside

Over 4th of July weekend, Middle Bass Island had an exceptional crowd. We enjoyed having so many people join us over the holiday weekend!

Visitors came from all over. From Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and even from Georgia. They spent the holiday weekend relaxing poolside and lounging by tropical plants in the shade near the Tiki Bar.

An island rhythm reggae band, Island Flava, played in between the Tiki Bar and the pool. It was the band's third year at St. Hazards and we look forward to having them back again. Scott Wright, was his usual rocking self and kept the party going strong.

Another popular weekend spot was the Saints and $inners Beach Bar. The beach offers amazing views. At our beach you can see Ballast Island, Lost Ballast, Put-in-Bay and Kelley's Island. You can watch the waves roll in and the various boats that zip or sail across the lake.

St. Hazards Beach

There aren't too many islands you can visit north of the Florida Keys. Middle Bass Island provides a quiet island setting that springs to life every weekend. And holiday weekends are always the best. Especially when there are fireworks over the lake!

Mediterranean Plants on Middle Bass Island

2011-06-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

Taken Memorial Day Weekend

Arundo donax is a fast-growing perennial cane we have here at St. Hazards.

These pictures, taken by owner Ed, show just how fast Arundo donax grows. The first picture was taken Memorial Day Weekend and the second two weeks later.

Taken Two Weeks Later

Also referred to as Giant Cane, the Arundo donax is from the Mediterranean. It's one of the many tropical plants growing at St. Hazards throughout the summer.

The variety of tropical plants adds to the natural beauty of Middle Bass Island, and helps to create a unique island atmosphere you won't find anywhere else.

Middle Bass Island Softball

2011-06-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

The Middle Bass Island Dockers split in their last two games.

Their record is now 3-3 for the season.

Middle Bass lost 14-5 to Blue Marlin Bar and Grille on a wet Wednesday on Put-in-Bay.

The following Sunday on Middle Bass Island, the Dockers defeated The Crew's Nest 6-1.

The Dockers look to rise above .500 tonight at 7:30 pm at Middle Bass field.

Middle Bass Island Volleyball Weekend 2011

2011-06-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

What's more fun than a day long tournament of island volleyball on a perfect sunny day in June?

The following celebration!

As you can tell, these volleyball players sure knew how to make the best of an early summer weekend. A big thanks goes out to Volleyball Associates and to the players who participated in the 11th annual Middle Bass Island Open and its ensuing festivities.

The Tournament

The tournament began 11:00 am and lasted until 7:00 pm. The entire day was gorgeous and filled with sunshine... A perfect day! Minus the sunburn. Please check out this year's winners and coverage of the tournament here: http://volleyballassociates.sports.officelive.com/2011MiddleBassIslandOpenWinners.aspx

The Party

This year's party was especially memorable. Pulp Groove played at the Tiki Bar. The three-piece acoustic cover band from Delaware County, Pennsylvania got the dance floor moving with their seemingly endless list of hits. It was their second year at St. Hazards and we hope to see them again next year. Their official site can be accessed here: http://www.pulpgroove.com/default.html

Volleyball Weekend is one of our favorites at St. Hazards. It's an event that always brings the finest people together on Middle Bass Island. Where celebration and sport combine for one of the best summer parties of the year! We look forward to continuing the island tradition next year for the 12th Annual Middle Bass Island Open!

Middle Bass Island Softball 2011

2011-06-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Middle Bass Island softball team is off to a solid start this year. Through four games the Dockers are 2-2. And they are only one win away from tying last year's win total. Coached and managed by Eddie Sheller and Art Wolf, the Dockers are looking like a sleeper team with play-off potential.

Here is a quick recap of the four games played so far:

Game 1 at Put-in-Bay

Middle Bass vs The Roundhouse Bar
In the season opener at Put-in-Bay, the Dockers unleashed their bats for a total of 20 runs. The three youngest players set the offensive tone as they each had multiple hits. Art Wolf's pitching, combined with strong defensive play, resulted in a big first win for the Dockers.

Middle Bass: 20 The Roundhouse Bar: 9

Game 2 at Middle Bass

Middle Bass vs Blue Marlin Bar and Grille
In the second game of the season the Dockers faced a favored Blue Marlin's squad. Despite the roaring support of Middle Bass Island's amazing fans, the Dockers couldn't put it together and were crushed by 14 runs.

The highlight of the game was when the Blue Marlins pinch hit their bat boy in the 7th inning. Art Wolf handled a hard hit ground ball and faked the throw to first base allowing the bat boy to reach first safely. The crowd on both sides cheered. It was the bat boy's proudest moment--a base hit in an adult league game. And as one fan said about the sportsmanship, "The way it was done might be the best of its kind I've ever seen in any sport."

Middle Bass: 4 Blue Marlin: 18

Game 3 at Middle Bass

Middle Bass vs Beer Barrel Saloon
In this hard-fought game both teams scored inning after inning. But with big hits like Rod Lawrence's two-out, 2 RBI double in the 5th inning, and solid pitching and defense, the Dockers held on. They allowed no runs to cross the plate in the 7th inning and captured the win.

Middle Bass: 10 Beer Barrel Saloon: 8

Game 4 at Middle Bass

Middle Bass vs Heineman's Winery
Although Art Wolf and the defense held Heineman's Winery to only four runs, the Dockers failed to produce at the plate. They left the bases loaded twice. Controversial calls by the umpires about allegedly thrown bats ignited the home crowd into an uproar. But even they could not sway the momentum of the game against one of the league's best defensive teams.

Middle Bass: 2 Heineman's Winery: 4
The Dockers will play Blue Marlin Bar and Grille Wednesday, June 22 at Put-in-Bay. Please join us at the game and support your Middle Bass team! And feel free to join us at St. Hazards after the game!

An Ohio Wedding On The Beach

2011-05-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

St Hazards has been host to several weddings on Middle Bass Island. And this May, we were fortunate to have another nice wedding ceremony right on the water.

This might be the only place on the Erie islands where people have weddings right on the beach!

Hazards can cater the reception, too, if you wish.

And don't forget -- St. Hazards is also the destination of choice for many bachelor and bachelorette parties!

Fishing Limits to Remain the Same for Lake Erie

2011-03-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

The Lake Erie walleye and perch population remained strong enough so that no changes were made in the daily fish catch limit.

The daily limit for walleye will remain at 6 from May 1 until February. Until April 30th the limit is 4 per day.

For yellow perch, the limit is 30 per day all year.

