Holiday Update (with PICTURES!)

 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

We hope you are all having a joyous and blessed holiday season.   We are ashore at our "dirt" home in Spokane, where the ground is snow-covered and the current temp is 9 degrees F.  (I know, I know. Don't start, OK? Sheesh.)   Irish Lass is snuggled up indoors at Eldean Shipyard near Holland, MI undergoing some important maintenance and refit in preparation for the 2022 cruising season.

For those who are interested, we have deposited a collection of photos from our 2021 cruise on the Great Loop online.  These are in no particular order but we have tried to add a description for each one.  We hope you will enjoy them.  View them at:

   https://link.shutterfly.com/AnhuySL0mmb.

Thanks for following

Wade and Kathleen (and fur-Admiral Maggie!)

(Nunc) Finis

 The Journey Home.

Irish Lass begins her long winter nap.

We are home.   Bags and bins are unpacked.   The laundry is done.  The bed is made. The newspaper is restarted. The mail is un-forwarded.  The fridge and pantry are restocked.  Admiral Maggie has rolled (and other things) in her yard.  We are home.

Our journey from Michigan took on a little different character than our previous cross-country treks.  We left Holland. MI with COVID tests pending and both feeling a bit under the weather.  We targeted Madison, WI for our first night.  Little did we know that it was the weekend of the Wisconsin vs Michigan football game.    As in $375 for a room at Holiday Inn Express or Super 8, which was SO not going to happen.   We stretched a few extra miles to near Lodi, WI for a mere $180 at a very isolated Quality Inn.  Sheesh.

About 3:00 am Central, the email arrived from CVS with our test results.   Wade =  Negative.  Kathleen = Positive.  (Huh?)  Given that we both had symptoms, we decided to assume Wade’s test was a false negative.  But what to do?  Our symptoms were mild and its not like we were gonna quarantine for 10 days a motel room in Lodi-Freaking-Wisconsin. (Or anywhere else. for that matter.)   So we checked our supply of hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, masked up, grabbed our grab-and-go motel breakfast, gassed up the Armada, and headed West.

We had planned to devote a few days to exploring the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota, but now THAT was pretty much sounded, shall we say, ill-advised.    We set our sights on Mitchell, SD.   Our days fell into the pattern of cautious use of rest areas, sumptuous means at fast-food drive-thru’s, and avoided motel lobbies.   (If you want to feel like an outsider, just wear a mask in South Dakota.  Sheesh.)

The rented Nissan Armada served us, well… adequately…… reminding us why domestic manufacturers “own” the large SUV space.    The ride was rough, the fuel economy poor (17 mpg), the adaptive (i.e. “nanny”) cruise control a PITA, and Admiral Maggie DID NOT like the console in the back seat.   Gimme a Suburban any day.  Sheesh.

Beyond Mitchell, we did take a brief detour for the Badlands National Park Loop Drive, which allowed us to get a taste of these unique geological formations without leaving the car. ( Drive-Thru National Parks #IsThisWhatWeHaveComeTo?)

Dakota Badlands: Aptly named

Electing to skip the long westbound loop of I-90 thru Gillette, WY, we turned north toward Belle Fourche, SD (famed as the cattle drive destination in John Wayne’s “The Cowboys”  and not much else.)  where we picked up US-212 cutting northwest into Montana.  Crossing the grasslands of SW South Dakota we kept looking in vain beyond every hill for thundering herds of buffalo.  We marveled at the apparent commitment of the locals to our National Steel Reserve, generously allocating precious grazing land for the storage of derelict vehicles. (It is indeed comforting to know that, in time of national emergency, there is enough metal here to be recycled into our next Gerald R Ford-class aircraft carrier.   Sheesh.)  Rejoining I-90 near the Custer Battlefield, we pressed on to Billings, MT.

To us, Billings has always been just oil refineries, gas stations, and maybe lunch.    A place for a quick stop, and back on the road.   After our overnight stay, we think Billings is just oil refineries, gas stations, and maybe lunch.   Our room was small and noisy, our meal was mediocre and rushed, and our attitude was tired and crabby.  Next time we will stretch and get to Bozeman. Sheesh.  Let’s move on.

Six and a half hours of driving across MT and ID  (We do love those MT speed limits.)  brought us to our own driveway.   And went into isolation mode for our COVID symptoms. 

The efforts of the friends who watched our home paid off, and all we really had to do was make the bed, reset the thermostat, and re-light the water heater.  The Armada unloaded twice as fast as it filled up and we began the lengthy unpacking and laundry cycle.  A quick trip to the airport got us a no-contact rental return.  Commodore Kathleen arranged a similar grocery pickup.  And Admiral Maggie enjoyed “visiting” HER OWN BACKYARD!  (A LOT!) And fortunately, we returned with enough wine and Scotch to see us thru the isolation period.  (Yay!)

