Wendy Engle, formerly of Thee Sign Shop, and the Department of Natural Resources worked with us this spring to design new eye-catching boat wash signs. The colorful blue and yellow signs direct boaters to the boat wash station on the north side and Gerrish Marina. The signs also direct boaters to the north side wash from the West Launch site. Anna Sylvester, DNR Field Chief, and Mark Bouchinger, North State Park Manager, approved the signs which were constructed by the DNR wood shop. We expect to see more and more of these signs marking new boat wash locations around Michigan inland lakes.
North State Park Boat Wash
The boat wash station on the North side of Higgins Lake is one minute from the Park entrance and five minutes from the West launch site. It is FREE, with two lanes, two power wash stations, and open 24-7 during the boating season. Boat wash usage is increasing every year, please help protect Higgins Lake from the introduction of invasive species by using the boat wash and telling visitors to clean, drain and dry their boats!
South State Park Boat Wash
The DNR has targeted early summer, 2014 for the completion of the new South State Park entrance and boat wash station. This is good news for Higgins Lake as the number of transient lake users continues to grow. The new configuration will decrease traffic back-ups near the park entrance and the two boat wash lanes will make it convenient and speedy for a power wash before launching.
As boat wash stations increase around Michigan so do DEQ requirements for drainage. Although the original cost has increased your support makes it possible to stay the course in this project.
A Portable Boat Wash!
For several days this summer a free boat wash was offered at the South State Park launch area. The high pressure boat wash built by Hydro Engineering vacuums up the waste water from a holding mat which is later deposited in a compost site. Free washes were offered by operators, Shelby Eagan and Doug Pavlov at area lakes throughout the summer. The Higgins Lake Foundation thanks volunteers who helped out at the launch, Jim Thorburn, Howard Schnell, and HLF board member, Mary Kay Dent. Funded by a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant from the US Forest Service the machine is owned by Muskegon River Watershed Assembly.
Gerrish Community Park & Marina
A free boat wash station is provided at the Gerrish Marina. Gerrish Township Supervisor, Frank Homola encourages all residents to run their boat through before launching.
