Monday, March 23, 2009

Charlie's 2008 Odyssey XI


The Grand is growing:

As the trio paddles downstream on the Grand it grows in volume from the input of its major tributaries. The first is the Looking Glass River which enters the Grand just downstream of where they launched in Portland. Its headwaters are in a marsh just a few yards from the Shiawassee River, a tributary of the Saginaw River whose waters flow to Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. In its upper reaches the Looking Glass is an important Sandhill Crane breeding ground.

The next is the Maple River, a placid stream occupying the channel of what was once a Niagara-sized meltwater torrent. Its headwaters are also near the Shiawassee River. There was an ancient portage between the Maple and tributaries of the Saginaw.

Some 10,000 years ago a mile thick lobe of the Continental glacier occupied the Lake Huron Basin blocking the drainage to the Atlantic, forcing all the meltwater to flow to Lake Michigan and the Mississippi. The Maple and the Lower Grand are the remnants of that once-mighty glacial drain.

The Upper Grand as we know it today did not even exist in those times. It is a geologically youthful stream which cut its sinuous path across the moraines and drift left when the glacier retreated.

My message of April 30: Charlie, Dan and Jim camped at Ionia last night and are on their way toward Lowell, Ada and Grand Rapids.

1 comment:

Willi_H2O said...

Come check out the Shiawassee-
Shiawassee River Paddle Event--June 7, 2009

PUT-IN
-WaterWorks Park -
602 South Broad St, Holly, MI 48442-1674


TAKE-OUT
--Strom Park--
299 South East Street, Fenton,MI
near the East Street Bridge.

Shiawassee River Paddle Event--June 7, 2009

Start : WaterWorks Park in Holly, Michigan
End : Strom Park in Fenton, Michigan
Distance : 7 scenic miles of numerous twists and turns
Schedule :
10:00 am : On-site registration WaterWorks Park
11:30 am : Introductory Ceremony
11:45 am : Experienced Canoeists Start
12:15 pm : Novice/Youth Canoeists Start
12:45 pm : Kayak/ Single person canoeists Start
***1:15 pm : Leisure/fun paddle Start *****
6:00 pm : Final river sweep completed

Canoes available for rental thru Heavners Livery
Shuttle transport all day long until 6pm

Questions ?

Call Sue Julian, 248-634-3513
or email sjulian @ provide dot net

Call Doug Lanyk 248-634-4551
or email dslanyk @ comcast dot net

Call Willi Gutmann 586-215-6387
or e-mail Willi_H2O @ Yahoo dot Com