Faced with the dichotomy of mild symptoms and a negative test in MI, Wade hustled down to our neighborhood Walgreens for a re-test, which came back positive.  (Duh!)  Somewhat anti-climatic after being 8 days since onset of symptoms, but good to close the loop (no pun intended).  We did our math and gauged Wade and two days behind Kathleen in the symptoms cycle, so we extended his isolation period accordingly.  

As you read this, we are nearly a month home and feeling fine, except for perhaps some diminished sense of smell we notice when cooking.  But nothing extra Magic Powder (i.e. Garlic Pepper) from Bushell's country store (Diamond Lake, WA) won’t fix.

 Recap and Recollections

• Miles traveled:  2,325 (+/-)
• Diesel Fuel consumed:  OMG!
• Lowest Fuel Price $2.99/gal
• Highest Fuel Price:  $3.48/gal
• Locks Transited:  39
• States Visited – by water:  9
• States Visited – total:   21
• Canals and Rivers cruised:  11
• Great Lakes visited:  4
• Ports of Call:  53
• Docktails Consumed: OMG!
• Children Married: 1
• Dinner/overnight  guests aboard: 18
• Friends Made: Hundreds!
• Memories Collected:  Thousands! 

But wait!  There’s MORE!

Our 2021 cruise covered only about 45% of the Great Loop.    Sometime in mid-summer of 2022, we will reclaim Irish Lass from storage, reprovision her, and set sail once more.  First to complete our exploration of Lake Michigan (and, perhaps, Lake Superior?).  Then it’s “down the rivers”  to the Gulf of Mexico, some winter boating in Florida (the Bahamas, maybe?), and up the east coast to cross our wake (and earn our Gold Looper status)  at our starting point in Virginia Beach.    So, STAY TUNED!

Admiral Maggie says, "Just wait 'till next year!"

Thank you all for following us.  Watch for updates in the spring, as we bengin preparatiosn for the 2022 cruise on the Great Loop!

Ch-, Ch-, Ch-,Ch-........

Changes!

It has been our intent all along to break our Loop October-ish , store the boat, and return to Spokane for the holidays, the ski season, snow blower operations, etc.  And to return to the southern half of the Loop in 2022.   Our vision was that we would make this happen “down the rivers”; somewhere north of the hurricane zone (30˚ North) but far enough south to avoid freezing weather (thereby avoiding the work and cost of winterization.)    Ideally, we thought we might make it to the Kentucky Lakes region below the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers that is frequented by so many Loopers.

Enter Reality Check

• It's now mid-September
• The Kentucky Lakes region is still 600+ miles away by water.
• Only a few facilities “down the rivers” seemed to offer the combination of climate, storage facility, and repair services we are looking for.  And most have waiting lists for a boat the size of Irish Lass.
• We are, frankly, homesick.

So………….

We decided to declare “Victory!” for the 2021 cruising season right here and now on Lake Michigan.  HOORAY!  We Win!

Enter Eldean Shipyard........

Located at Macatawa, MI near Holland, Eldean Shipyard offered us indoor, heated winter storage for the Lass for a price equal to the combined cost of the ourdoors+winterization+shrinkwrap offered by others.  With the added bonus of a full-service shipyard that could address both seasonal maintenance and some needed repairs.   (Plus, the owner’s name is Wade Eldean.  What’s not to like?!) 

We actually discovered Eldean a few weeks earlier while trying to assist fellow Looper Bye George with arrangements for storage while they returned to Texas for a medical emergency.  All we have to do is bring the Lass back north about 80 miles to their location, prep her for storage, pick up our rental car, and head for home.   Eldean (and our $$) will take care of the rest.   We made plans to be there by Sept 23 with a haul-out date of Oct 1.

Enter Lake Michigan weather........

Not fit out for man nor boat!

To manage Lake Michigan’s weather, one only be concerned with three variables; wind direction, wind speed, and location.    The Lake is large enough that it offers significant “fetch” to winds from any point of the compass.  But where you are (and/or need to get) makes a huge difference.    The common West and Northwest winds can be quite manageable on the Illinois/Wisconsin side of the lake where the shore offers a lee,  but at the same time can wreak havoc on the Michigan side after roaring unchecked across 100 miles of open water.   Similarly, the dunes on the Michigan side offer shelter from the South and East breezes that hammer the ports between Chicago and Green Bay.    But as the winds shift around the compass, there are periods of relative calm, windows of opportunity for well-planned passages.

As we made plans to leave Hammond, the Lake decided to put on a mighty demonstration for our benefit, providing two days of Northwest winds of up to 35 knots and waves in excess of 12 feet.  From our slip, we could hear the waves crashing against the breakwall.  And see locals venture out in their boats, only to return immediately.   We, along with several other Loopers, elected to stay put and monitor the forecast for a window of good weather. 

