Marina Watch: East Tawas State Harbor

EAST TAWAS STATE HARBOR 686 Tawas Beach Rd. East Tawas, MI 48730

MICHIGAN.ORG/ PROPERTY/EAST-TAWAS - STATE-HARBOR

AMENITIES Transient slips: Y Pump-out: Y Gas: Y Diesel: Y Lifts: Nearby Launch ramp: Y Engine repair: Nearby Hull repair: Nearby Marine store: Nearby Restaurant: Y Showers: Y Laundry Facility: Y

East Tawas State Harbor An accessible Lake Huron marina.

No matter which way you travel through Lake Huron, East Tawas State Harbor is a convenient stop. The centrally located harbor in East Tawas, Michigan, is a hop, skip and a jump away from Port Austin, Lake St. Clair and Manitoulin Island —but it’s also a destination in itself.

“One of the main reasons people come to Tawas is the location,” says Micah Jordan, the Tawas State Park parks and recreations supervisor. “It’s a great spot because you can come to the harbor and you’re two minutes from the downtown business area.”

That means it’s only a short walk to restaurants, shops, ice cream parlors and more. But if you want to stay on the water, there’s plenty of ways to do so.

“Natural resources in Tawas are second to none,” Jordan says. “All these really great watersports and activities surround the harbor itself and so the harbor gives you great access [to them].”

Kayaking, waterskiing and windsurfing are popular around the area, as is fishing. Later in the year, walleye move south toward Saginaw Bay, making Tawas and the surrounding area a great place to drop a line.

Test the waters, and then make your way back into the harbor to enjoy some of the brand-new amenities added as part of the $7 million project to update the facility with help from the state government and federal grants. What started as a mix of floating slips and standing broadside slips in the late 1970s now features 120-135 floating slips from 30 to 60 feet. There’s also a new state-ofthe-art electrical system to prevent electric shock drownings. The coronavirus pandemic prevented the new boaters common area from opening, but all fueling services are open.

So whether you’re coming north up Saginaw Bay, south from Mackinac Island, or west from Parry Sound or Manitoulin Island, you can easily visit East Tawas State Harbor. ★