Continuing Down Lake Michigan's Eastern Shore

Saturday, 17 August – Leland to Frankfort – 42 mi., 3253 cum mi.

Blue sky, 62 degrees, slight breeze. Calm seas are a cruisers dream, and we really enjoyed good cruising weather this week. This section of Lake Michigan’s eastern shore includes Sleeping Bear

National Lakeshore Park, with 480-ft sand dunes on the mainland and sand dunes on the islands nearby. In 1855, Frank Martin built a home on the shore of a small river the French called “aux bec scies.” Later that became Americanized as Betsie. When Frank built a wooden stockade around his home to keep the winter snowdrifts away, people called his place Frank’s “fort,” which is how the town got its name. Betsie Point, where the river flows out to Lake Michigan, has a lighthouse on the breakwater.
We docked at the municipal marina and, right in front of us, was a farmer’s market and an antique car

show. We also found the Storm Cloud Brewery with some tasty
brews. We bumped into Jonathan and Brook (Salty) and Gary and Kathy (After Taxes). In an effort to match yesterday’s Kathy bargains, I tried to buy a $5.99 tee shirt for $5 without success. “That’s $6.35 with tax,” the clerk said. I still offered $5. A stranger (Janice) paid the $1.35 difference. I accepted her generous
offering so I cold meet the $5 challenge, so I bought her an ice cream treat from the Kilwin’s shop next door.

Sunday, 18 August – Frankfort to Pentwater – 63 mi., 3316 cum mi.

Blue sky, 59 degrees. Weather was so nice, we decided to take a longer cruise along the shore. We saw the Big Sable Point lighthouse, hills along the shore with the tops of wind turbines visible behind them.

The starboard oil pressure gage became erratic. Plenty of oil. No loose wires. It settled down when we slowed down to under 2000 rpm. Pentwater is a fun town. We walked out to the lighthouse at the
breakwater in Lake Michigan. We peeked into several nice shops. And we found a locals hangout called the Antlers Inn where we met a waitress from New Kensington, PA . Charli knew her aunt, and she was related to an old friend Alfie Vaina who I have not seen in years. We docked at the Snug Harbor Marina who gave loopers a 15% discount.

Monday, 19 August – Pentwater to Grand Haven – 56 mi., 3372 cum mi.

Blue sky, but foggy, 59 degrees. The Snug Harbor Marina mechanic suggested replacing the oil pressure sending unit. He did not have one, but gave us some Yanmar parts and repair facilities down the

shore. Our cruise started out with nice weather, but soon we were in a patch of very dense fog, just as we passed the Little Sable Point light. Dense enough to slow down, turn on the radar, and blast the horn every 2 minutes as a warning to other mariners.  Then the wind kicked up some waves. We considered turning back to Pentwater, but we pressed on at slow speed, figuring we would soon be out of the patch of fog. And in about an hour (albeit a tense one), we were. The oil pressure gage was steady, the winds calmed down, the fog cleared – all was good for the rest of the cruise to Grand Haven. We saw lots of sand dunes along the shore. There were dune buggies and 4WD Jeeps riding
the dunes. In the 1800s, Grand Haven was a major lumbering center and one of the biggest furniture manufacturers in the US. Grand Haven was fun to explore. We found a bakery for fresh bread where we sampled some hot apple pie bread – delicious.

We bought some banners for our pool at home (to hang from the
screened enclosure). We met more loopers – Tony and Sharon on Summer Recess – who just started in July. They were docked next to us. And from our flybridge, we watched the nightly lighted and musically choreographed water fountain display (the world famous Grand Haven Musical Fountain) across the river.

Tuesday, 20 August – Grand Haven to Holland – 20 mi., 3392 cum mi.

Blue sky, 70 degrees, some haze. Seas were 1-2 ft, but it was a short cruise to Holland where we

located an oil pressure sensor and someone to install it. Too late for the spring tulips, but we did see the only Dutch windmill in the US on Windmill Island, the campus of Hope College, as well as the Heinz pickle plant as we biked along the water. We enjoyed the
pool, hot tub, and beautiful clubhouse facilities at the Eldean Shipyard.

Wednesday, 21 August – Holland to Saugatuck – 8 mi., 3400 cum mi.

Blue sky, 78 degrees, a little hazy. Moe came over to the marina from Drummond Marine with a new oil pressure sender. They only had one, so he replaced the starboard unit that was acting up. After a leisurely brunch, we took off for the Kalamazoo River inlet. Saugatuck used to be called Singapore



when it was a bustling lumber mill town. When the lumber business died out, so did Singapore. In fact it got buried in the sifting Michigan sand dunes. There still is a Singapore Yacht Club, and that’s where we docked. We saw Tony and Sharon on Summer Recess anchored in the bay. We wandered through the streets of town, peeking into shops and bars.  In one store there was swing music playing and we started dancing - the salesman was impressed and gave us a free tote bag.
We dipped in the marina’s pool. And there was the Wednesday night concert in the park, featuring the Sea Cruisers – an old time rock and roll band. We danced. Life is good.