A Boating Adventure / Mackinac Island Part 1

 Hello!  It’s been a while, so how in the world are you all doing? This summer has been quite challenging for us in some ways, and quite wonderful in others. One thing is for sure; Wisconsin’s few warm months are absolutely flying by! August 11^th already! Are you kidding me??? ANYway… 

Todd and I recently took an interesting vacation, and I got the idea to write a bit of a travel log about it. As boaters, we field a fair amount of questions about what a boating vacation is like and how it works, This is the first installment (a couple more will follow) of our latest boat-trip adventure. I hope you enjoy reading, and that you’ll comment back to me with thoughts of your own.  

Todd and I had been planning our latest trip for quite some time. Just to provide a bit of history, we are in a boat club (The Wisconsin Boating Club). It’s comprised of approximately 30 families who share one common interest -- Boating. Every February, club members decide where to travel during the upcoming boating season, and sign up for cruise offerings. Todd and I have participated in quite a few through our 24 years of membership. We’ve cruised the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers six times, alternating nightly stays from marinas to sandbars. Twice, we trailered all the way up to Bayfield, Wisconsin in Lake Superior, to feast our eyes on the Apostle Islands. We explored beaches, lighthouses, and sea caves. Door County is an all-time favorite. Who can resist the charm of its small towns, islands, and (of course) wineries! We’ve stayed closer to home, enjoying time at Lake Winnebago, Sheboygan, Racine, and yes, Milwaukee. We’ve even crossed the lake twice, poking around in quaint Michigan ports such as Petoskey, Leland, Grand Haven, and Saugatuck. However, one place we’d never visited was Mackinac Island. Other friends had been there numerous times, but we’d never made the trek… until this year. 

A total of seven boats participated in the 2021 cruise. One couple decided to leave from McKinley Marina in Milwaukee, and take the lake all the way up, which was quite ambitious. Though they were gone for a week, they were with us for only two of our days, since it took several days to get there, and would take a couple of days to navigate their way back down. Five of the boats trailered up together. Todd and I had a little different schedule, so we trailered alone. 

We keep our boat in Oshkosh, so on the last Tuesday of July, we drove that first 75 miles, spent the night, and were ready to roll by 7:00 Wednesday morning. Thankfully, the day dawned with a beautiful sunrise. It’s funny because years ago, I can remember feeling only excitement at the notion of being on a vacation, but for something like this, my feelings are different. All I can say is that there’s a lot to it. Not only do we have the truck to get ready, but a boat and a trailer as well. All three machines are necessary for a successful trip. Let’s face it, that’s a whole lot of tires (10) and engines (3) to account for! As we pulled on to northbound 41, I said to Todd, “I feel nervous, do you?” and while he’s very confident, he did admit to “A little.” I mean, there’s a lot of responsibility in towing, especially a wide load (states vary, but generally this means a load larger than 8 ½ feet wide), especially into an area we’ve never been. But as they say, a journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step (or tire rotation, as the case may be). 

North of Green Bay, we veered northeast, heading for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  Soon, we’d be on roads we’d never traveled. Before the trip, we needed to secure towing permits for the state. They provided us with the route they wanted us to take, and their rules of their roads. I was surprised to find out that Michigan requires oversized loads to travel ten miles under the speed limit; a normal limit of 65, drops to 55, etc. I’m not really opposed to that, other than it does create some traffic back-up. Thankfully, every few miles, they also provide passing lanes so that faster-moving cars can pass safely, if wanted or needed. (Apparently, those cars wanted AND needed!) 

It was a beautiful drive as we followed Lake Michigan most of the way up. Years before, we’d visited the small towns of Cedar River and Escanaba by water, so it actually felt odd guessing what-was-what from the road this time. We stopped twice for fuel, and finally, by around 3:00 p.m., we neared our (truck’s) final destination of St. Ignace. As we rounded a curve in the road, we got a breathtaking glimpse of the bluffs, islands, and water that awaited us for our week. My nerves, which had begun to settle earlier, finally gave way to that peaceful easy feeling we all crave. Inhale, then deep breath out…we’re almost there. It was shaping up to be a great week.

We found the launch ramp, and saw our friends’ trucks and trailers, already parked. Somehow, it felt reassuring, like whew, we’re in the right place! We readied our boat for sea travel, affixing lines and fenders. Oh, and as all successful boaters know, never forget the plug, unless you want to sink, that is! Todd parked the trailer. Thankfully, both boat engines easily revved to life. After a long day, we were finally ready to shove off. I’d asked my friend how we’d know how to find the marina. She said, “Follow the ferry boats.” Sure enough, there was plenty of tourist activity, both coming to and leaving from, the island.

I took this picture, and swear it could be a postcard! 

As we left the harbor, we glanced to our right. There, standing proudly in the haze, was our first sighting of the Mackinac Bridge. I promise to write more about that soon. It was a short 15-minute cruise over to the island. As we passed by, the Grand Hotel stood majestically waiting; just past that, was the entrance to the marina. We radioed ahead, and received our slip assignment. Our friends came over to catch our lines. After a cheerful greeting and a bit of banter, they went back to their boats, and we set about getting organized.  

 

After months of planning, after hours of driving, we’d arrived. It felt so good to be there! Let the games begin… 

Please check back for Installment #2, coming soon. 

Katie Kolberg Memmel is the author of three books: “Five Fingers, Ten Toes – A Mother’s Story of Raising a Child Born with a Limb Difference”; “Silly Stories and Sentimental Stuff”; and “From This Day Forward…” All are available in paperback and electronic versions, through Amazon.