Two days later, we had our chance.  The winds were backing around from north to south and Windy,  our favorite wind forecast app, predicted a lull period.  After a trip to the fuel dock at Hammond (our final fuel purchase of the season!), we set out intending to make New Buffalo, IN, some 63 miles to the northeast.   Our timing provided correct, and we made New Buffalo in good time.  But the forecast for the coming days called for more high winds and big waves out of the West and beam-on to our northerly course.  Yuck.   So, while Commadore Kathleen once again re-jiggered our moorage reservations, we stretched our day to make another 26 miles back to the familiar West Basin Marina at St Joseph, MI.   Arriving about 3:30 PM, we tucked into the same slip we had occupied just a few weeks before.

Calm before the storm at St Joe. MI

The forecast continued to deteriorate overnight.   And, while we liked the staff and shelter of  West Basin Marina, the shoreside amenities were quite distant.  So we decided we would make an early exit and dash north another 23 miles to the port of South Haven, MI, where the Municipal Marina promised easy access to a visitor-oriented downtown.    Departing at first light on Monday, we made the entrance at South Haven by 9:00 am, just as the forecast West winds began to rise.  

Whew!  (Or so we thought)

South Haven proved to have a nice transient marina within an easy walk to a vibrant downtown of shops and restaurants.  But we should have paid more attention to the seasonal marina across the river.  Memo to self:  If you see 45’ boats in boat lifts along the shore, is it possible the waters there can get a little rough.   Ya think?

Enter Lake Michigan Weather (Again)

The forecast proved to be accurate and by Monday evening conditions on the lake were nye on impassable with sustained winds above 25 knots and waves at 12-15 feel.  And it turned out our marina was perfectly aligned for the wind-driven rollers that came up entrance to the Black River in a West wind.   By Wednesday, we had run out of extra lines and fenders and were worn out from being rocked and rolled and banged against the docks.  And the weather showed no signs of improvement.    Thankfully, the manager of the marina found space for us and fellow Loopers, Aurora, Destiny, and Loafer in vacant seasonal slips across the river and out of the “line of fire”.   We shifted our moorage, looking forward to a more restful night.   Little did we know it would be for five restful nights.

As the winds continued to make lake conditions untenable, we adopted a new wait-and-see routine.  Our days began with a check of current conditions via the Lake Michigan Buoy System and the forecast on Windy.  Then Admiral Maggie would walk us to the (empty) beach so we could see the waves crashing over the breakwater for ourselves.  

Lake Michigan weather is for the birds!

Then, given that our arrival at Eldean was being delayed, we would busy ourselves with preparations for storage.  Cleaning and packing away linens, deflating and stowing our kayaks, folding and bagging the bikes, and packing up ALL those pairs of long pants and shoes we never wore (and vowed not to bring back).   Our hope was to keep our 10/1 haul out date despite the weather delay.   Our evenings were filled with Docktails and dinners with similarly stranded Loopers.

Loopers and Italian dining!  WOO HOO!

Monday, 9/27, showed a break in the weather, again in the midst of a shift in winds (from West to Northeast) and we took advantage.  Slipping out the Black River early Tuesday, we have Irish Lass her head to 15 knots and dashed 25 miles north to the entrance to Lake Macatawa in moderated seas and winds.  We made it to Eldean in fine shape, did a final and through pump out, and settled into our slip for final storage prep.  We were feeling good-to-go!

Enter a message from Aroura

Shorty after we arrived at Eldean, we got a message from Looper friends on Aurora that one of their crew had received a positive COVID test.   Oh, shit.   We had enjoyed their company on multiple occasions at South Haven and she had been feeling poorly on the last couple of days there.  But we never considered it might be coronavirus.  Oh, shit!   We are fully vaccinated and had been COVID-cautious to varying degrees all summer, wearing our masks where they were required.  Frankly, COVID risk had seemed distant.    But now, here it was, right in our lap   What to do?

The earliest appointments for a reliable COVID test were on Thursday.   And the results would only follow up to 72 hours after that.    Electing to “wait to worry”, we pressed ahead with our preparations, albeit with extra masking and regular does of Tylenol and Vitamins D and C.   Commodore Kathleen headed off to the Grand Rapids airport for our rent-a-SUV while Wade dismounted the anchor and the dinghy (storage charges are based on LOA, after all). On Wednesday night, we moved ashore to a motel.    Thursday morning, both feeling a bit “flu-y”,  we did drive-thru COVID tests at CVS, finished the final loads of laundry, and stuffed everything into our  Nissan Armada from Enterprise. 

Friday, Oct 1, we were homeward bound

But that’s another story in itself.

So, stay tuned!

Why Hammond?

 Why Indeed?

Hammond, IN is just about the southern terminus of Lake Michigan.  And it is home to the 950-slip Hammond Marina, an AGLCA sponsor and popular last stop for Loopers before they head “down the rivers” toward the Gulf of Mexico.  Beyond that, Hammond has little to offer.  Think of it as Chicago’s industrial sub-basement and you have just about captured its essence.  But the marina is a bargain (40% of Chicago rates) and is adjacent to the mouth of the Calumet River, one of two entrances to “down the rivers” from the Lake for Loopers.   But, beyond the adjacent casino, it has little to offer unless you like to look at industrialized landscapes.

