Cruising Otter Tail in style

Deluxe vessel can accommodate parties, banquets

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The weather was perfect at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 23, when the Otter Tail Cruises vessel, which can hold up to 48 passengers, departed from the dock across from Graystone on the west end of Otter Tail Lake. Many people who wanted to see the setting sun, and relax with a slight breeze, headed to the upper deck for a one-hour ride.

“This is wonderful,” Lake Region Hospital RN and Fergus Falls resident Theresa Tomhave said. “People always say to grab the moment and enjoy it while you can during the summer months, and that’s what we’re doing.”

While relaxing in the upper deck, she was joined by fellow Lake Region Hospital RN Marlene Stroh, who with her husband Jay is the owner of Otter Tail Cruises. Also in the group were Theresa’s husband, Richard Tomhave, this reporter and his wife and son Sharon and Mark Hintgen.

Otter Tail Cruises offers the area’s only charter boat. For the past couple of weekends the one-hour cruises were offered to individuals and small groups — as a promotional effort. Those who took advantage of the weekend cruise rides weren’t disappointed.

“They (the vessel crew) certainly have things well organized,” Richard Tomhave said.

Owners Jay and Marlene, who live in rural Underwood, are assisted by their son Eric, who is the captain. Daughters Megan and Kari and son Steffan make up the crew.

On Saturday evening Eric manned the wheel on the upper deck and gave passengers some valuable information about not only charter cruises but also information about Otter Tail Lake.

“We want passengers to relax and enjoy the sights of the lake from our fully enclosed lower deck — with large windows — or to relax in the sun or shade of the upper deck,” Eric said.

The upper deck can remain open as a sun deck, or in case of inclement weather it can be enclosed.

Otter Tail Cruises also offers hors d’oeuvres, full bar and a variety of menu options to choose from. A catering menu is available and can be served buffet style.

Groups that reserve the cruise vessel are encouraged to bring CDs or MP3 players along to accompany their passengers as they cruise along the waters of Otter Tail Lake.

Jay and Marlene want to promote cruises for special occasions such as private parties, corporate events, groom’s dinners, anniversaries, surprise birthdays and religious and school group get-togethers.

“You can even work with the crew to organize a theme cruise such as a pirate theme, costume party or pre-Christmas cruise, to name a few,” Marlene said. “We’ve already had one wedding and a groom’s supper held aboard the vessel.”

If you don’t want to charter the entire boat yourself, Jay and Marlene encourage people to call family and friends and together charter the vessel.

“And what better place to watch the 4th of July fireworks, and the amazing colors the fall brings to the Otter Tail oak and maple trees, than from this gorgeous lake,” Marlene said.

For more information on availability and pricing, contact Otter Tail Cruises at 30998 Moe Rd, Underwood, MN 56586. The phone number is 218-826-6776, e-mail is captain@ottertailcruises.com and the web site is www.ottertailcruises.com.