DeTour Area
By Barbara Buschbacher 297-8075 bbann@sault.com

At this time we're tired of Mother Nature giving us such cold temperatures and high winds, but there is a side to Mother Nature that gives us a sense of winter beauty. One such act of beauty are the ice volcanoes that are lining the beaches along Lake Huron. Every morning, as I look out the window, there are new formations glistening in the morning sunlight. At night, they take on a different hue from the beautiful sunsets. In gazing upon this act of Mother Nature, how can we be upset with the cold temperatures and strong winds? Before long, spring will be here, and the winter will soon be forgotten.

The DeTour Hunt and Fish Club, in cooperation with the DeTour Chamber of Commerce, will hold its annual fishing tournament on Caribou Lake in DeTour Saturday, February 17, and Sunday, February 19. This is the statewide free fishing weekend. The time Saturday is from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon. The tournament registration fee is $10, with a 70 percent payback and 30 percent for club projects. You may register at the DeTour Township Access on South Caribou Lake Road, or preregister at the DeTour-Drummond Building Center.

There are three categories for the heaviest fish (first place only): pike, perch, and walleye. Awards and drawings will follow at the Club House Sunday, February 18, at 2 p.m. The Club House is at the corner of Airport and South Caribou Lake roads. Raffle prizes include first prize, portable gas grill, donated by DeTour Building Center; second prize: $100 gift certificate to Wal-Mart, donated by DeTour Hunt & Fish Club; third prize: $75, donated by DeTour Drummond Credit Union. There will be many more miscellaneous prizes along with a 50/50 drawing.

The DeTour Area Chamber of Commerce is planning Winterfest activities for Saturday, February 24. All activities start at the DeTour Village Hall at 10 a.m. Plan on attending, and bring along your favorite chili recipe for the chili cook-off contest. There will be the Walking Poker Rally and the Snowmobile Poker Rally (register at the Village Hall).

Some of the new residents in the area were inquiring about the DeTour Harbor. Captain Glen Shaw shared information regarding the harbor, which began in the spring of 1964, as follows: There were three men, who were sent to Detroit to meet with the Waterways Commission, Milton Gross, James Barrette, and Glen Shaw. They were sent to get the "go-ahead" for the harbor. This trip was a two-day meeting at the Fort Shelby Hotel in Detroit. At the conclusion of the meeting seven men formed a committee for the harbor project, Milton Gross, Jack Lindsay, Elton Carlson, James Barrette, George Hamel, Vernon McGuire, and Charles Newell. Woodie Jarvis did much of the paperwork. Captain Shaw wrote all of the reasons that DeTour Village should have not only a marina, but a refuge for small crafts. Captain Shaw's reasons were presented to the state committee, where they were accepted, and thus was the beginning of the start of the DeTour Harbor, which has grown and become a popular stopover before entering the North Channel. Recognition is due Glen Shaw and the other gentlemen (now deceased) for their perseverance with this project.