Polar frolicking at Lincoln Park

Our time at Hammond was brightened by a visit from cousin Charlie McLaughlin (and his CAR! 😊).  By road, he took us to Chicago for lunch at the Lincoln Park Zoo and for groceries.  

By water (the next day) we took him by boat into the Chicago River smack dab in the middle of downtown Chicago.   The historians among you will know that in 1900 the City of Chicago reversed the flow of the Chicago River so they could wash their sewage down into the Des Plaines, and  Illinois, Rivers, into the Mississippi, and out of mind (at least until the folks in St Louis caught on).    This required that they build a 600’ x 80’ lock to maintain differing elevations between the Lake and the River.  

Chicago River entrance

In 2020, this was the busiest lock facility in the nation with over 62,000 vessel passages.  And this was our gateway into the downtown.    On Labor Day weekend, no less.  Sheesh.

If the SS Badger schooled us in ship handling, the boating crowd in Chicago schooled us in chaos afloat.  What a Zoo!   Tour boats, motor yachts, kayaks, canoes, cigarette boats, ski boats, 3-hp rental pontoon boats, fireboats, police boats.  You name it, it was on the river that day.   Our Erie and Oswego Canal experience carried us thru in good form.  But only our constant vigilance and God’s love of sailors kept most of these other fools alive.  We made it about 10 bridges into the heart of downtown before we reversed course and headed back to the relative safety of the Lake.   Still, a unique way to see the city, brightened by Charlie’s informed commentary

There will be a brief intermission…..

Hammond Marina also provided a perfect jumping-off point for a week-long ground excursion (in a CAR! 😊) to Boston for the wedding of our son, Daniel, to Ms. Alexandria Smith.   While Admiral Maggie took a week of shore leave with cousin Lauren McLaughlin in Wheaton, IL, we packed up the wedding clothes (A dress,  A tie!  Even socks!) we have been toting around all summer and made the 2-day, 940-mile drive to Boston.

It was a journey of reminders and revelations. 

·        Reminder:  Indiana remains our least favorite state.  Crappy roads, antiquated highway toll technology, miserable speed limits, boring scenery, etc., etc.   (OK,  Indiana IS the birthplace of the toothbrush, so we have to give them that.  But folks from Illinois point out that if they had invented it, it would be called a TEETHbrush.) 

·       Revelation:  VW still builds a pretty decent car. Our rented Jetta was roomy and comfortable and returned nearly  40 MPG despite our customary 75-80 mph cruising speed.

·       Revelation:  We could never live in metro Boston.  Despite prior visits, a 4-day stay, GPS, and an array of back seat drivers, we got lost every time we ventured more than a mile from our hotel.  The street layout is, shall we say, “organic”.  Even Google gets confused.  Sheesh.

·       Reminder:  What a fine man our son has become.  It was a pleasure to watch him interact in his Bridegroom role with guests and family.

·       Revelation:   How VERY fortunate we are to welcome Alexandria to our family.   Wow!

Mr and Mrs Griffith 

All in all, a wonderful affair.

Meanwhile, back on the water………..

We arrived back at Hammond Marina just in time to do our laundry, wipe the cobwebs and bird poop off IRISH LASS,  and welcome guests from Spokane.  Craig & Diana Miller arrived following a baseball pilgrimage to Wrigley Field.   KC and Jan Constable joined us en route to a business event in WV. 

On Day 1, Lake Michigan threw us a curve, a clear calm day!   So, we loaded everyone onto Irish Lass and ran 15 miles east to the vicinity of the Ogden Dunes unit of Indiana Dunes National Seashore. 

 Anchoring in 10 feet of clear water along the nearly-deserted beach, we enjoyed a few delightful hours of swimming and fellowship (and beer) before typical afternoon winds sent us scurrying back to the shelter of the Marina.

Lake Michigan’s weather on  Day 2 became  “variable”, so we all returned to Chicago by train for a day as tourists.  

Gathering at The Cloud Gate

Building reflections

We took an architectural history tour of downtown via a cruise boat on the Chicago River.  With an excellent guide and someone else driving the boat, it was a much-relaxed contrast to our Labor Day visit.  We polished off the day with  Chicago Deep Dish Pizza (OMG!) and reboarded the train for Hammond.

What's Next?

Well, there is nothing like a visit from home to make you homesick.  But that’s a part of the story that will have to wait for next time……….

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Picking Up.......

 Where We Left Off….

 Frankfort,  MI was a nice port of call.  It offered…..well…..a nice port of call.  Truth be told, we have few specific memories (and almost no photos) of it.   Was it boring? Are these charming little towns too much alike?  Are our memories failing with age?   Let’s move on……

From Frankfort, we moved further south to the port of Ludington, MI.  Once a very active ferry terminal for cross-lake commerce, Ludington is still the home port of SS Badger, the last coal-fired, steam-powered passenger vessel plying US waters.  Watching it approach its landing is a master class in ship handling.  With only a single screw and a bow anchor, her captain spun her 180 degrees in a crowded harbor with brisk crosswind and backed her into her landing like it was child’s play.  Wow.

