Originally posted at www.svsweetescape.com
When we were working sometimes we did not realize how tired we were until after a few days off. That seemed to be the case when we arrived in Charlevoix Michigan.
We have been going just about non-stop since we escaped Racine, each day learning and experiencing new things from our first encounter with anchoring to our first wind storm.
That did not change when we entered the Pure River Channel a very narrow entrance channel that connects Lake Michigan to Round Lake and Lake Charlevoix.
Judy had called the Charlevoix City Marina after leaving South Manitou Island on Tuesday morning only to be told that you have to make reservations through the Michigan DNR’s website. The marina did offer to wait list us though and we felt lucky when they later told us that they could accommodate us.
In order to get to the marina it is necessary to go through the afore mentioned channel. Just east of Lake Michigan and prior to Round Lake there is the Highway 31 bridge. The is a low bridge that only operates on the hour and half hour. After a rough ride on Lake Michigan we entered the channel at 3 pm to find another sail boat, dragging a dinghy and backing up toward us. (did I mention that this is a very narrow channel?) The operator of this sailboat (can’t call him a sailor) yelled over to us that the bridge wouldn’t open and that we would have to wait until 3:30. At this point it is 3:10 and we are in this narrow channel being pushed forward toward the bridge by the large swell coming in from Lake Michigan. It became clear that we needed to get out of this channel and back out onto the lake where while it was rough, at least there was room to maneuver.
Once the the other sailboat had backed all the way out onto the lake we were able to turn around and motor out onto the lake where we circled around until 3:25 pm when we once again entered the channel and prepared to wait for the bridge.
This channel is so narrow that we were talking, not yelling with the locals who were on the Pine River Walkway alongside. One of these guys said “at least you don’t have to deal with the Beaver Island Ferry”, a large ferry boat that also routinely uses this channel as they shuttle people back and forth between Charlevoix and Beaver Island.
Sure enough, the bridge opened at 3:30 and there, heading straight for us was the Beaver Island Ferry. We were able to get by the ferry passing it port to port with just a few frayed nerves as the only damage. We go under the U.S. Highway 31 bridge and enter Round Lake which is a very busy harbor with many anchored boats and even a small cruise ship docked there. We were thankful to tie up in our marina slip.
Charlevoix City Marina is what a city planner dreams about. Beautiful parks, fountains for children to play in - a performance pavilion, beautiful shops, restaurants, art galleries, ice cream shops and candy stores. It is a beautiful place to clean the mud off Sweet Escape, refill her tanks and restock our supplies. On Wednesday we had a pleasant walk through town and we were also able to locate a screw for our windlass at a local boat yard along with some other needed items including a larger oil filter wrench.
Charlevoix City Marina is run very well by friendly, helpful people and is very clean. If we had to find a fault, it would be that it is a very busy place. Judy took our dirty clothes to the laundry facility and found people lined up with wheelbarrows full of wash. There were only two machines but by taking turns and waiting in the beautiful boater’s lounge all the wash got done without any major problems.
As we walk around Charlevoix we could not help but notice that the stores are displaying their fall clothing and there is a chill in the air. Keeping in mind that we still have to go father north before we can head south it’s time to think about our next move with Sweet Escape.
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