Manistee

Sunday, June 21

After posting last night’s entry we walked up and had our ice cream, (I think I may go into withdrawal now that we are gone) then Don and Kim came down to the boat to say goodbye, Diana got a last picture of the sun-setting over some of the boats. We ended up staying longer than we wanted, but White Lake was a great place to be delayed. Thanks again to Don and Kim.

I was up at 6:00 and checked the weather; it looked like it was going to be a perfect day, we postponed breakfast and were untying lines by 6:30. By 7:00 we had crossed White Lake, gone out thru the channel and were headed north toward Manistee, 65 miles away. The course was along the shore to Little Sable Point, turn slightly east and head further off shore to Big Sable Point then turn farther east to Manistee.

The temperature started in the low 60’s and was in the upper 60’s all day on the water, once in to Manistee it was in the mid to upper 70’s. It was mostly sunny all day, when we first went out the water was glassy smooth. Around Big Sable the wind had build to 10 – 12 and we had some one foot waves but they soon settled down and we had light breezy with small waves the rest of the day. Just the way we like it.

Diana got pictures of both Little and Big Sable Lighthouses, at Little it was a little hazy yet so I am posting only the Big Sable Light. We also saw a tug towing a barge and little later a lake freighter went by on the other side (too far away for a picture). The shore continues to be all sand in great hill sides.

By shortly before 3:00 we had arrived at the entrance to the Manistee River. We proceeded in the channel past a couple marinas on each side to the municipal marina, just before the bridge in the picture. On the way in a Coast Guard 47 foot cutter was headed out (more on him later).

There were two marina staff on the dock to help us into our slip, we got tied up and power connected, then we went for a short walk to stretch our legs. We came back to the boat, did some small projects then had a simple dinner.

After dinner we walked up main street (actually River Ave.). Diana liked the style of the old buildings and got several pictures, we walked across the bridge to the other side of the river to the grocery store. We picked up a few items and headed back to the boat.

From the entrance of the harbor into town they have a 1.5 mile “board” walk right along the river. Farther out it is a board walk, the section past the marina in the picture is a concrete walk. We went back to the boat, put the groceries away, did the dishes then headed for the showers.

Just as we got back from the showers, the Coast Guard cutter we had seen headed out when we came in was back and pulling into a slip right next to the first slip of the municipal marina. Having spent eight years in the C.G. reserve (40 years ago now) I quickly walked down to see how things have changed. I was greeted by four very courteous young C.G. enlisted men. They not only took time to talk with me but invited me aboard for a tour of the boat. It was impressive to see how some of our tax dollars are spent. The boat is all aluminum, with big Detroit diesel engines. She is designed to do search and rescue work in twenty foot breaking surface, thirty foot waves and fifty knot winds. I didn’t ask if they get Dramamine intravenously.
It was a wonderful day, the weather forecast looks good for the next three days and we are getting closer to Canada