I's all but over!!!

This is a view of the municipal marina at Petoskey -- we had a great time, eating and shopping our way thru this thriving small city on Little Traverse Bay....
Then we went over to Lake Charlevoix and toured the South Arm which had some pretty spectacular homes -- and note the BIG boat house on the left...
some were a little more modest, but the boat is a classic woody ... tough life
our view down the Lake from the marina at Charlevoix
and, so Sonador comes out of the water for winter indoor/heated storage -- and preparation for another summer of cruising in these beautiful northern waters.

I'm now motor tripping home to Alexandria, and dreams of next year.

Charlevoix

Yesterday we successfully -- and quietly negotiated the 16 miles to Charlevoix from Petoskey -- just a little bit of swells and very few white caps.

The marina is on the north end of Lake Charlevoix behind a secure breakwater, and we can see south the twenty miles toward the other end of the lake. Watched a sailboat race last evening before dinner, and today I'll just hang around the marina and get a few small jobs done that I can accomplish on my own.

We'll probably stay here for the next ten days -- with a couple of pleasant interruptions to run down the lake and explore other small towns on the water. It's not yet started to turn colors here, but we are supposed to have frost this weekend, so it must be on the way.

Can't wait for next year!!!

Petoskey

On Saturday, we left Mackinac Island with promises of quiet seas and no wind (only one to two knots) -- a blessing since the previous days it had been blowing quite a storm. 55 nautical miles under the Mackinac Bridge, and around Grays Reef to Little Traverse Bay -- piece of cake!

HAH!

About ten miles into the trip -- we were galluping along at about 10 knots -- we started to see some weather heading our way. And within another five miles we were crashing into four and five foot seas, and looking forward to another three/four hours of great fun. It never stopped, even when we turned the corner to come into Little Traverse Bay, we ended up with those waves on our stern and rolled like a drunken sailor into Petoskey Harbor, and finally found refuge behind the breakwater.

There was "stuff" all over the inside of the boat -- things that left their secure storage spaces and ended up on the floor. And there were three very exhausted travelers.

We continue to have questionable weather including a hum dinger of a thunder and lightening show last night -- but if -- no make that IF -- the weather turns as predicted, we will run the twenty miles to Charlevoix and the protection of that inland lake from the Great Lakes on Wednesday. In the interim, we are having a great time in the wonderful little city, visiting with some of Susan's friends and simply hiking the bike trails.

Pictures will come -- but none of the trip, it was quite factually the most I've ever been through and wasn't conducive to pictures at all.

Mackinac Neighbors

Taxis and tour carriages lined up on Friday morning --- waiting for the ferries to arrive from the mainland -- gotta keep busy until the very end of the season
We share accommodations with the largest and the smallest of boats
Anchor envy -- note the stainless steel stips to protect the hull when the anchor is lowered...and the protection on the bow -- she was touching bottom on the bow last night, but by this morning had created a small canyon to rest in
Away they go -- next stop Clayton NY -- those who have been paying attention, that was the Antique Boat Museum a life time ago when Linda Scofield was crew, and we were exploring the Thousand Islands and the St. Lawrence
You can see the weather that kept us in, but the crew and owners won't even feel the waves on this beauty

Pictures at Mackinac Island

As we approached Mackinac Island, there is no question but the Grand Hotel dominates the hillside, next to it is Fort Mackinac, and the town and Harbor lie below
At the Grand Hotel -- they even have topiaries in honor of the horse carriages -- this is in the formal gardens below the Hotel
Luggage being delivered to one of the many B&B's on the Island -- the kids who do deliveries are in great shape after a summer of hauling stuff by bicycle and just in push carts
And, then there is the more traditional mode of travel ...
From Sonador, looking toward the Fort and the town ship ...

Mackinac Island

Susan and I are hunkering down on Mackinac Island -- which is a delightful place to be storm bound. Last night rained cats, dogs, and other creatures -- this morning is windy and significantly overcast -- waves on the Lakes are tall.

So, we went to the Grand Hotel yesterday for lunch (and then toured around the hotel and grounds) -- even got to see the stables for the hotel. I highly recommend an extended visit to the Island (Charlee and I came on a ferry before she left and it was crowded and very tourist bound) in the off season -- we have most of the town and sites to ourselves, the streets aren't crowded, and the beauty is still here. Only a few of the youngest and most rambunctuous horses have left the Island already (apparently they get too bored in the off season). The rest (except for about forty) will leave the first of November.

While we were hobnobbing at the Grand, a 170 foot motor craft came into the harbor -- she is a beautiful Fedship, built 13-15 years ago, flagged in the Cayman Islands, and owned by an older couple (Chessie attracked the attention of the wife who had to come down and see and pat/make a fuss over the Airedale).

Pictures to be posted later.



From here we will go to Petoskey.