Trail Notes

May 16, 2008—Plan was to camp at Vanderbilt Park. Wake up and meet others that would paddle with me. Then Paddle from Quanicassee to Fish Point Lodge and camp again. I got tied up with work and was not able to camp. So I met Rob at Fish Point at about 9am. We left my car at Fish Point and put both kayaks on his car. Drove to Quanicassee (about 15 minute drive). Put in at Quanicassee at 10am. Beautiful day to paddle. Sunny, hot. We started with a very small wind out of the SW (our backs) and it pushed us a long great. Paddling with no effort. Around noon the wind totally dies and we were paddling on glass. Fish jumping all around us. Can see big carp swimming below us. Everything went great until we got to Fish Point. Then it got real shallow. We were tired from the long paddle and not mentally ready. It is very difficult to paddle in shallow water. Finally we had to get out and pull our kayaks for a half mile across the point. Got around the point and was able to get back in and paddle the rest of the way to the lodge. Big storm moving in behind us. At Fish Point Lodge we met a group of guys on a fishing trip. They had all caught there limit of Walley and were very happy. Taking pictures. I am very achy and tired. Shuttled to get cars. Weather was supposed to get real bad that night so I decided I would go home and spend time with my family. Took an hour to get home. Went to sleep that night at 8pm. Slept like a log.

Trail Notes

Started Paddling the Water Trail—10am from Quanicassee
· Met Rob Hair at Fish Point. Left a car and transported kayaks to Quanicassee.
· $6 parking fee at Quanicassee—find out if can leave cars over night
· Venderbilt Park is closest camping spot—may want to consider just putting in there. F/o if they have parking for people that want to put in for a multiple day trip but do not camp there.

Quanicassee
· Lots of parking--$6 a day or $24 for permit
· Grassy bank area with shallow water to put in—or put in at boat launch—may have to pay launch fee.
· Paddle down river and out into lake—follow channel markers
· To the west there will be a large power plant with big smoke stacks
· Go north
· Shallow water—will have to stay a quarter to half mile out
· Shore is undeveloped—reeds and trees—wetlands

Vanderbilt Park
· Did not see—however it is only ½ mile once you enter the lake.
· Must stop and see next time I go by

Quanicasee to Alan Road—1.5 hours moving 3.7 miles per hour average—wind at our backs
· Shore is all reeds and woods
· Landmark--Look for protrusion on trees from shore
· Do not try to cut it short before canal—very shallow
· Canal leads up to access point at road end
· Parking is limited—turn around dead end road. Must park on side of dirt road
· No bathrooms
· Parking safety--there is a small housing settlement near end of road
· Dirt boat launch area
· Lots of birds and turtles in the canal

Alan Road to Sunset Bay Marina—1 hour at 3.7 mph moving. GPS says we paddled 9.38 miles from start.
· Reeds and wood
· Stay half mile out to avoid shallow water
· Again look for tree protrusion as landmark and don’t cut it short—also a big crane at entrance
· Marina is down a short canal—stay right
· Trees on side of canal for shade and nice place to eat
· Kayak launch area is just north of canal on a sandy beach
· Sunset Bay Marina was closed—it has room for a lot of boats
· Camping is available
· Store on the premises
· Bathrooms when open

Sunset Bay to Thomas Marina—1 hour paddle at 3.7 mph, 12.6 miles from start
· A little more development in this area—there are houses on shore
· Look for tree protrusion
· Follow canal to access point
· Camping, store and bathrooms available