Pictured is Ballast Island as seen from the St. Hazards condos. During the spring and summer season many fishermen try their skills to the southeast of this island.

Free boat launching is available at the state marina on Middle Bass starting in April and docking will start May 1st.

Hazards inspiration is LeSelect in St. Barths

2011-03-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a panoramic view of the outside of the St. Barths bar that inspired the creation of Hazards. It's called LeSelect and it opened in 1949. Seated at the far right is Marius who started it all and will be 88 this June. Marius visited St. Hazards in 2006 and gave us his seal of approval.
There's lots of St. Hazards stuff at LeSelect and lots of LeSelect stuff at Hazards.
It would be great to see them both.

Landing on a small island

2011-03-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here are a few short videos taken recently by St. Hazards owner Ed in St. Barths showing some landings and take-offs of planes from their very small airport. The runway is only 2,133 ft. long and is considered to be the third most dangerous commercial airport in the world.
The Middle Bass Island airport is shorter at 1,852 ft., but does not have a mountain on one end.
St. Hazards was inspired by St. Barths and many of our ideas come from there.

Landing in St. Barths

Beach landing in St. Barths

Mountain landing in St. Barths

Le Select Party in St. Barths

2011-02-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

Our friend Marius had a great party on Saturday at his Le Select bar in St. Barths. A link to the 50 second video is below. As you walk into this 61 year old bar you'll see the St. Hazards flag. Marius can be seen seated in the video and he has been our friend for many years.

Le Select video

Friends of Hazards in St. Barths

2011-02-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

Today Marius Stakelborough was seen wearing his Hazards cap at his bar in St. Barths called LeSelect.

Marius started LeSelect more than 61 years ago and has had everyone from the king of Sweden to David Rockefeller to Jimmy Buffett come by to chat. Jimmy liked it so much he lets them use Cheeseburger in Paradise for the name of the snack bar.

The top photo shows the St. Barths town of Gustavia. LeSelect would be in the top left area of the photo. This was taken by Hazards owner Ed on Feb. 11 as the plane was approaching the airport.

St. Barths is about 1,000 miles southeast of Miami. Lots of friends from St. Barths have visited St. Hazards over the years.

St. Hazards at the Cleveland Boat Show

2011-01-15T05:31:00.000-08:00

The Cleveland Boat show is open until Sunday, Jan. 23rd and St. hazards has an exhibit located very close to the Put-in-Bay area. New this year is a scratch off card contest for all that stop by. All of the free cards have some kind of prize from free docking, gift certificates to discounts on lodging.

Bali Traffic

2011-01-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

While in Bali, Indonesia recently to work on ideas for St. Hazards, a couple of brief videos were made to show how bad traffic is. Bali and Middle Bass have one thing in common: No traffic lights or stop signs. Actually there are a couple of stop signs on Middle Bass.

Traffic is constantly heavy and you need to weave in and out to keep moving. It's chaos all day.
These two short videos were made by St. Hazards owner Ed and uploaded to YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw4bGdp2Ggk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tI8wF42gz4

Where do Tiki Poles Come From?

2010-12-15T06:52:00.000-08:00

Santa does not bring tiki poles down from The North Pole. But they do come from south of the equator in Bali.

The Balinese people have been known for centuries to be expert wood and stone carvers. They make the best wood carvings in the world.

That's why the St. Hazards tiki poles come from Bali. Pictured is the owner of this small shop that is making lots of wood carvings for Hazards and the gift shop right now. Everything is made one at a time - by hand.

The gift shop at Hazards will have the real thing - tiki items from south of the equator where tiki was born.

News from Bali

2010-12-11T16:02:00.000-08:00

These photos were all taken from the central part of Bali in a town called Ubud. This area is known for its' woodcarvers, painters and craftsmen. The photo of the worker in the rice field was taken from the terrace of the hotel, which is built around a working rice field.

It seems that there is some kind of temple every 100 ft. or so because all of the families have their own temple for their compound plus there is one for the neighborhood. Here's a photo of one of thousands like it.

The streets are lined with shop after shop. Many sell the same thing, but of a lower quality. Some make what they sell, but others buy from the market. You really need to know what you are doing here to locate the best quality right from the family that makes the items to get a great price. Fortunately, our friends in St. Barths have made introductions to experts who live in Bali to help us out. The Hazards gift shop will have lots of new things this year.

Greetings From Bali

2010-12-07T01:02:00.000-08:00

Back in 2004 St. Hazards owner Ed made his first trip to Bali, Indonesia and brought back Hazards' Tiki Bar, tiki poles, gazebos, the giant crocodile by the pool and lots of other special items for the gift shop.

Ed is back and this post is sent from Bali, literally half way around the world (13 hour time difference). Bali is just below the equator and above Australia and below Vietnam in very general terms.

The beach photos are from a neat bar on the beach near Kuta, the main tourist town. Hazards will have new ideas as seen in Bali for this season. The other photos are from a small hillside village where many of the craftsmen live and work. And yes, they are making one-of-a-kind things for the gift shop right now.

The Balinese are a very happy, welcoming people that often greet you and welcome you on the street as you walk by. There are very few Americans visiting, so we are an attraction in ourselves. They all wonder about our special accent because most of the English they here is from Australians. They speak the normal way, not us.

Middle Bass Island will have more influence from Bali this season. Stay tuned.

Middle Bass Island Updates

2010-11-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

Lots of progress on Middle Bass Island this fall.

But, through it all the palm trees still stand. The photo of the palm trees on the beach was taken last weekend. All of the smaller ones (14 ft. or less) were moved to a greenhouse for a relaxing winter. The 24 ft. ones on the beach were too big too store.

The marina bath house is almost finished and will be ready for next season.

Just to the east is the new Middle Bass Island Yacht Club building

And the new building at the Sonny S dock is almost complete. It will offer complete protection for travelers in all weather.

Finally, the last photo is of the sunrise as seen from the St. Hazards condos last weekend. The fall weather is always great on Middle Bass Island.

Hazards at St. Barths' LeSelect

2010-11-21T15:45:00.000-08:00

Hazards owner Ed is pictured next to the Hazards sticker at the order window of LeSelect and with owner Marius. The other 2 photos are of the inside and outside of LeSelect.

LeSelect was started 61 years ago and inspired Hazards.

St. Barths Friends Visit St. Hazards

2010-11-21T15:35:00.001-08:00

We have made many great friends in St. Barths and some have been able to visit St. Hazards.

In the bottom photo is LeSelect owner Marius with Jeff from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Marius' son Eddy and Tom and Joyce from the Detroit area. All but Eddy have visited St. Hazards.

