Fri. July 18       0730/1520

69 miles           Pentwater to Port Sheldon, MI

This was our last leg of our Great Loop adventure and God was smiling down on us. The sky was a picture perfect blue and the water was almost mirror smooth. We passed Silver Lake sand dunes, several lighthouses, and even had to dodge a couple of fish nets. We knew we were not only back in Lake MI. but getting closer to home.

Dunes near Silver Lake.

Little Sable Light.

 

It was an amazing feeling as we turned into the channel at Port Sheldon. As we pulled back into our dock we were greeted by several friends and family welcoming us home.

Port Sheldon channel.

 

 

 Friends and family to greet us.

 

It is official, we are now Gold Loopers!

 

Priorities crossed her wake at 3:20 p.m. After almost twelve months of the most fascinating trip ever, Randy & Sherri completed the Loop! It has been a trip full of surprises, challenges, and memories. We met so many wonderful people and hope we remain friends forever. Thanks to all who joined us along the way, whether it was reading our blog, traveling with us, keeping us in your thoughts and prayers, or just giving us words of encouragement. The Great Loop has been an unforgettable experience and a dream come true.

This isn’t the end of our traveling. Come the 1^st of Sept. Priorities will be heading south again through the river system where we hope to meet up with some old friends and make more new ones along the way.

Thurs. July 17

0 miles           Pentwater, MI

Today was a beautiful sunny day. First thing in the morning we said goodbye to Dick & Pat (they were heading back home to Grand Haven). In the afternoon 2 more boats came in to the harbor that we knew. Dave & Linda (Sherri’s uncle & aunt) and Mike & Gwen (friends from Holland).

We took a nice walk to the beach and through town. Going through town we noticed one of our favorite stores (Bitchin Kitchen) was gone. This store had everything you could possible think of (and never would have thought of) to use in a kitchen. I know times change but it was still sad to see it gone.

Pentwater 

 

 

Farmers market

 

 

 

For dinner we took our dinghy to the far end of the lake along with 4 other couples (Dave & Linda, Jay & Beth, Mark & Shelley, Mike & Gwen) to The Boat House for pizza. After dinner we took the dinghies out to the lake to watch the sunset. (our first sunset on the water since we got back in MI)

 

Wed. July 16       0930/1615

64 miles               Frankfort to Pentwater, MI

Left Frankfort to 1-3 foot rollers out of the north west. The day started out cloudy but the sun soon came out. (not that it warmed up much) WHO TURNED THE HEAT OFF!!! We pulled into Pentwater to see 2 boats that we know. They both belong to friends of ours so we had our first welcome home party.

Big Sable Light (just north of Ludington)

 

Consumers Pump Storage between Ludington & Pentwater. (Hydroelectric plant & reservoir).

The reservoir is 110' deep, 2.5 miles long, & 1 mile wide. The plant generates 1,872 megawatts of electricity. At night the water is pumped up hill 363' to the reservoir where it is held till power is needed than it flows back down to the lake and produces electricity.

 

 Windmills are starting to be a regular site along the way.

 

 Pentwater channel

Visiting with old and new friends. Cathy & Marty (in the front, new friends we just met in Pentwater), behind them are Jay & Beth, and in the back ground are Dick, Randy, & Pat.

(Dick & Pat will be starting the Loop in 2015).

Tues. July 15

0 miles         Frankfort, MI

The winds picked up last night (and so did the water) and the forecast was calling for rain so we stayed put today. The rain cleared out around 11:00 am so we had a chance to walk through town. We found out there is a bike trail that goes for about 14 miles through the country so we got our bikes off the boat and went for a ride.

 

 

 Looking north at Lake MI.

 

 Frankfort marina

 

Mon. July 14    0630/1530

79 miles          Charlevoix to Frankfort, MI

We left Charlevoix heading south on Lake MI not sure where we wanted to stop for the night. One of our favorite ports is Leland which is 37 miles but once we got on the water (flat water) we decided to go farther and headed to Frankfort. After passing the Manitou Islands and Sleeping Bear Dunes we arrived in Frankfort at 3:30.

 

 Sleeping Bear Dunes (part of 35 miles of National Park along Lake MI).

 

 Point Betsie Lighthouse

 

Frankfort light.

