Pure Michigan

“Pure Michigan” is the state tourist bureau’s ad slogan.  See if you agree!

Monday, August 20 – Wednesday, August 22, 2018

We are now leaving the North Channel and are back in Lake Huron.  We continue to enjoy calm waters, but the weather is due to change soon.  As we pass the shipping channel leading to Sault Ste. Marie and Lake Superior, we start seeing “lakers” again.  We had hoped to at least stick our toes in Lake Superior, but the fall weather patterns are already in evidence so we need to begin moving south.  Such a short season up here!

Laker, Lake Huron

After 4½ hours, we arrive on Mackinac Island MI.  This is a very touristy town, a popular summer destination since the late 1800s.  We are docked across from some magnificent old homes, assorted B&Bs and hotels.  Fort Mackinac, one of two forts on the island, is visible at the upper left of the photo.  This fort was established in 1780 to protect the fur trade; it remained in service until 1895 when peaceful times allowed the island to become a tourist destination.

Mackinac Island MI

Cars were banned from the island in 1898 and the ban is still upheld today.  Tourists arrive mostly by ferry or small cruise ship; some private boats dock here and a small airport accommodates private planes. Once on the island, the only means of transportation are walking, bicycles and horses.

Mackinac Island MI

Mackinac Island MI

Mackinac Island MI

Horse-drawn wagons deliver luggage and other items from the wharf.

Mackinac Island MI

UPS has their own delivery wagon!

UPS "truck", Mackinac Island MI

This is the most important job on the island!  (The odor is a bit much, especially on warm humid days.)

Sweeping manure, Mackinac Island MI

We enjoy a bike ride to Fort Holmes, built during the War of 1812 at the highest point on the island.  This structure is a recent reconstruction of the original building, which protected the important Strait of Mackinac, separating Lakes Huron and Michigan. Views from the hill were nice but obscured by haze and fog.

Fort Holmes, Mackinac Island MI

We cycle past some interesting geological features, including the “Devil’s Kitchen”, one of several breccia deposits hollowed out by water when the lake levels were much higher than today.

Devil's Kitchen, Mackinac Island MI

 

We stop for refreshments and a tour at the aptly named Grand Hotel, built in 1887 for the throngs of summer tourists traveling to the island by rail, then steamship.

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island MI

The hotel terrace has commanding views of the Straits of Mackinac and the bridge between northern Michigan and the Michigan Upper Peninsula.

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island MI

Thursday, August 23, 2018

After experiencing rain and high winds the past few days, we think we have a break in the weather to move across the Straits of Mackinac to Lake Michigan and the Michigan mainland.  We have Houston friends meeting us at our next stop on Friday, so off we go.  We are not yet under the Mackinac Bridge and we are already taking spray over the pilothouse windows.  Yuk!

Straits of Mackinac, Lake Huron

After a tedious 8 hours, we cover 63 miles and arrive at the very upscale development of Bay Harbor MI, near Petoskey on Little Traverse Bay.  This area is known as Northern Michigan; it is a popular destination for summer tourists and a prime location for upscale summer homes.

Bay Harbor Lake Marina

This 1941 Burger motoryacht is docked nearby.  Gorgeous!

1941 Burger, Bay Harbor Lake Marina

Friday, August 24 – Saturday, August 25, 2018

Our Houston friends, Jim & Patricia, arrive Friday evening on schedule.  On Saturday we get a late start for a leisurely 15-mile cruise to Charlevoix MI.

Cruising Lake Michigan

The Admiral appreciates calm seas for our 2-hour run today.

Cruising Lake Michigan

After a short wait for this lift bridge, we arrive at the city marina.

US 31 Bridge, Charlevoix MI

We have time to check out the main drag, full of shops and restaurants, before returning to the marina for docktails with several loopers, also in town.  We are introduced to a couple with the same homeport on their boat as ours – Port Aransas – quite a coincidence for a town of 3000!  Turns out they live in San Antonio and once kept their boat in Port Aransas.

Charlevoix MI

Sunday, August 26, 2018

We decide to take a cruise of Round Lake and adjoining Lake Charlevoix before heading south.  Charlevoix surrounds Round Lake with gorgeous homes and landscaping on the water.

Round Lake, Charlevoix MI

Lake Charlevoix is much larger and is also rimmed with weekend homes.  These colorful bath houses belong to a development.

Bath houses, Lake Charlevoix MI

We time our arrival at the lift bridge for the twice per hour opening and we are on our way south.  We are fortunate to have calm seas again today for our four hour run to Leland MI, otherwise known as “Fishtown”.

Leland Township Harbor MI

We arrive with time to walk through the restored buildings of the historic fishing district, then on to lunch at a local spot with a patio overlooking a small river.

Fishtown, Leland MI

Fishtown, Leland MI

Fishtown, Leland MI

This amphibious car was parked in front of a restaurant.  According to Google, the Amphicar Model 770 was produced from 1961 to 1968.  We were told the owner takes it for a spin and a cruise on a regular basis.

Amphibious car, Leland MI

Monday, August 27, 2018

High winds are predicted today for Lake Michigan, so we hire a guide to drive us to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, near Leland.  The Great Lakes were formed when glaciers retreated, leaving deep gouges (now the lakes) surrounded by glacier moraine (bolders, rocks, gravel that was ground off bedrock and transported with the glacier).  These piles of rock have been slowly covered by blowing sand in this area, forming 400-foot high hills along the edge of Lake Michigan.  Today the dunes are slowly moving northeast, blown by the prevailing southwest wind.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore with Jim & Patricia

A quick climb up a dune provides great views of a nearby lake.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

We drive through the park, stopping for some lovely views of Lake Michigan.

Lake Michigan from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

As fog and rain move in, we make a quick stop at a small Maritime Museum, featuring historical fishing boats from this area, as well as early Coast Guard rescue boats.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Coast Guard rescue boat, Sleeping Bear Dunes Maritime Museum

We are back in Leland in time for the gals to get some shopping time in all the cute shops here.

Leland MI

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

It's been great having Jim & Patricia on board for the past few days!  We bid them a reluctant farewell and hunker down for two nights of stormy weather before we can head south again.  Eerie fog and clouds precede the first storm.

Leland Township Harbor breakwater

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Another stormy afternoon and finally, a gorgeous sunset.  Waves are still breaking over the rock breakwater protecting our marina.  Hopefully the wind will be calm when we depart early tomorrow morning.

Sunset, Leland Township Harbor breakwater

North Channel – Little Current to DeTour Village

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

We will leave Baie Fine today, but Robert wants to go fishing one more time.  Success!  He is cleaning our dinner on our swim platform.

Marianne Cove, Baie Fine ON fresh fish!

We manage to untie the boat and get the anchor up without too much angst and are on our way.  We pass through the narrow, rocky channel again.  Notice the nearby rocks, just barely visible below the surface.

Shallow rocks, Baie Fine ON

Our 19 mile run takes about 2 hours, but we will have to wait for a swing bridge to open just before our destination.  It opens only on the hour and only for 5 – 10 minutes.  We arrive early and wait while car traffic flows first in one direction, then in the other.  This was once a railroad bridge that has been converted to a one-way highway bridge.  The bridge tender controls car traffic, then opens the bridge for boat traffic.

Hwy 6 Swing Bridge, Little Current ON

We soon arrive at the Town Docks in the Port of Little Current, where we tie up for a 3-day stay. 

Little Current ON Town Docks

We enjoy a lovely sunset before a hectic 2 days catching up on laundry, boat chores and grocery shopping.

Sunset, Little Current Town Docks

Wednesday, August 8 – Thursday, August 9, 2018

The town’s main street runs along the waterfront.  A cute town, I spy several interesting shops to check out later.

Little Current ON

First we make our way to the Anchor Inn, ground zero for Cruisers Net.  Broadcasting seasonally from a second floor conference room, Cruisers Net can be heard on VHF radio for a 50-mile radius of Little Current.  Ron, the “voice of Cruisers Net”, gives an overview of news and weather, followed by boaters reporting their locations (“Sauvy B, Sauvy B is at Town Docks in Little Current”), then by a q&a option for anyone looking for anything (boat parts, technical advice, etc.).  We are told the limited cell coverage in the area makes this a welcome way to keep track of where friends are cruising.  We have also been advised to sit in on a daily broadcast, so here we are!