It had been our plan to cross Lake Michigan from here to Milwaukee, a course that offers the shortest run (83 miles) across the lake.   We had marina reservations lined up that would take us to Chicago for a visit from some Spokane friends and then back to Racine, WI for Labor Day with  McLaughlin cousins.  

But………

Lake Michigan’s weather makes its own decisions, and the prognosticators would not offer a  decent weather window for an open-water run.  Call us cautious, but the east and west side of the lake have distinct weather patterns and once you begin to cross there is no “bail out” option if conditions deteriorate.  Without a good forecast all the way across, we chose not to chance it.   So, once again, Commadore Kathleen got out her cruising guides, charts, and phone and re-set our itinerary to keep us heading south on the Michigan side of the Lake. 

South from Ludington, we made our way to Muskegon, MI.  Wade had a special desire to see Muskegon.  Yes, really.   Here there is the LST 393 museum.   LST 393 is a WWII Landing Ship, Tank of the same design and vintage as the ship (LST 779) on which Wade’s father served during the final two years of the War on the Pacific.  

These 310-foot vessels were designed to land infantry and vehicles on a hostile beach.   To accomplish this task, they were given unique design characteristics (flat bottom, shallow draft, shrouded props) that also made them less suited for open water.  This, combined with a maximum speed of maybe 11 knots, earned them the moniker Large Slow Target.   But they made the invasions of Europe and the Pacific Islands possible and were considered pivotal in the Allied victories over Germany and Japan.   It was fascinating to wander inside the ship and image how it was for 21-year-old Ensign (later Lt. jg) Griffith and his shipmates.

Our stay in Muskegon got extended by a storm front 

 that roared thru but also afforded time for Commadore Kathleen to visit a hair salon and to lounge by the marina pool in between weather events.

The next stop in our revised itinerary was Grand Haven, MI, a seasonal resort community on the Grand River.  Here we were to meet Spokane friends Mark and Adrienne Parcher, who graciously shifted their rendezvous from Chicago when we were forced to forego the western side of Lake Michigan.

But,

Our chosen marina near downtown Grand Haven was unavailable for our first night, so we docked Irish Lass at North Shore marine across the river.   With Admiral Maggie’s assistance, we made the acquaintance of a group of local boaters who gathered at a self-built dock pavilion and enjoyed a pleasant evening.

Our plan the next morning (Sunday)  was to move across to the Municipal Marina before our guests arrived.  But the Irish Lass had other ideas.   Regular readers will recall that our starboard starter has been “reluctant for some time.  And that we acquired a replacement back in 2020 against the need to replace it.  But it is EXTREMELY difficult to access and we had hoped that, as long as it was responsive to love taps with a hammer, we could wait until we put the Lass in winter layup to address it. 

Well, so much for hope as a strategy.  The starboard starter stubbornly refused to respond.  Not to love taps, not to friendly nudges, not to pleas, not to angry curses.   While Wade continued to “negotiate” in the engine room, Commadore Kathleen asked our new dock friends for advice.  They recommended we stay put, as North Shore Marine should be able to help us.   They even texted the manager and the service manager to alert them to our plight.

On Monday morning, Wade walked across the marina to speak with Scott, the service manager, expecting the “we’re-booked-out-three-weeks worst”.  Instead, Scott was apologetic that he could not free up a mechanic until after lunch.  After lunch as in TODAY!  OMG! Can I get a HALLELUJAH!?

Within two hours, technician Tom was aboard to assess the task.   As his physique was, shall we say, inconsistent with the service clearances provided, he recruited young, lanky, flexible, strong, technician John to do the dirty work under Tom’s supervision.  They quickly determined that the tight fit required some reduced-size tolls and made a couple of trips to the shop to make modifications.By mid-afternoon, the swap was made and about 4:00 PM we had a successful test start.  By 4:30, we had a couple of dozen.  Can I get TWO HALLELUJAHS!!?

Mark and Adrienne arrived in the midst of this and graciously accommodated the unplanned activity.  Using their CAR (Oooooo 😊) we were able to explore Grand Haven a bit, including a nice dinner at a wonderful beach-front club.  The parking lot was full and there were folks waiting but half the tables were empty.  We cut the line by agreeing to eat in the bar, where the owner told us he was short 10 staff and had to keep 1/3 of his tables empty in order to be able to maintain service standards.  A sad sign of the times.  Sheesh.

With renewed ease of starting, we headed out on Wednesday for the port of St. Joseph, MI where we found a home at the West Basin  Marina.   There we encountered Loopers Quite Nice and Sea-Batical ( pair of DeFever49 trawlers) and enjoyed a Docktail gathering.  It tuned out we were all headed for Hammond, IN the next day.  The weather forecast was a little ambiguous, and as the faster vessel, we agreed to lead the charge south and then west and to keep the others informed on conditions.

