Harsens Island

I have never been there, so for those who have, what is it like? Pictures anyone?

I went there once, it was flat with little to do. There is a small townsite known as Sans Soucci. It would be a nice place to live as it is quiet, but at the same time with the quiet some very little activity. I was sitting in the bar and the most exciting thing that happened was a canoe pulled up, went to the party store across the street, then made its way over into Canada.

Harsen's Island has quite the history as a luxury get-away for Detroiters. The steamboat Tashmoo used to travel between the two points. I think one of the hang-outs was the Chrysler Club, too.

The attraction now is for hunters, boaters and fishermen. There are a lot of houses that sit on their own tiny island. When I was little, fishing up around there with my dad, I always wanted to live in one of them and have to use a boat to go anywhere.

Spent a lot of time there over the years on South Channel. The ferry ride ain't too bad but not sure how much is costs nowadays. I guess they were going to build a bridge to the island but it has been scarpped.

Played golf there once - the fairways were pretty soggy!

The Old Club is pretty exclusive in a run down dumpy way. If you've never been to Harsen's it is neat in how strange the typography and vegetation is. The saw grasses and masses of floating reeds and cattails are in such abundance that it seems to be a place between land and water.

Best veiws of passing freighters bar none, and make sure you work your way to the far southern end of the island. There, in this wild world of riotous nature, you can see the Ren Cen in the distance.

Spent many a summer there for 10 day stints at Camp Drusilla Farwell, owned and opertated by the Boy's Club of Detroit. Took the bus from the Howard Bloomer Building at Livernois and Michigan. The driver found his way to Van Dyke and then to M29.

Rode the Champion Ferry to the island.

The grounds were always sloppy wet with clouds of mosquitoes when you walked from the dorms to the dining hall.

There was a pool on a hill which was always ice cold. The North Channel was always warmer. We rode horses, shot archery, went canoeing, everything a kid could want.

The Boy/s Club offered week-end winter camps when you could skate and freeze your rump off.

In 1968, we watched the Democratic National Convention.

When I came of age, I had a few at the San Souci, the most famous bar in the world as the owners liked to claim. There was a sign in the rest rooms that warned to not drink the water.












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Did some Geocaching there a few years ago. Nice and quiet. Went to the southern most point and saw the Detroit skyline.

Back in the 80's, I used to park at the back of the party store lot, and take my bike on the Ferry for free. Nice riding with great views.
Not sure if pedestrians and bicycles are still free though.