Weather and coronavirus concerns didn't stop a small crowd from getting on the water for Float Down Sunday.
Compared to previous years, the annual unsanctioned event drew far fewer participants. Armed with inflatable inner tubes, rafts, kayaks and an air mattress, the dedicated floaters launched at Lighthouse Beach between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Shortly before 2 p.m., St. Clair County Dive Team Chief Wayne Brusate said he saw only about 500 hundred floaters travel past Pine Grove Park. Last year's event drew an estimated 5,500 participants.
Brusate said there was some concern about a storm system threatening to overtake the St. Clair River. Black clouds could be seen north of the river.
Storms and rain in the morning gave way to a cloudy sky around 1 p.m.
For some, the event means tradition.
A group of seven comprised of family and friends from Genessee County said they have been participating in the event for six years.
The annual event is an opportunity to see family who they might not see often. Normally, the group comprises of 15 or 16 people, but several dropped out due to personal issues and concerns over weather and the COVID-19 pandemic, they said.
"This is the one time of year we can all get together," Caitlyn Stubbs said.
Charity Vieu, a member of the group, said they are not concerned about floating into Canada, which has threatened to punish wayward floaters with fines and possible imprisonment.
Members of the group floated into Canada in 2016. Some of them were pulled back to U.S. waters by the Coast Guard, while others were pulled onto Canadian shore and had to be bused back to the U.S. That was the year they decided to use kayaks.
"It's an adventure, you never know what's going to happen," said Melissa Branscomb, the matriarch of the group.
A group of three women from Macomb County also said they have been blown into Canada twice in the six years they have done the event. This year, the two sisters, Brianne and Heather Nido, and friend AnnMarie Verdick, said they brought passports, licenses and credit cards, but they are not concerned about being blown into Canada.
"I don't think it will be an issue," Verdick said.
The women said they plan to float all the way to Chrysler Beach in Marysville, where they have a hotel room.
Joseph Stoltz, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer, said officials will maintain exit points at Desmond Landing in Port Huron and Chrysler Beach in Marysville. The Moose Lodge, a popular exit point in previous years, will be closed to floaters wishing to exit this year.
Brad Zdfrojewski, who was blowing up inflatable inner tubes in the parking lot with his two friends, Claire Pawlowski and Grant Miller, said he grew up in Port Huron and has done the Float Down the past several years.
Zdrojewski and Pawlowski are nurses, and so are unconcerned about the threat of contracting COVID-19 from the event due to the risk they already take from their work, he said.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @LM_Fitz.
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