2026 Port Huron Float Down. Photo courtesy of Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley via X. 2026 Port Huron Float Down. Photo courtesy of Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley via X.
Sarnia

Hundreds take to St. Clair River for float down despite Coast Guard warnings

Hundreds of people entered the St. Clair River Sunday for the annual Port Huron Float Down.

The unsanctioned event in the past attracted up to 4,000 participants, but it appears the threat of thunderstorms kept numbers down this year.

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and the U.S. Coast Guard also put out a joint statement warning about the dangers of the event last week.

The 12 kilometre float down, from Port Huron's Lighthouse Beach to Chrysler Beach in Marysville, made international headlines in 2016 when 1,500 U.S. residents, many without identification, were pushed across the river to Canada on strong winds.

In 2014, a 19-year-old experienced swimmer from Michigan drowned.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and Sarnia Fire and Rescue were also patrolling during the event.

Vessel traffic on the St. Clair River was restricted from the Blue Water Bridge to the upper end of Stag Island between noon and 6 p.m.

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