August 25, 2013
Length of Trip: 16 days Nautical Miles Traveled: 475 Hours of Cruising: 27 Longest Driving Day: 70 NM: Lexington, MI - Detroit, MI Pleasant Surprise: No bugs nor humidity in August! Biggest Disappointment: Cheboygan, MI Favorite Destination with Timi: Mackinac Island, MI; Favorite Destination with Matt & Rich: Cedar Point, OH Favorite Meal with Timi: Carriage House, Mackinac Island, MI Favorite Meal with Matt & Rich: Joe Muer Seafood, Detroit, MI
August 24, 2013
After a nice leisurely morning, it was time for Matt and I to play tourist in Cleveland. Our first stop was the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The museum, opened in 1995 and designed by I.M. Pei, chronicles the evolution and history of rock and roll beginning with its roots in gospel, blues, rhythm & blues, folk, country and bluegrass. I found particularly interesting the section which detailed the early influencers of today’s popular rock and roll bands. The museum features a large...
August 23, 2013
After another leisurely morning, Matt and I left for the final destination for this segment, Cleveland, OH. Since our trip to Mackinac, the seas have been very smooth, even flat calm in some instances. I noticed in checking the morning weather, things would be different today because of increased winds and the shallower depths of Lake Erie. While not has bad as the Mackinac voyage, we faced 3’ head seas the length of the run reminding me the Great Lakes are not really lakes. We were...
August 22, 2013
We had leisurely morning before saying goodbye to Rich who departed a couple of days early to be home for his anniversary. A morning thunderstorm gave way to hazy but sunny skies and given the fact neither Matt nor I are big roller coaster fans, we opted to try the adjacent Soak City water park. I have always been a fan of the lazy rivers and the park offered two - Main Stream and Renegade River, both of which we enjoyed as well as a run down one of the many water slides. Following a typical...
August 21, 2013
We said good bye to Michigan early this morning and after getting fuel and a pump out set off for a 60 mile cruise down the Detroit River and across Lake Erie to Cedar Point, OH. Founded in 1870, Cedar Point is the second oldest amusement park and most visited seasonal amusement park in the nation (I am sure you can guess the most visited continuously operating amusement park). The harbor is located steps from the entrance to the park with a couple of restaurants right in the marina, We enjoyed...
August 20, 2013
While I packed, John, Matt and Rich fixed the fan in the bathroom which had stopped working Sunday. Then we walked to see the Guardian building in downtown Detroit, considered by many to be the finest example of art deco architecture in the nation. We then grabbed a cab to the Detroit Institute of Art, the fifth largest art museum in the nation with a collection valued at over $2B. There are works from Greco-Roman times through contemporary. We spent most of our time in the European art from...
August 19, 2013
In the morning, Rich and I watched one hundred little sparrows perched on the bow railing, fluffing their feathers in the morning sun. Then we did some yoga on the dock while John prepared the boat for departure and Matt slept in. It was an easy three hour cruise under blue skies from Lake Huron into the St Clair and Detroit Rivers. Once we had left behind the charming summer holiday towns of Michigan on Lake Huron, the skies took on a haze and the surrounding landscape was dotted with piles of...
August 18, 2013
While John and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together, we are also looking forward to Rich and Matt joining us tonight. To me them we cruised peacefully from Port Austin to Lexington, MI. Lexington is probably the most scenic small town we have visited since leaving Mackinac. We walked to lunch at a wine bar and I sampled some local wines including one which apparently won a gold medal in an San Francisco competition - we’re never as far from home as we think. As with all the other small...
August 17, 2013
Another smooth cruise with gorgeous weather brought us to Port Austin. The harbor is very pretty and active with new docks and amenities. We walked through the quaint town, had lunch on the patio at ‘The Bank’. Then it was time for recreation. We planned to rent kayaks or stand up paddle boards thinking we would go up river and explore, but the rental place said that we could only paddle in a tiny section of the river and harbor, which didn’t sound very interesting to us. So instead we...
August 16, 2013
We had a beautiful and uneventful cruise to Harrisville, MI. John had told me our stops along the eastern Michigan would be quiet as there are only small, simple towns along the shore. Although not fancy-pants like Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, and many of the ports we have visited on the Great Lakes, Harrisville is a clean and nicely kept harbor in a quiet town with a lot of manicured grassy areas. We cruised the town, shared a soft serve ice cream in the park, then headed back to the L.A. for...