The middle picture has our good friends Jim and Dianne from Pittsburgh. The were at St. Hazards their second time this summer.

Tom and Joyce from the Detroit area are in the top photo with Marius. They chartered a sailboat from Sandusky to make their second visit to St. Hazards this summer.

St. Barths inspires St. Hazards, so it's great to have visitors to both.

St. Hazards Helps Celebrate the 61st Anniversary of LeSelect in St. Barths

2010-11-17T17:23:00.000-08:00

Sixty-one years ago Marius Stakelborough started the first bar/restaurant/library/rental place and anything else you need in St. Barths.
On Nov. 11th, St. Hazards owner Ed was there to help celebrate. Pictured is Ed and Marius. The other photo is of long time LeSelect bar tender Francis next to the Hazards sticker on the order window.
Marius visited St. Hazards in 2006 and is now 87 yrs. old. Many of his friends met in St. Barths also have made it to Hazards over the years. And LeSelect is the inspiration for Hazards.

St. Hazards to St. Barths

2010-10-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

St. Barths is the inspiration for St. hazards and is about 2,000 miles away in the Caribbean. The writer of this blog is back in St. Barths and was lucky to shoot a video of the landing at the St. Barths airport. The airstrip in St. Barths is about as long as the one on Middle Bass, about 1,600 ft. But, the one in St. Barths has a mountain one one side and a beach on the other. Check out this link for the landing video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9tSKXOT2QA

Pictures is the plane that made this landing - a Cessna Caravan.

Middle Bass Great Pumpkins

2010-10-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

These are the largest pumpkins grown on Middle Bass this year. One is about 255 lbs. Carrie Schneider is the proud mother of the 2010 crop.

New Sonny S Dock and Shelter Underway

2010-10-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Visitors next season will enjoy a new Sonny S dock and a modern structure for shelter. We're told that federal stimulus money made this "break wall ready" project possible. The new dock is in the same location as before, just bigger and better.

Middle Bass Yacht Club Building Under Way

2010-10-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Middle Bass Island Yacht Club, with over 700 members, will have their new club house ready for next year. It's located at the southeast corner of the state marina at the end of their docks. We were told that the Middle Bass Island Yacht Club has more members than any other yacht club in Ohio.

Marina restrooms a Go

2010-10-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

The new state park marina restroom arrived in 4 pieces and all were quickly installed on their large foundation. Next a deck will wrap around it all. This restroom is on the southeast corner of the marina.

Hazards Party for Islanders

2010-10-11T16:47:00.001-07:00

A many year tradition continued on October 9th with a special party for all of our friends on Middle Bass Island. Special thanks to Linda and Carrie for planning everything and being our guest bartenders for the night. The food the guys cooked up was extra special because they combined all kinds of items in new ways. Now Hazards has new ideas for the 2011 menu.

Thanks to our Middle Bass Island friends for a great year!

Margaritaville and UB40 in Las Vegas

2010-09-25T17:50:00.000-07:00

Ed, Hazards' owner, was in Las Vegas this week to attend seminars on the new reservation software St. Hazards will be using to make online reservations very efficient. It's a very sophisticated system that should make visiting St. Hazards easier.

While there, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville had to be visited. This year Hazards had real palm trees inside, but it seems Jimmy uses the fake ones. And his $10 margaritas are about twice the Hazards' price.

Down the street at Mandalay Bay, UB40 had a one night concert at the beach bar. UB40 is one of Hazards' favorites with recordings like "Red Red Wine", "Kingston Town", Cherry Oh Baby" and Can't Help Falling in Love". They were formed in 1978 in England, just one year after "Margaritaville" was recorded by our other favorite.

What happens in Vegas... gets to Middle Bass!

Driving From the Beach Bar - Into the Lake

2010-09-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

Save 50% on all rentals in September.

Saints & Sinners Beach Bar opened this year and brought in visitors that arrived by boat or ferry. Only 2 guys from Michigan arrived by car. The "drove" over from Put-in-Bay and ended up at the only beach bar on the islands. Here they are going back to Put-in-Bay.

Save 50% on All Rentals in September

2010-09-07T20:19:00.001-07:00

Everything is 50% off in September, including the water front condos. Just stay at least 2 nights to get this discount. Call St. Hazards at 800-837-5211 for your deal. The office is open part time now, so leave a message.

The Sonny S will continue to run all weekends in September. Pictured is the start of the demolition and then construction of the new Sonny S dock. Stimulus money from Washington is making this happen. The Sonny S is running on weekends only in September.

International Crew Makes St. Hazards a Special Destination

2010-09-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

Save 50% on all rentals in September.

This year St. Hazards and Hazards had some great kids from all over the world. Pictured are students from Jamaica, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Macedonia and Eric from Pennsylvania and Shuttle Driver Randy from Ohio.

This is the third year at Hazards for Nelly from Bulgaria and the forth year for Natasha from Jamaica. Second year for Eric and Randy. Nelly managed the kitchen operations to create the best meals we have ever had.

We hope all return next year.

Thank you for your great work.

Keno & the Ohio Lottery at Hazards

2010-07-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

There's only one place to play Keno and the Ohio Lottery on Middle Bass Island, and that's at Hazards. There's never a line to get your Keno ticket because Hazards has an automatic vending type machine for Keno plus tickets from the bar tenders. Pictured is villa owner Don who won several hundred dollars playing Keno at Hazards.

Pool Party at Hazards

2010-07-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hazards hosts a Pool Party every Saturday afternoon during the season. And because Hazards has the only pool open to visitors on the island, there's always a good crowd - of all ages.

Live entertainment, a free corn hole tournament, the authentic tiki bar and good Island Fun are all part of the Pool Party. Plus the best menu and food on the island - maybe all of the islands.

New Wi-Fi System at St. Hazards

2010-07-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

For the first time, all of St. Hazards is covered by the new Wi-Fi system. A 160 ft. tower has been completed and now everything from the condos to the RV sites has Wi-Fi access. This service is offered for free to those who rent from St. Hazards. A daily charge applies to all other renters.

June 26, 2010 - A Special Day at St. Hazards

2010-06-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

June 25th was the first Saturday of summer and it was one of the best days ever at St. Hazards. Our wi-fi tower was capped off at 160 ft., a pig roast fed more than 100, soccer fans watched the USA team play on our big screen TV, the Pool Party had Island Fun for all ages, the Huron Lagoons Marina had a boating outing at Hazards and ... a wedding!
Hazards is a big place and we were happy to take care of all of our guests.
A great day at St. Hazards.

