LUDINGTON, MI TO MUSKEGON, MI

Monday, August 31st, 2015

Day 392

Miles Traveled: 57

Total Miles Traveled: 6038


  As we were leaving the harbor at Ludington, we heard the sound of Reveille being played. As we looked to our starboard (right) side, we saw the "Coasties" (Coast Guardsmen) raising the American flag at the Coast Guard station. 

Coast Guardsmen raising the flag

  We too had our American flag flying proudly on the stern of "Seahorse". 

leaving Ludington, MI with Stars and Stripes flying

  We were not able to take many pictures on this day while cruising down Lake Michigan.  Between the haze and the rocking and rolling of the boat in 1-3 foot seas, the pictures would have been grey and blurry.  The ride was not as calm as the day prior, but, was comfortable enough to travel.  Again, we traveled with "Always Home".  

  As we neared Muskegon, MI and its inlet, the waves and haze lessened.  Upon entering the channel for Muskegon, we passed by the USS Silversides Marine museum.  This museum is home to the USS Silversides submarine.  This submarine was commissioned a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.  It completed 14 combat war patrols in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II and sunk 23 major Japanese ships.  It ceased active service in 1946.

"USS Silversides"

  We entered Muskegon Lake and docked at Harbour Towne Marina.  We took a walk to the museum and looked at the USS Silversides and the US Coast Guard Cutter McClane from the outside.  We choose not to pay and go inside the small museum or the ships.  We had been in several submarines at other museums, so, opted not to go tour another.  We did enjoy the walk after being in our seats on the boat for over seven hours.  

  After realizing that the museum was all there was for us to see in Muskegon, we used the rest of our time to do a couple loads of laundry.  Downtown Muskegon was quite a distance away and we had heard there was not much to see or do there.

  Dave & Penny aboard "Penny Pinchin' " had arrived at the marina the day prior. They had a rental car and drove us and "Always Home" to Dockers for dinner.  The six of us had a great time.  

FRANKFORT, MI TO LUDINGTON, MI

Sunday, August 30th, 2015

Day 391

Miles Traveled: 53

Total Miles Traveled: 5981


  Like the day prior, except for rain, the conditions were cloudy with haze until the afternoon when the sun began to shine.  We had a nice cruise with "Always Home" down the east shore of Lake Michigan.  The waters were almost flat (very unusual for this lake).  Our scenery didn't change much throughout the day.  There were sand dunes and trees on our left and endless water on our right. 

our view for the day

  The Big Sable Point Lighthouse did provide a break to the monotonous landscape.  It stands 107 feet tall and was built in 1867.  Originally it was a brick structure.  The bricks began to crumble, and, in order to save the structure, it was encased in steel plates.  

Big Sable Point Lighthouse

  We ended our seven hour trip at Ludington, MI.  Like many of the harbors on the east side of Lake Michigan, a cut has been made or natural passageway improved to connect a smaller lake with Lake Michigan.  Ludington sits on Pere Marquette Lake.  

entering Ludington channel and Pere Marquette Lake

  Our dockage for the night was at the Ludington Municipal Marina.  We have stayed at several of the state marinas and found them to be nice with friendly and helpful dockhands.  They also are conveniently located close to town for amenities like shops and restaurants.

  Right next to the marina was the Ludington Waterfront Park which displayed many unique bronze sculptures.  Below are a few of our favorites.  

sculpture of a steam engine car ferry

"The Spirit of Ludington"
honoring all seafarer

"Follow the Leader"
located right next to playground in the park

  After our walk through the park and downtown Ludington, we met up with Wayne & Donadee of "Always Home" at House of Flavors for dinner including ice cream sundaes for dessert.

  As Angie was working on the blog, there was a loud horn blast heard coming from the entrance to lake.  We went to investigate and saw a very, very large ship moving extremely slow down the channel with a police boat escort.  It was the "SS Badger", one of the last and largest coal-fired, steam engine car ferries built in the United States.  Actually, she is the ONLY coal-fired steamship in operation in the U.S.  She started her service in 1953 and continues to take passengers, vehicles (from bikes to RV's), and commercial trucks across Lake Michigan from Ludington, MI to Manitowoc, WI.  It was impressive to see this enormous ship come into such a small body of water, turn around 180 degrees (by dropping her anchor and using it as a pivot point), and back into the dock. 

