Skylarking

Our trip from Frankfort to Grand Haven was about 60 miles. This is one of the longest trips we’ve taken regarding mileage. Our original thought today was to go Muskegon, with Pentwater as a back up if the weather was not cooperating. Once we were out and heading down the coast, the ride was comfortable and it made sense to us to just keep going.

Grand Haven bills itself as “Coast Guard City, USA”. There is a large coast Guard base there, as well as a quaint town of shops and entertainment venues. They also have a colorful musical fountain that puts on a nightly display.

When we were getting close to the destination, we realized we didn’t know where we were going to stay exactly. We had heard and looked on a map at some marinas in the area, as well as some anchorages. Once we got into the river, it continues on a ways inland where all of the marinas and anchorages are. As we were getting close to the downtown area, we noticed a lot of boats tied up along the wall along the boardwalk. We spotted an open spot, and cautiously started to dock. A helpful guy jumped off of his boat and assisted us with grabbing lines. Once secure, we chatted a bit, and he told us the wall is free for day use, but they come by and collect $10 for overnight stays. Great! This is a deal! The location is superb, the price right. There is no water or power, but we really couldn’t beat the location. After we were settled in, we hung out on the back deck of the boat and watched the people pass by, them watching us. This was a fun opportunity to chat with locals and other boaters. We wandered around town a bit, and had some dinner. We were able to watch the musical fountain display as well from our boat.

After a long day, we were getting tired and ready to retire for the evening. I did a last check of lines and fenders before heading in. The river was starting to get a little rocky, as the current/waves were coming in from the lake and following a path along the wall in. I secured a few more fenders and called it a night.

Around 2am, I woke up to the boat pitching and rolling around. I went outside to assess the situation and could see the boats all around us being tossed about. The way the water was coming in from the lake made us bounce off the wall, then get tugged back by our lines. Checking all the bumpers and lines, there was nothing we could do to stop this, so I went back to bed for the night.

The next morning, the rocking had not stopped, but it slowed down so it wasn’t as violent. I chatted with neighboring boats, and everyone said this was not normal. Upon checking the weather, we could see there were some storms coming, and knew that spending another night on the wall was not going to be a good option. We saw some friends on another boat (Trinity) come in and they told us they were heading to an anchorage a little ways up the river. I reached out to them, and they said it was nice there and they were the only ones anchored there. There was another boat we had made friends with (Sirius) that had spent the night on the wall and they told us they were going to join them at the anchorage. We decided the anchorage would be better than getting rocked on the wall all night.

We spent the afternoon at the beach, and explored downtown some more. We of course found some breweries to hang out at, and eventually returned to the boat to move to the anchorage. We got to the anchorage just before dark. We found a spot upriver from the other two boats. We dropped anchor and backed it down, ensuring it had taken hold and would not be moving overnight. I had mentioned the approaching storm, and winds were expected to reach 30+ mph. This was going to be a big storm.

The storm came overnight with the high winds. We felt protected as the anchorage was only 75 yards wide, by 200 yards deep. There were houses on hills on either side, and most had boats at docks along the channel we were in. We woke up once or twice throughout the night due to the howling wind and lightening and thunder rumbling around. A quick check around and we were still secure in the same position we dropped the anchor. I went back to sleep feeling good. Around 8am or so, I woke up and looked out the window. Our friends on Sirius were motoring out, headed to a marina where they had to do some fuel line maintenance. Trinity was still there, so I laid back down for a bit. The wind was still blowing, and it seemed like it was getting stronger. I woke up a half hour later, and that’s when I noticed we were moving at a fairly fast clip backwards. The boats we were even with, were now moving past us. I jumped up and did a quick confirmation that we were indeed moving, fast! I looked back and saw we were heading toward the other boat. Lauren was getting the animals their breakfast when I flew downstairs, exclaiming “we’re dragging!” and turned on the ignition switch. I ran back upstairs and started the engine with my heart beating fast. The winds were now blowing straight down the channel, pushing us faster and faster toward Trinity. At this point, the anchor is still down, but clearly not holding onto anything. I put the boat in forward gear and gave it some throttle. We were not moving forward! still dragging backwards and getting even closer to Trinity! I gave it even more throttle, ready to put it in full speed- anything to stop us from hitting them! I eventually got a little forward movement, and gave it even more throttle. Soon we were making some headway forward, away from Trinity, but still dragging our anchor and lines in the water below us. At this point, Lauren took over at the helm and I went out on the fore deck to try to retrieve our anchor. The wind still blowing hard, I had no way to communicate with Lauren, as she was driving from inside. We were using hand signals to tell her when to raise the anchor, which way to steer or when to stop. On one of my trips inside, I turned on the VHF radio so we could communicate with Trinity if need be.

We finally made some headway and was back to our original location of dropping anchor. I had also managed to get the anchor raised so we were safe from any tangling or snags from the trailing lines. Trinity had called us on the radio and told us of a marina that was around the corner that had space for both of us, at a dollar a foot. At this point my leg was bleeding from a run in with a bike pedal, and the rain and wind were not letting up; I didn’t care how much it cost, I just wanted to be tied up to a dock and safe. We followed them out of the channel and toward the marina. We got to the marina in the rain and had a dock hand assist us getting into the slip. The wind made it tricky, but we made it. The sense of relief cannot be explained. Nothing here was life threatening, but definitely could have been a disaster of a collision or grounding. This isn’t the first time we’ve dragged our anchor, and it is becoming a bit of a concern because we have planned on anchoring more often than docking.

