PIRATES ARE BACK!

Avast ya' scurvy dogs an' landlubbers alike! Batten down ye hatches as Capt'n Willie ‘The Great Lakes Pirate' navigates his way t' Vermilion in an effort t' be enlistin' an' edutainin' crewmembers both young an' old.

Don't miss Capt'n Willie in Vermilion on July 24 at 7 pm.

Welcome aboard mateys! This here event is free an' open t' all at Exchange Park on the Vermilion River in Downtown Vermilion. Stop by Romp's Dairy Dock following the show for ice cream.

Free eye patches and tattoos to all kids and coloring contest. The Inland Seas Maritime Museum will be offering free family passes with every coloring contest submission turned into the museum.

Capt'n Willie sponsored by Romp's Dairy Dock & Putter-port, the Inland Seas Maritime Museum & Red Clay on the River.

From VermilionOhioNews.com

Boating Scores Victory (TradeOnlyToday.com)

"It’s been 7½ years in the making, but last week the 8 Great Lakes states ratified an interstate Compact that will create unprecedented protections for the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin. The eight States of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin will now send their Compact to Congress.

The marine industry and recreational (and commercial) boaters have been among the strongest supporters of the Compact. Among many other things, the Compact bans any diversion of Great Lakes water to places outside its watershed, with limited exceptions. Also, any water that gets removed from the basin must be returned. The five Great Lakes comprise the largest surface freshwater system in the world.

In addition, the Great Lakes region is home to more registered pleasure boats than any other part of the country. Five of the nation’s top 10 states in boat registrations are contiguous Great Lakes states. The region is home to more than 4.6 million registered recreational boats. Moreover, lawmakers in the Great Lakes-bordering Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, where there are another 1.6 million pleasure boats, signed a companion agreement in a parallel process that respects Canadian laws." - Norm Shultz, Trade-Only Today Blog

Entire Post Here at TradeOnlyToday.com

Third Thursday Music Downtown, Tonight (VON)

It's the Third Thursday of the month and that means a dozen musical groups will be scattered around historic Harbour Town beginning at 6:30 pm. Local artists will also display their works.

This Third Thursday the popular kid ban "G Force" will perform at Exchange Park. New this month is Joe Price's "Solid Brass Sextet." The Vermilion Community Band will perform at Ritter Library Annex. Other genres include County, Russian Folk, Jazz, Rock, Island, Barbershop and more.

Join the fun with karaoke.

Admission to the Inland Seas Maritime Museum is free from 5 pm to 8 pm.

Vermilion has become known throughout the region for its fabulous Third Thursday Music, Flowers & A Sunset concerts which take place June through September.

Third Thursdays, Music, Flowers and A Sunset will continue on August 21st and September 18th. Mark your calendar now.

Join us all summer long for new surprises and family fun.

Visit VermilionOhioNews.com for more information

Capt'n Willie Coloring Contest

Attention all kids!! Capt'n Willie is coming to Exchange Park in Vermilion for Christmas in July. There will be a coloring contest for kids ages under 5 to 10 years old. You must make Capt'n Willie look like a Christmas Pirate arrrgggg....The date is July 24th at 7 p.m. Pick up your entry form at the following sponsors, Inland Seas Maritime Museum, Red Clay on the River or ROMP'S Dairy Dock. Entry forms will also be available in the Marina Store. Completed pictures must be returned to any sponsor by July 30th. If you return your picture to the Inland Seas Maritime Museum, you will receive a Family Day Pass good for the 2008 season. All winners will be notified by phone by August 1st. So jump ship and come on in for your entry form and enjoy " Christmas in July" at Romp's Your Family Fun Marina!

Weekend Update

• Romp's introduces Family Fun Fridays with new hours in the Romper Room from 7-9. Happy Hour will include Sloppy Joes, our regular menu items, and special prices on all your favorite beverages. The pool will be open late as well. All children must be accompanied by an adult. So come down to the marina and relax with friends and family. We hope to see you here! (The Gas Docks and Marine store will not be open during the extended evening hours).
• We were able to get one more tank of regular (non-ethanol) gas so those of you who are tracking the fuel situation can fill up this weekend without worry. Soon we will be forced to switch to ethanol in the coming months or possibly weeks. We will notify all of our customers when it takes place.
• Speaking of Ethanol - Romp's has put together a free informative information card on what you should know to prepare for the federally mandated switch to 10% Ethonal blended fuels. We recommend you stop in and pick one up to make your change over as hassle free as possible.
• The pool is a balmy 84 degrees and ready for you.