Wi-Fi Tower Under Construction at St. Hazards

2010-06-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

An entirely new Wi-Fi internet system for St. Hazards is now under construction. It's expected to be working by the second week of July. Those who rent directly from St. Hazards will have free Wi-Fi service. Currently Wi-Fi is available at Hazards.

Biggest Volleyball Tournament Ever on Middle Bass

2010-06-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

Almost 60 teams played in the Middle Bass Island Open Volleyball Tournament on June 12th. It was a three days of Island Fun starting with a welcome party on Friday, volleyball on Saturday and live Reggae music at night followed by relaxing at the Hazards pool on Sunday.

There will be one more big volleyball tournament Labor Day weekend. Lodging specials will include 3 days for the price of 2 and other early bird discounts at St. Hazards. Call 800-837-5211 for reservations.

Giant Palm Trees on Middle Bass Island

2010-06-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

The biggest, best and the most real live palm trees to have been shipped to any of the Lake Erie islands arrived on Middle Bass Island this past Saturday, June 5th.

The destination was St. Hazards Village on the Beach and what a beach it now is. Most of the largest trees were planted on the St. Hazards beach after their two day trip from Florida. Next to the palm trees is a pavilion that was built in Bali, Indonisia and then disassembled and shipped to St. Hazards.

Hazards pool also received a few of these trees, some of which are more than 20 ft. tall.

Here's before and after photos taken just two days apart.

More Big News about the beach coming very soon.

Jimmy Buffett LeSelect St. Barths Banner at Hazards

2010-05-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Marius Stakelborough celebrated the 60th anniversary of starting his LeSelect bar/library/music store/taxi and everything else needed in St. Barth in the Caribbean last November.

Hazards owner Ed was there - and for the 50th - as were people from all over the world. Including Jimmy Buffett who with his Coral Reefer Band put on a great show for all.

The big banner that greeted visitors to LeSelect was stretched tree to tree on the main island road. At the end of the week long party, Marius gave this banner to Ed so that it could be displayed at Hazards. Hazards was inspired by LeSelect and St. Barths and Marius visited back in 2006 and gave his seal of approval.

Now this same banner hangs on the ceiling of Hazards as our sign of friendship across the 2,000 miles that separates us - but not in spirit.

Everything at Hazards is authentic and has a story.

First Brew of 2010 at Hazards

2010-05-17T18:39:00.001-07:00

Hazards is the only microbrewery on Middle Bass Island that makes its' beer right on the island. Our first batch was started this week and will be ready by Memorial Day Weekend. It's a light ale with natural lemon and other special spices.
Clint our master brewer also made some root beer that we'll have available on tab.
The Hazards lemon ale will be called Sassy Summer Blond Ale.
This will be our best beer ever.

Glacial Grooving at St. Hazards

2010-05-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Lake Erie Islands were formed by the retreating glaciers between 7,000 to 10,000 years ago. This past weekend strong winds blew out the water in front of the St. Hazards shoreline to expose the grooves these glaciers caused.

Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass are mostly solid limestone rock below sometimes only a few inches of soil. These conditions made it an ideal place to grow grapes to make wine, but not so good to install water and sewer lines.

If the wind is blowing hard from the west, go down to the waterfront and you'll see what happened thousands of years ago.

Hazards is Open for the Season

2010-05-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Hazards opened for the season in April with a special party for the Excelsior Mens Society from Heidelberg College. Featured was the first tie ever worn at Hazards.
Usually it's no shirt, no shoes, no problem.
Hazards is now open on weekends.
The Middle Bass marina also is open.

Veteran Crew Members Return

2010-04-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Amy and Liz returned last weekend to help organize the Hazards bar. Both will help with bar tending and wait staff service this season.

Say hello when you see them at Hazards. A May 7th opening is planned.

New wi-fi System Under Construction at St. Hazards

2010-04-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

A $300,000 investment is now being made to create a new wi-fi internet system with other communication services at St. Hazards. It's expected to be working by the end of May and will provide good internet connections throughout St. Hazards.

Guests who rent directly from St. Hazards will have free access. A daily fee will apply for others.

Middle Bass Island does not have DSL or cable internet connections right now. This will finally bring high quality internet service to the island.

Pictured is the foundation for the tower that will have almost 70 cubic yards of concrete. This tower will connect to another tower in Port Clinton.

Norm! (from Cheers)

2010-04-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

Hazards owner Ed met George Wendt who played Norm on Cheers in Chicago last weekend. George asked a lot of questions about St. Hazards and wrote "Can't wait to come!" He has a standing invitation to visit.
Chicago was the location of the annual Brewers Association Craft Beer show and awards. Hazards is the only operating microbrewery on Middle Bass Island that actually makes beer on-site. We are planning beer improvements for this season, so that's why Hazards joined the Brewers Association.
More on the beer front soon.

Middle Bass Island & Lake Erie Fishing Forecast for 2010

2010-03-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Lake Erie is the largest freshwater commercial fishery in the world. Of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie has just 2% of the total water, but 50% of the fish. This means that Lake Erie has more fish for human consumption than all the four other Great Lakes combined.

The Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (LEL) recently concluded that 2010 will be a good year for walleye fishing. That's because the 2007 class of walleye was better than expected. As a result, fisherman have a summer bag limit of six walleye and a spring spawning season limit of four between March 1 and April 30th.

More than 1 million walleye are expected to be caught by Ohio sport fishermen this year. The LEL gives Ohio fisherman a 1,124,000 quota of walleye for this year.

2003 was the record walleye hatch and those fish will be from 20 to 28 inches this year.

Yellow perch fishing is also expected to rise by more than 9% to more than 13 million pounds. Ohio sport fishermen are expected to catch alomost 3 million pounds of this Lake Erie total. Commercial fishing from Ontario Canada are expected to get almost 6 million pounds.

The Middle Bass marina is scheduled to open May 1 and has free boat launching before then and throughout the season.

Air Force One at the Cleveland Boat Show

2010-01-23T11:51:00.001-08:00

St. Hazards has a booth at the Cleveland Boat Show until Sunday, Jan. 24th. On Friday, Air Force One was parked next to the IX Center while the show was going on.

We did not have anyone from the plane at the booth, but our special friends from Toledo stopped by. Pictured are John & Bridget with Ed from St. Hazards. In November all three were in St. Barths for the 60th Anniversary celebration written about previously. We look forward to their next visit to Middle Bass.

