Sunday, July 23, 2017 Hop to Traverse City

The group was pretty much up by six thirty. Sue was out walking the town and getting her exercise before the rest of us budged. I made some muffins and we had coffee, tea and fruit. Katee and Marianne were off to church before nine and Sue helped me straighten up before she was heading home at nine thirty.






We finished up and were on the water by ten. It was beautiful weather in town. It was a bit overcast; but the sun kept trying to peek through. It seemed like it was going to be a really nice day. As we headed West out of Frankfort the lake was fairly calm, with waves less than a foot. It was pretty hazy. As we turned to head north, the skies were overcast and it was really gray. The seas picked up a bit and were quartering us from the rear with SW winds.



Our original plan was to run to Leland from Frankfort. After we almost got shut out in Frankfort I called Leland to ask about availability for Sunday and Monday. No dice. They were completely booked. Now I was in a bit of a panic. I got on the DNR Harbor reservation website and started figuring out where we were going to go next. Boating is not like camping as far as reservations go. There are days on the water that you just can't go.... High winds, big seas are just not worth taking a chance out there. We had decided when we planned the trip to just move from place to place based on what was open. That was sounding like it wasn't going to be an option.

So I made reservations for three nights in Traverse, two nights in Petoskey, one night on Beaver Island and one night at Straits Harbor in Mackinac City. We already had one night reserved on Mackinac Island. Phew, I feel much better and I hope the weather is kind to us for the next week.

I was so busy trying to figure out our overnight arrangements that I didn't take any pictures on the way in to Frankfort. So, here's some on our way out.





The town beach inside the breakwall. It is very protected.

I looks like the area along here is pretty steep along the water.





As we traveled north along the pinky finger we passed Sleeping Bear Dunes.



We started to come into some one to two foot swells and it was white capping a bit. Still comfortable; even as rain spit on us a little bit. We rounded the point at the Grand Traverse light and entered Grand Traverse Bay. We decided that you just don't get an appreciation for the size of the bay while on land. Out on the water it is just so huge.

As we moved farther south into the bay to Traverse City the water started to lay down a bit and the sun started peeking between the clouds.

We were docked in Traverse City by 2:30. The marina is beautiful. Nice wide slips and fixed docks that just happen to be the right height for us. The boat ran great!

We tied up, hooked up our electrical and washed down the transom. We did a little housekeeping and walked to dinner at Scalawags. Love the bobber salt and pepper.