Thomas Marina to Fish Point Lodge—1.5 hours. 17.5 miles from start. Moving time was 4 hours 55 minutes at and average moving speed of 3.6. Finished at 4:30. 6 ½ hours
· This last part was deceiving—Fish Point Lodge is right around the corner from Thomas Marina but it took us a long time to get to it because you have to paddle at least a half mile past the lodge to get around the peninsula
· Very shallow area—we had to get out an pull our kayaks at times
· There may not be a way to avoid the shallows—Stay way out to go around peninsula and avoid shallows
· Carp everywhere—as we paddle we can see them in groups and they take off—but they are so slow we can follow
· They are jumping out of the water all around us
· Saw a number of swans
· Once around the point/peninsula we were able to paddle in fairly easily.
· Lodge is about a half mile from where you come around the peninsula and has a green roof
· Entrance will be down a short canal to you right
· Lodge allows camping
· Has bathrooms
· Has parking for $3 a day fee. Launch is $5
· Highly recommended as a place to stop and camp
· Area is popular for bird watching
· It is next to a DNR wildlife preserve that you are not allowed to enter. But the birds have no problem leaving
· Wildfowl migration--swans

Next Leg
Fish Point Lodge to Sebewaing Rd VFW
I paddled into Fish Point Bay (rather than straight across to VFW). Lots of Wildfowl and other birds (white egrets, herons). It was very shallow at points but I did not have to get out of the kayak at any point. It was difficult to find the access to at the VFW. It took a little over an hout to get to it from Fish Point.

Sebewaing Rd VFW to Sebewaing Harbor Marina and Sebewaing County Park
From the VFW you have to go out around a long embankment. Many boats coming in and out of this area. A lot of partiers and fisherman. It was not very quiet or peaceful. Once around the embankment enter the river. About a half mile in houses will be on your right and the County park will come up on the left. The access at the County Park is a steep bank. Another quarter mile is the Harbor Marina. I paddled past the marina and up the river to the town aof Sebewaing. This would be a great place to put an access so people kayakers could get out in town and get food and a drink. However there is no sage access. The river is very dirty and not very scenic. Lots of boats that go fast and do not have much regard for kayakers. I would avoid this area in a kayak.

Sebewaing Harbor/County Park to Sumac Island
Paddle out of the river and to the right. Head toward the islands about a half mile out. I tried to cut straight to them but it got very shallow and I hit bottom. I had to go out farther. Once at the islands it was beautiful and peaceful. I saw a young eagle on shore. There were a lot of birds. I paddled out around the islands. Swallows started dive bombing me and trying to poop on me. I tried to cut across the bay on the inside of the islands to get to Sumac Island access but was unable to because it was too shallow.

Sumac Island to Bay Port
Sumac Island access is busy with fisherman. However, it is an excellent access to this natural area. I chose to go to the right and head toward the Bay access. I had been in this area before and it was hard to pick a way through the reeds and grass. On this day (September) it seemed that a pathway had been cut or dredged through the area. This was a fantastic paddle through native grasses and a ton of birds. Once near Bay Port access, I went out to circle Middle Island. It was very shallow on the way out. I went to the east of the Island and planned to circle the Island. I stopped and did a short hike on the island. There were plenty of places to camp and this would make a beautiful camping area. Once I got to the west side of the island I headed in through some reeds. There was a very narrow trail to follow through the reeds. Soon it became too shallow to paddle and I had to get out and pull the kayak. It appeared that someone had cut the trail through the reeds. Once out of that portion I was back to where I had started my circle around the Island. I headed in to Bay Port access and ended my trip for the day. Stopped and had the perch plate and some beer at the Bay Port Inn. What a great way to end a paddle.

June 21, 2009 Bay Port to Filion Road Access
I paddled right out of the access point and entered Wildfowl Bay. I followed the shore. I was expecting a natural paradise. However, the paddle was relatively quiet and boring. I saw some fish swimming on top of the water but that was it. It was about 30 minute paddle to the Filion Rd access.

Filion Rd. to Beadle Bay Marina
I continued to follow the shore. The paddle was very quiet and peaceful but not a lot to see. It took another hour to get to Beadle Bay Marina. I then turned around and headed across the Bay straight back to Bay Port. It took exactly an hour to get from beadle Bay to Bay Port access.