Elk Rapids 6-26-11

We traveled 24 miles from Traverse City to Elk Rapids on 6/20 and stepped back to small town Americana at its best. In our 7 days here, we’ve had 5 days of rain and NOAA which usually forecasts weather in technical terms ran out of descriptions and simply noted “the ugliness continues.” However, Elk Rapids is a great port to be waylaid. The marina is the best of our Loop of 7,500 miles as evidenced by its friendly and very attentive staff, sparkling restrooms complete with fresh flowers, comfortable boaters’ lounge and all this for $1.18 per foot including great Wi-Fi and cable. There is yoga every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday morning at 7am in the Pavilion and Acoustic Sunset performances every Sunday night.

You can reprovision at the Village Market, and while you’re up there, have lunch at Pearl’s New Orleans Kitchen. You’ll think you’re back in bayou country with spicy Jambalaya and Gumbo, accented with Mardi Gras décor and a Blues downbeat. Siren Hall Restaurant also has a tasty and creative menu. You are bound to need something at Gil-Roys Got It Hardware store. Elk Rapids has cute shops and even has a movie theatre and we enjoyed seeing Water for Elephants on a rainy afternoon. There are great walking trails along Traverse Bay and the beaches here are dog-friendly. Mollie enjoyed racing, swimming and doing what terriers do best—digging.

We take sunny blue sky days for granted in Denver; here when the sun comes out for the weekend, everyone rejoices. We had a perfect alignment of weather, place and people. We attended the Art Rapids Art Show, the Town Hall Ice Cream Social and the Elk Rapids Yacht Club pot-luck dinner. We met so many boaters and felt so welcome here that we joined the yacht club ($20) as we will be here annually every June and September.

On 6/27, we headed back to Northport at the tip of Grand Traverse Bay. Our car is here so we can reprovision easily after we come back from my nephew Kyle’s wedding in Seattle. We love the Pacific Northwest and it will be a chance to sample another seaside area and see our family again. Mollie will be vacationing at Sun Dog Kennel which has couches and lots of TLC from Tracy.

Northern Lake Michigan Traverse City 6-19-11

It is good to be back on the water again!!!!! After a week’s worth of inside boat projects at Northport Bay Boat Yard (we recommend them highly) and some reprovisioning and more projects at Northport, we headed off on 6/14 to explore Grand Traverse Bay. This 35 mile long bay is grand indeed with its clear Caribbean blue water surrounded by rolling hillsides filled with cherry trees and vineyards. This is cottage country where Michigan comes to play and visit the quaint port towns of Northport, Sutton’s Bay, Omena and Elk Rapids. There are plenty of anchorages but since our dink is with the Dinghy Doc trying to find that pesky hole, we will port hop for awhile.

Traverse City commands a position as the “cherry” on top of the bay which is only fitting as it annually hosts the National Cherry Festival in July. From its Clinch Park shoreline complete with beaches, pavilions, a steam engine train ride and tall ships to the walks and bike trails alone the Boardman River, Traverse City is a great place to explore. This is a small city with a lot of vitality with loads of visitors to its shops (check out the bargain book section at Horizon) and restaurants. There are plenty of dog-friendly ones and Mollie liked searching for some tasty morsels.

The locals are very friendly and rightly proud of their town and many give credit to Michael Moore, the filmmaker, even if they don’t agree with his politics. He refurbished the State Theatre for his Traverse City Film Festival and now it is open daily and run by a non-profit and volunteers. In our six days here, we saw Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris (his best since Annie Hall and who knew Owen Wilson could act), the l960 classic Fall of the House of Usher ( no one does eyebrows better than Vincent Price) for only 25 cents and an encore performance of the Met Opera HD broadcast of Madam Butterfly.

The Balloon Festival filled the sky with color and created a party atmosphere in the park. We met so many great people and even reconnected with Loopers, Pat and Ted from South Shore and Jim and Lisa from Kismet. Lots of dogs here too and here’s Mollie with a basket full of Border Terriers, Elvis and Priscilla. We even attended the Grand Traverse Kennel Club and watched dogs show their stuff on the Canine Good Citizen test—do we have a lot of work to do!

