A little geography. Mackinac Island sits at the junction of Lake Huron to the east and Lake Michigan to the west. Lake Superior is a short cruise up the St Mary's River to the Sault St Marie Locks. The North Channel lies just east of the St Mary's River. You might say Mackinac is at the center of the fresh water world.
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| The Mackinaw Bridge linking the upper and lower peninsular |
Our circle of the Straits started when we departed Cheboygan on Saturday (8/18) with Jan's Tern and headed northwest up the South Channel (between Bois Blanc Island and the lower peninsular) 17 miles to Mackinaw City. The next day we headed 7 miles north running parallel to the magnificant Mackinaw Bridge to St Ignace. On Monday morning we cruised 6 miles east to Mackinac Island. The net result was a 30 mile half circle.
Mackinaw City was the first port in 5,701 miles that we had previously visited, albeit 7 or 8 years ago. It is one of two jumping off places for people visiting Mackinac Island, the other being St Ignace, which we visited for the first time.
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| Sheplers Mackinaw City ferry operation |
The first striking differenceat Mackinaw City was the the new (2 year old) absolutely first class Straits State municipal marina, which was surprisingly empty.
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| Straits State Marina showers, bathrooms and laundry facilities |
Side story: We docked our 44 Sundancer at Mackinaw City years ago because Mackinac Island was booked solid. Our strategy we to take the ferry over to the island. Our visit was complicated by a Tiara rendezvous that took up most of the docks. We were relegated to the slip at the far end of a very long pier. This proved incredibly inconvenient when heavy thunderstorms moved into the area while we were doing laundry. We waited almost an hour for the storms to abate but they did not. We finally took our laundry and literally ran down the pier getting soaked. To make matters worse, we had to open the canvas, which was very difficult from a fixed pier in a downpour. The words "drenched. soaked, drowned" do not quite capture the degree of wet we experienced.
This time the weather was perfect. We spent the day exploring the "city" and it lovely parks. Tourists flock to Mackinaw City to take the one of three ferry lines (Star, Shepler and Arnold) to Mackinac Island. Three ferries leave every half hour transporting thousands for the 15 minute trip to the island. Many tourists choose to stay in Mackniaw City motels to avoid the $400 or more per day room costs on the island.
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| Star Line ferry departing for Mackinac Island |
Mackinaw City is literally a tourist town designed to entertain folks waiting for their ferry overy to the island. Fudge shops abound as do t-shirt, apparal, kitch shops and restaurants.
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| Kodi next to a lab statue |
Speaking of entertainment. A group of approximately 10 people gathered around while Kodi was entertaining a young child. People were facinated with Kodi' counting skills (she counts reliably to any number between 1 and 5) and other behavoirs. Later we passed a group of "actors" offerring to arrest people and publically humiliate them (yes I also do not get it) for 100 coins ($1.00). I watched them for 30 minutes during which time they got no takers. Kodi and I could have made lots of money if we offered ourselves as street performers. All I need to do is teach her to take dollar bills out of viewers hands (a 20 minute project).
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| Actors offerring to arrest and humiliate folks for $1.00 |
The highlight of my visit was a walk to the 5 mile long Mackinaw Bridge, which is the third longest in the world. Built bewtween 1955 and 1957 at cost of $100,000,000. The parks along the route to the bridge contain numerous plaques explaining the rich history of the area, which involves the French, British, Native Americans and the Colonists.
Here was the heart of the fur trade established by John Jacob Astor.
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| Entrance to the Fort Michilimacinac park |
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| Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse |
We ended the day with a spectacular dinner at the Chippewa Room at Audies Restaurant that had to rate as one of the 10 best on our Great Loop adventure.
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| Antique car used to shuttle people from the motel |
Our one day trip to St Ignace was prompted by the fact that we had Monday reservations for Mackinac Island and that this was one of the few ports that Diana and I had not visited during our 10 years of cruising Lake Michigan. Again we traveled with Bob and Jan from Jan's Tern.
St Ignace, which is also a jumping off point for Mackinac Island, also has the same three ferry companies (Star, Shepler and Arnold) but does not have the motels and shopping facilities of Mackinaw City. What it did have was a very nice municipal marina and the lowest price diesel ($3.97 compared to $4.43 in area marinas). We took 241 gallons.
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| Native American performing in front of a St Ignace gift shop |
The next article will cover our two days on Mackinac Island.
Written by Les.
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