More of Michigan and into Indiana

Thursday, 22 August – Saugatuck

There were thunderstorms overnight, and more predicted through the day, so we stayed in port. We saw Peterson’s Mill and several artists painting it. 

Bob and Joan took the hand-cranked cable ferry across the river and hiked up 310 steps to Mount Bald Head.

We all discovered at least two new ice cream shops in between the raindrops. We took the Interurban bus to Douglas ($0.50 for seniors) for dinner at a restaurant called Everyday People.

Friday, 23 August – Saugatuck to South Haven – 20 mi., 3400 cum mi.

Blue sky, 63 degrees. South Haven is at the mouth of the Black River. The Municipal Marina is actually three marinas – two on the north side and one on the south side. We chose south, since that’s where the town is. And that’s where the docktail party was. We met new loopers Ken and Kathy on Meandering who started the loop in July from Georgian Bay. We saw Bob and Monique on Q’s Cabin who we met in Norfolk. And we saw Tony and Sharon on Summer Recess.

We biked to the Depot for liquid refreshments and snacks, including fresh artisan bread and explored the shops in town. We enjoyed Al’s birthday dinner at Taste, a tapas restaurant.

Saturday, 24 August – South Haven to Benton Harbor – 22 mi., 3420 cum mi.

Blue sky, 70 degrees. First thing in the morning, we biked to the South Haven farmer’s market where we picked up a nice selection of fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, bacon, eggs, perch, and apple pie – yum.

It was another short hop to Benton Harbor. We docked at the West Basin Marina near the mouth of the St. Joseph River. Went to Wolf’s Marine – the largest marine supply store in the area. They even came to the marina to give us a ride. We bought a used outboard motor for the dinghy and tested it in the basin. We no longer have a rowboat.

Sunday, 25 August – Benton Harbor to New Buffalo – 22 mi., 3464 cum mi.

Blue sky, 67 degrees. We saw more sand dunes on the coast. And each harbor has its unique lighthouse. 

 New Buffalo is a small resort community at the mouth of the Gallen River. This was a pleasant surprise, since we heard some disparaging comments from boaters – shallow water, not worth it, etc. We really liked it – a nice resort town and a good place for provisions. We biked to Barney’s grocery, the drug store, and a marine supply. We went to Casey’s Bar and Grill for a few brews and to watch the Rays lose to the Yankees.

We enjoyed another birthday dinner (Bob’s) at the Terrace Room near the marina. BTW - the seafood cioppino was excellent.

We stayed an extra night through Monday. After a leisurely breakfast with bacon and eggs from the South Haven farmer’s market, Bob and Joan left for Ann Arbor on the Amtrak train. We will miss them. Not only very helpful crew, but so much fun to be with.
We took a dinghy ride up the Gallen River to see the preserved marsh lands and try out our “new” motor.

Tuesday, 27 August – New Buffalo, MI to Michigan City, IN – 15 mi., 3479 cum mi.

Partly cloudy, 82 degrees.  Rather than trek across the lake to Chicago, we chose to hug the shoreline around south Lake Michigan to avoid the winds and waves and to explore a few more harbors. Michigan City is the first harbor in the state of Indiana southbound, at the mouth of Trail Creek. This is the site of the annual boat show which occurred last weekend.

The Washington Park Marina is in a public park with a beach, zoo, observation tower, picnic area, and an old lighthouse museum. There is shopping, an outlet mall, and a brewery within walking distance. We biked to the CVS to get prescriptions filled and to the West Marine to explore dinghy seating options.

We saw lots of sculptures, perhaps commissioned by the local arts center. We stopped at Matey’s Bar and Grill for a brew and dinner. The prime rib sandwich was awesome. And Kelly’s apple pie shots were wonderful.

It was quite a warm day – in the 90s – so the boat’s air conditioning was very much appreciated as we watched the sunset.

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. 

Heading Down Lake Michigan's Eastern Shore

Repairs and a trip home

7-14 August – Irish Boat Shop, Harbor Springs, MI

On Wednesday, the boat got hauled out of the water, props removed, then lowered back into the water

at a slip very near the service buildings. Although only the port prop was damaged, they sent both to Henry Smith’s prop shop near Detroit, so they could match them. Turns out they could not repair the port prop, so I got a new one and a refurbished one for the starboard side. Got my fuel filters changed. And we explored Harbor Springs – a very nice town. We biked about, stopping at gift shops and art galleries. We enjoyed dinner at Dudley’s Deck overlooking
the neighboring marina. Walking back, we saw a different kind of beach volleyball that looked pretty fun. On Thursday, Enterprise Rental Car picked us up and took us to their office in Petosky across the harbor where we rented a vehicle and drove to and parked at the Detroit airport. Although we requested a compact car, they gave us a 4WD crew cab pickup truck
(like the kind we rent when we go skiing in Colorado). It was quite comfortable. We flew home to Tampa, getting a Super Shuttle ride home about 2 AM.

