I will be releasing route specifics and links to some interesting facts in this thread. 

The first tidbit will be this OVERALL map of possible routes.  Individual route specifics will follow each day starting today.

The Stony-Crystal Loop is tentatively scheduled for Thursday Sept. 21.  This may be my favorite spot to paddle on the Detroit River.  Here we will experience the Livingstone Channel, a busy shipping lane, and hopefully share it with a freighter or two.  It is also an amazingly wilderness-like paddle. The bones of industrial Detroit are still visible, but mother nature is definitely gnawing away at them.

STONY-CRYSTAL LINKS:

A REALLY NICE video of the history of Stony Island and the Livingstone Channel (Thank you Kathy E!).

https://www.detroitnews.com/videos/news/local/michigan/2020/09/16/michigan-marvels-stony-island-youve-never-seen-before/5770282002/

A short grainy video filmed in 1957 from a freighter showing the operating Dunbar & Sullivan facility that used to occupy Stony Island. (With some groovy music)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=watdQDbzLSw

Photo gallery of the construction of the Livingstone Channel

https://www.detroitnews.com/picture-gallery/media/photo/2022/10/22/construction-detroit-rivers-livingstone-channel/10554293002/#:~:text=Livingstone%20was%20the%20longtime%20president,opened%20on%20October%2019%2C%201912

An interesting perspective on the history and impact on the local communities due to the creation of the artificial Crystal Island area.

https://niche-canada.org/2020/12/01/twice-removed-environmental-history-and-the-canada-u-s-border-through-an-outsiders-eyes/

A map of our route is attached.

The Friday 9/22/23 scheduled tour will be the longest drive (about 45 miles each way) for our paddlers staying in Sterling State Park, but includes Belle Isle (The Jewel of Detroit) and the Detroit Canals (The Venice of Detroit). I believe you will find the paddle worth the drive.

This trip will be led by fellow HCKC member Robin Blumer, MD.  Rob is an L3 Coastal Kayak Instructor.  Most importantly for this trip, he is our resident Canal Historian.

Below are a couple of links about Belle Isle, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and the Canals. 

Belle Isle info:

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6b2e4600f3ce4e278d9c24593784626a

Dossin Great Lakes Museum:

https://www.belleisleconservancy.org/bia

Canal info:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/michigan/detroit/little-venice-detroit/

Attached is a link to a map of the proposed route.

This will be my last informational post for our paddlers. We hope the previews that we've posted have whetted your appetites for our outings and will enrich your experience when paddling.

Our farewell paddle for the Urban paddlers on Sunday, Sept. 24 will involve a change of venue to Toledo, Ohio. This will be a shorter, optional paddle that should be on the way home for most of our guests. 

We plan to launch from Middlegrounds Metro Park in downtown Toledo and do a short tour of some of Toledo's revitalized Maumee waterfront.

https://metroparkstoledo.com/explore-your-parks/middlegrounds-metropark/

Below are some links to some of the route highlights and attached is a map of the proposed route. 

TOLEDO LINKS:

The murals:

https://www.glasscityriverwall.org/about-the-mural

The Glass City Riverwalk:

https://www.glasscityriverwalk.com/riverwalk/

The Museum Ship:

https://nmgl.org/museum/

Some historic information about the Glass City: