Summer Trips Planned

[Brutus C Paw]

If there is a summer this year, just wondering what trips everyone has planned. We have 4 boats doing the below. I though it was a good time to post since I have been working on reservations. Interesting, some harbors are not yet taking reservations, while the trip we planned is working around the earliest dates that Charlevoix, MI has available.

Day	Location	Miles	Gallons	Time
			(0.68 mpg)	(23 mph)
Friday 7/19	Sheboygan	71	104.41	3.09
Saturday 7/20	Frankfort	93	136.76	4.04
Sunday 7/21	Frankfort
Monday 7/22	Bay Harbor	70	102.94	3.04
Tuesday 7/23	Bay Harbor
Wednesday 7/24	Mackinaw City	45	66.18	1.96
Thursday 7/25	Mackinaw City
Friday 7/26	Mackinaw City
Saturday 7/27	Harbor Springs	36	52.94	1.57
Sunday 7/28	Harbor Springs
Monday 7/29	Charlevoix	15	22.06	0.65
Tuesday 7/30	Charlevoix
Wednesday 7/31	Leland	31	45.59	1.35
Thursday 8/1	Pentwater	82	120.59	3.57
Friday 8/2	Pentwater
Saturday 8/3	Port Washinton	76	111.76	3.30
Sunday 8/4	Racine	45	66.18	1.96
Total		564	829.41	24.52

 

[AKBASSKING]

End of July for two week, I am towing Alaskan Sea-Duction up to Bellingham WA and doing the San Juans. Can't wait....

 

[DaFish]

Looks like a great trip. The northern end of the lake is beautiful country.

Now all that is needed is great weather and a cooperative lake!

 

[Sum Escape]

Be sure to consider an overnight stay at Mackinaw Island instead of all three days in Mackinaw City. It is a great time after the "masses" leave the island each night. Can be a bit rough in the harbor there though.
Also, be sure you stay at the new Mackinaw City State marina and not the city marina. Nice floating docks at the state marina versus fixed at the city (and with the low water tough to deal with). And no ferry traffic coming and going.
Sounds like a great trip!!! All fun ports!

 

[susanandlance]

Just the Bahamas and a couple other trips.......:grin:

 

[CJ Martin]

Our 2013 boating season is on hold due to sequestration. Thanks Congress!

-CJ

 

[susanandlance]

No stopping me, leaving tomm for a 4 day boat trip.......

 

[Brutus C Paw]

Be sure to consider an overnight stay at Mackinaw Island instead of all three days in Mackinaw City. It is a great time after the "masses" leave the island each night. Can be a bit rough in the harbor there though.
Also, be sure you stay at the new Mackinaw City State marina and not the city marina. Nice floating docks at the state marina versus fixed at the city (and with the low water tough to deal with). And no ferry traffic coming and going.
Sounds like a great trip!!! All fun ports!

We are booked at the new Straits marina for the 3 nights. I talked and read so much about the Ferry wakes, unprotected harbor, low water on the fixed docks so you need to use the ladders to get off the boat and that fenders are useless, we opted not to try the island marina. Plus, moving four of us in and out seemed like a hassle. How late do the ferry's run in relation to the "masses leaving"? We are also confirmed for Charlevoix municipal and Jacobson's in Frankfort, so the hard ones are done I think.

I guess we won't see "susanandlance", I don't think we will be near the Bahama's. I would think upper MI would be warmer with bluer water than the Bahama's anyway, don't you all agree?

 

[bigblockcutlass]

Sounds like a good trip. I just need an investor! Any takers?

 

[susanandlance]

@ Brutus, no worries, that beautiful Bahamas water doesn't really exist anyway.............:lol:

 

[firecadet613]

Sounds like a great trip. Wish I could manage that much time off in late July!

 

[Ricochet]

We are taking a similar trip to Mackinaw in mid-august, we do it all with no reservations, we leave port early to make the next destination early.....that is easier to do in mid-august....we usually stay at the island for two or three nights, ferry traffic stops by dark and we are usually away from the boat most of the day so its not bad. Starting in Whitehall we are stoping at Frankfort, Leland, Charlevoix, Ludington and others either coming or going ......16 total days

 

[play dough]

We travel to NW Michigan ports every couple years (Ludington to Mackinac Island and all points between). Last year was our first venture into Little Traverse Bay and the port of Petoskey. What a pleasant surprise that port was. I hadn't been to Petoskey since the early 70's and it has certainly grown. I thought of it as Traverse City without the congestion. Of course Harbor Springs and Bay Harbor are nearby as well, but Petoskey seemed to suite my needs and is very convenient to shops and restaurants. In lieu of Charlevoix, we slipped in Boyne City on Lake Charlevoix at the Harborage Marina. Again, an awesome surprise with both the marina and Boyne City exceeding our expectations. Just a couple of options you may like to consider for future cruising.

 

[sea hare]

We will also be doing a similar trip.. Tenatively Aug 16th. We slip on Lake Winnebago in WI, so were gonna get trailered up to Sturgeon Bay, then over to Frankfort, Leland, Charlevoix, then Boyne City. This will be my first time traveling any distance on Michigan so my nerves are shaky but still super excited. Obviously weather and equipment is top priority

 

[Brutus C Paw]

Does anyone have any recent experience with the "first come, first serve" docking at Harbor Springs? We will be traveling with 4 boats from Mackinaw City, about two hours away. I have read you have to get in line by anchoring out, until / if you get called in. Just curious if anyone knows when the check out time clears the docks and what the turnover rate seems to be on Saturday morning, and what time you need to be in line to have a chance of getting a slip.

 

[Sum Escape]

Does anyone have any recent experience with the "first come, first serve" docking at Harbor Springs? We will be traveling with 4 boats from Mackinaw City, about two hours away. I have read you have to get in line by anchoring out, until / if you get called in. Just curious if anyone knows when the check out time clears the docks and what the turnover rate seems to be on Saturday morning, and what time you need to be in line to have a chance of getting a slip.

Many people "stage" in Petoskey or Bay Harbor and call ahead (cell phone) to get on the wait list as opposed to anchoring out. That is the best way to "get in line" in our experience. Not usually a lot of turnover on Sat mornings though. You may want to consider trying to get there on a Thursday or at least Friday morning if it is between July 1 and Aug 10 or so.

 

[surfinjoe]

How is Frankfort? We were planning on hitting Traverse City, but if there is enough to do in Frankfort we may change our mind. The hotel is over $250 per night in Traverse and only $130 in Frankfort.

Does anyone have experience with Crystal Lake?

 

[archangel73]

So far here are the trips planned for 2013:

- Jun 14th - 16: Chicago in Water Boat Show / Loop Cruise (Staying at 31st harbor)
- Jul 4th - 7th : Summerfest in Milwaukee
- Aug 3rd - 4th : Milwaukee Air/Water show
- Sep 14th - 15th : Brewfest in Racine

 

[Sum Escape]

How is Frankfort? We were planning on hitting Traverse City, but if there is enough to do in Frankfort we may change our mind. The hotel is over $250 per night in Traverse and only $130 in Frankfort.

Does anyone have experience with Crystal Lake?

Crystal Lake is just that....crystal clear. You would have a great time cruising it. Frankfort is a fun little town to shop and a number of nice restaurants. It is not a Traverse City, but the lake is awesome.

 

[KC_Sundancer]

Our plans are heading northwest to all the Keweenaw ports, Isle Royal, Thunder Bay Ontario and back home to Munising. If Big Bay's harbor is dredged by then maybe a stop there along the way.
Fishing, diving and relaxing - can't wait. :grin: