Charleviox, Michigan

August 30 - September 2, 2018

Wow, it seems like a long time since we moved Zoey's Adventure. The fact is we arrived in Mackinaw City on August 26th and here it is August 30th, five days later and back on the adventure.

Once again the weather is cooperating with sunny skies and light wind. Our course today will take us under the Mackinac Straits Bridge, the 5th longest suspension bridge in the world. The bridge is 12,372 feet long and is the longest suspension bridge in the northern hemisphere. Our destination is Charlevoix, Michigan. This run is 48 miles and will take us just under four hours at our cruise speed.

Today we make our way around the tip of the Michigan peninsula and making our turn south and our trip down Lake Michigan. Since we left Kent Narrows, Maryland on Memorial day we have traveled north and west today the compass is reading south.

Charlevoix! Well, let me tell you just how beautiful this little harbor is. Wow! It's surrounded by some magnificent homes some with boat houses that are so big that the owner is able to dock his yacht inside behind these hugh garage doors. Not just one boat but sometimes two big yachts! The little village offers many nice little shops and restaurants and during the summer months, free concerts on Thursday nights. The village is loaded with flowers and beautiful green lawns that stretch from the main street to the waterfront and the town marina.

The marina reservations in Michigan are controlled by a central reservation system. When we need dockage we go online and make a request for a slip at the marina we are looking to stay at. Based on the dates and size of boat we get a reply indicating there is a slip open and book and pay online. Our plan was to spend three nights here as it was Labor Day weekend and take in the sights. Lou Ann found this little tour of the "Mushroom Houses".  Yes Mushroom. I asked what's that? Turns out to be really quite interesting. We joined this tour that is conducted aboard a four passenger electric cart driven by our driver guide. Seems this very famous builder/architect, Earl Young, self taught, built some very unique homes that are today both privately owned with some as summer rentals.

As I write about Charlevoix, I am having difficulty finding the best words to describe how beautiful this village is. It's kind of like Nantucket with the marina being at the village center but not so high end uppity and it's like our Mystic but a bit larger. Hope the pictures will show better what I can not describe.