- On this awesome episode of UTR, we make waves on our very own Thumb Coast.

We'll cruise a classic ship, live it up and chow down by the river, paddle through peaceful backwaters, and dine on fried chicken like it's 1936.

Get ready to explore the cool people, places, and things that make Michigan's Thumb Coast the absolute most.

(calming music) - [Announcer] The Stahls motors and music experience features a collection of automated music machines, neon signs, gas pumps, and 150 years of automotive history.

More info at stahlsauto.com.

- [Tom] We've been around the world- - [Jim] But there's one place we keep coming back to.

- [Tom] And the more we explore- - [Jim] The more we realize- - It's the place to be.

I'm Tom Daldin.

- I'm Jim Edelman.

- And this is- - [Unison] "Under The Radar Michigan."

(upbeat music) - Hey there, Michigan adventure seekers.

Are you looking for wide open water, relaxing river vibes, and enough photo ops to blow up your phone storage?

We'll do what we do on UTR.

Point your thumb towards Michigan's beautiful Thumb Coast.

- And trust us if you're into paddling, cruising, or dining, you just gotta get there, unplug and- - [Unison] Breathe.

- Ah.

That's right.

This vibrant waterfront region has it all.

Massive freighters, friendly folks, iconic eats, and one of the most photogenic shorelines in the state.

From quiet riverside towns to bustling harbor views, it's got all the Michigan magic packed into one incredible stretch of shoreline.

And you don't even need a passport unless you're gonna accidentally paddle to Canada, but that's between you and the Mounties.

- [Jim] Whether you're into splashing, cruising, munching, or just kicking back, this spot by the St. Clair River and Lake Huron has you hooked with small town charm and jaw dropping views.

Picture a life filled with gentle waves, epic sunrises, and friendly locals ready to spin their yarns.

So grab your sunscreen, bring an appetite, and pack those extra paddles because a UTR Thumb Coast Adventure is coming your way.

- [Tom] Now for those playing along at home.

Michigan's Thumb Coast is located in southeast Lower Michigan, right where Lake Huron spills into the St. Clair River.

Think Port Huron, Marysville, St. Clair, and all cool waterside communities between.

Now for our first stop, we're gonna set sail, or should I say set motor, on one of the most scenic and storied tours on the Great Lakes.

Yep.

For over 40 years, the Huron Lady II in Port Huron has given passengers a front row seat to the majesty of the St. Clair River.

- [Jim] And she's more than just a boat, she's a floating classroom, a photo opportunity on every deck, and a place where you just might fall in love with Michigan all over again.

With narration, knowledge, and natural beauty all rolled into one, this cruise is a must do for locals and visitors alike.

- [Tom] And speaking of knowledge, it's time to learn what it takes to run river royalty.

So for that, Jim and I boarded this beloved boat and commenced both the cruise and our conversation with co-owners, Kristy and Dustin Walker.

How did you guys start doing this?

Because I mean, not everybody thinks, you know, we're gonna, I'm gonna grow up some day and I'm gonna have a ship with people on it and I'm gonna do informative, fun tours out.

And I mean, this is just an amazing thing.

How did it all happen for you?

- It was just serendipity.

It just kind of happened.

- Who is serendipity.

- Yeah, she's a lovely lady you should meet.

Yeah, we just, I grew up on the water.

This is what we did for our vacations.

We just go spend the weekends on the boat.

I wanted that for my kids.

So we got a boat when we started having kids and we did that with them.

And I got my license, I started driving this boat just for fun.

And then, you know, the current owner approached me about selling it and we ended up buying it.

- What makes this area so, I mean it's, it is so unique, it is so beautiful.

What do you think are the things that stand out for you?

- The blue water.

I think sometimes when you're in an area, you almost forget what a gem you have.

And we are reminded on a daily basis because we get to watch people who have either never been around large bodies of water, never seen the Great Lakes, never been under a bridge, lighthouses, whatever it is, and their face lights up, they're excited.

We had a private charter a few weeks ago and the group was from Colorado and Texas and all they kept saying is, why is the water so blue?

Do you dye it?

What do you do to it?

So that is awesome to see.

- [Tom] Well, and that's the thing though about this area.

Every freighter that cruises the Great Lakes comes through here.

So what a fantastic parade you get.

- Yeah.

And there's a huge enthusiast in the area who make it their business to know everything about it and produce magazines or have Facebook pages.

So, you know, it's something to see for sure.

- Well, what you guys do is special because you make it fun, informative.

I mean, you get on the boat, there's a snack bar, there's, you can have an adult, a beverage if you want, and you learn something along way.