Coral Reefer Band members Peter Mayer & Jim Mayor play in St. Barths

2009-12-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Coral Reefer Band members Peter Mayer and Jim Mayer stopped in to play a few songs at the BAZ bar in St. Barths. Jimmy Buffett and the band had just put on a great show to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of LeSelect. Thanks for lots of great music.

How Does Jimmy Buffett Leave a Concert?

2009-11-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

In St. Barths, Jimmy leaves the show he just put on by boat. With the band, of course. The boat was waiting right next to stage on the harbor in Gustavia.

Jimmy Buffett Concert Photos

2009-11-28T16:19:00.000-08:00

Here are more photos from the St. Barths concert Jimmy put on for our friends 60th anniversary celebration.

Jimmy Buffett videos from St. Barths

2009-11-28T15:50:00.000-08:00

Here are a few videos that St. Hazards owner Ed took of Jimmy in St. Barths for the LeSelect 60th anniversary celebration. One ends early because the memory card filled up. Several thousand photos were taken over a three week period. More photos to come.

Marius introduces Jimmy Buffett at the St. Barts concert

Jimmy Buffett in St. Barts giving us Ceeseburger in Paradise

Jimmy Buffett concert in St. Barts for the LeSelect 60th Anniversary

Jimmy Buffett in St. Barts to celebrate LeSelect's 60th anniversary

Jimmy Buffett at BAZ bar in St. Barts for LeSelect's 60th Anniversary

Jimmy Buffett at Le Select on Sunday

2009-11-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

The owner of Le Select in St. Barths, Marius Stakelborough, finished his three day celebration of his 60th anniversary in grand style on Sunday. His good friend Jimmy Buffett stopped by to shoot the champagne cork at a bee that hangs over the bar - a very long tradition at Le Select.
A nice friend took a picture of me next to Marius and Jimmy in the background.
Back in February Marius was very kind to let me hang the St. Hazards flag at Le Select. And here's a great photo of Jimmy near the flag.
Jimmy was most graciuos and spent lots of time with his fans. We all thank him for that.
Amazingly, Marius is now 86 yrs. old and partied for the three days with extra high energy.
More photos to come from this great weekend.

Jimmy Buffett Show in St. Barths

2009-11-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

The big Jimmy Buffett show with the Coral Reefer Band to celebrate the 60th anniversary of LeSelect went on yesterday, Saturday, onthe harbor. My very good friend Marius, the one who started LeSelect 60 years ago granted me access to take some fantastic photos of this concert. Too many to post all at once, but here are a few to get started.
Jimmy put on a two hour concert that had all of the favorites and some new songs. And all for his friend Marius.
More to come.

Jimmy Buffett at the St. Barths party for LeSelect

2009-11-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

Our very good friend Marius Stakelborough and his extended family are celebrating the 60th anniversary of starting his very special bar & cheeseburger place this weekend. It's called LeSelect and St. Hazards builder Ed is there for the party. St. Hazards was inspired by LeSelect and St. Barths.
One of Marius' good friends is Jimmy Buffett. He and the Coral Reefer Band will be putting on a free concert for Marius this Saturday. Here are a few photos from a surprise visit to the BAZ bar in St. Barths on Thursday that Ed was at.
Jimmy Buffett is very generous with his time to meet his fans and is one of the locals on St. Barth. He has lived here on and off for many years.
More photos to come.
A video of a few songs will also be posted.

Islander Party at Hazards

2009-10-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

Hazards Microbrewery had its' annual end of season party for the islanders this past weekend and there was a record turn out. Carrie Schneider was Hazards first celebrity bartender and handled the crowd well. We hope she's back next season.
Martin, Linda and neighbors cooked up almost two dozen pizzas and baskets of appetizers.
Thanks to all for a great party and summer this year.

World's Biggest Pumpkin - On Middle Bass

2009-10-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

Tne biggest pumpkin ever grown on Middle Bass Island was on display this past weekend. It came in at 484 lbs and was grown by Carrie Schneider. Possible plans for it include carving it out and making it into a summer rental.

Jimmy Buffett to celebrate our friend's 60th anniversary in St. Barths.

2009-10-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Back in 1949, 60 years ago, our goof friend Marius Stakelborough started a small bar in St. Barths called LeSelect. It's become one of the most popular and well-known bars in the Caribbean. Marius has also become good friends with us at St. Hazards and even made the 2,000 mile journey to visit in 2006.

The big party to celebrate the 60th will be Nov. 6, 7 and 8th. Jimmy Bufett and Marius also have become good friends since Jimmy lived on St. Barths many years ago. He's even bringing his entire Coral Reefer Band to put on a free concert as part of the party. Here's the first look at the poster for this concert plus a few photos of LeSelect. The photo of Jimmy was taken at one of the beaches on St. Barths. You can see the St. Hazards flag on the inside view of LeSelect.

We hope to post photos from the big party in November.

Sunrise at St. Hazards

2009-09-03T04:44:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken looking towards Ballast Island from the St. Hazards condos. All of the condos have a balcony that faces the water, so all have this same view.

St. Barths' LeSelect Celebrates 60th anniversarry

2009-08-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

Back in 1949, Marius Stackelborough started the first real business on St. Barths and called it LeSelect.

LeSelect was a a bar, restaurant, bookstore, music shop and the gathering place on this small island about 1,000 miles southeast of Miami.

The King of Sweden, the Rockefeller family, Jimmy Buffett and thousands of others all have spent quality time at this unique Caribbean hangout.

And back in 1995, the developer of St. Hazards stopped by and was forever changed by this very special place. So much so that St. Hazards was created and inspired by what Marius created.

One of our greatest moments was when Marius made a special visit to St. Hazards in 2006.
Pictured here are four special friends that developer Ed (in the middle with Jeff and Kitty on the left and Bridget and John on the right) met in St. Barths and have made several visits since then to Middle Bass Island.

A big party for the 60th is expected in early November with Jimmy Buffett present. We hope to have some good pictures from that party.

Middle Bass Volleyball and Cornhole Tournament

2009-08-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

St. Hazards was host to another volleyball tournament this year. This one also had a cornhole competition and was held on the St. Hazards lakefront property. Plans are underway for another tournament next June and August, so keep checking in for details. These events are always more than good volleyball, but also about great Island Fun.

