Paddle on Shiawassee -- Jan 4, 2007

On Thursday morning Doug Lanyk and I decided to paddle the 7 miles from Holly to Fenton along the Shiawassee River. The weather was a mix of clouds and sun with a little wind mixed in.
Upon arrival at the put in next to WaterWorks Park in Holly we ran into 2 other kayakers ready to go. They had already staged their shuttle vehicle at Strom Park in Fenton.
The bridge construction is underway and hopefully will be completed in time for the 2007 race. The bridge will be a huge help allowing people to easily launch canoes and kayaks from a little peninsula in the river.
The Shiawassee has a large amount of marsh and wetlands that act as a sponge, moderating fluctuations in water levels. The beaver dams add another interesting component as the river finds new ways of winding between the trees.
The full 7 miles of river is open and easily navigated with the exception of a few spots where a tree or two had fallen. We didn't have to portage at all on Thursday. A wonderfull day on the river.
A late lunch at the French Laundry in Fenton was washed down with a few beers from their amazing selection of brews.
Headwaters Trails is ramping up to promote and host Roz Savage in her one and ONLY stop in Michigan for a speaking engagement Saturday March 24, 2007 .

http://www.headwaterstrailsinc.org/Rozflyer.PDF

http://rozsavage.com