Departing St Joseph at first light, we turned first south the Michigan City. (Located in  Indiana, interestingly enough, this seems another example of that state’s well-earned inferiority complex, forced to name this place for the superior state next door.  Sheesh.)    With weather conditions in our favor, we gave Quite Nice and Sea-Batical the all-clear and turned west toward Hammond and the eponymous marina that would be our home for over two weeks.  Why you may ask?  Just stay tuned and see!

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Now WE’RE Way Behind

 

Sheesh!

We apologize to our faithful readers for the LLLLOOONNNGGGG break between updates to this blog.  We are still out here and there has been a LOT going on.  We have just been too busy with other matters to sit down and write.  So, please bear with us as we try to get caught up. (Warning:  This may take several posts. )

 

The BIG Lake

Leaving the whole “How do you pronounce Mackinac” question in our wake, we headed west toward Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan.  Called by some America’s Emerald Isle, Beaver boats one village and Harbor (St James) and acres of fields and woodlands.  Our voyage was one of those rare, calm days where you set a course, turn on the autohelm, and make no adjustments for 50+ miles.  

An ancestral land to the Odawa tribe, Beaver’s first white settlers were trappers, fishermen, and Catholic missionaries.  These were followed by a splinter group of Mormons called Strangites, after their leader James Jesse Strang.   Strang split from the early church when it failed to recognize him as the true successor to Joseph Smith.  In 1846, when the larger Mormon group under Bingham Young began their epic migration to Utah, Strang attempted to establish a Mormon theocracy encompassing Beaver and some other Lake Michigan islands.  He had some early success, using a cannon to overcome the objections of island locals and anointing himself as King.  He and his followers set up a printing operation and establishing two of northern Michigan’s early newspapers.  Sadly (or not) he was “promoted to heaven” by two disgruntled followers one night in 1856.  Shortly thereafter, some civic-minded “gentiles” from Mackinac Island (pronounced “Mack-in-aw”) ran his remaining followers out of town.  The void was filled by a colony of Irish immigrant fishermen, many of whose decedents are part of the island’s 600 year-round population.  

Until recently, Beaver Island was a low-key, well-kept secret for those lucky enough to acquire summer cottages there, but, like so many special places, it is now being “discovered”.   We did try The Shamrock for dinner with Looper friends from Orion and Seeker but found its Irish veneer to be pretty thin, with the interior and menu more akin to a U.P. hunting lodge than a Dublin pub.  Curiously, the local historical society/chamber of commerce has named its beaver mascot Pierre.  Given the place’s history, wouldn’t Ephraim or Shamus be more appropriate?

From Beaver Island we sailed SE back toward the Michigan (eastern) shore of the lake, bound for the town of Harbor Springs on the north shore of Little Traverse Bay.   (This is the finger side of the Michigan Mitten.)   Frankly, Harbor Springs was a second choice when there was no marina or anchorage space available in Petoskey on the south shore.  But it proved to be a happy second choice as Harbor Springs proved to be a delightful, somewhat upscale town with a lively waterfront and business district and neighborhoods full of large, lovely homes (cottages?).   Plus, it has a dog beach! (Admiral Maggie says, “YAY!”). The kind of town we could see ourselves living in.   Wish we could have spent more time.

Reluctantly leaving our snug mooring at Harbor Springs, we made our way across Little Traverse Bay and south along the Michigan shore to Grand Traverse Bay and the charming little village of Northport.  We found moorage on the wall at the municipal marina with a few other loopers, including our friends on Adventure Awaits.  Northport proved to be another charming Michigan port and we enjoyed a Friday night open-air concert in the adjacent park.   On Saturday, we were visited by ex-Spokane friends Glenn and Nancy Teal, who now reside in the Grand Rapids area.   They whispered those seductive words, “We have a car….” and took us on a little road trip that included a visit to The Cherry Republic in the charming village of Glen Arbor and lunch in the Fishtown neighborhood of the equally charming village of Leland.  (Notice the pattern with these Michigan villages?  They are, in fact, ALL charming. What’s not to like? Michigan is ACES with us.)

They also took us to see the Sleeping Bear Dunes, one of many collections of sandhills that line most of Lake Michigan’s western shore.  It seems a couple of million years ago, this part of the world was covered with glaciers.  And as they inched along, they ground whatever was in their way into massive deposits of sand.   The glaciers receded, filling the Lake and leaving the sand exposed to predominant west winds.  Years of wind and water heaped up the sand into dunes ranging from a few feet to huge, forest-covered hills now dotted with “cottages”.   We visited an observation point at the top of the Sleeping Bear Dunes to see folks gleefully sliding down hundreds of feet to the beach below, despite a Park Service sign offering rescues for those unable to climb back up at a rate of $3,000 per person.   (We elected to take the high road (so to speak) and walk back to the parking lot.)

On Sunday morning, we battled  20+ kt winds out of northwest and 4-6 foot waves on the bow to get out of Grand Traverse Bay and around Lighthouse Point to turn south for our next port of Frankfort, MI.  This was our roughest passage to date and we seriously considered turning around.  But things smoothed out a little once we made the turn and we had the winds behind us.   Whew!   We were very happy to see the breakwater at the entrance to Betsie Lake and our dock for the night at Jacobson Marina. 

