Michigan: Leland to Frankfort

Day: 57

Travel Time: 4.25 hours

NM Today: 36

NM Total: 1255

Locks Total: 70

We got under way by 8:45 with hopes of a calmer ride than the day before.  As soon as we got beyond the breakwater the waves started making us rock and roll, but it was nothing compared to the day before.  I had prepared for rough seas again, so I had lunch up top with me to avoid the trip downstairs while out in the open water.  As we progressed on our trip the seas calmed considerably. We heard chatter from other boaters, who left port earlier than we did, that they had worse seas for a larger potion of their trip.  Guess it pays to sleep in until 7:00!

I never know how to dress.  When I put on jeans and a long-sleeved shirt because I think it will be cold, I boil over because the wind is with us.  If I dress in shorts and t-shirt, I am chilled because we are traveling into the wind.  I tried to get some insight into wind direction related to travel direction from Clark today before leaving, but the end result was under dressed and chilly once again.  I wrapped myself up to stay comfortable and keep the wind off my neck.

 

Trip to Frankfort was a little chilly

Our trip today took us by Sleeping Bear National Park.  Some “loopers” discussed renting a car and going to the National Park to explore, but we passed on that opportunity.  The “drive by” on the boat is as close as we will come to visiting there.  We were traveling behind Time Out, Ariel and Rock Me Baby.  As the first two passed the dunes, they discussed on the VHF radio whether the dunes looked more like a sleeping dragon than a sleeping bear.  When we caught up to that spot, Clark decided it looked like a crocodile. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes – Sleeping Bear National Park

The travel time today was just over four hours.  I played far too many rounds of Alphabetty to pass the time as we rode along.  At one point I asked Clark how much longer, and he said, “Look!”  When I turned to look at the coast, I could see the entrance to Frankfort right there.  Yay!!

Coming into port at Frankfort

While Clark wrapped up his Captain’s Log entries and closed up the fly bridge, I pulled out the folding bikes to get ready to go exploring.  I wasn’t sure where we would go but figured that we’d be checking out the area by bike.  I was surprised when Clark said that the agenda for the bike trip was to find a place to get our propane tank filled so I can cook onboard – just a little important task.  We went to three places right in town but at each location they only supported the propane exchange program which we cannot participate in because we have mini-sized tanks.  Clark stopped into the Outfitters store and asked there.  They recommended that we bike to the RV campsite out of town and get the tank filled there.  

It turned out to be a very pleasant bike ride out to the RV park.  We paid $5 for our propane at $1 per gallon.  Clark carried the empty tank in his backpack going and the full tank going back.  The ride out was fun.  I used the app Runkeeper and tracked my average speed at almost 11 mph.  When I bragged to Clark about how fast we were traveling, he poo-pooed it by saying, “the wind was at your back”.  I told him I was fishing for an “atta girl” not “the wind did the work”.  I find it really hard to get any “atta girls” out of Clark, so I have to tell him when I deserve one.  The round trip to get the propane was only 5 miles which was nowhere near the 12 we had been told by one person Clark spoke to.  On the return trip against the wind, the speed slowed for our trip, and I was glad that Clark had the filled propane tank in his pack and not in mine.

Shady and Cool Trail to Fill Propane Tank

When we got back to the marina, Clark ran the tank up top.  Then we set out to explore the town.  Bikes cannot be ridden on the sidewalks in Frankfort.  We walked the bikes through town because I can’t window shop and ride my bike down Main Street at the same time.  The parking on Main Street is 45 degree parking, and I find it scary riding down the road and not knowing when someone will back out of a parking space and have no idea we are coming along as a target for them to hit while backing up.   We went in a few stores.  I didn’t plan on shopping and didn't bring money, so I couldn’t buy anything without getting Clark to pay.  That sure puts a damper on spending money.

After our quick look through town, we went off to find the beach at the other end of town from the marina as well as the lighthouse we saw when we came into harbor.

Beach at Frankfort (lighthouse in distance)

As we wandered around the area on our bikes, we encountered Annie and Bill from Rock Me Bably several times.  They even turned up on the bike trail to the RV camp.  They weren’t looking for propane, they were just biking for the fun of it.  We also saw them in town and at the marina.  When the four Mainships here tonight leave Frankfort, we will be heading to different ports.  Rock Me Baby is going to Wisconsin and then Chicago, and Clark and I have different Michigan stops selected than those picked out by Ariel and Time Out. 

Annie and Bill proposed that we all go out for dinner together before we part ways.  We had a great group dinner at The Dinghy pub.  They pulled two tables together for the 9 of us.  When we sat down, we separated into the girl’s table and the boy’s table as opposed to boy-girl boy-girl which I would normally expect.  It worked out perfectly and the waitress was a darling.  She took the names of the couples and sorted it all out to give us separate checks for each couple.  I heard no complaints so she must have gotten all 5 separate checks correct. 

Weather and winds for tomorrow look pretty foul, and before dinner as well as after, the other boaters tried to convince Clark that we should stay in port and not travel onward until Friday.  Clark rechecked the winds and our travel options when we got back to the boat and, with my encouragement, decided that we will stay here one more night before moving on.  Yay!  I can use a rest.