Meet Mollie, Our New 2nd Mate 6-20-11

We left sunny Denver by car about a month ago with our 9 month old Border Terrier puppy, Good Golly Miss Mollie. We took a side trip through St. Paul and Bayfield to see friends and touch base on the way to our new launching homeport, Northport, on Lake Michigan. It was so good to see all of you and share the connection that keeps us close though we live so far away now.
Mollie is adjusting very well to the boating lifestyle and has staked out her favorite places: riding in the stern on her blanket enjoying the sun; stretched out on the settee and guarding the food cabinet so she doesn’t miss a meal. She loves to wake up Bob and this is no easy job. Swimming is a requirement for a live-aboard boat dog and here she is learning the basics.
Life aboard has changed some with the addition of all the doggy stuff and our 32 foot boat seems smaller but has a special chi with Mollie aboard. It’s been over 3 years since my old girl died and I am enjoying seeing life again through a dog’s eyes. I forgot how interesting the little things can be and how to live in the moment. Our boating plans are less ambitious this year (Northern Lake Michigan and the North Channel of Lake Huron) but will be filled with special little moments. Welcome aboard.

Lake Michigan Northport Coming Home 9-19-10

The last cruise of the season is always special as it has to sustain us through a boatless Denver winter. I wanted to make it extra special on this 23 mile sunny and calm trip from Charlevoix to Northport so I “fired” Captain Bob and took full command for the day—docking, setting waypoints, monitoring the GPS and paper charts, helm duty (ok—monitoring the autohelm) and having Captain Bob wait on me for a change. Maybe I will go ahead and get my Captain’s license.

We visited Northport in 9/08 at the start of our Great Circle Loop and remembered it as an unpretentious, charming, hilly port town similar to our home port of Bayfield on Lake Superior. Northport Marina has a very helpful staff (Marv, Martha and Jason) and the price is right at $15 per night after 9/15—the lowest price on the whole Loop. Northport has everything we need—Tom’s Grocery store, an Ace Hardware store, Wi-Fi at the marina and library, an indoor pool up the hill at Highlands, and the real reason we came back—Barb’s Bakery for the best cinnamon twists ever. Grand Traverse Bay Lighthouse and Leelanau State Park are 8 miles away. We looped with a lot of Michigan boaters and some have cottages near here and we were able to visit with Pat and Ted (South Shore), and Deb (Catrina), and hope to see Jack and Linda (Cynthia Faye and other Loopers in future summers in this area.

We’ve had a great season and will now be Great Lakes cruisers rather than Loopers. We look forward to exploring Lake Michigan and returning to the North Channel and Georgian Bay areas of Lake Huron for the next few summers. I will probably add-on to this blog and you are welcome back aboard in June, 2011.

Have a great winter and we look forward to following the blogs of our boating friends heading south. Let's stay in touch peggy8301@hotmail.com

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Lake Michigan Charlevoix 9-17-10

Waves and wind finally calmed down and the sun came out on 9/15 so we scooted the 54 miles down the Lake Michigan coast to Charlevoix. We were here in 9/08 just for an overnight, but this time with the time to spare and the 2 nights for 1 dock price sale, we are staying for 4 nights. This is a great stop with a very protected harbor that you enter through a canal onto Round Lake and can even explore further by entering Lake Charlevoix. The fountains in the foreground of the picture pulse with color and a sound track at night and I have a date with my girlfriend Terry on Tootsie to dance through the sprinkler next June. Hope it’s warmer then…..

There is plenty to do here in Charlevoix. The newly renovated harbor is right downtown so there is access to shops, restaurants, grocery store, parks and galleries. Cherries are big here and celebrated all over but the chocolate-covered, jalapeno-dipped cherry was a bit much even for me.