From Frankfort, we………Oh, My!,,,,,,, would you LOOK at the time………the next stop will have to wait until next time.  Stay tuned!

 

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Tomato, Tomatoe, Potato, Potatoe,

Mackinac, Mackinaw,

After reprovisioning in Mackinaw City (pronounced “Mack-in-aw”)  we made a short, smooth run to the resort-y destination of Mackinac Island (also pronounced “Mack-in-aw”).  Now, this is a VERY interesting place.  It is a seasonal resort island that boasts 400 year-round residents, another 2000 or so seasonal residents, 18 (non-chain only) hotels, 3 dozen (non-chain only) restaurants, one doctor, five churches, three cars, five veterinarians,  600 draft horses (yes, really), and about a bazillion (ok, maybe 2,000) bicycles. 

Wait! Huh? What?

Downtown Mackinac Island

Accessible only by water or air, Mackinac Island (pronounced “Mack-in-aw”), by law, forbids motorized vehicles (the 3 cars mentioned above are one police/EMT truck and two fire trucks).   All ground transit is horse-drawn, peddle powered, or on foot.  And it is blissfully quiet.  No Harley’s rapping their pipes, no diesel Dodge Rams rolling coal, no 18-wheelers with jake brakes, no garbage trucks dropping dumpsters.   Nada.  Zippo, None.  Even UPS delivered by freight wagon.  And garbage is collected early every morning by two-horse, two-man teams.      

The only unnatural sound is from the thousands of tourists who arrive and depart by ferry daily. (Oh, and from the 30 or so Loopers gathered in the Michigan DNR marina, once Docktail hour rolls around.)

Mackinac Island (pronounced “Mack-in-aw”) is also famous for its fudge.   It is creamy and delicious and has been an island mainstay for over 100 years.  They sell it everywhere and free samples are common, as are long lines.   In fact, if you wait patiently for a freebie at every outlet, you can reportedly accumulate over a pound and a half for your trouble.  

The centerpiece of the island's tourism is the Grand Hotel.  America’s largest and oldest summer hotel, it dates from 1887 and boasts 388 rooms, each unique in space and décor.  It offers a golf course, spa, theater, pool/waterpark, high tea,  and several restaurants. It is particularly famed for its long and luxurious front porch, an extension of the lobby really.  The ceiling of the porch is cunningly painted sky blue, which reportedly makes the island's insects think it is the open sky and causes them to go elsewhere for bite-able/sting-able fare.  The hotel was also the scene of the movie Somewhere in Time (1980, Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour.)  And it has a dress code.

Yes, you heard it correctly.  A dress code.

After 6:00 pm, gentlemen are expected to wear a coat and tie and ladies must be in slacks, skirts, or dresses in public areas. No shorts, no denim, no sweats, no bare midriffs, no AC/DC t-shirts, no backward trucker hats, or “pinch ’tween check and gum”.  

Full disclosure:  The foregoing is based on 1) a sign (pictured below) at the entrance to the hotel grounds, 2) the hotel website,  and 3) the range of attire we observed in the hotel lobby before 6:00.  We did not actually observe the staff frog-marching anyone from the premises for their NASCAR sartorial splendor.  (Although it would have been fun to watch!)  But good for the Grand for trying to maintain some standards.  (Plus, they charge $10/person for non-guests to wander their lobby.  Refundable if you eat there. Yes, really.)    

We joined a group of Loopers for a horse carriage tour of the Island.  Our driver, Nathan (a physical therapy student from Romania) gave us a very informative history lesson while urging his team of Percherons through town, up past the Grand Hotel, and through the woods at the top of the island.  

Nathan drives his team.

On the descent, we opted to off-load at Fort Mackinac (pronounced “Mack-in-aw”), a historic 18^th-19th century French/British/American trading and military outpost with well-preserved buildings and displays, and a cadre of reenactors in uniform conducting demonstrations.  Once part of our 2^nd National Park (after Yellowstone), it is now administered by the State of Michigan.

Sadly, our two-night stay at Mackinac Island (pronounced “Mack-in-aw”) passed too quickly and on August 18^th, we set off on glassy seas on a course due west destined for the Mackinac Bridge (pronounced “Mack-in-aw”) and Lake Michigan.   

But as we approached the bridge, we heard an odd  Securitie’ call on the VHF radio warning of construction activity on the bridge and warning boaters to “avoid the North, Center, and South spans” for fear of possible falling debris.    With our binoculars, we could see orange road construction signs, parked trucks and equipment, and slowing traffic.  But the bridge only has three spans, South, Center and North.   So, is it closed?   Can we pass?  What to do?   We hailed a law enforcement boat idling beneath the bridge and were advised to use the North span.  Apparently, the Securitie’ call was a bit, shall we say, overzealous?  Regardless, we sailed through without being bombarded and set a course for St. James Harbor on Beaver Island, Lake Michigan’s largest Island.