You have fun.

You can bring friends and family, or, I mean, this could be a great date night thing because you guys actually do dinner cruises?

- We do.

Yeah.

So we have dinner cruises, sunset cruises, 4th of July cruises.

We're teetering with the idea of bringing up some sunrise cruises for our early risers, but we're just not sure if- - You can tell me about it.

- Yeah.

Yeah, that wake up time seems very early, but we're trying to always do innovative things so that we're for everybody, not just a certain demographic of people.

That anybody wants to go for a boat ride and come out and have a good time and create memories with their families.

- Where can I get a shirt like yours with the, are you a four star or a four strike general, or?

- Oh, I'm just a lowly captain.

- Oh, okay, well.

- Nothing to brag about.

- All right, captain.

Going under the blue water bridge like we're doing right now.

I don't wanna distract you because the current here, people don't realize the current here is monster because the entire Lake Huron has to come through this little passageway on its way to the ocean.

- And Michigan and superior.

- Yeah.

- They're all coming through.

- They're all coming through here.

But, yeah, just to come up here and watch the freighters and watch the ships, it, I feel like a little kid when I'm out here on the water.

It really is a special experience.

- It is.

It is.

- Yeah.

We're very fortunate - And we're at an international boundary too.

That's always cool.

'Cause a lot of people, they can't cross the border.

So they come on this boat and they're like, hey, we're in Canada?

I'm not supposed to be here.

Like, it's okay, don't worry, we're okay.

- It's funny you should mention that because you forget 'cause it's so close, that right there, 50 feet to my right is another country.

- [Dustin] Yes.

- And then 50 feet to my left is, ooh, look, there's a restaurant and there's a, oh, sorry.

But, yeah, this is one of the most unique parts of Michigan.

That's why.

Yeah, I tell people all the time, have you been to Port Huron lately?

Go to Port Huron, get on a boat, get out in that, you know, crystal clear aqua blue water.

And it's just fascinating to me.

- Yeah.

- We're happy to be a part of it.

We love it.

I can't imagine growing up or living anywhere else.

This is the place for us.

I'm just proud to be a part of it.

- [Tom] Whether you're into local lore or just want to wave dramatically at Canada, this cruise is pure relaxation.

I even tried to stow away, but as you might expect, they found me near the snack bar.

What can I say, snacks with a view?

Bonus.

- So if you want the best seat in the house for a floating history lesson with a breeze, book a spot on the Huron Lady in Port Huron.

Just make sure to bring your camera, your curiosity, and maybe a captain's hat just for flare.

So right here on the St. Clair River is a restaurant where the food is flavorful, the drinks are frosty, and the view is downright therapeutic.

- [Tom] We're talking about Junction Buoy in Marysville, a true riverside gem that's been on the same family for generations.

Here the Freighters glide through one of the narrowest parts of the river, and the vibe is warm, welcoming, and full of community.

It's where memories are made and passed down, just like their recipes.

- Yep.

For Chad Roberts, this historic hunger hampering hangout has been a joyful family journey because they serve up love and tradition in every plate.

So before we start loving some fresh caught perch and walleye, we thought it wise to chat with Chad.

So we're talking three generations of family members who are running the Junction Buoy?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Let's talk about the roots of the place first.

What are, what, how did it come to be?

- So my grandma was the one who like first bought it.

She was working at a, the polymer tape plant in Marysville at the time.

And her and her sister would drive by and she would see that was for sale, and she just decided to take a chance on it and rest was history, you know?

- That's what's so neat about this place is it's family, you know, you could feel that.

- Right, right.

Yeah.

That's probably like, I mean, a lot of places say like, you know, like we're just all a big family, but I definitely feel that a lot with even like a lot of the staff.

- It's genetic with you guys.

- Yeah.

Right, right.

And that's the thing too, is that we get like a lot of our serving staff and everybody, like there's, you know, there's a couple people here, have a couple brothers and sisters who work here too, you know?

And that's kind of like, just something we built on that's like kind of our philosophy, I guess.

Is to kind of have, you know, those, even like small groups of families all working together and stuff.

It is really nice.

- Well, this place was made for me because usually when you belly up to the bar, there's a mirror and you have to look at yourself.

- Well, I know.

- But here you belly up to the bar and you get to see the St. Clair River and giant freighters going by, these huge ships.

- [Chad] Right.

- [Tom] That is so cool.

- I know, I know.

And I, you know, like I've lived here all my life.

I've grew up here.

