Day 6 - South to Grand Haven

We had some rain move in around 5:30 am... which always makes for great sleeping conditions... so we let the kids sleep in again this morning.  I made eggs, sausage and toast for breakfast and then we started to clean up.  Since its our last morning, we spent a little extra time to pack our clothes and dirty linens to save time later.  Once finished, we prepped to go.

It was 10:40 am when Tyler and I headed out to untie the lines, just as it was starting to sprinkle again.  Its a little cooler today at 62* with overcast skies and 4 mph winds from the North.  We passed the pier around 10:55 am and found 1-2' waves so we were able to speed up to get on plane at 31 mph for our ride home.  

Because of the drizzle and cooler temps, we kept the boat mostly closed up for the ride.  Tyler and I turned on some reruns of the Office and giggled as we made our way.

Around 12:45 pm, we slowed as the pier off of Grand Haven came into view.  What a welcoming sight!  We took our time coming in as a large ship was just heading out.  

As we came through the channel and made our way to our marina, Jen and the kids went to work packing up the kitchen and prepping the trash, etc. 

Tyler tied us off in our slip at 1:15 pm while Sammy and I started to load the truck.  We were all loaded up and heading home by 1:26 pm.  Definitely our quickest unload EVER!

We made a couple stops for lunch at Jimmy Johns and a Starbucks and were pulling into our driveway by 2:40 pm.

It was a great trip on the boat! We really enjoyed visiting new marinas (Manistee, Pentwater).  Scott and I also had fun visiting familiar marinas (Ludington, Frankfort, Leland) and found ourselves remembering our past trips.  

Its so much easier taking a trip like this now compared to years ago when the kids were young.  Tyler has learned so much about the boat and his knowledge comes in handy so often.  Plus he's quick to help with lines and electronics whenever needed.  Sammy has gotten very comfortable onboard and is quick to help me with the chores in the kitchen and with Coco.  

As I reflect on our week, I'm not sure there is a favorite stop or memory... but so many snapshots of our time together.  I'm certain our kids wont forget these memories.  The feel of excitement and adventure as you pull into a new place from the water.

A huge thanks to Scott for being such a great captain!  Its a lot of work being on the water but he does such an amazing job, it looks easy!

We are already making plans for future trips.  I cannot wait to make even more memories from the boat!

Day 5 - South to Manistee and Pentwater

Today was incredible!  

The kids slept in until it was time for breakfast... egg sausage English muffins.  Then we cleaned up and prepped to head out.  Its only 28 miles to Manistee so if the weather cooperates, we plan to take our time and enjoy the ride down at a relaxing pace.  

At 10:30 am, we pulled out of our slip and repositioned to the fuel dock to add 150 gallons of diesel and get a pump out.  As we pulled out around the pier of Frankfort, the waters were quite calm.  Under one footers.  It was 63-65* and sunny with a 4 mph N wind.  PERFECT!  

So we set our route and adjusted the speed to 11 mph and took our sweet time heading south.  I love to travel this way.  We spend time relaxing on the bow, Tyler takes a turn at the helm, Scott gets to relax.  Its so much fun!  We continued this way the entire trip to Manistee.

Around 12:45 pm, while we were passing Portage Lake, I pulled out snacks for a charcuterie lunch.  On the way, we started talking about the remainder of our trip and I shared concerns about what a busy day Sunday would be because of a prior commitment we have in the afternoon.  We talked through different options and wondered if we should try to make it home Saturday instead of Sunday, changing our plans one more time.  Unfortunately both of our last two spots are new to us so we had no way of choosing which we'd prefer.  So we decided to stick with the plan and check in at Manistee and then decide based on how it looked and how we felt.

We arrived to the Manistee channel at 1:32 pm and tied off in slip 26 of the Municipal Marnia around 2:00 pm.  We haven't visited here before so we were eager to see what the town and waterfront had to offer.  It didn't disappoint. 

We took Coco for a walk through town and found a Dairy Queen for a mid afternoon treat.  While on the way, I got a call from our marina in Pentwater confirming our stay for tomorrow and I asked if he had room for us Friday instead.  He said he did.  So just like that, we decided to get a little further south today to stay over in Pentwater.  

We finished up our walk, stopped in to check out with the confused office staff, and then untied.

We pulled out of our slip at 3:10 pm and by 3:26 pm we were rounding the pier and on plane at 32 mph.  The weather has slightly changed... 70* with 7 mph winds out of the WNW.  The waves were still under 2 feet and it was very comfortable.  We travelled the 37 miles to Pentwater, arriving at 4:30 pm.  Made our way up the channel, found the Snug Harbor Marina and were tied up in slip 7 by 5:00 pm.  

The kids were hoping for some down time to just relax so they hung out at the boat with the dog while Scott and I took a walk through town.  We were on a mission to find supper... something we hadn't had yet this trip.  We checked out the supermarket, various restaurants, and finally decided on the very well reviewed Pentwater Pizza & Grinders where we ordered grinders, chicken wings and Fred Bread. Yum.

After dinner, we turned on Captain Ron - an older but now favorite movie of ours ever since our trip aboard Heavenly this past winter.

Then the kids did their showers while Scott and I relaxed on the back of the boat.  Another beautiful evening!

I'm so grateful we got to see both Pentwater and Manistee.  Both are fabulous towns that we will certainly return to enjoy!

Day 4 - Back to Frankfort

So the plan was to start heading south again towards home in case of bad weather.  We aren’t expecting it but want to be safe since we have plans for Sunday evening.  However, just because we are heading back toward home doesn’t mean we’ll rush.  We have three full days and nights left still!

I woke up early for devotions this morning and was reminded what a privilege it is to spend time with God… especially with the incredible view I had!  I also took advantage of the time to call ahead to Frankfort Municipal to see if we could get a slip there instead for tonight.  We’ve stayed at the municipal previously and I love the quiet set up.  You have a beautiful view of the lake / channel and it’s a very slow paced quiet environment… much more our style!

I woke up the kids for breakfast - pancakes and bacon.  Does you notice a theme?  We eat a lot of bacon aboard!  Afterwards, we cleaned up the kitchen and then Scott and I took Coco for a walk again up by the dam.  I just love Leland.  It’s such a quaint little town!  When we returned, we found the kids hanging out on the bow just chatting.

We pulled out of our slip around 10:45am and were on our way.  Amazing, the winds shifted overnight and now were coming out of the North which once again gave us a pretty comfortable ride WITH the 3-4’ waves.  It was partly cloudy skies and a little cooler at 63 degrees.

Its a beautiful ride between Frankfort and Leland as you pass through the Michigan coast and the North and South Manitou Islands, passing the Sleeping Bear Dunes.  Sammy and I snuggled on the back bench with Tyler helping Scott at the helm.

We kept the boat right around 30 mph until we caught sight of the Frankfort pier and then slowed down around 12:10 am.  On the way, we received a call from Frankfort Municipal that they did have room for us, so we pulled right into slip 63 and were tied off by 12:30 pm.

Once we were settled, I prepped the fixings and patties while Scott fired up the grill for cheeseburgers.

Although we were here just a few days ago in the marina next door, it feels completely different.  Plus its cooler with a beautiful breeze that makes sitting aboard a great way to spend the afternoon.

Around 3:30pm we took a walk to town to see this art studio that the guys found a few days ago.  Amazing work! And then visited the toy store.  And of course, another visit to Kilwins.

For supper, the kids and I ordered a pizza and Scott picked up a lobster roll and street corn from Goody’s Seafood Shack.  He highly recommends!

Scott and I hung out on the front of the boat.  Some neighbors a few doors down brought us some leftover salmon to try.  Scott loved!  Then we talked with the couple who’s sharing our dock.  They are from Grand Haven on their way for a month long trip to the Northern Passage.  I was so eager to hear about their plans and envious of the laid back approach to boating without the weeklong window that we usually have.  

Then Scott, Sammy and I took Coco for another walk into town just to burn some energy.  Other than the restaurants pretty much everything was closed, but with the sun setting, it made for a lovely stroll.

Then it was a heated battle of Dirty Uno on the back of the boat.  Ultimately we had to set a timer and revert to Original Uno rules cause the game just wouldn’t end.  But we had lots of fun.  Sammy snuggled with me on the back of the boat while Tyler called home.  Then it was time for bed.  Another beautiful day in Frankfort.

Day 3 - North to Leland

We were up at 8:00a this morning for showers and breakfast... cereal and more bacon.  I sat outside on the back of the boat to do my morning devotions.  I love this so very much!

After I wrapped up, Scott and the kids had the kitchen cleaned up and we were ready to get underway.  The wind was significantly stronger today so we had some concerns that we would make it the next stop. 

We left the slip at 10:10a and had reached the end of the channel by 10:20a.  There were 3' rolling swells with chop mixed in.  Not too bad... considering what we had expected based on the winds.  We turned north and enjoyed a great trip up.  Because we were traveling with the wind, the waves didn't bother even as they grew larger on the way.  

We arrived just outside Leland around 11:45a but held short as the marina advised there was someone still in our slip.  The lake was quite calm here as its naturally protected so the kids and I sat up on the bow of the boat and relaxed in the sun while we waited.

 

Once the call on the radio came in, we proceeded to slip 7 at the Leland Township Marina.  Once we were secure, Jen responded to some project emails while Scott prepped our lunch sandwiches.

After lunch we walked into town to check out the shops and walk through Fishtown and visit the dam.  

I was thrilled to find a mercantile with a great supply of items we would regularly need.  So took a moment buy some groceries that weren't available last night in Frankfort.  As we continued our walk, we found the cutest book shop with a outdoor space set up for painting canvas, ceramics and other crafts.  Scott asked Sammy if she was interested, and boy was she!  She and I spent the next 2 hours meticulously painting a very sweet princess statue.  Clearly our girl had a vision... and it turned out great!  In the meantime, the boys finished a walking tour of town, bought some smoked fish and crackers and then headed back to the boat.

 

We have very slow internet and next to no cellular connection either.  Its amazing how much we rely on technology... even when walking around town or trying to meet up.  

When we all were back, I called on a restaurant Scott had suggested and the hostess said she could seat us immediately if we came right away but otherwise, they couldn't take a reservation for later.  So, quickly we all pulled our shoes back on, put the dog in her crate, and off we went again for dinner.  We ate at the Cove... burger, tenderloin, and a New Orleans fish & pasta plate that Scott raved about.  Then we took a short walk to find some ice cream and then headed back to the boat.

OK.  So this is an inside joke but Scott has this thing with big trees.  I think its simply being in awe of how old it must be and to imagine what the area was like when it was just planted.  I cannot tell you how many times he's insisted that the kids and I stand next to a big tree for a photo.  So, imagine our surprise when we heard another dad stop his kids to talk about a tree.  We turned around super quick only to see this beauty...  So big, they left the tree in tact and stopped the curb and road short of its roots.  Because of its sheer size we insisted that Scott be in the photo this time!  Enjoy it!

Sammy and Scott both took showers aboard and we just took it easy.  It looks like rain coming in overnight so we put on a movie and just cuddled in.  I love sleeping aboard when it rains!

Day 2 - Trip to Frankfort

We were up around 8:30 for breakfast… bacon, eggs and toast.  After showers and cleaning up the kitchen, we were ready to head out.  We try not to leave too early as most marinas wont allow you to check in until closer to noon; however, waves tend to build throughout the day so we don’t want to leave later than necessary either.   So at 10:05am, we left the slip and headed out for Lake Michigan.  We were so surprised to see how calm the lake was… super calm.  Definitely under single foot chop.  Very smooth for the ride.  The temps were 71* with a SSW wind.  We headed north for the 54 mi trip to Frankfort.

If you are familiar with the shape of Lake Michigan in this area, you know that there is a point just north of Ludington and then the land juts in until Point Betsie which is just north of Frankfort.  So in order to save time, we headed straight across rather than following the shoreline.  The trip took 1 hr 40 mins and the waves did pick up to 2-3’ as we left the protection of the point, but still a very comfortable ride.

We tied off in slip 32 of the Jacobson Marina right around 12:15pm.   As the guys finished the lines, I got a start on lunch and had taco salad ready before 1pm. 

