Glacier Lakes Chapter Milwaukee River Cruise

By Calvin Seith

Seven boats convened at the South Shore yacht club at 9AM to disembark on the Glacier Lakes Chapter’s Milwaukee River Cruise. Scott Bruesewitz organized the event and showcased his incredible all original unrestored 1974 Glastron.

The rest of the lineup consisted of Tom and Beth Neary who came with their 1948 Chris-Craft Deluxe named Witchcraft, Greg Guitens came prepared with an umbrella in his 1964 Fabuglas Fury named Learning Curve, Nick Verette rode in his 1958 Lonestar named Baby Blue-ga,  Robert Roberson took Wil Vidal for a ride in his Fox Lake Show 2025 Best Fiberglass winning 1978 Aristo Craft, Chris Bales had an entire boat full of passengers on his immaculate 31-foot Ilmor powered 2007 Stancraft, and finally Jen and I rounded out the group as the lone Blackhawk Chapter representation in the RIFF RAFT.

Almost as soon as we started off the rain started to come, and then soon it started to pour. Jen quickly put up our less-than-adequate bimini top, as we watched Scott throw on his rain jacket, Greg hide under his umbrella, Chris’s guests huddle under their bimini, all while Robert and Wil sat comfortably laughing and taking pictures of the rest of us under Robert’s hard top.

Greg Guitens, Learning Curve… and his much needed umbrella.

We moseyed across the Milwaukee lake front from the marina to get to the Milwaukee River entrance just east of the Hoan ‘Bridge to Nowhere’.  From there we idled up the north branch of the river past the downtown area until reaching Lakefront Brewing at the Holton Street Bridge before turning back south. Once more the skies opened up and the boats all hovered under cover of the St. Paul Avenue Lift Bridge. Once the rain passed, Greg, Tom, Chris, and Nick left to head back to the Marina to get out of the rain and watch the start of the Milwaukee Air and Water show, while Robert & Wil, Scott, and Jen and I continued on the south branch of the river towards lunch at a fantastic restaurant called The Bridgewater Modern Grill.

By the time our lunch was over, the sun was out and we could hear the sound of an F-22 jet flying overhead.  At this point Robert and Wil went back to Robert’s slip at McKinley Marina to watch the show on land while Scott and we ventured out into the lake to watch the show from the water, where we made it in time to see parachuters, a C-130, and saving the best for last: the world famous Blue Angels. The jet fighters put on jaw-dropping display of skill and power with fly-bys right over our heads out in the water so loud and so close that you could feel the heat from the afterburners above.

At the conclusion of the show we met up with Robert, Wil, Greg, and Nick back at McKinley Marina before wandering back to South Shore for the evening. Last year Jen and I took RIFF RAFT to both the Chicago Air and Water Show as well as the Chapter’s Chicago River Rendezvous and although our day in Milwaukee this year started a little wetter than those days, we easily had just as much fun if not more so, and will be sure to return to Glacier Lakes’ Milwaukee River Cruise again next year!

Join the Glacier Lakes Chapter of the ACBS and join the fun of boat cruises, shows and good friends. Check out their website for more information.