Clamdigger Lunch and Muskrat Succotash Dinner
by Denise Janus

When woke up at 8:30 a.m. Mike, this week’s crew leader, already was preparing for our departure from Stony Creek. We left camp at about 9:30, and were feeling really good after a long night's sleep. We picked up Laura Hallam, bringing the number of people who will canoe the entire trip to five. We canoed from Brest Bay Marina -- (a private marina. Thank you Phil Teal and Linda for letting us use your boat launch!) past Sterling State Park, up the River Raisin to get that free lunch that the Clamdigger owner had offered.  We made amazing time and were greeted by some 20 French re-enactors who fired a salute to our arrival.  We ate lunch with three of the re-enactors, then canoed across the river and took the canoe out.  We went to the River Raisin Battlefield Visitor’s Center and spent the rest of the day hanging out with the re-enactors who cooked us dinner, including muskrat succotash.  I ate quite a bit of it before I had to stop because I had psyched myself out.  For those of you who have never had muskrat, it tastes like a fishy mammal, quite appropriate I think.  At 7 p.m. we made our presentation on the history of the French and Indian War and the building of our canoe.  After answering many questions, they showed us a video it took three years to make -- a reenactment of the War of 1812 and the battle at River Raisin.  After the movie, Ralph Naveaux and Richard Micka presented us with a flag of Monroe that had flown over Custer's battlefield.  We enjoyed the slumber party in the visitor’s center presentation room, playing euchre and listening to music on our laptops -- an excellent contrast in technology between the two eras.