Like this is my, like second home, but I still don't take it for granted, you know?

Like whenever, you know, the freighters if they comes by or like any of the thousand footers, like you're still kind of like in awe of it, you know what I mean?

So it gets people, it gets people out here for sure.

- And I think that's what is so special about the river is that every ship that is gonna be on the Great Lakes is walking right by you.

- Right, right.

- So- - That's right.

- It's just tremendous.

And every critter that's on the menu.

- Yeah, right.

- Half of every critter.

- I mean, is out there in that water.

- Exactly.

Yeah.

So you're perch and whitefish.

- Yeah.

The perch, so, we used to do some whitefish.

We do the perch and the walleye now, which are both Great Lake, we both source them from the Great Lakes from our vendor.

But yeah, we feel like it, you know, you're gonna be on the water, you gotta have fresh fish.

Like it's the only way to do it.

- [Jim] Yeah.

- So.

- Everybody in there is super friendly.

- [Chad] Right, right.

- [Tom] The atmosphere, like I said you can sit out here on the deck and be right next to the water.

You can sit at the bar and it's so open air and all these, you can still watch the ships go by.

- [Chad] Right.

- While you're enjoying your adult malted beverage.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

I think it's like just a really nice, like kind of, you know, it's a community place.

We get a lot of locals, but, we get a lot of people coming from like, you know, out of town, like an hour away just to come here, which is really cool, you know?

So it's kind of like a little destination spot, you know?

- Are you guys year round?

- Oh, we are year round.

Yep, yep.

Honestly, we've been year round seven days a week for the past like two years I think.

Yeah.

Like after COVID we closed a couple days 'cause of COVID obviously.

But yeah, ever since then, I mean, we came back pretty strong from that.

And those COVID, like the two years after COVID were like our best years, you know?

And people wanted to get out again and like.

You know, especially when you can sit outside, you know, that was kind of that, that kind of helped us, helped us too.

- And I see a heck of a blender looking at me.

- [Chad] Right.

- So, I mean, there's gotta be some good frosty beverage.

- Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Pina coladas, frozen margaritas, you know, the strawberry daiquiris.

Yeah.

You gotta have, you gotta have those.

- Because you're so steeped in this in your family, on a personal level, what does it mean to you to be, you're carrying on a legacy, a tradition.

This place is like, it's some, it's a monument to the area.

So how does that feel for you?

- Right.

I think it, I think it is like a lot of responsibility, but I think it's, you know, it's fun.

Like, it's really hard work, obviously, but I think, you know, getting to know everybody who comes in here, all the regulars, we're all so close to each other.

The staff, like, we're all really good friends.

Like, it's just really nice.

I mean, not everybody gets the opportunity to like kind of fall into that place.

So I'm like super grateful for that.

And I know how hard my grandma worked.

I know how hard my mom worked.

I saw it.

So I know what it takes to do that.

You know what I mean?

And it's just, you know, it's just like really, I'm just really grateful for the opportunity to be able to do it.

- [Jim] Whether you're pulling up by boat or by bike, there's something special about a place that feeds your soul as much as your stomach.

And with that river river view?

Dessert's basically built in.

- [Jim] At Junction Buoy in Marysville, you're not just dining, you're becoming part of their story.

And one bite into their signature dishes, you'll see why folks keep coming back year after year after year.

- Hey, you want to get away without going too far?

Well, three Rivers Trail here on Harsens Island is your official UTR aquatic escape route.

I'm going right now.

Can you tell?

That's right.

Just minutes from town, there's a secret slice of serenity where you can kayak through reeds, reflect under the willows, and most importantly reconnect with nature.

- [Jim] It's calm, it's quiet, and it's the kind of place where time slows down and the world feels a little more in balance.

Not to mention it's got the St. Clair Delta, which has the little brag of being the largest freshwater delta in the world.

- So to make sure we have a totally immersive experience, we kayaked up at Middle Channel Marina with a award-winning nature photographer Stacy Williams.

She's a true champion of this trail and will hopefully learn me and Jim, what makes these waters worth the paddle?

This has gotta be mecca for you to come out here if you're a nature photographer, this has gotta be amazing.

- It is amazing.

There is so many creatures of all kinds fox, coyote, deer.

Then we have reptiles, we have the turtles, the snakes, there's four different kinds of turtles.

Four or five.

And then the ducks.

And each time of the year it's different.

So I've seen as many as 14 bald eagles at one time together.

- Whoa.

- In a set of trees over by the Crispin.

I've seen it on multiple occasions.

So there aren't as many here right now.

They're, I think just in their nesting stage.