Now that we’re securely tied up and safe, we turn our thoughts toward another issue we’ve been having. We have had an oil leak coming from around the oil pan attached to the engine. I can tell the gasket is shot, and this is allowing oil to drip out into a drip pan under the engine. I had researched this and ordered a replacement online, which I had shipped to our friend Barbara. We were supposed to meet over Labor Day weekend, but due to weather that did not happen. I spoke to the marina, and they said it would be okay to have the part shipped to the marina. After some coordination with Barbara, the part was on the way. This also meant we had to stay another day to wait for the delivery, then install it. At least the marina had good amenities such as a pool (which we couldn’t use due to weather) clean showers and restroom facilities, and a large area to walk Frank. We took the bikes for a ride and went back to downtown Grand Haven. We have gotten plenty of biking in, and what I used to say ‘no way’ to, is now an easy jaunt.

The part arrived on Friday, and I had to use one of the on site mechanics to assist with this. The oil pan is too large for one person to hold in place or even remove without letting it fall to the pan below. The process itself wasn’t too difficult- remove the bolts, clean up the old residue, apply new gasket sealer and gasket, then bolt back in place. This took about an hour of time, which was billed to me along with the dockage.

By Friday evening we were ready to leave Grand Haven. Tomorrows weather looked good in the morning, so we decided we would get an early start toward our next destination, which is Holland, MI as of now…

As you can see for the days listed, we got delayed in Frankfort due to weather. We arrived on a Sunday, and did not leave until the next Saturday. This was a bummer, for we had plans to meet friends in Holland, MI the coming weekend-This did not happen.

The night was fine with some rain and blowing winds , but the anchor was secured and we slept well. In the morning, we mostly hung out on he boat due to the rain. We actually tried to leave, but once we got to the lake, we realized the water was too rough for us to attempt a passage, so we turned around and re-anchored. Around mid afternoon, we went to lunch at the local brewery, appropriately named Stormcloud Brewing. Food and beer were good. We returned and walked Frank, not wanting to go too far, again because of the weather.

By mid evening the wind and rain had picked up again. This time the wind velocity was making us a little nervous. Forecast was winds in the 20’s gusting to 30’s. That is a lot of wind. Our boat has a lot of canvas on top also, which is a wind catcher.

By dusk, the winds have stayed steady strong, even increasing. Now we seeing actual waves in the harbor. Lauren and I are keeping watch, and at one point, I was convinced we were moving. The boat we had anchored in front of, was now next to us. He was moored to a ball, which is anchored to the sea floor. He wasn’t the one moving- we were. Oh shit.

“Lauren!” I called out “We’re dragging anchor!” Lauren jumped into action and went to her post at the helm on the flybridge. I went to the bow of the boat and tended to the anchor and rode. The anchor doesn’t drag in calm water- the wind was howling and the waves were building up- in the harbor! We managed to re-set the anchor with just enough day light left for us to be able to see. Looking at the forecast, it was not expected to let up for another day! How were we going to do this? Stay here at anchor in a 2 day storm? Get a dock? At this point the marinas were closed so we decided we would just stay here and re-evaluate in the morning. Our nerves were not relaxing however, as the boat was swinging in the wind and bouncing on the waves. We spent the next couple of hours basically staring out the window, watching our position, and trying to be prepared if we start to drag again. We took turns and we were up all night watching and looking with every creak and groan of boat sounds. This was our first truly sleepless night.

Precisely at 8am when the marina opened, I was on the phone with them asking for a dock. Luckily for us, they had space. By 830am we were pulling in with the help of a few dock hands to assist with lines and pulling us in. Right in front of us was another boat doing the same. They also spent the night on the hook, and also started to drag, but it happened to them in the dark. They ended up grabbing a nearby mooring ball and came to the marina at opening time like us. I was amazed there were still a couple of other boats still anchored out there. We checked the weather again, and it was forecasting to be even worse the following day. At this point, I have been talking to several other loopers who were at dock, and consensus was we were all staying for at least another two days, and maybe more, as we wanted to make sure the lake settles down before we try to make the next port. Throughout the day, every boat that was anchored out eventually came in to the marina. By evening, no one was in the harbor. Smart moves by all.

And so goes the week. Eventually the rain gave way, but the wind kept up for several days. Lauren and I explored the town, nearby towns, and everywhere in between on our bikes. I would spend mornings at a picnic table with Frank hooked up to it on a long lead, and talk to anyone and everyone that came by. I met a lot of other boaters and loopers this way. I suppose there is no need to list all of the places we drank and/or ate at. We had time to kill. I did have a great experience with an auto shop- I needed oil for the boat as it was time for a full oil change. They had it delivered to the shop for me, so we didn’t have to find a way into the next largest town where the auto parts store is. Nice folks for helping me out.

The weather cleared up on Friday, but Lake Michigan was still very choppy and didn’t look very good for traveling in. Everyone else at the marina agreed and stayed another day, with some casting off to anchor one more night to wait it out. This was a disappointment, as it was the final chance for us to make a long run to meet up with our friends, Evelyn and Barbara. We had to let them know earlier in the week it might not be possible for us, and it was a shame it became reality. We stayed at the dock the rest of our time here. This was an unexpected expense, but well worth it in the long run.

Our next stop is up in the air- depending on the lake, we may go to Arcadia as a short hop, or as far as Luddington or Pentwater if the conditions are right. The next days forecast is looking good, but the coming Labor Day weekend is iffy…

We left Leland around 9am. We were in a group of boats all leaving and heading south. We detoured a bit, and went to South Manitou Island and also passed Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park on the way to Frankfort.

