WINTER OFFERS ADVENTURE AND FUN
by Dave Ponke

The icicles quickly form on my goggles and the spray of sheets of freezing water layer the hovercraft.

It is another day in the life of the volunteer firefighters from the Clay Township (of which I am a member) and Ira Township departments as we venture across Anchor Bay in search of a reported missing snowmobiler.

It's daytime on a late November day and the winds of Mother Nature howl, without concern, seemingly like needles into the bodies of the four rescue personnel on board.

The hovercraft - a flat-like boat propelled by a pair of jet-like fans at the rear, is capable of performing the necessary search; across the thin ice, into the three to six feet-deep waters, and back onto spotty sheets of semi-formed ice.

Crevices, cracks and unknown areas of mottled ice and open spots circled by water are easy reminders that ice fishing, not to mention riding a snowmobile, are risky ventures into the various areas of the bay, about two miles offshore from highway M-29.

The windshield on the hovercraft offers some protection to our faces; our full-bodied, arctic ice rescue suits, complete with attached rubberized gloves and hoods are perfectly suited for these sub-zero wet conditions.

Dressed like this we could easily access any spot in the bay to rescue a person, such as in the shallow waters, atop an ice floe or in an open expanse of frozen lake.

The driver is following commands from the dispatch center on updated reports from nearby fisherman with cell phones and is alerted by a pair of waving ice fisherman near a tiny island. Soon afterwards the missing person is located safe and sound and the door is closed on another mission.

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A feeling of comfort and solitude can wrap itself around you, like a cozy blanket and a cup of warm hot chocolate on a snowy winter day, just by walking through the trails of St. John's Marsh in the wintertime.

Motorized vehicles are not permitted on the marsh trails and paths, and the Department of Natural Resources patrols the area to be sure laws are adhered to.

Hunting is allowed in designated areas, easily marked with signs. Rabbit, duck and whitetail deer are the featured game of hunters.

When the spring thaws knock on Mother Nature's door and allow the frozen tundra of St. John's Marsh to bloom alive again, fishing from shore and in small boats returns.

But it is the arctic cold season now, and the bright sunny skies on a blustery afternoon reveal the inhabitants of the wooded areas and amongst the lonely protruding cattails through the ice: rabbit, fox, deer and the occasional beaver. Snapping that "ideal" photo from the shoreline around sunset is about as simple as making toast - just select a spot with an eye to a camera, and frame a portrait that is sure to tell a tale of nature's offering of beauty and splendor.

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There aren't many locations that can boast this claim: A thrown stone will (almost) reach another country from the shoreline of the St. Clair River.

Not only is that true, if standing on the dock at downtown Algonac (okay, maybe it's more like a few hundred yards to Canada from there), but you can hop on board the auto ferry there, too, and find yourself on Walpole Island, an Indian Reservation in the province of Ontario, in about five minutes.

It's an easy and simple way to explore our bordering nation to the north, without driving a country mile (or more) and topping off a couple fuel tanks of your car in the process!

The island offers a look at the way of life for the people that have lived there most of their lives, as their generations before did, too.

Today, hunting remains a staple for some, as muskrat, beaver, deer and fishing are the backbone for a portion of the island economy and livelihood.

To the south of Walpole Island is Russell Island, located in the Clay Township waters of the St. Clair River. It is home to around 100 cottages and homes, mostly summer resorts. Motorized vehicles are not allowed there, but the island has electricity throughout. Golf carts and bicycles are the preferred transportation form.

Russell Island also has a ferry, for transporting people only, which has seasonal operation. Getting to the island during wintertime is only possible by personal watercraft.

The island is about two-thirds of a square mile, and is separated from Harsens's Island by the "Indian Cut."