WHOA - TIME FLIES

Aug 11- We left Drummond Island at 9:30 am with light winds and a bit of chop. As we proceeded the wind began to pick up significantly and the height of the waves went from 1 foot to 5 feet. We were committed at this point (or should have been) so we continued for 4 hours in this. As we got closer to Mackinaw Island we prayed for the waves to slow but they did not - they continued right into the marina. They gave us a slip on the outside of the dock and little did we know the ferry dock was right behind us. They go from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm each day - what a treat. We got settled and took Koby for a walk to get the lay of the land. We were exhausted from our trip over from Drummond so it was a quiet night.

Lighthouse at Detour Channel

Heading into Mackinac marina

View from Manana

View of the fort from Manana

Restaurant and Internet area

This is an Inn that you can stay at

Got this shot for any of those "woody" lovers

The homes up on the hill are private homes

This one of many horse and buggys available

Look at the bikes - whoa!

This cruise ship docked right behind us

Dave and Koby having a down time

Aug12-The wind was still up the next day so the decision to stay another day was an easy one. Dave and I got the bikes down and cruised the entire island (9 miles ). There was a lookout with 207 steps up a cliff that we took to take some great pictures. We stopped at a spot where there was a large rock formation carved by waves. We returned to the boat and took Koby out again for a walk and use the internet as we could not get it at our slip. We then walked to the Grande Hotel (about a mile or so from the marina). We were quite surprised at the enormity of this hotel and how it has stood time. We walked back to the boat and again headed to the internet. Dave came back to give me some very startling news. A friend of mine who had been fighting some demons had taken her life. I hope you are now at peace my friend. You will never be forgotten.

Calm side of island

View from lookout

207 steps to this view

Another view from lookout

On the way down from lookout

View of Mackinaw Bridge

Rock worn away by waves

Very fast ferry

Little stone church

Beautiful gardens in front of an Inn

This is the Grande Hotel (and is it grand!)

Horse and cart on the grounds of GrandeHotel

View as you enter the Grande Hotel

The front porch of the Grande Hotel

Bar and lounge area at the Grande Hotel

Dining area

View looking down from the Hotel

Aug 13- We left Mackinaw Island at 7:30 am hoping to head for our destination on Lake Michigan but again the wind was gusting so we headed for Mackinaw City instead. We were right downtown so all restaurants and shops were convenient. They had a marina store at which we were able to obtain a new blower motor. That morning we received a text from Dave's sister Suzanne that she and her husband Sam were coming by car to our area. They arrived at 8:30 pm and went to dinner. We talked a little and then retired for the evening.

Marina at Mackinaw City

Park area in front of the marina

Ferry dock for ferrys  going to Mackinaw Island

This building houses the great marine store

Aug 14- The weather was calling for high winds and storms so we stayed another day. We were needing a new phone now being over the border so Sue and Sam said they would drive us over to Cheboyagen (about half hour away). We found a Walmart there and purchased a new phone and headed back to the boat. Sue and Sam jumped on the ferry across from the marina and spent the rest of the day on Mackinaw Island. When they got back we went for dinner at a restaurant housed in an old railway station. Sue said her taco salad was the best she had ever had.

Aug 15- The next day the weather had improved so it was moving day. We helped Sue and Sam pack up their car again and we said our goodbyes. We left the marina at 9:00 am and headed for Charleboix. We had travelled about half the way there when a fog bank surrounded us and stayed with us until about half an hour out of Charleboix it finally lifted. All I can say is thank god for AIS and radar as there was a ferry crossing coming out of Charleboix. We arrived at 3:30 pm and tried getting a slip at the municipal marina - it was full so we proceeded into Lake Charleboix and got a slip at a marina called Irish. Once settled we hopped into the dingy and explored the lake. There are several large homes around the lake but this lake is known for some unusual homes called "hobbit" homes.

Leaving Mackinaw City

Into the fog we go!

Arriving at Charleboix

Entering the canal 

Charlevoix is quite pretty

Condos on the way down canal

Lift bridge into lake

More condos before entering lake

Restaurant before lake

And into the lake we go

Bay before the lake

More condos inside the bay

Looking down into the lake

Irish Marina

Nice marina

A "hobbit" house

Another style of "hobbit"

There is another one tucked in front of large white house

Aug 16- We left Charleboix at 9:00 am heading for Leland but again the winds came up making the trip very uncomfortable. We knew if we proceeded towards Leland it was going to get worse as we went so we decided to turn down into Traverse Bay. We found a little marina at Northport that had a slip available. It was a lovely place - cute little downtown, parks next to the marina and nice locals. The wind was howling so we didn't even take the dingy out and explore.

Marina at Northport