6/24 - 7/19/24 - Great Lakes - 2024 (Racine, WI to North Channel, Ontario, CA)

Port-A-Gee enjoyed a well-deserved winter's nap, and her crew crew spent the winter in Fort Myers.  Cap decided to go legit and completed a Captain's Licensing course.  He is now a US Coast Guard-certified
Captain!  Congrats - but he was MY Captain all along.

June 1, 2024 - Cap spent countless hours sprucing up Port-A-Gee, after our 14-month cruise, and she was ready to get back on the water.  It rained ALL DAY - we had to dig deep into our storage lockers to arouse our 7-year-old, never used raingear!  We made it through the 3 Illinois Locks (Dresden Island, Brandon Road, Lockport) without incident.  11 hours in the rain, and we finally arrived at Chicago Harbor's O'Brien lock for our measly 2-foot ascent to Lake Michigan.

Burnham Harbor

Our dear friends, Doug & Patricia were aboard Talisman at Burnham Harbor, and they had a lovely spaghetti dinner ready for us upon our arrival!

June 2, 2024 - We bid farewell to the Crew of Talisman and the beautiful Chicago Harbor.  We saluted our new granddaughter, Charlotte Jane, as we passed Northwestern Prentice Women's Hospital where she was born hours earlier!

For the next 6 weeks, we went back and forth between Racine, WI and Lemont, IL dividing our time between boating and family.  A return to the Looper Lifestyle was calling. Our Loop route took us down the East side of Lake Michigan, so we planned a trip up the West side of the Lake and the Upper Peninsula.

TIME TO GET BACK INTO THE CRUISER'S LIFESTYLE

Mon, 6/24-25/24 - Racine, WI (Reef Point Marina) to Sheboygan, WI (Harbor Center Marina) (63NM).  It was a beautiful, sunny day with calm seas.  We reminisced as we passed the Wisconsin harbors we had visited - Milwaukee, Port Washington, and were thrilled to have new water under our keel as we approached Sheboygan.  BTW, "ShaBOYgun" should always we expressed in a Jerry Lewis cadence!

We heard great things about Harbor Center Marina's amenities, pool, bar, etc.  As we were trying to identify our dock (because there was no staff to greet us) it was clear that the marina had been neglected.  Our assigned slip was not agreeable, so we found another on the next dock.  Our walk to the office to check in slowly revealed more neglect.  Pool, bar, ship store, all closed.  The gentleman working there was not concerned about our slip replacement nor that we requested an additional night.  He gave us our badges - so the place was still secure.  The boater's lounge, laundry, and shower rooms were beautiful, and told a story of a better times.

Our uphill walk to go downtown was delightful.  It was a beautiful sunny day with a cool breeze.  First stop was the Post Office.  It was the most magnificent Post Office I'd ever seen - both inside and out!  The clerk took custody of our passport renewal applications and recommendations for local places to visit.  (Later, as we crossed the border into Canada, we realized we didn't have our passports!)

Like the marina, the town told a story of better days, while it was not rundown, it was definitely underutilized.  We stopped at the Victorian Chocolate Shoppe, Sly's Midtown Salooon, and Legend Larry's.

Overnight, we experienced the strongest winds ever!  Cap had to get up in the middle of the night and secure the lines to withstand the 40mph gusts.  The lines were taut, and the boat was pushed away from the dock, so he had to make a jump onto the wet/slippery dock.  I held my breath!

Tues, 6/25/24 - Cap & I got off the boat and went for our respective 3-mile walk/run.  The paved lake and river walks were beautiful.  We relaxed in the marina all day and enjoyed dinner on the boat.  Locals who stopped by filled us in on the City's non-management of the marina.  Apparently, it is in need of expensive repairs, and have decided not to invest any money in the marina while they're sorting it out.

Wed., 6/26/24 - Sheboygan, WI to Manitowoc, WI (22.5NM).  It was another beautiful day on Lake Michigan.  It was immediately evident that this marina was well-run.  3 dockhands greeted us to catch our lines.  We were tied up and ready to explore the town by 1:00.  My only knowledge of Manitowoc comes from the popular series during Covid, Making of a Murderer.  Well, I'm sure the town was not happy about  its, because it is a lovely, thriving town that we thoroughly enjoyed visiting.  

We were steps into our walk to town when we heard the SS Badger coming into port from Ludington! 
She was under repair when we were in the Ludington Marina last Fall - we were delighted to see she's back on the water.

Our first stop was the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, featuring the USS Cobia submarine, which we toured.  Such a fascinating museum, and similar to the Maritime Museum in Ludington, the Lake Michigan shipwrecks were of particular interest to us.  Also, the Great Loop was recognized!  We stood by the display for a while ready to take questions - but no takers.  Too bad, it's our favorite subject!

After the museum, we walked deep into town looking for a place to eat.  We settled on Moore's Irish Pub, with a little apprehension because the street was pretty desolate, and we weren't sure what to expect.  BUT, it was great!  A delightful corner pub where locals gather.  We watched the Cubs hand a win to the local MLB team (Brewers) - demoralizing.

On our way back to the marina, we spied a waterfront place, The Wharf.  What a great place!  They were setting up for dueling pianos, but we had a long day and between our 2 stops had enough to eat & drink. 

Thurs, 6/27-29/24- - Manitowoc, WI to Sturgeon Bay, WI (CentrePointe Marina) (51.8NM) We were pulling out of Manitowoc harbor by 8:00 a.m., another picture-perfect day, but the seas were a little angry.  Cap throttled up a bit to make it a more comfortable ride.  Around 1:00 we turned off Lake Michigan and into the channel to Sturgeon Bay, arriving at CentrePointe Marina around 2:00.  We were greeted by 2 first-class dockhands who helped us tie up and later gave us a rundown of the property which features a pool and beautiful shower suites, laundry and indoor/outdoor boater's lounges.

We walked into the cute town full of shops and dining opportunities.  We had a few beers at the Door County Fire Company.  Then we traced our steps back and crossed the Bay to the other side of town, which didn't have as much to offer, but we were thrilled to have found Kitty O'Reilly's Irish Pub.  The bartenders and local patrons were welcoming, and all were having a great time.  We sat at the bar and had a wonderful meal.  Brian's cob salad with brisket was to die for!  We may stop again on our way back just for the salad!

Fri, 6/28 - It was a miserable, cold, rainy day.  We stayed on board most of the day, but around 3:00 decided to walk to the organic market to pick up a few things.  The weather was clearing up, so we decided to stop in Poh's Corner Pub.  Another great stop with delightful bartenders and patrons.  Everyone is in such a good mood here!  We had a few cold ones and had dinner on the boat.

The high winds in Sheboygan took their toll on our cockpit sunshade.  I noticed the seam was opening along the sleeve that secures it to the rod.  Brian recalled seeing Dave's Auto & Marine Upholstery shop in town, so he gave them a call.  The number had a 630 area code, so he inquired about it.  Turns out the proprietor was from Woodridge, IL, and moved his operation to Sturgeon Bay because he likes it there.  He picked up our ailing sunshade from the marina, secured all stitching, and returned it a couple hours later.  

Sat - 6/29 - Fickle weather in the UP!  Thankfully, the sun reappeared, the temps were only in the high 70's, but the sun made it feel much warmer.  Cap & I enjoyed a great 3-mile walk along the shoreline and then went into town for the Open Door Pride Festival in town.  We had a light lunch at Morning Glory By the Bay.  The rest of the afternoon was spent at the pool - it was a great day!

Happy birthday, Alyssa!!!  We gifted her plane tickets to visit Kaleigh in Oregon, so finally a guilt-free missed birthday!  Love you, baby girl

Sun, 6/30/24 - Sturgeon Bay:  CentrePointe Marina to Wave Pointe Marina (12NM) Just for a change of scenery, we decided to go to a marina in Green Bay - Packer Territory!  Seas were a little more than we like, so we cruised a bit faster until we got around the lighthouse.  Wave Pointe is a resort with hotel, restaurant and pool.  We intended on staying 3 nights, because Tuesday did not look like a good travel day.  We walked out to the front of the resort and found a 2-lane highway dotted with cottages, and nothing else. 3 days with nothing of interest would be long.  We headed back to the resort restaurant and had less-than-great meals.  The facilities and staff were nice, but we decided to move on.

Mon, 7/1-2/24 - Sturgeon Bay to Menominee, MI (17.6NM) After a good night's sleep, we decided that we should move on and go someplace that had more to offer ahead of weather coming on Tuesday.  We decided on Menominee, which put us right over the border into Michigan, and only 17 miles across Green Bay.  (Side note:  Every time I day the city's name, my head hears the Muppet's rendition of Manamana, do dooo dododo)

Great decision - It was a big marina on the edge of town and had a good vibe.  Also, Brian had to get some blood work done, and his doctor sent orders to a clinic 1.3 miles from the marina.  We decided to check out the clinic ahead of his appointment the next day, so we saw a lot of Menominee.  We stopped for an early dinner at the Cove, and dessert at Downtown Sandwich & Ice Cream Shoppe.

Tues, 7/2 - The weather report was right - Bay conditions were not anything we would try.  The forecasted rain was on and off.  We used the day to do laundry and hang around the gorgeous boater's lounge for the afternoon.

As much as we liked our stay in Menominee, inexplicably, I did not get a single photo!  Guess we'll have to go back there some day.

Wed, 7/3-2/24 - Menominee, MI to Fish Creek, WI (Alibi Marina) (20.8NM) All of the apps predicted waves to be ZERO - they were off by about 2.5+ feet! We were taking the waves on the bow/beam.  Two of our galley drawers liberated their locks and tossed tingling silverware all over the floor.

We were relieved to get off the water and pull into Egg Harbor.  We radioed our arrival and requested slip information.  We were instructed to our slip, but as we pulled up the dockhands questioned whether we had a reservation.  We did not have a reservation!  We had a reservation at Alibi Marina in Fish Creek.  We headed back out into Green Bay, but this time the waves were hitting us on our stern, so much more tolerable.

About 45 minutes later, we were securely tied up in Alibi Marina.  Our slip looked over the bay - it was lovely.  We walked into the busy town among our fellow tourists and enjoyed apps and cocktails at the Loft.

We returned to the boat and set up our chairs in front of Port-A-Gee to enjoy a front row seat to the fireworks display!  Just before dark, a group of Patriots paddled their way through the marina.

Thurs, 7/4/24 - As we stepped off Port-A-Gee for our walk, our dock neighbors suggested we go to Cottage Row.  It was a beautiful 2-mile walk along a shaded road where beautiful homes overlook Green Bay.  None of them can be classified as a "Cottage".

We took another walk into town and enjoyed the outdoor seating at Bayside for dinner.  Our next stop was at Drippy's for ice cream sundaes - YUM!

Fri, 7/5/24 -Rain was in the forecast for much of the day, but it didn't dampen our spirits because Dom, Emily Jack, Charlotte, Laddie, Jane, and Meemaw Betty came over from Sister Bay to have lunch with us!  They walked back to the marina with us and visited Port-A-Gee until the skies recommended heading back to their cars. With 97-year-old Betty and 1-month old Charlotte, they didn't need to get caught in a rainstorm.

We attempted to provision at the only Market in town, but their inventory was more for the wine and cheese set!

The sun finally came out in the late afternoon, so we walked to the other side of town to Peninsula State Park.

Sat, 7/6-8/24 - Fish Creek, WI to Garden, MI (Fayette State Park).  (44.0NM).  We left Door County and headed back to Geen Bay, passed Washington Island.  Seas were calm, and we enjoyed the cruise under sunny skies.  Delighted, as we saw the bluffs of Fayette harbor and the adjacent Ghost Town/State Park.

Most of the abandoned buildings were steps from the 15-slip marina.  We enjoyed walking the property and reading the markers about the community that manufactured charcoal pig iron between 1867-1891.

The property features campgrounds, boat ramp, marina, and a lot of interesting history.

Ghost Town

We walked to the only restaurant in miles - as far as we could tell.  We enjoyed our burgers and beer at Sherry's Port Bar.

It was a great stop, so we decided to stay an extra night.  Our only complaint is the ridiculous DNR reservation system.  Because it's impossible to reserve 3 nights - in the same slip - we stayed in slip 9 on Saturday, slip 11 on Sunday, and back to slip 9 on Monday!

Tues, 7/9/24 - Fayette State Park to Manistique, MI (44.4NM).  A beautiful day, but the North winds made it a little lumpy.  Cap throttled up to 18mph for a smoother ride.

Manistique marina is a small marina, the only employee that day was on the face dock to catch our lines, get fuel and pump out.  2 other sailboats were on the dock as well.

We walked to town & Jack's Fresh Market for provision - about a 1-mile walk. The laundry room was well-equipped and clean, and literally steps from the boat.  The shower room was also fantastic.  Brian grilled the shish kabob from Jack's Market, and we listened to the Cubs Win!!

Manistique sky treated us to a gorgeous sunset.

Wed, 7/10/24 - Manistique, MI to St. Ignace, MI (67.9NM).  Started out a little lumpy, about 1/2-ft waves.  An hour in, swells increased to 2.5-3 ft on the beam.  Port-A-Gee got wet!  Buckets of water were hitting the windshield - penetrating water from places we've never had before!  As the Mighty Mac Bridge came into view, the seas settled down and we enjoyed a leisurely cruise for the rest of the day.  Having reached the highest point of Lake Michigan we followed the Mackinac Straits onto Lake Huron.

Mighty Mac Bridge

Settled in our slip, we walked into town and had a lovely dinner at Buoys. Cubs Win!!

Thurs, 7/11/24 - St. Ignace.  We walked along the shoreline to get our 3-miles in and then enjoyed a few cold brews at Gangplank.  Cap was talking to someone on another dock and I was on the boat reading my book.  I looked up, and Tracy Grass walked by our boat.  We met Tracy & Tom in 2016 at Joe Wheeler State Park when they were doing the Loop on Bucket List.  They cruise these waters pretty regularly, so we enjoyed an evening aboard Bucket List for tips on anchorages.

Tom & Tracy Grass, Bucket List

DeTour Lighthouse w/guest keepers

Fri, 7/12/24 - St. Ignace to DeTour Village (23.9NM).  A short, uneventful cruise deposited us in DeTour Village, MI, at the border between US & Canada.  This was our 3rd visit to DeTour, so we were familiar with the layout.

Before leaving home, we contacted Pete & Cheryl Glasssen, the Sturgeon Bay Harbor Hosts.  They were a wealth of information, including a new discovery, the John W. Boardman ship.  A local couple have been converting it into to a cottage in excess of 10 years, a true labor or love. We walked the 1.5 miles to see it in person.  I was equally impressed with the little harbor they dug out for their Tug boat.

The Dollar Store has better provisioning options than the grocery store, but we visited both.  We had a nice dinner in the bar at Mainsail.  The locals were complaining about the heat and humidity - we hardly noticed!

We returned to the dock to find a 31-Cutwater tied up next to us.  We chatted with crew from Seattle who were doing the Loop.

Several Michigan lighthouses are available for overnight lodging.  It was occupied by this week's Guest Lighthouse Keepers - so cool!

Of Note:  While walking around town in DeTour, MI, our Xfinity phone provider notified us that we were in Canada and need to add the travel package for $5.00/day.  Last year, Brian still had AT&T, so he did not have any issues with connectivity in Canada.  I had Xfinity and paid $5.00/day when I turned my phone on. We called Xfinity and were advised that we can "upgrade" to another plan - at no cost - and we will have coverage in Canada.  We said, "Yes". 

The whole time we were in Canada, Brian had 1 bar, and my phone remained on SOS, but I was able to Bluetooth to his phone.  We survived, but was very stressful trying to monitor weather apps! We had spotty Wi-Fi at marinas, and Festivus let us connect to their Starlink when we were in Hotham.

Sat, 7/13/24 - DeTour Village, MI to Les Cheneaux Islands, MI (21.5NM).  We cruised in 1'ft seas under cloud cover.  We enjoyed weaving through the cottages of Les Cheneaux.  Many of them had beautiful wood boats in their boathouses.  

Our destination, Government Bay, was host to several boats, but there was plenty of room for more.  There were a few cottages along the shore, and a little beach.  We set our anchor and gave thanks for this experience.  

Sun, 7/14/24 - Le Cheneaux Islands - Government Bay is favored by locals who beach their runabouts, pontoons, and dinghies. We cruised around the bay in our dinghy but decided to leave the beach for the locals to enjoy.

Mon, 7/15/24 - Le Cheneaux Islands, MI to North Channel, Ontario, CA - Bear Drop Anchorage (57.2NM) - It was a nice day, and we were excited to be back in the North Channel, and our third visit to Bear Drop.  High West winds were in the forecast on Tuesday, so we felt protected in this anchorage.  Four boats had the same idea, so we made our way to the south end to stay out of the way of our neighbors and leave plenty of swing once the winds picked up.

I called Canada's border patrol to report that we were in Canadian waters, heading to an anchorage for a few days.  I was instructed to call back when we actually set the anchor.  So, I called again later - not mentioning that we did not have our passports!  We do have global entry and Brian has Nexus, so we were fine.  We were welcomed to Canada and given a number to post in our windshield, but if and when we go to a port, we need to report again.

It's hard to describe the rugged beauty of the water that meets huge granite formations with hearty, windswept pines pushing their way to the sky.

Loons!  First you hear their eerie call that queues me to scan the water.  It's as exciting as seeing Dolphins in the South and southeast!

