History From The Muddy Bottom Of The Detroit River

[painter777]

I've been out there with one to two footers and the wind changes and within a half hour was in ten footers trying to get back in and trust me my friends 10 footers in a 16 foot boat is no fun.

That is proof you've been there.. done that.

I grew up running from the Huron river mouth down current to the lake or up the Detroit river.
When open water fishing Erie, us coming off the west side, problem was the storms would blow in from the west and be on you before you knew what hit you. Most all the western shoreline is low land. I've been in blows while being 5-8 miles out that were so bad you couldn't drive straight back in. Often you'd be forced to jog at a south westerly angle to get back in and find yourself miles south of where you needed to be.

When the storms blew up from the east, Erie will beat you to death.. period!

Had a friend in High school who drove his Grandpa's brand new Ford Club cab out on the ice. Winds kicked up, causing a 6x8 mile sheet to float out. All were rescued, minus their gear. Local papers Monroe News and Toledo Blade both had front page covers showing a overhead picture this truck in center view. Truck still had the dealer stickers on the door glass. Truck went under, Michigan called in a salvage co from Ohio. Big helicopter starts charging $$ when call is received, same with their divers. Michigan starts $$ monetary charges for time spent underwater until recovered. Truck owners Insurance voids policy being it was drove intentionally on to the ice.
Don't recall the total costs for the loss, but my friend joined the Army soon afterward.
I don't know how the laws read today, but this was how it was in the mid/late 70's.

Lake Erie is nothing to fool with. 4 people I knew lost their lives to her. 2 of those were school teachers who were snowmobiling across a bay to a late dinner with friends. Tracks led to open water. Snow machines were found in the spring, their bodies never recovered.

One of the other 2 was thrown from the boat at high speed and drown, the driver died after breaking his neck when thrown. Speed boat, big block 409 Chevy motor, I had tuned 2 weeks earlier and was suppose to be there for this test but had to work that afternoon. During that 2 week period since I'd tuned that engine the lake had been less than friendly with heavy chop. I had been getting them to wait for better conditions but they weren't going to wait any longer. I remember being called at work (a small marina) and being told that both were lost.

Didn't mean to ramble on, but the post by TDH brought the memories back.

Charlie-Painter777

[skip_c]

When I worked for Detroit Edison, the only thing we found was Jason's and Studio 1.
Sorry to get off subject, but BAR knows what I mean.
Skip

[painter777]

I believe both are closed now..
Ran out of Gentlemen to attend.......
See you in Church Sunday Skip ??

[rcathey]

I was in Detroit a while ago. Stayed in a nice seedy motel on Jefferson, I believe. I was actually *north* of Canada which this ol’ Kentucky boy found pretty amusing.
Anyway, I managed to find myself one of them places I think you guys are talking about. I happened to mention the place I was staying to one of the, uh, ladies working at the place and she said, and I quote, “oh god! You’re staying there!?”
And there’s my Detroit experience.

[Vincent]

Best cat fight I’ve ever seen was at the “Windsor Ballet.” Picture two beautiful young ladies in lingerie going at it…. and cussing each other out in what sounded like 14’th century French!

[browningautorifle]

Jason's and Studio 1.
Sorry to get off subject, but BAR knows what I mean.

In both instances...locations and off subject...