“The name Machilimackinac, the place of the “Great Turtle”, was first given to Mackinac Island for its shape and was eventually given to the entire Straights of Mackinac region. In time…it was shortened to simply Mackinac. The founders of Mackinaw City opted for the phonetic “aw” spelling, probably as a way to distinguish their town …
We made our way up the eastern side of the Michigan “mitten,” otherwise known as Michigan’s “Sunrise Coast.” It was foggy and drizzly this day (Tuesday, July 13) with a brief window of afternoon clearing. I took a nice photo of Reverie at the Harrisville Municipal Marina. Harrisville is the sixth smallest city in Michigan (0.63 square …
We left Put-In-Bay at dawn on July 7. Our intent was to motor to the outlet of the Detroit River and stay at the small city of Wyandotte. Our research revealed that this community was founded by the Wyandot Indians (part of the Huron Nation) and the original name of this area was “Maquaqua.” In …
“Lake Erie had 36 islands, sort of.” The best known might be Kelleys, the Bass Islands and Pelee (in Canada, so not an option for us). Kelleys Island is “a nature-lover’s paradise” with hiking trails, sandy beaches, campgrounds and the “world’s largest [easily accessible] example of glacial scoring at Glacial Grooves State Memorial.” It was …
We left Erie, PA, (Monday, 6/28) before sunrise and before any other boats left the marina. Pete loves to be out on the water at dawn to witness the sunrise. I’m willing to sacrifice my leisurely morning cup of coffee to share these quiet intimate moments with the man I love. We’ve developed a departure …
Our looping experiences so far have been limited. By this, I mean that our total time cruising as Loopers was two months in 2018 and two weeks in 2019, with both journeys ending prematurely for medical reasons. (We didn’t cruise in 2020 – the Covid-19 Pandemic.) We have decommissioned and recommissioned our boat three (3) …
We relinquished our motor yacht to a commercial captain at Youngstown, New York, at the very edge of the United States border (the Niagara River outlet) due to a very silly Covid-19 Pandemic protocol. Canada will not allow us, United States citizens and owners of a “pleasure craft for recreation,” to enter their country. Not …
Phase III of our Great Loop! The recommissioning is complete. All repairs made, supplies stocked, fuel and water tanks topped off, black water tank emptied, and rental car returned. We spent our last night at Shumway Marine enjoying the distant drumming of live music from Schooner’s Riverside Pub and reviewing our “get away plan.” Our …
This all feels so familiar. We prepared our Smart Home, tested the alarm system, forwarded the mail, arranged for landscaping, and informed our Posse of Preparedness Peeps should any natural disaster strike while we are away. They will know how and when to reach us and what to do. With California in a statewide drought, …
“Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa 2020 has reinforced some truths and taught me several valuable lessons. For example, “Live for today because tomorrow is not promised.” Also, “Friendship isn’t a big thing, it’s a million little things.” I have taken these …