At South Manitou Island, we approached from the north east side, and followed the coast down. We were looking for a ship wreck, that is partially out of the water. We figured we would be able to spot it when we got close. The wreck we were looking for was the Francisco Morazan, which sank in 1960. This is one of many, many wrecks that dot the islands. There are over fifty (not a typo-50!) known wrecks around the north and south island! So we thought we’d get a closer look…

As for the Francisco Morazan- it is actually a somewhat intact vessel that does sit out of the water, and you can swim around it, very carefully. More interesting was the ending of the story of this ship: “The owner of the Francisco Morazan could never be found. So over the intervening years, islanders helped themselves to what cargo was left.  Balsa wood model aircraft kits made by Monogram of Chicago were reportedly popular with local boys; one of whom drown in 1967 while exploring the wreck. On the grounds that the rotting cargo proved a health hazard and the over 6,000 pounds of fuel still onboard constituted an environmental risk, a lawsuit to have the wreck removed was filed in 1968 by Michigan’s then attorney general. But the very next day, the ship mysteriously caught fire. With cargo and fuel totally destroyed, the Francisco Morazan became the property of the State of Michigan.”

Once we spotted the sunken ship, we got about 30 feet from it and dropped anchor. Lauren and I hung out and swam around for a bit, before continuing on toward Frankfort. A few other boats came by, but no one else stopped to swim like we did. I tried to get Frank to jump in the water, but he wasn’t down for that. Instead, while I was swimming, he decided to jump into the dinghy by himself! My how he has come along, from being afraid to step foot on it, to now jumping in on his own will. He has learned this is the vehicle to land, and when he wants to go, he gets in. For this reason we have to monitor him at all times, or we tie him up so he can’t reach the sides of the boat, in case he decides to try without his life jacket on!

We pulled anchor and headed toward Frankfort, but not before deviating a little closer to shore to view the Sleeping Bear Dunes. In 2011, the area won the title of “The Most Beautiful Place in America” from Good Morning America. From the water, it is quite impressive to see these massive dunes, some over 400′ tall, that go on and on. People ride buggies on them, slide down them, hike them, etc… There are all kind of activities available to fill your time. We did not stop here though, as we wanted to get to Frankfort at a reasonable time so we could find a place to anchor and hunker down as we knew some bad weather was approaching.

We arrived in Frankfort around 3:30pm, and went to the far side of the bay to anchor. We passed a couple of marinas, a mooring field, and a very active boat launch ramp. There were several other ‘Loopers’ docked, and a couple of boats anchored. We wanted to stay out of the way, and not be too close to the moored boats, to be safe.

I have mentioned the weather- when we arrived, the wind had picked up a little bit, but the clouds were darkening, threatening rain. Once the anchor was secured, We took Frank for the dinghy ride to shore. We walked him around a bit, and noticed there was a grocery store almost directly across from the boat launch ramp. In the other direction was the downtown area, with shops and restaurants on both sides. We continued on to the beach area we had passed coming into town. The beach was beautiful and large. Lots of sandy area to explore, and we took Frank to the end where the dogs were allowed. He enjoyed his time running up and down, jumping in the water, but only to his knees, then jumping out! He like the water, but doesn’t want to actually be in the water. Weirdo.

We walked back to the marina, and was going to stop for a bite to eat, but didn’t have many options with a dog. Most patios were closed due to cold and rain, so we decided to just make dinner on the boat. Lauren prepared a nice meal, and we did hunker down because the rain had started and the winds were definitely picking up. I kept watching the shore and another boat to make sure we were not dragging our anchor. Once secure we weren’t moving, we called it a night and went to bed.

The weather doesn’t look too good for the next day or two, so the plan is to check the forecast in the morning and decide then. Stay tuned…

So we’ve now been on our trip for 31 days, and we’re still in Michigan. This state is huge. Granted, we did take a side trip to Lake Superior, but Michigan seems to go on forever. It is now August 24, and we have to be in Chicago by September 10th or so… We also have plans to meet some friends in Holland, MI this coming weekend (Labor Day weekend). At this point we seem to be making longer runs when we travel. There were some early runs of 20-30 miles, now we are making 40+ mile runs.

We left Traverse City with light winds around 8am. Wind direction is actually proving to be more of a concern than actual wind strength. We’ll take a following sea over a beam sea any day. Today we traveled 44.2 nautical miles in just over 6 hours. We averaged 7.1 knots. This was a good travel day for us. No one got sea sick, the furniture stayed in place, and we had a smooth ride.

We arrived at Leland Township Marina around 2:30pm. Upon arrival, we noticed right away there were several other ‘Looper’s’ here. We are definitely catching up and seeing some of the same boats more often now. Leland is a quaint small town with a lovely harbor and a small area called “Fishtown“.

After checking in at the marina office, I retrieved the bikes for some exploring. oUr first stop was “Fishtown”. This was right off of the docks. Many of the original weathered fishing shanties composing Fishtown, now house small shops along the mouth of the Leland River, as it flows into Lake Michigan. However, these historic shanties were once used primarily for commercial fishing operations, including net-mending sheds, ice houses, smoke houses, and storage. A few Fishtown shanties are still used today to support the current, active commercial fishing operation.

For over 150 years Fishtown has evolved as a working waterfront. The shanties represent the heart and foundation of Fishtown, and are loved for their rustic appeal and enduring functionality. Surviving many a cold, windy, snowy winter in Northern Michigan, these shanties continue to tell their story of endurance.  Many have been rented out and are small gift shops.

We explored this area, and also went to a local grocery store for more provisions. Shopping done, we headed back to the boat to assess what the plan was for tomorrow. We are hearing grumblings of upcoming weather, and confirmed for ourselves that there is some questionable weather coming our way. That being said, we really wanted to go to South Manitou Island, where there are sand dunes and unspoiled areas to explore, as well as many shipwrecks you can explore from the water. Sleeping Bear Dunes is also on the way.

There were no breweries in Leland, so we’ll save you from hearing about that. Leland was such a small town, we didn’t have too much to explore after Fishtown. The closest winery was 15 miles away, which is too far for us to bike to, even though we have been putting on some good miles. We were not up for a 30 mile round trip for some wine, but Frank did get plenty of terra firma time.

The evening ended with us having dinner on the boat, catching a sunset and retiring early, getting ready for an early departure.

