Friends Of The Rouge News Sept. 21 (Industrial Rouge); Oct 12(natural route) 10.09.13 This fall there are two opportunities to join a group paddle on the Rouge River. The tours are being organized by Friends of the Rouge in conjunction with two local liveries. The two tours offer contrasting perspectives on this recovering urban river. On Saturday September 21, Friends of the Rouge partners with Riverside Kayak Connection on a tour that highlights the river’s industrial past. Beginning in Melvindale, paddlers are dwarfed by industry as they cruise past the Ford Rouge Complex, awed by history as they pass under historical suspension bridges, surprised by the great blue herons and kingfishers that still frequent the area, and always on the watch for the occasional freighter that makes its way up the river. On Saturday October 12, Friends of the Rouge partners with Heavner Canoe Rental to offer a trip that feels like an up north paddle. Following the Lower Branch within the City of Wayne, paddlers are surrounded by a surprisingly healthy forest with towering cottonwoods, several steep riverbanks and even a bit of whitewater to negotiate. This year’s paddle is part of Rouge-A-Palooza, a river celebration taking place in Wayne’s Goudy Park. Both tours are limited to experienced paddlers due to water quality concerns. To sign up for the Sept. 21 Kayak Tour, contact Riverside Kayak Connection at 734-285-2925. ($45 kayak / $20 bring your own, both include shuttle and lunch). To sign up for the Oct 12 paddle, contact FOTR at 313-792-9621 or [email protected] ($35 per canoe/$10 bring your own). The Rouge River covers 466 square miles in three counties and 42 communities in the metropolitan Detroit area. Friends of the Rouge is a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to promoting restoration and stewardship of the Rouge River. FOTR News Sept. 21 (Industrial Rouge); Oct 12(natural route) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I went on the Sept 21 kayak tour and it was simply amazing. Detroit changed the Rouge. Detroit changed the World. All structures colossal in size. Giant factories. Giant cranes. Giant bulldozers. 25 foot flames shooting out of very tall smokestacks burning off steel making by-products. Enormous piles of fine ground coal looking like pepper inundating the towering structure that was consuming it with a house-sized clamping shovel. All about making steel. Many Great Blue Herons and Kingfishers but also Great Egrets and Green herons. Reports of giant channel catfish. Something large shot across my bow just under the surface. It was moving, traveling 50 feet in the blink of a eye. A pike? Garpike? Muskey? I did not think local fish were that fast. We ventured down a spur channel taking us closer to the steel plant. We caused some concern among the plant security forces. What a trip.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:54:41 +0000
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