8/5 - Frankfort

Another warm summer day on Lake Michigan

Sand dunes rising 480 feet above Lake Michigan

Entrance to Frankfort harbor

Yes, at 6:40 a.m. we finally left the dock in Petoskey! Conditions still were not the best as we took waves and wind first across the bow, and then on our starboard quarter as we turned to go south into Lake Michigan.

George operated the boat from up in the fly-bridge, and Pat stayed down in the salon monitoring things at the lower station until things calmed down after several hours. The scenery along the way was beautiful with enormous sand dunes along the shore.

Dan called us on the boat radio to see how we were doing, and a little later we heard "Maya Lisa", a boat we haven't seen since Parry Sound on 7/13 and who we thought was long gone from the area, calling a nearby marina., We were delighted to hear that she was nearby, but she didn't answer our radio call. Next we heard from "Houlegan" who we hadn't seen since St. Ignace on 7/27. She was headed also to Frankfort, but not to the same marina. We arrived safely at Jacobson's Marina at 2:15 p.m. after a 77 mile journey.

After a great steak dinner on our barbecue, Pat made phone calls to some of our boating friends, but was only able to reach Ray and Caryl Houle, who were also going to Manistee tomorrow and then on to Ludington where we might see them on Friday.

8/4 - Petoskey (Day 5!)

We couldn't believe it, but the wind and waves would still not cooperate, necessitating our staying here another day. In our whole boating life of some 36 years, we don't remember having ever stayed in one port for so long!

The captain has come down with a sever case of "channel fever" an affliction brought on by staying in one port too long, the only cure is to get the ailing person back to sea. Captain George issued a directive to the First Mate that we were definitely leaving tomorrow morning. We decided that we would make a major jump of 77 miles to Frankfort in order to get to Manistee the next day.

Today's activities included making phone calls, cleaning, doing laundry, and planning where we will keep the boat in Florida from December until May. Calusa Cove Yacht Club and Marina in Goodland, Florida (on the West coast near Naples and Marco Island) right now appears to be our likely location. Not only do we have many friends who will be in that area, but we would be close to Fort Myers Airport, and we could easily travel to the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas, Sanibel, etc. as cruising destinations.

We had dinner in town at the Mitchell Street Pub and afterwards went to a Men's Softball League game at the park adjacent to the marina. On our way back, we stopped by "Dauntless", Dan and Mary Jo's beautiful Island Packet 38' sailboat, enjoyed some of her wonderful home-made chocolate chip cookies, and said "Bon Voyage" once again. They are a lovely couple who have been so gracious in sharing their local knowledge of the area. We greatly enjoyed spending time with them here and in Drummond and we definitely hope to keep in touch with them in the future.

8/3 - Petoskey

The wind continued to blow out of the west today on Little Traverse Bay with waves on Lake Michigan predicted to be in the 3 - 5 foot range. George had hoped that we would have a window of opportunity to leave for Northport between 11a.m. and 1p.m., but that break didn't happen. However, we still held out hope that we could leave tomorrow for Leland, a port farther down the coast, as we want to get to Manistee on Thursday to meet with our nephew Chris' wife, Angela, their children, Charlie, Allie, and Anna, and Angela's parents, Joe and Linda Dahm, who have a vacation home and property there. Unfortunately Chris had to return to work in Richmond, so we will miss seeing him.

In order to not only make this visit, but also to make it to Holland next week so that we can return home from there, it seems that we will have to skip some of the places we had planned to visit before this weather cycle interfered. To cheer ourselves up, we entertained our new Michigan friends, Dan and Mary Jo, aboard our boat tonight with a "Bon Voyage Party". They, too, are hoping to leave here tomorrow.

8/2 - Petoskey

Petoskey Falls (reminded me of Niagara just slightly smaller)

That's right, we stayed in port again, and it looks like we won't leave here before Tuesday, if the weather predictions hold. The marina had a lot of early morning activity again with boaters getting antsy and anxiously walking up and down the docks, but the winds were howling, and the boats were continuing to rock in the slips, despite the fact that it was a clear, sunny day. We walked into town in the early afternoon for lunch, some shopping, and ice cream, and even watched a girls' softball game at the park. Upon our return to the boat, we continued to monitor the marine weather internet sites, made phone calls, and spent a quiet evening watching DVDs.

8/1 - Petoskey

The wind forecasts for Lake Michigan continued to deteriorate, and there were lots of discussions on the dock about what to do. George and Dan traded internet sites for wind and wave predictions, and Dan, who is from the area, even had a phone site to call for buoy reports on the Lake. Both captains agreed that we should stay put another day. We than made use of the day by doing laundry, some advance planning on our Chicago, Illinois River, and Mississippi river legs of our journey, and even emailed some of our "Great Loop" friends who had already traveled those areas for advice and suggestions. Mary Jo and Dan invited us over for dessert in the evening, and we enjoyed great conversation along with an apple pie baked on board!

7/31 - Petoskey, Michigan

Summer finally arrived! We had a lovely 32 mile trip across the Lake this morning with the wind at our stern (for a change) and calm seas with mild temperatures. What a difference a day makes! (Sounds like a song!) The scenery as we headed into Little Traverse Bay was reminiscent of Chesapeake Bay with many small sailboats out on the water.

Petoskey Marina is a fairly new marina with nice facilities behind a stone breakwater. The town is a close walk with many up-scale stores and fun restaurants, and the marina adjoins a lovely museum and park. We had a great dinner at "Papa Joe's", and upon our return to the dock, we were delighted to see that "Dauntless" with Dan and Mary Jo Flory aboard had also come into this port from St. Ignace. All of us were watching the weather as the winds are supposed to pick up from the southwest tomorrow, so we will make our decision about staying for another day in the morning.

7/30 - St. James Harbor, Beaver Island

Mackinac Bridge spanning the Straits

After filling up at St. Ignace Marina with 288 gallons of diesel fuel, we headed out at 9 a.m. for a 42 mile journey to Beaver Island, which is the largest island in Lake Michigan. Conditions in the Straits of Mackinac as we traveled under the Bridge were quite nice, but as we made our turn into the Lake, the wind and waves picked up on our nose, and when the spray started to hit us in the fly-bridge, we went down into the lower station in the main salon to operate the boat.

We were certainly safe and thankful that we were in our fairly large vessel, but truthfully, the conditions were not that great - sort of like riding a bucking bronco! The wind and waves calmed as we approached the island, but then it started to rain! The Beaver Island Marina personnel were welcoming and friendly, and we were glad to be tied up by 1:45 p.m.

We kept watching for a sailboat we saw in the Straits which we knew was supposed to be coming to Beaver Island Marina also, but they never arrived, (another boat "gone missing" never to be seen again) and the crews of those boats that did come in arrived looking wet and tired.

George walked into town and purchased some groceries, and then found a great fried chicken take-out restaurant which provided us with a tasty dinner while we watched Cable TV for the first time since we left home on 6/6. After an hour of viewing we decided that we hadn't missed a thing!