We made it to Traverse City, but not without some excitement. When we departed at 7:30am, the wind was 6 knots out of the north. Our exit had us going west, until we hit the Traverse Bay to turn south. We came out of the draw bridge with another trawler right behind us. We both were heading in the same direction, alternately getting rolled from the side, then beating into the waves. It was not a fun start to the morning. We were seriously questioning how far we would make it. The other boat pulled ahead of us, but we were somewhat following them. At one point, the couch slid across the room and wedged against the refrigerator. At least that won’t open and spill the contents again! No one was happy with the motion of the boat, and the looks I got from the animals were saying to me “you a**hole!”.

It was about 9:30 when Lauren noticed someone had sent her a message on Nebo. This is the app you can follow boats on and see who/where they are in real time. Anyone can download it and follow us. The message was from the boat that left with us, and told us they were going to Northport, and there is a bus there that goes to Traverse City. At this point, Lauren was getting sea sick from the rolling, and the animals were still not digging it. I started to head toward Northport, but realized we had a smoother ride heading south than we did heading west. After consulting with Lauren, we decided to continue south to Traverse City. We made it there around 1:30pm.

The first set of marinas we saw, we thought was where we wanted to be. We entered the area, and couldn’t see a gas dock, or anyone around. I called on the radio and got no response. Lauren had looked at Nebo, and noticed we were in the wrong location. We needed to be a bit further south, at the very bottom of Traverse Bay. We turned out and headed to the correct marina. Once close, I again called on VHF and received a response. I told him we wanted one night, and he told me to pick any spot I want, against the outside wall. This was fine with us, as we like to be a little out of the way. We picked our spot, and headed in. Now the wind was blowing harder, and on our first attempt, we got blown off. So I aborted, and we circled back to try again. Second time is a charm; we successfully landed, and proceeded to get tied up. Once secure, Frank needed his land time, so Lauren took him for a walk while I settled up at the dock office.

Once we were comfortable with everything, we took the bikes for ride. Traverse City is another vacation destination, with lots to do, and they were hosting an Iron Man Triathlon the coming weekend, so there were lots of people about and arriving on a daily basis. We went through town, and stopped at a cheese shop and bought some stinky but delicious cheese, got some pie at a pie shop, and stopped at a cider brewery to quench our thirst. As we were leaving, Lauren turned her bike right into a sign pole. She didn’t fall over, but the bike did. We laughed and laughed and laughed.

We made it back to the boat in one piece, and had dinner. Lauren is quite the chef, making sure we eat well. There is no shortage of food and nibbles for us as we spend our time on the boat. We retired for the evening and I thought about updating the blog, but I did not. my bad.

The next morning, we awoke and had a plan. We needed to get to a Walmart or something similar. There is a bus that travels from downtown Traverse City to a ‘suburb’ that has such a store. They have Meijers in Michigan. Same difference. The bus was free, and we boarded right by the marina. This was great! We had a list of items we needed- especially oil for the boat. This was going to present a problem and we knew it: we had to transport said oil and whatever else we purchased back to the boat. When I say we need oil- we need at least four gallons of oil for an oil change. Plus we needed dog food, which we purchase the large bags of. So goes our mantra: we’ll figure it out!

After our trip to Meijer’s , we made it back to the boat with all of the supplies we set out for, plus some. We probably did look a little silly crossing the road with Lauren and I carrying four containers of oil and a large bag of dog food, plus a couple of bags, but so what? We made it.

Now it was mid afternoon, and we wanted to have lunch. There was a brewery close by that we wanted to check out. Workshop Brewery. We headed there after we put away our supplies and walked Frank. A short walk later, we settled in and were sipping some beer and cider on the patio, when we met some folks from Cleveland. They were in town for the triathlon, and we all chatted about their adventures traveling for the triathlons and biking experiences, and had a really good time hearing about different peoples adventures. In the mean time, we ordered a pickle pizza. yes- pickle pizza. This was a pizza with House-made dill pickles, ranch-whipped ricotta, roasted garlic,
flat leaf parsley, extra virgin olive oil, and house-blend cheese….Delicious.

So at this point, Lauren is telling me we need to not mention all of the breweries we have visited; I asked if cider counts? We have visited a brewery or cider house in almost every town, with the exception of the super small towns that don’t have any offerings. Then we bike to them if possible. So… as I opened and my provisioning question was: “do we have enough alcohol?”… I can tell you we haven’t been thirsty.

So… After our lunch, we again got on the free bus and headed to “The Village“. If you don’t follow the link, let me give a few notes: “The main structure would be large and advanced for Northern Michigan: almost one quarter mile long, over 300,000 square feet, over 70 feet tall at the roof ridge, and employing central heat and electric lights. In April of 1883 construction began on the Victorian-Italianate styled asylum. Over eight million bricks were brought from the local brickyard at Cedar Lake to construct the main building (Building 50). In spite of a time of hand tools and mule power, the immense task of constructing the hospital took less than three years to complete. By November of 1885, it received its first patients.”

“The Northern Michigan Asylum was built more than six decades before the use of the first psychiatric drugs. Founding Medical Superintendent Dr. James Decker Munson believed in the moral treatment movement, which at the time was revolutionary. Central to this belief was Dr. Munson’s philosophy that “Beauty is Therapy.” If patients were surrounded by a beautiful environment, from the architecture to the campus grounds, their emotional and mental state would be uplifted.”

“Dr. Munson made an effort to ensure that patients felt at home rather than trapped in an unfamiliar place. Use of physical restraints was forbidden, except for the most extreme patient situations. Meals at the hospital were served in dining rooms on fine china glazed with the State Seal atop white linen tablecloths. Fresh flowers and plants decorated dining tables & resting areas. Artwork and inspirational sayings adorned the walls of the wide hallways.”

