Drummond Island to Mackinaw City, MI

August 26-27, 2018

Well, we are back in the Greatest Country in the World.... USA!!

Today would be a rather long day as far as mileage is concerned, 47 miles but unlike some days where we spent 5-7 hours traveling and only covering 13 miles, today, once away from the dock, it's up to cruise speed and Mackinaw City here we come.

The weather was overcast but dry and with good visibility. Our run would take us about 3 1/2 hours. Once we left Drummond Island we ran down the St. Mary's Shipping Channel that connects Lake Superior with Lake Huron. We'll follow the main shipping channel south to the northern tip of Lake Huron and make a right turn for a straight shot to Mackinaw City, MI. Except for one mid size freighter we passed on the Hudson River back in May, this would be our first experience to share the waterway with these very large ships. Never really that close but never the less you need to keep an eye on these big boys.

Once we made our right turn heading for Lake Michigan the visibility dropped down to maybe 100 yards. Good thing for radar except it's been 10 plus years since we have had to depend on radar to see what was in front or on either side of us.  Fortunately, we used the radar in good weather to become more familiar with this new piece of electronic equipment. Turned out the fog was short lived, only 10-15 minutes and back out in the open.

 Mackinac Island

 Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island.  This is quite a hotel.  Rooms start at $350 per night and at 6:00 pm women are required to wear pant suits or dresses and men are required to wear jacket and tie.  During the day is resort casual.  If you would like to just visit the hotel, there is a $25.00 tour fee or you can have lunch for $50.00.

Coast Guard Cutter Museum, Mackinaw City














Our route today would take us through the Straits of Mackinac, passing directly in front of Mackinac Island.  However, based on a forecast of high winds for the next few days we cruised past the island to Mackinaw City and the city marina. Plan was to spend four nights here and take the high speed ferry to Mackinac Island and spend the next night in a hotel and do the tourist thing. Being as it was my birthday, Lou Ann made dinner reservations at a wonderful waterfront restaurant to celebrate my special day.We walked the streets and checked out the fudge shoppes, 16 in all so we were told, and so many other shops to visit.

 Main Street, Mackinac Island

 This is the local taxi

 View of the Hotel Iroquois where we celebrated Rene's birthday.

Birthday dinner.












he island is truly unique as there are no motor vehicles.  The only means of transportation is to walk, bike, or take a horse drawn carriage. Even the building supply's are delivered by carriage as well as all the food and goods for the shops and restaurants.  Truly an interesting island.  And, yes the busiest man in town is the street sweeper, by the way there is more than one!

The next day we truly enjoyed a delightful horse drawn carriage tour of the island with a very knowledgeable driver before taking the ferry back to the main land.

 This is the owner of the Grand Hotel's private carriage museum.

View down into town

Returning to USA

August 25, 2018

Well, time has come to finally return to the good old USA. We have been in Canada for 60 days, except for a short time when we returned to Mystic in July. The weather today is not the best, light wind  making for calm seas and rain as we get closer to Drummond Island, Michigan. Somewhat of an early departure just before 8:00 am. Our run this morning would be a bit more than 35 miles and take us just about three hours. Being as we are returning into the USA we have to clear US Customs and Immigration. Problem is the US Customs and Boarder Control has closed it's office on Drummond Island....but wait we have that covered with our NEW app called ROAM. The App allows us to enter our name, address, passport information and take a picture of our passport. The app also asked information on our mode of transportation, ie. boat, private plane, snowmobile. As I am entering the information on the boat, make, length, state registration, it seems that when you want to reenter the US with a boat that is more then 30 feet long good old Uncle Sam wants to tax us. The fee is not that bad only $28.00. My interpretation is this is meant for those that make the crossing frequently not just once. When the app asked for boat length I enter 10 feet just to get to the next screen to complete the information required for US Customs.

Once we are in US waters indicated by a line on the chart and we have decent cell service I grab the cell phone and press the Roam app. I receive a message to stand by and within 2 minutes we are connected with a US Customs Agent, she can see us but we can't see her. She then asks all the normal questions - name, address, how long out of the US, purpose of the trip, have any liquor, fruits or vegetables, certain meat products? The agent asked me to give the phone to Lou Ann so she can see that she is the same person on the passport photo and ask her a few question. Of course we answer No to all the questions, however  Zoey's Adventure is, in fact, more like a floating Canadian Farmers Market. Good thing the agent did not ask to see the inside of the refrigerator or the plants Lou Ann stashed on the deck out of the view of the cellphone. The agent then asks to speak with yours-truly and ask me about the 10 foot boat...busted! The agent says "your not really on a ten foot boat are you"? I explain my reasoning and she nicely tells me to apply for the tax decal once we get into Drummond Island and send her the number, no big deal all they want is the money.

In all it only took less than ten minutes to clear US Customs. The agent welcomed us home and gave us a confirmation number and we continued our final run into the docks at Drummond Island Yacht Haven. This final leg was in moderate rain as we picked our way through the last three miles, first time to rely on our radar to identify the channel markers.

Boaters note: this marina is not as big as some we have stayed at however they specialize in indoor storage. There are 5 big aircraft hanger style buildings, 4 are about as wide as a football field and maybe half the length of a football field. The 5th and newest is the size of a football field. Here in Michigan and in Canada most of the boats stored for winter are inside in these heated building. No need to winterize the boat or cover it. I now know why most all the boats I have seen in the north country look so nice. Most boats are only outside in freshwater and in the weather 4 1/2 mouths a year.  The rest of the time they are inside protected from the elements.

North Channel Part 2

We want to start by saying we are sorry for such a long delay.  There does not seem to be enough hours in the day and the wifi has not been good, but there are no excuses.

Just for an update, as of today, 10/07/18, we are in Peoria, IL on the Illinois River.  We plan on heading out tomorrow and will take us 2 days to get to Grafton, IL, right at the confluence of the Mississippi River. We will be on the Mississippi for 2 days before heading north east onto the Ohio River. Then on to the Cumberland River, to the Tennessee River then the Tenn-Tom Waterway to Mobile, AL and the Gulf of Mexico.  Should take about 2 weeks but cannot arrive in Mobile before Nov. 1st because of insurance.

So now back to where we left off........

August 22-24, 2018

After meeting with Roy, Harbor Host for the North Channel a few days ago, we decide the weather looks favorable to set off for a short run to the north side of the North Channel where we are told are some very beautiful anchorages. Roy had pointed out some coves and small bays to consider based on the wind prediction for the next couple days, so off we go. Our destination would be South Benjamin Island. Upon arrival after a short one plus hour cruise, we did find the anchorage very beautiful with steep rock walls.  As we slowly made our way in we saw 2 power boats and a couple of sailboats already anchored. Once we surveyed the remaining spots to anchor Zoey's Adventure, we decided there was just not enough room for us to swing without getting to close to the other boats. As it's getting a bit late and the wind is beginning to pickup we did not feel comfortable looking for an alternate anchorage knowing if we had a problem setting the anchor we then would be pressed for time to make a safe harbor before dark. With this thought in mind it would be best to make a run to Gore Bay and the marina where we know we will be tied to a secure dock.

This was in the park next to the marina.  These chairs seem to be a big hit all over Canada.

This is the view of the marina and the beautiful views.


Turns out that Gore Bay offered a nice town run dock complete with good Wi-Fi. As luck would have it we met another Looper in Gore Bay that also decided not to stay in the Benjamins and made the run to Gore Bay.  Problem was he waited too long and had a very rough ride to the point where his wife was very sea sick!  We would end up staying 2 days here waiting for the winds to die down to make our next leg to Meldrum Bay.



August 24, 2018

Oh what an early start for us, up and at em, with a 7:26 AM departure from Gore Bay. Weather was overcast but no wind so the North Channel was nice and calm this morning. It's been our past experience that sea conditions, are for the most part, more favorable in the early daylight hours as opposed to afternoon. This was the case this morning. Once away from the dock we are able to get Zoey's Adventure up to her comfortable and economical 16 knot cruising speed. Two hours later, after a nice flat ride, we are making our approach in to the next navigable port, Meldrum Bay. Plan was to get tied up and have breakfast on shore. Oh well , there are only two places to eat. The Meldrum Bay Inn, a B&B, that is not open to non guest except for dinner and the other little place next-door doesn't open until noon and the little store/post-office only had frozen breakfast sandwiches. Back to the boat for a hot home-cooked breakfast. Never ceases to amaze me what Lou Ann can come up with from that galley, the best ham and egg sandwich! Plan was to spend one night here and the next day make the run to Drummond Island and the good old USA.

Fish eye view of Meldrum Bay Marina.  Not sure what happened with the camera.














Seeing as we still had some Canadian currency we would enjoy dinner at the Meldrum Bay Inn. Reservations for 6:30 pm and we were one of only three other couples in the dining room.  It was too cool to eat on the porch with the humming birds. At dinner there was another boater couple we chatted with and shared with them what we heard and knew about the Bear incident on Heywood Island, an area they where headed towards. Another couple at the table next to us overheard our bear conversation and asked more about it. Turns out this couple was on vacation for a week at the B&B and was very interested in our boat and our journey. We ended up talking with them and sharing our boating adventure. This would be our last night in Canada before returning to the USA. We entered  Kingston, Ontario, Canada on June 25, 2018 and tomorrow it will be August 25, 2018. 60 days in Canada and must say the time has just slipped by so quickly. We traveled the Trent-Severn Waterway, cruised Georgian Bay and although did not see and experience, North Channel like we wanted to it's been one helluva trip so far!

One last thought mostly for our boating friends,we have traveled almost 1400 miles... we never damaged a prop, gently touched bottom 3 time and have not had one mechanical issue .... I am sure I will eat those word soon. It's a boat and made to break !