Page 14 - Mid America Baoting - May 2024 issue

The South Bass Rendezvous is

a special adventure for kayakers
MAY 2024 [ MID-AMERICA BOATING ] 14

Everyone is welcome for the paddling expo’s 20th anniversary

By D’Arcy Patrick Egan

Eric Slough loves to paddle, and he likes a lot of company.
For the twentieth spring, Slough will launch his kayak on the Catawba Peninsula and paddle
north for the South Bass Island (SBI) Kayak Rendezvous on Friday through Sunday, June 7-9,
and everyone is invited.
“When I created the SBI Kayak Rendezvous, I wanted people to join me on one of the loveli-
est islands on Lake Erie. So there’s no admission or fee, no long schedule of events. Just lots

of camaraderie and evening campfires, and groups of kayakers exploring the waters around
South Bass Island.”

Ready to celebrate his 20th annual South Bass Island Kayak Rendezvous, Eric Slough
(left) chats with paddlers before exploring the shoreline around the popular island.
Kayakers are on their own to make campground reservations at South Bass Island State Park,
one of the loveliest in the region. There are lots of hotels and campgrounds around the area,
as well, but South Bass Island State Park has the amenities, a place to launch, a friendly beach
and is fairly roomy. Campsites can accommodate more than a couple or two, so bring sleeping
bags, coolers of drinks and grub and a tent.
And, of course, a kayak.
For more information, visit sbikayakrendezvous.com. For T-shirts, email emanohtol@yahoo.
com. To book a state campsite call 419-797-4530 or 866-644-6727.
While Slough has paddled from the mainland to South Bass Island each and every year for
the rendezvous, the windy days can be perplexing for even expert paddlers. Kayakers, their craft

and vehicle filled with gear, however, can book a relatively inexpensive ride on the Miller Ferry.
When you’re enjoying a kayaking adventure at South Bass island State Park, it’s “The rendezvous is nothing more than friends — and friends of friends — meeting on the
easy to just beach your craft on island sand when taking a break. (Photo by Dale Berlin) beach,” said Slough, 50, a commercial salesman from Sylvania, Ohio, near Toledo, and a life-

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