Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Cedar River Michigan

We left Marinette on July 24th with our friends aboard Shoo Fly following in our wake; off on an adventure to explore north Green Bay. The channel was bumpy with waves rolling straight at us. The bay was bumpy too. We wanted to throw out some sail but the wind was so light that we continued under engine power with the Canada wildfire haze hanging over us. Shoo fly followed at a distance that could almost appear as though we were attached. We moved north one wave at a time.

Shoo Fly Passing Menomonee light
Photo by Nena Mooney

Calm Day on Green Bay

Mystic Leading The Way
Video by Nena Mooney


We passed a loon which made me realize I'd forgotten my good camera with the zoom lens; I was beyond disappointed! We arrived at our first stop, Cedar River and made our way to the marina through the narrow channel, noting the skinny water along the north side. After settling our boats in their slips we borrowed the blue beach bikes and rode to and through Wells State Park. At the beach, two older women on e-bikes stopped to chat. They'd ridden 100 miles up from Algoma, looking for Yooperlight, the rock that glows under UV light. We'd never heard of it before. Apparently Yooperlight is as popular as agates. People collect them but also make special pilgrimages to visit the big rocks too large to take home in their pocket. The gals were looking for two massive ones in the park; one along the shoreline, the other at a campsite. 

After our ride, we relaxed aboard Mystic, munching on taco dip & chips and chatting with Dan and Nena about our easy first day out. Dock swallows danced along the water and through the boats. We discovered they were nesting under our pier.

It was a very quiet night. There were a lot of spiders making the docks appear to be held together by their webs. Our boats sit low against a bumper board below the stationary docks. We had to climb upward to depart. Two pilings sit between us and Shoo Fly. The slips are so wide that a third boat would fit between us if the pilings were eliminated.

In the morning, we took a long walk out to the bay. The Robert Louis fishing vessel was blocking the channel along the Cedar River. Good thing we realized this before leaving the dock. We set out to explore our surroundings until the channel reopened. 

Art Swaer VII

The Robert Louis

Green Bay at Cedar River

Quiet Morning at Cedar River

We ran into Dwayne, the marina Dock Master and chatted about the area and how he became a part of this quiet town. He gave us local history of the fishing vessels and the Ruleau Brothers Fishing company that has supplied white fish to Greater upper Michigan, Green Bay and the Door County area for 160 years. The Robert Louis is part of their fleet.

We walked around the marina and along Old Mill Lane which runs parallel to the bay and leads to Dead Mans Cove. It is beautiful and quiet, with lots of summer cottages and log homes that are part of Cedarville township. Next, we grabbed the bikes and rode out to Dead Man's Point but couldn't get to the actual point because it is a private road.

After returning the bikes we prepared our boats for the next leg of our adventure, Escanaba, about 30 miles north. We planned this cruise with easy days in mind, sail as much as possibilities then enjoy and explore each destination. We left the dock late morning and headed out into the bay under sunny skies, a good way to start our day.

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