There are three four-lane streets in downtown Port Huron that cross Black River (where most of the watercraft tie up for the event) and the bridges for them all raise to allow boats access up Black river for some docking facilities amd homes on the river. The picture above shows the bridge just starting to raise, but you don't see much of the other half.

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Here, the bridge is partially raised. The people off to the right side are waiting to board a small cruise ship that can carry about 100 people. That small cruise ship gives different kinds of cruises around St. Clair river; some where it is a two hour cruise that goes down-river to an upscale restaurant for a meal, and then back. You get a lot of information about the river and the river's traffic during the cruise. There are other types of cruises of longer length, and one with a lunch served on board. It has also been chartered for weddings.

In this one the bridge is completely raised. looking at the cars gives you an idea of the size of the bridge. You are only seeing one half of it clearly. The other half is behind and you can barely see it.

This is a look at the back side of another bridge that is raised, and you also see the size of Black river, which they cross.

This picture was taken looking down Black river toward where it flows into St. Clair river. The picture was taken a few days before all the boats started tying up along the river for the event. The high structure you see toward the end of Black river on the left is a left over relic from many years ago when there was a railroad along the St. Clair river bank to transpoort freight for the riverside industries that existed in the earlier days. The railroad has been taken up long ago and replaced by city and county buildings on the river bank, and also a few residential contominiums. That is the original railroad bridge that raised to allow boat traffic to travel up Black River. Some of the boat traffic on Black River is supplies for a paper mill up the river that gets much of its paper pulp delivered by smaller ocean freighters. There are a few other inductries remaining, but I stress the "few."

Several years ago there was interest to purchase that old bridge by some business interests in the Florida Keys. They would have had to dismantle it and float it down there by barge, but, as all government factions do, a study was done and it was determined that it would cost too much to get the bridge running for display considering what they might get out of it financially. It is not listed in the tourist information as something to see, but since it is very visable when you are going through town, many stop to look it over and ask questions.

Here is a shot of the bridge in the process of closing. This bridge is right smack in the center of town on the main street. On the cross street on the far side are businesses and a parking lot. You are looking at the back of a bowlong alley and bar to the left of the bridge.

Here are some pictures of the river on boat night. There are many decorated boats such as you see here and you can see just a few of the sailboats that will be racing. Small boat traffic is constant for many hours on boat night with wall-to-wall people in town. Also, a carnival and many concession stands in a parking lot next to the river, and a couple of bandstands where music is live.

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This picture shows some of the million dollar racing craft that will be participating in their class. As you can see here and in the picture below, there is boat traffic galore all night during that event. While strolling along the bank full of people, many old friends meet who haven't seen each other for some time. I know I see old friends when I'm there.

Here is more of the expensive boats along with a showing of the heavy boat traffic on boat night. Notice that the boats are tied up four deep along parts of the river. Also more sailboats that are hoping to do well in their class. You can see on the left in the back of this scene a bridge that is raised. It is only a one-piece bridge, but it has been raised for a year while refurbishing work is being done. Parts for the mechanism must be specially fabricated.

We were attending my wife's class reunion which was held on the sixth floor of a bank building. That is the skyscraper in that town and I took a picture of the famed "Blue Water Bridge" which used to be the largest cantilever type bridge in the world. I doubt it holds that record any more, but it is about two and a half miles in total length and is about 180 feet hight at its highest point. It is hard to see, but there is a second "Blue Water Bridge" next to it that was built a few years ago because of the increasing traffic between Canada and the US, especially truck traffic. There was a heated conflict about how the bridge would be designed and the Historical Society lost. However, the design for the second bridge is similar. I have a video that was sold concerning the construction of that bridge. There was always many spectaters during the construction, especially when the center span was hoisted into place. It was said that the bolt holes were only a half inch off off when it was set in place by the huge cranes.

This is probably of no interest to most of you, but the original bridge was opened in 1937 and the foundations for it were built using many tons of gravel from the "Click's Sand and Gravel" pit. My family opened their gravel quarry in 1926 and my son has now taken it over and presently runs the business, but not at the level it became when my grandparenats ran it. He says it's not worth it because of all you have to go through with government agencies these days who come in and dictate very difficult rules. However, he makes a confortable living doing what he does and the business is still alive. I can still remember opening night for that bridge in the summer of 1937. People from both sides could walk half way across and there was a giant fireworks. I was seven years old and the vibration from the fireworks vibrated the bridge and I was crying my eyes out scared it would fall down. However, it's still there. The next day was "free" day and it took my dad four hours to get across and back.

Crossing into Canada was pretty much effortless for many years, in fact I have been there so many times visiting friends that I have never considered Canada a foreign country, but all that has changed now. No more friendly visits, and a passport is always needed.

If you look closely you can see a great lakes freighter passing under the Blue Water Bridge. Lake frieghters are much longer than ocean freighters and could not work in an ocean. It would break apart.

Here is another lake freighter passing through. I have no idea what it is carrying, but very little iron ore is shipped anyh more. That iron ore mining has nearly all shut down because of foreign competition.

Here is another lake freighter passing through. On the other side (Canadian side) is a very large oil refinery. I have no idea how far back it goes, but it stands on about 8 miles of river frontage. It is very large. And again, it may not look like it, but St. Clair river is about a half mile across in most places, except for where there might be an island. Some of those islands have residents.

Here is another lake freighter. No matter where you are talking, the current is very swift. Many people have swam across it and always end up several miles downstream.

Here is a lake freighter delivering coal. Here, it is unloading to a Detroit Edison Power plant. It is a self-unloader and takes about eight hours to unload, but as you can imagine, few crew members are needed. I wondered why it was unloading coal to that power plant because that Detroit Edison plant has not produced electricity for several years according to people I know who work for Detroit Edison. It is said to be outdated so it sits idle, as far as I know. Further down stream is another larger Detroit Edison Power plant and there is a huge power line stretched across that one half mile river, that connect to the Canadian grid. It is said that they have devices designed to control the suspension and sway so they will naver touch each other.

Last and not least is a picture of the small cruise ship that we took a cruise on to the upscale restaurant and back. I was very disappointed in the restaurant, but that cruise can also be just a cruise up or down the river and sometimes they serve a lunch on the cruise itself. I was not disappointed in the cruise ship and they were always giving you information about interesting things along the river. Even the names of any ships you might see along with what they carry and when the ship was built. It was well worth the money, (which my son paid). Behind the ship is a bank building that has been closed for a few years.