“The architecture of Building 50 in itself exemplified beauty & encouraged the very core belief of Dr. Munson’s founding philosophy. It was built in such a way that each patient room had a window & view to the outside. This let in an abundance of natural light & allowed every patient the opportunity to enjoy a view of the campus, even if they weren’t given the privilege to leave the building & walk the grounds alone.”

The above is directly from their website. This is all fascinating, but it creeped me out. I was not feeling the vibes here. Or I was, and I didn’t like it too much. There are shops, restaurants and condo’s here, as well as a brewery and cider house. Huh. Maybe a drink will make me feel better? So after walking around the main building, and stopping into some shops and browsing, we made our way to the first beverage stop: Left Foot Charlie. This is a winery and cider house. This was a nice first stop at The Village. We continued on to and explored another area of the grounds, and we found another brewery: Earthen Ales. After we were, shall we say, not thirsty, we headed back to the bus stop to take us back to downtown.

Our arrival back downtown greeted us with a closed off roadway, and a street festival going on. What to do, but wander down and see what is going on. We walked the avenue and enjoyed the festivities of Traverse City. As I’ve said: this is a vacation-like town. We meandered around and enjoyed the festivities around us. Eventually we headed back to the boat and had a late dinner. We also had to look at our next stop depending on the weather: Northport if its too rough, Leland if we have good weather. Only tomorrow will tell…

This trip was supposed to be about 20 miles. We did an extra 15 miles, looking for an anchorage. It wasn’t a bad trip, and the extra miles were in a very nice setting. We even came across a ‘ferry’ that was bringing cars across a river, but the ferry was being pulled by cables underwater. We had to stay well away as it was moving across.

Lake Charlevoix is off of Lake Michigan. You have to go into a small river (Pine River) to Round Lake, and through that is Lake Charlevoix. Lake Charlevoix is quite large, and has a lot of water activities around it. Boats, jet skis, paddle board, kayaks, beaches, etc… Also around it are rather large homes, rentals, condos, and small hotels.

Round Lake is much smaller, but it is much closer to the downtown shops of Charlevoix. Our initial trip in, we went through both lakes to an ‘arm’ that splits off Charlevoix to an ares where anchorages were shown on the chart. We soon realized that there is going to be no public space in this area to land a dinghy and a dog, so we turned around and went back to Round Lake. That is where all of the boat/marina action was going on.

We found a spot to anchor in a very crowded harbor. We had timed the arrival perfect, as there is a draw bridge from Pine River to Round Lake and it only opens on the 1/2 hour. On our initial pass through we didn’t like the look of anchoring here due to the congestion. On our return, we scoped out a spot on the far end of the marina and gas dock. There were two boats between us and them. This put us in front of a condo complex and its docks however, and we had to stay close to them, to keep out of the middle of the harbor. We did our anchoring routine and other than being somewhat close to them, we were happy with the location. We watched another large sailboat come in after us, circle the area and select a spot on the other side. They were also flying an AGLCA flag. *Americas Great Loop Cruisers Association*

Since we were close to the downtown strip, We loaded into the dinghy with Frank and headed toward shore. In the mean time, I noticed a guy from another boat headed toward the new sailboat in his dinghy. I circled toward them to get some information. Turns out the guy gave us the code to the restrooms, told us where to dinghy dock, and gave us a general run down of the area. We thanked him and headed in.

Since we had Frank, we walked the strip, checking out the shops and boutiques that lined the street, facing the lake. There were coffee shops, cafes, bars and other shops. The other side of the street was a park that went from street level down to the water; it was set up with a pavilion on one side, and large open areas on the other. We heard a high school band preforming Mozart-like classical music and it was an amazing setting. We continued walking around the downtown area and decided on getting a fish fry and sandwich to-go. I went in and ordered, and Lauren waited outside with Frank. We switched after a bit, and then we returned to the boat to commence eating. At this point the winds had switched and our back end of the boat was facing the pavilion. What a nice dinner, listening to the ‘orchestra’ and enjoying an evening together.

The next morning after taking Frank to shore, we loaded up the bikes and went to shore. It was another two trip process. Lauren had researched and found out about these ‘mushroom houses’ that were built around the area. The architect Early Young was self taught and built them from 1919 to the 1970’s. We biked around a bit more, then figured it was time for lunch. Off of the main street there is an alley with some shops, restaurants and food trucks. We had some salads from a salad specialty shop because neither of us have been eating a lot of veggies so far, but we try! After lunch we biked around a bit, then stopped at a brewery on the water. We noticed another boat had anchored near us while we were gone, but couldn’t see the name of the vessel. While we were drinking our beers, I was searching online for a part I need for the boat. I stepped out to make some phone calls, and realized I needed some more specific information. This meant I had to go to the boat and look. I explained to Lauren the situation, and off I went to the dinghy.

When I got back to the boat, I realized the boat that anchored near us, was very close to us! This is a tight spot! I was OK with it, as etiquette is first one there stays, and if I don’t like it, I should leave. You cannot tell someone else where to anchor or not to. As I was about to get out of my dinghy, I noticed someone headed in my direction. I waited for him, and recognized him from another anchorage or dock. They are also ‘Looper’s’ on their boat “Sehla Way”. David and I chatted a few moments, then I went on board to find the information I needed. Once I had that,, I returned to land to meet back up with Lauren. I called and no answer…ok, I’ll just ride around town a bit and look fro her. I went all around and couldn’t find her. My phone battery was at 1%, so I figured I would stop and wait. I went into a shop: Cherry Republic. Everything is made from cherries. They have a tasting sample of liquors and wines, five tastes for free, or sixteen tastes for $6. Which did I choose? My $6 spent, I started the tasting. After my fourth taste, Lauren sent me a text. I replied where I was, and she joined me to help me with the samples. She had stopped in while I was on the boat and sampled all of the free food samples they have out, too. Now that we were back together, we rode around town a bit more before heading back to the boat.

