Last Great Lake

Day 9: View of Mackinac Bridge from the water and Lake Michigan in the background.

We could not get a slip at Mackinaw Island because we could not prebook as we were waiting for a cruising permit.  It can take up to a week to get it.  We waited 48 hours so we can't complain.  This will allow us to leave our port and reenter without calling the Customs office everytime.

We had ideal travel conditions for our Day 6 route.  We chose St. Ignace as it is closer to Mackinaw Island.  We were docked in St. Ignace for 3 days because of the inclement weather.  It is in the center of the longest footpath in the USA. The North Country Trail is almost 5000 miles.  

We took a ferry to Mackinaw Island.  It was a fun place to visit. There are no cars allowed on the island.  There are many horses and carriages and cyclist.  We took a tour, and the tour guide said they have 400 horses.  Interesting since there are 492 full-time residents. It is famous for the Grand Hotel which has the longest porch in the USA.  It is beautiful.  The city is also famous for it's fudge shops. We had to taste some and buy some.


Day 8 was another day spent in the marina.  The winds were not favorable.  I think Hurricane Harvey is stirring the water here.  We hired a cab and went to Mackinaw City.  So we got to drive over the Mackinac Bridge.  It was nice to get the 360 view up there.  We visited the Mackinac Bridge Museum.  They honor the ironworkers who built it.  It was great for Yvon who retired from Local 786.  Mackinaw City is quite pretty and more touristy then St. Ignace.  The marina is very central, so if we ever return we will try that marina.











So now Day 9 is our entry into Lake Michigan.  To enter Lake Michigan, we have to travel under the Mackinac Bridge.  It is 5 miles long.  It connects Mackinaw City to St. Ignace.  The lower peninsula to the upper peninsula.

We can now say that we have been on every great lake by boat.  This will be an interesting voyage. Lake Michigan is the only great lake that is surrounded by American soil.  On the East is Michigan State and on the West is the State of Wisconsin.  On the south side is Chicago, Illinois. It is 400 miles long and 60 miles wide.  We will be travelling the length of it and possibly crossing it sometime when the weather permits. The weather has to cooperate when travelling on this lake, so don't be surprised if you don't hear from us.  We may be in a marina waiting for fair weather.

Tonight's stay is in Leland Harbor.  A cute fishing village turned into a tourist area.  The marina is new and very nice.

Here is a map of our journey so far.

We Cannot Direct The Winds, But We Can Adjust Our Sails!

Crossing the Border

Day 4.  Well this is our view as our boat crossed into US waters.  It looks similar to all the beautiful scenery of Georgian Bay. It was nice to restart our loop this morning after being moored for two days in Kagawong on Manitoulin Island.  The winds were too strong to venture out.  It gave us time to explore.  We've been here several times by car, but never by boat.  We walked to Bridal Veil Falls and visited the Old Bridge Museum.  We had a nice lunch at the Main Street Cafe.

This is our journey so far.  We may be staying here until we receive a cruising permit from the Custom Officer. It could take a few days.  We venture onto the island for dinner and on our way back, we saw 14 deers.  Yvon says it's a nice place for hunting.  Our adventure continues.

Day one of the Great Loop.

Well we are on our way! We are officially Loopers!  This will be our view for the next year. This was taken on Georgian Bay. They say that Georgian Bay is one of the best part of the loop. Because it is our home base, we will not meander in this area. It will take a few days before we cross into the USA at Drummond Island, Michigan.  We will travel thru the USA and Canada for the next year as we complete the Great Loop.
Our boat is called Lake Effect. It is a 39ft Sea Ray Motor Yacht.  We will be travelling with our good friends Luc and Sylvie. They will be on the Lil Hide Away.

Here's a picture taken at our home port, Wright's Marine in Britt, Ontario.  Loopers tell us it's one of the nicest marinas on the loop!  The owners Karrie and Graham surprised us with a send off party.  It was nice to have them and our friends gather to wish us well in our travels
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Here's a map of our journey so far. You'll see our favorite spots and anchorages along the way. Today we travelled 60 miles to Heywood Island.  The lake was choppy, but once we docked the sun came out.  It was a wonderful late afternoon. We are anxious for our multitudes of adventures.  When I look at the Great Loop Map, on the left, I am intimidated by it's size.  Yvon, my better half says it will be a multitude of mini excursions.  We'll see!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.." Mark Twain