"SS Badger" Ferry entering entering Pere Marquette Lake

SS Badger turning

"SS Badger" Ferry after turning 180 degrees
started to back up to her dock

  The "SS Badger" unloaded its cargo and took on more in preparation for its cruise back across the lake.  The evening ended as we listened to bagpipes being played off of the fantail of the "SS Badger" as she left the port at Ludington. 

LELAND, MI TO FRANKFORT, MI

Saturday, August 29th, 2015

Day 390

Miles Traveled: 41

Total Miles Traveled: 5928


  When we left Leland it was rainy and overcast.  The good news was that the winds were light and the waves were only 1-2 foot rollers.  Our scenery on the port (left) side for the entire trip was of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park.  The park is known for its scenic shoreline, untouched forests, and large sand dunes.  The highest is 450 feet high. 

Pyramid Point of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park

  We passed by the Point Betsie Lighthouse on Point Betsie.  Built in 1858, it was one of the last lighthouses to be automated on Lake Michigan.  Resident keepers operated the light until 1983. 

Point Betsie Lighthouse

Point Betsie of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park

  As the day progressed, the rain stopped, the clouds lifted, and the sun came out.  This made the scenery even more amazing. 

sand dunes of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park

  As we neared Frankfort, MI, our final destination for the day, there were some homes beginning to appear on the shoreline.  The problem was they were very high up on the shoreline.  One house had a very, very long staircase going down to the sandy beach below.  It would take the whole morning just to walk down. 

staircase down to sandy beach - the staircase is in the middle of the picture

  We docked at Jacobson Marina Resort mid afternoon.  We quickly got ourselves settled in and went for a stroll in downtown Frankfort.  There were some buildings that appeared to be original from when the town was first established. 

downtown Frankfort, MI

  The sidewalks were lined with shops, restaurants, and businesses.  They also were lined with trees.  Look closely and you will find Dan in the picture.

trees in the sidewalks of downtown Frankfort, MI

  After finishing our "walk about" in downtown Frankfort, we went to the Frankfort Municipal Marina and visited with some fellow Loopers.  Then, it was back to the boat for blogging, trip planning, and dinner.  The evening was topped off with a dip in the marina's hot tub.    

LELAND, MI

Friday, August 28th, 2015

Day 389

Miles Traveled: 0

Total Miles Traveled: 5887


  Friday we continued our stay in Leland.  The wind and waves were too high for travel - this is becoming a common theme for our trip on Lake Michigan.  Fortunately, Leland was a nice town to stay and extra day or two.  The morning was spent relaxing and catching up on emails and Facebook.  Before lunch we took a quick trip to the local grocery store for a few items needed for dinner.  We had lunch at Rick's Cafe located in Historic Fishtown right near the dam for Lake Leelanau.  It was a nice day inspite of the wind.  We ate outdoors and enjoyed the sites and sounds of the water flowing over the dam and the bustle of Fishtown.  After lunch we walked some more around the town.  One interesting find was a Huntington Bank located in a Victorian home.  Its ATM was housed in an enclosed gazebo building.

Huntington Bank in Leland - very quaint

ATM in enclosed gazebo

  Several more Loopers braved the seas and arrived from the north part of Lake Michigan.  Bill & Laura of "Bayou Gypsy" organized a docktail party complete with printed invitations.  There were too many that attended to list.  A good time was had by all.

Looper docktails at Leland

     

PETOSKEY, MI TO LELAND, MI

Thursday, August 27th, 2015

Day 388

Miles Traveled: 56

Total Miles Traveled: 5887


  Our weather for travel had finally arrived.  We planned on traveling quite a distance - almost ninety miles to Frankfort, MI.  This would be an eleven hour travel day.  We awoke early and left the dock by 6:00 am.  There was just a little bit of sunlight when we started.  The seas and winds were calm and inviting.  Wayne and Donadee of "Almost Home" followed our lead.   

