We left Detour Village around 9:30 after waiting for the fog to lift and re-checking all the weather forecasts. This area of Huron is a challenge for us to figure out. So much land and water around. The water is still cold at 53 oF while the land heats up during the day so early morning fog is common and strong winds in the afternoon are typical.
There is a following swell of one foot on 4 second intervals giving us a gentle push. Visibility is about 5 miles. The radar is spinning and AIS is tracking the lakers heading to and from the Straits of Mackinaw. We are travelling just outside the shipping lanes but we don’t want any surprises.
The water on Huron is a bluish with a silver hue. Very intriguing.
We are using the upper helm for the first time in a few weeks. It was warm enough when we set out to have the enclosure open. However, as soon as we reached Lake Huron we closed the windows. Within 30 minutes we had fleeces and socks on, and I was looking for blankets.
All in all it was a great cruise. The weather was as predicted and the afternoon winds didn’t pick up until 1:30.
There are three possible ports near the Straights of Mackinaw. Mackinac Island a famous tourist destination where motorized vehicles are not permitted and horse drawn vehicle and bikes are the only transportation options. A fascinating place to visit but the marina is apparently very bouncing as ferries from the mainland arrive at least eight an hour through out the day.
The second choice is Mackinaw City. Another bustling tourist destination with fudge and t-shirt shops galore. We spent a few days there in 2019 and quite enjoyed it so we opted for the third possibility – St Ignace.
It was a five and a half hour trip to reach St Ignace, a town on the north side of the Mackinaw Bridge near Mackinac Island. The marina has wide docks, generous fairways and several gathering spots. Bikes and scooters are common amongst the seasonal slip holders.
A board walk follows the shoreline through town and the main street is adjacent to the marina. There is selection of shops and restaurants, plus a hardware and grocery store within walking distance.
When booking our slip for two days, we were asked if we wanted to stay through the weekend as the slips were filling up fast for the St. Ignace Car Show. Three thousand cars and 20,000 visitors are expected to flood into this small town. Some cars have already arrived and people are starting to reserve their spots on the pavement. Here are a few examples. I didn’t get a picture of the rat rods cruising the main drag – I didn’t know they were a thing.
The main street will be shutdown and cars parked all along it, plus the arena and its parking lots will be used. It was tempting to stay but having spent weeks alone the idea of crowds that size was not too appealing.
Moon Dance IV 