200 ft. Yacht at Middle Bass Island

2009-08-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

One of the largest yachts to visit the U.S. Erie Islands was off the coast of Middle Bass Island recently. The yacht, which is almost 200 ft. long, is registered in the Cayman Islands (in the Caribbean south of Cuba) is shown here by Middle Bass Island and near Put-in-Bay.
The Middle Bass marina is open to all boaters who are on a budget because daily rates are only $15 and overnight rates are $1.25 per foot.
Call 419-285-6121 and the Hazards shuttle will get you from the marina to Hazards for $1.

Engagement at Hazards

2009-08-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday Jose and Pamela became engaged to be married with a proposal right at the bar just minutes before their ferry left for home. Pamela had been to Hazards many years before, but this was the first ever visit for Jose, who is from California. Here are the pictures right as the proposal happened.
All of us congratulate this great couple and wish them the best in their new life together.

Middle Bass Marina is Open!

2009-07-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

After more than a year of construction, the Middle Bass Marina opens today, July 1st.

The marina is right next to St. Hazards and Hazards microbrewery. Stay until 7 PM and the boat slip is only $15 regardless of size. Overnight rates are $1.25 per ft. Reservations are accepted until Thursday for the weekend ahead.

After that it's first come, first served. More than 100 slips are available to rent. Boat launching is free.

You can call St. Hazards to reserve your slip at 419-285-6121. A minimum $30 deposit is required.

Hazards Microbrewery Beer

2009-06-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hazards has a new brew master this year.

His name is Clint McLaughlin and he is also the assistant brewer at the Maumee Bay Brewing Co. in Toledo.

Pictured here is Clint making a batch of German style ale called Colsch. It's brewered like a lager and has a clean peachy flavor.

Hazards is the biggest microbrewery on Middle Bass and the only one where you can see the brewery equipment from the bar.

Hazards Microbrewery beer is paired well with the lobster macaroni and cheese or a fish sandwich.

Great Lakes, Sam Adams, Lienie's Sunset Wheat and Bud Light are also on draft. And there's also daily draft beer specials starting at $2.

Hazards is known for its' good food at affordable prices. Now you'll need to try out the beer made right here on Middle Bass Island.

Hazards Open for 2009 Season

2009-05-27T18:08:00.001-07:00

Hazards opened for the 2009 season and the first pizza was served. Don and Sandy, 10 year residents at St. Hazards, were the first official pizza customers.

Memorial Weekend was our busiest in two years, so a fun year is expected.

The full Hazards entertainment schedule starts in June.

We had computer problems with updates, but all is fixed and expect frequent ones now.

Docks are Installed at the Middle Bass Marina

2009-04-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

The marina basin was completed last year and now the first docks have been installed. Construction crews are on Middle Bass this spring to finish the docks so that the first boats can arrive by the June 1st completion date.
Keep checking this blog for the latest marina information.

Middle Bass Marina Before and After

2009-04-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo we took about seven years ago of the Middle Bass marina and one taken last week. You can see the entire middle area has been removed and the entrance is now to the north of the old channel (part of the old channel is still visible). Back then the St. Hazards condos were still under construction.

The floating docks are scheduled to start arriving the week of April 13th.

Latest Aerial Photos of the New Marina

2009-04-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to pilot Terry Kelly from Sandusky, we were able to take some new photos of the Middle Bass marina. These photos were taken on April 2 before the construction crews were back on the island. A barge with the docks is to arrive the week of April 6th to start that installation. Work on the water, sewer and electric lines should also start then.

First Scheduled Miller Ferry of 2009 arrives

2009-03-30T16:46:00.001-07:00

Friday March 27th marked the first scheduled arrival of the Miller Ferry to Middle Bass Island. The first crew members of St. Hazards also arrived to start the long spring cleaning process that will take more than a month. Next week work on the new marina will also resume. It's still scheduled to open by June.

Also seen on Friday was Captain Stan's school boat (the white one in the photo) going to Put-in-Bay to pick up the kids from school and a barge working for Ohio Edison to make improvements to the electric service. Middle Bass Island gets its' electricity by an underwater cable from Put-in-Bay.

St. Hazards Flag Flown in St. Barths

2009-03-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Back in 1997 the inspiration for St. Hazards came from a visit to St. Barths in the Caribbean.

St. Barths is near St. Martin and about 2,000 miles south east of Middle Bass.
A small bar there called LeSelect was the specific model that the atmosphere of Hazards has followed.

Ed, the guy who built St. Hazards, has returned to St. Barths about 20 times since then to visit his special friend Marius Stakelborough and many others who are drawn to this special place. Marius is now 85 years old and will celebrate his 60th anniversary of starting LeSelect this Novemebr. He's in the picture with Ed and his son Gary, who now runs the place.

We are very proud to have our St. Hazards flag fly in one of the oldest and most authentic (and friendly) places in all of the Caribbean.

And best of all, Marius came to visit St. Hazards back in 2006. He gave us his seal of approval.

WHen you visit Hazards, you will see lots of photos and other items from St. Barths and LeSelect. Including pictures of Marius' friend, Jimmy Buffett. Jimmy is expected to be at the LeSelect 60th anniversary party in Novemeber.

Middle Bass Marina Seasonal Docks are Available

2009-03-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

About half of the seasonal docks at the new State of Ohio marina have been reserved. There are still more than 30 left to lease by the season. The rates are posted in a previous post, so scroll down to get that info.
For more information on seasonal docks, call the marina office at 419-797-4530.

Middle Bass Marina Update

2009-03-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest information that the State Park has released regarding the new Middle Bass Marina.

* Lottery: An Update for those that have been following this
program
We had 35 applications received by the deadline of February 25,
2009, 5:00PM at the Catawba State Park Office. We have a total of 70
slips that were set aside for the seasonal dock lottery.
The drawing will be conducted at the Catawba State Park office
on March 5, 2009, 6:00 PM

* Spring 2009 Construction Plans:
It is hoped that by the end of March we will again be on the
island with construction continuing.

* Construction on the Water Tower and lines will continue

* The Electric infrastructure will be built out.

* New Roadways will be further planned and temporary roads will be
used.

* There are to be some finishing touches to the marina basin,
including 2 pipe piles and some rock in the channel to be cleared out.

* Docks are currently scheduled to be completed for public use the
beginning of June.

2009-01-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest information from the State of Ohio regarding the marina construction schedule. It seems that docking will be available by June 1, 2009, but electric and water connections will not be completed until later in the summer.

The picture to the right is of the moon rising as seen from the St. Hazards condos this past summer. This is the same view you would see at the new marina entrance. Our moon offers spectacular views like this throughout the summer.

Marina Basin:

* The marina basin has been re-watered as of this past November, 2008.

* Major "in-water" work within the basin is completed with the exception of dock installation and vegetative bed shallow plantings.