Romp's Hosts Research Team for Anthony B Wayne

VERMILION, Ohio (AP) — For more than a century, no one knew exactly where the sidewheel steamer Anthony B. Wayne came to rest.VERMILION, Ohio (AP) — For more than a century, no one knew exactly where the sidewheel steamer Anthony B. Wayne came to rest. Now researchers are diving 60 feet below the surface of Lake Erie to explore the wreckage discovered in 2006 and identified last year. “It’s one of the earliest examples of a passenger and cargo steamer that we have, probably one of the oldest in Lake Erie,” said Brad Krueger, who is spending the summer learning about the steamer. Krueger, working on his master’s degree in Texas A&M University’s Nautical Archeology program, and two other researchers dive at the site about six miles off the coast of Vermilion nearly everyday. The passenger vessel went down in 1850 after an explosion, killing up to 80 people. The ship was heading from Sandusky to Buffalo with wine, whiskey and livestock. “Shipwrecks are important because they truly tell our story,” Carrie Sowden, archaeological director of the Peachman Lake Erie Shipwreck Research Center in Vermilion. “It’s interesting to think that it had not been seen since 1850.” Thomas Kowalczk, an amateur shipwreck prospector, used sonar on his boat to discover the Anthony Wayne. It takes hours of research and searching to find a wreck, Kowalczk said. “You kind of know where they are. You have a general area, but there is no X marks the spot,” he said. Underneath the surface, two large paddlewheels rise upward from the wreckage. “To see these two great structures looming on the bottom and coming into focus ... to see them rising up is impressive,” Krueger said. Krueger hopes to learn all he can about the steamer and how it was built. The native of Ann Arbor, Mich., said growing up around the Great Lakes led him to study nautical archeology.

Coast Guard Looking for Garbage Dumpers

LORAIN, Ohio - The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting an investigation to determine the source of approximately 30 bags of garbage dumped into Lake Erie on Sunday.

The Coast Guard was alerted of the floating debris by a concerned citizen.

A 41-foot utility boat crew from Coast Guard Station Lorain spent more than five hours recovering the waste found approximately 12 miles off Avon Point, OH. An Air Station Detroit HH-65 Dolphin helicopter assisted with the search for debris.

"The items recovered are consistent with what would be found on a large ship and not a recreational vessel," said Lt. David French, Public Affairs Officer for the Ninth Coast Guard District.

"Coast Guard investigators have identified a suspect vessel; however, additional details regarding the potential source and the investigation will not be released until the investigation is completed," added French.

Public awareness was integral to locating and recovering this debris, and, in this case, may play a role in assisting the Coast Guard's identification of a source. The America's Waterway Watch program encourages all people to report suspicious maritime activity to the Coast Guard and/or other law enforcement agencies.

"I appreciate the public's help in reporting this matter to the Coast Guard and encourage those that live, work and recreate on the Great Lakes to participate in the America's Waterways Watch program," said Rear Adm. Peter V. Neffenger, Commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District.

Media inquiries should contact the Ninth District Public Affairs Office, in Cleveland, at (216) 902-6020.

What A Sunset!

Must See Photograph of Sunset Here

Open Air Market at Victory Park

July & August - Main Street Vermilion presents the Vermilion Local Market at Victory Park, downtown, each Saturday July through August. This local market offers home-grown fruit, vegetables, herbs, flowers, meat, cheese and other goodies. Local artists also showcase and sell their work. The Local Market will be held on Saturday afternoon from 2 pm to 6 pm on July 12, 19, 26 and August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. For more information contact Sandy Kish Jordan at 967-6446.

Weekly Fishing Report (ODNR)

Walleye fishing has been good S of the Huron dumping grounds in 32’ of water, N of the Vermilion breakwall, N of Beaver Creek, NW of the Chagrin River in 60 to 65’ of water, NW of Gordon Park in 56 to 63’ of water, NW of Fairport Harbor in 65 to 74’ of water, NW of Geneva in 60 to 70’ of water, and N of Ashtabula in 60 to 70’ of water. Trollers are using crankbaits or spoons and worm harnesses off jet divers, dipsy divers, planer boards and downriggers. The best action has been 20’ down and the best spoon colors have been gold, orange, green and pink.

Yellow perch fishing west of Cleveland has been best N of the Vermilion breakwall and off of the Lorain lighthouse. Fishing has been good NW of Gordon Park in 50’ of water, NW of Fairport Harbor in 50 to 55’ of water, N of Geneva in 60 to 70’ of water and N of Conneaut in 55 to 65’ of water. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Fish have ranged from 7 to 12 inches.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in 5 to 20’ of water around Cleveland, FairportHarbor, Ashtabula and Conneaut harbors. Fish are being caught on watermelon, pumpkinseed and green tube jigs.

Steelhead fishing is picking up and fish are being caught off ChagrinRiver, Fairport, Geneva and Ashtabula. Anglers are catching steelhead on spoons while trolling for walleye.

Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 70 off of Toledo and 68 off of Cleveland.

Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating.

To view the predicted weather forecast for LakeErie visit: http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?file=/raw/fz/fzus61.kcle.glf.le.txt