Grand River (Ottawa County)

We finally made a point to get on the Grand River a ways inland from Grand Haven. This is something I have never done and was always very curious to see this part of the world.

We put in at Riverside County Park which is about 15 miles (by boat) up river from the end of the break water on Lake Michigan. This is a very nice park with a 4 lane ramp and two docks. There is a $5 ramp fee which is very reasonable in my opinion. There is ample parking and a few nice picnic areas. There are pit toilets also. When we arrived there were many, many bass boat trailers in the lot since there was a tournament going on.

This park is located just West of a the end of a dredged/navigable channel on the river. When we were there the water was up enough that there was only a few locations where it was important to stay in the marked channel. In general depths ranged from 5-10 ft the whole length of the river until you get to Spring Lake. Once you are to that point the water is typically over 20 ft deep.

The river was up from recent rain and the current was running about 3-5 mph. I don't have a lot of experience with currents like this so it took me a little by surprise. I first realised it when we pulled up to the ramp and saw a log floating down the river. I had a little trouble getting the boat off the trailer, I guess the current was pushing it enough sideways that it took a little effort to get it free from the trailer. Make sure you use adequate dock lines at the bow and stern and secure them fastly to the the dock. The stern almost got away from us since I used only a 1/4" line. It stretched a lot when I had to pull it back to the dock.

The cruise down the river was leisurely and we enjoyed a picnic lunch on the boat. Long stretches of the river allow for running at speed. This map shows the areas that are slow no wake as the light blue areas with an orange outline. However, the location shown for the ramp at riverside park is not accurate. Typically the areas that are slow no wake are near the marinas or ramps and also along a relatively narrow stretch that has several homes and docks.

Once you are out to Grand Haven there are plenty of things to do and see. There is Lake Michigan (of course) and as long as the weather is calm a quick trip out to the lake is worth it. When were there the waves coming into the channel were 3-6' rollers and you could see that the lake was kicked up pretty good. We went out just past the old Coast Guard station on the North side of the channel. We snapped a couple of pictures of the pier and lighthouse from a distance and turned back.

For those not familiar with Grand Haven, It is the quintessential West Michigan shoreline town. There are a lot of things going on pretty much all year long. The town is considered "Coast Guard City" and hosts a very impressive festival every year. The beach is typical of many West Michigan beaches...the sand is clean and soft and you can walk for miles along the shore. The South pier and the "board" walk on the South side of the channel makes for a great walk and people watching adventure. There are plenty of nice streets in the downtown area with shops and stuff. Restaurants abound and there is pretty much anything for anyone. You can tie up along the sea wall near down town for a quick stop in town. For a longer stay, the municipal marina right in town offers transient docking. The city also operates a very large boat ramp that is just a little up the river from downtown. The launch fee is $10.

We spent some time beached along the North shore of the river right across from downtown. There is a nice sandy beach along this stretch of the river. This is a great place to let the kids play in the sand and water. The beach is just below the world famous musical fountain. For some, this may be worth the cost of admission alone. It is really quite an interesting experience...hard to put into words actually.



At the municipal boat ramp/park there is a nice dock that is available for a quick run to the public restrooms on shore. Don't plan to spend the day or more than a few minutes tied up. The dock can be a pretty busy place and is meant to be shared by everyone.



On the way back up the river we took a side jaunt up through Spring Lake before a quick run back to Riverside Park.

It was getting late in the day so we made good time on the way back to the ramp. We ran WOT for a couple of miles and averaged over 20mph including the no wake zones. As we were nearing the park we almost hit a large log that was floating just below the surface. Luckily we were in the a wake area so I had plenty of time to react....it did make me think again about all that time we were running well over 40 mph...what if????

Getting back to the dock on the ramp proved to be a bit of the challenge. There were several other boats sort of circling and it was obvious people were struggling. Remember that current I mentioned? Yeah, it made getting to the dock without really risking damage pretty tricky to say the least. I made one attempt to approach the dock on the down current side...bad idea. Almost lost the wife as she jumped to the dock and crashed and then almost crashed sideways into the boat at the other dock. The second attempt to the up current side of the dock was also a bit troublesome. Judicious use of the throttle in reverse saved us from too much damage. The third attempt wasn't pretty, but it worked. I guess I need to work on maneuvering in currents. Although, it was obvious this current was quite a bit stronger than anyone was really prepared for.

It was good trip and even though the weather was actually a bit chilly, we enjoyed it thoroughly.

Green Lake (Allegan County)

This afternoon/evening we went over to Green Lake for a couple of hours. The weather was iffy all day until about 4pm. So we decided to go someplace close for a little "dinner" cruise. Even though dinner was only PB&Js, it was still nice.

I had only been on Green Lake one other time many years ago on a borrowed waverunner. At that time I didn't really bother to look around a see what a nice little lake it actually is.

