Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventurers!
Welcome Aboard to gotogirlsblog, hope you enjoy the adventure.
The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
Summary of week:
The crew left Presque Isle on Monday and landed on Mackinac Island (1) for three days. They left the Island and anchored in Petoskey Bay (2) on Thursday. They anchored Friday night also in a cove at South Manitou Island (3). Then ended the week at Arcadia (4) on Saturday.
Click here to read the day-to-day travel log. This includes weather report, sea conditions, captain’s log, a summary of the day’s experience, and a few pics of the route.
One of our virtual crew members, Scott, asked an interesting question last week. He submitted, Are there tides on the Great Lakes? Well, per the NOAA website, yes there are tides on the Great Lakes. However, the tide range is negligible, only about 2 inches. However, two other phenomenon have a greater impact on water level. The change in water level due to consistent winds blowing in the same direction are actually more noticeable in a harbor. Atmospheric pressure also may cause the water level to change as the pressure goes from low to high (or high to low) due to the large surface area of the lakes.
At the Box Office
This week’s video shows the crew of Still Waters II take a bike ride around Mackinac Island, then enjoy a taxi ride to the Woods with Al and Ruth for a fun evening of fine dinning. Enjoy!
To see past videos, click on the link to the Still Waters II Vimeo site. The library contains videos of Still Waters II cruising America’s Great Loop.
Sunday, August 12th
The crew spent a wonderful afternoon bicycling about 10 miles around Presque Isle with the crew of Lucky Loopers, Deena and Jerry L. The General Store across from the marina offers courtesy bicycles for visitors to explore the Island. The store also has some good ice cream.
Deena and Jerry started their Loop Adventure just a few days ago from Lake St. Clair, but are waiting on some friends to arrive and complete the Loop before launching their Loop in earnest. And who are they waiting on to celebrate their Wake Crossing? Well, that would be the Getting Looped crew who are onboard a 43 foot Viking, and our crew last saw them in Cape May.
Riding around New Presque Lighthouse
Deena and Jerry L.
Monday, August 13th
The crew planned to cruise to a town named Cheboygan just south of Mackinac Island when they shoved off the dock. However, they were unable to secure a reservation. Turned out that Cheboygan was sponsoring a boat race and the area marinas were booked solid.
New Presque Light from the water
The skipper called Mackinac Island State Harbor to see if just maybe they could land there. The marina was booked full by the Michigan Reservation System, but the Island keeps about 20% of the slips out of the reservation system for first-come-first-serve boaters. The dockmaster said they had a few slips open but could not guarantee a slip would be available upon arrival.
Poe Reef Light just north of Cheboygan
The crew was about 18 miles away from the Island, so they decided to roll the dice and see if they could arrive in time to snag a slip. Two hours later, when they arrived in the harbor, they were informed that the marina was full. The dockmaster did inform the crew that they would be able to tie up at the ferry dock if they called. The Admiral made the call to the Ferry Line and secured permission to land on the dock because there was no cruise ship scheduled in.
Mackinac Island Harbor entrance
While the crew was making way over to the ferry dock, the crew noticed that the crew of Tortuga was at the State Marina. After landing the boat, the skipper sent Al, the captain of Tortuga, a text message with a pic of their boat saying: “Guess where we are?”
Al responded: “I give, where are you?” The skipper had walked over to the other side of the ferry dock so he could see the back of Tortuga and text back: “I am on the ferry dock, look out the back of your boat and you will see me.” Al walked out and waved at the skipper. Al sent another text over inviting the crew for docktails. The crew walked over and had an enjoyable evening with Ruth and Al.
Al is responsible for the skipper learning about the Great Loop. It was fun to catch up with them and hear how their adventure has gone. The two crews had last seen each other in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Tuesday, August 14th
The first order of business today was to snag one of the first-come-first-serve slips when boaters began to leave the marina. While the crew waited for other boaters to vacate their slips, they were entertained by watching the morning deliveries by horse drawn wagons.
