It was a "welcome home" trip for Pam & Harold, and also John W (Rosario couldn't make it today). Special thanks to Steve, Tracie and John W for helping with the shuttle, and also to Fred & Judy for graciously offering an extra space on top of their car if we needed it. Fred also made it a point to pick up a bunch of trash, which is good since that section of the river has only one person signed up to help for BRCS day.
It was also great to have Jocelyn and John B along in The Planter, plus Mike and Debby out for their first paddle of this season. Wonderful to see you all! Even though it was a short trip, we saw a lot. Wildlife included a family of geese with 6 goslings, a pair of wood ducks flying overhead, a horse, an "exploding" turkey flying across the river and a sly merganser leading us downstream until it found a place where it could hide.
A good day to be on the river; it was over 90 by the time I got to the NMC BBQ, and saw several of the same compatriots there enjoying another Traverse City tradition. We are so lucky to live here!
Written by Lois
P.S. At the BBQ, I chatted with John Nelson, the Baykeeper for the Watershed Center of Grand Traverse Bay. He said that as of now, we should not attempt to paddle the Boardman River section between Scheck's and Brown Bridge Dam. He said that the muck in the former pond is shoulder deep!