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Will this winter ever end? I have a new Benny to enjoy!!

Great story Keith. I could picture myself there!

This weather really has me down today. Looks like this will be the last of it according to the 10 day. The lift gets delivered next Tuesday so hopefully the weather holds out for delivery may 3rd.
 
Another Wisconsin glutton for punishment boater here!  We boat near Eagle River way up north.  The ice did not go out till after May 1 sometime last year.  I fear that the same thing will happen this year as we had 6'+ of ice on the lakes the beginning of April and also had a 12" "dusting" at that time as well.  This pushes everyone back about 1 month (guys who install docks, boat lifts, dealers delivering boats from storage, etc).  All I can do is hope for a nice long warm summer so we can stay out on the toon as long as possible.
 
We were -18C this morning with the wind, my hometown 8 hours north broke a record today, -27C this morning. Not a record I would want to break! 
 


After every one in Petoskey thought we had broke the seasonal record for snowfall ( 183.9 in the 70-71 season )

Yesterday the national weather service announced that earlier in the season they made an error  and subtracted 2.5 inches from our seasonal total .
 
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67 Monday night, 27 last night .... WTH ?????
 
We got about another inch of snow ,its about 13 right now .Normal low for this time of year is mid 30's .

I think I may go mess with the dealer today. Tell him to keep the new boat ,I want a 2015 now . :p
 
Yeah I keep my boat in indoor heated storage and as a result don't winterize the engine.  Since it's an I/O I have to really make sure the lows aren't going to get back down to freezing before I bring the boat home so looking at the 10 day forecast that means I probably won't bring it home until the weekend after this one.
 
keithkz said:
We towed our Bennington up to Indian River July 2011 with 2 other couples.  Wow what a GREAT trip that was.  Put in on South Burt Lake there.....drove the boat into Indian River, under I-75 and finally out to Mullet Lake where we anchored and swam there on the southeast corner of that lake.  Then the winds came up a little and that's when I was happy I had a tritoon because navigating the length of that to the north end would have been quite challenging otherwise.  We then anchored near where the Cheyboygan River connects at the north end for a while.  Then took the river all the way to the locks and on to the other side and then continued to Lake Huron and managed enough courage to go out into Lake Huron until the first channel marker and swam briefly just to say we did it.  I got a little nervous when the first swell happend so out of deep respect for the great lakes I went back into the river and docked at the marina right there.  The owners of a motel we stayed at in Cheboygan came to marina and took us back to the motel where we stayed overnight.  They brought us back (free) the next morning where we then took the boat all the way back to where we started in Burt Lake then took that lake all the way to the far northeast corner and had dinner at a place there (can't remember the name).  Then proceeded half-way down the west side of Burt Lake and went about 200 yards into the Crooked River as if we were going to your place Jack.  Then came back out and watched the sun set, drove back to the south end and took the boat out.  What a FABULOUS trip that we WILL do again one day
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If you ever do make it up this way ,please let me know .

Last year with the 2 tube 22 ' SLX , I had asked my dealer about going out onto Lake Huron . He told me only under the "perfect circumstances "

should I  think about it . Then at very most ,make a quick trip under the Mackinac Bridge and right back to the river .

I have not asked about the new boat ,dont think I would try .

1280px-Mackinac_Bridge.jpg
 
Jack M. said:
If you ever do make it up this way ,please let me know .

Last year with the 2 tube 22 ' SLX , I had asked my dealer about going out onto Lake Huron . He told me only under the "perfect circumstances "

should I  think about it . Then at very most ,make a quick trip under the Mackinac Bridge and right back to the river .

I have not asked about the new boat ,dont think I would try .

1280px-Mackinac_Bridge.jpg
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Yeah for sure I'll look you up.

Wow I don't think even with my boat I would have the guts to go under the bridge.  That water can change in an INSTANT.  I used to work with a guy who told me a story about a time when he was very young and his Dad took him in an 18' boat under the bridge and to Mac. Island and the waves came up out of no where...they made it but were scared for their lives.
 
keithkz said:
Yeah for sure I'll look you up.

