On to Lake Michigan

We recently learned that the Newtown Bee published an article about our Loop journey,  We had corresponded with Nancy Crevier so she was very familiar with the trip and us.  We would like to thank her for her beautiful article.  She took lots of information and wove it into an informative article.  Thanks, Nancy,  for your effort and talent!

August 19-25, 2010
Those Lake Huron winds kept blowing hard so we had to stay on at Mackinac Island -not a bad place to get stuck .  We had an incident, though, that disturbed us -while we were at the Mackinac Island Municipal Marina three males and a female boarded our boat and tried to steal our AGLCA burgee (flag that designates our membership in the America's Great Loop Association).  The bars had closed (it was 3AM) and when Pete's flashed the flashlight, they all took off.  While trying to get the burgee, they bent the pole the burgee hangs from.  They seemed drunk and it was probably just a dare from one drunk to another but, even though is seemed harmless to them, it made us realize how vulnerable we are.  It took a while for us to get back to sleep.  The police told us we should have called 911-we probably need to keep a phone next to us in case of any emergency.

Burgee with new post

We finally left Mackinac Island and had a short 6 mile  bumpy ride to Mackinaw City, MI.  We figured even though the winds were still blowing some, we could start inching our way to Lake Michigan. Mackinaw City (pronounced the same as Mackinac-very confusing).  This small town is a tourist stop for many who take the ferry over to Mackinac Island for the day  but sleep in one of the MANY motels here.  The have an interesting self directed walking tour along Wawatam Park from the marina park to the reconstructed village of Cololonial Michilimackinac and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.  Mackinaw City is also famous for the four mile long, 135 foot high Mackinaw Bridge, spanning the Strait of Mackinac and connecting the two Michigan Peninsulas.  It is quite impressive to travel under!

 From Mackinaw City we traveled to Petoskey, Michigan and tied up in another Michigan municipal facility that is incorporated into their town park.   The city was having their annual "Festival on the Bay" which offered food (mostly pulled pork and brisket sandwiched), arts and crafts festival and a tent with all day live music.  We listened to a great band of young kids performing old music with a lot of jamming going on.  The Rolling Stones never sounded better!  There was a giant Jimaan canoe ride into the Bay sponsored by the Little Travis Bay Band of Odawa Indians.  Everyone came back chanting a loud song-sounds like they were having a great time!  The city had a West Marine within walking distance where we could buy some boat equipment we haven't been able to find other places.

Jimman canoe

You Rock!

 Since the weather was good we decided to travel to Charlevox .  What a great town-with their new municipal docks, grocery store that was bigger than a convenience store, upscale shops and my favorite, the mushroom houses.  These were fairy tale mushroom homes built during the 30' and 40's by Earl Young.  They remind you of what a hobbit might live in.  He built over twenty of them in the area and we were able to locate about eight of them. 

When we left Charlvoix, we knew the seas would be choppy but we didn't expect the 4-6+ foot chop we had.  We were getting beat up by them (getting sea sick is not fun!) so we stopped in Northport, a 22 mile ride.  This town is full of art galleries and antique shops-and yes, a very good ice cream shop.  Their architecture is very western, with the fake facade on most of their buildings.

Northport

From Northport we traveled twenty-six miles to Lelalnd.  This recently completely refurbished marina was great-docks that were clean and safe and laundry facilities almost like home. "Fishtown" is their claim to fame-it's a real commercial fishing community that also uses some of its buildings for tourist interests(t shirts and ice cream and fudge).  Their beaches are beautiful with some of the best sand we've ever been on.

Fishtown

More T shirts

Typical commercial lake fishing boat

Beautiful beaches

From Leland we motored to Frankfort where we are now.  Again we are in a wonderful municipal marina that has a Main Street right in front of us.  In fact the library is in our front yard...have to visit it today!  It even has a hair salon to get a much needed color and cut.  While each town might have one, you can't always count on it being in walking distance.  There's a bike path that connects to Elberta on the other side of the Betsie Lake that we'll explore today. There's a "Fountain of Youth" mineral spring that's offered to the public right at the marina.  It smells like sulfur so it's difficult to swallow.  Don't think it works; I haven't seen anyone fill their water bottles from it.
Last night's walk along the park/marina brought us to the Frankfort Municipal Ramp which has a facility dedicated to fishermen to weigh, measure and fillet their fish.  They REALLY take their fishing seriously around here!

Frankfort Lighthouse

Fish prep house

Fish prep equipment

The weather looks to be very windy and the seas will be rough so it looks like we will be here for a few days- let's see- a beautiful beach, nice town, comfortable marina, good restaurants-I think we can handle that!
Hope you are relishing this beautiful weather!