What are some good restaurants to get to by boat on the st. clair river?

**boater4life** · August-02-14, 09:39 PM

Tomorrow is supposed to be a beautiful day, was thinking about cruising up to the st. clair river for lunch. Does anyone know of any good spots to stop in at by boat other than the river crab, or is that the place to be?

**p69rrh51** · August-02-14, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by boater4life

Tomorrow is supposed to be a beautiful day, was thinking about cruising up to the st. clair river for lunch. Does anyone know of any good spots to stop in at by boat other than the river crab, or is that the place to be?

You are really asking that question on this forum? For this group anything north of 8 Mile would be a stretch, in fact I would be surprised if they had a clue beyond East and West Grand Boulevard.

**Zacha341** · August-03-14, 12:27 AM

^^^ YOU'VE GOT JOKES! Speak for yourself.

I'm a not a boater [[but some here are) and I'm often out of Detroit and beyond the tri-country as well. I've visited parts of the shores of all of our great lakes, except Superior. Though recently Petosky, MI was heading up that way.

**canuck** · August-03-14, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

you are really asking that question on this forum? For this group anything north of 8 mile would be a stretch, in fact i would be surprised if they had a clue beyond east and west grand boulevard.

snob= sans noblesse.

**Hermod** · August-03-14, 05:10 AM

Used to be a good place in Algonac called "Sids on the River". I head it was closed, but wonder if anyone reopened in the facility because it was great. San Souci on the South Channel [[Harsen's Island) is a delightful little place and worth exploring, but not sure on restaurants. Someone opened a restaurant in the old elementary school on the island, but not sure how far a hike it is from San Souci. There is a good waterfront restaurant in the Fair Haven/Anchorville area, but getting to it in a large boat might be "iffy" because of shallow water. For good bar food, Earl Brown's on the Middle Channel is worth a look.

**Smirnoff** · August-03-14, 08:19 AM

It was called "Sids on the Seaway" back in the day, it is now Bobby Mac's Big River Grille & is open.

Attachment 24080

I would recommend Pepper Joe's in St Clair, real easy docking & good food.

**Lowell** · August-03-14, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

You are really asking that question on this forum? For this group anything north of 8 Mile would be a stretch, in fact I would be surprised if they had a clue beyond East and West Grand Boulevard.

Very unfair characterization and generalization of this forum and its members.

**Lowell** · August-03-14, 09:57 AM

Your question made me curious and led to finding this interesting-looking place, The Lighthouse Inn. While not in the St. Clair river, it is in Ontario on the point where the Thames River pours into Lake St. Clair. A cruise up the Thames to Chatham-Kent would seem to be a idyllic tour.

http://goo.gl/maps/lVhQf

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**Honky Tonk** · August-03-14, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

You are really asking that question on this forum? For this group anything north of 8 Mile would be a stretch, in fact I would be surprised if they had a clue beyond East and West Grand Boulevard.

Are you posting this while Jerry is serving you your 7th drink, or has you account been hacked? It's so unlike you.

**Honky Tonk** · August-03-14, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Your question made me curious and led to finding this interesting-looking place, The Lighthouse Inn. While not in the St. Clair river, it is in Ontario on the point where the Thames River pours into Lake St. Clair. A cruise up the Thames to Chatham-Kent would seem to be a idyllic tour.

http://goo.gl/maps/lVhQf

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I'm pretty sure, these days, though, you're going to have some kind of access clearance, entering a foreign country and all.

**Smirnoff** · August-03-14, 11:14 AM

^^^^^^^^
Entering our neighbor by boat is a real pain.....international navigation & customs laws seem to change daily [[or hourly).

**Honky Tonk** · August-03-14, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

^^^^^^^^
Entering our neighbor by boat is a real pain.....international navigation & customs laws seem to change daily [[or hourly).

You are correct. I remember going over to Peche' Island, Duffy's, or docking for after-race parties @ Windsor Yacht Club, and it was NO problem. Last time we cluelessly wandered onto Peche' Island, we ended up just being short of strip searched, the boat scoured, and sent home. [[luckily) on our merry way. Here's another bit of valuable boating info, it's illegal to have booze onboard in Canadian waters. You can, however, be topless. Both genders.

**Lowell** · August-03-14, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

^^^^^^^^
Entering our neighbor by boat is a real pain.....international navigation & customs laws seem to change daily [[or hourly).

That is sad. I thought I heard people could dock on either side as long as they radio-ed their short term intentions to the respective Coast Guards or some such entity? Then radio again when exiting. Or is that old pre 9/11 history?

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

You are correct. I remember going over to Peche' Island, Duffy's, or docking for after-race parties @ Windsor Yacht Club, and it was NO problem. Last time we cluelessly wandered onto Peche' Island, we ended up just being short of strip searched, the boat scoured, and sent home. [[luckily) on our merry way. Here's another bit of valuable boating info, it's illegal to have booze onboard in Canadian waters. You can, however, be topless. Both genders.

Does the no booze ban apply to all in Canadian waters or just non-Canadians?

**Cliffy** · August-03-14, 12:11 PM

Your best bet is something in St. Clair Shores or if you want to go up to Algonac and Anchor Bay area.

