A
Stinging Welcome Home
Checking
back into the good old USA was high tech via the new ROAM app. Steve called in and they responded with a
video call on our Ipad. Everything in
order, we were given the entry numbers to verify our welcome home. This is one step up from the telephone calls
we have been making when returning to Florida from the Bahamas with the boater
cards we have used the previous six years. The new system is now nationwide and
makes our travels even smoother. Yeah for technology and computer apps!
However,
a pesky bee added some sting to our first anchorage in the USA. While dropping the dink off Harbor Island,
Julia was stung on the thigh. Sadly, she
has more than the normal reaction, although fortunately not the serious
anaphylactic shock kind, and the sting raged for more than a week. We managed
to make stops at DeTour Village where a few supplies were had as well as a meal
at the Mainsail restaurant. The place
was so laid back that we were the only customers for lunch! We had excellent service and good Michigan
beer as well. A few days winding our way
through the Les Cheneaux Islands with a shopping/lunch stop in Cedarville
brought us to an anchorage off Hessel, MI.
Here we reconnected with our Aramco friends from Ras Tanura, Jeanette
and Alan Kivela. They have had a busy
summer with travel to Newfound Land and Labrador then visits from grandchildren
and children plus assorted other relatives and friends… We felt fortunate to
arrive during a short break between visitors.
They generously took us to lunch where we talked non-stop to catch up.
Friends from our Saudi days are special since we share such a connection with
our 20 years there. Alan and Jeanette
also were also a part of our swim team family. It was wonderful to see them and
get caught up on their travels and the current happenings with their
children. Sorry not many photos of us – all talking
time, but we did visit them back in 2013 if you are curious. They have not aged
a minute! Lots of boats, however, caught our camera eye.
From
Hessel we crossed to Mackinaw City Municipal Marina for a side trip to see our
good friends Marty and Suzanne. Although they have a gorgeous home on the
Jordan Arm off Lake Charlevoix, they spend most of the year on their Krogen 48 which is currently in Grenada. We first
met them back in 2014 at the Krogen Rendezvous and traveled several times with
them. Following their blog and
adventures since they left the states for parts south, we wanted to both see
their MI home and pick their brains for our next adventure. They generously fit
us into their summer – like the Kivelas, filled with family, friends and
chores! Marty also helped Steve procure
a new AGM battery for our bow thruster and windless. The battery has been dying which was
seriously compromising the power in our thruster as well as the ability to pull
the anchor. Since we anchor out much of
the time, getting the anchor up was a priority.
Hand cranking it was not high on Julia’s exercise wish list. (There are
so many more interesting ways to get a little exercise.) Thanks to Marty’s
help, we are full power on both the thruster and the windlass…. (of course, now
we are in Western MI and WI where anchorages are scarce.) It was a treat to see
Marty and Suzanne and finally see first hand the beautiful home they have
created in this special part of Michigan. Nestled in the trees with a lake view
their “cottage” appears secluded from neighbors although in reality there are
homes nearby. The location and
construction are magic and a perfect compliment to winters in the Caribbean
Islands.
On
our trip down to East Jordan, we made stops at big box stores to stock up on
those heavy supplies that boaters need but rarely have easy access to. Our lists required multiple stops – never is
everything in one place – and our needs include strange items like activated
charcoal and snowflake buttons….
Surprisingly around Petoskey we found just about everything on our list
and even some things that just jumped in the cart.
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| passing the glorious Machinac Island |
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| free concert |
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| cruising the ARM with Tucks |
During
our stay in Mackinaw City we also had time to walk the strip of this tourist
town and enjoy a few meals off the boat.
From
Mack City we had a great weather window to cross the northern end of Lake
Michigan. Our overnight stop was in the Beaver Island chain – an anchorage
opposite St James Harbor which we pretty much had to ourselves off Garden
Island.
From there we had good weather
to stay on the hook off the tip of Garden Peninsula next to the tiny fishing
village of Fairport. We had good water
depth so cut through the passage in front of the village and headed up to
Garden Bay for the night. This anchorage
is wide open but in calm weather is great with the added bonus of a water view Dock
Grill restaurant in the RV park. Broiled
Whitefish or a Walleye Wrap for lunch made this a perfect stop.
From
there we headed back south for a few days at the ghost town Fayette state
park. This park preserves the mid 19th
Century town of Fayette where iron ore was processes until the wood for
charcoal ran out. The once bustling town was basically abandoned to a few
fishing families and was purchased in the mid 20th Century as a
state park. Today it is a fascinating walk through the life in the late 1800s.
Homes from middle class families as well as workers are displayed along paths
winding through the forest. The hotel,
school, meeting hall, foundry and other remnants of the businesses here have
been restored and were also open. This location was originally chosen not just
for the abundant forests nearby, but also for the deep protected harbor. This
harbor is now a first-class mini-marina with water and power on spanking new
finger docks for 14 boats. We had it to
ourselves with only a couple other boats. During the day this remote park was full
of visitors who come by car. We walked
through the camp ground which was also a busy spot with tent and RV campers. After the exhibits closed, however, the
grounds once again had the eerie feel of the ghost town that it is.
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| fishing for a lost phone with our gear |
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