I know that most of you don't do much sailing on the Great Lakes, but this is for those who do. I'm planning (dreaming???) of a trip from Lake Erie to the North Channel this summer, or maybe it won't be till next summer, on my CD26. I'm wondering about the Detroit and St. Claire Rivers and whether they pose any potential problems. For example, how bad is the current for a boat heading north against the current? Does anyone know what the current is normally, and whether there are any particular spots on those rivers that are worse than other spots?
Those rivers are heavily travelled by Great Lakes commercial shipping, and I suspect that that presents potentially a very serious hazard (maybe lots of hazards). I wonder if anyone who has made the journey has suggestions for easing that hazard, other than the obvious one of keeping a good watch. If you have any other suggestions for this trip, let me know, I'll be grateful.
I know this is not specifically a Cape Dory posting, but as you guys are usually full of wisdom and usually willing to share it, I thought I might try here as well as on the Sailnet message boards.
Thanks for any suggestions you have for making the trip not only safer, but easier and perhaps a bit more comfortable as well.
Thanks,
Peter K.
pkozup@juno.com
Detroit and St. Claire Rivers
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Jerry
Re: Detroit and St. Claire Rivers
peter,
The Detroit river is a fairly straight forward and easy transit. There are not many hazards on it. The two that come to mind are commercial shipping. However, I'm more concerned with pleasure boats than I am commercial shiping.
The second big annoyance on the detroit river is the sea walls. The detroit river sees a lot of power boaters and their big wakes bounce off the sea walls. It's not uncommon to get pretty good sized seas through there, especially under the Ambassador bridge. And the seas are generally confused because they're boucing off the sea walls. The best time to transit in my opinion is during the work week when there's less power boaters.
The St. Claire river can have a lot of current to it especially at the Port Huron end of the river. It's not uncommon for there to be 6 to 8 knots of current as all of Lake Huron flows into the St. Claire river. When to get to the port huron end of the river stay out of the center of the river, in fact hugging the Canadian side of the St. Claire will probably get you through the fastest. Even so expect that last mile or so to take a lot of time.
Lake St. Claire, which you'll have to cross to get to the St. Claire river once you get through the Detroit river can be a bit of a pain at times. There's a lot of powerboat traffic, and sailboat traffic for that matter. Believe it or not Michigan has the highest number of registered boaters in the US and I think most of them are out on Lake St. Claire; at least it seems that way on the weekends. And it seems that almost none of them know what their doing. However, as long at you stay in or close to the shipping channel you shouldn't have a problem.
Once Through the Detroit river I'd look for a marina to stay at for the night and proceed on to lake Huron early the next morning. It can take 14-16 hours from Lake St. Claire to the South End of Lake Huron; it's probably best to leave out in the wee hours of the morning and try to make for Port Huron while it's still light out.
Hope it helps
Jerry {pedal@nospam.provide.net}
1@2.com
The Detroit river is a fairly straight forward and easy transit. There are not many hazards on it. The two that come to mind are commercial shipping. However, I'm more concerned with pleasure boats than I am commercial shiping.
The second big annoyance on the detroit river is the sea walls. The detroit river sees a lot of power boaters and their big wakes bounce off the sea walls. It's not uncommon to get pretty good sized seas through there, especially under the Ambassador bridge. And the seas are generally confused because they're boucing off the sea walls. The best time to transit in my opinion is during the work week when there's less power boaters.
The St. Claire river can have a lot of current to it especially at the Port Huron end of the river. It's not uncommon for there to be 6 to 8 knots of current as all of Lake Huron flows into the St. Claire river. When to get to the port huron end of the river stay out of the center of the river, in fact hugging the Canadian side of the St. Claire will probably get you through the fastest. Even so expect that last mile or so to take a lot of time.
Lake St. Claire, which you'll have to cross to get to the St. Claire river once you get through the Detroit river can be a bit of a pain at times. There's a lot of powerboat traffic, and sailboat traffic for that matter. Believe it or not Michigan has the highest number of registered boaters in the US and I think most of them are out on Lake St. Claire; at least it seems that way on the weekends. And it seems that almost none of them know what their doing. However, as long at you stay in or close to the shipping channel you shouldn't have a problem.
Once Through the Detroit river I'd look for a marina to stay at for the night and proceed on to lake Huron early the next morning. It can take 14-16 hours from Lake St. Claire to the South End of Lake Huron; it's probably best to leave out in the wee hours of the morning and try to make for Port Huron while it's still light out.
Hope it helps
Jerry {pedal@nospam.provide.net}
1@2.com
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Bill Collins
Re: Detroit and St. Claire Rivers
I have made this trip several times - I sailed out ouf Ashtabula for 12 years in a CD30C. Figure two long (14 hr) days from Put-In-Bay to Port Huron. The earlier suggestion about weekday travel is a good one. Also, a north wind will add considerably more time. You will be motor sailing all the time, except for traversing Lake St. Clair; therefore, any wind not on the nose (primarily north), will help. It is a great trip. The lower stretch of the South Channel of the St. Clair River is especially beautiful. A rule of thumb is "stay to the right" to avoid the max. current. Also, have a good set of charts. E-mail me for more information . We will be in the N. Channel July and August this year.
bill.collins@delphiauto.com
bill.collins@delphiauto.com