Day 14 - 7/9/24

We awoke and heeded the call of shore coffee. As we enjoyed the coffee we decided it looked like a good day to set sail a little further down the line. We had spent an entire week just playing around the Beaver Island archipelago.

We had an amazing sail day. Started a little slow and at one point brought down the sails to motor because we had slowed to zero. We could see wind all around us in the distance but we were in a complete dead zone. After about 5 minutes on the motor the sails were back up and the motor off for the majority of the 32nm journey. I actually captained the ship for the majority of the day and we averaged about 5.5 knots. Nice and relaxed but Ciara was super happy and so was her crew.

I picked out a brand new anchorage for us for the night. Not very well known, super sandy and great holding, small public beach and in an international dark sky park. We are the only boat here.

Took Kona ashore and then made dinner. Cory and Kona stayed aboard while Richard and I took the scooters to scout out the area. Turns out we are less than 4 miles to Mackinaw City, and within those miles there was a free heritage park with historical buildings and beautiful overlook to the bridge and a beautiful lighthouse. The dark sky park was also along the way. Stopped to check it out but with a cloudy night and no lectures planed for that evening it was just neat to see. It was here that I felt my first bout of land sickness this trip. Makes one feel like Captain Jack Sparrow the way we walk. We then made it to the city where we went to the Keyhole bar for a drink before heading back home for the evening at dusk. We lite our lanterns and relaxed with Cory making it to bed just about midnight. Time is changing, the sun sets so late and rises early. We move with the rhythm of the day with little worry. It’s nice.