1st True Cruise, Lake Erie (Sandusky) to Lake St Clair (Need Advice / Recs)

selliott1

selliott1

New Member
Feb 3, 2012
35
Cleveland, OH
Boat Info
2003 260DA
Engines
Mercruiser 5.0MPI w/ Bravo III
Hey Everyone,

This is our second season with our first boat (260 Sundancer), and we are making our 1st long cruise. We are planning on going from Sandusky to Lake St Clair.

So far the plan is to go from Sandusky, up the Detroit River and to St Clair Shores (Maybe Jefferson Beach Marina?) on Day 1. Stay at MacRay Harbor for day 2 and 3 while stopping and playing in Big Muscamoot Bay. We may stay in Algonac on Day 4 then head up to Sarnia on Day 5. We may do Day 6 in Windsor after Sarnia and then clear customs in Detroit on our way home.

My questions are:

-Is this too much to do in a week
-Where should we stay in Algonac, Sarnia, and Windsor?
-Any good stops we should def make to sightsee or explore
-As long as we stay in Canada waters from Sarnia to Windsor we should be ok with customs?
-Tips going up the Detroit and Clair Rivers

Thanks!
 
I would look at Algonac Harbor Club for your Algonac stay.

As long as the weather is good, this is certainly not too much for a week. Sandusky to St. Clair Shores is a nice half day cruise. St. Clair Shores to MacRay Harbor is about a 30-45 minute ride. MacRay to Muscamoot is about 30 minutes. From the middle of Lake St. Clair to the Blue Water Bridge is about an hour or so. Take the south channel so you can see the ships. The North channel is nice as well, just no freighters.

Browns Bar on the Middle Channel on Harsen's island is good for burgers and a beer. Sans Souci on the South Channel has good pizza and you might catch a freighter while you eat. If you tie up to the sea wall, keep your bow out to the river, not your stern.

There is a shallow area that must be avoided in the middle of the lake. Just South of the red "6" and "4" cans on the middle channel is an area that will be an island if the water is low enough. Right now there is only about a foot of water there now.

Here is a pretty good interactive chart of the lake.

Welcome!

http://www.marinecruiser.com/chart.html
 
I'm not a big Jefferson Beach Marina fan. It's very convenient if you want to bar and restaurant hop, but note that Tin Fish, which has taken over the former Beach Grill location, isn't highly regarded.

I would consider The Detroit Yacht Club or Metro Beach, particularly if you're traveling with kids. (I can probably help you get dockage at the club if you can't leverage an ILYA membership)

While at Metro Beach and/or MacRay, check out the Harrison Twp Shuttle service. It's a free and easy way to get a ride to area restaurants and stores.

For navigation in the Detroit River, use the "highway", aka the downbound Livingstone Channel as you enter the river from Erie, then stay in the Fighting Island channel between Fighting Isle to the East and Grassy Island to the west. If you travel between Belle Isle and Detroit, note that the entire stretch is no-wake. Stay clear of Scott's Middle Ground directly past the Belle Isle MacArthur Bridge. (plenty of water on each side, but following the mainland shoreline is easier)

In the St. Clair River, keep a lookout for the nuns marking the St. Clair Middle Ground. It's deceptive - at a glance it looks wide-open and deep, but the beached boats with kids and dogs standing in the center of the river are a good clue!
 
I agree with the Algonac Harbor Club. Nice marina and close to restaurants etc. This is the former Chris Craft plant from days gone by. My first cruise that my wife and I took was from Catawba Island up to Sarnia and over to the Canadian side of Lake Huron. I still remember that cruise - had a wonderful time!
 
RollerCoastr said:
...and home to one of our own. If you happen to encounter a clean, I mean SPOTLESS/PERFECT 460DA with black canvas and a RIB on the platform, walk up and say "Hiya Jamie!"
Click to expand...

I saw it last time I was there. Beautiful boat.
 
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