The clouds were here all day. Rain about 11:30 and shower on and off all the remainder of the day. Temp were in the low 70s. Winds light to start- building to 25 in the afternoon (isn't that higher than 15 knots of the forecast?)
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The toss up has been for a while - when will be be at Mackinac Island - so we can try to make reservations to stay at Mackinac Island.
The link above will give you a fair amount of information on the Island, but it is a must stop location for someone passing through. There are no automobiles (except emergency vehicles) allowed on the island - but there are all the horses and resulting droppings one could ever want. Mike Rowe apparently did a "Dirty Jobs" show from here. It will be interesting to see it in person. But with the through back in time comes (we hope) the elegance at the Grand Hotel that was associated with fashionable destinations of yesteryear.
The weather for today looked rather iffy to try to stop at the Island and we found that they were full for today anyway and that we could get in on Tuesday. So we opted to go to Mackinaw City which is about 5 miles beyond the Island. The trip from DeTour was 40 miles so we did not what to wait a day and miss that much travel time - and we did want to see Mackinaw City as well.
Our decision turned out to be a good one. A boat that left DeTour ahead of us stopped at the Island. They ended up coming in to the marina here later in the afternoon because it was so windy and rough at the island. If the wind is out of a southeasterly direction it is going to be rough in the marina. We were snug as a bug in a rug. Tomorrow is supposed to be much better on all counts.
But the trip was an event in itself. We left with the hope that we would be ahead of the "risk of thunderstorms" and any rain. One out of two isn't bad and the one we didn't get was the thunderstorm - good result in my book. But remember the freighters that are running around here? Guess where one of there routes goes through - the passage between Mackinac and Round Islands that is not very wide. And guess when the rain and increased winds came up and we met a freighter? Yup - you got it. See for yourself.
Before I took the shots below the freighter was headed directly across my bow. I know he was supposed to turn but it is an uneasy feeling when they are coming at you at 14 knots. And sure, why not add some rain to make it more interesting. But we both did what we were supposed to do and I am here to write and tell you about it - good, eh? (old habits die hard, eh Sis?)
It was lunch time so we headed to town and "main" street. Boy did it look like Old Orchard in Maine. Can you say tourist shops?
Well finally after seeing enough fudge and ice cream and tee shirts to last a lifetime we came upon the Cabelas/LL Bean of the north - oh this well be good. I need a new chamois shirt.
What a disappointment - not just more tee shirts - but more than I could have ever imagined!!!!!
After a Dairy Queen (we are practicing over indulgence for our trip to the Island tomorrow) we strolled back to the boat.
The entrance to one of a half a dozen or more boat companies running ferries to the Island
The famous Mackinac Straights Bridge. When we go under it we will cross from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan.
As I have won the two games of cribbage we played tonight, I am feeling the need to savor my victories on a account they occur so infrequently ....so I will say ..........
Good Night and May God Bless
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