Northern Michigan peninsula

It's a great time to be in Northern Michigan - while the rest of the nation is having extreme heat! 

 We do appreciate the cool nights, as we don't have air-conditioning on our boat.

Leaving Port Huron....

Moving on up the coast, our next night was in Port Sanilac and here's the lighthouse marking the entrance to the harbor.

We are traveling on Lake Huron and they are still having a depressed economy here, especially in Oscoda, where we were for 3 nights, due to rough seas.  They reportedly had over 75 fishing charter boats here 5 years ago and then the fish disappeared and now they have only 2.  Sad story, as it affects all the businesses in town.  We stayed at a marina that was really closed, but the guy let us stay anyway, and we biked all over town.  We found a bookstore we really liked, played Dutch Bingo with the owners and bought a few things also.  Here we are moored to the wall of the DuSable Marina on the DuSable River.

They also claim to be the home of Paul Bunyan - wonder what Bemidgi, MN would say about that!

Seeing more swans grace the lake here up north....they are beautiful!

This lighthouse marks the entrance to Cheboygan, MI, at the northern tip of lower Michigan, where we stayed 2 nights.  Nice marina, nice town, nice beach (except it has pebbles in the sand). 

 We are so spoiled at South Haven!

This day we were crossing the Straits of Mackinac - we didn't go to Mackinac Island because we have been there twice and for several days 3 years ago. 

 Here we pass under that gigantic Mackinac Bridge...

As we have been here before we technically "crossed our wake" and completed the "Great Loop".  But we'll wait until we're back in South Haven to celebrate. 

Onward to Leland, MI - Historic Fishtown - very touristy!  We've been here before also, when the marina was under construction, 3 years ago.  It is very nice now and busy!  Full marina and rafting up to 3 deep at some spots - partially due to the sailboats coming back from the

Chicago to Mackinac Race last weekend. 

After 2 nights there waiting for good weather, we take off for Manistee.  We get to within 2&1/2 miles of the harbor and our boat dies.  We called Towboat US (our insurer) and they tell us their towboat is "down" so they will call the Coast Guard to tow us in. 

 And so it goes...major headache time.

Actually the boat didn't die - something went "bang" and the propeller stopped turning.  Probably broke a shaft in the outdrive.  We'll learn more when the marina "hauls" the boat and has a closer look.  Anyway, we'll probably be here for several days.  We have the time.  Just glad this didn't happen in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.  We've traveled 5660 miles on the water with no major mechanical problems - just normal maintenance issues and now 130 miles from home....

I'm holding my head because I'm wondering what this "little problem" will cost!!

We are thankful for those willing to help us out!!

I thought that's why we pay taxes.  And I don't know how "willing" they were but we did appreciate the help - even if we were a training exercise for new Coast Guard enlistees.  

So here we are in Manistee, MI for awhile - guess we'll check out the town.....