Manistee - Lucas Road to Hwy 131
Kathleen Imre | Published on 6/10/2024
Jackie had organized this Manistee trip, but unfortunately was not feeling well enough to participate, so I attempted to be a substitute Jackie and lead it instead (tough shoes - or booties - to fill)! Although it was a tad chilly, the sun was shining as we unloaded gear and prepped our boats for launch. Marv once again kindly provided shuttle service to/from the take-out at Hwy 131. Thank you, Marv! The kayakers were Jacqui, Cyndi, Marlene, Babs, Greg, Irene, and Paul. Sara, Jocelyn, Mike, and I paddled canoes.
The weather sprites were a bit less than kind, and the clouds and a chilly wind moved in not long after we launched, but with all the twists and turns in the river, at least we weren't paddling into a headwind the entire time! 😉 This stretch of the river is really quite pretty: there were few houses, and with the mix of deciduous trees among the dunes, it would make for a fine Color Paddle in the Fall. Unfortunately, there are very few places to pull over for a group lunch spot. Irene saved the day by finding the old ?campground? area on river left, and at just the time when our appetites were peaking! It isn't an ideal access, with muck, a boat-piercing metal pipe near the shore, and a slippery bank to clamber over, but we all helped each other, and the area had a level grassy spot for our picnic.
As soon as we got back on the water, the 20% chance of rain became 100%, and the strong winds were rather good at directing the rain straight into our faces. This certainly helped keep us paddling at a steady pace! Everyone seemed to stay in good spirits throughout the day, despite the weather, however, but I think we were all happy to have reached the 131 take-out when we did! Of course, the rain had stopped by then... I guess this confirms the adage, "Any day on the river is a good day!"
Photos courtesy of Jocelyn
River tracking map courtesy of Babs
Lucas Road Access
Skies still blue!
Anenome
Cow Parsnip or Hogweed
Lunch Spot
Our route. X marks the spot (for lunch)!
