Last night, July 3rd, was my first try at leading the show & go for the Marquette Sea Kayakers, our local, informally organized kayak club.
 
I was a bit nervous about leading a bunch of my fellow kayakers, but, my nervousness abated when the go time arrived, and there was only one other paddler there, who showed up dressed for a dinner party.  One paddler cancelled on us, and another couple wasn't able to make it up by the go time.  Vicki (the other paddler) traded her skirt for a sprayskirt and a wetsuit, we waited for about a half hour to see if anyone else would make it, then we launched and paddled for an hour and a half.  
 
It was a nice, calm day, with no wind, warm sun, and clear skies.  This was also the first day of the Food Fest, the annual 4th of July celebration in Marquette in the lower harbor area, so there was a lot of activity down there, both on land and on the water.
 
We ended up paddling about 2.5 miles, along the ore dock, over to the Shiras power plant, then back to the breakwater, and over to the Food Fest, then back to the ore dock.  Around Mattson Park (the location of the Food Fest) there were a few boats going in and out of the marina, so we did get a few wakes to ride over, which was fun.  
 
The route:

 
 
A hot air balloon that launched from the Food Fest while we were getting ready to go onto the water:

 
 
The ore dock on our way out:

 
 
Here's the reason why I waited until after July 4th to post the pics.  On the end of the ore dock and on the backside of Ripley Rock in Lower Harbor we found all of the fireworks for the 4th of July display.  We were looking at it for a while, then we thought that we probably ought to go before the Coasties came out to see what we were up to.

 
 
Going past the Shiras powerplant:

 
 
Vicki paddling along the breakwater:

 
 
Heading back to the ore dock:

 
 
Paddling around an old dock:

 
 
Vicki paddling through the old dock pilings.  We had to keep an eye out for submerged pilings and metal bolts.

 
 
Going through the dock pilings.  I went hand over hand from piling to piling, while Vicki paddled through it.

 
 
Heading back in to the take out: