Woke up to a cool, brisk day and after checking all of the engine fluids we got underway about 1000 hrs. NOAA had been forecasting increasing northerly seas today and while we ran into a bit of a chop we had a trailing sea and made great time with exceptional fuel economy. Once we rounded the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula we set off southwesterly, staying about four to eight miles off the coastline. Again, very little traffic - one lake freighter, and several pleasure boats.


On the way down we had the Manitou Islands to starboard and Leland, then Good Harbor Bay to port. At the western tip of Good Harbor Bay begins the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Seashore. For those who are unfamiliar with these sand dunes, they’re a sight to see. They are mountains of sand rising several hundred feet from the shoreline and extending miles inland. As a child our family used to trek there every summer to climb them. Once reaching the summit (or what we declared to be the summit) you would run down the sand dune as quickly as possible trying to keep your balance but knowing that falling into the soft sand was part of the fun, too. And every year we would vow to walk the dunes to Lake Michigan and but never having achieved that goal. I think you can ride dune buggies to the water nowadays. I digress; the dunes are even more spectacular from the water than they are from land.


Traveling today and observing the shape and content of the landscape, including water depths, I reflect on how the Great Lakes were formed - the glacial push and withdrawal over hundreds of years that carved out this beautiful environment. Speaking of water depths, we cruised through water ranging from 30’ to 495’.


On our approach to Frankfort the water turned from deep blue to a Gulf-like turquoise which corresponds to the underwater topography transitioning from 100’+ to 30’ +/-. The inlet to Frankfort is straightforward with a lighthouse and navigational aid standing sentry to the breakwater entrance. The marina is located next to the downtown area and it looks very quaint. I was running low on some hooch and we set off on a search. Our search ended at the local gas station! Talk about full service! We scoped out a couple of restaurants and we’ll try one in a short while.


BTW - the restaurant where we ate last night - “The Garage” was not bad. We had baby back ribs with ‘tator salad and Cole slaw - just like in the South!


We’re here until Sunday when, weather permitting, we head west to Wisconsin, about 55 miles. We’ll visit family and friends there and cruise up the bay side to Washington Island before heading back across the lake, probably to Leland, before putting the boat away in Harbor Springs.