On Friday Charli got some dental work done and bought an iPad (for navigation and planning). Al trimmed bushes, cleaned gutters,, chlorinated the pool, and changed the water in the hot tub. On Saturday we drove up to the Seagrass Resort in Homosassa where we surprised many of our friends

who were scalloping and celebrating an early birthday for our friend
Bob. We partied and stayed overnight on a pullout couch. On Sunday we went to Kent’s graduation party. Kent just graduated with his PhD in microbiology.

Monday was spent working around the mothership. On Tuesday Bob, Joan, Charli, and Al took limo to Tampa airport, flight to Detroit, then drove our pickup to Harbor Springs. On Wednesday, we went to farmer’s market for bread and produce where we met up with Dave and Jan from Dawntreader, always good to see them.

We drove north to the “tunnel of trees” – a narrow winding road through the forest overlooking Lake Michigan – awesome. Had lunch on the patio of the Legs Inn – an unusual polish restaurant

overlooking Lake Michigan. Stopped at the IGA for provisions.
Dined with other loopers, including Dawn Treader, Osprey, Mooring Dove.

Heading Down Lake Michigan’s Eastern Shore

Thursday, 15 August – Harbor Springs to Charlevoix – 22 mi., 3178 cum mi.

Beautiful day, 71 degrees, a bit breezy. Our props came in, but we had to wait for Mooring Dove to get his props on and get lowered into the water, so we went to see a tall ship – a 74-ft schooner- that pulled in at the end off the dock. Called the Inland Seas, it is sponsored by a non-profit group called the Inland Seas Education Association. They take groups of all ages on a cruise and introduce them to the science and spirit of the Great Lakes. And they invited us to join them on their morning cruise. We sailed, we netted some fish, and we scooped up some plankton and viewed them on a microscope. It was really cool!

When we got back, the Irish Boat Shop hauled us out and installed our props. After a sea trial, we were on our way to Charlevoix. It was a short cruise. We left Harbor Springs – one of the finest resort towns on Lake Michigan - at 4 PM, following Mooring Dove, arriving at the Charlevoix bascule bridge for its 6 PM opening.

Charlevoix harbor has a party atmosphere. Condos line the shore, slips full of boats having docktail parties, a dancing fountain where

kids play, and an amphitheater with a free jazz concert. You just feel the energy when you arrive.

We saw Geoff and Patty (on Osprey), and we met other loopers – Gary and Kathy on After Taxes (Gary is a CPA), and Jonathon and Brooke on a 22-ft mini tug C-

Dory called Salty. And we were surprised to see Joe (from Freewheelin) who quit the loop and was riding his new motorcycle
down the Michigan coast. Our fly bridge was big enough for all to enjoy docktails. Nice end to a long but exciting day.

Friday, 16 August -  Charlevoix to Leland – 33 mi., 3211 cum mi.

Another beautiful day, 61 degrees. We enjoyed breakfast with Osprey. Geoff made yummy blueberry pancakes and a fresh pot of coffee. Al made scrambled eggs and maple sausage that we bought at the Harbor Springs farmer’s market. Salty and Mooring Dove headed for the islands, while, after fueling up, we headed for Leland with After Taxes.  Leland is said to be one of the most picturesque towns on the northern Michigan coast.

 Downtown Leland was just a block away from the municipal harbor. At the marina was Old Fish Town, with gift shops, ice cream parlors, and fish markets. We sampled some MI craft beers at a pub, tasted and bought wine at

a vintner, and bought some fresh fish sausage and salmon for dinner. We met Larry Kruger who took 13 years to restore a 1971 Dodge

Charger R/T – what a nice looking car! We saw an amphibious car. And we met new loopers – Bill and Lora on Entrée – who just started the loop yesterday. Over docktails, Kathy (After Taxes) shared her bounty – clothing items she bought for $5 each at the sidewalk sale. That became a new challenge – beat or match those bargains.