Late the previous evening we were watching the news on TV and suddenly heard a slam against our hull. The wind had picked up and a sailboat trying to enter bow-first the slip next to us was caught by the wind, turned laterally whereupon its stern slammed us amidship while its bow was caught on the pier pilings opposite. We got out and tried with the boat hooks to push the sailboat's stern off of us, and some quick-thinking folks from another boat on the dock, helped secure the sailboat's lines and pull them toward the dock. After about 15 minutes of effort in the 20+mph winds, we all succeed in getting the sailboat in the right position. Salty only suffered a few cosmetic scratches - phew!
Next morning the wife of the very remorseful sailboat captain came over and gave us a bottle of spiced rum. We left with bright blue skies and forecasts for very calm seas - and they were. We headed west after leaving the Drummond Island Yacht Haven and then turned south through the De Tour Passage, passing De Tour Village. After passing the spire of the De Tour Reef Lighthouse, we headed west into the vast smooth expanse of Lake Huron towards the Mackinac Straights. Midway to Mackinac Island, we passed the lonely Martin Reef Lighthouse.
De Tour Village, MI; De Tour Reef Lighthouse; Martin Reef Lighthouse
Arriving in Mackinac Island, we were struck by the attractiveness of the harbour surrounded by Victorian era mansions and hotels. The Mackinac Island State Marina warns of the fickleness of Lake Huron and the swells that accompany eastern winds, but our arrival day was calm and the waters of the marina were so crystal clear you could see 12 feet to the bottom. The marina had very new fixed docks and we were happy to be landed in such a lovely place.
The island permits no motorized vehicles and the primary means of moving people and goods is by horse drawn carriage, or by foot or bicycle. After settling in we took a walk up through the town and up to the Grand Hotel and had a light lunch on the veranda - one of the largest porches in the world on this great big wooden Edwardian era hotel. After touring the elegant grounds, we went back to the docks.
Later in the evening, we went up to the Grand Hotel again for dinner - where it struck us that this was the first time in a long time that we were in a dining room where everyone was dressed up - all men in coats and ties, something you rarely see in New York City. The hotel charges a visitors fee of $10 per person per day - so we took full advantage to hang out a bit, have two meals there and avoid spend another $10 fee for the remainder of the trip to visit the property.