Over lunch Scott and I made a plan for the remainder of our week, mapping out our itinerary as best as we could.  Then I started making phone calls to line up the marinas…. And would you believe it - we now have a reservation for every night of our trip!  YAY!  Here’s the new plan:

Tuesday - Frankfort; Wednesday - Leland; Thursday - Frankfort; Friday - Manistee; Saturday - Pentwater

We are both pretty excited about the new plan… we wont make it as far north as we had originally hoped but we will get to try two new destinations and feel like its a good use of the time.

Hey, here’s a crazy coincidence.  A few weekends ago, a man dressed as a pirate came to see us… explaining he owned the same boat as us and he wanted to connect.  So we aren’t here in Frankfort for even 15 minutes, and up walks the same guy (no pirate outfit today).  He and a number of boats from our marina are here on a rendezvous.  The guy in the slip next to us here in Frankfort is just down the row from us in Grand Haven.  What a small world!

After lunch, we headed out on a walk through town and out to the beach… ending with ANOTHER visit to Kilwins.  Its a running joke when we are boating that Tyler will immediately look up the Kilwins location as soon as we arrive.  He LOVES their chocolate shakes… so lucky for him, many Michigan boating destinations feature a location.  

 

Then we headed back to the boat to relax, cool down and enjoy some free time.  Scott worked on cleaning the boat, I updated the blog, Tyler played some video games and Sammy wrote more of her book.  Seriously a pretty perfect way to finish the afternoon.

 

I’ve been looking for options for groceries and am coming up short.  So, I found a delivery option from Family Fare and placed the order for delivery at 5:45p, forgetting it was a holiday.  So, the delivery was postponed repeatedly until someone finally picked it up the order.  The groceries didn’t arrive until around 8:30pm.

Since I was waiting for the groceries we decided to do takeout from Dinghy’s Restaurant and Bar.  The boys ran to the pick up (and found a cool gallery on the way).  The food was delicious… Ribs, Chicken, Pulled Pork and Mac N Cheese - yum!

We finished the evening resting on the back of the boat and then playing a round of Ticket to Ride (congrats to Scott on the win).  Then we headed up to the bow of the boat and snuggled in for our second round of fireworks.  Since we did the display in Grand Haven on Saturday night.

It was a great fireworks show.  The city shoots off the pier so it was a bit farther than what we are used to… but still a great way to end the day!

Day 1 - Ludington Fun

Once we got settled in our slip, we met the neighbors on both sides!  Lovely people, both couples enjoying life on the water.  

I served up chicken salad sandwiches for lunch and then we strapped on our sandals and headed out for a walk.  Its been a number of years since we've been here and the kids had little memory of the area.  We checked out the line at House of Flavors and walked down to the beach.  

Apparently there's been a change in the rules and dogs aren't allowed on the beach or pier, so Coco and I took a break on the curb while Scott and the kids walked out to the end of the pier.

On our way back, Tyler was quick to find a Kilwin's so we took a different route back and stopped for a sweet treat.

We took a little time on board to cool off from the walk and then decided to head out for supper.

We picked the closest restaurant we could find on the map which also happened to have great reviews.  Walked less than 5 minutes over to the Jamesport Brewing Co.  When we turned the corner it was clearly a popular place with lots of folks outside on the sidewalk waiting for a table.  Shoot!

I asked at the hostess stand and she said a minimum of 30 mins and I asked if take out was offered since I wasn't sure we could wait that long.  A manager named Mitch overhead and as I waited at the bar to place our order, he offered us a quiet private place to wait.  Apparently his daughter also has autism and he understood the difficulty.  So I grabbed the fam and we headed in to this little cove tucked in one of the dining rooms and sat in the AC while we waited for a table.  Not too much longer and Mitch came over and asked if we would be ok if he put us in a private room.  Uh, yes! So he escorted us back to a dining room that wasn't in use and we sat down.  Our server was great.  He took all our orders with patience and kept the waters fresh as we played a game of Ticket to Ride on our phones.  The food was excellent and just as we were settling our bill, Mitch came back in to check on us.  I cannot tell you how wonderful it feels to be understood and cared for... especially without having to ask for it.  Mitch did a great job tonight!  It was a lovely meal for all of us!  

We walked back to the boat for a quiet evening on board.  Tyler played some video games, Sammy continued writing her book.  I worked on a project for church and then joined Scott on the back of the boat as we enjoyed the sun and cool evening air. 

It was an excellent day in Ludington!