The next morning our heart rates were steady and we were breathing easy again. Duane was glad we were at anchor and I was unable to hightail it off the boat maybe never to return the day before. We were very skeptical that the waters had settled overnight and planned to hang out on the hook for the day. However, Geoff and Ruth left the harbor earlier in the morning and assured us that the lake had calmed so we set off to Grand Haven mid-morning. We were planning on spending four days exploring and visiting with family and friends, so I was more than happy to move forward and get situated. The sheer terrifying exhilaration of the prior day was pleasantly replaced by complete tranquility. We tied up to the seawall in Grand Haven a few hours later.
There was an art show in town so we explored a few store fronts admiring the work and stumbled upon a few cocktail receptions in the process. Duane was happy to “store” hop all night indulging in free appetizers and champagne, but I requested we make our way to Grand Armory Brewing Company for BBQ, a sampling of some local craft brews and to enjoy the band. Reluctantly the Captain agreed as he proceeded to devour another finger sandwich. As we walked in the door of Grand Armory I knew, at best, I would only get two drinks out of this deal. The music was blaring and, as the bass vibrated through the floor, I was shot the “where are my ear plugs” look. We made a compromise and found ourselves at a rustic sports bar aptly named Tip-a-Few watching the Yankee game over burritos about an hour later.
The next day the sun was shining and the view from the breakwater on this side was a welcome reprieve. I wasn’t too weary about getting up close and personal with the lighthouse when I was on foot.
Later in the day our friends Darlene and Jeff, who we met in Charlevoix, came into town to pick up their boat, Nauti Dolphin, which was in the marina. Duane was ecstatic to see Jeff so he could fill him in on all the developments I was less than interested in or have heard ten times over. I was totally overjoyed to catch up with Darlene and meet her daughter,Kami, showing them pictures of our travels since we had last crossed paths. Walking over to The Kirby House for a bite to eat, we unknowingly discovered Duane’s next obsession. The Happy Hour ran until 6pm and, as well as having exceptional drink specials, the steak sliders were to die for. The building itself had some significant history dating back to 1873. As of present, it houses three different dining experiences on the lakefront which seems to entice visitors and locals alike.
A loose plan made over a year ago was also coming to fruition as my cousins, Mark and Laura, arrived into town for a visit. Not 10 minutes before, the wind started kicking up and the rain started falling. With Jeff’s help, Duane pulled the boat into a slip at the dock. Mark and Laura were not only coming to see us and the boat, but they were doing me a solid and bringing a case of wine to replenish our depleting supply.
After bidding Jeff and Darlene farewell and making a plan to meet up in a warmer climate, I gave Mark and Laura the 10 minute tour of Bella Donna and we caught up over a few drinks. Of course Duane felt obligated to share his new favorite establishment with as many people as possible, so off we went back to The Kirby House for dinner. As we ate, we chatted over drinks and they updated us on the family as we filled them in on our adventure which was only a thought when I last saw them in New York City. Back on the boat, we gave them a sample of the liquor we had purchased at the distillery up north on the lake. It was so good to see them and we realized they have been the only family or friends to visit us since leaving New York. We had a feeling everyone was holding out for the more tropical locales.
Strolling the beach the next morning, we watched surfers pick their set and ride the swells. Who knew that a lake would kick up that much action close to shore.
Jim and Wendy aboard their beautiful boat, My Everything, were tied up at the dock a few slips from us. Docktails were in order in addition to some well deserved tacos at Tip-a-Few. Their cat, Pumpkin, greeted us as soon as we stepped on board to exchange stories of close encounters and our plans to cross over to Chicago in the next few days.
Our last day in Grand Haven was spent making preparations to finish our trip on the lake. Although the views as we proceeded south were breathtakingly beautiful, we had our fill of the unpredictable weather on the lake. With the time crunch in the back of our heads as we were already into the first week of October, we had to move swiftly but were forbidden to leave until Duane made his final appearance at The Kirby House late that afternoon to fill his belly with some sliders.
We left the next morning with My Everything close behind. They travel more than three times our speed so their boat was soon out of our view as we bid them farewell as they passed along our port side. The lake was as placid as we have seen since we crossed over from Canada. Since the navigating would be relatively easy, I gave the Captain a break and took the wheel. Being in such mild conditions, we were able to push ourselves over 70 miles into St. Joseph.
All the establishments were pretty much closed by the time we disembarked from the boat and walked to town. We grabbed a drink at the local bar and made the decision to go one more town south to Michigan City, IN before heading to Chicago. This would cut our distance fully exposed on the lake in the event she took a turn for the worse and there was no possibility of turning back.
In the morning, Duane begged and pleaded to go to the marine store on the outskirts of town. Tom on Careb was also tied on the wall and not planning on departing until the following day and My Everything was zipping across to Chicago from here. Having no travel companions, I didn’t feel the need to torture the Captain and off to the marine store we went. We were back on the boat with lines untied by 11:30 and also a few items heavier.
Arriving in Michigan City, IN before 4pm, we adjusted our clocks to central time and tied up at the marina. The area was very industrial and, apart from the Calypso music from Matty’s Caribbean Bar, the sounds of rumbling freight trains surrounded us. We sat down and had a delicious meal on the patio of Fish Camp while checking on the weather forecast. The winds were still predicted to be light and blowing from the southwest. Although the waves would be hitting us on the beam, Captain Duane deemed them to be extremely manageable. We settled into bed with the green light to cross in the morning….