Fighting Island?

[MichMatters]

Lowell, the river and riverine environment is clearner than it's been in decades. I afraid you may be falling into some revisionist history, here. In fact, Fighting Island, in particular, is cleaner than it's been in years.

One of the most annoying things about the region is reverence of sentimentality so strongly that it actually creates false or exaggerated memories of the past. Up until relatively recently, the Detroit River was quite literally a dump. We've come a long way, and I don't want old-timers to forget that. The river was, in fact, much more dirty in your "idyllic, childhood summers" than in my relatively short time here on earth.

[szla]

Was that white sand and I do mean white sand on the south end of Bob Lo and some of these other places you mention natural or was it brought in?

[1KielsonDrive]

Was that white sand and I do mean white sand on the south end of Bob Lo and some of these other places you mention natural or was it brought in?

I don't know for sure. I'd be willing to bet it's natural. My reasons : Joe's Beach, just outside of Amherstburg near where they built the Bob Lo Boat ferry docks, had white sands. So did Bailey's Beach just around the bend toward Lake Erie.

[Guideboat]

In the early days [[1974-ish) of sailing with my folks on the end of the river/upper portions of the lake we would encounter huge mats of rotting seaweed and many dead carp floating around. Water visibility was very poor. By the time my sailing days ended [[mid 90's) water quality was much better. I'm sure part of it was better pollution controls, but the zebra mussels [[plague that they are) helped quite a bit with water clarity.

I rarely hung out at Crystal Bay or White Sands as they were too party hardy for me, plus White Sands had trashy beaches with garbage and class strewn about. I enjoyed anchoring next to the southbound Livingstone Channel and south of the flow dike [[midway of Sugar Island). There were no crowds, plus it was a quicker sail from my dock on Swan Island canal on Grosse Ile.

I miss sailing around and swimming about the Detroit River islands - a very underappreciated part of the metro area.

[Guideboat]

The White Sands portion of Boblo Island is all dredge and limestone blastings from the Livingstone Channel. The Boblo lighthouse is at the original end of the island. I don't know for sure, but I'd guess the sand came from Bar Point. Most of the south ends of the Detroit River islands are naturally very shallow and somewhat muddy and weedy.

Here's a pre-White Sands Image link:

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=87

[EastsideAl]

Lowell, the river and riverine environment is clearner than it's been in decades. I afraid you may be falling into some revisionist history, here. In fact, Fighting Island, in particular, is cleaner than it's been in years.

One of the most annoying things about the region is reverence of sentimentality so strongly that it actually creates false or exaggerated memories of the past. Up until relatively recently, the Detroit River was quite literally a dump. We've come a long way, and I don't want old-timers to forget that. The river was, in fact, much more dirty in your "idyllic, childhood summers" than in my relatively short time here on earth.

Certainly Lake Erie, where my family has had a cottage for decades [[and our land was part of my great-grandparent's farm before that) is cleaner now than it has been at any time I can remember. Much of the sewage dumping has stopped, the ships dump less and release less oil into the water, industry is much more constricted in what it can get away with dumping into our waterways, and, of course and sadly, there is less industry in the area than there used to be.

[1KielsonDrive]

I miss sailing around and swimming about the Detroit River islands - a very underappreciated part of the metro area.

That is such a true statement. Two places I love very much - the Detroit River from Erie to St. Clair and the lakes in the Lewiston, Mi area. It's too bad those lakes have built up so much. But, I still have my wonderfiul Detroit River. Bob Lo Boat cruises. Who gave a shit about the amusement park? I loved the island but the cruises were supreme. Tug Boat races. Sailing at both ends of the river. Watching bombers and fighters coming into GI Naval Air Station. Kayaking up and down the river. Water skiing. Sunnyside [[the old one mostly). Duffy's. Anderdon Tavern. The Pier 500. Crystal Bay was best late on a sunday after the partiers all left. I'd heave ho from the Pier, toss my anchor over in the inner bay and spend sunday night drinking, swimming, reading, listening to music on my boat until Monday afternoon. Hoist the anchor and go home in time to work. I love Pelee Island, Kingsville and Leamington. A cruise up the Rouge to the turning basin is a must each year. Peche Island and the Canadian shore out ot Belle River. The Detroit River is a great resource. My life was centered on it.

[1KielsonDrive]

The White Sands portion of Boblo Island is all dredge and limestone blastings from the Livingstone Channel. The Boblo lighthouse is at the original end of the island. I don't know for sure, but I'd guess the sand came from Bar Point. Most of the south ends of the Detroit River islands are naturally very shallow and somewhat muddy and weedy.

Here's a pre-White Sands Image link:

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=87

That's a great link Guideboat. Thanks.

[1KielsonDrive]

I know I saw the Haines and Lyman in the Fighting Island Channel on many occasions. I think I remember them unloading silt on to Fighting Island. Maybe BillyBrew could weigh in on this one, even though he may be too young to remember either dredge.

[walkervillewillie]

The island between fighting island and Lasalle [[described above as the long skinny one) we called grass[[y) isle. [[as opposed to grassy on the other side of fighting isle.) used to be a dump for Detroit at the turn of the century till the thirties. As a kid we'd go skiing etc. and kick about on the island finding tons of old glass ink jars, medicine bottles, the occasional precious metal, curiosities and the like. the bulk of the island is made up of a slag-like material which would polish the broken glass and create a wind chime like effect as the waves rolled the glass along the slag.

Q: Does anyone know where I can find official like info. stating that this was in fact the dump for Detroit and/or any associated history? This was all i could find.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._Detroit_River

Thanks.