Once again we were pretty late leaving a port. Those of you who know us also know we spend a lot of time surfing and sitting around in the mornings, drinking Starbucks and watching life go by. That being the case, we didn't leave the Detroit Yacht Club until around 11:30AM. Todd had made reservations at the Pt. Huron River Street Municipal Marina. We needed to be there by 5PM to check in.
Since we had about 50 miles to travel, we were going against a strong current and now a deadline, we couldn't go the planned 7 knots. We ran 17 mph most of the way (around 2400 rpm in diesel talk). Once we were in the St. Clair River, we were closer to 16 mph because of the current and still maintaining the 2400 rpm. I read some where that there is actually a 4 foot drop from Lake Huron to Lake Erie. The current caused by that drop is more noticeable the closer we get to the Blue Water Bridge (the junction between the St. Clair River and Lake Huron).
We got to the Pt. Huron River Street Marina around 4:30PM and made our reservation time. More on that later.
As we left the Detroit Yacht Club, we passed this structure in the river. I have looked everywhere to find out just what it is...or was. Hopefully one of my Detroit friends can identify it so I can update later.
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The Presque Isle is a 1000 foot long freighter that is labeled a tug/barge combination. The 1000 foot freighters cannot pass through the Welland Canal since the locks are only 800+ feet long. They are called Lakers and can only deliver between the four Great Lakes before the Welland Canal. There are only thirteen 1000 footers on the Great Lakes. The Edmund Fitzgerald was a 1000 foot Laker. |
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| Work is never done on any kind of boat...note the two fellows swabbing down the decks! |
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| Opening to the Chenal Ecarte River from the St. Clair River |
Back from memory lane, we passed this huge Canadian Power Plant (they call them Hydos). It had a huge scrubber since it's energy source is coal. Even after passing through the scrubber, the sky around it was tinged with smog.
Then we passed and upbound freighter in a wider part of the river.
We noticed another Canadian flagged freighter quite a distance ahead of us. He entertained us as we watched him pass a downbound freighter...much like two semi-trucks on the highway.
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The Blue Water Bridge is in the middle of the picture just over the trees. The first bridge is a cantilever truss with a total length of 6,178 feet (1,883 m). The main span is 871 feet (265 m). The second bridge is a continuous tied arch with a total length of 6,109 feet (1,862 m). The main span is 922 feet (281 m). Together, the two bridges are one of the busiest transportation arteries between the United States and Canada, the second-busiest crossing after the Ambassador Bridge at Detroit-Windsor. They also provide one of the four shortest routes of land travel between the eastern seaboard of the United States, and the central United States. |
As we watched him make his way up the river, the Blue Water Bridge began to appear over the trees!
We didn't catch up with our freighter friend until we were within two miles of Port Huron.
Todd did finally have to pass him as he slowed for a turn in the river just before Port Huron. He was a petroleum freighter and smelled of gas fumes.
Once past him, our final familiar sight was ahead...Sarnia, ON, CA on the starboard (right side)
and the old black bascule bridge marking the Black River in Port Huron, MI on the port (left side).
Our destination lay ahead.
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| Ocean Breeze relaxing at sunset in Pt. Huron River Street Marina. |
Oh yes, and if Charlie thought the dock at Detroit Yacht Club was narrow, the ones here really gave him agoraphobia! They continue to be high off the water and very narrow (difference is these wood docks are in good shape).
We stayed Thursday so we could catch our breath and see a few things in Pt. Huron. Todd and I took the Blue Water Trolley tour and saw quite a bit of the city and learned a lot about it. In 1815, Ft. Gratiot was established here. Pt. Huron was incorporated in 1857. Ship building and lumber were it's main industries. Ice harvesting developed as well. Ice was shipped all over the east. The underground railroad came through here and passed under the St. Clair River to Canada. A tunnel is maintained today that is used by freight trains to transport goods from the US into Canada. The main industry is a paper mill. There is also a Coast Guard Station located here. I understand there were some companies that made automobile parts but most have closed. It is a pretty little city (population of about 30,000) with many well kept houses, buildings and churches dating back to the 1800s. Thomas Edison's family moved here from Ohio when Tom was 7 years old. There are a half dozen museums that would be fun to tour if time permitted. We did go through an ice museum that had a nice film of the history of ice harvesting here as well as a lot of memorabilia.
When we leave Port Huron, go under the Blue Water Bridge and travel up the Michigan coast, a new adventure begins.
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Click on this picture and you will see the Blue Water Bridge as well as all of the traffic backed up on the Canadian side waiting for US Customs. |
I'll have a check with friends of mine in the DYC, but everything I have says it is a light. Based on location, it appears to mark the shallow water near the island.
ReplyDeleteIf I find any significant information on history, I'll pass it along.