leaving Petoskey in the early morning

  As we proceeded further south down the lake, the winds began to increase as well as the waves.  The weather forecast did not predict these kind of conditions.  It was supposed to be "calm winds and fair seas" all day long.  It was only 11:00 am.  The weather forecasters got it very wrong.  As we continued to move along, we heard several other Loopers on the VHF radio talking about the increase in winds and waves that they were seeing further down the lake.  We heard comments about 3-4 foot seas and worsening conditions.  We were not seeing those wave heights where we were currently located and would prefer not to.  We, as well as "Always Home", altered course and headed to nearby Leland, MI.  We were glad we made this decision because, as the afternoon progressed, the seas did worsen.  Whitecaps were abudant just beyond shoreline of Leland. 

white caps and rough seas off of Leland shoreline

  As luck would have it, we had hoped to be able to make a stop at Leland and see its Historic Fishtown.  We had made the decision to bypass the town due to our prolonged layover in Petoskey and desire to be off of Lake Michigan by early September.  Apparently fate had other plans for us.  After getting lines secured, fenders placed, checking in with marina office, and eating lunch; we walked to the Historic Fishtown.  Many towns on the Great Lakes had these small fishing village areas.  Leland has tried to keep some of this history alive.  This commercial fishing district has provided a livelihood for residents for over a century.  Fisherman still use the docks and bring in their fresh catches.  The old shanties that were previously used as ice houses, smoke houses, net repair facilities, etc. have been maintained and currently are used as gift shops for the tourists.  

old ice house shanty used as gift shop

waterway where fishing boats come in with fish shanties on either side

  After walking around town,  Angie worked on the blog and Dan took a much needed nap (we had gotten up very early).  For dinner we went to the Bluebird Restaurant with fellow Loopers, Bill & Laura aboard Bayou Gypsy.  Despite our disappointment at not being able to reach our planned destination, we enjoyed our day exploring Leland.  

PETOSKEY, MI - STILL IN PETOSKEY

Sunday, August 23rd to Wednesday, August 26th, 2015

Day 384-387

Miles Traveled: 0

Total Miles Traveled: 5831


   After the beautiful sunset the evening prior, we had hoped for a good marine weather forecast.

brilliant sunset at Petoskey

  Unfortunately, Sunday did not bring good travel conditions.  Neither did Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.  We spent Sunday relaxing aboard and taking walks around the town and on some of the bike paths to pass the time.

  
  Monday brought wind, rain, and cold weather.  However, the day did have a bit of sunshine arrive - Angie's mother drove up for a visit with one of her mother's girlfriends.  They arrived just before dinner and we enjoyed a great meal at Duffy's Garage.  We spent the rest of the evening visiting in the nice lobby of the hotel where they were staying.


  Tuesday, we spent site-seeing with them around Petoskey and nearby Charlevoix.  We also fit in a trip to WalMart to get some additional groceries in preparation for our upcoming departure that we hoped would occur.


  Wednesday was another relaxing day aboard.  Much time was spent reviewing the weather forecasts and praying for a departure the following morning.


  A common view over the past several days was the water crashing over the breakwall.  We hoped that scene would disappear indicating the waves had subsided enough for travel.

waves crashing over the breakwall at Petoskey, MI

    


  


   

PETOSKEY, MI - ENJOYING THE VIEWS

Friday, August 21st to Saturday, August 22nd, 2015

Day 382-383

Miles Traveled: 0

Total Miles Traveled: 5831


  Friday when we awoke, the wind was blowing and waves were up.  By late morning, the wind began to abate and the waves began to lessen, but, it was too late for us to make our planned destination before dark.  Putting behind us the disappointment of not being able to travel, we went to dinner with Wayne and Donadee of "Always Home".  The evening was enjoyable with good food and lots of laughs.  Another beautiful sunset ended our day while still docked at Petoskey. 

another nice sunset

  We got up early on Saturday morning hoping the predicted wind increase overnight was incorrect.  The marine forecast that morning was not acceptable, and so, another day we stayed.  It was a warm and sunny day.  We set off to explore some of the area we hadn't walked to yet.  There is a nice biking and walking trail along the bay's shoreline.  Scattered along this trail; which runs from Harbor Springs, through Petoskey, and to Charlevoix; are grassy areas and parks.  We found a park called Waterfall Park which actually had a small waterfall.  

