We had spent countless days, weeks and months planning a different life away from our home in Okemos. Our goal of making our boat a cozy new home was finished. Our daughter, Carrie drove us up to Freedom's Turn on Wednesday, August 6. She left us there the next morning. We had no car. We could not nor did we wish to turn back. When Charlie and I woke up early on Friday, August 8, 2008, snuggled in our berth on Freedom's Turn, we could prepare no more. This was the day. We pulled out of our slip with a full boat and a full feeling of anticipation; saying good by to our slip and our dock for one year! It was our time to go. It is impossible to explain our excitement. We do not begin to know what a year will feel like; all we know is what that morning felt like. We felt free, being both retired at last. We were ready to live our dream.
We left Cheboygan and cruised to our first destination; the annual Duncan Bay Rendezvous in Government Bay, located in the beautiful Les Cheneaux Islands, in Michigan's Upper Peninusla on the southeastern shoreline. Some of us from the boat club came a day early before the weather became turbulent. The rest of our boater friends never came and had their own event back in Cheboygan. We had a wonderful send off, complete with the campfire, great food, and sharing stories that we always have each year.
Next we cruised to 51 miles west and south to a favorite place of ours; Beaver Island. We stayed at the municipal marina for two nights. Beaver Island is the largest island on Lake Michigan and is located in the northeast section of the lake. We have been to the island a few times before and we always feel like we are on an adventure as we enter the St. James Harbor, especially this time! On our way into the bay we saw one of the Tall Ships anchored there. The magnificent ship looked like the pirate ship in the movie 'The Goonies"! We cruised at our normal speed of 7 -8 knots which is about 9 miles per hour with light breezes on our stern. The weather was
wonderful, we got lots of exercise riding our bicycles and walking to the ice cream stores! I was happy to visit one of my friends, Joyce Bartels who is the island's historian and lives on the island every summer. And our delicious meal at Nina's at the Beaver Island Lodge on the patio overlooking the beautiful sunset was a big treat.
The next two nights we spent at the the new city marina in Charlevoix; a beautiful beach town with the best of all worlds. Quaint downtown with their sidewalk sales going on, farmer's market, artist galleries, fancy condos, and the beautiful Lake Charlevoix. We cruised this big lake in our dinghy and decided this was the life! We had our first visitors as well; the Spitzleys of Portland and the Poniers of Charlevoix.
Then on to Leland with it's historic "Fish Town" a popular place to buy the fresh caught lake trout, whitefish, and salmon right off the docks. We bought some and have it in our ship's freezer. Another sidewalk sale and artists galleries and I felt like staying for weeks! Charlie says the boat is too full already; the water line is already way up the hull! Oh well. We traveled four hours on this this day and was glad to get in; the trip over was very bumpy with 3-5 foot waves and the winds coming on our beam.
Today we are at the municipal docks in Frankfort. Another bumpy day on Lake Michigan. So far we have traveled close to 150 miles. Just another 5, 800 to go. Looks like a fun place but it is the day to finally do laundry. As I get ready to do my chores, what do I see but an art fair and a used book sale at the library... there just isn't enough time in the day.
Charlie says hello and offers to compose the next entry. "Enough about feelings", he says with a smile. I guess he will write more about the facts. Oh, well. Hope all is well with you and yours.
