August 2015 – Travels of Sanctuary

From Manistee to Ludington and White Lake

August 10, 2015/0 Comments/in Boat, Great Lakes, Travel /by Sanctuary

We toured the City of Milwaukee Railroad Car Ferry and the Coast Guard Cutter Acacia in Manistee. They are both retired and on display for tours.

Retired Coast Guard Cutter Acacia

City of Milwaukee Car Ferry

City of Milwaukee Car Ferry (retired)

Steve boldly taking the wheel on the City of Milwaukee bridge

Acacia Mess Hall

Acacia Bridge

City of Milwaukee Bridge Control

Captains Desk

Guest Room on City of Milwaukee (which is available to rent and stay aboard as a B&B)

Guest Area City of Milwaukee

Ship City of Milwaukee railroad car inside

We found out what happened to Big Boy … sad!

After touring Manistee, we left for Ludington. We met Bob and Vicki in Ludington for a planned reunion. We also met together with a number of Lakeshore Yacht Harbour friends which was not planned. Scott and Karen pulled into Ludington Municipal Marina on their new boat named Last Call. Their boat to be slipped at LYH.

Unplanned Rendezvous in Ludington

Scott and Karen’s new boat

Sanctuary and Last Call in Ludington

Part of the fun in Ludington is watching and hearing the Badger come and go. The Badger is a car & passenger ferry transport. The ferry travels between Ludington and Manitowoc and is one of the last remaining coal, steam-fired engines in the United States.

Badger seen leaving Ludington through Sanctuary’s port windows

Badger Leaving Ludington

Steve and Teresa in Ludington (note: Badger in background leaving Ludington)

Our friends, Bob and Vicki, waving goodbye on Ludington’s pier

After leaving Ludington, we traveled to White Lake and anchored in Indian Bay for the night. Other than sharing the bay with an anchored flotilla of four power boats each with their own dinghy, all’s calm and quiet in this protected bay.

Next stop should be our home port of Muskegon.

Leaving Arcadia for Manistee

August 6, 2015/0 Comments/in Boat, Great Lakes, Travel /by Sanctuary

We left Arcadia and made the short trip to Manistee. There was a nice following sea for the trip.

Leaving Arcadia

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course

Dunes near Arcadia

Manistee Channel Light House Could use some new paint…….

Headed for Manistee Municipal Marina

Sanctuary secured a dock at the Manistee Municipal Marina. They have a new clubhouse/bathhouse for visiting boaters. It has a very nice lounge area and a number of individual showers. The bathrooms and facilities are very neat and clean.

After touring town, visiting the grocery, and dinner we walked along the board walk to the beach for the sunset.

Old Caboose in Manistee

Another Sunset, this one at Manistee Channel

After dark, entertainment for the night featured watching a freighter maneuver through the river and out to Lake Michigan. They look so much larger when they’re only a few feet away from the dock you are tied to. The Manistee was build in 1943 and is certainly showing her age. The sailboat we shared a dock with had two young children aboard. A boy, Garett, and a girl named Anna. Watching their excitement reminded me of times past with our own children, Andrew and Amanda. Good times; memorable days. Just as we’re making new memories this time around.

Tomorrow the plan is for Sanctuary to travel to Ludington.

After the storm in Arcadia

August 3, 2015/2 Comments/in Boat, Great Lakes, Travel /by Sanctuary

Beautiful sunset and calm evening in Arcadia after the storm.

Left Frankfort, traveled to Arcadia + 40th Anniversary Day!

August 2, 2015/4 Comments/in Boat, Great Lakes, Travel /by Sanctuary

We traveled to Arcadia, which is not a long trip, even though the waves made the trip not the most comfortable. Wind and waves were out of west so we motor tacked down the coast. This lessened the impact of the waves.

We spent the day and night anchored in Arcadia Lake just inside the channel.

In the morning, the wind picked up and storms were predicted so we moved to Veterans Memorial Marina.

Just a few minutes after returning from the beach, a massive storm blew through. This gave the opportunity for some very interesting photos. We have never seen such intense bluish/purple in an approaching front. The temperature dropped 20 degrees in about 10 minutes.

Very intense with wind blowing over 40 knots. The day immediately changed from just a leisurely day on the beach to hang on to anything not bolted or tied down … Both the Admiral & the Captain remain thankful to be tied up safely to a dock. Even if 2-foot high whitecaps appeared alongside the boats and docks.

No one could argue that our Anniversary Day was one without events!