Let the river decide the speed
11-Jun-2021 Friday Alcyone’s dock (Todd and Patty), Gross Isle MI to River Street Marina, Port Huron MI (23.3 nautical miles 26.8 statute miles)
42°58’41.0″N 82°25’46.1″W
42.978050, -82.429482
Elevation: 577 feet Lift: 4 feet
States (1): Michigan
Great morning. Got to the bottom of my coffee cup without finding a bug.
Geography Lesson
The St. Clair River flows south from Lake Huron into Lake St Clair. The Detroit River flows south from Lake St Clair into Lake Erie. We are ran up river, both the Detroit River and the St Clair River, all day today. The current was quite strong on both rivers evidenced by a 4 foot elevation rise over ~27 statue miles.
One thing about rivers, its best to let them decide your travel speed. 1500 – 1600 rpms is the sweet spot for yes dear’s… 2-250 Hino engines. At times the rivers today let us run 6.5 kts and other times we ran 3.4 kts, both much slower than our 7.5 rpms – 8 rpms average. In the sweet spot increasing rpms only burns fuel and doesn’t do much to increase speed.
Along the Way
Leaving Todd and Patty’s 6:00 am 
Detroit River – These 2 islands weren’t on the chart 
Detroit Livingstone Shipping Channel (opened October 19, 1912) Heading out to Lake Erie 
Detroit River channel marker
US Steel as far as the eye can see. Iron ore, old plants and new plants.
iron ore and old plant 
Another US Steel facility 
The south side of Detroit is industrial. Auto manufacturing related plants of various kinds go on and on. The Canadian side isn’t any prettier.
There is a different configuration of tow boat / barge in this area than we’ve seen before. When they are joined they resemble a ship with a swap out bridge/engines. The barges are notched so that the tow slips partially into them. It must be more efficient/cost effective to switch a tow out if mechanical issues arise.
I don’t know what the configuration is called 🙁
Ore ship being unloaded 
tow/barge ship configuration
Heading into Detroit
Ambassador Bridge between USA and Canada 
Kinda like Manhattan from the river, but different 
Downtown Detroit, Joe Lewis Area and the Renaissance Center 
Oh Canada 
Joe Lewis Area and down town Detroit 
Window washers on the Renaissance Center 
Renaissance Center (See the window washers?) 
Looking back at Detroit from up river
Time trials for the Detroit Grand Prix were happening on Belle Isle as we passed by.
Belle Isle center of the track 
safety and flag people in place 
Scary thought. Underwater recovery team. There were two boats on this side the island.
Here they come.
Vroom. Vroom. 
Car transportation trucks were parked on the north end the island. 
Lake St Clair
navigation range marker 
Really? Did you have to pass us this close? This fast? Everyone did. 
Lot’s of traffic was on the move today 
pushing water 
alot of it 
Friday and the lake was filled with fishermen 
Canadian lighted buoy (numbered differently) 
matching tow/barge ship configuration 
Nemesis of the Day – NONE. Today there were almost 50 dragonflies on yes dear…. Flies hate dragonflies. Dragonflies eat flies 🙂
The southern end of the St Clair River has cottages on the USA side and open land on the Canadian side. As we headed up the St Clair River the Canadian side became more residential.
Canada 
USA 
USA 
more marine traffic 
I wouldn’t want to climb these ladders 
Pleasure and fishing boats show little respect for commercial vessels or each other. I’m very surprised there aren’t more crashes. 
pushing water 
tow/barge ship configuration
Oh Canada 
USA 
swimming weather
The northern end of St Clair River is industrial, little bit more on the Canadian side that the USA side. All of the quaint houses on the USA side of the St Clair River have a most excellent view of Canadian factories and plants.
Monitoring wind, temp and current 
Want a condo? Who knows what the white stuff is.
Remember the Waterworld post-apocalyptic action film staring Kevin Costner? The St Clair River felt that way.
Waterworld marauders 
I’m really glad this is not a weekend day. Pleasure boat traffic must be a nightmare. I didn’t take any pictures of Donzi boats (cigarette boats) as I refuse to feed their egos. If I had a dime for every Donzi we saw screaming past I’d own the Queen Mary.
Canada 
Mixed allegiance. Bet it’s cheaper to just by one flag 
rooftop parking
Port Huron
Port Huron’s ‘Ego Alley’. Besides the purposeful traffic, the egos had to keep going up and down it through the lift bridges. 
My camera went to bed early, even before yes dear… was docked.