* There is to be some final bottom depth grading at the entrance area.

Access Roads & Parking Spring 2009:

* Roadways will be established this spring, 2009.

* The New Ramp is usable now, but remains closed until after the improvements can be finished. The current road access will be refined further, along with the designated parking area. Both these will be usable as soon as the area is established.

* Temporary Electric - Safety Lighting.

* A more permanent road along with electric, water & sewer is to be established along the south side of the marina basin later this summer

Water Sewer & Electric:

* The water & sewer lines will be trenched in coming from the Burgundy Bay Association property this summer.

* Permanent electric lines will be trenched in during the summer.

* The elevated water tank, which was started this past fall will be finished this spring.

* This summer, 2009, our restroom facilities will consist of Port - a - Jons as our construction schedule does not have our water & sewer available until the end of the summer.

Docks:

* Docks are being constructed this winter, 2008 - 2009. And will be installed this late spring 2009. Anticipated Available for use starting the beginning of June, 2009.

* The Middle Bass Island Yacht Club will be purchasing their own docks as allowed by their lease agreement with the state. They will be constructing them using the same contractor the state is using. These docks will be installed shortly after the state's docks are installed.

* The docks will not have electric or water service available until late in the season, possibly after Labor Day.

* The docks that will be along the West end of the basin will designated mostly for seasonal lottery dockage

Middle Bass Dock Rates Set

2009-01-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest information about the Middle Bass Marina as sent by the State of Ohio. Pictured is the marina entrance and the St. Hazards condos.

Dock Lottery:

There will be a dock lottery for those desiring to have a Seasonal Dock. This up-date is not intended to give every detail regarding the lottery, but an over view. Specific forms, stipulations, rules and instructions will be made available in the near future on the ODNR, Middle Bass Island State Park Web Site as well as by mail or fax. I will provide another update note when these forms are available.
* A Seasonal Dock is defined as a dock that is paid for by a person who wants to have personal use of the dock for his /her boat only, for the entire season.

* The Dock Lottery will be structured to include 2 tiers of applicants. They will be defined as Year Round Island Resident and The General Dock Lottery - all others.

* For the "Year Round Island Resident" Lottery, we will accept lottery applications for this lottery only from those people who can prove they are truly a "Year Round, Island Resident". A "Year Round, Island Resident" is defined as a person who is registered with the county auditor for the Ottawa County 2 ½ Primary Residence Roll-Back Property Tax applied to their residence on Middle Bass Island, or has a notarized statement declaring they are a year round resident, who resides on Middle Bass Island as their principal place of residence year round. This signed and notarized statement must be an "original" and accompany the application when submitted. If the statement is found to be false, the applicant will be subject to prosecution, and forfeiture of any and all docking privileges at Middle Bass Island State Park.

* The General Dock Lottery Applicants will be required to submit an application as well. Any "Year Round Island Resident" is also allowed to submit a "General Dock Lottery" application. If they are drawn in the Year Round Island Resident Lottery, their application in the General Lottery will be null and void.

* Applications will be available at the Ohio State Park Middle Bass Island State Park web site www.OhioStateParks.org or by mail. Send your request with a return self addressed and postage paid stamped envelope to Lake Erie Island State Park, 4049 E. Moores Dock Road, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452. An Application will be mailed. All applications shall have an original signature of the applicant when submitted.

* Only one application will be accepted per family and household address for the lottery you are eligible for.

Dock Rates:

For the Summer of 2009 the rates will be as follows

* Transient Docks Non - Electric
* Day Dockage $15.00. 10AM - 7PM or any portion thereof.

* Overnight Dockage $1.25/ boat foot, $30.00 minimum whichever is greater.

* Transient Docks With Electric (NOTE - as mentioned earlier electric is not anticipated to be available until the end of 2009 boating season)

* Day Dockage $20.00. 10AM - 7PM or any portion thereof.

* Overnight Dockage. $1.45/ boat foot, $30.00 minimum whichever is greater.

* Seasonal Docks
2009 2010 2011
26' * $780 26' $1040 26' $1300
28' 840 28' 1120 28' 1400
30' * 900 30' 1200 30' 1500
32' 960 32' 1280 32' 1600
34' * 1020 34' 1360 34' 1700
36' 1080 36' 1440 36' 1800
40' 1200 40' 1600 40' 2000
44' 1320 44' 1760 44' 2200
48' 1440 48' 1920 48' 2400
52' 1560 52' 2470 52' 2990

* * Denotes there is only one dock slip with this length.
* The length of the dock cannot be shorter than the overall boat length. This includes the swim platform, bow pulpits, etc.

St. Hazards at the Cleveland Boat Show

2009-01-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

The Cleveland Boat Show opens Friday Jan. 16th and runs until Sunday Jan. 25th. It's at the IX Center by the Cleveland airport. St. Hazards will have booth #99 at the show with the latest information about the new Middle Bass marina. Free discount cards for your visit to Middle Bass will also be passed out. Stop by and make sure you get one for yourself.

Here's a photo from last summer to remind us that we're only a few months away from opening time again.

Marina Daily Docking Rates Are Set

2008-12-13T12:41:00.000-08:00

The State of Ohio has set the daily docking rates at the new Middle Bass marina. Because electricity will not be available until later during the summer of 2009, these rates are all without electric hook-ups.
The daily rate with departure at 7PM is a flat $15. No reservations, just first come, first served.
The overnight rate with departure the next morning at 10 AM is $1.25 per ft. Reservations can be made later at 419-797-4530.
The marina is still expected to open around June 1, 2009.
Boat launching will be free. Stay at St. Hazards and store your boat for free also.
More rate info to come as we get it.

Middle Bass Marina is Filled

2008-11-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

The new great inner harbor on Middle Bass Island is now filled with water. The State of Ohio plans to open the marina in June of 2009. The floating docks will be in, but the electric and water connections will not be in place until later in the summer. Rental rates are not yet set for docking. Check this site in January for more information. If you stay at St. Hazards, you'll get both boat launching and boat storage for free during your visit. The boat launching area is right next to St. Hazards.
In 2009, Middle Bass will offer the best boating value on the Lake Erie Islands.

Rescue on the lake

2008-10-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

The Miller Ferry has provided safe and reliable service to the Lake Erie Islands for more than 100 years. For what may be the first time ever, one of the ferry boats had to tow off another ferry boat from a submerged reef to the southeast of Put-in-Bay. The ferry boat was fully loaded with construction materials for Middle Bass and the lake was at low levels because of strong winds from the west. The captain of the towing ferry expertly towed the other ferry back to the dock at Put-in-Bay without any further problems. The cargo was then transferred to another ferry to make it to Middle Bass.