Back at the boat, we noticed we weren’t as close to the other boat as before- we were dragging our anchor, again! This put us into a small tizzy. The winds had started picking up a bit, but everyone else seemed to be ok. This means we have to draw anchor and find another spot or re-try in about the same place. The thing about Round Lake, is it is also deep. More shallow around the edges, but still in 35-40 feet of water. We decided to cross the channel and try the other side. We picked our spot and dropped anchor in about 35 feet of water. After scope was let out, we drifted a bit until our bow was into the wind. We felt good about it, but winds were definitely increasing, and supposed to calm around midnight or so.

After Dinner, we decided our next stop is going to depend on the weather. Wind was forecast out of the north, but at a bit higher speed than we like. Our plan is to leave early and take advantage of the morning calm. Traverse City is about 40 miles, with Northport being an alternative about 20 miles, both to the south. Forecasts lately have been not so good with increasing winds daily…

We woke up early to almost no wind. 2 knots. We wanted to be gone before the staff arrived to the marina and saw us still docked. We left the dock at 7:30am. We arrived across the bay around 8:15am. I called on the radio and told the person answering I wanted a pump out, and a dock for the evening. He was very nice, and said it would be no problem, come on in. Usually arrivals are noon or later, like a hotel. They have to make sure the persons leaving are gone and there is space, before the next arrival shows up. At this time of year, every town we’ve been in has been slower- it seems summer is over in Michigan. The weather has definitely not been summer-like, more like fall. Once we are done with our pump out and directed toward our dock, we get settled in. Lauren has come down with a cold , but is pushing through like a trooper.

Looking around, we notice several other Looper flags. Here we are again, catching up with everyone. Funny how there are some marinas we see a bunch, others none. Once the bikes were ready, we went out to explore. Apparently we are training for a Tour de France, or something like that, because this was another day of long biking, but it was worth it. I have to say, Michigan has done a wonderful job with their lakefront access and bike/walking paths. All very well kept, clean and well connected.

First biking destination: Bay Harbor. This is a wealthy resort town, about 4 miles away, that has everything to offer, and a bay that has million dollar yachts and homes. We walked around the downtown area, and got some lunch, which we enjoyed out on a picnic table overlooking the bay. There was a restaurant next to us with an acoustic guitar player, so we had live entertainment too! After lunch, we headed back toward the marina. We needed to get some dog food, and thought there was a store near by that would have some. Nope. We biked back to Petoskey and up the main road. When I say up, I mean up a steep hill, to the point we were walking the bikes up them. The hill was a main road/highway which had a lot of traffic, so we stayed on the sidewalks. We ended up stopping after a couple miles, and found a Walgreen’s, where we could get a small bag of food for Frank. He wasn’t completely out, but it was coming to the end and this would last us until we could get to a larger store with cheaper prices.

Now that we had the dog food and returned to the boat, we re-hydrated and prepared for another bike ride. This time we were going the other direction and following the bike path. I wasn’t sure of our final destination, but we did stop at Kilwin’s Ice Cream and Fudge Shop. Tasty ice cream they have there. We continued on for about 4 miles or so, and ended up at Petoskey Brewery. We enjoyed a couple of pints on the patio and read about the history of the building. We also were deciding on our next stop, which is Charlevoix. Finally we had to leave, as we wanted to get back before dark. We stopped and had a spectacular sunset overlooking the water. We also did some searching for the Petoskey stones that are unique to the area and found some souvenirs.

Now we’re back on board, and tired from all the biking. Lauren prepared dinner, and we eat and lounge around. Later Lauren retires, and I am contemplating going to bed, when I decide to go out for one last smoke. Usually I sit on the back ‘porch’ area, but tonight I decide to sit on the front, as the wind is blowing and I was hoping it would block the chill. I am looking out on the dock and see movement in a shadow. A small animal seems to be on the dock- it looks like a cat. It looks like our cat! Alice had got out and actually jumped to the dock. The cats are allowed to roam the boat when we are outside, and they have never made any attempt to leave or jump onto the docks. We do keep a close eye on them, and we do usually close the screen door when we are outside and they are inside. When she decided to go for a stroll, we’ll have no idea. She could have been out for an hour or ten minutes, but either way, it gave me a startle!

I jumped off of the boat and almost tripped myself right into the water! Alice was a bit startled at the sudden movement and started to go toward a neighboring boat, which looked kind of similar to ours. I called her name and she stopped, unsure of what was going on!? In her moment of hesitation, I grabbed her, and brought her back inside. Her new nickname is : “My Little Runaway”, and I can’t stop singing that song!. Once All was secured and all animals accounted for, I retired for the evening.

Our next stop in this vacation-like week is Charlevoix, another destination place with lots to do, and some strange houses…

The weather forecast was not great for today. We left at 7am with 8 knots of wind. Remember, we were in an alcove so it didn’t feel that bad when we were departing. We also had looked at the weather where were going, and it didn’t look like it was going to get much higher. It took us 5 hours to go 31 miles. It was another ‘not fun’ ride.

At one point, Lauren came upstairs and said the couch had actually slid across the room and was wedged against the refrigerator! This was a small bonus, as the day before the refrigerator had popped open somehow and spilled all of the contents about the room. We were lucky nothing broke, but it was still a mess to clean up!