waterfall at Waterfall Park

  Right next to the marina is a gathering area where the town has small festivals.  Located there is a large clock tower and beyond that is a long pier.  

clock tower at Petoskey's waterfront area

  We walked out the pier and watched kids playing on the breakwall that protected the harbor.  They would jump off of the edge into the water and use ladders along the structure to climb back onto the wall.  We could hear the kids squealing from the excitement as they hit the water (or maybe it was from the shock of the cold water). 

breakwall providing protection for marina with light at the end
kids enjoyed jumping off of the edge and into the water

  After looking at the upcoming weather, it appeared that we would be staying for several more days.  We hoped for a day when the wind would lay early enough the prior day to allow the waves to calm and not increase until late the next day giving us time to get to our next destination.  "Seahorse" could handle many of these higher wave days, but, her crew would be in for a "rockin' horse" ride and not be happy.  We have decided to patiently wait (difficult for Angie) for better travel conditions, hoping they will arrive sooner rather than later.  Until then we plan to enjoy our surroundings.   

PETOSKEY, MI - STUCK IN PETOSKEY

Wednesday, August 19th to Thursday, August 20th, 2015

Day 380-381

Miles Traveled: 0

Total Miles Traveled: 5831

  Wednesday was windy with some rain as predicted.  In between rain showers, Dan finished washing the boat.  The wind started late morning and increased as the day went on.  More lines were added to help keep the boat from hitting too hard on the fenders protecting it from the dock.  Even though the marina had some protection, the boat was rocking back and forth in the slip.  We did not want to think about how worse it could be in a marina with less protection.  We were blessed with a nice sunset to end the day.

sunset at Petoskey

  Thursday morning the wind was better.  That did not last long.  By late morning it increased and worsened throughout the afternoon.  The skies were overcast and rain occurred off and on during the afternoon.  During one of the rain breaks, we walked along the breakwater protecting the marina.  From there we got a view of the waves on Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan.  When we took our walk they were already starting to crash over the breakwater.  They worsened as the day progressed. 

waves beginning to crash over the breakwall

large waves on Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan

  Next to the marina was the Little Traverse Historical Society History Museum.  We had not yet toured this museum and thought it would be a good day to be indoors.  Inside, there was history about the city of Petoskey and also the effect the city had on the famous writer, Ernest Hemingway.  An exhibit of pictures showing parts of the city from the past and present were interesting.  In some areas, not much has changed.  Several of Mr. Hemingway's writings were based out of his experiences in the Petoskey area.  His family had a summer cottage on Walloon Lake (near Petoskey).  The building itself is a restored train depot built in 1892 by the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad Company.  It ceased services in the early 1960's.

Little Traverse Historical Society History Museum

  We continued to hope for the wind to subside to allow the waters to calm so we could continue our progress down Lake Michigan.  In the meantime, we tried to enjoy the respite from traveling.  

      

PETOSKEY, MI - A VISIT TO TRAVERSE CITY AND CHARLEVOIX

Saturday, August 15th to Tuesday, August 18th, 2015

Day 376-379

Miles Traveled: 0

Total Miles Traveled: 5831

  Saturday we headed to Traverse City, MI to visit with Dan's Aunt Adeline.  We enjoyed the drive along the shoreline of Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay.  We had a delightful visit.

  On our way back to Petoskey, we made a quick stop in Charlevoix, MI to see the "mushroom houses".  The homes were built by Earl Young starting in 1918.  He continued to build structurally interesting homes in the area until the 1950's.  The roofs of the mushroom homes have curved lines and edges, and, the chimneys are stone and appear to be covered with snow.

"Mushroom House" hidden behind the trees

another cute "mushroom house"

  

  Sunday and Monday we choose not to travel due to high winds and seas.  We took advantage of the down days with a rental car and ran errands and got groceries.  The talk on the dock was about the weather and the high winds predicted over the upcoming days. 

  

  Tuesday we had hoped to move further down Lake Michigan.  After reviewing the upcoming weather forecast, we choose to stay at Petoskey.  The marina is down Little Traverse Bay and is nestled close to shore, so, there is good wind and wave protection.  Although Tuesday would have been a good day to travel, the weather predictions for the upcoming week were horrible with sustained winds at 25 mph and gusts of 40 mph.  The next marina stop did not appear to have very good protection from the predicted wind and wave direction.  Since there was a possibility of this "blow" lasting for over one week, we decided to stay put at the protected marina where we were currently docked.  Again, we took advantage of a day without moving.  Angie did laundry and worked on the the budget while Dan washed the boat (which it desperately needed).

