While we thoroughly enjoyed our five weeks in Canadian waters, it was nice to return to the US this past weekend. We cleared customs Saturday morning at Drummond Island, Michigan only to discover that we had illegally brought tomatoes across the border. They were not confiscated, but we were advised to eat them before we ventured off to another port. Saturday afternoon we washed the boat (in between rain showers) and tried to remove the remains of thousands of tiny insects and spiders that seem to be very attracted to our cockpit and upper deck. Whenever we have to burn an anchor light, the deck is almost black with bugs the next morning. Sunday night we anchored in Government Bay before heading for Mackinaw City on Monday. We are still in Mackinaw City - enjoying a little break here for a few days. Mackinaw City is a huge tourist destination and one of two sites (the other being St. Ignace) from which to catch the ferry to Mackinac Island. We decided that we wanted to spend one night at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and found that we could get the best deal (half-price) for this coming Friday night. So we have been hanging out here for a few days before heading over to the island on the ferry tomorrow. Tuesday we enjoyed a lovely afternoon with friends from Punta Gorda who have a summer home in Cheboygan. They took us to lunch at Legs Inn in Cross Village. This Polish restaurant has unique decor, beautiful gardens, and a spectacular view of Lake Michigan. We then drove through the "Tunnel of Trees" to Harbor Springs and Petoskey before returning to the Howes' lovely home on the shore of Lake Huron. We ended the day with dinner on the banks of the Cheboygan River. Thanks to Barb and Bill for a great afternoon! Yesterday was a major provisioning day with trips to Wal-Mart and Glen's Market. Shopping is the easy part - it's finding room to store everything back on the boat that is a major headache. Today is supposed to be our "take it easy" day, but so far it seems to be filling up with various chores. Our tentative plan is to leave here Sunday morning, weather permitting, to head down Lake Michigan toward Chicago.
 |
| Calypso anchored in the Benjamin Islands |
 |
| The Benjamin Islands |
 |
| These guys were all over our boat one morning |
 |
| Beardrop Harbor |
 |
| Detour Reef Light |
 |
| Round Island Light |
 |
| The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island |
 |
| The Mackinaw Straits Bridge |
Isn't that hotel where the movie Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour was filmed? I know it wasn't great cinema, but I loved that movie! How wonderful to be able to spend the night there. Still loving the pictures and the blog...Saw a piece on CNN this evening about how low the Mississippi River is due to the drought. Hope that doesn't cause you any difficulties as you head south.
ReplyDelete