Wow I don't think even with my boat I would have the guts to go under the bridge.  That water can change in an INSTANT.  I used to work with a guy who told me a story about a time when he was very young and his Dad took him in an 18' boat under the bridge and to Mac. Island and the waves came up out of no where...they made it but were scared for their lives.
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That is exactly why I am am not going to try .I have a large enough area from Crooked Lake to Mullet Lake .

A friend of mine recently told me of a plan to connect Little Traverse Bay to Crooked Lake . They were going to dredge a channel from the bay to Round Lake and another channel from Round to Crooked .

No one I have spoke to, knows why it never happened .

Time to do some searches .
 
Wow THAT would be awesome if they ever do it.  Would be nice if they could do the same there in Elk Rapids...connecting those lakes to Lake Michigan so you could then access it from Torch Lake.
 
I did just find out that the Crooked River Locks are scheduled to open on May 3rd .That is about a month late .

 
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keithkz said:
Wow THAT would be awesome if they ever do it.  Would be nice if they could do the same there in Elk Rapids...connecting those lakes to Lake Michigan so you could then access it from Torch Lake.
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Just looking at the map ,the land in unoccupied .

State park to the west nature preserve to the east .

Here is the map 

Looks like biggest obstacle  would be 119 

https://www.google.com/maps/search/little+traverse+bay+connected+to+crooked+lake/@45.3990663,-84.8854891,13z

Just went further south on the map ,Lake Michigan to Torch Lake is very close .
 
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Right but it's usually more about 'who's gonna pay for it' more than anything else.  That's the problem I am having on my chain of lakes.  There are 3 bridges that a pontoon cannot get under.  The bridge in the middle is scheduled to be rebuilt as it is in bad shape however as it stands right now they are going to make it wider but only slightly higher so pontoons still will not be able to make it under.  They would have to start the grade farther back in order to make the bridge high enough and that would cost extra $$$ which they say they don't have (and probably don't).  Compound that with people of BOTH sides of the bridges who say they don't WANT all of the lakes accessible by pontoons (currently most regular boats and all jet skiis can get under all 3 bridges) because they don't want more people and that just totally boggles my mind.  It would be so cool to be able to access all of the lakes on my chain of lakes by pontoon.  I have went to the County Road Commission and the DEQ and I got the crazy answer that they only make bridges from people and cars to go over and only need to be high enough for the water to go under....they could care less about boat traffic.  Well last time I checked those of us who live on lakes pay a lot more property taxes than those who don't.

Sorry about my soap box but this one really upsets me.
 
I just pulled up that area on Google Earth. That is a nice chain, its a shame you cant access them all by water 
 
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Yup sure is.  The western most bridge is just to the east of Price Lake.  It is privately owned and looks like an OLD cattle/foot bridge connecting the owners (who doesn't even live there....he lives in Ohio) pieces of land on either side of the channel there which is in poor shape to say the least.  At least one piece of it has come off at one end and is in the water.  It doesn't even look like it's possible to walk across it.  Would love to have that thing removed because the next bridge is just down a short ways and that's the one slated to be rebuilt which would give significantly more access to pontoon boats (more of the chain to access).
 
keithkz said:
Yup sure is.  The western most bridge is just to the east of Price Lake.  It is privately owned and looks like an OLD cattle/foot bridge connecting the owners (who doesn't even live there....he lives in Ohio) pieces of land on either side of the channel there which is in poor shape to say the least.  At least one piece of it has come off at one end and is in the water.  It doesn't even look like it's possible to walk across it.  Would love to have that thing removed because the next bridge is just down a short ways and that's the one slated to be rebuilt which would give significantly more access to pontoon boats (more of the chain to access).
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That make me think about a small channel we have that connects Crooked Lake to Pickerel Lake it very shallow ,with a LOT of logs on the bottom .

The Army corp of engineers will not allow them to be removed .

Short Video from Pickerel Lake down the channel to Crooked .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSNKGeJ6lXs
 
7 to 14" of snow here today and tonight..  wonderful    :angry:
 
That is terrible. Who messed around with mother natures daughter and ruined spring for everyone??
 
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