After the 5 hour ride, we came to the cute little town of Harbor Springs. The charts we have show an anchorage, and as we came around the corner to the alcove the town is in, we were met with lots of boats moored on mooring balls. We scoped out an area and thought we would be good, and started to drop the anchor. When we do this, I am on the bow of the boat and giving Lauren directions for anchor rode and direction if needed. One of the questions I always ask is: “depth?” usually it is in 5 feet to 12 feet, and sometime a little deeper, but not much if we’re staying for the night. Lauren: “79 feet…”. Wait- What?! we cannot anchor in that deep of water! We carry 300 feet of line, plus 30 feet of chain. Normal technique is 7 to 10 times the depth of the water. We do not have 553 feet of line to do this! Hmmm…at this point, we look closer to the chart and see it is indeed very deep in the harbor, and gets a little more shallow closer to land. The harbor is not very large, so there isn’t a lot of room to pick from due to all of the moored boats. There are two marinas here, one private yacht club and a city marina. I decide to call the city marina on the VHF and ask about a ‘day dock’. A lot of public marinas have these day docks- you can stay for free, usually for a few hours, but aren’t really an overnight dock.

We were getting over the lack of anchorage, and the windy ride had us a little stressed. The marina responded they did have a day dock available, and go ahead and pick where you want to be. There was only one option, as one side was loaded with dinghies from the moored boats, and there were a couple of boats already at the day docks. We approached and made a good landing in the wind. Once tied up and secure, Lauren took Frank and I walked over to the office to check in. The girls running the office said we were good there, and we didn’t have to check in. I inquired about a time limit, and they said they weren’t busy, so it’s all good. I asked about areas around town and got a map. I have become better at my recon missions and reporting back to The Admiral.

The skies were overcast and threatening, but we got the bikes ready anyway. We secured the boat and made sure all windows were closed, and the top was buttoned up. I was speaking to a guy in a boat next to us, and commenting on the weather. He said he was staying there too, until this passed. We took off to explore the town, figuring if it rains, we’ll duck into the closest bar or cafe and wait it out.

Off we went! we biked around the downtown area and stopped at a bakery for some stomach fuel. We continued on the downtown area for a bit, and decided to return to the boat. I was in need of some specific supplies, and thought I’d take a quick ride to the store. Boy was I wrong about quick- the first gas station I encountered after going up ridiculous hills I had to walk the bike up, was closed. There was a woman at the pump asking me how to pay? I was confused, and asked about the credit card reader on the pump? She replied there isn’t one, and she just put $25 of gas in her car- someone must have left the pumps on! Not my problem, so I continued up the road to another plaza. I found a hardware store and retrieved the items I needed. The ride back was a breeze, as it was mostly downhill.

Upon returning, I went and bought a bag of ice from the office, and again made sure we were fine docked there. Part of this second confirmation was because I knew they would be shutting down around 8pm and knew we might not be back from our next excursion. The last reason was because I was planning on staying here the night. I did not want to try to find an anchoring spot at night in the wind.

Confirmation done, we headed back out on the bikes toward Pond Hill Farms, and the ‘Tunnel of Trees’. This took us back up the hills, which I’ve now done twice. Lauren had researched this farm, and it was 5.5 mile bike ride there, through the tunnel of trees. We were not impressed with the ‘tunnel’, as it was more like a road lined with trees. The views were amazing looking out over the bay and the lake, but the trees did not reach and cover the middle like I would expect a tunnel to be. The ride was pleasant enough, for a 5+ mile ride. It was mostly back roads, with lots of space and little traffic.

Pond Hill is a farm store, livestock barn, cafe, winery, and brewery. We like this. Rolling up to the farm, we leave the bikes in an area off to the side and head in. The place is super cool, built on a hill, with a store on the lower level, and cafe/tasting room upstairs. We wander around the store for a few minutes, before we bolt upstairs to the tasting room. We have been enjoying the ciders that a lot of places seem to be doing now. I chose a cider, and Lauren chose a beer. Both were delicious! We took our beverages outside, and enjoyed the sunshine that had now peaked out from the clouds. It was still windy, but at least we had sun! We got another round, and walked around the livestock barn, where the goats and chickens are kept. Then we explored where the pigs are penned. Sufficiently quenched, we were getting ready to leave, and I wanted to get some hard cider to take back with us. In to the store we go, and we pass some baskets I hadn’t noticed when entering: sling shot ammo. I looked at Lauren, and she knew I was going for it! I purchased my cider, some marinara sauce, and the ammo. We then went to the slingshot field they have set up, with barrels at varying distances and heights as targets. Target practice done, we collected the bikes and headed back to the marina and the boat.

By the time we returned, it was close to 8pm. Just as I had planned, the staff was gone for the day. Lauren wasn’t too thrilled about the plan, but we really didn’t have much other choice. We took Frank for another walk, and made dinner. I was relaxing outside and people would stroll by, looking at the boats and the water. Those that looked at me, I would say hello, and maybe converse for a bit. That’s what I do, and people always ask about the boat. One of the guys that came along was Roger. We started chatting, and he was great. He lives in town, and knows everyone. When I explained how I felt bad for staying late there, he said “Don’t worry about it! This wind is bad, and you shouldn’t go anywhere. If anyone says anything to you, tell them I said it is OK!”. We exchanged cards, and chatted a bit more, until he had to go walk his dogs.

We ended the night, planning our next stop. Petoskey is the plan, and it is only about 4 miles across the bay. This should be easy…

Today we were going to travel under the Mackinac Bridge, through the Straights of Mackinac, to get to Beaver Island. The wind was at 3 knots when we left. We left fairly early, as we have come to understand mornings usually are the lightest winds, and we wanted to get out of there before the ferries started churning up the waters.

We approached the bridge, and slowed down a bit to marvel at the structure. This link will give the stats and history: Mackinac Bridge – it is quite fascinating to read.

After we passed the bridge, we came to the Straights of Mackinac- this is a narrow waterway between Michigan’s Lower and Upper Peninsulas. The main strait flows under the bridge and connects the two Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. There are very shallow shoals and rocky areas on either side, so you have to pay attention to the markers and charts. There are also a lot of freighter traffic that comes through here. As we came through, we could feel the current sometimes slowing us down, and sometimes pushing us. A little bit later, the wind started to pick up and got to 9 knots, but it was coming from the north, so that put us on beam waves, which made for a little rocky ride.

