Today is the day we say thank you and goodbye to Canada. We’ll be back for another visit if you’ll have us.
Off an on rain showers had Lake Huron looking a little hazy. It was hard to find the horizon before a boat came by.
The folks at the Sarnia visitor’s center were very friendly. After telling us about good spots for a picnic lunch, they brought us, and Monty the Moose, outside to pose for a 150th birthday photo.
We enjoyed lunch under the bluewater bridge connecting Sarnia, Ontario with Port Huron, Michigan. There is a nice park along the river with bike trails, statues, and food trucks.
The staff at the visitor’s center talked us into trying poutines for lunch.
Poutines are fresh french fries and cheese curds topped with bacon and covered with gravy. My arteries may never forgive me.
Traffic was backed up past the exit to the bridge so Beth called a ferry company who said there is no waiting and they take RV’s all the time. The drive south along the Ontario side of the Saint Claire river took us past industrial and chemical complexes.
We crossed from Sombra, Ontario to Marine City, Michigan on a tiny ferry with a disconcerting starboard list. We had tried to board an earlier ferry but the bicycle rack scraped on the boarding ramp. They suggested we wait for the smaller ferry as it sits lower in the water and is easier to board.
The scrapes on the deck should have served as a warning.
The Blue Water Ferry crossing was quick and short with only one other vehicle and a foot passenger sharing the ride.
The ferry crossing saves time compared to the long lines at the Bluewater or Ambassador Bridges, but we can’t recommend it for Sprinter Van based RV’s. Upon closer inspection, the fiberglass was gouged on both running boards and the sewer pipe support was bent so that the grey water valve couldn’t fully close. The ferry boarding sign states “Not Responsible for Undercarriage Damage.” In retrospect we should have turned around and driven back to the bridge rather than board the ferry. We’ve taken lots of ferries; in New York, Delaware, Alabama, and Quebec with never a problem before this. The boarding ramps on this route aren’t suitable for RV’s like ours and the company should let people know.