At 0930, the skipper called the marina and secured slip 17. The crew moved off the ferry dock and headed to their new home. After getting settled in slip 17, the skipper got the bicycles off the boat and prepared for a ride around the Island. The crew spent the afternoon bicycling the 8.5 miles around the Island, stopping to enjoy the views and take in the scenery.
The Arch
The clear water
Flowers every where (make sure you read the fine print on the sign)
Later in the day, Al and Ruth joined the crew for a taxi ride out to the Woods where the two couples enjoyed a nice dinner together. After the taxi left the marina, the skipper turned as white as a sheet. Ruth noticed the strange look on the skipper’s face and asked him what was wrong. He was busy checking all his pockets for his wallet when he finally answered that he left his wallet on the boat. Well it looks like some one will be shoveling horse manure and washing dishes tonight. Luckily, Al said he would cover the ride out (taxi is cash only) and the Admiral had her credit card to pay for dinner. On the return trip to the marina, the taxi driver had to stop at an ATM machine so the Admiral could get the cash to pay for the ride back.
Taxi to the Woods
Al and Ruth on the way to the Woods
Approaching the Grand Hotel
Thru the woods to get to the Woods
The after dinner group photo at the Woods
Wednesday, August 15th
Al and Ruth shoved off the dock and headed out this morning. They plan to go down the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan. Our crew will stay on the Michigan side this year. Both crews plan to go up the Upper Mississippi, so they hope to meet up again somewhere south of Chicago.
Our crew continued to take it easy and enjoy the Island. The skipper got in two laps around the Island on his bicycle while the Admiral went around the homes to admire all the pretty gardens and flowers. Did I mention two laps around the Island for the skipper, that was so he could devour 1.5 pounds of fudge from Joann’s (best fudge on the Island and the Loop).
The sun sets on another great stay at Mackinac Island
Thursday, August 16th
Leaving Mackinac Island
The crew set out towards Lake Michigan and their next major goal, Chicago. The skipper has it planned for eight travel days, but with the weather on Lake Michigan, you just do not know how long it will actually take. In 2016, due to weather delays it took them 15 calendar days to make the eight travel days to Chicago.
The ferries provide for a good wake until you get under the Mackinac Bridge
The weather was good today though, so they cruised under the Mackinac Bridge and entered big Lake Michigan. They cruised to the Little Traverse Bay and dropped anchor at the end of the Bay. The water was so clear that you could see the anchor on the sand bottom in ten feet of water.
Mackinac Bridge, now the third largest suspension bridge in the world
Abandoned lighthouse
Little Traverse Bay Light
Sand Dunes at end of bay where the crew anchored
Friday, August 17th
With another good weather day, the crew weighed anchor and headed towards South Manitou Island. Deena and Jerry recommended the anchorage, so the crew thought they would go check it out.
The cruise did start in fog, but by the time the crew reached the main body of water, the fog had lifted and the sun was trying to break out. The auto-pilot sure worked good in the fog. The skipper was usually doing crazy Ivan’s when he was trying to manually steer in the fog. The auto-pilot stayed right on the heading, which allowed the skipper to better monitor the radar for potential targets (other boats).
Running along the south shore of North Manitou Island
When they arrived at the cove at South Manitou Island there were already five boats anchored. The first time the crew went to set the anchor it dragged, so the crew raised the anchor to see what the problem might be. When the anchor came up it was covered in grass. No wonder it did not set. The skipper cleaned the anchor and then moved in closer to shore to make sure they dropped the anchor in the sand. The anchor set and held the boat all night.
Anchor covered in grass
By the time the sun went down there were a dozen boats swinging on the hook. And swing they did. The wind was out of the north and the Island provided good protection. However, the swells were coming from the east and rolled the boat all night.
