We were up bright and early so we could make our way 45 miles downriver for our second Discovery Cruise this summer. The boat left from Metro Beach Metropark at Jefferson Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway (16 Mile Road) With clear skies, a calm sea, the temperature in the low to mid seventies, and no evidence of flying insects like the ones that inondated us on last years trip, we boarded the M.V. Clinton (named after the Clinton River, not Bill or Hillary) at 10:00 AM and headed out onto the lake.
During our boat ride out to the middle of Lake St. Clair we were given talks about various fish and aquatic life species.
Among our eight or nine crew was Captain Greg, two or three Metroparks employees from the Nature Center located in the park, several University of Michigan reps and a marine biologist from the Department of Natural Resources.
As we approached the research vessel "Channel Cat" we could see a crew of DNR scientists were waiting for us. We tied up on their port side and had a good view of the whole deck. Read about the "Channel Cat" CLICK HERE.
Before we arrived, the crew of the Channel Cat had dragged a large, open-meshed net designed to allow smaller fish to slip through. The net was dragged for 5 minutes, catching two Sturgeons. Then the net was dragged again for 5 more minutes, capturing one more.
There was a large plastic tank containing huge fish, a weigh scale with a specially constructed platform, and forward of that, another specially made measuring trough.
As soon we arrived, the scientists began a demonstration of what they do. Two deck hands wrestled one of the large fish from the tank to the weighing platform. Then it was transferred to another station where it was measured and an electronic identifier chip inserted under its skin. This chip can be scanned and read if they catch the same fish at a later date. This is the same kind of chip that is imbedded in our cat Dash.
After the measuring and e-tagging, the huge fish was released back into the lake.
They have determined that some of these sturgeon come from as far away as the Upper Peninsula and Georgian Bay to bask in the shallow waters of Lake St Clair in the summer. The reason is still unknown.
The largest Sturgeon was really fairly average in size at around six feet long and weighing 77 lbs. with the largest ever caught more than twice as heavy at 180 lbs.
On the way back there was more specimens to view and some frozen samples of native fish which we identified using a wall chart.
Gary and Ann had recommended a restaurant so after the cruise and a quick visit to the Nature Center, we drove the lake road to Algonac and Catch 22, our lunch destination. Then we took a scenic ride along the St. Clair River and back to our condo in Point Edward.
The restaurant was decorated in photos and pieces of old Chris Craft boats. Algonac was the home of the famous yacht manufacturer and the factory used to be located right across the street.
The portions were VERY generous as you can see by a shot of my Reuben sandwich. Very economical too as all three of us were fed for under $30. After lunch we drove the river road back from Algonac through Marine City and St Clair to Port Huron and then across the Blue Water Bridge to our condo in Point Edward.
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