Autumn is the time of year many articles appear about color tours. They provide various road and highway directions to colorful areas that will provoke views of natures fall brilliance.

If you have a boat and live in the thumb area additional views, better than those along the highway, may be seen from the water. The best thing about a water tour is you can just stop where you are, take a deep breath and enjoy the beauty. If you’ve brought along a camera, take some pictures. One thing is certain; you won’t have to worry about the traffic.

The serenity of a fall cruise on the water is unequaled on land and it is not necessary to venture far offshore, in fact quite the opposite. Instead of watching your cars speedometer, just keep an eye on the depth sounder. Granted there are numerous shallow areas and reefs along the way but a quick review of a local chart will point out where they are.

On a calm day in many areas along the thumb’s shoreline you can see double the color as trees reflect off the water and sand beaches glow golden in the sun.

The best time of day to enjoy the very peak color is early mornings and mid to late afternoon when the sun is shining on the shoreline from an angle as opposed to straight overhead.

One of the areas I enjoy most for fall viewing from a boat is a half-mile east or a mile west of Grindstone. Tall cliffs are in the foreground to the east and to the west golden sea grass and cattails seemingly grow out of the water with a background of multi-colored trees just beyond.
If you know your way around Port Austin reef, the view in front of Pte Aux Barques (Alaska Bay) is one of the best in the State about an hour before sunset. All summer long I take sunset cruises to that area and each time the “picture” is painted a little differently. The rock cliffs with huge caves beckon and vivid colors in the trees behind become a sight to behold in the fall. Do not attempt to visit this area if your not familiar with the reefs, they come up fast and are not forgiving if you go aground.

Another area of beauty appears in front of Port Crescent State Day Use Park. Canoe and kayak enthusiasts enjoy paddling the Pinnebog River that runs between the state park campground and day use area. They enjoy views of the sand dunes and trees of all colors. You may be lucky and spot an eagle in flight as they nest in this area.

Charity Isles in the middle of Saginaw Bay provides gorgeous displays of color but once again, only boaters familiar with the water should approach. The shoreline northeast of Caseville with its many trees is also very picturesque from the water.

I have pointed out my favorite lakeshore views, but there are many more from White Rock south of Harbor Beach, and from Caseville south to Sebewaing and Bay City. Each is unique!

If you venture out for a color tour by boat, make sure your familiar with the area and don’t try to cruise too close to shore. CAUTION should be your first plan but the views are like no others.

If your not a boater or do not wish to head out on the water this time of year, there are many great areas of color to tour in the thumb. Among the best are along M-25 between Caseville and Port Austin and from Port Austin to Grindstone on Pte Aux Barques Road but watch closely for “Bambi.” Grindstone south to Harbor Beach is another very good stretch.

 

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