Sun. July 13     0645/1400

63 miles           Mackinac Island to Charlevoix, MI

As we were leaving Mackinac Island the fog was just lifting. There was a 15-20 knot wind with 1 ½ foot waves coming out of the south west, so to start we were going right into them. Once we made the turn south into Lake MI the waves built to 4-6 feet but were spaced apart enough to be more rolling. A couple of hours later we pulled into Charlevoix and anchored in Round Lake. This weekend they had power boat races and there were still some go-fast boats hanging around. There was also an Art in the Park set up in town so there was plenty to see walking through town.

Mackinac Bridge

 

 

Charlevoix MI

 

 Looking out to Lake MI.

 

 Marina and town.

 

 

 

Sat. July 12      0700/0800

6 miles             St. Ignace to Mackinac Island, MI

After a short ride and flat water we tied up at the Mackinac Island marina. This is a fun port to go to and one of our favorites. No cars are allowed so transportation is by bike or horse drawn carriage. It gets very busy during the day with tourists coming in by ferry, but most of them leave in the early evening and then there are only a handful of people around. We got our bikes down and rode the 8 miles around the island. Later tonight we will do the tourist thing and check out the trinket shops.  

Mackinac Island marina.

 

 Marina and harbor.

 

 Stu, Julie, & Randy

 

 Arch Rock (US National Landmark rises 146 feet above the water).

 

 Looking north from Arch Rock.

 

 Main street

 

Fri. July 11     0740/1240

44 miles          DeTour to St. Ignace, MI

Our day started out clear and 60 degrees and turned to cloudy and 72 degrees. There was a very light wind out of the south so the water was flat. We traveled though upper Lake Huron past Mackinac Island to St. Ignace to spend the night.

After docking we took a walk through town and bought some pasties (meat & veggie pie) made in the UP of Michigan.

DeTour Lighthouse

 

 Martin Reef Light

 

 Mackinac Island

 

 Grand Hotel

 

 Round Island Light with Mackinac Bridge in background.

 

 

 

 Ferry going to Island.

 

 St. Ignace marina.

 

 

 

Wed. July 2    0930/1504

44 miles          Parry Sound to Alexander Passage, Georgian Bay

Last night the town put on a great show with a parade of decorated boats and an awesome display of fireworks. The pier where our boat was tied, came alive with people at sunset to watch the festivities.

 

 

Today traveling through Parry Sound we had water depths of 350 feet which is the deepest we have seen in quite awhile. After leaving Parry Sound, the small craft channel went out to Georgian Bay for about 6 miles. There was a 15 mph wind coming out of the west so we were getting 2 foot waves during that section. The rest of the day we traveled in the small craft channel where it was calm. We had a few more narrow spots and zigzags through rocks, but arrived at our anchorage for the night in one piece. 

 

 

 Point Au Baril Lighthouse

 

   Anchorage at Alexander Passage.

 

 

 

 

Thurs. July 3    0725/1345 – 1430/1530

50 miles – 5 miles    Alexander Passage to Killarney – Killarney to Covered Portage Cove (North Channel)

We left our anchorage and headed back out to Georgian Bay. The forecast for the water in the Bay was 1-3 feet so we decided to skip the small craft channel (it’s beautiful country but you have to be on constant alert for twists, turns, buoys, and rocks) and go the rest of the way to Killarney via the Bay and open water.

 

The village of Killarney is in the northwest corner of Georgian Bay, has a population of 430 and was once a busy fishing village but now depends on tourism (especially boaters).

For lunch we were told a “must stop” is to go to the Red Bus for fish-and-chips. Well the Red Bus is no longer there but the fish-n-chips were and it was delicious. The “Bus” has been put to rest (a funeral and everything) and a new “red” building is being built instead.

 

Killarney

 

 Stand in restaurant for "Red Bus" fish n chips.

 

 

 

 "Boat in Theater". Dock and watch a movie.

 

After lunch we moved on through Killarney channel and into Killarney Bay. We also said good bye to Georgian Bay and hello to the North Channel which will be the next body of water we travel through.

Our anchorage for the night was 5 miles from Killarney in Covered Portage Cove.

Killarney Bay

Anchorage in Covered Portage Cove.

 

 

Fri. July 4    0945/1300

23 miles      Covered Portage Cove to Baie Fine (North Channel)

The next stop we chose to anchor in (Baie Fine) was only 2 miles away by land but 23 miles by water. This section of the waterway has hundreds of places where you can tuck behind islands to anchor. Baie Fine is about ¼ mile wide and 10 miles long. You can stop numerous places to anchor as you go in or go all the way to the end and then go through a narrow channel to get to what’s called The Pool. All the way along both sides are high quartz rock hills. We went all the way to the end and anchored in The Pool.

