Macomb Receives Grant to Study Water Trail

St. Clair Shores is a destination and starting point for hundreds of power and sail boat owners who dock their vessels in the marinas and restaurants along Lake St. Clair.

Now boaters who choose to use paddles over engines or sails to power their boats may find the city as a destination as the Lake St. Clair Tourism Development Program begins to study a coastal water trail along Lake St. Clair.

The Lake St. Clair Tourism Development program was recently awarded a $10,000  Coastal Community Development grant from Michigan Sea Grant.

The money will be used to develop and launch a trail between the St. Clair River and the Detroit River for paddling sports such as kayaking.

"This will benefit our marinas and our restaurants large and small," said Donna Flaherty, president of the Nautical Mile Merchants association. "This is very exciting and will bring more people to the Nautical Mile."

Part of the grant will be used as early as next week when a reconnaissance trip is taken along the Lake St. Clair shoreline to determine launch points, safe harbors and rest areas. Information obtained during the trip will be used in guide.

"This water trail is part of what will eventually be a statewide system of water trails," said Kristen Grifka, a Lake St. Clair tourism development specialist, in a release. "We would be the link between a planned water trail for the St. Clair River and an existing one along the Detroit River."

Grifka added that the information gathered will culminate with an event held next summer to launch the trail.