Two Villages In Leelanau County Close Boat Launches Due To COVID-19

Effective as of sunset last night, April 2, the villages of Suttons Bay and Northport have closed their in-town boat ramps due to the large number of fishermen congregating in the vicinity. They are closed until further notice.

Leelanau County Undersheriff Steve Morgan told The Leelanau Ticker this morning that officials in the villages, not the Department of Natural Resources, have decided to close the ramps due to improper social distancing practices in the parking lots and surrounding area. Contrary to media reports yesterday, the DNR boat launch at the end of Hilltop Road in Suttons Bay remains open.

Photo: Suttons Bay's North Park Boat Ramp, by Kim Schneider.