**Honky Tonk** · August-03-14, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Does the no booze ban apply to all in Canadian waters or just non-Canadians?

To answer your question, here are a few links for those of us that have crossed East of W. Grand Blvd., and ventured North of 8 mile. Both links have the answer about 2/3 of the way down. I hope people find them useful.

http://threesheetsnw.com/bedoeling/2...nada-drinking/

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety...sitor-1610.htm

Remember, it is a foreign country. You're not in Kansas anymore Toto.

**Hermod** · August-03-14, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cliffy

Your best bet is something in St. Clair Shores or if you want to go up to Algonac and Anchor Bay area.

Fro what I understand, Boater4Life has a large power boat and I would not recommend finding a dock along the Anchor Bay shore between New Baltimore and Fair Haven if he is not completely familiar with the water there. It can be very shallow.

**Hermod** · August-03-14, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

It was called "Sids on the Seaway" back in the day, it is now Bobby Mac's Big River Grille & is open.

Attachment 24080

It was Sid's on the River before it became Sid's on the Seaway.

**davewindsor** · August-03-14, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

That is sad. I thought I heard people could dock on either side as long as they radio-ed their short term intentions to the respective Coast Guards or some such entity? Then radio again when exiting. Or is that old pre 9/11 history?

If you have a Nexus Pass or I-68, you phone or radio it in and you're fine. Everybody I know that owns a boat has one. If you don't have one, it's like crossing the border in a car. I wouldn't advise it. It's the same for both sides. It's not that hard to get a Nexus Pass unless someone has a criminal record or been flagged at the border for not declaring something. I went to one interview and was approved. That's it.

Also, if you want to use your CB radio to call it in, you need an offshore radio license--Canadian or US issued. You can't call the coast guard on the radio without one or you get a fine. But, it's not hard to get. I took a full day seminar and exam from the Power Boat Squadron and got it. Basically, the license requirement is there to ensure channel 16 isn't tied up with frivolous chatter in case someone's boat is sinking and needs help. You also need to know the difference between how to make a mayday call if your boat is sinking and a pan pan call if you ran out of boat gas and need a tow. Things like that. And yes, the coast guard can find boats on the water who have their radio on and give them a ticket if they don't have a license. There's a lot of boats on the water and that's why the license is required.

Originally Posted by Lowell

Does the no booze ban apply to all in Canadian waters or just non-Canadians?

It's not a ban. You just need a fridge and an electric stove burner secured onto the boat and hooked up to your inverter in your cuddy and you're fine. You also need a portapotty secured onto the boat and a pump sink. Basically, if you can't sleep overnight on the boat, you can't have booze on board. You also need to be anchored before you can drink on board. You cannot be intoxicated on a recreational boat if you are not anchored.

**canuck** · August-03-14, 06:53 PM

In Quebec, you are allowed to drink on pleasure craft but whoever is at the helm can't go over the legal 0.8 limit.

**Smirnoff** · August-03-14, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

That is sad. I thought I heard people could dock on either side as long as they radio-ed their short term intentions to the respective Coast Guards or some such entity? Then radio again when exiting. Or is that old pre 9/11 history?

The days of calling customs & providing MC#'s, along with who/age was on the boat & your intention[[s) are pre 9/11.....for me & many other fellow boaters, just not worth the hassle, rules changed every single time & continue.....

**Smirnoff** · August-03-14, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

It was Sid's on the River before it became Sid's on the Seaway.

Sid's On The Seaway 1945-1976
Sid changed the name to Sid’s, and later to Sid’s on the Seaway. Between Mr. James Mattis and himself, the restaurant operated as Sid’s from 1945 to 1976.

**FormerDetroiter** · August-03-14, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Very unfair characterization and generalization of this forum and its members.

Thank you. I did not join this forum to be insulted.

**boater4life** · August-03-14, 08:49 PM

Thanks for all the info guys. We ended up taking a cruise up the St. Clair river and stopping at the river crab. They had an awesome brunch, although docking was a little tricky as I forgot exactly how strong that current is. Was a beautiful day, nonetheless!

**Honky Tonk** · August-03-14, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by davewindsor

It's not a ban. You just need a fridge and an electric stove burner secured onto the boat and hooked up to your inverter in your cuddy and you're fine. You also need a portapotty secured onto the boat and a pump sink. Basically, if you can't sleep overnight on the boat, you can't have booze on board. You also need to be anchored before you can drink on board. You cannot be intoxicated on a recreational boat if you are not anchored.

Davewindsor, that's an awful lot of stuff required to have a few beers aboard.

**canuck** · August-03-14, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Davewindsor, that's an awful lot of stuff required to have a few beers aboard.

Yes but wait, this is where it gets fun in Ontario. You have to find a beer store first. Make sure it's open. You choose a case of what you want from a showcard displaying the product. Someone will propel a case from the back store on a conveyor through a fringed plastic drape. It's a very sinful and hush hush affair. It makes our convenience store and service station beer fridges look like speakeasies.

Then you go around to buy your portapotties and whatnot. I'm not sure after all that expense I can afford more than one beer but I am thirsty, yes. But you know the topless bit I can deal with.