William H. Harsha Lake: I Ace My Vessel Safety Check

4 April 2015

Lake #16    William H. Harsha Lake, East Fork State Park, Clermont County

William H. Harsha Lake (aka East Fork Lake) is located in East Fork State Park, which is one of Ohio’s largest (4,870 acres) and most visited state parks. The park is located 2 miles south of Batavia and 25 miles east of Cincinnati.  The 2,160-acre Harsha Lake is named for a popular U.S. Congressman who represented the area from 1961 to 1981. He also has a bridge named after him that spans the Ohio River, connecting Aberdeen, Ohio to Maysville, Kentucky.

The state park office is located at the south park entrance off Highway 125 at Elklick Road. In addition to the lake, the park offers: a 1,200 foot swimming beach with restrooms, changing booths, and showers; several hiking trails, including the 32 mile Steven Newman Worldwalker Perimeter Trail, which circles the park; mountain bike trails; bridle trails; a campground with over 400 electric camping sites (all allow pets), nine full-service camp sites, two cedar cabins (no pets), a beach, and a boat ramp.

Harsha Lake was the last lake in Ohio impounded by the U.S. Corps of Engineers for flood control. The U.S. Army Corps operates a visitor center at Slade Road on the western end of the lake. Harsha Lake was created in 1978 by damming the East Fork of the Little Miami River and the two feeder creeks: Poplar and Cloverlick. It is the 2^nd deepest lake in Ohio. The water level at the dam is normally 113 feet, with the lake having average water depths of 60 to 80 feet. I swear you can feel that depth below you when you are paddling. The lake feels heavy. The day I was there, the lake was experiencing high water levels like the other lakes I had visited that weekend. The lake has six boat launch areas and allows unlimited horsepower.

When I first arrived at the lake, I went to the North Shore Boat Ramp located off Old Route 32, the same road used to access the campground. The sign “Road Ends in Water” lets you know you are headed the correct way. I always get excited when I see one of these signs. There was a huge parking lot with plenty of room for turning around a trailer, pull through parking spaces, and restrooms with running water (which were still locked for the winter). You can get a view of the dam from this location. The earthen dam is 200 feet high and 1,450 feet long.

This Sign Always Brings a Smile to My Face

Road Down to North Shore Boat Ramp 

Harsha Lake Dam

I next backtracked up Park Road #5 to the campground entrance, with the intention of checking out the Campground Boat Ramp. Although the ramp is located within the campgrounds, anyone is permitted to use it. I was unable to scope out the boat ramp because high water made the road back to the ramp impassable. I did visit the ramp later in the day from the water. I didn’t make it to three other boat ramps: the Tunnel Mill Boat Ramp located on the far northeast edge, off Twin Bridges Road; the Reisinger Road Boat Ramp located in the far southeastern corner, off Reisinger and Macedonia Roads; and the Dam Boat Ramp, located off Slade Road and State Route 222.

Paddling to the Campground Boat Ramp 

Campground Boat Ramp  

After my failed attempt at the campground, I headed to the Tate Boat Ramp that is located on the south shore of the lake at its skinny midpoint. The ramp is accessed off Park Road #1, which is off South Bantam Road at the park’s entrance. The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was there conducting volunteer vessel safety checks. Vessel Examiner Lawrence Neltner and Vessel Safety Volunteer Larry Stulz explained the volunteer inspection process to me and I readily agreed to participate. The goal of the volunteer safety inspections are to make boaters aware of what requirements they should be meeting without the fear of receiving a ticket if they fail to pass. The bonus being that if you pass you get a pretty sticker for your boat and you are good to go. The vessel safety check for kayaks and canoes requires: a sound signal (whistle, horn, etc.); life jacket; good overall vessel condition, including paddle/oars; navigation lights (these are only required to be used at night or if you are in a situation where you will not be easily visible); and visual distress signals. I am happy to report that I passed with flying colors; I had every single item. “Yeah, me.” I thought that I was paddling safe but it was nice to find out for sure. There are additional open water recommendations of which I had everything but a spare paddle. I had carried an extra paddle with me in the past but had got out of the habit of taking it along. As a result of this inspection, I have started carrying it again. Now, in addition to the requirements, I meet all the recommendations as well. If you have the opportunity to have a volunteer inspection done, I urge you to do it. There is nothing to lose and you might find out that you are missing an important safety item. I named the baby duck for this lake “Coasty”, in honor of Mr. Neltner and Mr. Stulz, who were happily working on Easter weekend, and for all the other men and women of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Yeah, I Aced My Safety Check

New Bling for the Kayak 

Baby Duck "Coasty"

The Tate Boat Launch area has plenty of parking and turn around room for a trailer. This boat launch area was not even half as busy as the one at North Shore. It has restrooms with running water but they were not open. There was a portable toilet available for use. The high water level of the lake was apparent at the ramp but did not cause any trouble with put in. I chose to head east; I wanted to stay away from the big open area of the west side of the lake. I also wanted to check out the campground area and see how bad the flooding was up close.

Tate Boat Ramp 

Look Closely to Find the Sidewalk 

The Light Is Not Suppose to Be in the Water 

Heading East From the Tate Boat Ramp 

Heading North Toward the Campground

Baby Duck "Coasty" Goes for a Swim With the Debris From the Heavy Rains

Baby Duck "Coasty" Back on Board After His Swim

The Finger Just West of the Campground Boat Ramp

Flooded Area At Campgrounds

I enjoyed my paddle on Harsha Lake. My BHAG does not require me to kayak all of a lake. Thank goodness. If it did, there would be no way I could finish all the lakes within a single year. Harsha Lake alone has 32 miles of shoreline. My requirement is that I have to kayak enough of a lake to get a good feel for it. If time allows and I like a lake then I do kayak all of it. I wish I could have kayaked more of Harsha Lake. I would like to go back and put in at the Reisinger Road Boat Ramp and explore the Cloverlick Creek area and I would also like to paddle the area around the Tunnel Mill Boat Ramp. 

Heading Back to the Tate Boat Ramp After a Great Day on the Water 

May all your roads end in water,

Mama Duck Mona