 

After anchoring, we got the dinghy out and went to shore. There is a small dock to tie to and from there you can hike on several trails. The trail we picked you need to hike uphill for about ½ mile to find Topez Lake.

 

 Topez Lake

 Anchorage at The Pool.

  

Sat. July 5

0 miles      Baie Fine (North Channel)

This anchorage is so beautiful and peaceful we decided to stay another day. At the entrance to The Pool is a cottage that is owned by the Evinrude family. When Ralph Evinrude was alive they owned a 100’ boat which they docked at the cottage and then used the boat to power the cottage.

Morning reflection.

 

 The Pool

 

 Evinrude cottage.

For today’s hike we took another trail to Artist Lake and then followed one more trail several miles through woods and found a small stream and waterfall. (you really need to be part billy goat for most of these trails)

 

Sun. July 6      0645/1030

25 miles      Baie Fine to Little Current (North Channel)

We left our anchorage and went out into Frazer Bay (a nice open body of water) and on to the port of Little Current. This port is located on the northeast tip of Manitoulin Island and the waters of the North Channel are funneled into a passage only 100 yards wide, creating stiff currents.

Strawberry Island Light

 

 Little Current

 

 

Mon. July 7      1030/1330

19 miles           Little Current to Benjamin Islands (North Channel)

Today started out cloudy and windy. When we left Little Current the wind was about 20 mph out of the west and we were cruising into 3-4 foot waves. By the time we got half way to the Benjamins, the clouds moved on and the sun was out. The Benjamins were formed millions of years ago as part of molten rock that rose to the earth’s surface and are in the shape of a bull’s-eye.

This section of the North Channel we boated through 10 years ago so it will be great revisiting some of the anchorages we stayed in back then.

 

 Looking west out at the North Channel.

Our anchorage in the Benjamins.

 

 

 

Tues. July 8     0715/1038

30 miles           Benjamin Islands to Beardrop Harbour (North Channel)

Traveling today we had light rain on and off till 10 am. To get to our anchorage in Beardrop Harbour we cruised through Little Detroit’s tight passage, (75 feet wide & 16 feet deep) and on into Whalesback channel.

Leaving the Benjamins we had to travel through several rock islands called the Pigs & Sows.

 

 McBean Channel

 

 Whalesback Channel

 

 Whale Island

 

Our anchorage at Beardrop Harbour.

 

 

 

 Wed. July 9     0700/1030

30 miles           Beardrop Harbour to Meldrum Bay (North Channel)

Our weather today was cool and cloudy. We left Beardrop and started heading toward Drumond Island. After an hour of traveling the winds picked up (the winds weren’t predicted to get higher till afternoon) and next thing we knew we were in 4-6 + foot waves. This called for a change of plans and we headed to Meldrum Bay instead which cut 3 hours off our travel time. Once we pulled into the bay and out of the wind it was like a different world with nice flat water. Meldrum Bay is a nice quite place that consists of a marina, hotel/restaurant, country store, museum, and church.

Meldrum Bay

 

The shore line is all stones.

 

 Meldrum Bay marina

 

 

 

Hotel/Restaurant & Country Store

 

 

 

Thurs. July 10     0700/1145 – 1500/1600

43 miles / 9 miles   Meldrum Bay to DeTour MI.

That’s right, we are not only back in the USA but our home state of Michigan. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Canada but it’s really good to be back in the States.

We left Meldrum Bay with sunshine, cool weather (65 degrees) and flat water. Since we were leaving Canada and entering back into the USA we needed to stop in Drummond Island and check in with Customs. Once we arrived at Drummond marina, 2 Customs officers came out to the boat and after filling out some paper work and answering a few questions we were given the All Clear to move on. We decided to eat lunch before we left, so walked about 1 ½ miles to the Bear Track Restaurant. After lunch we moved on to DeTour marina for the evening.

Drummond Island

 

  Drummond marina.

 

 DeTour marina.

 

 Downtown DeTour.

 

 Ferry goes between DeTour & Drummond Island.

 

 Big Freighter going past the marina.

 

The last few days we have been traveling with 2 other couples from New Jersey.

They have both circumnavigated the world by sailboat and now are looping in a trawler.

(Randy, Sherri, Heidi, Casey, Julie, & Stu)