On to South Haven

On to South Haven with a quick stopover in Lake Macatawa

Our second to the last stop in Michigan is South Haven. Before checking into the marina, we spent a night on the hook in Lake Macatawa where Holland is located. Since we left Grand Haven late, we only had time to pull into the lake spend a quiet night. None the less, we enjoyed the scenery and boats coming and going all evening.

 

 

 rope duty

South Haven is one of the few places we have visited on this coast of Michigan that does not include a lake or large harbor.  Instead, the river is lined with slips and a few marinas have been carved out to provide a little protection from lake surge.  We stayed at the North Municipal Marina which sports a brand new harbor building. This beautiful structure reflects a lake wave with a sweeping roof line and wall of windows on the river. The fixtures are first class from the faucets, tile work and furnishings throughout the building. The stainless steel finishes evoke a sleek European feeling in this mostly vintage cottage community. Kudos to a government that builds with polish and style!

The town center was on the south side of the river, but an easy bike ride across a drawbridge festooned with flower baskets.  This town has a distinct water focus with park-like walks on both sides of the river from the town out to the beautiful beaches on Lake Michigan.  We didn’t need to leave the boat to enjoy the free concert held on the south side riverfront park. The extensive campus of the maritime museum was next door to our dock as well.  We enjoyed the film about the long resort and fishing history of this community after the forests were logged out. Sadly the huge Victorian hotels that dotted this area have been replaced by condos and modern hotels. Several large old homes still exist as well as the Scott Club building.  This is a women’s club founded in the late 1800s devoted to the literature of Walter Scott and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  The club remains active to this day fostering cultural fellowship for South Haven women.