Cove at South Manitou Island
Saturday, August 18th
The crew finds themselves squarely in the middle of the pack of the Looper flotilla. This has caused some issues with marinas because they are all booked up. The skipper could not secure dockage at the spots he wanted to stop at today, so he settled on a small little marina in Arcadia that does not see much transient boater action. Mainly because the four block town has absolutely nothing to see or do. Scratch that. The skipper just found an ice cream store a half mile from the marina. Time to take a break from blog writing and go check out the local creamery.
South Manitou Light
Point Betsie Light
The skipper is pretty sure he remembers something about building a house on a solid rock, rather than building a house on a sand foundation. These folks must not have gotten the word.
Boat name of the week
Varmint
Next Week –
The weather looks good to travel both Sunday and Monday so the crew will take advantage of the opportunity to make way and try to arrive at Grand Haven by Monday. The forecast shows 25-30 mile per hour winds both Tuesday and Wednesday so the crew will stay in Grand Haven to allow the weather to pass.
If the Lake calms down Thursday, the crew will try to move to South Haven, then Michigan City on Friday, and make Chicago Saturday. However, that is a big IF. They will watch the weather and see what happens.
As expected, the crew has been delayed on their way south down Lake Michigan. The crew had heard that for every good travel day on the Big Lake there would be 2-3 days of high winds and waiting. This certainly has been our crews experience. The crew spent the Labor Day weekend tucked into Frankfort Municipal Marina while the winds howled for several days at greater than 20 mph. The high winds sure build some wicked waves. Wednesday the winds finally laid down so the crew made it across to the Wisconsin side of the lake. They got one more day of cruising in to make a run to Manitowoc to visit the Maritime Museum dedicated to all things submarine, and to be the Texas Delegation at the International Sputnik Festival.
The crew also found a confectionary store in town. Beerntsen’s Confectionary has been in business since 1932 and their sundaes come highly recommended.
The maritime museum was well done in providing the history of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company’s contribution to the second world war effort. At the time, submarines were only built in Groton, Connecticut by Electric Boat. The government approached the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company to join forces with Electric Boat to increase the country’s capacity to build submarines in the event that they might be needed during wartime.
In 1940, Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company was awarded a contract to build 10 GATO-class submarines. By the end of the war, the company also built an additional 18 BALAO-class submarines.
The Sputnik Festival was born to celebrate an event that put the town of Manitowoc ‘on the map’ so to speak.
The event concluded with an alien drop. The Fire Department used a ladder truck to get above the landing location for the Sputnik Space Debris. Then they dropped some five hundred alien erasers with numbers on them onto the street. People had purchased raffle tickets with the numbers throughout the day. The alien closest to the ring mark in the road won its owner one thousand dollars.
After the alien drop, the Admiral and skipper hustled back to the marina for the fish boil. The owner was busy prepping the first of three boils when they arrived. After the potatoes, onions and fish were done cooking, the owner threw some kerosene on the fire to cause a ‘boil over.’ Supposedly, the ‘boil over’ burns the fat and oils off the water before removing the food. The skipper asked the cook about that idea and the cook replied that it was just for show, old Scandinavian showmanship.
The crew made their way off of Lake Superior and headed back to Sault Ste. Marie, MI. They then cruised south on the St Mary’s River to De Tour Village. Then it was on to Mackinac Island a few days before finally venturing into Lake Michigan.
The trip over to the island was marred by light fog. The fog stayed with the crew most of the day. As the fog finally started to lift about 1300 the skipper noticed another boat running parallel with them about a mile further south. Turns out this boat had left De Tour just a few minutes ahead of Still Waters II.
The Admiral and skipper spent the afternoon wandering around the island and taking in the sites. One of the interesting beauties of the island are all of the flower gardens.
The winds decided to lay down so the crew made the run to Leland Township Harbor. The run was enjoyable as the crew took in the sites along the shore.
As the crew was touring the town they watched this car drive to the boat ramp and launch itself as a boat. Then in a few minutes it reappeared and drove out of the water. Now that was fun to watch!
Voyaging America's Great Loop Aboard Still Waters II 