We took our bikes off the flybridge and used them everyday to explore---- Ferry Ave. runs along Lake Charlevoix and offers a number of parks; Lakeshore Drive goes along Lake Michigan and takes you to Boulder Park where you will find the incredible “mushroom” or “hobbit houses” designed by Earl Young. They are only found in Charlevoix and with their wavy roofs and diminutive whimsical size, they would be a perfect home for Frodo from Lord of the Rings; or take a 10 mile roundtrip bike ride out to Castle Farms. It is a remodeled 1918 model farm developed by the Loeb family who owned Sear and was used to test farm equipment. The cow barns and horse trough have now been converted to an amazing castle decked out with formal gardens, but the multi-tiered railroad caught Bob’s eye.

We went to the beach and caught the wave action on Lake Michigan. Loopers are so tired of this lake with its unseasonably early wind and weather that they are calling it “Lake Misery.” It is definitely more ferocious than when we were here in 9/08. As we prepared to leave for Northport on 9/19 with good weather, Looper friends were trying to make distance to Frankfort or beyond. I watched them leave, wished them well but are glad that we are staying here in this area. Sometimes you have to leave home to discover that the best is right here.

Mackinaw City 9-13-10

With the wind and waves continuing on Lake Michigan, we delayed our departure and switched from cruising to touring mode here in Mackinaw City. This town of 900 is positioned well to handle the throngs of tourists who swarm here all summer to visit the princess port, Mackinac Island, right across the Strait. Mackinaw City is more practical, spells its name like its pronounced, and offers ferry service, hotels, shops, restaurants and has more fudge stores than bars.

The State of Michigan has developed a first class, reasonably priced ($1.03 to 1.19 per foot) marina system every 20-30 miles along Lake Michigan; Mackinaw City has two—Mackinaw Municipal Marina and the new state-of-the-art, State Harbor Marina with floating docks and wind turbines. We found lots of stuff we needed at Shepler’s Marine Store, and we are even thinking of doing inside boat storage with Shepler's Shipyard next year to be closer to the North Channel and Mackinaw City is a great place to spend a few days.

Mackinac Bridge or “Mighty Mac” is the 5 mile long suspension-type bridge which connects to Upper Michigan, Yooperland. The bridge defines the skyline and is nicely complimented by the shoreline paths and parks. You can tour the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and/or step back in time with a visit to Colonial Fort Michilimackinac. Bob was here 50 years ago when there was only a cannon. Over the years, archeologists have unearthed and Michigan has reconstructed almost the entire fort.

Winter is long here so I thought I would include a picture of the icebreaker, USCG Mackinaw, now dry docked and open for tours. Our thoughts are now turning to tucking in Baby Grand for the season in Northport, 75 miles away. Our season is slowly coming to a close.

Mackinac Island 9-12-10

Sometimes a place transports you and Mackinac Island is it. Just like in the 1979 movie, Somewhere in Time, with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour, based here at the Grand Hotel, romance is in the air. The weather was perfect for hiking and biking the island trails for 2 days as well as enjoying the gardens and ambience of the Grand Hotel for lunch. You can explore Fort Mackinac, take a carriage ride or marvel at the blue water through the lens of Arch Rock. So much to see and do…we will be back…

Lighthouses of the Straits of Mackinac 9-10-10

We left DeTour Village on a bright calm day without weather for a change. These lighthouses (DeTour Reef, Barton Reef, Mackinac Island, Round Island and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouses) dotted our scenery and served as chart markers, but have been lifelines to sailors in the past.

Mackinac Straits is the narrow passage between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, is filled with reefs and shoals; add storms and fog and it is a recipe for shipwrecks. These lighthouses marked the reefs and channels, sent out a beacon of light and helped steer ships to safety.

Life expectancy for a Great Lakes sailor in the 19th century was only 7 years, and with 6,000 shipwrecks from 1878 to 1898 alone, it proved to be more dangerous than the job of a whaler in Nantucket. Their memory is honored and preserved in the Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve. Check out www.michiganpreserves.org/straits.htm

North Channel Drummond Island and De Tour Village 9-9-10

This is a 2 flag day for us: we come back to the USA and the red, white and blue through customs on Drummond Island; and we really earn our gold burgee for our Great Circle Loop for the 2008-2010 trip. We will not be going back into Lake Superior this year, but we were here in De Tour Village on 9/12/08 at the start of that Loop, and crossed our wake here today after logging 7,315 miles. We know we’re back in familiar waters as the ore freighters are on parade and they definitely have the right-of-way.

