Lake Michigan Part 2

When the weather controls your life! or Where are the O’Flannigans?

So we got stuck in Charlevoix a little longer than we thought we would be.

We tried to leave twice and each time my big eyes and white knuckles made Gary turn the boat around back to the anchorage. As I always say:” if it isn’t a pleasure, I ain’t boating ,cause I am a PLEASURE BOATER!!”



I call Gary The Duck Whisperer.



A wreck of an old schooner , the water is so clear Gary took this picture from our flybridge



Both morning we tried to leave and had to turn back , we left very early. As you
can see some of us were not amused

One of the mornings we tried leaving. The sun is just coming up but when we got to
the end of the break wall the waves were too nasty, so we turned around and went back to bed.

 The weather has been the pits. And if anyone of you who reads this knows a weather forecaster, please go and give him/her a swift kick in the a$$ from me. Do these people actually know what they are doing??

The last time we tried leaving the seas were forecasted to be 1 foot or less, when we got out there they were a good 4-6 feet!

So we made the most of the situation and spent some time doing laundry and shopping for groceries in town before settling in at anchor to wait for a good weather day.

On Sunday our friends Jim and Ann (MV Wild Goose) Gold Loopers, who are currently doing some land travelling in the camper, came for a visit. We showed them around Charlevoix a little and went for a walk on the beach to look for Petoskey rocks.

The lovely Miss Ann, a true Southern Belle

Waving bye-bye as we leave Charlevoix

There we go...

Petoskey Rocks dry (unpolished)

Petoskey Rocks wet ( and guess who is going to have to spend hours polishing
rocks with sandpaper to get them to stay that way??!!)

 

Sidenote: Petoskey Rocks are actually fossilized coral. It has a unique honeycomb pattern and is found on the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. It is the official rock of Michigan. Last year I looked everywhere and couldn’t find any, this year I was luckier.

ANYHOW, as we are walking on the beach we looked out at the lake and it was getting calmer and calmer ( the forecast called for 3-4 foot waves) And after making sure it was ok with Jim and Ann ( they are boaters and know the value of a good weather window) we set out for the long trip to Frankfort.

 

We got in our dingy, rushed back to the anchorage, lifted the dingy on to the boat and off we went. The seas were never higher than a foot.

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes

Sun setting over Lake Michigan



Point Betsie lighthouse

Feelin blue?

With our doggy bags in hand after an excellent
 lunch at Dingys in Frankfort

Frankfort Lighthouse

Lake Michigan sand dunes - Frankfort

Starboard marker entrance into Frankfort

Oh how we miss them ....

 

Seven and a half hours later we arrived in Frankfort in the dark. It was a great travelling day and we are so glad we took that opportunity to go. After a good night sleep we took care of some business in town and met up with Jim and Ann again. This time we were able to go to lunch and spend a good few hours together before saying goodbye again.

Josie and a swan checking each other out.

 

 

To be continued……………..