Down Lake Michigan

Monday, August 22, 2022

Got up our usual early and traveled a short 2 hours to Mackinaw City.  We've been to Mackinaw City before and it's stayed pretty much the same over the years...except that it looks more and more like Gatlinburg.  I'd love to know the fudge shop count for the two cities!!

We stayed at Straits State Harbor in Mackinaw City.  Having never stayed at that marina before, we had a bit of a hard time seeing how to enter the marina.  Then, suddenly, we saw it and understood everything the guy had told us to observe.  Funny how the picture gets clearer as you approach. 😂

Wayne's still working on the navigation issue and worked on that today with someone from Raymarine.  We'll see if it will work when we try it again tomorrow!  

We all took a walk into town to see if we could find a restaurant where dogs were allowed in outdoor seating so we could lunch together.  We found a restaurant...bur it was all breakfast and we were looking for hamburgers. I busied myself going for groceries (we never seem to have all we want or need!)  and shopped a bit before settling in for the afternoon and plotting our next destination...Charlevois.

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

 Traveled this morning to Charlevoix...one of our favorite Michigan cities.  We left at 7:45 and got here at 2 PM.  The water was flat and the winds were calm...beautiful day of travel!

We're staying at the Charlevoix City Marina which is located right "downtown" and in front of a large, beautiful park.  That evening the city orchestra gave a two hour concert in the orchestra shell at one end of the park.  The place was full of couples, families, people listening from their boat...it was pretty amazing.  And good!

Took Maggie for a walk up on the main street and was amazed to realize, as she dragged me forward with a purpose, that Maggie remembered where we ate when we traveled by car to Michigan last summer.  We had a great meal sitting outside.  They probably gave Maggie a treat.  She never forgets the source of a treat!

I had been trying to find a place to have labs done for my nephrologist.  She's going to call me on Sept. 10 for a video or plain call (depends on the reception I have that day).  When we pulled into Charlevoix I called the hospital lab there and asked if they could do it.  Yes, they said. but I would need to get in by the time they closed at 4.  As soon as we got the boat situated I took off walking (18 min.) to the hospital.  Got registered in no time...but there was a delay.  I finally got out at 3:40.  ;-)  Mission accomplished!

BTW, the navigation system still isn't working with regularity....sigh. 

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

 Traveled 46 miles from Charlevoix to Leland.  "Fish Town," as they like to call it, was hopping that day, especially around the marina.  Little shops were open for food, shopping, you name it.  

We went to the town grocery store and got almost everything we needed...and you can imagine what the total cost was with it being "the only game in town!  Ah, the joys of cruising! ;-)  You just need to smile and hand them your credit card.

Thursday looked like a good travel day, but Friday looked a bit rough for travel.  We wanted to make Thursday really count and go as far as we could down the coast of Michigan.  We picked out several marinas within 40 miles or so...but they were all booked.  Apparently there is a fishing tournament this weekend.  We ended up heading for Arcadia and it's small, isolated marina, Veteran's Memorial Marina.  Joe, the dockmaster, was very helpful in finding us space on the fuel dock for one or, most likely, two nights.  

Turns out we'd been to Arcadia on our first loop trip in 2008...but neither of us remembered it or how it looked. (Age, again?) It's another beautiful place, small lake tucked behind a wall of rock and land.  It has a small beach within easy walking distance of the marina and a "bit" of town on the highway several blocks away with daily food truck and an ice cream store.  What more could we ask for?

As we went to bed we checked the weather again and it still looked like a two-nighter at Arcadia....

Thursday, August, 25, 2022

We slept in late this morning anticipating a day of rest...and we got it!  The weather inside our little nook was calm, but winds picked up pretty quickly.  We're protected...but some of the fishing boats that went out early this morning came back in no time saying it was too rough.  There's a small craft warning out until this evening.

As of now, it looks like we can move again tomorrow so we're going to aim for Pentwater, 56 miles from our location.  And we might end up having to stay there until Tuesday of next week...unless the predictions change for the good.  Our back up plan, should tomorrow's weather turn nasty as we're traveling, is to duck into Luddington, MI.

As a treat today, we went to the food truck for a delicious burger and fries...Then we topped it off with an ice cream cone.  Can naps be far behind???