A little over 10 years ago we almost bought a tiny little house up on a hill overlooking the lake. The house had deeded access to the lake and it was only $75k. Long story short, the house would have been too much work and there was no garage and very little room to build one. However, there is a little part of me that still thinks it would have been fun.



Green Lake is a small lake in Allegan County. It covers a little over 300 acres. It is a popular water skiing lake and fishing is quite popular also. There are sort of two sections of the lake separated by a relatively shallow narrows. The lake in general is very deep with abrupt drop offs. When you are out from shore 100' it is common to be in 30'+ of water. However, there are a couple of sandbars in areas that can take you by surprise. It is a good idea to have a depth finder so you can at least be aware of where a few of the shallow areas are.

It was pretty cool this evening and the lake was pretty quite. I assume that on hotter days a few of the sand bar areas are popular places to hang out and just be in the water. There is not public beach on the lake. Our kids were a little disappointed that they couldn't play in the sand.

There is a very nice public boat ramp on the lake. It is operated by the DNR. The ramp, dock and parking are all basically brand new. The ramp is a single lane concrete ramp with a single dock along the Port side. There is plenty of parking, however, on a warm summer weekend I'm sure it fills up quickly. I didn't see any signs regarding a fee to use the ramp. However, there was a small shed on site that could be used as a collection station on busy weekends. Since it is a state owned and operated facility, I would guess a State Park pass ($6 daily, $24 annual) would be required.

The Northern shore of the lake is mostly undeveloped and it would appear to be a good place to find some fish. Most of the rest of the lake is lined with cottages and year round homes. There are some new homes and a few vacant building sites at the end of the Northern bay.

All in all it is a nice little lake to visit if you are in the area. If you are looking to fish or ski and only need a couple of hours on the water it may work great for you. There is a slalom course set up on the main bay and it seemed that just about every boat on a lift in front of a house was a MasterCraft.

I don't know that there is much of a reason for us to go back any time soon. However, as it turns out, it is probably the closest boatable body of water to our home.

Google Maps: Green Lake

Gun Lake (Barry County)

Gun Lake has been essentially my "home" lake forever, literally, and now figuratively. I have Gun Lake to thank for my love of boating.

Today we spent the day on the lake with friends. We launched the boat last night after we left Gull Lake. We were able to leave the boat overnight at the family dock.

Today we spent the day palying in the water with the kids and friends. We pulled a few people on a tube and just enjoyed the summer day.

In describing the lake, it is hard for me to decide where to begin. The lake has so much to offer. There is plenty of space to do just about anything. The lake covers nearly 2700 acres. The water depth varies significantly. The lake is split into a west side and an east side by a shallow narrows that stretches from Murphy's Point (State Park) over to England's Point. The majority of the west side of the lake is less than 10' deep. However, Robins Bay at the north west corner of the lake is over 30'. Over on the east side of the lake there are several locations that are 40'+. The deepest spot is around 65-70'. There are many places that you need to be very careful about so as not damage a prop or worse. You need to pay particular attention in the narrow areas between the islands and the points they are closest to.

Gun Lake is fed by the Gun River and the outflow of the river and the lake level is regulated by a small 5' dam that was built a long time ago. This dam brought the lake level up to a usable level and continues to maintain this level. The lake is also connected to Payne Lake and Long Lake, though it is not possible to get to these other lakes with a typical boat.

Gun Lake lies mostly in Barry County. However, there is a small portion of the south west corner that is in Allegan County.

The lake hosts a large State Park that offers a couple of beach areas a very nice boat ramp and a very nice campground. Yankee Springs Recreation Area is a huge park with many different units in the area to the north and east of the lake.



Aside from the State Park there is an Allegan County Park that has a nice boat ramp and enough parking to accomodate plenty of a boat trailers. This park also offers a playground area and a small beach area. The launch requires a $5 fee (annual passes are available for $25) The launch is a 2 lane with a single dock in the middle. The parking and prep areas on actually accross the street. Be sure to follow the signs to guide you from step 1 prep-launch.

There are total of 3 launch ramps available to the public. Two of them are located in the State Park. The main ramp is in the day use area of the park and is a very nice 4 lane ramp with two docks. There is ample parking near the ramp. To access this ramp will require a DNR issued motor vehicle permit. ($6 daily, $24 annual) The other ramp in the State Park is in the campground. If you are camping this is a handy place to launch as it is nice and close...it is not intended to be used by those that are not camping.

There are several prominant islands on the lake. The most well known, Orangeville Island (also know as Party Island), is a privately owned island that had historically been a place to congregrate and "party". At this time the owners have asked that people no longer use the island due to litter and other damage to the property. This island did have a home on it at one point. It burned many years ago. The foundation of the home can still be seen.