Cruiser's Net from Anchor Inn, Little Current ON

Guess this is our excitement for the day as the rest of the day will be filled with laundry, boat chores, groceries at two poorly stocked small stores (each stop seems to be worse than the previous one), and wine/beer from the LCBO.  Little Current hosted a big festival the past weekend and store shelves have been picked clean.  We decide to stay an extra day, waiting for the weekly deliveries.  Of course, we get some shopping in, too.

Just before dark, this square rigged sailboat eases slowly into a slip nearby.  We later learn it is crewed by kids on a summer sailing program.

Square rigged sailboat, Little Current Town Docks

Friday, August 10, 2018

We are leaving Little Current just in time as this large cruise ship (for these waters) arrives at dawn.

Cruise ship, Little Current Town Docks

Today we will move only 7 miles, about an hour, to anchor near Bedford Island.  Our lovely view includes Five Islands.  This area promises to have good fishing, so we shall see.

Five Islands from Bedford Island anchorage, North Channel ON

Saturday, August 11 – Sunday, August 12, 2018

We awake each morning to bugs.  Lots and lots of bugs.  We’ve been enduring bugs all summer but think this is among the worst we have seen.  Robert spends almost every morning washing bugs off the boat; otherwise they leave green stains.  He is NOT pleased!

Bugs on window screen

Monday, August 13 – Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Fishing has been slow so we are ready to leave this anchorage and the bugs.  An easy 2-hour cruise and we are in Kagawong ON.  This little town is known for a nearby falls and some historical buildings.  

Kagawong ON

We learn this was the site of a wood pulp mill, operational for a few years in the 1930s.  Their claim to fame was providing paper pulp for the Sears & Roebuck catalog.  The Depression and their inability to meet Sears’ quantity demand spelled the end of the venture.

Mill wheel components, Old Mill Heritage Center, Kagawong ON

We take the hike to Bridal Veil Falls, following a groomed trail through a lovely woodland along a stream.

Trail to Bridal Veil Falls, Kagawong ON

We’re seeing lots of poison ivy along trails in this area.  Also lots of warning signs, much appreciated.

Poison ivy, Bridal Veil Falls trail

And this is Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), growing nearby.  It is reported to speed healing of poison ivy blisters.  We bought some soap containing Jewelweed, made locally, for that purpose and hope we do not need to test it.

Jewelweed, Bridal Veil Falls trail

It’s been a dry summer here so not much water is flowing over the falls.  But it was a lovely walk.

Bridal Veil Falls, Kagawong ON

Our route back to the marina takes us past this actual, working phone booth.  Are we out in the boonies or what!

Working pay phone, Kagawong ON

Wednesday, August 15 – Thursday, August 16, 2018

Today we are off to another anchorage, this one near Clapperton Island, barely an hour away.  Ruins of an old resort are visible on a nearby island.  

Clapperton Island anchorage, North Channel ON

Robert heads out to fish and is soon back with dinner.  Yum!

Smallmouth bass, North Channel ON

I kayak around the islands, trying unsuccessfully to get close enough to some loons for a photo.  No luck – they are extremely skittish.  I settle for pictures of these blooming water plants.  Not sure what they are – completely out of my knowledge base!

Blooming water plant, Clapperton Island

We are sharing this spot with several other boats, but there’s plenty of room for privacy.  We had planned to stay here 4 nights but decide to leave early to work our way to a more secure location when we learn a cold front is forecast for early next week.  We enjoy another sunset before heading to town tomorrow.

Sunset, Clapperton Island, North Channel ON

Friday, August 17, 2018

We make an overnight stop in Gore Bay to buy groceries.  Not much to do here but this may be the last decent grocery store we see for a week.  We run errands, do laundry and plan to leave early the next day.  Robert scores a good deal on a used bicycle.  With 2 bikes on board, now we just need to make time to use them!

Saturday, August 18, 2018

A four-hour run takes us to Meldrum Bay ON.  This is just about the end of the road on Manitoulin Island.  Very friendly people here, but end of the season at the end of the road.  Slim pickin’s at the local LCBO.  The grocery selection was equally limited.

LCBO, Meldrum Bay ON

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Five hours cruising today and we arrive at DeTour Village MI.  A quick phone conversation with customs and we are back in the USA!  This is a very nice municipal marina in a small town.  We meet several other boaters here and get together with a group of 8 for docktails.  Tomorrow we leave the North Channel, returning to Lake Huron for our last stop before entering Lake Michigan.