Spent a delightful week in Charlevoix...eat well, enjoyed good company of longtime friends...and met a few new ones.  Crossed Traverse Bay this morning to mixed reviews...first hour was a brief reminder of our bad days of boating...those were not two foot or less!! But once we rounded the point, it began to settle down quite nicely. Smooth waters into the marina. Greeted warmly by a couple of boaters we met here in June. (They've not gone anywhere...) They are amazed we are back...guess they didn't believe us or maybe thought we'd get lost?!!! Anyway, we are here with a list of chores...plan to go get the RV in the morning and begin the transistion to Kansas. Our plan for now is to head south on Thursday...we don't have much faith that our friends boating this direction will make our current location before we go! Which is a real bummer! But we will see them again sometime...just maybe not this time!!

Farmer's market was delightful...Linda B rode her bike over to join me! We made plans for snacking and drinking on the aft deck tonight while listening to the free music concert. We don't even care what / who plays!! Heat here is cranking up... High today will be 88... Light steady breeze makes it very nice really. Though the locals are complaining a little. Rain is suppose to be moving in tonight and temps for the next three days predicted to be in the 70s!! Another good reason to be in the north in the summertime!! I still have shopping to do in town...but sure thinking about putting that off until it cools tomorrow. Today 40 boats left...and they tell me 40 more will arrive...think I'll go read on the aft deck and watch the boat parade!! They do come in bunches because the low bridge only opens every 30 minutes!!

Interesting fact...this is my 1,220th post to this blog. Mission when I return to Kansas is to post photos taken last summer in Canada...and print Loop 2....Merry Christmas!

Up early to place the call to Charlevoix...and we are in!!! One day at a time....I did manage a reservation for Thursday...but Friday and Saturday will once again have to be a day-to-day gamble. But we are living on the lucky side these days so I'm not worried! But you should see the slip we are in! I'm so glad my Captain can park this boat on a dime!! Wow!!

The gentleman are here...and Linda and Ted Bemis are here too....so farmer's market in the morning...free in the park music tomorrow night...shopping and eating with friends. Weather looks really good for the rest of our Michigan stay.

We plan to return to Northport on Sunday, retrieve the RV on Monday and start the transistion to Kansas. We have buddies in the North Channel...looks like one will make it 'round the horn before we leave and one won't. But such is the life!!

Frankfort to Leland...41 miles...another gorgeous day on the lake!! It almost makes me forget about the "bad" days we've had!! Key word is almost...we do seem to be living on the lucky side. Right now, we are wanting to visit my fav little burg...Charlevoix...and there are no reservations available...but they keep saying to call at 8 on the day of our intended arrival and they will put us on the wait list. So we are going to proceed as planned!

Leland is a busy little port...we couldn't stop there in June on our way down so we were determined to make this stop. They have trouble with shoaling at the channel entrance and we had heard that this year they were denied funding to have that dredged...but even though it was very narrow, they are open for business and busy as ever. We arrived with perfect timing as boats were waiting in line the rest of the afternoon to get in. Cute little Fishtown tourist attraction...and cute shops...we managed to find several items worthy to keep. I even bought two pairs of shoes...Olukai sandals...my favorite boating shoes. Floyd just shakes his head...first because I already have 20 pairs of shoes stored on the boat...and second, because these are identical to some I already own. But you gotta have back up!!!

Anyway, it was a fun stop. Gentleman on the boat next to us are from the Cleveland area..and plan to follow us to Charlevoix tomorrow. Three looper boats...but they are distracted and too busy to spend much time with us.

Manistee to Frankfort...29 miles...truly the best day ever of boating...smooth water, gentle breeze...we knew where we were going and where we wanted to eat! Kilwin's ice cream was in our day...great grassy park for Dakota...and probably a dog or two that he knew! YES! Fusion Asian bistro lived up to a great second visit...all things went according to plan.

And since I'm on the real computer (instead of my Ipad)...let me post some new photos of TUMBLEWEED we took at anchor on that skanky Illinois River...LaGrange Lock and Dam in the distance...we think she looks really good with that new black canvas and wax job....sometimes even we don't recognize her. This year we seem to getting lots of compliments about what a good looking boat she is!!! We totally agree!!!

Captain says sleep and then we'll leave whenever you get up...so headed to Frankfort about 8...it was another perfect day on Lake Michigan...smooth and pleasant.  We have a sushi restaurant on tap for this evening...and there's a Kilwin's ice cream store. Walking to town shortly.

The bad news was our request for dockage in Charlevoix this week is a mess...we hope to get on the wait list...and may not be able to stay as long or where we want...we shall see...guess there's big doings there this week....

We are on the down side of our trip!! Plan to be headed toward Kansas on the 11th...but I'm really torn! Wee have good boating friends who are in the North Channel headed our way...while I don't want them to rush, I do wish they'd hurry and get here before we leave! Aaarrrggghhh!!

A lovely day in Manistee!! We mingled with other loopers...and re-connected with a boat we'd seen in Grand Haven. One of the loopers was actually a couple we had spent time with last fall at the rendezvous in Joe Wheeler. We were both there in RVs. Small world!!

Dakota and I finally got a dinghy ride...though several folks warned us not to go...seems a lake freighter had come in this morning and they were expecting him to head out this afternoon. W saw nothing.....but then around 4:30 , we heard the horns (Floyd wants those horns) and knew beyond a doubt that it was something big a coming!! WOW!! Up close and personal!! Shoulda seen the little sailboat trying to get out of his way...there was no where to go...so he hightailed it back to the lake. We never saw him again.

Even growing tomatoes and such on the deck!!!!

Freighter Stats say he was 65 feet wide...channel was maybe 95 feet. Three football fields long!! We were amazed...and even more so than we didn't get rocked as he passed. But then people were walking the boardwalk faster than he was going. Bow thrusters and just a little throttle...empty and riding high. We've been chased by freighters in St Petersburg and Mobile...but never have we been this close! WOW!!