Aug 31 - Sept 2 Frankfort - Ludington -Muskigan

Aug 31 – Sept 2 

Aug 31.   All travel – all the time, seems to have been the all-consuming way of life the last few days.   Lake Michigan is tough.  Weather – mostly wind and wind driven waves - start kicking up with more frequency this time of year so  when you get a few good days in a row you need to take advantage of them.   We had a 3 day weather window open up  so pushed hard on Saturday leaving Petoskey at 6:30 with first light and traveling 11 hours and 88 miles to Frankfort.  

Sun rising in our wake as we leave Petoskey

Scenery was pretty much just water and shoreline although the shoreline was interesting seeing the 480’ high sand dunes at Sleeping Bear National Seashore.  

Point Betsie  Lighthouse

Sleeping Bear Dunes  with Little Sleeping Bear in background

One of the small dunes. Dots by water are people.

 Not terribly rough conditions but after rocking for 11 hours we both had the woozies while sitting at dinner on shore.     No time to even explore the town – just a quick dinner and hit the sack pretty exhausted.

Journey for Aug 31

Sept 1.    Off the docks at 7 AM with our next port of call looming some 52 miles away.  Seas picking up a bit and more confused so a bit bouncier.  Not a day for picture taking as just more choppy water and dunes along the shoreline with an occasional lighthouse.

Big Sable Point lighthouse

Ludington Breakwater Lighthouse 

We did arrive early enough to explore the town and partake in a flight of craft beers at one of the local breweries with a bite to eat.   A bunch of loopers were at the marina so of course docktails were in order. We got to watch the ferry “Badger” maneuver into port.   Quite a site as he drops anchor and spins the 410’ boat for a stern in dockage.  It’s the last commercially operating coal fired ferry on the lake and offers service between Ludington, MI. and Manitowoc, WI. It’s a National Historic Landmark.  

Badger entering Ludington Harbor

We got to catch up with Jim and Justine from Knights Kingdom again as they had pushed ahead of us after our initial meeting in Campbelford.  This is their home port and they had just completed the loop and earned that coveted gold burgee!

Journey for Sept 1

Sept 2.   Decisions, decisions….  We had originally planned to go across the lake to the Wisconsin side for the remainder of the trip to Chicago.   But winds and waves were coming from the west which would have meant a constant pounding on the bow with seas forecasted to be a bit steeper in the middle of that 60 mile crossing with nowhere to go if it got ugly.  So, we opted for another days run along the Michigan side.   We had hoped to make Grand Haven but called it a day after 7 hours and 58 miles   of bouncing around in a building and confused sea.  We’re holed up in Muskegon for a few days as a strong cold front is passing through. 

Muskegon Breakwater lighthouse - a welcome sight

Labor Day boaters enjoying the protected waters inside the channel

  Gale force winds, seas building to 7-10 feet out on the lake, couple of rainstorms, and lakeshore flood warnings all in place.  After covering 200 miles in the last 3 days we’re almost at 2500 miles into our loop.

This is how you look and feel after cruising 24  hours in 3 days 

Good opportunity while stuck in port to do a bit of maintenance.   Time already for another engine and transmission fluid change!!  And speaking of fluid changes - there are  2 breweries to test out. 

Journey for Sept 2