Day 6 on Mackinac Island

 We had an 11:00 am check out but weren’t technically able to check in on the island until 1:00 pm.  So we had a really relaxed morning.  Sammy and I took the dog for a walk and grabbed breakfast from Starbucks.  Then we cleaned up a bit and prepped for the move.  We moved to the fuel dock at 11:00 am to vacate our slip but there was another boat ahead of us so we waited almost a full hour before we were ready to head out.  It is a gorgeous morning with relatively low winds and calm seas.

We took our time heading over to the island.  At 8-9 mph, the 7 mile trip across took just under an hour.  It was a nice ride and allowed for us to sit on the bow and enjoy the sun and the views.

The marina on the island is NOT well protected from waves.  Because of the amount of commercial traffic that comes in and out hourly, they intentionally left it less protected.  So, most boaters know that the overnight accomodations are a little bumpier than normal and the marina warns ahead of time to use bigger lines and extra fenders.  So we did!

The marina is located just east of the ferry dock and at the start of the downtown shops.  We have a beautiful view of the fort and the grassy space below.  Once we were tied off we decided to grill up some burgers for lunch.  We enjoyed the perfect weather and made a plan for the rest of the day.

First stop, rent bikes.  We couldn’t find a good option for Coco so she had to stay back onboard but we got our bikes and headed out.  Typically we just do the outside perimeter but today we thought we’d try something different and do the interior tour.  Unfortunately I didn’t think through the hills.  We made it but there were some moments that I know the kids would have given up.  We saw the Grand Hotel, Governors Mansion, the Fort and Arch Rock.  We passed many houses that have belonged to families for generations.  And then ended with a cool ride along the shore.  The breeze was glorious.  

Then we headed back into town to return the bikes and look for a restaurant for supper.  We ate at the Grand Turtle and had a great rest, good food and lots of water!

On the walk back, we stopped for some groceries at Doud’s Market… a great option with lots of choices to stock up - just in time!

Once we got back to the boat, we just relaxed aboard, listening to the water lap against the hull of the boat.   Scott and Jen spent some time on the bow just staring out at Lake Huron. 

Then we took a walk into town to grab some ice cream.  Kilwins (Tyler’s favorite) really let us down in that they didn’t have Tyler’s usual order of a chocolate shake.  So, I think we visited almost every candy / fudge / ice cream shop in town looking for blenders… there were a lot of stops, but not a lot of blenders.  LOL.  We finally found one at the last stop on the way back to the boat and Tyler got his long awaited chocolate shake.

As the sun set, we watched as the final ferries wrapped up their runs and heard the taps play at the fort to signal the end of the day.  It was a gorgeous day at the island!  

Weather: Sunny
Temps: Hi 77* Lo 62*
Winds:  
Waves: 2-3' chop with slow timed swells
Travel Distance: 8 mi

Exploring Charlevoix

We called the harbor master right away this morning to ask for a day slip.  He agreed so long as we spent some money in town.  (I really love the character and charm of harbor masters... So proud of the cities they work for). So we hopped on the bikes and headed for town for our customary tshirt purchase and a donut :)

Then we headed out to the pier to see the lake from a different vantage point.

Charlevoix is a gorgeous area.  Lots of small stores perfect for window shopping.  The city marina is literally steps from all the action which explains why it's hard to get a reservation.

I wanted to take a shower and do some laundry so Scott brought he kids to the marina pool.  Not huge but heated and just enough after a warm bike ride.

And off we went... Fueled up in Round Lake and back out to Lake Michigan by 2:50 pm.  Seas are pretty choppy.

We are not sure on our harbor tonight.  Leland is 35 miles away which will take just under 2 hours.  They do NOT have slips available but technically cannot turn us away.  The next harbor beyond that is Frankfort... Another 45 miles beyond Leland.  They have a nice comfortable slip available... But it will be a very long ride to make it that far.  By most boating standards, 80 miles is a HUGE day.  We did do 90 one day on the way up but it was favorable conditions.  

We'll see how it goes and where we end up tonight!

An Afternoon in Leland

If you've ever visited Leland, you know about its charm, its quaint shopping and the marine-esque feel down by the docks. Now, imagine entering the town from the water. It was gorgeous as we rode past the public beach and break wall. 

While Scott fueled up, the kids and I ran into some fishermen offloading today's catch.  The kids were so impressed!  Finally one man offered to take a photo... the kids agreed whole heartedly until they realized how close they'd have to come to the fish...  This is as close as they would get.  

We got to our slip and settled in.  For the record, it was some FINE driving / docking on Scott's end.  A tight fit in a shallow and short slip (40') but we will take it!

We took the bikes out for a ride to see what the town has to offer.  Unfortunately our kids are not much for window shopping but Scott and I agreed that we'll need to return someday kid-free for that romantic stroll.

About this time on our bike ride, Sammy remembered that she wanted to swim (and wouldn't stop reminding us)... so we headed back for our suits.  :)

Went to the beach to swim, look for rocks and dig holes.

Then back to the marina for showers.  When the kids and I got back Scott had dinner made (brats & dogs).  Then we took a walk in search of ice cream and our harbor shirts (one from each harbor we stay at) and then headed home for bed.

Its amazing how much we get done in half a day!  

Plan for tomorrow: Mackinaw City.  Forecast looks promising but we'll see in the morning!