Take a 360 Degree Tour of the Marina Work

2008-10-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

Click this link to see a 360 degree tour of the marina work. There's a selection of views on the top right of the page.

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOUR

Pilings for the Docks Installed at the Middle Bass Marina

2008-10-25T15:55:00.001-07:00

This week much of the piling work that will support the floating docks was installed at the marina. When filled, it looks like the cement truck in the photo would be under water. This will be one of the deepest marinas in the region.

State Marina Boat Launching Ramp in Place

2008-10-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

The cement was poured for the new boat launching ramp at the State of Ohio marina that will be handle to handle two boats at once. The entrance to marina is also being dug out now and may be up to 14 ft. deep. This new entrance will be to the north of the original Lonz marina entrance and right next to the St. Hazards condo building. Most of the basin has been excavated and water will be brought in during the next few weeks.

Marina Cement Work Begins

2008-10-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

The cement work to put in the 30 ft. wide boat launching ramp is well underway and will be finished this month. This ramp will be wide enough to launch two boats at a time and is designed to be usable at all lake levels. It's anticipated that there will be no charge to use the ramp.

The depth of the marina can be appreciated when you see how much below ground level the equipment is.

Sidewalks that seem to go on for a half mile or more are also now being installed to the docks and Lake Erie break wall. The pilings for the floating docks will also be in place this month.

Most of the excavation work for the marina is complete and it is anticipated that the basin will be filled within three weeks. The floating docks will not be installed until next year.

The State of Ohio has still not released a construction schedule or completion date. Dock rates have also not been released. We are not sure of the official name or phone number for reservations.

Our guess is that the marina will open next spring without the electric and water utilities installed.

Action on Middle Bass

2008-09-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

The last Cornhole Tournament of the season took place with almost 20 teams participating. All of the free to enter tournaments were on Saturday afternoons and quickly became a popular addition to the Pool Party Fun.

The international staff at St. Hazards has all gone back to Jamaica, Bulgaria and Russia to continue their education. We thank them for their hard work this season.

Construction on the State of Ohio's new marina continues. The photo with the barge was taken from the third floor of the St. Hazards condo building. You can see how close the marina will be to St. Hazards.

Middle Bass Marina Gets Dug In

2008-08-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

Long workweeks and great weather resulted in great progress on the new State of Ohio marina project on Middle Bass Island. As much as 11,000 gallons of diesel fuel were used in just one week to keep all of the equipment running. That's as many as two of the tanker trucks pictured each week.

The goal is to have water in the marina basin before November of this year. We'll keep you informed of progress on the possibly the largest marina project being constructed on the Great Lakes.

Volleyball/Cornhole weekend at St. Hazards

2008-08-26T18:32:00.000-07:00

The most successful August volleyball weekend at St. Hazards took place between August 22-24th.
More teams played than last year and for the first time a Cornhole Tournament was added. There were parties Friday and the famous Hazards Pool Party on Saturday.

Jonah Koslen, formerly of CLeveland's Michael Stanley Band, provided much of the entertainment and is a regular at Hazards.

The next tournament is scheduled for June. It's one event you do not want to miss.

St. Hazards Condo Moon

2008-08-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

Not a sunset, but a moon rise!

This photo was taken a few days ago from the third floor of the St. Hazards condo building. During the summer months, the moon is often rising right in front of the building. The moonshine lasts for hours as the moon slowly moves over the building.

All of the condos have direct waterfront views like this that make for some of the best lake views you will ever find. The third floor is the tallest place you can stay on the islands and the condo building is the closest structure built to the lake that you can stay in. A very remarkable place.

Middle Bass Marina Fully Underway

2008-08-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

The State of Ohio Marina project on Middle Bass Island is probably the largest single project in the past 50 years on the U.S. Erie Islands.

After spending about $10 million to acquire the land for the new state park, more than $12 million is being spent on the first part of the marina project. Eventually there will be more than 300 boat slips and a free boat launching ramp for visitors.

The first phase of the marina, which is directly next to St. Hazards, is planned to open next year.
These photos show the excavation that will result in about 10 feet of water to accommodate all kinds of power and sail boats.

For now, anchoring in front of the St. Hazards condos and beach is permitted. It's a short walk to Hazards from the beach.

Saturday Pool Party

2008-08-04T20:45:00.000-07:00

There's live entertainment every Saturday at Hazards. And every Saturday afternoon during the season there's a Pool Party. Here's a few scenes from the Island Fun on August 2nd. Ohio's best Tiki Bar, a pool, live island music, good food and new friends are what we call Island Fun.

Saturday Cornhole Tournament at Hazards

2008-08-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday at 1:30 Hazards sponsors a Cornhole Tournament that free to enter. The winners get $50 in prizes and T-Shirts go to the second place finishers. It's always great fun because the Pool Party with live music is going on at the same time. This week's winners celebrate with Hazard's famous Island Cooler Bucket.

State of Ohio Marina Construction Underway

2008-07-24T05:16:00.000-07:00

Full time work on the construction ofthe State of Ohio marina is well underway. More than 300 slips will be created right next to St. Hazards in what was recently called the Lonz Marina. The new marina is expected to open next spring.

July 4th Island Fun at St. Hazards

2008-07-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

Jonah Koslen, formerly of Cleveland's Michael Stanley Band, kicked off the busiest weekend of the summer so far with great island music on the fourth. Jonah will be back again on July 25th and 26th. There's always live music every weekend at Hazards. The only swimming pool on the island open to St. Hazards visitors is always the center of the Island Fun on Middle Bass.

Middle Bass Island Tropical Garden

2008-06-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

Our tropical garden is back. Almost 100 palm trees were brought in and our exotic greenery has been growing real fast. At Hazards we have added many new sea food and other tasty menu items for really good meals all day long. Our volleyball tournament two weeks ago was our largest ever and plans are underway for another one in August. Check out our web site entertainment schedule for more details.

We still have a few condos, villas, cabins and campsites for many of the summer weekends, so it's not too late to make your reservation.

The Fourth of July will be our biggest weekend of the summer and the Miller Boat Line has added extra service to the island to get everyone here. Call 800-837-5211 to make your reservation at St. Hazards.

We have had problems with our satellite internet connection over the past several weeks, so updates have been slow. The problem will be corrected this weekend and more news will be coming soon. Thanks for visiting our site.