Debate: Is the Belmont Harbor launch ramp worth the chaos on summer weekends?

I tried launching my kayak at Belmont Harbor last Saturday and spent 45 minutes just finding a parking spot while watching a guy in a truck argue with a biker over a space. On the other hand, the water was calm and I had a solid paddle along the lakefront once I got in. Do you deal with the hassle for the convenience or would you rather drive farther to a quieter spot like Montrose or Diversey?

2 comments

2 Comments

abbyr9623d ago

Heard a guy on a local paddling podcast say Belmont is basically a circus on weekends because of the boat trailer crowd and the kayak folks trying to share the same small lot. Honestly, Montrose is a solid alternative if you don't mind the extra drive, way more parking and a separate kayak launch area that doesn't get as jammed up. Diversey is okay but the walk from the car to the water can be killer with a heavy boat. Have you tried putting in at the Wilson Ave launch instead, it's usually pretty quiet even on Saturdays?

phoenixgonzalez23d ago

Oh MAN, you just made me realize that nobody ever talks about the ACTUAL wind patterns at Wilson versus Belmont, like the current can really mess with your launch timing depending on the day!