Tues, 7/16 - Bear Drop Anchorage - As predicted strong west winds kept us on the boat all day.  It was warm in the morning, and my toes registered inviting water temps.  I put my bathing suit on, and watched the day increasingly squash my plans for a splash.

Wed, 7/17/24 - Bear Drop Anchorage to Hotham Anchorage - (18.7NM) - This was a new anchorage for us, but we knew of its legend.  Hotham in well-known by Loopers and locals, due to the owners of a cottage in the anchorage.  They come around in their kayak and invite everyone on their porch for cocktails and fellowship.

Nebo also let us know Kurt & Leanne on Festivus had dropped their anchor.  We met them when they came through Racine on their 1st of 2 Loops in 2018.  We've had several encounters since, and always enjoy their company.

After securing our anchor, Brian had to do some maintenance - filter change.  Then we hopped in the dinghy and boarded Festivus to catch up with Kurt and Leanne.  As promised, the kayak paddled over, but to let us know they had family in town, so no cocktails tonight.  So nice of them to do that!

Literally minutes after we got back on Port-A-Gee, the winds kicked up, and the anchorage was consumed by a squall for about 30 minutes.  The anchor held, the storm cleared and apologized for the disruption in the form of a rainbow!

Hotham Rainbow over Festivus

Thurs, 7/18/24 Hotham Anchorage to Gore Bay Marina, Gore Bay, ON (18.7 NM) - Conditions were not optimal, and forecasted to get worse by noon, so we decided to follow Festivus and Big Blue for an early-morning departure.  Murray & Leslie frequently cruise with Kurt and Leanne on their 34-Mainship Trawler, Big Blue.

I called Canada border patrol again and let them know we were on solid ground.  They welcomed us again and gave us a new reporting number!

We didn't stop at Gore Bay on our Loop, but we did go there in our Cutwater in 2019.  We were still kind of terrified by the long-distance boating, so didn't check out the town.  Well, it turns out we did ourselves a disservice.  What a great town!

We spent our first day walking around town, and then joined the crews of Festivus & Big Blue for dinner at Bouy's, adjacent to the marina.  Ice Cream was available at the other end of the marina, so we justified a large scoop with our walk!

Deer were everywhere, even in town.  They will let you get very close to them!

I had been trying to get a pedicure since we left Racine.  I guess it's not important in harbor towns.  As soon as we stepped on the main street, I spied a sign for a spa!  I went in and scheduled a pedicure on Friday afternoon - score!

Fri, 7/19/24 Gore Bay - It was farmer's market day.  After browsing the 20-or so booths, we went to the grocery store. After stowing our provisions, we walked the perimeter of the bay to get our 3-miles in.  The landscape is gorgeous, and again, the plentiful deer were unimpressed with humans!

Theresa - Spiritually uplifting Pedicure

I went for my pedicure and got so much more than I expected.  My afternoon with Theresa, the proprietor, was restorative and not only for my feet!  I watched her as she carried huge pots of water back and forth from the" kitchen" of the renovated space, to the "dining room".  She did not have the luxury of the customary floor plumbing, rolling carts, vibrating chairs, but she made it all work.

Then we started chatting.  We talked about everything under the sun, during which she interspersed her amazing personal history. She left an abusive relationship in Africa, and decided America was the place where she should raise her then 3-year-old daughter.  She left her daughter with her parents and took $500 to New York to start her new life.  Long story, but she eventually ended up in Toronto, managed to convince a cosmetology school to allow her to work off her tuition, and 3 years later sent for her then, 6-year-old daughter.  She told the story in such a positive light.  She laughed and was just as surprised at how thing worked out as I was. I was thoroughly charmed.  After my toes dried, she gave me the biggest, warmest hug.  It was a wonderful day!

With my newly painted toes, Brian and I went for a cold beer at Splitrail Brewery, then got some sweets at  Finnia Chocolate shop.  Finally, we walked to dinner at Watersedge Pub & restaurant at the Inn at Gore Bay.  A legit Supperclub menu that included liver and onions on the menu!  I elected the Rainbow Trout and it was delicious!

Stunning Views All Over Town

This concluded our travels in Canada and the UP.  We reversed our course and began our way back to Racine.

Racine, WI>Sheboygan, WI>Manitowoc, WI>Sturgeon Bay, WI>Menominee, MI>Fish Creek/Door County, WI>Fayette/Garden, MI>Manistique, MI>St. Ignace,MI>DeTour Village, MI>Les Cheneaux Islands, MI>Bear Drop, Ontario, CA>Hotham, Ontario, CA>Gore Bay, Ontario, CA