But the variations of the different bald eagles from age, from zero all the way up till they're mature when their heads are white.

We have a pair of nesting osprey right here that had one egg hatch.

And that's active right now.

All the different birds, and then.

So we're the largest freshwater delta in the world and a huge migration location.

So when the birds are migrating through going up north or coming down south, either way, you always have to be on the lookout and see something that you've never seen before or experienced.

Just from my travels around, a lot of the people who have lived here for years didn't even know we had some of the species that we have here.

- Well, you know, I know that my answer has already been, or my question has already been answered by what I'm seeing, but what makes this area so special for paddlers?

- All the wildlife, all the wildlife everywhere.

Yeah.

And so, it's, so people say you're going up north, you live in Macomb, you're going up north, you live in Detroit, you're going up north.

You're kind of not, it's not even north.

It's 20 minutes from where you live, but your heel, your wheels hit that ferry and it's just like.

(Stacy exhales) And it's different.

It's just different.

It's, I've been coming here my whole entire life.

I live here now.

Family property.

It just, the peace, the nature.

You can be sad for a minute and then you see something that catches your eye and you're just like, this is amazing.

This is why I'm here.

- Right.

So what you, so you just get in your car, you take the ferry over.

- Well, I hear wildlife.

- Sorry about that.

I squirreled.

- We're close to a nest maybe.

- It's a marsh run, but okay.

- [Tom] Yeah, mom's probably upset.

- They probably wanted a little camera time.

- Yeah.

So, you hop in your car, you take the ferry over to Harsens Island, you drive to Middle Channel Marina.

- Right.

- And then you can put in there, if you're looking for a place to go to be at peace, I mean, I can't think of a more peaceful, plus this place is gigantic.

And the water is, look how calm the water is in here.

- You know, this entire blue water area is so immense when you, you know, you kind of factor in from the Thumb on down to Harsens.

What are just some of the areas that make it, you know, special?

- The blue water area or here on the island?

- The entire, you know.

- Lexington, Fort Gratiot, Lakeport, Port Huron, I mean, all the way along the coast, it's just one spectacular thing after another.

The waters, the freighters, just even on a stormy night, it's amazing.

You know?

You see the waves and how powerful everything is and how peaceful it can be at another time.

It's, I wouldn't want it any other way.

I always wanna be along the blue coast, the Thumb Coast here.

- [Tom] With every turn.

This area reveals something new.

A bird in flight, a turtle sunbathing, or even a glimpse of your own reflection as you glide through the glassy water.

Oh, boy.

I hope your reflection is better than mine.

- [Jim] It's not just a kayaking route, it's a reminder that beauty is everywhere.

You just have to paddle to it.

- [Tom] And speaking of beautiful, our next stop serves up a golden, crispy, nostalgic taste of Michigan history that's been drawing crowds since the 1930s.

- Now if you know Port Huron, you probably know the Palms Krystal Bar & Grill.

And if you know the Palms, then you definitely know Chicken in the Rough.

Yep.

We're talking about a meal so legendary, it has its own fan club.

Golden fried chicken, shoestring potatoes, a warm biscuit, and a side of sweet memories.

That's what you'll find here along with a whole lot of history and even more heart.

- [Tom] Now, when it comes to the history of this palate pleasing place, Palms Krystal manager, Sarah Fortune, is steeped in finger licking facts about this chosen chicken.

So before we dine on fabled fowl, let's learn about the restaurant's rich past and timeless recipes.

So Sarah, what is the story with Chicken in the Rough?

How did it end up in Port Huron?

- Well, I don't, actually, it's just, it was all over.

It's, we're Palms Krystal Bar featuring Chicken in the Rough.

So it's a family restaurant that only brings in the franchise, the chicken batter.

So every other place that they had had to be in a family restaurant.

So it just had to be somebody that wanted to bring in the chicken, you know?

They were all over the United States and we're the only one in the United States left.

- Well, we've been driving by this place for 15 years and every time we drive by Jim and I go, just the name Chicken in the Rough.

It's like we gotta go into that place and we just find, and I apologize it took us this long to get here.

But you walk in here, the place is so retro, keechi, cool.

It's, I mean, dare I say, adorable.

It's just the way it's lit and it's cool.

It's just, it's like a flashback coming back.

- Try to keep everything the same as much as we can.

- Yeah.

I mean the neon is amazing.

The neon sign is what draws you in.

- Oh yeah.

Yep.

That all original neon.

You can't even get it like that anymore.

- [Tom] Now what with the name Palms Krystal Bar & Grill, where did that name?