Although the island was always a favorite place to go, there are many other locations on the lake that offer a nice place to anchor and spend time in the water. Along the northern shore where the State Park campground beach is located is a nice shallow area that is good for the kids. There are also other beach areas on either side of the State Park point that offer a nice place to be in the water.



The lake is a good destination for out of town visitors. There are several "resorts" that offer rentals and many cottages are available for rent also. The campground is also an obvious destination for visitors. Bay Point Inn offers a hotel, resturant and various other services. It is located in the south eastern portion of the lake. There are also several seasonal "trailer parks" on the lake that have served many families over the years as a place to get away.

Many of the homes on the lake are now year round residences, yet there are still many seasonal cottages also.

The lake is a very nice location and offers something for everyone.

Google Maps: Gun Lake

Gull Lake (Kalamazoo County)

We spent the afternoon on Gull Lake today. This is only our second time on the lake. The lake lies primarily in Kalamazoo County. Only the very Northern tip is in Barry County.

We launched at the only public launch on the lake, Prarieville Township Park. The launch fee is $7. To enter the park you need to pay. There is either an attendant or an automated machine. If the attendants aren't on duty, access to the park is controlled by gates. All this is a small price to pay for a nice park that offers ample parking (even on busy weekends) and a beach area with playground toys. There is also a small restroom building to take care of those needs.

We spent some time at Gull Lake Ministries with family and then toured the lake.

It was a hot day and we cooled off by jumping into the lake and just drifted for a while.

Gull Lake is a very nice lake with a lot of neat and unique homes. Park Island is an neat island with many nice homes on it. Most of the lake has significant depth. There are a few spots that are over 100'. There are few shallow sand bars. On a hot day these sand bars are poplar places to anchor/raft up and spend time in the water. The lake covers a little over 2000 acres.

There are many areas on the lake that offer good fishing. There is plenty of space for watersports also. On busy weekends the lake can be pretty rough.

Google Maps: Gull Lake

Who I am...a little more

I have lived in Michigan pretty much my entire life. I have boated in Michigan pretty much my entire life. I think that anyone that has the honor to live in this great state has a responsibility to at least partake in exploring the waterways at some point in their life.

We had been without an operational boat since July of 2008. I have really missed having the ability to get out on the water with my family. We find spending a day on the water to be just about as relaxing and refreshing as anything can be.

Now we have a new boat and this summer looks like it will be a good one. It is my intention to be on the water as many weekends this summer as humanly possible. To that end I have decided that we need to explore a lot of new lakes, rivers and waterways. I have been trying to research new places via the internet. I find a lot information about fishing and stuff about lakes, but not a lot about how nice the lake is to spend an afternoon or day or weekend on the water for a family with relatively young kids. We aren't into fishing, tubing, skiing or wakeboarding. Watersports are a bit too much for my kids so far. What we like is to explore areas see the sights and then find a sandy spot to beach or toss out an anchor and play in the water.

We have been on plenty of lakes and/or rivers that we can do this, yet, we want to find more. In the process of finding more I would like to share with others what we discover so they too may be able to find a nice place to spend a day on the water.

Dumont Lake (Allegan County)

Today we vistited this nice little lake in the middle of Allegan county. It is relatively small (220 acres) lake but it is nice and deep and allows for pretty much all activities on the water. Tubing, skiing, wakeboarding and fishing were all going on while we were on the water. There is a nice boat ramp at the south west corner of the lake. It is located at the end of 33rd St. There is adequate parking right at the ramp and additional parking just up the road. There are also pit toilets right near the ramp. It is operated by Allegan county and is part of the Dumont Lake County Park. There is a $5 ramp fee, or you can get an annual permit for $25. The ramp is separated from the rest of the park which is on the eastern shore of the lake. The park is a nice place to drop an anchor and wade on the mostly sanding beach area. The kids can play on the beach or on numerous playground toys. There is a small bath house in the park also. The entire southern shore is undeveloped and offers several little coves and areas to fish or watch the wildlife. The water had a brownish tinge to it and you could only see bottom where the water was 1' or less. A depth finder is handy, but not really required as the main portions of the lake seemed to range between 15'-50'. In general it is a nice place to spend an afternoon on the water. It isn't a destination lake, just a good little place to visit if you live in the area.

Google Maps: Dumont Lake

Who am I???

Well, as I learn about who I am I'll let you know. I just started this blog as a place to post my ramblings about boating in Michigan. I plan to post about destinations, lakes and outings as my family and I explore the wonderful lakes and rivers that this wonderful state has. I'm not totally sure what direction this blog is going to take yet. Out boating style is strictly for pleasure and recreation. We don' t fish and our kids are little too young to be into a lot of watersports. Primarily we just like to be out on the water and to explore new areas.