  When we checked the weather in the afternoon, there was some glimmer of hope for a travel day three days away.  We considered doing a dance for the wind Gods to increase our chances for departure.  However, that could backfire if they are unhappy with the entertainment value, so, we thought just sitting quietly might be a better choice.

ST. IGNACE, MI TO PETOSKEY, MI

Friday, August 14th, 2015

Day 375

Miles Traveled: 66

Total Miles Traveled: 5831

  We started our morning with a beautiful sunrise over Lake Huron.  There was some slight fog, but, the bright sun burned it away quickly.

sunrise over Lake Huron at St. Ignace, MI

  As we traveled under the Mackinac Bridge, we left the waters of Lake Huron behind and began our journey on Lake Michigan.  Like Lake Huron, the water is a beautiful topaz color.

pic c2

pic c3

Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac Bridge

  We had small rolling waves on Lake Michigan which gave us a comfortable cruising day.

Hello, Lake Michigan

  After about eight hours of travel, we arrived at Petoskey, MI and docked at the municipal marina.  There was a festival going on in the nearby park, but, we were too tired to check out the event.  We contacted Enterprise Car Rental and were able to get a car for the weekend for a visit to Dan's Aunt and provisioning.  By the time we got the car, it was time for dinner, and then time for bed.  

ST. IGNACE, MI - VISIT TO MACKINAC ISLAND

Thursday, August 13th, 2015

Day 374

Miles Traveled: 0

Total Miles Traveled: 5765

  Thursday we took the Star Line Hydro-Jet Ferry to Mackinac Island (a popular tourist destination).  Over eighty percent of the island is a state park, and, it is the Nation's Second National Park.  We arrived before some of the shops opened.  The streets were just starting to have some activity.  By the afternoon, the streets were bustling with people.

downtown Mackinac Island in the morning

downtown Mackinac Island in the afternoon

  Mackinac Island has a unique vibe.  Cars were banned on the island in 1898.  There are no motorized vehicles allowed (except for a few emergency vehicles).  The only modes of transportation are foot, bike, or horse.  A parking lot for employees was quite small.

Employee parking

  Even the street cleaning cars are horse driven.

horse driven street cleaner

   

  We took the tourist horse drawn carriage ride to get an overview of the island.  The ride was enjoyable and we were able to cover more ground than if we just walked.  One stop on the carriage ride was a carriage museum.  There were several different makes, modes, and styles of carriages both old and new on display.  We even saw a hearse carriage, which is still used today for funerals on the island.

multiple carriages on display

hearse carriage

  We paused for a few minutes and enjoyed the natural beauty of Arch Rock.

Arch Rock

  We gazed at the grandeur of The Grand Hotel.  Built in 1887 out of Michigan white pine, it has the longest colonial porch in the world.  To enjoy sitting on this porch, you either have to stay at the hotel or pay a $10 fee.  We chose to admire it from afar.

Grand Hotel

  The local post office has other post offices in the United States beat for the least amount of mail delivered.  This post office has never delivered one piece of mail.  "Rain, Shine, Sleet, or Snow - you can come and get your own mail".

Mackinac Island United States Post Office

  No visit to Mackinac Island would be complete without a visit to a fudge shop.  We visited the oldest fudge shop, Murdick's Fudge, which opened in 1887.  By the 1920's fudge became this island's number one sweet souvenir.

Murdick's Fudge Shop

  Several of the fudge shops had workers making this gooey delight right in the store window front.  It was interesting to watch how it was poured on a marble table and kept from running off with metal bars.  Then as it cooled, it was turned with what looked like a putty knife.  Finally, as it thickened, it was shaped into a long log and then cut into slices to be sold.

making fudge

  We returned to St. Ignace late afternoon, checked out the weather, grabbed a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant, and then, went to work on travel plans and the blog post.  It was late when we completed these tasks, and we were glad to crawl into bed.