We are quietly reflective today compared to our other Loop milestone of technically completing the Great Circle Loop in the Chesapeake on 6-27-09 (see archive article, It's Been a Grand Adventure). Since that accomplishment, we’ve really slowed down, savored the moment and have broken-up the final leg into segments. It has been less stressful, and more fun in many ways than the fast-paced Loop schedule. Going only 300 miles in 3 months allowed us to really revisit our roots, relatives and friends in New Jersey, New York and Vermont last summer and fall, and this spring. Slowly cruising the Chambly, Rideau and Trent-Severn Canadian canals this summer, and then exiting into the Georgian Bay and North Channel areas of Lake Huron has been the highlight of our entire Loop.

We went to the De Tour Botanic garden today as we did on 9/12/08. Here are a few of the images from there: a Passage Keeper, a Sea Memorial and a Window on the World. It captures some of how we feel today—thankful that we could make this passage, and mindful that it has definitely given us a new window on the world.

North Channel Town of Thessalon 9-6-10

With the trio of strong clocking winds, cold temps (we don’t have a built-in heater) and rain with t-storms continuing here in the North Channel, we made the reluctant decision to leave the town of Spanish for the town of Thessalon instead of anchoring out on this holiday Monday. There were no boats in sight as we traveled east through the Whaleback Channel and Blind River Bank. We saw lots of anchorages that we want to try next year—Bear Drop, Long Point Cove, John’s Harbour—the list is endless here.

Our boat is a Grand Banks trawler and we joined the Great Lakes Grand Banks Association (GLGBA) a few years ago but have been too busy Looping to do much with them. On a whim, Bob sent an email to Linc North, a GLGBA member, newsletter editor and resident of Thessalon, that we would be coming into the Thessalon marina. Linc was there to catch our lines and whisked us away to his stunning home overlooking the harbor. We were wined and dined with a fantastic partridge and wild rice dinner, topped off with his wife, Shirley’s amazing apple rhubarb pie. What a gracious couple and the only thing Linc is requesting from me is a newsletter article—that’s a deal.

Thessalon offers a harbor with good protection, use of loaner bikes, a lighthouse-inspired marina building with a boaters’ lounge loft with complete kitchen. There are shops, a grocery store, hardware store, restaurants (Tina’s On Main is good), LCBO, parks and an ice arena that is gearing up for some serious hockey. You can tell a country is serious about hockey when it depicts hockey on their $5 bill—not pros, but kids playing. You got to love it! Speaking of money, we have been accumulating oodles of coins as Canada does not have $1 or $2 bills, but has these denominations in coins. We are hunched over carrying all these coins around, and Canadians tell us that’s why they all use knapsacks for wallets. I took $50 in coins up to the municipal office to pay the marina bill as the boat was listing from all the weight.

The last picture illustrates our boat name better than any explanation. With a name like Baby Grand, we usually get asked—“Are you musicians?” or “Do you have a baby grand piano onboard?” “Of course,” we say, “It’s just a little hard to get it out of the rear locker.” The real answer is that our Grand Banks 32 foot boat is the smallest model made by Grand Banks, hence Baby Grand. Here that point is illustrated next to Bonnie Banks, a 49 foot Grand Banks, owned by Floyd and Maggie Lewis who also came into Thessalon to visit with Linc and Shirley.

This is our last stop in Canada. We crossed the border on 6/13 and have been welcomed everywhere we’ve travelled. It is a beautiful country, filled with amazing people who really want you to have a good time here. I’ve been reading Richard Ford’s novel, Independence Day, and could not agree more with his character's observation: “The best all-around Americans, in my view, are Canadians. I, in fact, should think of moving there, since it has all the good qualities of the states and almost none of the bad, plus cradle-to-grave health care and a fraction of the murders we generate……”

Canada—see you next summer, eh.