There are a few natural areas in our region that have a less than savory reputation.  One of these is Gull Island in Lake St. Clair’s Muscamoot Bay.  Gull Island is four acres in size and is located at the meeting point of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River shipping channel.  The Walpole Island First Nation of Canada is just a few hundred feet away.

I have never been to the island, but it is a popular spot for picnics and parties due to its sandy beaches, remote setting and gradually sloping lake bottom.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains the immediately adjacent shipping channel, owns the island.

If you have been watching the news lately, you probably have seen coverage of the annual “Jobbie Nooner” party.  This is a traditional, late-June, summertime fest for the region’s boating community.  I have never been to this party, nor do I wish to.  It is a bit on the wild side.

For several years, officials from the Army Corps and elsewhere have tried to place limits on the party.  These efforts have done little to keep the estimated 5,000 or so revelers from the festivities.  The party went on as scheduled this year.  One can only hope that the party-goers picked up their trash.

Here are some news links that describe this year’s event:

http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/062107/loc_jobbie001.shtml

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070623/METRO/706230389/1014/METRO03

This is a Detroit News article from 2005 that includes a good general-area map:

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0506/13/D01-212856.htm

Here is the Microsoft Virtual Earth image of the island.  It actually looks like an interesting spot:

http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=628A87FDBE3AF2A!262&encType=1

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