We arrived to Beaver Island around 2:45pm, and made our way to the anchorage. The north part of the island has a little alcove, which is good protection from wind in almost all directions. There were a couple of small marinas, and several boats anchored around. We saw a boat Lauren has followed on Facebook, called Stinkpot. They are also doing The Great Loop. We anchored near them, as this was one of the few places not occupied, and close to land for us.

Once we were settled and felt secure with the anchor being set, I took Frank for an exploratory walk. I noticed there were a few dinghies on shore in a sandy area, so I headed in that direction. Closer, I realized I wouldn’t fit another boat on the little ‘beach’, so I maneuvered to the side and found a soft landing spot among the rocky shore. Across the street was a small brewery (notice the theme here?) and a small grocery store. We walked around a bit, and retreated back to the dinghy. As I was getting in, another couple was getting in their own. Me, making conversation: “Hello! any good vegetables at the market?” (I noticed their grocery bag). “Some…” in a not so friendly tone; “see that post over there? That’s the property line, you should stay on this side or they might yell at you.” With that they got in and departed for their boat. I seem to have been on the ‘wrong’ side- probably not the last time! I should clarify, they weren’t mean, and they did tell me so I wouldn’t get in trouble, but they did seem a little stand off-ish. Oh well.

Once back on Klondike, Lauren and I figured we could try to get the bikes to land from the dinghy. This is going to be something hard, or it could be easy; I don’t know yet. We figured it will be a two trip process, as I don’t think both of us could fit with the two bikes. I brought the bikes to the back of the boat and readied the dinghy- I got in and Lauren handed a bike off to me through the back gate. I then put it on its side across the front, and repeated for the second bike. Once loaded, I went to shore, being careful to stay on the ‘right’ side of the post. I unloaded them, locked them together, and went back for Lauren. Success! We now know we can do this, it wasn’t too bad of an ordeal, and this opens up opportunities for us when we are at anchor.

Lauren had researched a bit about the island and area we were on it, and wanted to bike to a lighthouse. We headed in the direction, and got to where she wanted to be. We wandered around and she took some pictures, then it was off to find a lake that is on the island. Lake Font is a loon preserve and fishing area, and is Beaver’s second largest lake in surface area. We were looking at the google maps, trying to figure out how to get there, as we were cruising down back roads and bike paths. I saw a younger girl walking down a road, and stopped to ask her how to get there. “follow the path, and take a right at the end. When you see a bar, stay to the left.” Guess what I was thinking? When I see the bar, we’re stopping! So we continued on, following the instructions given. It was a mile or two, and we were still following the path. Hmmm…where’s this bar she spoke of? At the end of the path, there was a post in the middle, which splits into two paths; This was the bar(!) she spoke of!! No thirst quenchers for us!

So we followed the path to the left and eventually found the lake. We had to ditch the bikes, as it was surrounded by sand and brush. We walked a ways up to get close, but it the area we were was wild and overgrown, with the water levels so high, there was no shore really to speak of, and we could see houses or rentals a bit up the hills we were walking around. We did see the lake, and some wildlife (snakes!) and went back to the bikes for the trek back.

Coming back we stopped at the grocery store, and got some supplies for dinner. We reversed the process to get the bikes back to the boat. Lauren first, then back for the bikes. Hand them up to her, and then secure them back in the front with the bungees. We finished the smoked trout Rob had brought us, and went to work figuring out where we were headed tomorrow.

Little Traverse Bay is on the agenda- there are a couple of harbors there it looks like we can anchor at, and it’s not far from Petoskey, which is a resort area and known for its unique stones. It is also on the way to Traverse City, as we’ve had to decide which way we want to go south: Michigan side, or Wisconsin side. We have chosen the Michigan side.

We left the island, and headed for the city. Mackinaw City reminds me a bit of Geneva on the Lake, for the cheesiness of it. That is not a bad thing, just a lot of mini golf, candy and ice cream shops, restaurants. and of course the brewery and distilleries we found.

Coming across from the island, it is only a 7 mile trip. We made it in a little over an hour. The weather was good, a bit windy, but the real grind came dealing with all of the ferry traffic. Ferries were coming and going in every direction. The wakes caused by these boats were something we had to be aware of and anticipate.

Once we got to the dock, we found our slip and got tied up. Lauren needed to do some laundry, and I had mechanical stuff to do. It is amazing the difference of the facilities we’ve come across. Some are newer and super clean, some older and well used. Even laundry has been up and down: anywhere from $1.00 to $3.50! For one load, not including drying!

Now that we were done with our chores, we took the bikes out to explore. We rode around the town and made mental notes of where things were and what we wanted to do while we were here. It was a brewery at the top of our list of ‘thing to see’!

We stopped in and had a pint, and was chatting with the bartender, who also told us of a couple of distilleries in the area. Now we’re talking! She directed us to a town center, which had live music, shops, wine tasting room, and the distilleries. We went to the first one and had a flight. We went to the second one, and had a flight. Now we’ve had several tastes of rum, whiskey, bourbon and vodka. Yay! We ended up buying a bottle of bloody mary mix from one of the distilleries- we were drunk and it tasted so good. It still tasted good the following days when we drank bloody mary’s!

We made our way back to the boat and had dinner. Fireworks started around 10:30, and we sat on the back deck, watching the display. Frank wasn’t so impressed as he doesn’t like the loud booms that go with them, and they were being shot off fairly close. He huddled between us and waited for them to end. Once finished, we retired for the evening and prepared for another long travel day as we had chosen Beaver Island for our next stop, which is about 40 miles away.