But that will have to wait for next time.

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Going UP North!

Cruisin’ wid da Yoopers!

Regular readers may recall that the Canadian border has been closed to recreational boat traffic for almost 2 years.  You may further recall that this has caused us to forego the traditional northernmost portion of the Great Loop involving the Trent Severn Waterway and the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron.  Not to mention the other inconvenience and expense required to work around the stupid, nonsensical,  COVID-fearful,  financial-hostage-taking bullshit in which Canada engaged at the Welland Canal between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Even though the border is now open, we have deemed it too late in the season to backtrack.  So, herein we will describe our own truncated voyage “Up North”.

From our DNR marina at Presque Isle State Park near the top of “The Mitten”, we cruised straight north across Lake Huron toward the St Mary River.  Following in the wake of the William G McKinley (always better to stay behind a 1000’ ore carrier bound for Lake Superior, IMHO), we entered the De Tour Passage, which separated the Upper Peninsula (aka “Da U P”) of Michigan from Drummond Island.   Our destination was the village of De Tour and another nice Michigan DNR marina.  (Nice marina, but not much of a town).  Still, it was here we encountered our new Looper friends Justin and Melissa (and Peggy, the Labrador Retriever) aboard Sabot out of Portland, Maine.  Their boat is a Krogen Manatee 36, as seaworthy of a profile of the wooden shoe as you can find anywhere. ( And with a top speed of 9 kts, its unlikely to be confused with the other form of sabot.)

De Tour Passage at left, Harbor Island anchorage top center

The next day we departed De Tour under foggy conditions, destined for Drummond Yacht Haven on Drummond Island.    The easternmost extension of Da U P, Drummond felt a lot like the Priest Lake area in Idaho.  Many lovely cottages, an economy oriented toward summer visitors, and a core group of hardy year-round residents.  It was there we met Steve and Reetha Lee, friends of  CA banking friend, who summer on the island.  Steve is a Senior Captain with American Airlines.  Reetha prefers to watch sunsets and passing ships on the De Tour Passage.  Their sons both attended West Point and are currently serving as infantry officers. (Thank you, guys!)   They graciously invited us to an authentic U P white fish dinner at their lovely “cottage”.   (We were both caught by surprise how good it felt to have dinner in a home.   Maybe a sign that its time to go home?)

The Lee's Drummond Island Cottage

Our hosts Steve & Reetha Lee 

After two nights at Drummond, we and Sabot made a short trip north to the Harbor Island Wildlife Refuge, an atoll-like anchorage just below the Canadian border.   The shape and terrain of the island make it an ideal “hurricane hole”, sheltered from winds from almost any direction.  We explored the lagoons by dinghy and found a beach and a meadow on which  the dogs could romp.  We passed a delightful evening with Justin and Melissa, and restful night at anchor (rare for us).  

The next morning, we set off early to re-cross Lake Huron to the Michigan Mitten.   Kathleen had a massage therapy appointment in Cheboygan, MI, so we were headed for the Duncan Bay Boat Club, just south of town.   The 40-mile crossing was, in a word, rough.  Winds were 17-20 knots, seas were 3-5 feet on the starboard bow.   It was a rolling, wet ride, regularly drenching the bow in spray and giving our wipers a real workout (and one scary moment when we thought we would lose our kayaks) until we made it into the lee of Lafayette Point on Bois Blanc Island. 

Duncan Bay Boat Club proved to be  well-equipped, well-staffed, and (thankfully) well-sheltered.  But it is a few miles from any other services.  The Cheboygan massage therapist Kathleen contacted about her back graciously picked her up at the marina and returned her two hours later (including a grocery store stop!) in much-improved condition.  Kathleen continues daily stretching followed by cold and heat therapy and continues to improve. 

The next day, we had a short, smooth run up the coast to Mackinac (pronounced “Mack-in-aw”. Yes, really.) City.   Located at the very top of the Michigan Mitten and anchoring the southern end of the 5-mile Mackinac Bridge, Mackinac City serves as the gateway to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (“Da U P”).  Before the bridge was built, there was a big business running ferry boats across the straits.  In the weeks before deer season on “Da U P”, hunter’s cars would line up for miles to get across.  Full-time residents of “Da U P” are known at Yoopers and are a hardy bunch. They possess a fiercely proud culture heavily focused on hunting, fishing, ORV’s and other outdoor activities.   You can get a taste by listening to the  Da Yoopers on YouTube.    

Mackinac City was a welcome provisioning stop.  We cleaned the boat and loaded up on groceries, fuel, and water to last us for several more days.  We even found a Starbucks!  (Albeit the lowest-energy Starbucks we have ever experienced.  Yawn.)

The Mackinac Bridge is the recognized demarcation between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.  But, we had one more stop to make before venturing west onto the waters of the Grand Lac.   Stay tuned for our visit to Mackinac Island………. 

fur-Admiral Maggie at her crusing post

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