- [Sarah] That was the original owners, which would've been the Robinson's, their daughter's name was Krystal.

- [Tom] Gotcha.

- [Sarah] So.

- And you've been here a long time?

- 14 years.

- Oh my gosh.

So do you know the secret recipe?

- I wish I did.

I do not.

- Well, how many remaining?

- There is is and and then there's one in Sarnia.

- Okay.

- [Sarah] In Canada.

- So, just two.

- [Sarah] Yep.

- And that's it?

- [Sarah] Yep.

That's it.

- Yeah.

This place is so old school cool.

- So cool.

- You come in, I mean, it's got the classic bar people coming in here having a little libation before their chicken or, yeah, it's just, yeah, this kind of place where you wanna stop by maybe every day on your way home.

- And everybody knows everybody.

Customers come in it's, hi, Sarah.

Hi.

You know?

- [Tom] It's your version of Cheers.

- Oh, yeah.

Awesome.

- Places like this, they don't make them just out of thin air.

These are created over years.

What do you think is the secret?

- I just think it's the good staff, the good owners, you know, everybody works together, everybody keeps it going.

Everyone's great.

Customers come back.

- Well and that's what, you know, like we walk in the front door.

The front door just has a vibe to it.

That is just- - [Sarah] Awesome.

That door is so old.

- [Jim] Oh, yeah.

You can tell.

And you can tell there's a piece of a, of the jukebox back there.

- [Sarah] Yep, yep.

I love that.

- Yeah.

And the colors, and, you know, these are what we love.

- You're, the fact that you have chicken livers and gizzards on the menu, that you can get a big old basket of fried chicken livers and gizzards.

And how many did I eat?

- [Jim] You did, you did pretty well on the livers.

- [Tom] Yeah.

Not many places you can do that.

- No.

Yeah, they're, they, we sell a ton, ton a day.

- We didn't even look at the desserts.

We ate so much chicken, this many hampers.

- [Sarah] Dessert.

- [Jim] It was just impossible.

We hit that wall pretty hard.

- Well now you live in the Port Huron area.

- I do.

- You must love it here.

- I do love it here.

It's beautiful.

It's gorgeous.

I don't think I'd ever leave.

- I think what we've come to appreciate about this blue water area, about the Thumb Coast is when you drive down the river roadway.

- [Sarah] Yeah.

- [Jim] All the communities you come across.

- [Sarah] Oh yeah.

- [Jim] And it's, they're all different.

Oh, and then it's just, it is magical.

- Drive up the water, it's gorgeous.

Even up this way.

- Yeah.

And I love the fact that I've, I mean, I feel like a little kid every time I see a giant freighter or one of these big ships, but, it's like it never gets old.

- Yeah.

It never does.

Never.

Yeah.

I still go out and take pictures of them.

- [Tom] So on- - [Sarah] Wins all the time.

- On a personal level, for you, what's it like carrying on?

'Cause you're carrying on a tradition for people and a legacy.

What's that mean to you, personally?

- It means a lot.

I, like I said, when customers come in, they just know me and wanna sit at my bar and hang out, we chat.

I mean, I know stories about their kids, their families, their moms, and you know, it's always, it's more personal than just serving food.

- Yeah.

Yeah, you get to know them.

- Yeah.

- On a level that takes time.

- It is.

It is.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

It's great.

- So you're not willing to give us the secret recipe between the chicken?

- Wish I could.

- You can have some Bloody Caesar.

- You think she can get all she want.

So if you're looking for a true Michigan classic that's served up with a smile and a side of legacy, grab a booth at the Palms Krystal in Port Huron.

Just be warned, once you try it, it'll be rough to stay away.

Get it?

Rough chicken.

Oh, boy.

- [Jim] So it doesn't matter if you're floating on the Huron, sipping with sunsets, paddling through peaceful waters or crunching into a crispy classic, Michigan's beautiful Thumb Coast has everything you need for your next UTR type adventure.

- Well, that's pretty much it.

We're officially full of food, fun, facts, and profound feelings, but honestly, this is UTR, so mostly food.

You want to come back next weekend?

- Yeah, yeah.

Just gimme a few hours to digest and maybe a nap or three.

- Nap, that sounds good.

- Yeah.

- [Tom] So until next time, keep exploring the cool people, places, and things that make Michigan so magnificent.

(calming music) - [Announcer] The Stahls motors and music experience features a collection of automated music machines, neon signs, gas pumps, and 150 years of automotive history.

More info at stahlsauto.com.

(rock music)