PORT OF CALL
Living the Dream
While many Great Lakes communities can claim a maritime heritage, none continue to build one quite like Port Colborne, Ontario. Its remarkable history and delightful present-day charms make this wonderful city a bucket list stop for every Great Lakes boater.
by Craig Ritchie
Welland Cana
l
irtually every city, town and village on the Great Lakes owes its very existence to the water itself, having been originally established after someone waded ashore and thought, yes, we’ll build it here. While some of these settlements have seen their shorelines subsequently industrialized to the point that residents lost their connection to the lakes, not so for the bustling, southern Ontario city of Port Colborne. Situated on the eastern end of Lake Erie where it marks the upstream entrance to the Welland Canal, Port Colborne maintains its deep tie to the lakes in a very profound way — and that’s evident from the moment you arrive. Finding Port Colborne is about as easy as it gets. Located on the north shore of Lake Erie some 47 miles east of Long Point and 18 miles west of Buffalo, the city of just under 20,000 people straddles the Welland Canal as its southern terminus. Accordingly, the approach into port is wide-open, with the greatest obstacle being the Niagara Falls regular parade of lake freighters, salties and tankers making their way to and from the canal. At times traffic can be busy, so keep an eye out for the big boats and always give them a wide berth for safety. It’s a good idea to stay a mile or so offshore as you approach Port Colborne, in part to allow yourself plenty of wiggle room should one of the big boats emerge from the canal, and in part to skirt the sandy shoals that extend for Buffalo PORT some distance underwater off Morgan’s Point to the west COLBORNE Lake Erie and Point Abino to the east.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF PORT COLBORNE
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